4/29/2024: Bee Arson
PLUS: Tree Hugger; Call Me Emily; and Return of the King
Today is Monday, April 29, 2024.
It is the120th day of the year.
246 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Commercial activity resumes, slowly, at the Port of Baltimore and universities crack down over the weekend on anti-Israel protests. Details in HIT LIST.
SEAN COMBS files to have a lawsuit dismissed and BRITNEY SPEARS settles a lawsuit with her dad. More in SHOWBIZ.
JENNIFER ANISTON is working on a “9 to 5” reboot and a sequel to “The Social Network” is in the works. Details in CASTING CALL.
CAITLYN JENNER confronts protesters at the White House. More in KARDASH.
Some good news as THE KING recovers from cancer treatments. Detail in ROYALS.
###
HIT LIST
NOT MESSING AROUND: Universities across the country used police force to disband encampments of anti-Israel protesters over the weekend.
Many college presidents have insisted the arrests are a response to students violating school policy, not specifically for the act of protesting. In many cases, those arrested include activists who don’t even attend the school.
One of the biggest protest encampments in the country continues at Columbia in New York City, extending into its second weekend. While some schools say they only deployed police force to quiet things down and are encouraging prosecutors not to press charges, while others are actively pursuing trespassing charges. [via NBC News]
MEANWHILE: The Associated Press reports that an increasing number of those arrested are demanding “amnesty” for their protests – expecting their suspensions from classes to end and records expunged so as not to interfere with future career and employment opportunities. [via AP]
###
A family in northern New York state is looking for answers to why an arsonist destroyed storage sheds on their rural property – each of which housed extensive bee farms.
Stuart and Sherry King of Ellensburg Center, New York, estimate that a half million bees were killed in the arson. Stuart noticed the flames one night last week and an intruder on their property, who promptly ran off when the couple spotted him.
They were able to use buckets full of rainwater to put out the fires. Responding officers said that even two days later the smell of kerosine and diesel oil still lingered, suggesting the intentional use of accelerants. So far no suspects have been identified. [NBC 5]
###
Recreational boat activity under the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore resumed on Sunday, weeks after the deadly collision that sent more than 1300 tons of steel into the cold water below.
Commercial activity resumed on Thursday. Any boats passing under the bridge are subject to strict schedules, with one-way outbound activity from 3:30 to 4:30 pm and inbound activity during a one-hour window immediately after.
Plans remain underway to fully reopen the Port of Baltimore by the end of May. Officials estimate the port is running at about 15% of its capacity before the disaster. [via CBS News]
###
Police in Massachusetts say they’ve busted up a robbery ring that specifically targeted homes owned by people of South Asian descent over the last six years.
Since July 2018, a four-person bandit crew committed 95 counts of burglary and robbery across 25 communities in the state. For reasons not yet revealed, the robbers thought homes owned by South Asians would have more jewelry than others.
Across the break-ins, the men ran off with $75,000 worth of diamonds and gems, in addition to the cash they grabbed. In a few instances, they made off with entire safes. The District Attorney overseeing the case called their operations “very sophisticated,” pointing to their use of technology to avoid triggering alarms and detection from law enforcement. [via AP]
###
Twenty-nine-year-old tree lover Abubakar Tahiru set a new Guinness World Record for most trees hugged in 60-minutes.
Making his way through the Tuskegee National Forest in Alabama, Tahiru hugged 1,123 trees -- an average of 19 tree hugs per minute. The previous record was 700 trees hugged.
Tahiru, who is pursuing a master’s degree in forestry at Auburn University, called the challenge “rewarding” and “meaningful.” [via NY Post]
###
DEATHS
Actress MARLA ADAMS has died.
She passed away last Thursday at her home in Los Angeles. No cause of death has been shared.
Adams is best known for her role as Dina Abbot Mergeron on “Young and the Restless.”
She was 85.
###
SONJA CHRISTOPHER, the first person ever voted off “Survivor,” has died.
She passed away Friday. No cause of death is known.
After getting the boot from the competition show, Christopher appeared on “Diagnosis: Murder,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and “The Daily Show.”
She was 87.
###
SICK BAY
HARVEY WEINSTEIN spent the weekend at Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital in New York City after being set there by doctors at Rikers Island jail.
His lawyer, Arther Aidala, told the Associated Press that the 72-year-old disgraced movie mogul is “somewhat of a train wreck health wise.”
The stay comes just days after his New York rape conviction was overturned by an appeals court.
###
WEDDINGS
“Bachelor” alum NICK VIALL and surgical technologist NATALIE JOY tied the knot Saturday at her family’s 300-acre farm in Georgia.
He’s 43 and she’s 25.
Over 170 guests, including many from Viall’s “Bachelor” days, were on hand as the two exchanged vows. Joy also walked down the aisle with the couple’s two-month-old daughter River Rose in her arms.
###
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
10. Boy Kills World: $1.6 million (new)
9. Dune: Part Two: $1.9 million (down from 8)
8. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: $3.2 million (down from 7)
7. Kung Fu Panda 4: $3.5 million (down from 6)
6. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: $3.8 million (down from 4)
5. Abigail: $5.2 million (down from 2)
4. Civil War: $7 million (down from 1)
3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: $7.2 million (stayed at 3)
2. Unsung Hero: $7.7 million (new)
1. Challengers: $15 million (new)
###
BY THE NUMBERS
📈 The DOW added 153 points (0.4%) to close at 38,239 on Friday. The S&P gained 51 points (1.02%) to close at 5,099 and the NASDAQ increased 316 points (2.03%) to close at 15,927.
🛢 WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE closed at $83 on Friday; BRENT CRUDE at $88.
⛽ The national average price of a GALLON OF GAS was $3.65 on Sunday.
₿ BITCOIN was down on the weekend, trading around $63,600.
🛩 There were more than 3,840 FLIGHTS delayed within, into, or out of the United States on Sunday and more than 125 such cancellations.
💰Tuesday night’s MEGA MILLIONS drawing will be for a $257 million jackpot or a $115.6 million cash payout. Tonight’s POWERBALL drawing will be for a $164 million jackpot or a $74.9 million cash payout.
###
SHOWBIZ NEWS
SEAN COMBS’ attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss some of the claims made against him by accuser Joi Dickerson-Deal.
In the suit, Dickerson-Deal claims that she was a victim of revenge porn and human trafficking at the hands of Combs in 1991, but his team says that laws regarding those two things didn’t exist at the time, so he cannot be sued for them
The accusation from Dickerson-Deal came last year, well-ahead of the raids at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles homes in connection to a sex trafficking investigation.
A judge has not ruled on Combs’ team’s motion. [via Billboard]
###
The legal dispute between BRITNEY SPEARS and dad JAMIE SPEARS is settled, though not in her favor.
She sued him for alleged “mishandling and fleecing” her estate while under the 13-year conservatorship, while Jamie claims he was given permission to act in such a manner by the conservatorship judge.
In the settlement, Brit isn’t getting a cent from her dad, but is paying his legal bills, which amount to more than $2 million. [via TMZ]
###
EMMA STONE wants to be called by her real name: Emily.
“I just can’t do it anymore,” she told The Hollywood Reporter, saying going forward she wants to drop the stage name.
She was forced to change from Emily to Emma because there already was an actress who went by the name Emily Stone. Eventually she settled on Emma because of her love for Baby Spice aka EMMA BUNTON of the SPICE GIRLS. [via THR]
###
JUSTIN BIEBER sparked concern with a series of photos on Instagram, including two of him looking at the camera while crying.
While the other pics in the post were more positive, the lack of a caption led some fans to express their concern in the comments.
To quell any rumors that she was the reason for his tears, his wife HAILEY BIEBER also commented on the post, writing “a pretty crier 🥲.” [via Page Six]
###
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY appeared on the jumbo screen singing and dancing to ex-husband BILLY JOEL’s song “Uptown Girl” at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
At one point the two appeared to lock eyes and Joel serenaded her. The sweet interaction was shared on TikTok by a fellow concert goer, who captioned it, “Tonight she watched him sing the song he wrote about her to all of Madison Square Garden.”
For those who don’t know, Brinkley and Joel were married from 1985 to 1994. During that time they welcomed daughter Alexa Ray Joel.
Joel actually started writing the hit song prior to his relationship with Brinkley when he was dating fellow model ELLE MACPHERSON. Those two split and he moved on with Brinkley, which is who he was with when he released “UpTown Girl” in 1983.
FUN FACT: The song was originally titled “Uptown Girls” and meant to be about all of the models in Manhattan, but his love for Brinkley had him change it from plural to singular. [via People]
###
CASTING CALL
JENNIFER ANISTON’s production company Echo Films is working on a reboot of the 1980 cult classic “9 to 5.”
There are no details about storylines or a cast.
Also no word on whether any of the original ladies -- DOLLY PARTON, JANE FONDA, and LILY TOMLIN -- will be part of the reboot.
The original movie centered on three female colleagues who take revenge on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” of a boss, played by DABNEY COLEMAN. [via The Guardian]
###
A forthcoming two-part series will dive into the life of KEVIN SPACEY, from his childhood to hollywood and the allegations of sexual abuse.
“Spacey Unmasked” features “never-seen-before interviews and archives” that hone in on his life through last year’s acquittal of 12 counts of alleged sexual assault.
The doc will air on Max and ID, though a premiere date has not yet been announced. [via People]
###
Warner Bros. will re-release the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy this summer.
The remastered versions will also feature extended footage from director PETER JACKSON.
The studio is partnering with regional movie chains to produce a weekend-long event for the re-release. Starting on June 8, fans can watch 2001’s “The Fellowship of the Ring,” with the two sequels following over the next two days. [via THR]
###
Screenwriter ALAN SORKIN is working on a sequel to his 2010 flick, “The Social Network.”
Speaking about the project on “The Town” podcast, Sorkin explained that his motivation behind the sequel is that he feels Facebook is to blame for the January 6 incident at the Capitol building. As for why he believes that, Sorkin said, “You’re going to need to buy a movie ticket.”
“The Social Network” stars JESSE EISENBERG as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. It landed eight Oscar nominations, and Sorkin a win for Best Adapted Screenplay. [via Decider]
###
Actress VANESSA LACHEY is “gutted, confused, blindsided” by CBS’ decision to cancel “NCIS: Hawai’i.”
Lachey’s character, Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, was the first female Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Pearl Harbor station, mirroring her own achievement as the first actress to lead an “NCIS” spinoff series.
The show is currently airing its third season. News broke Friday that there will not be a fourth.
Fans started a petition urging the network to save the show. [via Variety]
###
THE DAILY KARDASHOPUS
CAITLYN JENNER didn’t let a group of screaming protesters stop her from attending the White House Correspondents Dinner over the weekend.
While walking into the event, those gathered outside were screaming at attendees to boycott the dinner in protest of the war in Gaza. In response Cait took out her cell phone and started recording the group.
When she had enough, Cait walked away while flipping off the crowd. [via TMZ]
###
WE’LL NEVER BE ROYALS
Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday that KING CHARLES will resume public-facing duties in short order, starting with a visit to a cancer treatment center with QUEEN CAMILLA on Tuesday. In a statement, The Firm says this will be “the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead.” [via @RoyalFamily]
WORTH REMEMBERING: Rumors swirled last week that palace insiders were actively reviewing the King’s funeral plans in anticipation of a turn for the worse.
MEANWHILE: PRINCE HARRY will head back to England for an event connected to his Invictus Games Foundation on May 8. No word yet on any potential family reunion. [via CBS News]
###
DAY OF THE YEAR
We Jump The World Day
National Shrimp Scampi Day
National Zipper Day
World Wish Day
International Dance Day
###
ON THIS DATE
1974 - President Nixon announces that audio tapes relevant to the Watergate investigation would be released to the public.
The administration redacted discussions not relevant to the hearings or investigations, claiming executive privilege.
Nixon maintained his ignorance of the Watergate hotel break-ins throughout calls for his impeachment. But a "smoking gun" tape was later released that recorded Nixon ordering the FBI to stop its investigation.
On August 8 that year he would resign, but would later be pardoned by President Ford. Nixon is the first and only president to resign from office.
###
1986 - Roger Clemens records 20 strikeouts in a single 9-inning game.
Pitching for the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Clemens broke the 19-strikeout record set by Steve Carlton in 1969. He would duplicate the feat in 1996, the only pitcher to do so.
###
1992 - Four police officers accused of using excessive force to subdue Rodney King following a high-speed car chase one year earlier are acquitted.
The outcome of the racially-fueled trial immediately sparked riots throughout Los Angeles. A white truck driver was pulled from his semi cab and beaten within inches of his life by angry protesters.
The riots continued overnight and throughout the next day. Helicopter footage captured much of the chaos -- and the police standing by while it happened.
The four cops would stand trial again in August, charged with violating King's civil rights.
Two were acquitted again, and two others were sent to prison. King would receive a $3.8 million payout, then sue his lawyer for the attorney fees that had been awarded -- which was dismissed.
###
2004 - The World War II monument is opened to the public in Washington D.C.
The memorial sits between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial along the National Mall. A massive fountain and pool lies in the center, surrounded by granite arches dedicated to the different theaters of war.
The entire project cost nearly $180 million. Bob Dole and Tom Hanks were two of the principal lobbyists who raised money for it.
###
2011 - Prince William marries commoner Kate Middleton.
More than 1,900 gathered for the ceremony, and an estimated 2 billion people watched around the world.
The couple dated for eight years before getting engaged in 2010.
###
2018 - “The Simpsons” surpasses “Gunsmoke” to become the longest running primetime scripted series.
“Gunsmoke” held the record with 635 episodes.
###
BIRTHDAYS
Mallory Pugh - soccer player - 26
Katherine Langford - actress, “13 Reasons Why” - 28
Candace Owens - political personality - 35
Jay Cutler - football player - 41
Master P - rapper - 54
Uma Thurman - actress, “Pulp Fiction” & “Chambers” - 54
Michelle Pfeiffer - actress, “What Lies Beneath” & “Hairspray” - 66
Daniel Day-Lewis - actor, “Lincoln” & “Gangs of New York” - 67
Jerry Seinfeld - comedian & actor - 70
Willie Nelson - country singer - 91
Born On This Date
Leslie Jordan - actor, “Will & Grace” & “The Cool Kids” - 1955 (d. 2022)
Dale Earnhardt - race car driver - 1951 (d. 2001)
Jacob Rothschild - founder of J. Rothschild Assurance Group - 1936 (d. 2024
Duke Ellington - pianist - 1899 (d. 1974)
###