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$1.05 billion Mega Million jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another day, another billion dollar lottery jackpot.At least, that’s how it seems ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing for an estimated $1.05 billion top prize.It’s a huge sum of money, but such giant jackpots have become far more common, with five prizes topping $1 billion since 2021 — and one jackpot reaching $2.04 billion in 2022.The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.HOW DO INTEREST RATES INCREASE JACKPOTS?Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.That’s where ...

San Francisco prosecutors to lay out murder case against consultant in death of Cash App’s Bob Lee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco prosecutor’s office began laying out its case Monday against a tech consultant charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, who was found bleeding on a deserted city street in April.In the preliminary hearing, a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to go to trial. Prosecutors have provided no motive and released little information in a case that has drawn outsized media attention, partly due to Lee’s status in the tech world. Lee created Cash App, a mobile payment service, and was the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency MobileCoin. Nima Momeni, 38, has been in jail since his arrest April 13. He has pleaded not guilty, and he faces 26 years to life if convicted.That came more than a week after Lee, 43, was found bleeding in a deserted part of downtown San Francisco early April 4. Lee was rushed to a hospital, where he died.In making a motion to keep Momeni detained in jail without bail,...

Paul Reubens, actor known as Pee-wee Herman, dead at 70

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

Actor Paul Reubens, famously known for portraying Pee-wee Herman, has died at the age of 70.Reubens passed away on Sunday night following a private battle with cancer.The Herman social media accounts shared a statement online, saying he delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness.“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit,” a caption on Instagram read.“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”In 1980, Reubens introduced “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” centred on a ...

Crews battle ‘fire whirls’ in California blaze in Mojave Desert

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. (AP) — Crews battled “fire whirls” in California’s Mojave National Preserve this weekend as a massive wildfire crossed into Nevada amid dangerously high temperatures and raging winds.The York Fire was mapped at roughly 120 square miles (284 square kilometers) on Monday with no containment. The blaze erupted Friday near the remote Caruthers Canyon area of the vast wildland preserve, crossed the state line into Nevada on Sunday and sent smoke further east into the Las Vegas Valley. Wind-driven flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots charred tens of thousands of acres of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update. A fire whirl — sometimes called a fire tornado — is a “spinning column of fire” that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, according to the National Park Service.The vortexes — which can be anywhere from a few feet tall to several hundred feet high, with varying rotational speeds — were ...

Chicago Police discuss victim services and resources for those impacted by shootings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Police Department (CPD) Interim Superintendent Fred Waller wants the community to know about CPD's Crime Victim Services Unit following an early Sunday morning shooting.The incident left one woman dead and eight others injured. It happened around 12:51 a.m. in the1500 block of South Keeler Avenue. According to police, a black jeep approached, multiple individuals exited the jeep and began shooting.Waller, alongside CPD Crime Victim Services Unit assistant director Aileen Robinson, discussed victim services and resources available to those affected by this shooting, and others, at a Monday afternoon press conference. NASA warns Chicago area residents of ‘very loud’ jet flyover for data research A temporary CPD victim services center is open Monday from 1-7 p.m. at Deliverance Temple of the Apostolic Faith Church located at 1457 S Komensky. It provides confidential counseling, assistance with compensation applications, children's and domestic violence services, and...

Biker groups, community support 6-year-old boy after thieves target lemonade stand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) — A 6-year-old boy's lemonade stand was robbed last week in Belen, New Mexico, while he was trying to raise money for a good cause. After news spread about the theft, the community stepped up and rallied around him. Connor Brock had a goal: raise $250 to donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as part of their "Lemonade Stand in July" challenge. His parents were also raising money for Connor's benefit: "Connor has autism level two, and we've used the lemonade stand not only to benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital but also to teach Connor responsibility, to recognize the one dollar bill, the president on it, how to count money," said Abbegale Brock, Connor's mother. She wanted to teach him about things like empathy and compassion. That all came to a halt when thieves stole the money Connor raised and cleared out his lemonade stand. "I was just dumbfounded because we weren't gone long. Went to get something to eat, and it didn't make any sense. It was item...

Illegal medical lab discovered in California included bioengineered mice, infectious agents

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

REEDLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - An investigation into a warehouse in Reedley, California, uncovered a large-scale illegal medical lab complete with bioengineered mice, infectious agents, nearly 30 refrigerators and freezers, incubators and more.The investigation was prompted by a simple garden hose that was illegally attached and coming out of a wall in the back of the building. “Frankly, we knew that should not have been there and when she went to investigate, she found that there was activity or operation or something happening within that building,” said Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba.The city then obtained a search warrant to look inside what should have been an ordinary warehouse. Inside, they found thousands of vials, many of which contained bio-hazardous materials like human blood, and other unknown substances."There was over 800 different chemicals on site in different bottles of different acids. Unfortunately, a lot of these are being categorized under unknown chemicals," ...

Feinstein, McConnell health scares leading some to suggest competency tests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Two United States senators had issues last week that's prompting conversations about whether they are mentally and physically fit to serve and is leading some politicians to suggest the idea of mental competency tests.During a committee yes or no vote, Senator Dianne Feinstein gave a wandering speech instead and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell froze mid-sentence and had to be escorted away from a press conference.Democratic Senator Chris Coons says McConnell appears to be okay for now but both McConnell and Feinstein have had prior health scares.“I feel like he's going to be the Republican leader through the rest of this Congress, and what happens after that, I don't know,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said.Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley is suggesting testing to ensure people are fit to serve.“We need to have term limits in Congress, and we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75,” Haley said.Members of Congress ar...

A summer wave of COVID infections may be underway — and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

For Monday, July 31, Dina Bair has new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch CDC sees signs of late summer COVID waveThe CDC says it is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases after about seven months of steady declines.  The increase in people who've tested positive started in early July, resulting in a spike in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.The numbers are all still relatively low compared to the most recent surge in the winter.  The increases vary around the country but appear to spread the most in the southeast and the least in the midwest.  CDC data shows most Americans have some level of protection against the virus. Small amount of alcohol linked to high blood pressure Drinking alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension. A study published Monday in the journal, "Hypertension," found that as little as one alcoholic drink a day increased systolic blood pressure - the top number in a blood pressure reading. Re...

Second supermoon of the year coming on Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:14:19 GMT

(WKBN) -- August begins with a full moon - and what's more, it's a supermoon. The next full moon will occur at 2:32 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 1. The moon will be below the horizon at that time, so you will have to wait until later in the day to catch the full moon.Tuesday's moon is the second of this year's four “supermoons,” which appear bigger and brighter in the sky due to the distance of the moon from the Earth. It is also the second of three full moons that will occur during the summer season.What is the August full moon called?According to NASA, the August full moon is called the "sturgeon moon," a name that was published in the 1930s in the Maine Farmer's Almanac. According to the publication, the Native American tribe Algonquin gave the August full moon that name because it was easier for them to catch the prehistoric-looking sturgeon fish in larger bodies of water during this time of year. NASA says another name for the August full moon is the "green corn" moon. When can you se...