The 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships took place March 28 – April 3, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. Figure skaters competed for the title of World champion in men's singles, ladies' singles, pairs and ice dancing. This marked the first time Boston was host to the World Figure Skating Championships.[1] The competition determined the number of athlete slots for each federation at the 2017 World Championships.

 Background [ edit ]

 The World Figure Skating Championships is the sport's most important annual competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). In June 2013, the city of Boston was announced as the host city of the 2016 event.[2] The competition was organized by U.S. Figure Skating, and the Skating Club of Boston served as the local organizing committee. Founded in 1912, it is the third-oldest skating club in the United States and is a founding member of U.S. Figure Skating.

 Venues [ edit ]

 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships media day at TD Garden

 The TD Garden was the primary arena for the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The venue hosted all competitions and several practice sessions. The second official practice venue for the event was DCR Steriti Rink.

 TD Garden [ edit ]

 The TD Garden is a multipurpose arena located in Boston, Massachusetts. The arena hosted a maximum capacity of approximately 15,000 seats for the event. The TD Garden also serves as the home arena for two of Boston's professional sports teams, the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins.

 DCR Steriti Rink [ edit ]

 DCR Steriti Rink is a local area rink managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is located in the North End neighborhood of Boston and is a short distance from the main venue. This rink served as the practice venue and was open only to credentialed participants of the event.

 Records [ edit ]

 The following new ISU best scores were set during this competition:

 Argentina was represented by a skater at the ISU World Championships for the first time in history.[5]

 Qualification [ edit ]

 Skaters were eligible for the event if they represented an ISU member nation and had reached the age of 15 before 1 July 2015 in their place of birth. National associations selected their entries according to their own criteria but the ISU mandated that their selections achieved a minimum technical elements score (TES) at an international event prior to the World Championships.

 Minimum TES [ edit ]

 Minimum technical scores (TES)[6] Discipline SP / SD FS / FD Men 34 64 Ladies 27 47 Pairs 25 43 Ice dance 29 39 Must be achieved at an ISU-recognized international event

 in the ongoing or preceding season.

 SP and FS scores may be attained at different events.

 Number of entries per discipline [ edit ]

 Based on the results of the 2015 World Championships, each ISU member nation can field one to three entries per discipline.[7]

 Entries [ edit ]

 Member nations began announcing their selections in December 2015. The ISU published a complete list of entries on March 8, 2016.

 Changes to initial assignments [ edit ]

 Results [ edit ]

 Men [ edit ]

 The Men's short program was held on March 30. The free skate was held on April 1.[25]

 Ladies [ edit ]

 The Ladies short program was held on March 31. The free skate took place on April 2, 2016.[26] Gracie Gold took a 2.45 point lead after the short program. Anna Pogorilaya edged out Evgenia Medvedeva for second place by 0.22. Ashley Wagner, the US Nationals bronze medalist, was just out of medal position, 0.60 behind Medvedeva. The 2015 World bronze medalist Elena Radionova was in fifth, while former World champion Mao Asada was in ninth. Defending world champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva was not selected by her federation for the event after finishing 8th at the Russian Championships. In the free skate, Medvedeva had a record-setting score of 150.10 to win the gold medal. Wagner moved into second place to win the United States' first World Championship ladies medal since 2006. Pogorilaya finished third ahead of Gold.

 Pairs [ edit ]

 The pairs short program was held on April 1 and the free skate on April 2.

 Ice dancing [ edit ]

 The short dance was held on March 30.[27] 2015 World champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France obtained a small gold medal for the short dance for the first time in their career. They were followed by two American teams. 2011 World bronze medalists Maia Shibutani / Alex Shibutani placed second (-1.59) while 2015 silver medalists Madison Chock / Evan Bates took the third position, 2.24 behind the Shibutanis.

 The free dance was held on March 31, 2016. Papadakis/Cizeron set a new world record for the free dance (118.17 points) and they won their second consecutive world title. The Shibutanis returned to the world podium four years after their first medal. Chock/Bates took the bronze medal, marking the third time that the U.S. has finished with two ice dancing teams on the World podium (earlier: 1966, 2011). Cappellini/Lanotte rose to fourth while Weaver/Poje finished fifth.

 Medals summary [ edit ]

 Medalists [ edit ]

 Medals for overall placement:

 Small medals for placement in the short segment:

 [28]

 Small medals for placement in the free segment:

 By country [ edit ]

 Table of medals for overall placement:

 Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Russia 1 0 1 2 2 Canada 1 0 0 1 France 1 0 0 1 Spain 1 0 0 1 5 United States 0 2 1 3 6 China 0 1 1 2 7 Japan 0 1 0 1 8 Germany 0 0 1 1 Total 4 4 4 12

 Table of small medals for placement in the short segment:

 Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 United States 1 1 1 3 2 China 1 0 0 1 France 1 0 0 1 Japan 1 0 0 1 5 Russia 0 1 2 3 6 Canada 0 1 1 2 7 Spain 0 1 0 1 Total 4 4 4 12

 Table of small medals for placement in the free segment:

 Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 Canada 1 0 0 1 France 1 0 0 1 Russia 1 0 0 1 Spain 1 0 0 1 5 United States 0 2 1 3 6 China 0 1 1 2 Japan 0 1 1 2 8 Germany 0 0 1 1 Total 4 4 4 12 |||||

 Gracie Gold is believed to be the first U.S. figure skater in recent memory to take time off so close to the Olympics. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

 If all goes as planned for Gracie Gold, she’ll be one of three female Team USA skaters to compete at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. The 22-year-old, however, who picked up a bronze medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, appears to have an uphill battle to get there.

 Citing “recent struggles on and off the ice,” Gold said in a statement (via USA Today) on Friday that she will take some time off “to seek some professional help.”

 Gold did not elaborate on what exactly her struggles have been “off the ice,” but recent performances have revealed some of her on-ice issues.

 The two-time national champion has found herself uncharacteristically missing out on the podium at the U.S. Championships last year. She finished in sixth place, which was just the start of her season-long rut.

 “I just never felt so disappointed in myself,” the Missouri native said about the performance (via the Kansas City Star).

 Gold would go on to compete in two Grand Prix events, where she continued to be unable to execute jumps that used to look simple to the star. The 2016 Trophee de France proved a low point for the skater. She finished in eighth place — her worst Grand Prix result ever.

 [Olympic runner found dead at the bottom of a condo complex swimming pool in Arizona]

 In her statement on Friday, Gold said her “passion for skating and training remains strong,” and that she had no intention of retiring.

 She said the time she plans to take off as she prepares for her Grand Prix assignments in November “will help me become a stronger person, which I believe will be reflected in my skating performances as well.”

 According to USA Today, Gold will now miss at least one scheduled event, the Japan Open on Oct. 7.

 Gold, who has always been quick to give public emotional responses to her performances, came down particularly hard on herself last year as she struggled. She made her biggest headlines, however, when she addressed the topic of weight after her poor Skate America performance in October.

 “You don’t often see — there aren’t that many — you just don’t see overweight figure skaters for a reason,” Gold said (via USA Today) just minutes after exiting the ice. “It’s just something I’ve struggled with this whole year and in previous seasons. It’s just difficult when you’re trying to do the difficult triple jumps. It’s something that I am addressing but it’s obviously not where it should be for this caliber of competition.”

 Gold, of course, is not “overweight” by usual standards, which one reporter pointed out to her. Gold thanked the journalist, but added, “It’s a lean body sport and it’s just not what I have currently.”

 Former U.S. figure skater and Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski seconded Gold’s concerns, noting weight is something “every skater’s thinking about.”

 “I think you don’t [see skaters] talk about it because in reality saying you need to lose weight when you’re already thin is a bit crazy,” Lipinski added (via NBC Sports), noting figure skating isn’t unlike gymnastics or ballet where “there is always this pressure to be very thin, not only for aesthetics, but just for your actual sport and how you use your body.”

 [Olympic cross-country champion’s lip-balm ban will keep her out of PyeongChang]

 If expectations are not properly managed, there can be dire consequences for skaters. Russian Olympic champion Yulia Lipnitskaya announced her retirement in a statement to the Russia’s TASS news agency earlier this week, citing a struggle with anorexia. The 19-year-old, who won gold at the 2014 Olympics when she was just 15, recently completed a three-month treatment program to address her eating disorder.

 Former U.S. figure skater Jenny Kirk, who also suffered from the disorder, told the HuffPost in 2010 that she suspects up to 85 percent of top skaters suffer from “various forms of disordered eating.”

 Kirk, a former world junior champion, puts part of the blame on coaches and fans, but most on the skating system itself, which updated its scoring agenda to reward technical moves, jumps and spins, that she said are “a lot harder … when one’s body is more womanly.”

 “Until this system is tweaked, I don’t see a change in the number of injuries and the pressure for skaters to stay an unusually small size.”

 Read more:

 Fox Sports reportedly has fired Pete Rose over underage-sex allegations

 Everton’s Wayne Rooney charged with drunken driving in England

 Arsonist suspected of setting fire to Irish pro cycling team’s bus at race in Spain

 Flock of confused birds brings baseball game to a halt in Japan ||||| CLOSE Olympic medalist Gracie Gold confirmed to People that she will be taking a break from figure skating to “seek some professional help.” Time

 Gracie Gold of the USA performs in the short program during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games at Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 19. (Photo: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

 Gracie Gold, a two-time U.S. figure skating champion and 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist whose last name and movie star looks have captivated her sport, said Friday morning in a statement released to USA TODAY Sports that she will be taking time off five months before the next Winter Olympics "to seek some professional help.”

 She did not say what kind of professional help she will be receiving.

 “My passion for skating and training remains strong,” Gold said in the statement. “However, after recent struggles on and off the ice, I realize I need to seek some professional help and will be taking some time off while preparing for my Grand Prix assignments. This time will help me become a stronger person, which I believe will be reflected in my skating performances as well.”

 Gold was scheduled to open her 2018 Olympic season at the Japan Open, an invitational team competition in Saitama, Japan, on Oct. 7, but she now will not attend that event. Her Grand Prix assignments, in Beijing and Grenoble, France, are both scheduled in November.

 The 2018 U.S. Olympic figure skating trials are in early January, now just four months away. The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, start Feb. 9. At no time in recent memory has a skater voluntarily taken time away from her sport at such a crucial moment. There are three women’s spots available on the 2018 U.S. Olympic figure skating team.

 2018: Shaun White changes his approach for run to Pyeongchang Olympics

 More: Shibutani siblings are ambassadors for sport in South Korea

 Gold, 22, has found herself on a precipitous and alarming 17-month-long slide since performing poorly in the long program at the 2016 world championships in Boston, falling from first place to fourth. Her decline culminated this spring and summer in a disheartening inability to land even the simplest jumps in skating shows and a U.S. Figure Skating preview camp.

 Gold’s announcement comes just four days after Russian 2014 Olympic team gold medalist Julia Lipnitskaia announced her retirement at 19 after a battle with anorexia. Lipnitskaia’s mother, Daniela, told the Russian news agency Tass on Monday that her daughter was retiring after three months of treatment for the eating disorder.

 Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were 👊🏼 Feb 1st is National #GetUp day. Let's go @usfigureskating A post shared by Gracie Gold (@graciegold95) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:18pm PST

 Gold herself has struggled with her weight. After a disappointing fifth-place finish at Skate America last October, she spoke boldly and admirably about the pressure she felt.

 “You don’t often see – there aren’t that many – you just don’t see overweight figure skaters for a reason,” she said. “It’s just something I’ve struggled with this whole year and in previous seasons. It’s just difficult when you’re trying to do the difficult triple jumps. It’s something that I am addressing but it’s obviously not where it should be for this caliber of competition.”

 A journalist picked up immediately on her use of the word “overweight,” saying correctly and appropriately that Gold looked slim.

 “Oh, that’s lovely, thank you,” she replied. “It’s just not what’s required for this sport. It’s a lean body sport and it’s just not what I have currently, but, thank you.”

 Upheaval and uncertainty have followed her since. She could never regain her footing on the ice, finishing a dismal sixth at the 2017 national championships in January just a year after winning her second U.S. title. She missed the world championships for the first time in five years.

 Gracie Gold has won two U.S. national figure skating titles. Here she's shown competing Oct. 21, 2016, at Sears Center Arena. (Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Spor)

 “When she was skating well, she was magical,” long-time U.S. Olympic coach Frank Carroll, who coached Gold for four seasons before an abrupt split at the end of the 2017 national championships, said in a phone interview earlier this week.

 “You said to yourself, ‘Oh my God, she’s gorgeous. She looks like a movie star. She has such joie de vivre.’ Then you ask yourself what happened to that. I hope she can find happiness.”

 Gold is one of the most financially successful figure skaters of her era, with various sponsors including Red Bull, Smucker’s and Nike.

 After leaving Carroll’s training site in Los Angeles, she moved to Detroit to train with coaches Marina Zoueva and Oleg Epstein in suburban Canton, Mich.

 In addition to Gold's personal struggles, her father Carl, a Springfield, Ill., anesthesiologist, has been dealing with unwelcome attention. His medical license was suspended in February, according to the State Journal-Register in Springfield. The suspension, which prevents Carl Gold from practicing medicine for at least a year, was triggered by what state officials said was a violation of a June 2016 consent order that said the state was informed by the U.S. Department of Justice that Carl Gold “diverted Schedule II Controlled Substances” from a Decatur, Ill., hospital “for personal use.” |||||

Write a summary.

– Popular figure skater Gracie Gold is taking time off from her sport "to seek some professional help," she announced in a statement Friday. Gold is a two-time US figure skating champion, was a member of the 2014 US Olympic team that won the bronze medal, and is an expected member of the 2018 US Olympic team, per the Washington Post. But she has been on what USA Today calls "a precipitous and alarming 17-month-long slide" since she fell from first place to fourth at the 2016 world championships; she continued to flail at competitions, and in appearances this spring and summer, she found it difficult to land simple jumps. She ultimately finished sixth at the 2017 national championships, missing this year's world championships. Her statement does not specify what sort of help she's seeking but only mentions "recent struggles on and off the ice." The 22-year-old has spoken in the past about her struggles with her weight, saying last October that she didn't currently have the "lean body" required for her sport. Longtime US Olympic coach Frank Carroll coached Gold for four seasons, but the two "abruptly" split after the 2017 national championships; he tells USA Today he wonders "what happened" to Gold's "joie de vivre" and hopes she "can find happiness." Her announcement comes four months before the 2018 US Olympic figure skating trials; Gold will skip the Japan Open on Oct. 7 but said in her statement she plans to be back in time for her Grand Prix assignments in China and France in November.


Write a summary based on this article:

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

 ST. CHARLES, MO (KTVI) – The mysterious death of a two year old child in St. Charles is no longer a mystery and that the death is now a criminal investigation. A St. Charles toddler died of hyperthermia, or extreme heat, after being left alone in a room for approximately 38 hours with a space heater that never turned off.

 On Sunday, December 20, the mother, Kathleen M. Peacock, 22, discovered her child, Braydon, 2, was dead and ran to a neighbor’s home in the Elm Point Mobile Home Village. One of those neighbors ran to see if she could help. That neighbor said the child's room was extremely hot.

 An autopsy was conducted to determine the cause of child’s death.

 St. Charles Police said Tuesday that the child’s parents were cooking methamphetamine at the time of the child’s death. Authorities says the couple ignored the child's cries while they were on a weekend drug binge at their home.

 Peacock, and the father, Lucas R. Barnes, 25, are facing charges of child abuse and neglect and manufacturing meth.

 Police say that Peacock is pregnant.

 Hyperthermia is an elevated body temperature that happens when a body produces or absorbs more heat than it can release.

 Please enable Javascript to watch this video

 Relatives of the 2-year-old and neighbors in the Elm Point Mobile Home Village say they are devastated.

 One relative says Braydon appeared malnourished recently. She had distanced herself from the child's parents because she says they had a problem using drugs. She hopes the parents receive the maximum punishment if they are convicted.

 Neighbors say they too had distanced themselves from the couple. Christopher Garcia says his girlfriend ran into the child's trailer after the little boy's mother started shouting for help. She says it felt like more than 100 degrees in the boys room.

 "I just know that baby is in a better place. He was innocent. He was the most innocent most pure human being that could have happened. So you know he's an angel in heaven right now. I'd like to believe that." said neighbor Christopher Garcia.

 "This is such a tragic event that's happened. I think if more people knew of our services. Knew that we are here and available and didn't have that fear of using us. We would see more use of the nursery." said Jill Kneemiller of the St. Louis Crisis Nursery.

 Relatives of the family say they want people know there are other children who may be in the same situation and are in need of help. They hope they'll get help before another innocent life is lost. ||||| Story highlights The parents were home all weekend as Braydon was shut in his room

 The space heater has no thermostat and does not turn off automatically

 (CNN) A 2-year-old boy died in a home used as a methamphetamine lab after his parents left him alone in his room with a heater turned on - and didn't check on him, police in Missouri said.

 Braydon Barnes was put in his crib on a Friday and left unattended with a space heater on for more than 38 hours, St. Charles police said.

 Both parents Kathleen Peacock and Lucas Barnes told police they had used methamphetamine recently. They told officers they had been manufacturing in the home the week preceding their son's death.

 The two were home all weekend as Braydon was shut in his room.

 Read More |||||

– Authorities say a 2-year-old boy in Missouri died after being left alone in a room with a running space heater for 38 hours straight while his parents did meth, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. "They heard the child's cries and did nothing," a county prosecutor says. The body of Braydon Barnes was discovered in his crib by his mother, 22-year-old Kathleen Peacock, on Sunday morning, per KTVI. A neighbor who ran to help after hearing Peacock's screams says it felt like it was more than 100 degrees in Braydon's room. Authorities say the boy had been dead for a while before he was found, CNN reports. It was determined that Braydon died of hyperthermia—or overheating—which likely "caused extreme discomfort and difficulty breathing as he died." Peacock and 25-year-old Lucas Barnes allegedly admitted to making meth the week before Braydon died in the mobile home where the boy was found, the Post-Dispatch reports. They're facing decades in prison for child abuse and drug manufacturing. In addition to hyperthermia, Braydon was found to be suffering from malnutrition and likely hadn't eaten in days. Their mobile home. which had "feces in places where it shouldn't be," was declared unsafe "for any human being" and condemned, the prosecutor says. Peacock, who is currently pregnant, was already facing charges for allegedly driving drunk with Braydon in the car. According to KTVI, relatives are "devastated," with at least one expressing hope that both Peacock and Barnes receive the harshest punishment available.


– A missing teenager managed to a flee an Illinois home where she told police she had been held captive for as long as three years and sexually abused almost daily, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She directed police back to the location, where a SWAT team arrested a 24-year-old man and his mother, and retrieved a toddler the teen said had been fathered by her rapist. The young woman ran away from her home in Missouri at the age of 15, says the Washington Park police chief, who added that police believe the man's mother aided the crimes. The teen told police she tried to escape several times that her captor chased her down each time and forced her back to the home at gunpoint. She says a relative finally helped her flee on Tuesday, reports the AP. Police said the teen also told them she was forced by the man and his mother to give a false name in medical records during her pregnancy and when the child was born.

Expand this summary.

A girl reported missing more than two years ago when she was 15 told police she escaped a home in Illinois where she had been held captive and repeatedly sexually assaulted.

 Members of the Madison County tactical response team take a two-year-old child to a waiting ambulance Thursday evening, Aug. 23, 2012 in Washington Park, Ill. The child was rescued after a teenage girl... (Associated Press)

 Neighborhood children watch as members of the Madison County tactical response team secure a house Thursday evening, Aug. 23, 2012 in Washington Park, Ill. A teenage girl reported missing more than two... (Associated Press)

 Authorities in Washington Park, a village next to East St. Louis in the southwestern part of the state, raided the house Thursday afternoon and took into custody a 24-year-old man and his mother. They also recovered the teen's young child, which the girl said was the result of rape by her captor.

 Washington Park Police Chief David Clark said they believe the man's mother aided the crimes. Police would not identify either of them by name because they had not been charged as of early Friday.

 About two dozen members of a police commando unit wearing helmets and body armor swarmed the home with assault rifles drawn. They recovered the child and arrested a man and his mother.

 One officer carried the child from the home, shielding the toddler with a sheet. The child was then taken away in an ambulance.

 Police in St. Louis, Missouri, had listed the girl as a missing or runaway juvenile in April 2010.

 The teen told police she was held against her will and was beaten and sexually assaulted almost every day. She reported trying to escape several times but told police that her captor chased her down each time and forced her back to the home at gunpoint.

 She told police she was able to escape this week with the help of a relative.

 Police said the teen also told them she was forced by the man and his mother to give a false name in medical records during her pregnancy and when the child was born.

 A neighbor, Lakeitha Smith, told several local TV stations that she saw the girl from time to time outside the house and never witnessed anything that would raise concern.

 "I used to see her come out of the house, back and forth," Smith said. "I didn't think she was being held hostage in the house." ||||| A teenage girl reported missing more than two years ago escaped from a home in southwestern Illinois where she said she was held captive and repeatedly sexually assaulted, police said Thursday.

 Police in Washington Park, a village next to East St. Louis, said the girl reported that she was raped by her captor, got pregnant and had a baby.

 In April 2010, St. Louis, Mo., police listed the girl as a missing or runaway juvenile. She was 15 when she disappeared.

 She escaped from the home in Washington Park earlier this week and went to police, saying her child was still in the house.

 About two dozen members of a SWAT team wearing helmets and body armor swarmed the home Thursday afternoon with their assault rifles drawn. They recovered the child and arrested a 24-year-old man.

 One of the officers carried the child _ apparently unharmed _ in his arms, and a white sheet was draped over the child's head to conceal the toddler's identity. The child was taken away in a waiting ambulance.

 Washington Park Police Chief David Clark said it appears the man's mother assisted in the crime. She was also taken into custody. Police would not identify either of them by name because they had not been charged as of Thursday evening.

 The teen told police she was held against her will and was beaten and sexually assaulted almost every day. She reported trying to escape several times but told police that her captor chased her down each time and forced her back to the home at gunpoint.

 She told police she was able to escape this week with the help of a relative.

 Police said the teen also told them she was forced by the man and his mother to give a false name in medical records during her pregnancy and when the child was born. |||||


Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. ||||| A man is in custody after two of his neighbors were found fatally shot early Sunday morning, say police in North Texas. (Published Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016)

 A man is in custody after two of his neighbors were found fatally shot early Sunday morning, say police in North Texas.

 Fort Worth police said officers were called to a home on the 900 block of Buffalo Springs Drive at about 4 a.m. A spokesman said the original call was a report of a robbery.

 When officers arrived, they found two bodies outside the home.

 Witness: Neighbor Killed Couple Next Door in Fort Worth

 Police investigate the killing of a couple found dead in their driveway in South Fort Worth. (Published Monday, Oct. 24, 2016)

 On Monday, police said 35-year-old Cary Joseph Heath was arrested on a capital murder charge at Permenter Middle School in Cedar Hill, where he is employed as a teacher.

 Heath was booked on a $1 million bond. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney; jail records do not list an attorney for Heath.

 Jordan Milner, who lives across the street from the crime scene, said a neighbor shot his next-door neighbors.

 "My wife woke me up and said someone is banging on the door," Milner said. "Turns out what my wife heard were gunshots. From my understanding, the guy had an assault rife. From the looks of it, due to the shell casings, he unloaded the whole clip and killed two of the people who lived next door."

 Couple Killed in Fort Worth Neighborhood

 A couple was found shot to death inside a south Fort Worth home early Sunday morning. (Published Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016)

 Police have not released a motive in the shooting or released the names of the two people killed.

 Milner said the victims were longtime residents.

 A spokesperson for the Cedar Hill Independent School District said Heath has been placed on administrative leave.

 NBC 5's Chris Jose contributed to this report. ||||| Cary Joseph Heath (Photo: Courtesy - Fort Worth Police Dept.)

 FORT WORTH -- Parents were stunned after a middle school teacher's arrest on charges of capital murder. Police believe he gunned down two people in Fort Worth early Sunday morning.

 Cary Joseph Heath, 35, was arrested at Permenter Middle the very next day. The arrest occurred after school, said Cedar Hill ISD.

 Police are still investigating the double murder in the 800 block of Buffalo Springs Drive. Records show Heath lives in the 900 block of Buffalo Springs.

 He is currently being held at the Fort Worth jail with a $1 million bond.

 His bio on the school's website has since been taken down, but it said Heath is an eighth grade science teacher who was in his first year at the middle school. Prior to that, he served 13 years in the U.S. Air Force.

 The murder victims have not been identified. Police had initially detained another man for questioning in the case but he was not arrested.

 Cedar Hill ISD said Monday night Heath has been placed on administrative leave. They said they notified parents via an automated phone message, but a number of parents told our crew they had not heard about the incident.

 Some were concerned that a man police believe was capable of murder was around children every day.

 "It's very scary. You have all the kids over there, you don't want anybody's kids to get hurt, whether its yours or anybody else's, They should be safe over there to get their education and come home," said parent Teresa Moreno.

 Copyright 2016 WFAA |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Cary Heath was arrested Monday at the Texas middle school where he teaches eighth-grade science a day after police say he murdered two of his neighbors, NBC DFW reports. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, shots were fired shortly before 4am Sunday at a home down the street from where Heath lives. Police arrived to find two men dead in the home's driveway. "From my understanding, the guy had an assault rife," a neighbor who woke up to gunshots tells NBC. "From the looks of it, due to the shell casings, he unloaded the whole clip." Police aren't discussing a motive for the killings, though the first 911 call from the scene was regarding a robbery. The 35-year-old Heath is being held on $1 million bond and has been placed on administrative leave. The school notified parents of the situation via automated phone messages, WFAA reports. One mother says "it's very scary" that someone suspected of murder was teaching children. "They should be safe over there to get their education and come home," she says. Heath served in the Air Force for 13 years before recently becoming a teacher.


Article:

The problem has always been what China will bear in terms of restricting its protégé and neighbor, as well as whether it will cut back fuel shipments and other trade with North Korea.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 “Moving forward, China really holds the key to what extent the actions will be different this time,” said Suzanne DiMaggio, an expert at the Asia Society.

 The signs are hard to read.

 China will almost certainly join the United States in supporting tougher sanctions over Tuesday’s test, accompanied by sterner reprimands from Beijing against its recalcitrant ally in Pyongyang, which ignored Chinese entreaties not to take provocative actions.

 But as impatient as China might be with North Korea, there is little chance that the new Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, will move quickly to change the nation’s long-held policy of propping up the walled-off government that has long served as a buffer against closer intrusion by the United States on the Korean Peninsula.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 The Chinese military, and to a lesser extent the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, assert strong influence on China’s Korea policy, and both powerful entities prefer to keep North Korea close at hand, Chinese and American analysts say.

 Photo

 While the People’s Liberation Army is not even able to conduct military exercises with the North Koreans — the government in the North forbids such contact with outsiders — Chinese military strategists adhere to the doctrine that they cannot afford to abandon their ally, no matter how bad its behavior, analysts here say.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 At the same time, the Chinese Communist Party looks upon the North Korean Communist Party — led by Kim Jong-un, the grandson of the nation’s founder — as a fraternal brotherhood. Indeed, relations between the two countries are conducted largely between the two parties rather than between the two foreign ministries, the more normal diplomatic channel.

 In an early sign that Mr. Xi is unlikely to veer from past policy, the state-run news agency, Xinhua, criticized the United States and its allies for essentially forcing the North’s aggression by causing the country to feel insecure.

 But within this basic contour there could be some adjustments by Mr. Xi, according to Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Peking University, an advocate of a tougher policy by China against North Korea.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 “One nuclear test will not make China’s new administration decide to ‘abandon North Korea,’ but it will definitely worsen China-North Korea relations,” Professor Zhu wrote in a recent article in The Straits Times of Singapore. “North Korea’s nuclear test will make the new Xi Jinping administration angry, and give China a headache.”

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 Mr. Xi, who became head of the Communist Party and military council in November, will ascend to the presidency of the country next month.

 Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters.

 To improve China’s strained relationship with the United States, Mr. Xi — who has shown himself to be more nationalistic than his predecessor — could start with getting tougher on North Korea, including at the Security Council.

 The Obama administration excoriated Mr. Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao, after North Korea’s second nuclear test in 2009, accusing him of “willful blindness” to that country’s actions.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 “With Hu out of the picture, the administration is intent on determining whether Xi Jinping will prove more attentive to U.S. security concerns,” said Jonathan D. Pollack, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution.

 “How Xi chooses to respond will be an important early signal of his foreign policy priorities and whether he is ready to cooperate much more openly and fully with Washington and Seoul than his predecessor,” he said, referring to South Korea.

 Video

 China’s calculations will be crucial to what happens at the Security Council, where the policy has always been to pursue unanimity over toughness; it is considered far better to get all members on board to send a message to North Korea rather than have China abstain or worse, veto.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 In the absence of any real leverage, Washington and its allies are left warning Beijing that if it does not keep North Korea out of the nuclear club, it risks an arms race in its own neighborhood.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 President Obama spoke Tuesday morning, hours after the test, with South Korea’s outgoing president, Lee Myung-bak, in what the White House described as an effort to agree on a common strategy at the Security Council and in the two country’s military posture on the Korean Peninsula, where troops have faced off against the North since the armistice was signed 60 years ago.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 A statement issued by the White House after the conversation included a rare reference to American’s “nuclear umbrella” over South Korea, a reminder to the North that an attack on South Korea would be viewed as an attack on the United States. While that has been true for decades, it is rarely highlighted in American statements.

 “Threatening a missile-capable warhead with a successful third nuclear test gives the United States, South Korea and Japan good reason to step up their regional ballistic missile defense capabilities,” said Siegfried S. Hecker, former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and co-director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. “That should give the Chinese government some pause.”

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 The United States faces its own geopolitical calculations. Some experts say it needs to keep up the tough talk, even if it understands that its efforts at the Security Council may not do much to limit the North’s capabilities. Even the strongest sanctions and increasing isolation have not caused the North to back off its nuclear program, which the leadership sees as both a deterrent to possible American aggression, and which gives the impoverished country’s governing elite a success it can show its suffering people.

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 Now experts say the North may be simply trying to wait the United States out, hoping it will eventually recognize its program as it did Pakistan’s. But experts say Mr. Obama cannot recognize North Korea as the nuclear state it increasingly is without giving signals to Iran — which the West believes is pursuing a nuclear weapon despite its denials — that it could try the same path.

 As the world’s powers struggle to refine their policies, North Korea continues to make technological advances. A long-range rocket test in December has been judged by outside experts to have been a success after many failures.

 And Tuesday’s test, if it was as large as originally thought, appears to suggest that the nuclear arms program is also moving ahead. (The first test in 2006 was considered a partial failure.)

 Advertisement Continue reading the main story

 “It moves the question of North Korea as a nuclear contender from ‘if’ to ‘when,’ ” said one senior Obama administration official. “The ‘when’ may still be years away, but at least now it is in sight.” ||||| SEOUL North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of U.N. resolutions, drawing condemnation from around the world, including from its only major ally, China, which summoned the North Korean ambassador to protest.

 Pyongyang said the test was an act of self-defense against "U.S. hostility" and threatened stronger steps if necessary.

 The test puts pressure on U.S. President Barack Obama on the day of his State of the Union speech and also puts China in a tight spot, since it comes in defiance of Beijing's admonishments to North Korea to avoid escalating tensions.

 The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting at which its members, including China, "strongly condemned" the test and vowed to start work on appropriate measures in response, the president of the council said.

 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the third of his line to rule the country, has presided over two long-range rocket launches and a nuclear test during his first year in power, pursuing policies that have propelled his impoverished and malnourished country closer to becoming a nuclear weapons power.

 North Korea said the test had "greater explosive force" than those it conducted in 2006 and 2009. Its KCNA news agency said it had used a "miniaturized" and lighter nuclear device, indicating it had again used plutonium, which is suitable for use as a missile warhead.

 China, which has shown signs of increasing exasperation with the recent bellicose tone of its reclusive neighbor, summoned the North Korean ambassador in Beijing and protested sternly, the Foreign Ministry said.

 Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said China was "strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed" to the test and urged North Korea to "stop any rhetoric or acts that could worsen situations and return to the right course of dialogue and consultation as soon as possible".

 Analysts said the test was a major embarrassment to China, which is a permanent member of the Security Council and North Korea's sole major economic and diplomatic ally.

 Obama called the test a "highly provocative act" that hurt regional stability.

 "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community. The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies," Obama said.

 U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said Washington and its allies intended to "augment the sanctions regime" already in place due to Pyongyang's previous atomic tests. North Korea is already one of the most heavily sanctioned states in the world and has few external economic links that can be targeted.

 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the test was a "grave threat" that could not be tolerated.

 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear arms program and return to talks. NATO condemned the test as an "irresponsible act."

 South Korea, still technically at war with North Korea after a 1950-53 civil war ended in a mere truce, also denounced the test. Obama spoke to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday and told him the United States "remains steadfast in its defense commitments" to Korea, the White House said.

 MAXIMUM RESTRAINT

 North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the test was "only the first response we took with maximum restraint".

 "If the United States continues to come out with hostility and complicates the situation, we will be forced to take stronger, second and third responses in consecutive steps," it said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

 North Korea - which gave the U.S. State Department advance warning of the test - often threatens the United States and its "puppet", South Korea, with destruction in colorful terms.

 North Korea told the U.N. disarmament forum in Geneva that it would never bow to resolutions on its nuclear program and that prospects were "gloomy" for the denuclearization of the divided Korean peninsula because of a "hostile" U.S. policy.

 Suzanne DiMaggio, an analyst at the Asia Society in New York, said North Korea had embarrassed China with the test. "China's inability to dissuade North Korea from carrying through with this third nuclear test reveals Beijing's limited influence over Pyongyang's actions in unusually stark terms," she said.

 Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, said: "The test is hugely insulting to China, which now can be expected to follow through with threats to impose sanctions."

 The magnitude of the explosion was roughly twice that of the 2009 test, according to the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization. The U.S. Geological Survey said that a seismic event measuring 5.1 magnitude had occurred.

 U.S. intelligence agencies were analyzing the event and found that North Korea probably conducted an underground nuclear explosion with a yield of "approximately several kilotons", the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said.

 Nuclear experts have described Pyongyang's previous two tests as puny by international standards. The yield of the 2006 test has been estimated at less than 1 kiloton (1,000 tons of TNT equivalent) and the second at some 2-7 kilotons, compared with 20 kilotons for a Nagasaki-type bomb.

 Initial indications are that the test involved the latest version of a plutonium-based prototype weapon, according to one current and one former U.S. national security official. Both previous tests involved plutonium. If it turns out the test was of a new uranium-based weapon, it would show that North Korea has made more progress on uranium enrichment than previously thought.

 The United States uses WC-135 Constant Phoenix "sniffer" aircraft to collect samples to identify nuclear explosions. These would need to be deployed quickly to detect whether highly enriched uranium rather than plutonium was used because uranium decays to undetectable levels within a matter of days. Plutonium takes much longer to decay.

 North Korea trumpeted news of the test on its state television channel to patriotic music against a backdrop of its national flag.

 "It was confirmed that the nuclear test that was carried out at a high level in a safe and perfect manner using a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously did not pose any negative impact on the surrounding ecological environment," KCNA said.

 North Korea linked the test to its technical prowess in launching a long-range rocket in December, a move that triggered the U.N. sanctions, backed by China, that Pyongyang said prompted it to take Tuesday's action.

 The North's ultimate aim, Washington believes, is to design an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could hit the United States. North Korea says the program is aimed at putting satellites in space.

 Despite its three nuclear tests and long-range rocket tests, North Korea is not believed to be close to manufacturing a nuclear missile capable of hitting the United States.

 It used plutonium in previous nuclear tests and before Tuesday there had been speculation that it would use highly enriched uranium so as to conserve its plutonium stocks, as testing eats into its limited supply of materials to construct a nuclear bomb.

 "VICIOUS CYCLE"

 When Kim Jong-un, who is 30, took power after his father's death in December 2011, there were hopes that he would bring reforms and end Kim Jong-il's "military first" policies.

 Instead, North Korea, whose economy is smaller than it was 20 years ago and where a third of children are believed to be malnourished, appears to be trapped in a cycle of sanctions followed by further provocations.

 "The more North Korea shoots missiles, launches satellites or conducts nuclear tests, the more the U.N. Security Council will impose new and more severe sanctions," said Shen Dingli, a professor at Shanghai's Fudan University. "It is an endless, vicious cycle."

 Options for the international community appear to be in short supply. Diplomats at the United Nations said negotiations on new sanctions could take weeks since China is likely to resist tough new measures for fear they could lead to further retaliation by the North Korean leadership.

 Beijing has also been concerned that tougher sanctions could further weaken North Korea's economy and prompt a flood of refugees into China.

 Tuesday's action appeared to have been timed for the run-up to February 16 anniversary celebrations of Kim Jong-il's birthday, as well as to achieve maximum international attention.

 Significantly, the test comes at a time of political transition in China, Japan and South Korea, and as Obama begins his second term. The U.S. president will likely have to tweak his State of the Union address due to be given on Tuesday.

 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is bedding down a new government and South Korea's new president, Park Geun-hye, is preparing to take office on February 25.

 China too is in the midst of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition to Xi Jinping, who takes office in March. Both Abe and Xi are staunch nationalists.

 The longer-term game plan from Pyongyang may be to restart international talks aimed at winning food and financial aid. China urged it to return to the stalled "six-party" talks on its nuclear program, hosted by China and including the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.

 Its puny economy and small diplomatic reach mean that North Korea struggles to win attention on the global stage - other than through nuclear tests and attacks on South Korea, the last of which was made in 2010.

 "Now the next step for North Korea will be to offer talks... - any form to start up discussion again to bring things to their advantage," predicted Jeung Young-tae, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

 (Additional reporting by Jack Kim, Christine Kim and Jumin Park in SEOUL; Linda Sieg in TOKYO; Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols at the UNITED NATIONS; Fredrik Dahl in VIENNA; Michael Martina and Chen Aizhu in BEIJING; Mette Fraende in COPENHAGEN; Adrian Croft, Charlie Dunmore and Justyna Pawlak in BRUSSELS; Mark Hosenball, Paul Eckert, Roberta Rampton, Tabassum Zakaria and Jeff Mason in WASHINGTON; Editing by Nick Macfie, Claudia Parsons and David Brunnstrom) ||||| The statement from the Foreign Ministry reflects Beijing's growing frustration with its communist neighbor's provocative behavior, as well as its reluctance to impose more severe measures that could destabilize the North's hardline regime.

 "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, heedless of widespread international opposition, has again carried out a nuclear test, to which the Chinese government expresses its firm opposition," the statement said, referring to North Korea by its official name.

 The statement said China maintained its resolute stance of advocating a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, opposition to nuclear proliferation, and support for the maintenance of stability on the peninsula. It called on North Korea to abide by its denuclearization pledge, and not to "take additional actions that could cause the situation to further deteriorate."

 The statement did not point to any specific actions Beijing would take in response to the nuclear test, the North's third. But it called on all sides to "respond calmly" and said issues should be resolved within the framework of long-stalled denuclearization talks involving North Korea, China, the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Russia.

 China is the North's biggest source of aid and diplomatic support, but it issued an unusually strong reaction to Pyongyang's December rocket launch by agreeing to tightened United Nations sanctions on the country. |||||
What is a summary?

– In open defiance of the UN, North Korea has executed its third nuclear test, prompting global condemnation among leaders from the US to Russia to Japan. The latest test involved a "miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously" in 2006 and 2009, the country said. Calling the test a "highly provocative act," President Obama has urged "swift and credible action by the international community," and the UN Security Council is planning a meeting this morning to address the issue, the New York Times reports. Pyongyang said afterward that the test was a "first response" to US hostility and warned of unspecified "second and third measures of greater intensity." The test has also angered China, Pyongyang's one major ally, Reuters notes. It's "hugely insulting to China, which now can be expected to follow through with threats to impose sanctions," says an analyst. Thus far, China has cited "firm opposition" to a test conducted "heedless of widespread international opposition," the AP reports. According to South Korea, seismic activity suggests the explosion measured some 6 to 7 kilotons—more than previous tests but less than the 20 kilotons detonated in Hiroshima. Seismic tests by several countries suggested the test, which the North called "safe and perfect," occurred near the location of its predecessors; the US Geological Survey says it was just a kilometer underground. Over at the Washington Post, the crack staff has found the exact test site—on Google Maps, just off "Nuclear Test Rd."


I’m pretty neutral on the whole face-computer thing. Would I buy Google Glass? Nah. But if you want to roll around looking like a broke-ass Robocop, we can still be friends.

 But you should take it off your face at certain times, particularly when seeing a camera strapped to your noggin would irk people out.

 Bathrooms. Parties. Bars. Movie theaters.

 The MPAA has gone ahead and made that last one an official rule, in partnership with NATO (the National Association of Theater Owners — not that other NATO.) — who, according to Plunkett’s Entertainment Almanac, represents roughly 26,000 theaters across the U.S.

 Under the new rules, theater owners will ask anyone with wearable recording devices to turn’em off and put them away. Fail to do that, and they’ll give you the boot. If they have any reason to think you’re recording in the theater, meanwhile, they’ll call the cops.

 Of course, all this shenanigans ignores something pretty crucial: if someone is the type of person who will strap a computer to their face, they’re probably also the type of person who knows of easier/better ways to pirate movies than recording a shaky, crap-resolution copy on Google Glass.

 Just sayin’.

 [via ArsTechnica] ||||| Glasses, smartwatches and other devices must be turned off and stowed

 Don't plan on being able to wear your Google Glass or smartwatch when heading to the movies.

 On Wednesday, the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theatre Owners adopted a zero-tolerance policy against wearable technologies, such as Google Glass. Moviegoers must turn off and put away any and all such devices, or risk being asked to leave. If theater staff suspects that illegal recording is taking place, law enforcement authorities will be notified.

 Read more Homeland Security Questions Man for Wearing Google Glass in Movie Theater

 The same anti-piracy policy already exists for phones and other recording devices.

 Officials with the MPAA and NATO approved the new rule during a meeting at ShowEast, the annual fall gathering of theater owners in Hollywood, Fla. Many theater owners already have a zero-tolerance policy against wearable devices, but on an individual basis.

 "The National Association of Theatre Owners and the Motion Picture Association of America have a long history of welcoming technological advances and recognize the strong consumer interest in smartphones and wearable 'intelligent' devices. As part of our continued efforts to ensure movies are not recorded in theaters, however, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward using any recording device while movies are being shown," the two organizations said in statement. |||||

Write a summary.

– It's official: If you want to see a movie while it's still in the theaters, you'll have to take off your Google Glass or smartwatch first. The MPAA and the National Association of Theatre Owners yesterday banned all wearable tech, meaning you'll need to turn such devices off and put them away if you don't want to get kicked out. And—in a policy that already exists for phones and other recording devices—if theater staff thinks you're recording illegally, they'll notify police. The new zero-tolerance policy was approved during the ShowEast convention, where theater owners gather each year, according to the Hollywood Reporter; the Washington Post reports that the association represents about 32,000 US theaters. But many individual theater owners had already instituted such a ban. Two potential problems: The new rule "ignores something pretty crucial," writes Greg Kumparak on TechCrunch. "If someone is the type of person who will strap a computer to their face, they're probably also the type of person who knows of easier/better ways to pirate movies than recording a shaky, crap-resolution copy on Google Glass." Plus, what happens when smart glasses become more popular and some people "choose to use the device as their primary eyewear"? wonders Chris Morran at the Consumerist. "At that point, do theaters kick people out just for wearing glasses that could shoot video?" One theatergoer has already been hauled from his seat by the feds because he was wearing Google Glass.


Write a summary based on this article:

New video shows the chaotic moments after a large tree fell on top of wedding party in Whittier. Kate Larsen reports for the NBC4 News at 11 on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (Published Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016)

 New Video Shows Moments After Tree Fell on Wedding Party

 One person was killed and five others were injured after a large tree fell on top of a wedding party at a Southern California park on Saturday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

 Multiple people were trapped after a tree toppled over around 4:30 p.m. in Whittier's Penn Park, fire officials said.

 "I heard the crackling and I'm looking up and it was just an odd sound," witness Mary Escarga told NBC4.

 A wedding party was taking pictures after the ceremony when a 100-foot tall eucalyptus tree fell, trapping up to 20 people, the fire department said. Chainsaws were used to remove those who were trapped underneath the tree's branches.

 Bride's Mother Killed After Tree Falls on Wedding Party

 The mother of the bride was killed when a tree fell on a wedding party in Whittier. Kate Larsen reports for the NBC4 News at 9 on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (Published Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016)

 One person was killed and five people, including a young girl, were injured. The five people who were injured suffered minor and moderate injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment. They are expected to recover.

 2 trees fell during a wedding at Penn Park, multiple people injured... pic.twitter.com/zuVf9h60TN — pat (@ChiefPat_) December 18, 2016

 "The scene was very chaotic," said Sgt. Jason Zuhlke of the Whittier Police Department.

 Rene Zaldivar, who was at the park for a quinceañera, said he saw the bride during the chaos.

 "She was limping a little bit, but she was screaming about her mom – they couldn’t wake her up."

 A search dog was brought in to search for additional victims who could still be trapped.

 "Fortunately, there weren't more people injured by the tree collapse," John Tripp, a Los Angeles County Fire Department deputy chief, said at a news conference. "It could have been a lot worse."

 Police Guard Park After Tree Falls on Wedding Party, Killing 1

 Police were on guard the morning after a tree crashed down on a wedding, killing one person and injuring five others. Marin Austin reports for Today in LA Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (Published Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016)

 The wedding party was taken to a nearby senior center where mental health counselors were made available to them.

 Officials could not confirm that the heavy rains reported Friday evening played a factor in the tree collapse.

 Arborists are expected to investigate why the tree fell.

 The identity of the person who was killed has not yet been released.

 NBC4's Kate Larsen contributed to this report. ||||| WHITTIER >> The Whittier community grieved Sunday as authorities continued their investigation into what caused a massive eucalyptus tree to topple onto a wedding party at Penn Park in Whittier on Saturday night, leaving one woman dead and seven other people injured, including a 4-year-old girl who was hospitalized in critical condition.

 Witnesses reported the group was taking pictures beneath the 100-foot-tall tree at Penn Park, 13950 Penn Street, when it suddenly uprooted and fell, transforming what began as a celebration into a scene of tragedy.

 The identity of the woman killed in the freak accident was not yet available Sunday, Los Angeles County Department of Medical-Examiner Investigator Rudy Molano said. The relationships between the woman who died, as well as the badly injured child, to the bride and groom were unclear.

 “The important thing is to focus on the family, to let them know that this community is behind them, and that we’re praying for them,” Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri said.

 • Related Story: 1 killed, child critical after tree topples onto wedding party at Whittier park

 “It was supposed to be one of the most exciting days of their lives, and instead, it turned into what it turned into,” he said.

 “There’s so many people in Whittier. … Who are upset, as am I, asking, ‘What can we do?’” the mayor said. “The best we can do right now is pray for that family and pray for that child, and let the family know that we care.”

 Penn Park will remain closed to the public indefinitely as authorities investigate what caused the large eucalyptus tree to fall, City Manager Jeff Collier said.

 An arborist is expected to inspect the scene today or Tuesday, he said.

 It was too early to say what may have caused the tree to fall, according to Collier.

 “We can’t speculate until we have the arborist come out here and investigate,” he said.

 Until then, officials will not remove the debris.

 “We want to preserve the scene at this point. We want to make sure we have a chance to see everything as it exists today,” Collier said.

 While the city already has an ongoing program to maintain and inspect trees, officials are also in the process of double-checking the integrity of the many other towering trees in Penn Park, City Manager Jeff Collier said.

 • Photos: Tree falls on wedding party at Whittier park killing one

 Police guarded the scene to keep away trespassers Sunday morning, as crews went through the debris to retrieve belongings of the victims.

 The park, which is staffed by city officials seven days a week, is a popular site with wedding parties and other celebrations. Groups can often be seen posing for pictures beneath the park’s giant trees.

 “What’s intrinsically wonderful about it is those trees,” Vinatieri said.

 As the investigation progresses, “the important thing is to focus on that family,” Vinatieri said. “There’s an outpouring of concern, sadness and prayer.”

 Injuries due to sudden tree falls are uncommon, but not unheard of in the region.

 Eight children were injured, two of them critically, when an 85-foot-tall Italian stone pine tree toppled over at the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena on July 28, 2015.

 That incident also occurred following a bout of heavy rain amid years of drought.

 Saturday’s accident in Whittier took place within days of Southern California’s first significant storm of the season.

 An arborist concluded the tree in Pasadena likely fell because it was taking in more water than it could release, increasing its weight, coupled with weak roots on two sides of the tree.

 The family of 6-year-old twins injured in the incident have since filed a lawsuit against the museum alleging the incident was the result of negligence and failure to maintain the tree. Kidspace Museum subsequently filed a claim against the city of Pasadena, arguing that the city is liable for any legal costs or damages associated with the incident. ||||| Skip in Skip x Embed x Share One woman was killed when a eucalyptus tree collapsed on a wedding party taking photos in Southern California Time

 Los Angeles County Fire Dept. firefighters work at the scene where a large tree fell on a wedding party in Whittier, Calif., Dec. 17. (Photo: Keith Durflinger, The Whittier Daily News via AP)

 A joyous wedding party was cut short Saturday afternoon when a large tree in a southern California park fell on attendees, killing one and injuring five others.

 Officials in Whittier, Calif., said they received multiple 911 calls around 4:30 p.m. PT of a fallen tree in Penn Park. When officers arrived, they found some family members who had gathered for wedding photos trapped underneath a large eucalyptus tree.

 Fire officials arrived shortly after with chain saws to cut people loose from the tree's limbs. One of the victims, who was not identified, died at the scene.

 "They were here for a joyous occasion and then, unfortunately, a very large tree interrupted that," said John Tripp, a Los Angeles County Fire Department deputy chief. "They right now are going through a lot of issues that we are trying to support."

 Los Angeles County Fire Dept. personnel work at the scene where a large tree fell on a wedding party in Whittier, Calif., on Dec. 17. Southern California fire officials say one person died and five people were injured after a large eucalyptus tree fell down onto a wedding party taking pictures at a park. (Photo: Keith Durflinger, The Whittier Daily News via AP)

 Another victim was taken to a local trauma center, Tripp said. The others were hospitalized and treated for minor injuries.

 "Fortunately, there weren’t more people that were injured by the tree collapse," he said ."It could have been worse.”

 Arborists are scheduled to arrive on Sunday to help investigate the cause of the tree collapse. Tripp said he does not know the cause yet, but he believes the tree may have been weakened by the five-year drought as well as the recent pre-winter rain storm that hit the region.

 "Not that I think this could have been prevented," he said, "but it’s just again showing that the vegetation in southern California is still very stressed from the drought we’ve had for five years.”

 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2hUxdyi |||||

– "It’s just again showing that the vegetation in southern California is still very stressed from the drought we’ve had for five years." So said LA County Fire Department Deputy Chief John Tripp in the wake of a Saturday tragedy in Whittier, reports USA Today: A family was taking wedding photos in Penn Park near a 100-foot-tall eucalyptus tree when it uprooted and fell, trapping some of the party underneath. A woman was killed and five others, including 4-year-old girl, injured in the incident, which happened at 4:30pm local time, reports the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The relationship of the woman and girl to the bride and groom has not been released. NBC Los Angeles reports as many as 20 people were trapped under the tree, and chainsaws were used to extricate them. A witness shared this wrenching observation about the bride: "She was limping a little bit, but she was screaming about her mom—they couldn’t wake her up." An arborist will investigate Monday or Tuesday. NBC notes it rained heavily the previous night.


Write an article based on this summary:

– A woman accused of killing her twin sister by driving their SUV off a cliff in Hawaii is fighting her extradition from New York to face a murder charge. A lawyer for 38-year-old Alexandria Duval said Friday at her court appearance in Albany that his client is "profoundly distraught" and described the siblings as "soul mates," reports the Albany Times Union. He claimed the paperwork as presented by New York and Hawaii prosecutors "is not sufficient to force extradition so far." Duval was tracked down in Albany and arrested a week ago, after a grand jury in Hawaii indicted her on a second-degree murder charge last month. Authorities say Alexandria was driving an SUV in May with her sister, Anastasia Duval, in the passenger seat when the vehicle crashed into a rock wall and plunged about 200 feet. Authorities say the sisters were fighting over the steering wheel, reports AP. A previous murder case against Duval was dismissed because of a lack of evidence. The extradition hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Alexandria Duval leaves Albany County Court on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, in Albany, N.Y. Duval, accused of killing her twin sister by driving their SUV off a cliff in Hawaii, is fighting her extradition... (Associated Press)

 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A woman accused of killing her twin sister by driving their SUV off a cliff in Hawaii is fighting her extradition from New York to face a murder charge.

 A lawyer for 38-year-old Alexandria Duval said Friday at her court appearance that it's "highly likely" his client's case is headed to an extradition hearing. She was tracked down in Albany and arrested a week ago.

 A grand jury in Hawaii indicted her on a second-degree murder charge last month.

 Authorities say Alexandria was driving an SUV in May with her sister, Anastasia Duval, in the passenger seat when the vehicle crashed into a rock wall and plunged about 200 feet.

 Authorities say the sisters were fighting over the steering wheel. Alexandria Duval's attorney says the crash was a "heart-shattering" tragedy. |||||

 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true});

 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true});

 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-13', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 13', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true});

 Photo: Thomas Cordy Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Image 1 of 13 FILE- In this Oct. 12, 2011, file photo, Anastasia, left, and Alexandria Duval, known as Alison and Ann Dadow before they changed their names, stand in the window of their yoga studio in West Palm Beach, Fla. Alexandria Duval was arrested Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, after being tracked down at an Albany, N.Y., home. The arrest comes after the Maui Police Department issued a warrant for Alexandria Duval's arrest when a grand jury indicted her on a second-degree murder charge. She's accused of killed her twin sister, Anastasia, after their vehicle plunged off a Hawaii cliff in May 2016. (Thomas Cordy/Palm Beach Post via AP, via AP, File) ORG XMIT: FLPAP501 less FILE- In this Oct. 12, 2011, file photo, Anastasia, left, and Alexandria Duval, known as Alison and Ann Dadow before they changed their names, stand in the window of their yoga studio in West Palm Beach, Fla. ... more Photo: Thomas Cordy Image 2 of 13 Alison Dadow is accused of driving a Ford Explorer off a cliff in Hawaii, killing her twin, Ann, who was in the passenger seat. The surviving twin is charged with second-degree murder.  Alison Dadow is accused of driving a Ford Explorer off a cliff in Hawaii, killing her twin, Ann, who was in the passenger seat. The surviving twin is charged with second-degree murder.  Photo: Tom Johnson, HONS Image 3 of 13 Alexandria Duval, wanted on a murder charge in Hawaii, was located in Albany on Friday. (State Police photo) Alexandria Duval, wanted on a murder charge in Hawaii, was located in Albany on Friday. (State Police photo) Image 4 of 13 FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2011 photo, Anastasia, left, and Alexandria Duval, known as Alison and Ann Dadow before they changed their names, stand in the window of their yoga studio in West Palm Beach, Fla. Alexandria Duval, who is accused of killing her twin sister by driving their vehicle off a Hawaii cliff in May, 2016, is being held in a New York jail Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, after again being charged with murder. New York State Police announced over the weekend that Duval, 38,was arrested Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, after being tracked down at an Albany, NY, home.(Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via AP) /Palm Beach Post via AP) ORG XMIT: FLPAP201 less FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2011 photo, Anastasia, left, and Alexandria Duval, known as Alison and Ann Dadow before they changed their names, stand in the window of their yoga studio in West Palm Beach, Fla. ... more Photo: Thomas Cordy Image 5 of 13 Image 6 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court with her attorney Terry Kindlon before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court with her attorney Terry Kindlon before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Image 7 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Image 8 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Image 9 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) Image 10 of 13 Image 11 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Emily Masters/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Emily Masters/Times Union) Image 12 of 13 Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Emily Masters/Times Union) Alexandria Duval aka Alison Dadow appears in Albany County Court before Judge William Carter on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. (Emily Masters/Times Union) Image 13 of 13 Twin sister, 'soulmate' in Albany court for Hawaii death case 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

 ALBANY — An extradition hearing for a woman accused of killing her twin sister when their SUV plunged off a cliff in Hawaii is scheduled for Dec. 16.

 Alexandria Duval, 37, appeared Friday in Albany County Court for a hearing before acting County Court Judge William Carter. She was arrested Nov. 11 in Albany by city and State Police.

 She was wanted for murder in the death of her identical twin sister, Anastasia.

 "She is profoundly distraught," her attorney Terry Kindlon said, calling the sisters "soul mates."

 Duval, charged as a fugitive from justice, has entered the courtroom. Watch the video: pic.twitter.com/BT4CwfN9HS — Emily Masters (@emilysmasters) November 18, 2016

 Duval's case, and the crash that killed her twin sister, made national headlines. Duval was injured in the crash.

 Kindlon, from the Public Defender's Office, said she will not waive her right to an extradition hearing. The paperwork prosecutors in New York and Hawaii have amassed "is not sufficient to force extradition so far," he said.

 An extradition hearing determines if a defendant is the person wanted by law enforcement and if a defendant was at the crime scene, Kindlon said.

 On May 29, the women's SUV plunged off a 200-foot cliff on Maui's rocky shore during what was described as a hair-pulling fight over the steering wheel, the Associated Press reports.

 Alexandria, the driver, was arrested and jailed on a second-degree murder charge, accused of deliberately causing her sister's death, the AP reports. The twins were previously known as Alison and Ann Dadow.

 Kindlon described the crash as an accident. Duval "left Hawaii to come back to grieve, not to escape from justice," he said. The sisters were originally from the Utica area, according to the Star Advertiser of Honolulu.

 Duval was taken into custody by Maui police after being discharged from the hospital days after the accident. A judge later ordered her release after determining there was no probable cause for a murder charge, the AP reported. Duval was eager to return to upstate New York after the crash to attend her sister's funeral, the AP reported.

 In late October, a grand jury indicted Duval on a second-degree murder charge and the Maui Police Department issued a warrant for her arrest, CBS News reports

 A State Police investigator from the New York State Intelligence Center located a possible address for Duval in Albany and Troop G members were notified. On Nov. 11, Duval was seen standing outside the home and tried to flee, but was taken into custody and brought to the Latham barracks, troopers said.

 Duval was returned to the Albany County Jail.

 Read more from the Associated Press:

 Sister charged with murder after crash that killed twin

 Twin sisters' bickering relationship ends in deadly crash |||||


This will appear next to all of your comments

 This will NOT appear anywhere on Newser ||||| Trend-chasing coffee titan Starbucks is jumping on the Lisa Frankenfoods bandwagon with the release of a new unicorn-themed version of its most popular specialty drink, the Frappuccino. Pictures of this pink-and-blue creation are starting to surface on Instagram and Twitter:

 The rumors are true! Come in to your closest Starbucks April 20th to try the new Unicorn Frappuccino!(for limited time) pic.twitter.com/iyYjLKEkgz — hunter (@HuntzMorgan) April 14, 2017

 The company has not made any official announcements about this menu item yet, but baristas have been chatting about it on Reddit for the last four days, and Snacktaku’s Mike Fahey — whose wife works at Starbucks — got an early taste of this drink yesterday. Fahey describes the Unicorn Frappuccino as having a “sour raspberry flavor” that’s kind of like “fresh fruit,” but the drink is also shot through with a “horrible sour syrup.” One Starbucks Redditor also remarks that it “tastes just like those Tropical Skittles.”

 Unicorn Frappuccino u like? @mikeequintos haha only available if you believe pic.twitter.com/dDb2YfKXaw — Mikee Quintos (@onlyformikee) April 16, 2017

 This magical beast-themed drink is rumored to launch on Wednesday, April 19.

 • Unicorn Frappuccino 2017 [Reddit]

 • Snacktaku Drinks Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino [Snacktaku]

 • Holy Sh*t, Starbucks Might Be Releasing a Unicorn Frappuccino! [PS]

 • All Coverage of Starbucks [E] |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Starbucks is calling a limited-time beverage that changes colors and flavors with a stir of the straw a "Unicorn Frappuccino," the AP reports. The chain says the drink was inspired by the trend of unicorn-themed food online and starts out purple with a sweet and fruity taste. It changes to pink and tart after it's stirred to mix in a blue drizzle. It will be available from Wednesday to Sunday in the US, Canada, and Mexico, with a 12-ounce size containing 280 calories. USA Today says the Unicorn Frappuccino "either sounds like a dream come true or truly disgusting." And Eater quotes an anonymous Starbucks employee who got an early sample as saying it "tastes just like those Tropical Skittles." We'll have to wait until Wednesday to see what actual customers think of the colorful creation.


Here is a news article: Kris Humphries to File for Separation – Not Divorce: Sources

 Kris Humphries plans to answer Kim Kardashian 's divorce filing by seeking a legal separation, sources tell PEOPLE.The NBA player likely will file the court papers within days, say the sources.Rather than pursue a divorce as Kardashian has, the NBA player's ultimate intent is to annul the marriage, clearing the record of ever being married to the reality star, the sources say.This would be a change of heart for Humphries.Shortly after Kardashian traveled to Minnesota and met with Humphries and the pastor who married them, sources close to Humphries insisted he intended to try and move on and sign the divorce papers Just 72 days after a lavish wedding , Kardashian, 31, filed for divorce from Humphries, 26, on Oct. 31, citing irreconcilable differences.Their troubles flared almost immediately and were on display in the season premiere of Kourtney & Kim Take Manhattan. ||||| Daniel Craig brands the Kardashians 'f***ing idiots' for making careers out of their private lives

 They have made millions from living their lives in the public eye thanks to their reality television shows.

 But one person who is less than impressed by the Kardashian family is Daniel Craig, who launched an astonishing foul-mouthed rant at the brood, headed by Kim Kardashian, in a new interview with GQ magazine.

 The James Bond star labelled the clan 'f***ing idiots' and criticised those who 'sell' themselves and then make demands about their private lives.

 Rant: Daniel Craig has labelled the Kardashians 'f*****g idiots' for making a career out of their private lives

 Craig, who managed to keep his marriage to Rachel Weisz under wraps in the summer, told the January edition of GQ magazine: 'I think there's a lot to be said for keeping your own counsel.

 'It's not about being afraid to be public with your emotions or about who you are and what you stand for. But if you sell it off it's gone.

 'You can't buy it back - you can't buy your privacy back. Ooh I want to be alone. F*** you. We've been in your living room. We were at your birth. You filmed it for us and showed us the placenta and now you want some privacy?

 Screen stars: Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian have made millions from their reality television shows, including Keeping Up With The Kardashians and the current Kourtney And Kim Take New York

 Referring to the Kardashians, Craig said: 'Look at the Kardashians, they're worth millions. I don't think they were that badly off to begin with but now look at them.

 'You see that and you think "what, you mean all I have to do is behave like a f***ing idiot on television and then you'll pay me millions".

 'I'm not judging it - well, I am obviously.'

 Figuring it out: Craig said he is 'unsatisfied constantly' with his career and always trying to get it right

 Loved up: Craig and wife Rachel Weisz managed to keep their wedding entirely secret this summer

 Craig also spoke about his wedding to Weisz, and said that while they managed to keep it out of the spotlight, he doesn't feel victorious about the matter.

 The full interview appears in the January issue of British GQ magazine

 He said: 'We got away with it. We did it privately and I've got a lot of people to thank for that. But that was the point, we did it for private reasons.

 'Because we didn't want it f*****d up, because that would be sharing a secret. And the whole point is that it was a secret. A secret is a secret in my mind.'

 Refusing to go into any details about the ceremony, Craig added: 'Look, I'm in love. I'm very happy. And that is as far as I'm prepared to go. Life is long, life goes wrong and I don't want to say something now that might be thrown back later.'

 The 43-year-old, who is now working on the 23rd Bond film, Skyfall , can soon be seen in the English language remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

 But he says despite his lengthy and successful career, he is still not happy with how things stand.

 He said: 'I'm definitely not satisfied about my career. I don't know how you can be, it's the very nature of things.

 'I'm always trying to figure it out, and I'm kind of unsatisfied constantly. I always want to get it right and I don't know what the answer to it is.

 'But I do know that it's out there and I do know it's worth looking for.' ||||| Get ready for one more member of the extended Kardashian family to keep up with! Kourtney Kardashian and beau Scott Disick are expecting their second child together, they tell the new Us Weekly in an exclusive cover story.

 PHOTOS: Adorable snapshots of Mason Dash Disick

 The E! reality star, 32, took a pregnancy test about five weeks ago — and woke up Disick, 28 (not a morning person!), around 7.a.m. to tell him the positive results.

 "Now I'm nine weeks along," Kardashian tells Us. "You're supposed to wait 12 weeks to tell people, but I feel confident."

 PHOTOS: Look back on Kourt's first pregnancy

 The son or daughter-to-be will be the second child for the couple of five years, whose son Mason, nearly 2, was a bit of a surprise.

 Not so much for baby number two, the happy couple tells Us.

 "It wasn't like we weren't trying," Disick, 28, says. "We kind of just said, 'If it's meant to be, it'll be.'"

 PHOTOS: Babies of 2011

 For much more of our exclusive sit-down with Kourtney and Scott — how they told Khloe, Kim and the rest of the clan, whether she wants a boy or girl, potential wedding plans and much more — pick up the new Us Weekly, on stands Friday.

 Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics and more delivered straight to your inbox!

 Want stories like these delivered straight to your phone? Download the Us Weekly iPhone app now! |||||
A summary of this is?

– Poor Kim: Not only have her fairy tale dreams been shattered … now she also has to deal with a joyfully pregnant sister while she goes through divorce proceedings. Yep, Kourtney Kardashian and boyfriend Scott Disick are expecting again. "Now I'm nine weeks along. You're supposed to wait 12 weeks to tell people, but I feel confident," says Kourtney, who was apparently confident enough to announce her plans in an Us cover story. The couple already has a son, Mason, who is almost two. "It wasn't like we weren't trying," says Disick, who apparently doesn't have a firm grasp on either the specifics of procreation or double negatives. "We kind of just said, 'If it's meant to be, it'll be.'" Meanwhile, rather than signing the divorce papers, Kris Humphries is seeking a legal separation from Kim Kardashian, People reports. His plan is to get an annulment rather than a divorce. In more fun Kardashian news, the Daily Mail has a spectacular rant against the whole clan from Daniel Craig's recent GQ interview. "Look at the Kardashians, they're worth millions," says the James Bond star. "I don't think they were that badly off to begin with but now look at them. You see that and you think, 'What, you mean all I have to do is behave like a f***ing idiot on television and then you'll pay me millions?'"


News article:

(CNN) -- A few lucky folks across the country will wake up Wednesday a whole lot richer after hitting Tuesday night's $636 million Mega Millions jackpot.

 People who play the lottery love to dream about the things they'd do if they won the big one. Telling the boss off might top your list (not mine, oh no, not mine). Maybe a new mansion and a fancy car and a gasoline-powered turtleneck sweater (right, Steve Martin?).

 We know at least two people matched all the winning numbers: 8, 20, 14, 17 and 39, and a Megaball of 7. If those showed up on your ticket, there are a few important things you should do before you go out and blow your winnings.

 1. Sign the ticket.

 You didn't already? Are you crazy? What if the roommate "claims" it? What if your significant other isn't as significant as you thought? What if you are showing it to someone, say over a beer or 10, and it goes missing? What if you forget it on your desk and you suddenly have the richest cleaning person in the U.S.? Sign it -- if you didn't when you bought it -- because whoever has an unsigned ticket when it gets turned in can call dibs on it.

 It's also time for a selfie. With you and said ticket. It might even be a good idea to run to the drug store and buy a camera with actual film in it.

 And then find a hiding place for that ticket. A safe deposit box is probably, yes, safest. Or go get a portable home safe. Remember, this ain't Canada; no one is going to track you down to hand you your millions.

 2. Contact people who have dealt with large sums of money before

 And we don't mean your Uncle Eddie who says he's doing great with his online stock portfolio or a cousin who just passed the bar. Start with one experienced attorney and look for a seasoned certified financial planner. You don't want to contact more than a few people, lest the word get out before you even get the big cardboard check.

 Your biggest decision right now is whether to take the cash prize (the actual money in the pot) or take an annuity (the estimated value of the cash option plus whatever interest it will earn over 30 years).

 It seems like a no-brainer to get it all up front and do your own investing, but a bright financial mind will help you see if it's best to get 30 checks over time or one check.

 The lawyer you pick will also need to hook you up with specialists in subjects like estate planning, taxes and such. You might want to know if it's best to buy Mom a house or just give her some cash each year or set up some sort of trust fund. I vote to buy the house and let her live there. Wait, is that OK? Need a lawyer.

 Why you keep playing the lottery

 3. Figure out if you can stay anonymous

 Chances are, you can't. Only a few states like South Carolina allow it, so you may want to hire a media consultant or a PR flack. Let someone else plan your appearances after you claim your coin. And remember, you don't have to make your decisions right away. You might have as long as 180 days to claim your prize, but check state rules while you're looking to see if you can remain anonymous.

 But it would be best if you didn't have to give out your name, some former winners say.

 If you can't, lie low for a while. If you can't lie low, it might be prudent to hire a bodyguard. We don't want you to be like the winner in Florida who ended up buried under a driveway.

 4. Plan a trip

 Speaking of staying out of sight, it might be a good time to head to South America. We hear it's nice this time of year. Or someplace like the U.S. Virgin Islands if you don't have a passport.

 One set of winners went straight from the news conference to the airport. They were gone for weeks. If it were me, I might have the news conference at the airport, in front of the private jet.

 If you do duck out for a few weeks, you probably won't come back to find the news media parked in front of your house and people won't recognize you in stores.

 Now there probably will be a pile of mail and e-mails from relatives you never knew you had and messages on the answering machine (if you still have your phone connected).

 Sudden lottery fortunes not always for the best

 5. Don't give up just because you didn't win the top prize

 Every year, a few of the people who match five numbers and win the measly runner-up prize fail to collect their winnings. So check those tickets again to see if you might have won $1 million. You don't want to be among the 2% of people (OK, it's like one or two) who threw away a million bucks. Last year there were $800 million in unclaimed lottery prizes. That's everything from $1 prizes to the $1 million prize (that can be even bigger if you play the multipliers).

 It might be, for instance, the guy I talked to at a sandwich shop in the CNN food court who says he plays only when the jackpots are huge. He checks to see where the big winner lives and if it's not here, he tosses his tickets.

 $800 million in lottery prizes go unclaimed

 But if you do get a piece of the top prize, you'll be in rare territory. The jackpot is near the U.S. record, which was a $656 million Mega Millions prize, shared by three winning tickets in March 2012.

 The $636 million estimate for Tuesday's jackpot was the latest figure as of around noon ET, updated from $586 million a day earlier, Virginia Lottery spokeswoman Rachel Buhse said. If there's one winner, and the winner chooses the lump-sum cash option, the payout would be $341.2 million. Otherwise, the jackpot would be distributed over 30 annual payments.

 If no one wins Tuesday's jackpot, it will rise to at least $950 million for Friday's drawing, Buhse said.

 CNN's Devon Sayers contributed to this report. ||||| Dec 17 (Reuters) - A last-minute ticket buying frenzy could make Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot the biggest U.S. lottery prize in history, and odds are mounting for a winner just a week before Christmas, a game official said.

 The prize swelled to $586 million on Monday, with another spike in sales expected Tuesday before the 11 p.m. EST (4 a.m., Dec. 18, GMT) drawing, said Paula Otto, Virginia's lottery director, who heads the multi-state Mega Millions game.

 If the winner chooses to take the lump sum cash option, instead of payments over 30 years, the jackpot would be $316 million, according to MegaMillions.com.

 As much as 70 percent of tickets are typically bought the day of the drawing, she said.

 Ticket buying reached a fever pitch over the weekend, with 20 percent more chances sold than expected, Otto said.

 The spending tsunami pushed the prize closer to the record U.S. jackpot of $656 million, won March 2012 in a Mega Millions drawing. The second largest lottery jackpot was $590.5 million, won May 2013 in a Powerball game.

 "If it doesn't surpass the record, we'll be close. It's growing a little faster than we thought," Otto said on Monday.

 The more tickets sold, the better chance someone will match one of the 259 million possible number combinations that could land a jackpot. By Tuesday's drawing, players will have bought enough tickets to cover 65 percent to 75 percent of the possible number combinations to strike it rich, Otto said.

 "You don't know you have a winner unless it's 100 percent covered, though," she said.

 If no one picks the exact combination of numbers that appear on six randomly selected lottery balls, the prize will keep growing until the next drawing on Friday.

 "We've never had a jackpot this high the week before Christmas," said Otto, who kept mum on whether she is hoping for the drama that a Christmas Eve drawing could bring.

 "You like to see winners and you like to see big jackpots. I leave it in the hands of the bouncing balls," Otto said. (Editing by Scott Malone and Steve Orlofsky) |||||
What is a shorter version of the above article?

– Tonight's Mega Millions prize could end up being the biggest US jackpot ever. It's already hit $636 million; by tonight, it could rise past the $656 million record, Reuters notes. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that you win it (you won't). When you can breathe again, you'll want to take quick action to ensure that you deal with your newfound millions safely and effectively. At CNN, Steve Almasy offers a checklist: First, sign the ticket. You don't want to risk losing it, or having a "friend" claim it. While you're at it, you might want to take a selfie with the ticket, then drop it in a safe deposit box. Then, seek out financial experts, but not too many—you want to keep the news quiet as long as possible. "Start with one experienced attorney and look for a seasoned certified financial planner," Almasy writes. Big question: Is there any way you can legally remain anonymous? If you live in South Carolina or a handful of other states, the answer is yes, but generally you'll have a tough time hiding. You might want to hire a PR person. In fact, you might want to slip out of the country until the hubbub over the prize has died down. Didn't win? Don't forget to check if you've qualified for runner-up cash. Last year saw $800 million in unclaimed lottery winnings. Click for Almasy's full piece.