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Review: ‘Natasha, Pierre’ soars to life at San Jose Playhouse

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

When observing the optics of San Jose Playhouse’s new production of “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” it’s clear as day that the company housed in downtown San Jose’s 3Below Theaters has pulled out all the stops.What is revealed are the most impressive visuals put out by the Playhouse in recent memory, a manifestation of scintillating set work from scenic and lighting designer Jon Gourdine. Throw in a live, 12-piece orchestra stewarded by band leader Tom Tomasello, and it’s clear a desire for spectacle was high on the list of priorities. Even standing outside the theater on 2nd and San Carlos offers up a massive promotion, urging potential customers to spend a few hours within the 70 pages of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” where the musical bases its story.The production is not simply all swank, no substance. Individually and collectively, the telling of the story of Pierre (Stephen Guggenheim), the unhappily married bag of melancholy, is richly crafted via Scott Evan...

Police investigate body found in Oakland Wednesday morning

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

(KRON) -- The Oakland Police Department is investigating a death that occurred early Wednesday morning in the 300 block of 10th Street, officials said. Officers responded to the incident around 7:30 a.m.At the scene, officers said they found a victim unresponsive with injuries. The nature of the injuries were not specified. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Ex-San Francisco fire commissioner attacked homeless people with bear spray, attorneys say The name of the victim has not been released. The Oakland Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division is overseeing the investigation.The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPD Criminal Investigation Division at (510)238-3821.

First Spare the Air alert of the year issued for Thursday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The first Spare the Air Alert of the year has been issued for Thursday by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Bay Area air quality is forecast to be unhealthy on Thursday with light winds, hot temperatures and exhaust expected to create elevated conditions for smog and ozone, the BAAQMD said. Spring heatwave could lead to increased flood risk “As temperatures heat up and our roadways become increasingly crowded, air quality is expected to be unhealthy,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District in a news release. “This Spare the Air Alert highlights the need to reduce cars on our roadways and find alternatives to driving alone such as taking transit, working remotely, walking or biking.”The Bay Area is currently in the midst of the year's first heatwave which is expected to bring widespread temperatures in the 80s to 90s Wednesday and Thursday.The BAAQMD issues Spare the Air Alerts when ozone pollution is forecast to reach unheal...

Future of Pride event in Massachusetts town still uncertain

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

The future of a Pride event that included a drag show in a small Massachusetts town remains up in the air after town officials held another vote on whether to allow the event, then said that their permission is not actually required.The North Brookfield select board voted Tuesday night to rescind a previous vote to deny a permit for the Rural Justice Network’s “Small Town Pride Day” on the town common in June because it included a drag show, which two members of the three-member board said violated restrictions on “adult entertainment.”The board then immediately took another vote, with one member approving the event and two abstaining, meaning the motion failed.But according to board Chair Jason Petraitis, one of the two members who abstained and who has in the past expressed opposition to a drag show, the organizers of the event don’t need town permission.“It’s a public common, and we can’t deny them access. But we disagreed with them having the drag s...

Man sentenced to life in death of NYC ambulance driver

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A 31-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday for killing a New York City emergency medical technician by running her over with her own ambulance.Jose Gonzalez was convicted of first-degree murder last month in the March 2017 murder of Yadira Arroyo, a 14-year Fire Department veteran and mother of five, in the Bronx.Prosecutors said the fatal encounter started when Gonzalez grabbed the back of Arroyo’s ambulance and rode on it, then jumped off and stole a man’s backpack.The robbery victim flagged down the ambulance and Arroyo got out and spoke briefly to Gonzalez, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.Gonzalez then jumped into the driver’s seat of the ambulance, backed up over Arroyo and drove forward, dragging her across an intersection, Clark said. Arroyo was pronounced dead at a hospital.The case against Gonzalez was delayed by psychiatric evaluations to determine his fitness to stand trial. He was convicted on...

Fox to hand over documents for 2nd voting machine lawsuit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News agreed Wednesday to hand over thousands of documents to voting machine company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for defamation in a case similar to Dominion Voting Machines’ just-settled lawsuit.Smartmatic says Fox bears financial responsibility for airing false allegations that the company rigged the 2020 presidential election against former President Donald Trump. Last week, Fox agreed to pay Dominion nearly $800 million to avert a trial, although the ultimate cost to the media company is likely to be much lower. Smartmatic wants a $2.7 billion judgment, which far exceeds the $1.6 billion Dominion sought in its suit. No date has been set and the case might not go to court for a couple of years. Smartmatic said in court filings that Fox “slow-rolled its production” of transcripts and other material that were created during the Dominion suit, and that Smartmatic had received just a small fraction of the more than 52,000 documents it requested as ...

Transgender Montana lawmaker Zooey Zephyr says she is defending LGBTQ+ community as House decides whether to punish her

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Transgender Montana lawmaker Zooey Zephyr says she is defending LGBTQ+ community as House decides whether to punish her.Source

Montana lawmakers start discussing whether transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr should be censured

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers start discussing whether transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr should be censured.Source

Queen’s and KHSC to launch clinical trials with psilocybin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

Queen’s University and KHSC are officially set to get involved in the growing field of psychedelic research. Work is underway recruiting and screening potential participants for Phase 2b clinical trials on the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted therapy for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).Participants will be taken through motivational enhancement therapy with psilocybin being used to essentially open their consciousness and maximize the effects of psychotherapy.Dr. Claudio Soares, psychiatry professor and chair of the Psychedelic Science Advisory Committee for the Dimensions Health Research Collaborative, says there’s still a lot of work to be done even throughout the recruiting phase.Dr. Soares says participants need to be excessive drinkers but otherwise be in good health with relatively stable housing and access to phone and internet – not necessarily a wide group to draw from.“It’s not a population that’s easy to be found,&...

Man guilty of murder in deadly road rage shooting that killed 13-year-old

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:34 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Jeremy Webster, a man accused of opening fire on a family and killing a 13-year-old boy in June 2018 was found guilty on all charges Wednesday.Vaughn Bigelow Jr., 13, was killed.Webster, 27, was charged with murder, multiple counts of attempted murder, multiple counts of assault and attempted assault.Vaughn's mother, Meghan, took the stand on the first day of trial and said the incident started when she was driving her three boys to the dentist's office.She testified when she tried to move into another lane of traffic to allow an emergency vehicle to pass that Webster became enraged that she had cut him off. Psychologist says man charged in road rage killing was sane Meghan told the jury that he screamed obscenities at her and followed her into the dentist's parking lot.In the parking lot, Meghan said Webster pulled out a gun and shot at her and the children. “I yelled to the boys he’s got a gun, run,” she testified. She did everything to lead Webster away from he...