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As world warms, Sweden sees opportunity to grow its young wine industry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

NYHAMNSLÄGE, Sweden (AP) — It’s mid-afternoon in late summer and a fresh North Sea breeze blows through the vines at Kullabergs Vingård, a vineyard and winery at the vanguard of producers seeking to redefine what Swedish wine can be.Scandinavia isn’t exactly what connoisseurs would define as prime wine country and commercial vineyards are still tiny compared to France, Italy or Spain. But with climate change making for warmer and longer growing seasons, and new varieties of grapes adapted to this landscape, the bouquet of Swedish wines is maturing nicely.As drought, rising heat and other extreme weather events are forcing traditional wine-growing regions to reassess their methods, Swedish winemaking is shifting from mostly small-scale amateurs to an industry with growing ambition.Kullabergs Vingård stretches over 14 hectares (about 34 acres) and most of the vines were planted less than a decade ago. By 2022, the winery had reached an annual output of over 30,000 bottles — most...

Ron Cephas-Jones, ‘This Is Us’ actor who won 2 Emmys, dies at 66

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ron Cephas Jones, a veteran stage actor who won two Emmy Awards for his role as as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the NBC television drama series “This Is Us,” has died at age 66, a representative said Saturday. Jones’ manager, Dan Spilo, said in an emailed statement the actor he died “due to a long-standing pulmonary issue.” “Throughout the course of his career, his warmth, beauty, generosity, kindness and heart were felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him,” Spilo said. Jones had a double lung transplant in 2020 because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and spent nearly two months in a Los Angeles hospital. On “This Is Us,” Jones played William “Shakespeare” Hill, a biological father whose life is renewed through his relationship with the family of his son Randall Pearson, played by Sterling K. Brown. “One of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us,” Brown said in an Instagram post after...

'She wanted to be a dental hygenist:' Grandmother remembers granddaughter after fatal West Side shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

CHICAGO — Two teens were shot in the Austin neighborhood late Saturday afternoon, and one is dead, according to multiple sources.The Chicago Police Department said a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were in a park in the 5700 block of West Bloomingdale Avenue around 4:10 p.m. when they were both shot by an unknown gunman. The 17-year-old girl, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Ashuntice Wilburn, was shot in the buttocks and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, where she later died."She wanted to be a dental hygenist," said Patty Ringo, Ashuntice's grandmother. "She helped me with all kinds of activities ... She volunteered in the community, she was an exceptional person, [an] exceptional individual."According to community activist Andrew Holmes, the family is in shock, as Ashuntice was preparing to start her senior year in high school Monday."We spoke with her father. He is grieving and he is hurting," Holmes said. "He told us he had just r...

14-year-old boy dead after Calumet Heights shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

CHICAGO — A 14-year-old boy is dead after a shooting in Calumet Heights Saturday evening, according to the Chicago Police Department.Police said officers were called to the 8700 block of South Cregier Avenue around 6:50 p.m., where they found a 14-year-old boy who had been shot in the head and chest.The boy was initially taken to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition, where he later was pronounced dead. 2 teens shot, 1 killed, after fatal Austin shooting If you or someone you know has information that can help lead police toward making an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, CPD encourages you to file an anonymous tip online at cpdtip.com.Police have no one in custody.

Reset helped Saints reliever Austin Schulfer put struggles behind

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

The Saints bullpen, solid all season, has been particularly stingy of late, leading Triple-A baseball with an earned-run average of 2.78 in the month of August.The group has been led by right-hander Austin Schulfer, who has made five appearances this month, allowing one run in seven innings for an earned-run average of 1.29. The 27-year-old Schulfer has put himself in position to be a late-season addition to the Twins.“When he’s at his best he’s attacking the zone early, getting early strikes and putting guys away without giving them much of a chance to get back into counts,” said Saints pitching coach Pete Larson prior to the Saints’ 5-4 loss to Indianapolis on Saturday at CHS Field.“Sometimes when he does have a little bit of a struggle it hasn’t really been falling behind, it’s not putting hitters away.”There was nothing “little” about the struggles Schulfer went through midway through the season.Through the first 66 games, Schulfer was a force out of the bullpen, and fulfilling ...

Hilary downgraded again to Category 1 hurricane as Mexico and California brace for storm’s impact

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

By IGNACIO MARTINEZ and STEFANIE DAZIO (Associated Press)CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Hilary roared toward Mexico’s Baja California peninsula late Saturday as a downgraded but still dangerous Category 1 hurricane likely to bring “catastrophic” flooding to the region and cross into the southwestern U.S. as a tropical storm.The National Weather Center in Miami said in the most recent advisory at 9 p.m. that the maximum sustained wind speed is 90 mph and the storm was about 175 miles (281 kilometers) south of Punta Eugenia, Mexico, and 535 miles (855 kilometers) from San Diego, California.Meteorologists warned that despite weakening, the storm remained treacherous.One person drowned Saturday in the Mexican town of Santa Rosalia, on the peninsula’s eastern coast, when a vehicle was swept away in an overflowing stream. Rescue workers managed to save four other people, said Edith Aguilar Villavicencio, the mayor of Mulege township.It was not immedi...

Rockies’ hot bats finally get Kyle Freeland in the win column

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

A bright rainbow appeared over Coors Field Saturday night and Kyle Freeland finally got some run support. A sign from the baseball gods or a mere coincidence?Either way, Freeland got his long-awaited W in the Rockies’ 11-5 victory over the fading White Sox.Freeland (5-13, 5.02 ERA) wasn’t super sharp, giving up four runs on eight hits over five innings and needing 95 pitches to get there. But, as manager Bud Black put it, “Kyle battled.”Freeland walked only one while striking out six. He was able to limit damage, especially in the fifth, when the White Sox sent seven men to the plate but cashed in only two runs on four hits.The left-hander entered the rainy night with a career-worst 13 losses (also the most in the majors this season) and had not won a game since May 14. He was averaging just 3.12 runs of support this season, the lowest among all qualified starters.“It’s been a while — it’s been three months — since I had a win,&#...

The New England-Green Bay preseason game has been was suspended after Patriots CB Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The New England-Green Bay preseason game has been was suspended after Patriots CB Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field.

Ron Cephas-Jones, 'This Is Us' actor who won 2 Emmys, dies at 66

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

Ron Cephas Jones, a veteran stage actor who won two Emmy Awards for his role as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the NBC television drama series “This Is Us,” has died at age 66, a representative said Saturday. Jones' manager, Dan Spilo, said in an emailed statement the actor died “due to a long-standing pulmonary issue.” “Throughout the course of his career, his warmth, beauty, generosity, kindness and heart were felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him," Spilo said. Jones had a double lung transplant in 2020 because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and spent nearly two months in a Los Angeles hospital. On “This Is Us,” Jones played William “Shakespeare” Hill, a biological father whose life is renewed through his relationship with the family of his son Randall Pearson, played by Sterling K. Brown. “One of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us,” Brown said in an Instagram post after Jones' death. “The world is a little...

Hilary prompts California state park, beach closures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:41 GMT

California has already closed several state parks and beaches Saturday in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Hilary. Currently a Category 1 hurricane, Hilary is due to make landfall in California Sunday evening. Two to 6 inches of rain are expected to fall before Hilary exits the region, prompting concerns about flooding and debris flows. Hurricane Hilary is seen off the Southern California coast around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2023. (KTLA)"The state is actively monitoring the storm’s impacts on state parks and making real-time decisions on closures as needed," a news release announcing a state of emergency in Southern California stated.California had closed 10 state parks and beaches due to Hilary as of Saturday. An interactive web page with updates about closures is available on the California.gov website. Bracing for Hilary: Live updates "The state is closing Silver Strand State Beach and Borderfields State Beach today and Orange Coast District and San Diego Distric...