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Book Review: Lorrie Moore brings her maximalist wordplay to a macabre exploration of love and death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

“I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home,” by Lorrie Moore (Alfred A. Knopf)Lorrie Moore has loss on her mind. Her latest work, “I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home,” is a slender, surreal, beautifully written novel that explores the long afterlife of love, death and domestic devotion.It begins in the Deep South on the Tennessee-Kentucky line several years after the Civil War. A woman named Elizabeth, who runs a boarding house, writes a letter to her deceased sister about a mysterious lodger who may be presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth.Then it cuts to a second thread set in the 21st century on the eve of the 2016 election. A history teacher named Finn goes to see his dying brother, Max, at a hospice in the Bronx. At his bedside, they banter amusingly about the World Series, Finn’s suicidal ex-girlfriend, Lily, and his cranky view that the progressive left needs to “reclaim the term conspiracy theory” from the “barbarians” on the right.Soon, Finn is summoned home to Illinois beca...

Wisconsin governor signs bipartisan bill designed to prevent Milwaukee bankruptcy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called it a “historic day” before he signed a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that sends more money to Milwaukee and gives both the city and county the ability to raise the local sales tax in an effort to avoid bankruptcy.The measure also sends 36% more money overall to every other smaller city, town, village and county in Wisconsin, part of a deal Evers struck with Republican legislative leaders to also increase funding for K-12 public schools and send more money to private schools that accept voucher students.Evers signed the bill surrounded by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, Milwaukee leaders and local officials in Wausau. Local governments have been clamoring for more state aid following years of cuts or stagnant funding that have forced cuts to essential services like police and fire protection.“For far too long, our local communities have been forced to do more with less,” Evers said. “And we’ve seen the conse...

Tropical Storm Bret spins toward eastern Caribbean as forecasters warn of heavy rainfall

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Bret chugged toward the eastern Caribbean on Tuesday as the region prepared itself for an unusually early storm and the torrential rains that are forecast.Bret had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving across the Atlantic Ocean at 21 mph (33 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which warned that it’s been unable to get “a better handle on the system’s intensity and size.”The storm was located some 945 miles (1,525 kilometers) east of the Windward Islands and is expected to pummel some eastern Caribbean islands late Thursday at near hurricane strength.Dominica’s meteorological service said Tuesday that the storm poses a “high threat” to the island and warned of landslides, flooding and waves of up to 12 feet (4 meters).Meanwhile, the hurricane center urged people in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to closely monitor the storm and have their hurricane plans i...

Two RCAF members missing, two rescued after helicopter crash near Ottawa River

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

OTTAWA — The Royal Canadian Air Force is searching for two members who are missing after a military helicopter crashed in eastern Ontario early Tuesday morning.The Department of National Defence says four Royal Canadian Air Force members were on the CH-147 Chinook helicopter when it crashed after midnight near the Ottawa River near Petawawa, Ont.The crew was taking part in a training flight. The military has not said anything about what caused the crash. Two of the crew members were found by first responders and taken to hospital in Pembroke, Ont., overnight.The search involves about 50 Canadian Armed Forces members on shore and in the water, with help from an Ontario Provincial Police marine unit, Petawawa and Pembroke fire departments and several military rescue aircraft.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke Tuesday morning with Gen. Wayne Eyre, chief of the defence staff.“My thoughts go out to the entire Canadian Armed Forces, the members of the 450 Squadron who are o...

Stock market today: Wall Street falls and takes a step back after its big rally

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are falling Tuesday in Wall Street’s first trading after a five-week rally carried it to its highest level since the spring of last year.The S&P 500 was 0.7% lower in midday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 306 points, or 0.9%, at 33,993, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.6% lower.The U.S. stock market is taking a step back following many steps forward on hopes the economy can avoid a recession and inflation is easing enough for the Federal Reserve to stop raising interest rates soon. A frenzy around artificial intelligence has also vaulted a select group of tech stocks to huge gains.Those hopes are battling against worries that sticky inflation will force the Fed to keep interest rates higher for longer, which could grind down the economy. With some of the easiest improvements in year-over-year inflation soon to be lapped, a tougher road may be ahead for both the economy and financial markets.“Leaning on the...

Actor Jonathan Majors domestic violence trial scheduled for Aug. 3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Jonathan Majors’ domestic violence case will go to trial Aug. 3, a Manhattan judge said Tuesday, casting him in a real-life courtroom drama as his idled Hollywood career hangs in the balance.Judge Rachel Pauley wished Majors’ “best of luck” as she scheduled his trial. “Yes, ma’am,” Majors said, standing with his lawyers in front of Pauley’s bench in Manhattan’s domestic violence court.Majors, 33, is accused of twisting a woman’s arm, striking her head and shoving her into a vehicle in New York City in March. He is charged with several misdemeanors, including assault, and could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted. His lawyer says he’s innocent.Tuesday’s hearing was his first time in court since just after his March 25 arrest in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. He appeared by video at a brief hearing in the case last month where prosecutors announced they had revised the assault charge to reflect the perspective of Majors’ accuser...

S&P/TSX composite down nearly 200 points, U.S. stock markets also fall

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down nearly 200 points in late-morning trading as losses in the energy and base metal sectors helped lead the decline, while U.S. stock markets also tumbled lower.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 179.24 points at 19,754.97.In New York, where markets were closed Monday for the Juneteenth federal holiday, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 315.83 points at 33,983.29. The S&P 500 index was down 34.49 points at 4,375.10, while the Nasdaq composite was down 96.17 points at 13,593.40.The Canadian dollar traded for 75.44 cents US compared with 75.72 cents US on Monday.The August crude contract was down US$1.45 from Friday at US$70.48 per barrel and the July natural gas contract was down 10 cents from Friday at US$2.53 per mmBTU.The August gold contract was down US$25.40 from Friday to trade for US$1,945.80 an ounce and the July copper contract was down a penny from Friday at US$3.88 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press w...

Rapper Quando Rondo jailed on drug, gang charges in Georgia

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The rapper Quando Rondo has been jailed after being indicted on drug and gang charges in his hometown of Savannah.The 24-year-old rapper, whose given name is Tyquian Terrel Bowman, was behind bars in the Chatham County jail Tuesday. According to court records, he has a bond hearing scheduled Friday.Bowman and 18 others were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday. The indictment charged Bowman with four counts, including being a manager of an illegal street gang known as “Rollin’ 60’s.” Other charges say Bowman conspired with others to distribute marijuana and to buy pills of the opioid hydrocodone. Bowman’s attorney, Joshua Pine, declined to make an immediate comment when reached by phone Tuesday.As Quando Rondo, the rapper’s singles “I Remember” and “ABG” led to a deal with Atlantic Records, which released his debut album, “QPac,” in 2020. His follow-up album, “Recovery,” came out in March.The Associated Press

Man, 64, charged with 1st-degree murder in Etobicoke homicide

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

Toronto police have arrested and charged a 64-year-old man with first-degree murder in a fatal shooting in Etobicoke on Monday.Authorities were called to Dundas Street West and Avonhurst Road in the Islington area at around 7 p.m. for reports of a shooting.Police located a victim who was later pronounced dead at the scene.On Tuesday, the victim was identified as 55-year-old Mohamed Said Mohamed.Abdiaziz Abdi, 64, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.Investigators have not said if the suspect and victim knew each other.The accused was expected to make a virtual court appearance on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Man found dead in Lake Michigan: police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:12 GMT

CHICAGO — The body of a man was recovered from Lake Michigan Tuesday morning.Police said officers responded to a call of a person in the water around 5:50 a.m. in the 1000 block of West Pratt.First responders pulled a man, believed to be 60-65 years old, from the water. He was pronounced dead on the scene. 3 teens among 75 shot across Chicago over holiday weekend The man's identity as not yet been released.According to police, detectives will conduct a death investigation pending autopsy results.