Kevin Costner’s second film ‘Horizon’ cancelled
NEW YORK (AP) — The second chapter of Kevin Costner’s ambitious Western blockbuster “Horizon: An American Saga,” scheduled for an August release, has been canceled after the first film underperformed in theaters. New Line Cinema said Wednesday that “Horizon: Chapter 2” will not hit theaters on Aug. 16 as planned. The studio had planned to release the two films back-to-back, an unusually quick release. But after the first film grossed a modest $23 million in its first two weeks in theaters, the distributor reversed course. For now, “Chapter 2” remains in the dark. The move is a humble admission that Costner took a big theatrical gamble on his decades-long passion project that didn’t sit well with audiences.
Man sentenced to more than four years in prison for death of original Mickey Mouse Club cast member
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A man charged with accessory to the death of Dennis Day, an original cast member of Walt Disney’s TV show “The Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1950s, entered an amended guilty plea this week and was sentenced to just over four years in prison. Daniel Barda, 41, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of manslaughter and mutilation of a corpse. Barda had been a live-in handyman at Day’s Phoenix, Oregon, home, but Day, 76, had been trying to get rid of Barda since he disappeared in mid-2018. Prosecutors said Barda caused Day’s death and then used Day’s identity to squander money.
MS-13 leader pleads guilty to eight murders, including deaths of two Long Island girls
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — A leader of New York’s MS-13 gang has pleaded guilty to racketeering and firearms charges in eight murder cases, including the 2016 slashing and bludgeoning deaths of two high school girls in suburban Long Island. Alexi Saenz pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Central Islip and faces 40 to 70 years in prison. Prosecutors previously withdrew their intention to seek the death penalty in Saenz’s case. The students’ deaths focused national attention on MS-13 gang violence under the administration of President Donald Trump. Saenz’s lawyer declined to comment after the hearing.
Five boaters found clinging to a cooler on Lake Erie were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter crew.
ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) — The Coast Guard responded to a rescue of five people clinging to a cooler in Lake Erie after their boat was swept away by waves off the coast of Ohio. Authorities said the 22-foot boat capsized Saturday about 10 miles off the coast of Ashtabula. Someone called 911 for help and stayed in contact until rescuers arrived. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from an air station in Detroit diverted from another rescue mission on Lake Erie to pull all five people to safety, with no injuries.
U.S. Highway Administration issues advisory regarding faulty airbag replacements in used cars
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers about “cheap, low-quality replacement airbag inflators” that don’t prevent serious injuries or deaths in car crashes. The agency said Wednesday that low-quality aftermarket airbag inflators have caused three deaths and two serious injuries in the past nine months. In all five cases involving fatalities and injuries, the vehicles had been in previous accidents and the original airbags had been replaced. The NHTSA urges anyone buying a used car to obtain a vehicle history report.
Samsung is bringing tech’s latest fashion to wearable technology with an AI twist on a new watch and ring.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Samsung is decking out its wearable devices with the latest craze in tech: artificial intelligence. The South Korean electronics giant announced Wednesday that both its first premium smartwatch and a smart ring that signals its entry into a niche market will come equipped with AI features that should help people monitor and manage their health. The $650 Galaxy Watch Ultra and $400 Galaxy Ring are an extension of an effort Samsung began six months ago when it introduced its first smartphones, with AI tech as a centerpiece. It’s all part of an accelerating trend to build AI into ubiquitous devices.
BMW recalls over 390,000 vehicles over airbag inflator issue
WASHINGTON (AP) — BMW North America is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in the United States because of the risk of airbag inflators exploding. Authorities said Tuesday that the original steering wheels may have been replaced with sport or M sport steering wheels equipped with Takata inflators. If the inflators explode, sharp metal pieces could strike the driver or other passengers, causing serious injury or death. BMW has not received any reports of accidents or injuries in the United States that could be related to the issue, according to its latest reports.
Wander Franco has been charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl and is scheduled to go on trial on August 14th.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally indicted by prosecutors in the Dominican Republic on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors decided to file the charges six months after a judge ordered Franco to be investigated in connection with sexual and psychological abuse of a minor. Prosecutor’s office spokesman Nairobi Viloria confirmed to The Associated Press that prosecutors had submitted the formal charges to the judge. The indictment also names the girl’s mother, who is accused of condoning the abuse by receiving money from Franco. The trial is scheduled for Aug. 14.
Pennsylvania introduces new license plates featuring the Liberty Bell
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The new state license plate design reflects the important role Pennsylvania played in establishing independence from Great Britain. The plates unveiled this week feature the phrase “Let Liberty Ring” from the early 19th century song “My Country, Thine Own.” The red, white and blue plate design also includes an image of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell. The design is already used on eight signs that welcome drivers where highways in Pennsylvania cross state lines. Twenty-nine more welcome signs are planned for the coming months. People interested in Pennsylvania’s new plates can sign up to be notified when they become available early next year.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard became pregnant shortly after being released from prison for conspiring to murder her abusive mother.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard is pregnant. Blanchard is the woman who asked her ex-boyfriend to murder her mother after being forced to pretend to be seriously ill for years. She said in a YouTube video on Tuesday that she wants her child to have everything she lacked growing up. She said the baby is due in January, just a little over a year after she was released from a women’s prison northeast of Kansas City, Missouri. Blanchard’s case drew national tabloid attention when reports emerged that her mother, Claudine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, had essentially imprisoned her daughter and forced her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube. Claudine Blanchard was murdered in 2015.
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