Connect with us

Top Stories

Northern Arizona resident dies from plague

Published

on


FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A resident of northern Arizona has died from pneumonic plague, health officials said Friday.

Plague is rare to humans, with on average about seven cases reported annually in the U.S., most of them in the western states, according to federal health officials.

The death in Coconino County, which includes Flagstaff, was the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007, local officials said. Further details including the identify of the victim were not released.

Plague is a bacterial infection known for killing tens of millions in 14th century Europe. Today, it’s easily treated with antibiotics.

The bubonic plague is the most common form of the bacterial infection, which spreads naturally among rodents like prairie dogs and rats.

There are two other forms: septicemic plague that spreads through the whole body, and pneumonic plague that infects the lungs.

Pneumonic plague is the most deadly and easiest to spread.

The bacteria is transmitted through the bites of infected fleas that can spread it between rodents, pets and humans.

People can also get plague through touching infected bodily fluids. Health experts recommend taking extra care when handling dead or sick animals.

Most cases happen in rural areas of northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon and far western Nevada, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



Source link

Top Stories

Dana Carvey reveals shocking truth about Heidi Gardner’s ‘SNL’ exit

Published

on


Dana Carvey is spilling the tea about the brutal “Saturday Night Live” cast shakeup.

The comedian, 70, shared intel about Heidi Gardner’s exit from the NBC show on Wednesday’s episode of his “Fly on the Wall” podcast with David Spade.

“From what I know as of this recording, that it was not her idea to leave,” Carvey claimed.

David Spade and Dana Carvey on their podcast.
Heidi Gardner in an “SNL” skit in 2018. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

“I could be wrong about that,” he added, “but that’s what I read.”

Spade, who was on “SNL” for six seasons in the 1990s, said he finds it “a little shocking” that the show would fire Gardner.

“Because she really is one of the core ones you know from that show and she always does a great job,” Spade, 61, said.

“You never know, and it is a hard thing, but I was really, really surprised,” Carvey replied. “I think she’s got a likability. She can play real, straight news woman, she can play big, brawn, funny, physical.”

“So I was surprised by that,” he added of Gardner’s departure.

Heidi Gardner at the 2025 Big Slick Party and Show in Kansas City. Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

As Carvey also pointed out that Gardner did eight full seasons on the show, Spade added, “Eight is a lot. Eight is enough for the show.”

The Post confirmed Aug. 28 that Gardner is not returning to “SNL” for Season 51.

Gardner was the longest-tenured woman on the show as of last season. She joined the sketch comedy juggernaut during Season 43 as a featured player before being promoted to the main cast in 2019.

Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow on “SNL” in March 2024. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Heidi Gardner at a “SNL” FYC 2025 event. Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty Images

She has yet to publicly address her exit.

The Post has reached out to Gardner’s rep for comment. 

Alongside Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow are also leaving the show, while five newcomers have been added to the Season 51 cast.

Emil Wakim, Devon Walker and Michael Longfellow at the American Museum of Natural History’s Museum Gala in Dec. 2024. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

“Let’s give our props to Michael Longfellow, a really cool, interesting character,” Carvey said on the podcast, as he shouted out the trio exiting the show.

“Emil was an adorable person and funny out there,” Carvey continued about Wakim, 27. “They can’t have 100 cast members. I don’t know how these people feel, but I give them my props. I was there with all of them.”

Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow on “Saturday Night Live.” Holland Rainwater/NBC via Getty Images
James Austin Johnson and Emil Wakim on “SNL.” Will Heath/NBC

Carvey also recalled talking to Walker — who called the show “toxic” as he announced his departure — about the difficulties of “SNL.”

“Devon had told me that when you don’t get on the show a lot,” Carvey said, “then when you get out there and you have a moment, you’re not relaxed because it’s like, if you don’t score here, you go back in line.”

Devon Walker playing Michael Strahan on “SNL.” Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images

“So, it can be emotionally violent depending where you are in the show or it could be a magic ride,” Carvey added.

“SNL” Season 51 premieres Oct. 4 on NBC.



Source link

Continue Reading

Top Stories

Billionaire family offices bet on drones, nuclear energy in August

Published

on


Key Points

  • Billionaire family offices inked high-profile investments in an otherwise slow month for deal-making, according to Fintrx.
  • Four billionaires’ private investment firms joined an $863 million fundraise for a nuclear fusion startup.
  • Peter Thiel, a longtime investor in defense tech, backed a German drone maker as other high-net-worth investors flock to the sector.



Source link

Continue Reading

Top Stories

Philips Hue launch turns bulbs into motion sensors, doorbell, more

Published

on


We’ve known for some time that there was major news on the way from Philips Hue, and the company has now announced all of the details.

One of the headline features is a new Bridge Pro which turns your existing smart bulbs into motion sensors. Bulbs also get more affordable, light strips get brighter, and there’s support for Matter-over-Thread. Finally, the smart doorbell leaked earlier in the year is now official …

Plans to turn existing Philips Hue light bulbs into motion sensors were leaked at the beginning of this year. We also discovered there was a smart doorbell on the way through an update to the Hue app.

Turning existing Hue bulbs into motion sensors

Although you won’t need to update any of your bulbs to get this new functionality, you will need to swap out your existing Hue Bridge for the new Bridge Pro.

This is a $90 purchase, but there are some other new features to help ease the pain. The Verge reports that It can support three times as many devices and store over 500 lighting scenes to provide faster response times.

[It adds] features like lighting scenes, dynamic effects, schedules, and out-of-home control. Sporting a new black look, it has a faster processor, more memory, and increased capacity. Designed to appeal to Hue super-users, it can connect 150 lights and 50 accessories (a soft limit) […]

Additionally, the Pro can store over 500 custom lighting scenes and provide faster response times […] The Pro finally brings Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) to a Hue bridge, so it doesn’t have to sit next to your router.

If your head aches at the thought of reconfiguring all your Hue devices to swap bridges, the company says that a migration tool will transfer all of the settings for you. If you have multiple bridges, then you’ll want to hold fire for a while as there will be support for migrating these to a single Bridge Pro by the end of the year.

Hue Secure smart doorbell

The new Hue Secure Doorbell is intended to compete with Ring and Nest by offering a higher resolution 2K fisheye camera. Engadget reports that it also includes 24-hour video history without a subscription.

It of course pairs with Hue lights so that you can set it to automatically turn on outdoor lights as somebody approaches the front door, as well as the option to trigger interior lights to supplement the chime with visual alerts.

It will go on sale in the US, Europe and the UK next month for $170. However, Apple Home support won’t be available at launch, the company instead promising that this will arrive at an unspecified later date.

Cheaper Hue lights

A new range of Hue Essential lights are being launched with prices starting at just $20 each when purchased as a pack of four. Hue Blog has the details.

With the new Hue Essential series, Philips Hue will in future offer simple light bulbs with E27 and GU10 sockets at an affordable price. The Essential series is based on the same software and connectivity as the main Philips Hue product range, but with a smaller white spectrum, slightly less brightness, and less deep dimming.

But the prices are impressive. The colored bulbs cost $24.99 each, and multi-packs are even cheaper. Four bulbs in a pack cost only $59.99. The new Hue Essential bulbs are available now.

The Hue Essential portfolio will be expanded in December 2025 with two new light strips, each 5 or 10 meters long: the Hue Essential Lightstrip (starting at $59.99) and the Hue Essential Flex Lightstrip (starting at $99.99). The latter appears to be an adaptation of the previous Hue Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip.

Five new light strips

There will also be five new light strips, with the first of these available from next month. These have closer LED spacing to provide brighter and more uniform lighting. The company also promises that they are more flexible, making it easier to turn corners and flow curves.

  • Hue OmniGlow Lightstrip (3/5/10 meters) from $139.99 – launching in November 2025 (EU&US)
  • Hue Flux Gradient Lightstrip (3/4/5/6/10 meters) from $69.99 – launching in October 2025 (EU) and March 2026 (US)
  • Hue Flux Ultra Bright Gradient Lightstrip (3/5/10 meters) starting at $99.99 – launching in October 2025 (EU)
  • Hue Flux Gradient Outdoor Lightstrip (5/6/10 meters) starting at $149.99 – launching in October 2025 (EU) and March 2026 (US)
  • Hue Neon Gradient Outdoor Lightstrip (3/5/10 meters) starting at $139.99 – launching in October 2025 (EU) and March 2026 (US)

Finally, there will be new outdoor Festavia Globe string lights.

  • Hue Festavia Globe with outdoor power supply in 7, 14, and 21 meters starting at $159.99
  • Hue Festavia Globe without power supply in 7, 14, and 21 meters starting at $129.99
  • 2-pack replacement bulbs for $19.99
  • The 7-meter short versions will be available in September, and the longer string lights in December 2025

Check out the video below for a look at all the new products.

Highlighted accessories

Image: 9to5Mac collage with images from Philips and Codioful on Unsplash

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending