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5 things to know for June 17: Jan. 6, Church shooting, Ukraine ...

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(CNN) The popular rideshare company Lyft has agreed to a $25 million settlement with shareholders over safety-related allegations, including not disclosing reports of drivers assaulting passengers. Notably, the money will go to shareholders instead of the individuals who've been victim to and reported such incidents.

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1. January 6

The House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection used Thursday's hearing to detail how former President Donald Trump tried to pressure his vice president to join in his scheme to overturn the presidential election -- and how Mike Pence's refusal put his life at risk as rioters called for his hanging on January 6, 2021. The committee underscored that Pence was in real danger on January 6, and the panel made the case that Trump was to blame. The mob got about 40 feet from Pence, threatened him by name, and were enraged that he didn't overturn the election because they believed Trump's lie that Pence could overturn Joe Biden's victory in the Electoral College. One person noticeably absent on Thursday was the focus of the hearing himself: the former vice president.

2. Church shooting

Two people were killed in a shooting at a church near Birmingham, Alabama on Thursday, police said. The gunman, who is in custody, opened fire at a small group church meeting at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills. It is unclear how many people were at the event when the shooting took place. A spokesperson for the the Diocese of Alabama said the community needs to be lifted up in healing through prayer and unity. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey echoed those sentiments: "This should never happen -- in a church, in a store, in the city, or anywhere. We continue to closely monitor the situation," Ivey said. The shooting is the latest in a house of worship amid a national reckoning on guns in America and their availability.

3. Ukraine

Ukraine's bid to join the European Union received a major boost today after the bloc's executive said it believed the country should be formally considered for candidate status in the wake of Russia's invasion. Speaking in Brussels, the European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen said the Commission recommends "that Ukraine is given candidate status. This is of course on the understanding that the country will carry out a number of further reforms." Leaders of the 27 EU member states will now meet for a summit next week to discuss the Commission's opinion. Even if the member states agree that Ukraine should be a candidate nation -- which is far from certain -- the process to join the EU is complicated and takes, on average, just under five years to complete, according to the think tank, UK in a Changing Europe

JUST WATCHED Ukrainian Defense Minister: Written military orders recovered from dead Russian officer reveal Moscow's initial plan Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Ukrainian Defense Minister: Written military orders recovered from dead Russian officer reveal Moscow's initial plan 03:50

4. Mortgage rates

Amid rising inflation and an interest rate hike, mortgage rates jumped to nearly 6% this week. The spike from 5.23% to 5.78% is the largest one-week increase since 1987. This comes as no surprise though as rates have risen more than two-and-a-half percentage points this year alone. Rates were at an average of 2.93% at this time last year, largely due to the pandemic. But now, buyers are finding homes even less affordable as inflation takes a larger chunk of their income and the cost of borrowing has reduced their purchasing power. However, some experts say soaring rates may finally bring the housing market back to earth because it will continue to drive demand for mortgages down -- likely resulting in the cooling off of home prices.

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5. NBA Finals

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 103-90 on Thursday night to claim their fourth NBA championship in the last eight seasons . The victory gives the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green their fourth title together -- adding to their championships from 2015, 2017 and 2018. Curry, who was in tears on the court after the final whistle, won NBA Finals MVP honors for the first time in his career. "Beginning of the season, nobody thought we'd be here except everybody on this court right now, and it's amazing. Very surreal, though," Curry said after the victory. This is the Warriors' seventh league title in franchise history.

THIS JUST IN

Julian Assange extradition order issued by London court

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has moved one step closer to being extradited to the US , where he is set to be tried under the Espionage Act, after a London court sent his handover order to the British government for approval. Assange is wanted in the US on 18 criminal charges after WikiLeaks published thousands of classified files and diplomatic cables in 2010. If convicted, Assange faces up to 175 years in prison.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Black bear follows a hiking family

Elon Musk shares who he would like to be the next president in 2024

Petco is launching stores for a new group of customers

Scooch over cats and dogs. Petco is eyeing a new customer base

US Open: Phil Mickelson suffers nightmare first round

The six-time major winner must finish in the top 60 by the close of Friday's second round to avoid being cut . No pressure.

Kim Kardashian did not ruin Marilyn Monroe's dress, Ripley's said

Contrary to the social media fuss, Kim Kardashian didn't damage the iconic dress lent to her for the Met Gala, according to Ripley's.

QUIZ TIME

Which wildly popular show was recently green lit for a new season?

A. "Game of Thrones"

B. "Squid Game"

C. "Breaking Bad"

D. "Friends"

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

CNN to broadcast live Juneteenth concert

A slate of Black artists and musicians are set to take the stage at the Hollywood Bowl this Sunday, June 19 for an inaugural Juneteenth concert that will be broadcast live on CNN at 8pm ET. " Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom " will feature artists Jhené Aiko, Khalid, Jill Scott, Questlove, Mickey Guyton, Ne-Yo, Killer Mike among several other talented performers.

Also, how well do you know Emancipation Day?

Take this special edition CNN quiz to learn more about the oldest known US celebration of the end of slavery.

TODAY'S NUMBER

12

That's how many elementary school children drank floor sealant believing it was milk after it was served to students at a childcare program in Juneau, Alaska, according to the school district. On Tuesday, several children at the school complained the milk they were served tasted bad and was burning their mouths and throats. An investigation revealed that the chemical was mistakenly stored in a food warehouse. All 12 students are recovering and some have fully recovered, school district officials said, and new safeguards are forthcoming.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first."

-- WNBA legend Sue Bird, announcing on Thursday that , announcing on Thursday that she will retire after the current season . Bird, the league's all-time assists leader, has played her entire career with the Seattle Storm, where she has won four championships to go along with five selections to the All-WNBA first team and a record 12 All-Star Game appearances. She also achieved a record-tying five Olympic basketball golds with Team USA.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Heat dome bakes Southeast Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Heat dome bakes Southeast 02:19

AND FINALLY

Big cats like boxes too

'Looking for Alaska' Hulu series, based on John Green novel, date set

The first glimpse at the new Hulu adaptation of "Looking for Alaska," a 2005 novel by John Green, premiered Saturday at the annual BookCon in New York.

This highly anticipated debut comes with a 14-year history of adaption attempts and fails.

"Looking for Alaska" will premiere on Oct. 18 with all eight episodes available at once on Hulu as a limited series.

The story follows Miles, who is infatuated with a girl named Alaska at their boarding school in Alabama. But it's not a typical teen romance of a popular girl who finally sees the nerdy boy who has pined after her. In fact, it's an insightful look at the dangers of putting someone, especially a young woman, on a pedestal.

Series actors Kristine Froseth and Charlie Plummer told BookCon attendees that the story's themes of grief and empathy are what drives their passion for the series and that they have been long-time fans of Green's novel.

The pair reflected on how the characters made them feel the first time they read "Looking for Alaska" and now as adults how they view them with a much more refined perspective.

Froseth, who plays Alaska, said she related to Alaska’s internal struggles when she was a teenager, including the feeling of isolation that comes with grief.

Josh Schwartz, the executive producer, noted that every person on the crew has read the book and feels passionately about honoring the novel and adapting it. Schwartz said the production of the show is a “really beautiful” experience.

Busch Clash: If NASCAR's Coliseum experiment fails, will it return to ...

The Busch Clash goes green this weekend.

Well, scratch that. The Busch Light Clash goes green this weekend from Daytona International Speedway.

Hang on. Scratch that, again.

The Busch Light Clash goes green this weekend from the Los Angeles Coliseum, kicking off Speedweeks 2022 and leading into next weekend's Daytona 500.

OK. One more try.

The Busch Light Clash goes green this weekend from the Los Angeles Coliseum — one week before the start of SpeedDays 2022 and two weeks before the Feb. 20 Daytona 500.

Yeah, a lot has changed since the checkered flag dropped at Phoenix last November.

"It's definitely a little bit different," said Penske driver Ryan Blaney. "A different venue, another coast, and a different race. It's a different feel, and a very, very new racetrack. Definitely weird not having the Clash in Daytona."

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Blaney was at the center of discussion following last year's Clash after he was wrecked by Chase Elliott as the two came to the checkered flag. And while that race was certainly different than the previous 39 Clash events — it was on Daytona's road course, for starters — it was nothing compared to what you'll see this weekend.

Last September NASCAR announced it was moving the Clash — the opening exhibition race of each season since 1979 — to the West Coast, putting a track inside the historic L.A. Coliseum and dropping the green flag one week before the Super Bowl.

The Clash was also moved to a weekend earlier, meaning there's now a weekend off between the Clash and the Daytona 500.

"It'll be a little weird racing, then watching the Super Bowl, then going down to the 500," Blaney said. "Kinda odd, but it's a little preseason exhibition I guess."

In recent years, Daytona Speedweeks have been more and more condensed. Last year, the Clash was held on a Tuesday for the first time, turning an already reduced Speedweek(s) into SpeedDays.

But the Clash still served as the official kickoff event to several straight days of racing, all leading up to the Daytona 500. From the date, to the venue, to the coast — everything is different this season.

"I've always enjoyed coming down to Daytona for two weeks and enjoy the good weather," said Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won Daytona's summer race back in 2017. "I almost would take up residence in my bus and just kind of get in the flow of being down there and being ready to go.

"I definitely enjoyed that part of it. I think the Clash is going to be a great event, the track looks spectacular. I think it'll be good for our sport, but I will miss being down in Daytona for the period of time that we're normally down there."

NASCAR can stay in L.A. through 2024

Of course, if the past few years have taught us anything, it's nothing in the NASCAR world is permanent.

Last year's schedule was the most adventurous in the sports' modern history, with the addition of several road events and a race on the Bristol dirt.

This year, the cars are completely different with the introduction of the Next Gen car (bigger tires, one lug-nut, composite bodies), while the car numbers on the side have been moved a few feet forward to create more space for sponsors.

Everything is fluid, at least recently, in the NASCAR universe.

Last fall, Ben Kennedy — NASCAR's senior vice president of strategy and innovation — did say the Clash could one day return to Daytona, but admitted the hope is that the move will continue to generate "excitement" leading up the Daytona 500.

Earlier this week, Coliseum GM Joe Furin told NBC Sports that NASCAR’s current agreement is a three-year deal, with options on the last two years.

Following Sunday's race, Furin added, NASCAR has 90 days to state if it wishes to return next year, meaning May 6 is the date to circle for those hoping the move to L.A. is just temporary.

"It'll be a good, new challenge," William Byron said of the quarter-mile Coliseum track. Byron, the fifth-year Hendrick Motorsports driver, played a small role in designing the track, using iRacing to virtually put it all together.

"I was sort of involved early on with some of the testing of the track," he continued. "Just making sure they had the walls in the right places, things like that. The collaboration to get the track configured was pretty cool, so I'm excited for it."

So are the fans — at least the ones out West.

Furin told NBC that a crowd of 50,000 to 60,000 is expected for Sunday’s race, which could put it near capacity. While the Coliseum seats 78,000, 14 rows of lower level seats are being blocked off for fan safety, putting capacity around the 60,000 range.

While those numbers will almost assuredly beat recent Daytona figures — the 2020 Daytona Clash (the last pre-pandemic Clash) had an estimated 25,000 fans in attendance — the true deciding factor could very well come down to TV numbers.

Over 1.5 million people tuned in to last year's Clash, which was run on FS1 on a Tuesday. This year's event moves back to Sunday, when NASCAR typically rates better, and will also be on the main Fox channel with three hours of lead-in coverage beginning with qualifying races at 3 p.m.

Combine that with the unique venue and those numbers should — should — see a significant bump this year.

Daytona 500 Speedweeks schedule

Meanwhile, back in Daytona, the Speedway is doing its best to fill the void left by the Clash.

There will be two 50-minute practice sessions on Tuesday, Feb. 15, to get Daytona 500 week started, followed by a Rodney Atkins concert at 8 p.m. inside the Fanzone that's free to infield campers and $20 for everyone else.

Those two practices will kick off six straight days of racing at the Speedway. Daytona 500 front-row qualifying is set for Wednesday, followed by the two Duel races on Thursday, a truck race on Friday, an ARCA-Xfinity doubleheader Saturday and the main event on Sunday.

Despite losing the Clash, Speedway President Frank Kelleher said the mystique around Daytona 500 week is still alive and well.

"Our sales, year over year, are through the roof," he added. "The entire industry, all the stakeholders win when Daytona starts out successful, and we are on that path."

Just how successful the start to this NASCAR season will be remains to be seen — and there will be plenty of eyes on both coasts, starting at the Coliseum this weekend.

Regardless of where it is, though, a race is a race, Blaney said.

And when the green flag drops Sunday somewhere around the 50 yard-line (OK, that's just a guess), that's all that matters.

"It's something new," Blaney added. "And I think all of us are kind of antsy to get back racing."

NASCAR Clash TV schedule

Saturday: 12:30 p.m. Busch Light Clash practice (FS2/MRN/FOX Sports App); 8:30 p.m. Busch Light Clash single-car qualifying (FS1/MRN/FOX Sports App)

Sunday: 3 p.m. Busch Light Clash qualifying heats (FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App); 4:10 p.m. (approx.) Busch Light Clash last-chance qualifiers (FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App); 6 p.m. Busch Light Clash main event (FOX/MRN/FOX Sports App)

Dip into 4 new mysteries for fall, including Kate Atkinson's spy novel ...

Charles Finch

Special to USA TODAY

The big mysteries have arrived for the start of autumn: a surefire bestseller from Kate Atkinson, George Pelecanos with a riff on Elmore Leonard, and new novels by Abby Geni and Andrew Gross that reckon in different ways with crime and the American dream. Charles Finch has some pumpkin spice reviews.

"Transcription"

By Kate Atkinson

Little, Brown, 335 pp.

★★★ out of four stars

Everyone loves Kate Atkinson, but I think writers may have a particular admiration for her. She dissolves the choices that bedevil us: between big plots and wry, acute, noticing sentences; between genre and literary fiction; between the wildly popular and the wildly nuanced. Her new spy novel, “Transcription,” returns to World War II, also the subject of her best book, “Life After Life.” Having been struck by a car in 1981, Juliet Armstrong, lying in the road, flashes back to the war, which she spent involved in the complex game of flushing out England’s homegrown enemies. Is this vengeance at a distant remove? “Transcription” is a minor work in the Atkinson canon – a bit meandering, a bit quiet – but is nonetheless a joy to read. Above all, it continues the author's vital project of reconstituting how we understand British women of that era – not as dutiful handmaidens of the home front, but as flesh-and-blood girls of 18, 19, who across every class were willing to die for their ideals.

The Wildlands

By Abby Geni

Counterpoint, 357 pp.

★★★½

From the moment Abby Geni’s second novel starts, you know you’re in good hands. She’s describing the surreal effects of a tornado in a small Oklahoma town. A bird flies backwards; an umbrella turns a couple times, then floats “straight into the sky, rising like a UFO.” What an image! For the McClouds, who lose their father, this sense of unreality persists past the storm. Out of their loss, Geni spins a careful, humane, moving story, centered primarily on the youngest McCloud, Cora, who finds her missing older brother Tucker, an inept eco-terrorist, just when he needs her most, and she needs him least. “The Wildlands” is a dense, slow-moving novel, but one filled with rewards for the patient reader – in its best sections, the most responsible McCloud, Darlene, who has forfeited her dreams for her siblings, searches for green shoots of possibility in a life dominated by poverty and hard work. America, Geni argues, shouldn’t demand so much heroism of its people. Many give it anyway.

"Button Man"

By Andrew Gross

Minotaur, 371 pp.

★★★½

Andrew Gross (writer of slick thrillers, sometime denizen of the James Patterson factory, good head of hair) takes on a new challenge in the broad but irresistible “Button Man.” It’s the saga of a single family’s beginnings in the garment trade at the turn of the 20th century. Tracking the three Rabishevsky brothers, led by Morris, as they explore Manhattan in search of opportunity, we witness an indomitable work ethic rewarded with success. But that brings its own problem: Murder, Inc. Will Morris take a stand or a powder against the fearsome Louis “Lepke” Buchalter? “The Pirkei Avot tells us it is not our responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world,” his brother reminds him, “but we are not free to desist from it either.” Gross’s beats and characters can be overly simplistic, but this is a big, heartfelt handshake of a book, with all the street-scrambling energy that distinguishes the best fiction of Jeffrey Archer and Mario Puzo.

"The Man Who Came Uptown"

By George Pelecanos

Mulholland, 265 pp.

★★★

George Pelecanos has drawn some heat lately: In an interview about his favorite books with The New York Times, he named 20-odd male authors but only a single female one, Harper Lee – to remark that she wasn’t a favorite. As if to double down, his newest novel, “The Man Who Came Uptown,” is dedicated to Elmore Leonard and Charles Willeford. It’s about a reformed ex-con named Michael and a restless private investigator named Orzanian, whom Michael owes, unfortunately, a favor. Pelecanos is a great storyteller and this is a shrewd, lean, martini-smooth suspense novel, with a nuanced portrayal of Washington’s gentrification. Its female lead, Anna, is a hot librarian who, in passages of mawkish affectation, teaches Michael to love reading. (Roll your own eyes, mine are tired.) It’s not exactly a crime that such a gifted writer should have such resolutely male influences and boundaries; but it is a shame.

––––––––

Charles Finch writes the Charles Lenox mystery series.

'The Walking Dead' Day comes to Ky. town Saturday

Shauna Steigerwald

ssteigerwald@enquirer.com

Thirteen years ago, Officer Rick Grimes woke up in a Cynthiana, Kentucky, hospital room to find his town overrun with "The Walking Dead."

On Saturday, the scene will leap from the pages of the comics' Issue 1 to the streets of the actual city. Sheets hanging out windows. Cars flipped over. A downed airplane. National Guard vehicles. And zombies – well, 'walkers,' to use Grimes' term – lots of them.

Yes, Cynthiana is a real place. Long before he created the comic series and the wildly popular TV show it spawned, Robert Kirkman called it home.

He'll be back on Saturday, to play a starring role in Cynthiana's first-ever "The Walking Dead" Day.

It's supposed to be fun, of course. But some Cynthiana residents hope it will be much more than that. That Kirkman's fictional dead could help breathe life into the real city, attracting new visitors and new businesses to help serve them.

Sound like (science) fiction? Maybe not. Locals have already seen cars with Texas and California plates stopping at the town's new mural. Its larger-than-life renderings of Grimes and some of his fellow survivors from the TV version of the disaster – Carl, Michonne and Daryl – now decorate an 1871 building that's home to Rohs Opera House, Cynthiana's movie theater.

For "The Walking Dead" fans, it feels like a selfie waiting to happen.

From Cynthiana to your TV: 'A wild ride'

Cynthiana sits a little fewer than 60 miles from Downtown Cincinnati. You can take US-27 South all the way there, following the road as it passes through rolling green hills and small towns on its way to becoming Cynthiana's Main Street. It's the kind of drive where observing the often 55-mph speed limit can make you feel like you're careening when you should be meandering. A horse-and-buggy sign a few miles outside of town announces the small Amish community nearby – and offers another argument for slowing down.

But don't.

There are plenty of signs of life in Cynthiana: A jeweler, an antique store, a fabric shop, a pet store. Biancke’s Restaurant, in business since 1894, is known for its fried green tomatoes and homemade pie.

And just like in the comic book, the city's downtown business district has its empty buildings.

Kirkman knows both Cynthianas. He moved to the city when he was in fourth grade and considers it home. Speaking by phone, he described the city as the type of place where locals wave at strangers and you always see someone you knew at Walmart. All in all, a much friendlier place than the fictional Cynthiana that Grimes wakes up in.

Though Kirkman was (presumably) never attacked by the undead or hit over the head with a shovel like his protagonist, growing up in Cynthiana nevertheless left is mark on the writer, now also a writer and executive producer on "The Walking Dead" TV show.

"Living in such a tight-knit community, having that small town environment, it had to have shaped me in some way," he said.

"The Walking Dead" centers around "blue-collar, small-town people ... the kind of people that I interacted with in Cynthiana," Kirkman said.

"It seems like these kinds of stories always center around a big city police officer or what the government is doing," he said. "I wanted to see how a small town police officer, how a local pizza delivery boy, how a small farmer would deal with this kind of crisis."

In the first comic – the TV show subs-in fictional King County, Georgia – we see Grimes wake up in room 251 of Cynthiana's Harrison Memorial Hospital. (That room exists in real life, by the way, in the hospital's ICU.) We follow him to his home on a Cynthiana street. We watch him go to the Cynthiana Police Station to get guns.

When you think about it, including Cynthiana in the first issue seems like a no-brainer, zombie pun intended. After all, it's where Kirkman met Tony Moore, the artist on the first six issues of the comic series. They met because of comics: Kirkman recalled the two bonding after he watched Moore draw a character during seventh-grade social studies.

So it was easy to work together remotely when Kirkman could use shorthand. Like "the street our friend grew up on, that's where Rick Grimes lives."

Back then, Kirkman couldn't have imagined creating something that would take off the way "The Walking Dead" has. The show averaged 18.6 million viewers during its sixth season, its most recent, according to Nielsen.

"This has been a pretty wild ride," Kirkman said.

Small city, big ideas

The real story of Kirkman's hometown is not unlike the story of countless small towns across America. Things haven't been easy.

Many in Cynthiana, population 6,423, want to fill the vacant spaces in the city's downtown business district. They want reasons for young people to stay in town, or to move back. To let outsiders know about what the 223-year-old city has to offer.

But one thing Cynthiana has that those other towns don't is, well, zombies.

"We were looking for a way to put Cynthiana on the map," said Tomi Jean Clifford, executive director of the Cynthiana-Harrison County Chamber of Commerce and the co-creator of Cynthiana's "The Walking Dead" Day.

That's something she's been thinking about since she took the job last September. One of her big ideas: Increase tourism.

"I feel like that's how Cynthiana is going to grow," she said. "We have to bring outsiders in."

Hence new signs at the city's northern and southern limits on US-27, to be dedicated to native sons Kirkman and Moore on Saturday, and the new mural – potential draws for "The Walking Dead's" huge fan base. Portuguese graphic artist Odeith created the mural, with its spot-on likenesses of the show's characters, using spray paint during a five-day period earlier this summer.

In today's social media and selfie culture, a mural seems like a smart choice for attracting younger visitors.

"People want to see that in person and get their picture there," Clifford said.

As for "The Walking Dead" Day, it started out as simply a day to dedicate those signs. But then, it got bigger – Zombie Apocalypse big.

"When Robert suggested we could do a whole day, we knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Annastasia Hicks, a member of the Cynthiana Tourism Committee and the co-creator of the event.

Just one problem: That was only two months ago.

"It's an event that should probably take a year to a year and a half to plan and we're doing it in two months," Clifford said.

"It's all we think about," she joked. "I don't know what we're going to talk about after this."

Organizers, then, have their work cut out for them. For starters, they'll close off the streets at 9 p.m. Friday night. Clifford expects that she and other volunteers will be up all night making Cynthiana's downtown area look like the zombie apocalypse just happened.

"The amount of detail we're trying to put into the design, it's going to take us a while," Clifford said.

But she expects to have plenty of help, both for the getting ready and on the day of. More than 170 volunteers have signed up to dress as zombies and walk the town on Saturday.

More 'Cheers' than 'The Walking Dead'

In Clifford's experience, living in the small town is more like "Cheers" than "The Walking Dead."

"Everyone knows your name, and you can count on everyone to help because everyone wants the same thing for Cynthiana," she said.

Clifford said some of the older people are a little nervous because they don't quite understand the fandom, but reactions have mostly been positive.

"I think overall, everyone is excited to have something in our small town," she said.

So much so that residents are boning up, to use what seems to be the most appropriate idiom, on the comics and TV show.

"Movie Warehouse, our local video store, can't keep them in stock," Clifford said. "The library has nine or 10 people waiting in line for each volume. I know because I was one of those."

She figures people who come to, or even just hear about, "The Walking Dead" Day might come back again.

Hicks has seen it before. She pointed to Senoia, Georgia, where much of the TV show has been filmed.

"That little community has opened coffee shops and other businesses around the show," she said.

Indeed, that town boasts Nic & Norman's, a new restaurant owned by co-executive producer and make-up designer Greg Nicotero and "The Walking Dead" star Norman Reedus (he plays Daryl Dixon, one of the men on Cynthiana's mural). And it has Woodbury Shoppe, selling "The Walking Dead" gear.

That type of thing may or may not happen in Cynthiana. But the city is moving steadily forward, much like Grimes and the rest of "The Walking Dead" survivors as they carry on toward season seven.

'An upward swing'

"Within the last five or 10 years, we've been on an upward swing," Clifford said. More businesses are opening – 11 new ones last year, she said. One closed, but it's expected to reopen.

"There's been a lot of the younger generation moving back and wanting to make the town our own and make it better," she added.

Clifford, 32, and Hicks, 23, are among them. Clifford went to Eastern Kentucky University, about an hour south, but opted to come back after school. Hicks went to Centre College in Danville, about an hour and a half away, then lived in Lexington for a year before returning home.

"People used to say, 'there's nothing to do in Cynthiana,' and it used to drive me crazy," Clifford said.

That's changing, she said, with both the new businesses and an added emphasis on events. Think summer concerts and fall ghost walks. (Yes, the town has supernatural connections other than zombies: Rohs itself is reputedly haunted. The venue was featured on the TV show "My Ghost Story" in 2011.)

Even Kirkman has taken note of the changes. He lives in Los Angeles now so he can be in the show's writers' room, but he and his family still visit his hometown often.

"It’s really exciting right now because I think there’s a really big shift, with new people coming into the town and new businesses coming in," he said.

And there's more to come. Hicks' sister, Sonia Kirkman – yes, she's Robert's wife – is opening a five-room bed and breakfast with a restaurant in an 1858 Greek Revival house. Dubbed the Ashford Acres Inn, it will sit on 64 acres and should open by December, said Hicks, who will be the inn's manager. (It won't be zombie-themed. No need to give guests nightmares.)

That's just the latest way that the Kirkmans are getting involved in the town. In 2014, the couple found out that the Rohs Opera House would no longer be able to show movies because its owners couldn't afford a digital projector. So they donated the money to buy one.

"We had grown up seeing movies at the Rohs Opera House and we didn’t like the idea of the community not being about to see movies there," Kirkman said.

Day of the 'Dead'

On Saturday, members of the community will also be able to meet Kirkman there. Among the highlights of "The Walking Dead Day" itself will be a 4 p.m. Q&A with the writer at Rohs. Seats – there are only 450 total – will be first come, first served. But Hicks said they plan to show the talk on Facebook Live and Periscope; WCYN, 102.3, the local radio station, will broadcast it.

Also on tap for the event: An interactive shuttle tour that will take visitors on stops featured in the comic (think the hospital, "Rick's house," the former Cynthiana Police Department) and drive through a part of town where the tour just might get overrun with zombies.

There will also be booths and vendors, including Kirkman's company, Skybound, and a makeup artist to turn event goers into zombies, a silent auction, comic signings with Kirkman and Moore, a costume contest and trivia.

Attendees can also pick up a limited edition of "The Walking Dead" Issue 1 with a special Cynthiana cover by Moore and a letter from Kirkman. It will be available at the Cynthiana Chamber of Commerce building while supplies last.

They have no idea how many fans to expect. And who can blame them? The event is as unprecedented in Cynthiana as the undead walking its (real) streets. Hicks gave 5,000 as a low attendance projection, but she figures it could draw as many as 30,000 people. She might not have thought so at first. But then the event's Facebook page got 1,000 likes within 12 hours. (It had more than 5,600 as of Aug. 2.) And event posters started disappearing from area businesses – five went missing from the local bank – presumably pilfered by fans.

For his part, Kirkman is excited about the prospect of "The Walking Dead" bringing more attention to the town. After all, the town made its mark on him. Now he's making his mark on it.

"To know that there’s something that could give Cynthiana a little bit of a leg up is exciting," he said. "It’s extremely flattering that this thing that I’ve created ... is going to, to some small extent, revitalize this town and keep it alive.

"It’s a great town, there’s a lot of great business there and no end of great people there," he added. "I think the brightest days of Cynthiana are hopefully ahead of it.

If you go

What: The Walking Dead Day

Where: Downtown Cynthiana, Kentucky. Free parking at "The Kingdom" (Harrison County High School), 320 Webster Ave., Cynthiana. Paid ($5) parking at Hershel's Farm (Flat Run Veterans Park), 358 Oddville Ave., Cynthiana. Free shuttle pickup (7 a.m.-6 p.m.) from both locations.

When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. (Some area businesses are planning "The Walking Dead"-themed activities on Friday as well.)

Info: www.facebook.com/WalkingDeadDay

The all-new Amazon series 'Reacher' is out now—here's how to watch

Blake Howard

Reviewed

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

The thrilling and twisty new television adaptation of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series just dropped on Amazon Prime. The first season of Reacher is based on the first book in Child's series, Killing Floor. Amazon's Reacher is available to watch as of February 4, 2022, on Amazon Prime Video.

►Amazon Prime discount: Here's how to save 50% on your Amazon membership

► Amazon raising price of Prime membership for new and current members

How can you watch Reacher?

You can watch Reacher with your Amazon Prime Video subscription. Prime Video is included with a general Prime membership, but you can also subscribe to Prime Video as a standalone service if you prefer. Prime Video is available to Amazon Prime customers in over 200 countries and territories, and can be accessed through most web browsers with an internet connection. Prime Video is also available as a streaming app on numerous devices, including iOS and Android, Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku devices, Xbox, PlayStation, smart TVs and more.

You can watch Reacher as well as other Amazon Originals, popular films and series, and over 100 additional channels (like Starz, Showtime, HBO Max and Shudder) through your Prime Video subscription.

What is Amazon Prime's Reacher about?

Reacher is a sensational and much anticipated new thriller that successfully and faithfully cracks Jack Reacher for those fond of character in print or films to date. Starring Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Bruce McGill, Maria Sten, Kristin Kreuk, Currie Graham and more, the first season introduces the towering, loner savant detective who seems to be a magnet for trouble in any town he strolls into. The eponymous Reacher is based on the first Jack Reacher book Killing Floor, by best-selling author Lee Child.

The first season begins when Jack Reacher (Ritchson), a retired Military Police detective, is arrested on suspicion of murder in Margrave, Georgia's sleepy, working-class town. When Chief Detective Finlay (Goodwin) clears him of perpetrating the crime, Reacher offers to assist Finlay and Roscoe (Fitzgerald) to untangle a web of crooked cops, deceitful corporations, and political conspiracy with nothing but cunning and immense brawn. After the mixed critical and commercial response to the Tom Cruise starring Jack Reacher and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, let's hope that this phenomenal new thriller series can bring more of the hugely popular book series to our streams.

You can watch the first series of Reacher as of February 4, 2022, on Prime Video.

How can you sign up for Prime Video?

Prime Video is the streaming component of Amazon Prime. You can sign up for Prime Video for $8.99 per month, or sign up for an all-in-one Prime membership for $12.99 monthly or $119 per year. You can access a 30-day free trial of Prime Video upon signing up. Or, if you’re a Prime member already, you can access the Prime Video library.

Through Prime Video, subscribers get access to Amazon Prime Originals—including series like The Expanse, The Legend of Vox Machina, Invincible and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—as well as films like The Big Sick, Love & Friendship, and more. Prime Video is also home to popular films and series like Midsommar, The Americans, Knives Out, Downton Abbey, Orphan Black, with over 100 additional channels accessible through add-on subscriptions.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Narrator hits 'Hard Luck' in eighth Wimpy Kid book

Bob Minzesheimer

USA TODAY

Narrator Greg Heffley tries %22to reinvent himself%2C%22 author Kinney says

Lime green is the color of choice for the cover of eighth book in popular series

No more movies planned%2C but a TV special is in the works

Jeff Kinney says that in his next "novel in cartoons," Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck (due Nov. 5), his wisecracking, self-centered, middle-school narrator, Greg Heffley, will try "to reinvent himself."

In his first interview about Hard Luck (its cover is revealed here for the first time), Kinney says Greg isn't aging or maturing but continues to find new comic challenges. It's the eighth book in the wildly popular series, written and illustrated by Kinney for readers 8 and up.

Kinney says Greg's best friend, Rowley, "has a girlfriend. Greg is on his own. He realizes the choices he's made haven't been the best, so he decides to turn his decisions over to chance, using an 8 Ball."

With 85 million copies of the series in print in the USA, Hard Luck will be one of the biggest books of the fall. The past five titles in the series each hit No. 1 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.

After three movies based on the first five books, Kinney doesn't expect any more adaptations since stars Zachary Gordon (as Greg) and Robert Capron (as Rowley) "aged out of their roles."

But he says he's working on an half-hour TV special for Fox — an animated version of his sixth book, Cabin Fever — to air in late 2014.

Each Wimpy book cover has used a different color: red, blue, green, yellow, purple, ice blue and chocolate brown. Hard Luck will be lime green. "It's set in the spring," Kinney says, "and the green in the Irish flag symbolizes the luck of the Irish."

Kinney's publisher, Abrams, will promote the book with a Hard Luck Truck Tour, starting Thursday at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., and making 150 stops in the next three months. (See the schedule at wimpykid.com/hardlucktruck.)

Kinney says he will not be on the tour but at home in Plainville, Mass., working on the final version of Hard Luck, both words and cartoons.

Oscar-winning producer Alan Ladd Jr., who greenlit 'Star-Wars ...

Jake Coyle

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Alan Ladd Jr., the Oscar-winning producer and studio boss who as a 20th Century Fox executive greenlit "Star Wars," has died. He was 84.

Ladd died Wednesday, his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who directed the documentary "Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies," wrote in a Facebook post. No cause of death was given.

Ladd Jr., the son of "Shane" star Alan Ladd, started in the film business as his father's stuntman but rose to become one of its leading — and most widely liked — executives. As studio head at Fox and MGM (twice), Ladd — affectionately known as "Laddie" — was involved in some 14 best-picture nominees, including "Young Frankenstein" (1974), "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975), "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and "Blade Runner" (1982). As an independent producer, Ladd Jr. helped steer films including "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984), "The Right Stuff" (1983) "Gone, Baby Gone" (2007) and Mel Gibson's "Braveheart" (1995), for which he won best picture.

All told, films Ladd produced or greenlit movies that won more than 50 Oscars and 150 nominations. And he did so with an easy-going, tight-lipped manner that made him widely admired by stars and filmmakers. Esquire magazine put him on the cover in 1978 with the headline: "Triumph of the Laid-Back Style."

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A former talent agent for stars like Robert Redford and Judy Garland, Ladd Jr. joined 20th Century Fox in 1973, and later became president. There, he greenlit George Lucas' $10 million science-fiction film — the original script was titled "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller as Taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga 1, Star Wars" — when few in Hollywood saw any potential in it.

Lucas once recalled his meeting with Ladd, whose faith in the filmmaker began with an early screening of Lucas' "American Graffiti" before it was released.

"The only reason it got off the ground was that Alan liked 'American Graffiti' and said, 'I don't understand this movie, I don't get it at all, but I think you're a talented guy and I want you to make it,'" Lucas said in Tom Shone's 2004 book "Blockbuster."

Even when the studio's confidence wavered on "Star Wars," Ladd kept his trust in what would become one of the highest grossing films ever made. His only false move may have been granting Lucas' merchandising rights rather than a raise when "American Graffiti" became a hit.

"My biggest contribution to 'Star Wars' was keeping my mouth shut and standing by the picture," Ladd told Variety.

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"Star Wars" wasn't the only classic sci-fi film Ladd greenlit at Fox. Ladd also backed "Alien." But the same year that 1979 film opened, after clashing with Fox chairman Dennis Stanfill, Ladd left to form the independent production company Ladd Co.

On his own, Ladd produced, beside "The Right Stuff" and "Blade Runner," films like "Body Heat" and "Police Academy."

But Ladd Co., weighed down by some disappointments and hefty budgets for films like "The Right Stuff," struggled to be profitable. In the mid-1980s, Ladd moved to MGM, which he would eventually lead. His two stints at the studio were less successful than his time at Fox, but movies he made there included "Moonstruck" (1987), "Rain Man" (1988) "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988) and "Thelma & Louise" (1991).

When a loan default put MGM in the hands of Credit Lyonnais, the French bank acrimoniously ousted Ladd, who was eventually given $10 million to sever his contract and two projects to take with him. He chose "Braveheart."

When "Braveheart" won best picture, some saw it as the widely admired Ladd — Richard Donner famously once said "There are snakes in this business and then there's Alan Ladd" — getting the last laugh.

"I guess it is kind of a sweet justice," Ladd told the Los Angeles Times in 1996. "If I were more eloquent, I would have thanked Credit Lyonnais for treating me shabbily and allowing me to take this project with me. In fairness, MGM couldn't have afforded to make this film at the time. Paramount could."

Ladd was never known for his loquaciousness, though. When he, as one of three producers, accepted the Oscar, his entire speech was: "I'd like to thank my family. Thank you."

Ladd is survived by his wife, Cindra Pincock; children Kelliann, Tracy and Amanda; half-brother, David Ladd; half-sister, Alana Ladd; and step-sister Carol Lee Stuart-Ladd.

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Winter Woods Spectacular 2021: Cost, tickets, location, dates

The Christmas season is here. And one of the best ways to see magical holiday lights is to drive through the Winter Woods Spectacular at Iroquois Park.

Experience the twinkling of millions of lights on a winding half-mile road in woods at Iroquois Park that is filled with illumination, artistic scenes, and sounds that will delight the senses and transport you to a true "winter wonderland."

The show is produced by Hey Bob Productions, the same creative talent behind the wildly popular Jack O’Lantern Spectacular. Proceeds benefit the Parks Alliance of Louisville, a 501(c)3 dedicated to improving Louisville’s public parks.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2021 Winter Woods Spectacular:

What is the Winter Woods Spectacular?

This drive-thru show takes place on a half-mile road nestled in the Iroquois Park woods that is filled with illumination, artistic scenes, and sounds that will transport you to an ethereal winter wonderland.

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When and where is the Winter Woods Spectacular?

The 2021 Winter Woods Spectacular runs from Nov. 26 to Dec. 26. It is open from 6-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The entrance to the event is 4800 New Cut Road at the intersection of New Cut and Southern Parkway.

How much are tickets to the Winter Woods Spectacular?

Winter Woods Spectacular is a drive-thru experience. Purchase one ticket per vehicle.

Car/SUV/Minivan/Truck: $35

Passenger Van/RV/Limousine: $50

Tour Bus/Limo Bus: $100

For group ticket information, visit winterwoodsspectacular.org/group-tours.

It's also highly encouraged that people purchase tickets online in advance in case there are sell-out evenings.

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What happens if it rains or in the event of severe weather?

The show goes on, rain or shine. In the event the show is delayed or postponed due to weather conditions, tickets will be honored on another day.

What happens if I can't go the night I purchased my tickets. Can I exchange my tickets?

Yes, you can exchange your ticket by contacting Event Ticket Support. In your email requesting an exchange, please include the email address you used to purchase the ticket and a phone number in case there is a need to call.

I can't attend. Can I get a refund on my ticket?

Sorry, no refunds will be available for this event. Proceeds benefit the Parks Alliance of Louisville.

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Is there a sensory-friendly night?

Yes. On Dec. 26 from 5-6 p.m., there will be a special sensory-friendly Winter Woods Spectacular event an hour before the trail opens to the public. It is designed for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders and sensory processing differences to enjoy while it is still light outside.

The woods will be lit up, but there will be no music or special effects.

Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com


5 things to know for June 13: Gun laws, January 6, Covid, White ...

If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter.

(CNN) Just imagine what a relief it would be if you could use the same charging cable for all of your devices -- your phone, laptop, earbuds, camera, tablet, portable speaker, etc. Well, in a huge step to reduce cable clutter and waste, European regulators say that Apple and other smartphone makers will be required to support a single common charging standard for all mobile devices as early as the fall of 2024. But Apple hates the idea (shocker) because that means about a billion devices will become obsolete.

Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

(You can get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here .)

1. Gun laws

A bipartisan group of senators announced an agreement on gun safety legislation Sunday in the wake of several deadly mass shootings . The proposal includes "needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can't purchase weapons," the group said in a statement. Notably, the plan has the support of 10 Republican senators, which would help overcome a Senate filibuster . But many of the details of the plan are still to be sorted out and maintaining support for it throughout the legislative process will be challenging. A few major reforms were left out of the proposed deal, including a provision to expand background checks. Also absent is a ban on military-style assault weapons. Plus, there will be no change to the minimum age to purchase guns, which is 18 years old.

2. January 6

3. Coronavirus

4. White nationalists

Police in Idaho arrested 31 men believed to be affiliated with the White nationalist group Patriot Front who allegedly had plans to riot at a local Pride event Saturday in Coeur d'Alene, officials said. Authorities received a call from a concerned citizen to report that the group was meeting in the parking lot of a hotel and "looked like a little army" equipped with shields and masks, the city's Police Chief Lee White said. They intended to riot at an event that included a Pride walk and performances by local musicians, dancers and drag artists, police said. All 31 men were charged with conspiracy to riot, which is a misdemeanor.

5. Stocks

Global markets and US stock futures fell early today , indicating a downbeat start to the trading week after a broad sell-off on Wall Street. The Dow plunged 880 points, or 2.5%, on Friday. The S&P 500 shed 2.7% and the Nasdaq dropped about 3%. The Consumer Price Index rose by 8.6% in May, raising fears that the Federal Reserve will have to act even more aggressively to try to tame inflation. The shockwaves were felt most acutely in Asia today. Japan's Nikkei closed down 3%, and the yen weakened to the lowest level in more than 20 years. If you're looking for ways to protect yourself financially while also making the most of what you have, CNN has developed this list of options to consider.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

'Squid Game' season 2 is coming to Netflix

Green light! The wildly popular series is making a highly anticipated return

Tony Awards

Broadway's best were recognized Sunday night at New York's Radio City Music Hall. View the full list of winners here

Country music superstar Toby Keith announces he's been fighting stomach cancer

Keith said he plans to return to the stage after taking time to rest and recover.

Rebranded McDonald's restaurants are unveiled in Russia

Due to the war in Ukraine, McDonald's removed all of their golden arches from Russia. This is what the restaurants look like now

Woman sets record swimming 26.22 miles in a mermaid fin

Swimmer Merle Liivand encountered loads of marine life on her impressive journey -- and was even stung by a jellyfish.

TODAY'S NUMBER

$5

That's how much a gallon of regular gas now costs on average nationwide, according to data from AAA today. While a $5 national average set a new record this past weekend, $5 gas has become unpleasantly common in much of the US. Friday's readings showed more than 30% of stations nationwide were already charging more than $5 a gallon. And about 10% of stations are currently charging more than $5.75 a gallon.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"In our blue Pacific continent, machine guns, fighter jets, gray ships and green battalions are not our primary security concern. The single greatest threat to our very existence is climate change."

-- Inia Seruiratu, Fiji's minister for defense, saying that climate change posed the biggest security threat in the Asia-Pacific region. Fiji has been battered by a series of tropical cyclones in recent years that caused devastating flooding that displaced thousands from their homes and hobbled the island's economy.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Record heat spreads to the East Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Record heat spreads to the East 02:21

AND FINALLY

How Tea Time Came to England

5 things to know for March 11: Ukraine, Pandemic, MLB, North ...

If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter.

(CNN) America, the "land of the free," is getting quite costly. Prices for gas, food and housing -- which are all necessary expenses -- are spiking across the country. Gas prices have risen 38% over the past year , and rising prices in pandemic-related sectors, such as travel and dining, are also expected as the US recovers from the Omicron wave of Covid-19. Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day .

(You can get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here .)

1.Ukraine

Major cities in Ukraine were attacked by Russian forces today as evacuations continue in several parts of the country. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated in the past two days as the threat of Russian bomb strikes remains an ongoing concern for Ukrainians. Russia has been using its neighbor Belarus as a springboard for many of its air operation s in Ukraine, but the Russian army appears to be facing difficulties on the ground, "particularly in the logistical field and in the field of intelligence," a French military spokesman said. In the US, patience is running thin on Capitol Hill , with Republicans -- and even some Democrats -- challenging the Biden administration to go further to help Ukraine. Sources say President Joe Biden plans to announce today that the US, along with the G7 and European Union, will call for revoking "most favored nation" status for Russia -- a retraction of permanent normal trade relations.

Want to help? Learn how to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine here . CNN's audience has contributed more than $4.1 million to the humanitarian relief work according to Public Good, the online donation platform partnering with CNN.

2. Coronavirus

Today marks two years since the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic . Since then, official reports through the end of 2021 show that 6 million people worldwide have died directly because of Covid-19. But researchers estimate in a new study that the global pandemic death toll is actually three times higher than that figure. Some of this excess mortality may have been missed in official counts due to the lack of diagnostic or reporting resources, the study says. As for masking, most counties across the US have rolled back requirements or lifted mandates in some form. Only 2% of Americans -- about 7 million people -- live in a county where the CDC still recommends universal indoor masking

3. MLB

The lockout is over. Major League Baseball and the players union yesterday reached a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement , ending the first league work stoppage since the players went on strike in 1994. With spring training camps set to open Sunday, the deal ends a nearly 100-day lockout. At issue were disagreements over how to distribute an estimated $11 billion in annual revenue. Owners have said they have been battered by shrinking attendance, and players -- particularly those who are not among the stars of the league -- have seen salaries decline in recent years. Some of the key components of the new agreement include significant increases to minimum salaries and an expanded postseason, according to the players' union. In light of the deal, MLB tweeted a video with the words, "Let the fun begin!" Opening Day is April 7.

JUST WATCHED 'This seems like a done deal': CNN's Foreman explains tentative MLB agreement Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 'This seems like a done deal': CNN's Foreman explains tentative MLB agreement 01:24

4. North Korea

North Korea's ongoing weapons tests -- two of which recently involved intercontinental ballistic missiles -- is a "serious escalation" by Pyongyang and its leader Kim Jong Un, US officials say. The two ballistic missile tests conducted on February 26 and March 4 were not intended to demonstrate the range or capability of these high power weapons, but were "likely to evaluate this new system before conducting a test at full range in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement yesterday. In response, Japanese and South Korean leaders today agreed to boost ties with the US to tackle North Korea.

5. Facebook

In a temporary change to hate speech policies on Facebook and Instagram, both platforms are allowing users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to internal emails seen by Reuters. Meta, the parent company of both platforms, said "temporary allowances" are being made "for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as 'death to the Russian invaders.'" Meta is also allowing some posts that call for death to Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in countries including Russia, Ukraine and Poland, according to the internal emails. But the platforms won't allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians, a Meta spokesperson told CNN.

JUST WATCHED Facebook is trying to restore service in Russia, Meta exec says Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Facebook is trying to restore service in Russia, Meta exec says 03:44

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Manhattan rents rise to an all-time high

We all know The Big Apple has a big price tag . But now, "pandemic deals" have been replaced by bidding wars.

Rare wolverine sighting in Yellowstone was captured on video

Alicia Keys shares the inspiration behind her new graphic novel

She's a Grammy-winning musician, talented actress, busy mom, and now -- budding novelist. We love a multifaceted queen

Amanda Bynes speaks out as she seeks to end her conservatorship

Four months after a judge ended Britney Spears' 13-year conservatorship, the former "All That" actress is hoping for the same outcome.

Over 2.5 million students were current users of tobacco products in 2021

A new survey details the alarming popularity of flavored tobacco products and disposable vapes among high schoolers and pre-teens.

QUIZ TIME

What global holiday was celebrated this week?

A. International Pizza Day

B. International Flag Day

C. International Women's Day

D. International Climate Day

Take CNN's weekly news quiz see if you're correct!

IN MEMORIAM

Emilio Delgado, who spent more than 40 years entertaining generations of children playing the Fix-It Shop owner Luis on "Sesame Street," has died. He was 81. Delgado was "a beloved member of the Sesame family" and "proudly laid claim to the 'record for the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in a TV series,'" Sesame Workshop told CNN.

TODAY'S NUMBER

61%

That's approximately the percentage of the continental US currently in drought , according to the US Drought Monitor. In the last month alone, the figure jumped from 55% to more than 61%, an increase of nearly 170,000 square miles, an area larger than the size of California.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"This is a bill in search of a problem that we don't have. This is politically driven. This is designed to create division."

--Florida Democratic state Sen. Audrey Gibson, on a Republican-backed bill that would ban public schools and private businesses in Florida from instructing that , on a Republican-backed bill that would ban public schools and private businesses in Florida from instructing that someone "must feel guilt or anguish" for their race or sex . The measure would also prohibit instruction that says certain races or sexes are privileged or oppressed. The crackdown on certain teachings about race in Florida is part of a national effort by Republicans to remove critical race theory from school curricula, even where it doesn't exist. The legislation passed the GOP-controlled state Senate and now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis , where he is expected to sign it.

TODAY'S WEATHER

JUST WATCHED Severe storms, heavy snow, flash floods, and strong winds accompany the latest winter storm Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Severe storms, heavy snow, flash floods, and strong winds accompany the latest winter storm 02:50

AND FINALLY

Cruise into the weekend