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SACRAMENTO — Embattled Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday but continued to deny he sexually assaulted anyone.

His campaign to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom has all but collapsed as key Democratic supporters, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Adam Schiff, abandon him.

“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell wrote on social media Sunday.”

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

House ethics rules bar members from having sex with a subordinate, and House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries from New York is seeking an investigation into the allegations.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced plans to force a House vote to expel Swalwell, a motion supported by some House Democrats. Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat representing Northern California, is among those calling on him to resign.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office opened an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Swalwell by the former staffer, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office on Saturday said the office was in the process of evaluating “whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred” in the agency’s Bay Area jurisdiction.

The 45-year-old Democratic candidate established himself as a frontrunner in the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, despite not having a broad base of supporters in California.

A one-time member of the House Intelligence Committee and a savvy social-media user, Swalwell relished his role as a foil to President Donald Trump, using his many platforms to attack and taunt the twice-impeached, criminally convicted president.

He previously worked as a criminal prosecutor, and was elected to Congress in 2012 after he defeated Rep. Pete Stark, a fellow Democrat.

He cast himself as a centrist middle-class guy and featured his wife and three young children prominently in his campaign for governor. In an interview with the Times last year, he talked about his decision to continue in politics, despite the toll on his family.

Reports published in the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN offered a stark contrast to Swalwell’s wholesome image, alleging that he forced himself on a young staffer and sent women pictures of his penis and sexy messages.

CNN also reported on another woman’s alleged account of a sexual encounter with Swalwell that involved fending off his advances over drinks, and then waking up in his hotel room with no memory of how she got there.

Swalwell and his team threatened legal action against several individuals, Swalwell’s attorney Elias Dabaie confirmed to the Times. Swalwell himself took to social media on Friday night and called the allegations “lies” intended to hurt him in the race.

But campaign staffers resigned, his fundraising website went offline and even his self-described “best friend” in Congress, Sen. Ruben Gallegos from Arizona, withdrew his endorsement. Powerful labor groups, including the California Labor Federation, SEIU California and the California Police Chiefs Assn., withdrew their support.

Other Democrats in the race include billionaire Tom Steyer; former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter; State Supt. Tony Thurmond; former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra,; San José Mayor Matt Mahan; former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former state Controller Betty Yee.

The top GOP gubernatorial candidates are Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

MY 600-LB. Life star Dolly Martinez has died at the age of 30, her sister has confirmed.

The TLC star died on Saturday, Lindsey Cooper shared in a heartbreaking social media post.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly,” she wrote.

“Dolly had the brightest personality she could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit.

“She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever.”

Her family has not revealed a cause of death but hours before confirming her sister’s death, Lindsey wrote on Facebook that Dolly was in hospital “fighting for her life.”

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“While our hearts are broken here, I find comfort in knowing she is now reunited with our dad in heaven. I can only imagine the joy of that reunion,” her sister said.

“Rest peacefully, Dolly. You will always be loved, always be missed, and never forgotten.”

Dolly featured in season 10 of the television show which aired in January 2022 when she was 25 years old.

During her time on the show, she bravely opened up about her poor mental health and struggles with food addiction.

She started the process at 593 pounds which meant she needed extra oxygen and assistance to live her day to day life.

Dolly had already suffered from congestive heart failure as a result of her weight.

Originally from Fort Worth, she moved to Houston where she hoped she would be able to get weight loss surgery.

Despite losing 40 pounds while on the TLC show, she did not qualify for the procedure.

Her Instagram account details numerous struggles throughout her life.

While private, the bio states, “Not homeless anymore. Living day by day.”

During her time on the show, it was revealed that Dolly and her estranged husband were unable to look after their daughter who was removed from their care at just 6 days old by Child Protective Services.

It is understood that the child remains under the guardianship of Dolly’s mother.

After returning to live with her husband, his alleged abusive behavior saw Dolly enter a homeless shelter, according to IMDB.

Dolly’s death comes less than a year after fellow My 600-lb. Life alum Latonya Pottain died at the age of 40 from congestive heart failure.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Lawrence Bennett wasn’t only a guardian of the green jackets — the iconic garment of Augusta National — but he also oversaw their cremation.

That was among his many responsibilities in a career that spanned 51 years, where he first picked up litter then picked up everyone from celebrities to sports heroes to ex-presidents as the club’s top chauffeur.

“All I’ve known from Day 1 was Augusta National,” said Bennett, 72, sitting in the living room of his tidy home six miles from the storied course. His hallways are painted Masters green. Paintings of the course hang on the walls, as do photographs of famous people with heartfelt inscriptions.

For decades, he embraced the club. The members hugged him back, from bankrolling his college tuition to sending him generous gifts when he retired in 2013 and donations when his beloved wife, Cheryl, died in 2020 after suffering a massive stroke.

Lawrence Bennett, a longtime chauffeur at Augusta National, holds a framed portion of the logo that appears on the green Masters jackets.

(Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)

Bennett isn’t watching the Masters this week — he tuned in for Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and some other greats over the years — and he said he’s never swung a golf club. But his job was his life, even though he moonlighted as a high school teacher and administrator.

His father, too, bled green. The late and legendary Freddie Bennett began as a young caddie and worked his way up to caddie master, looking for that ideal chemistry between club members or tournament competitors and the men who carried their golf bags and advised them on putting lines.

“Once you work at Augusta National, they don’t want half of your time,” the younger Bennett said. “They want all of your time. And that’s what he did, and that’s what I did.”

Father and son were highly regarded at the club.

“There’s no doubt they commanded respect,” said Ward Clayton, author of “The Legendary Caddies of Augusta National.” “But at the same time, they understood, whether you’re working for Augusta National or a top corporation, you’ve got to follow the guidelines of the place you’re working for. I think they understood that to the highest degree.”

Augusta National opens its gates to the world every April but otherwise is so secretive that it won’t confirm how many members it has, let alone name them. The waiting list for Masters tickets has been closed for decades and patron badges are passed down through families like heirlooms. The club is closed from mid-May until October, and new buildings appear as if by magic, yet fit in as if they’ve been around forever.

As his father and other club employees did, Bennett signed a non-disclosure agreement that lasted 10 years. Now, more than a decade after his retirement, he’s telling some of his stories.

Hot pockets

When an Augusta member died, left the club or simply wanted a new green jacket, Bennett was responsible for disposing of the old garments. That meant cutting off a coat’s emblem on the pocket, buttons and name tags in the lining, then taking what was left to a local funeral home for cremation. It wasn’t an everyday event. Bennett and a security guard from the club would bring 20-30 of the jackets that would be placed in a coffin-like cardboard box and pushed into a 2,400-degree oven.

Lawrence Bennett, longtime chauffeur at Augusta National, points to a painting of the course in his home.

(Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)

“We had to wait until the ashes cooled down to make sure we weren’t leaving buttons or anything identifying about it, and the funeral home would take care of the rest,” Bennett said. “They would just toss it.”

Occasionally, deceased members were buried in their green jackets.

“Some members’ families started to request that,” he said. “And I know one guy — I had to go take the jacket, a local member — I had to watch them put it on him. Didn’t like that too good. Watch them put it on, fixing it neat, and report back to the club manager that it was on.”

Watch your speed

The club had three station wagons and a long blue limousine when Bennett began chauffeuring at age 17. He was well spoken and polite, so his bosses soon began sending him on the most important jobs.

Once, a member named Alexander Chisholm from Mississippi had come into town for a party and round of golf, then stayed over for a dinner at a fancy place called the Green Boundary Club in Aiken, S.C. Bennett brought him in the limo.

“My dad said, `Boy, if you’re going to South Carolina, slow down because they’ll give you a ticket in a minute. They watch for Augusta tags to give you tickets,’” Bennett recalled.

He started slow and cautious.

“Mr. Chisholm, with a big cigar in his mouth, said, ‘Can you go any faster than this?’” he said. “Now, I’m 19. That’s all I needed to hear. I stepped on the gas.”

As soon as he crossed the Savannah River, the police lights pulled up behind him.

“The officer wasn’t real nice,” Bennett said. “He said, `Boy, can’t you read? Can’t you see that speed limit?’ Mr. Chisholm was in back and said, `How much is the ticket?’ The officer said it was going to cost me $150.”

Chisholm peeled off three $100 bills.

“Here,” the member told the officer. “Take $300, because we’re going to be coming back the same damn way.”

Hail to the chief

Back when he was in first grade, Bennett feigned illness so he could get sent home and spend some time with his dad, whom he hadn’t seen in two weeks.

“I would hear him come home and get in the bed, but I didn’t see him because he came home when I was asleep,” he said. “He left when I was asleep. So one day I was at school, and I played sick. So I told my teacher my stomach was hurting.”

His mother was working at the time, so the school called the club.

“Dad came to get me, and he took me to work, gave me a Coca-Cola and a little pack of crackers,” he recalled. “He said, `You can’t be running around, because the President is here.’ Well, I’m 6 or 7. I thought he was talking about George Washington.”

Then, his father pulled a milk crate up to a hedge.

“He said, `You want to see the President?’ So I went out, and he put me on this box, and I could look over the top of the hedge, and there was Eisenhower. That was Clifford Roberts, and that was Bobby Jones,” he said, referencing the Roberts and Jones, co-founders of Augusta National.

Bennett has some snapshot memories of the president.

“I remember him being a big man, big stomach,” he said. “He had brown pants on with pleats, and he got up and made his tee shot off number one, and he looked over and saw me. He did just like this [crisply saluting the child]. I did it back at him.”

The moment left an impression.

“That was my first really inkling of what my daddy did,” he said, “and the type of people that were at the club.”

Supreme honor

As a young chauffeur, Bennett had all sorts of driving duties. He would take members’ wives antique shopping or sit through movies with the children of members who were bored at the tournament.

He picked up Christopher Lee at the airport once, and — as a big fan of Dracula — he half-believed he saw the English actor transforming into a vampire while they drove to the club.

“As we got back, it was getting dark, and all I could see — this was in my mind now — those fiery red eyes in the rear view mirror,” said Bennett, recounting the meeting on the “70 Years of Masters Magic” podcast.

Lawrence Bennett, longtime chauffeur at Augusta National, shows some Augusta National keepsakes at his home.

(Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)

“When he got out, I had to tell him. I said, `You know what? I was nervous because all I saw was your eyes and your face in the mirror.’ And it was illegal to get an autograph, but I got it.”

In 2013, the last Masters for Bennett, he drove Arnold Palmer back to the airport and they both got teary rolling back down Magnolia Lane and out of the club.

Maybe the most memorable assignment was picking up Sandra Day O’Connor. He was especially excited because he had just been teaching his ninth-grade students about her, the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The two became fast friends, and O’Connor gave him her personal pocket constitution. She inscribed it: “For Lawrence Bennett and his ninth-grade class, always remember the constitution protects you. Sandra Day O’Connor.”

Her husband, John Jay O’Connor, told Bennett: “Do you know what she has given you? She takes that to the bench every day she goes to work.”

It’s framed in Bennett’s den.

From the heart

Bennett, whose mother was a nurse and semi-professional bowler, was the first in his family to finish high school, and first to go to college, where he would earn three degrees. His younger sister followed him, earning a degree in nursing.

Tuition at Paine College wasn’t easy on the family. That’s where the club stepped in.

“Sometimes my dad didn’t have the money, so the club manager [Phil Wahl] said, `Lawrence, Freddie, everything OK?’ My dad said, `No, Mr. Wahl, I’ve got to pay $855.53 for that boy’s semester.’ Mr. Wahl said, `Go to the front desk and get a petty cash slip.’ They gave daddy $855.53 per semester for four or five years. Never asked for it back.

“So I owe a lot to Augusta National. I tried to pay it back but they wouldn’t take it.”

Freddie Bennett retired in 1999 after 46 years as caddie master and 51 years on the property — just as long as his son would work there. He died in 2006.

“Paine College, this huge chapel, we had daddy’s funeral down there,” the younger Bennett said. “It was packed. If you looked at the private field, you thought it was tournament time. The private jets came to his funeral.

“The club manager got up and spoke, and he talked about all of the things that Freddie had done, all the achievements he had done. But he said Freddie’s greatest accomplishment at this club: `He gave us Lawrence.’

“I lost it,” he said, tears welling, “I never thought anybody thought that of me.”

BRIT glamour model Linsey Dawn McKenzie has announced she’s retiring after 33 years with a heartbreaking family update.

Linsey made her topless modelling debut on her 16th birthday back in 1994.

She has continued to have a career in glamour modelling ever since, and has also branched out as a pornographic performer.

But taking to Instagram on Friday, Linsey revealed the time had come for her to retire.

She wrote: “To my loyal fans who have supported me for 33 incredible years, I want to share an important personal decision.

“I will be retiring to focus all of my attention on my adult son, who is severely autistic, has recently left school, and now needs more care and attention than ever.

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“The page will remain open, so you can enjoy all the content that is already there.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being with me on this journey.”

As well as her modelling pictures, she has appeared on a number of popular TV programmes during her career.

These include They Think It’s All Over, The Weakest Link and Celebrity Four Weddings.

In her personal life, Linsey was engaged to former EastEnders actor Michael Greco in 1998.

After they broke up, she married Terry Canty in 2001 but separated six weeks later and divorced later that year.

Linsey began dating former Wimbledon and Northern Ireland footballer Mark Williams.

In May 2005, she gave birth to the couple’s son and in January 2006 they tied the knot.

ONE attraction in the capital is about to get a number of new features – and they are all free to visit.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill, London – which was named London‘s best family attraction in 2024 by – will be launching several new outdoor experiences on May 21.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration.

The new experiences will be in the Horniman’s 16-acre Gardens and are part of the attraction’s Nature + Love project which includes a number of new opportunities to learn about and play in nature.

New features include a nature-themed play area, family-friendly cafe, an improved Nature Trail, an AR trail, a new nursery glasshouse and a Community Garden.

In the new Kusuma Nature Play area, there will be a wooden jetty with a slide, climbing webs and lookout points.

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Visitors will also be able to learn about different species that are local to the Horniman, such as a robin-themed area with timber rocker, nest hedge, and robin eggs.

For slightly braver kids, there will be log steps, timber balance beams and a den building frame to climb through and build.

There will also be a collecting table where younger children can sit on leaf stools and have a go at a finger maze.

The play area will have a basket swing and multi-sensory planting as well.

Peronel Craddock, Director of Content at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, said: “This new play area starts with the idea of connecting children with nature through play, in particular, the wildlife in our local area.

“We hope it will encourage families to make the most of our 16 acres of beautiful Gardens, and also act as a gateway into the Museum for anyone who might not otherwise think a museum is fun, free, or for them.”

Another new addition to the attraction will be a family-friendly cafe and picnic area, ideal for post-play bites to eat.

The cafe will open just across from the new play area and will be run by a family-run cafe group, which operates the Horniman’s other cafes and kiosks.

Visitors will be able to choose from a range of food options including fresh sourdough pizzas.

Of course, you’ll also be able to pick up ice cream and coffee as well.

The cafe will feature both indoor and outdoor seating.

Another exciting new addition is an AR trail called Animals Everywhere.

The trail uses technology that enables guests to interact with the trail and see 3D animated creatures right in front of them.

As visitors head off on the trail they will encounter a number of challenges to complete and mini games to play.

On one part of the trail, for example, visitors will even get the chance to feed the famous Horniman walrus.

Visitors will need to use their phone to follow the trail – but they do not have to pay or download anything.

In addition to the new AR trail, the Nature Trail is being revamped with direct, ramped access from the play area.

Along the trail new panels with information about the local wildlife will be installed as well.

Stuart McLeod, Director of London and South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Animals Everywhere! is a fantastic example of how technology can reduce barriers and inspire curiosity and engagement with our natural heritage.

“The Horniman offers a fantastic urban green space, and this, alongside the wider Nature + Love project, will transform how visitors connect with nature and the heritage on their doorstep.”

And there will be a Community Garden developed with input from people in the local area.

In the garden – which will focus on respite and reflection – adults and families will be able to participate in a programme of activities.

These will include planting, art, seed bomb creating and practical how-to-grow sessions.

The Garden Nursery area will also be transformed and include a new greenhouse, terrace and workshop space.

Across the garden, visitors can learn some top gardening tips as well as how to better connect with nature.

In addition to the new openings, next year the museum will also reopen its natural history gallery.

The gallery will have been entirely refurbished and redisplayed with returning and new objects, having been closed since spring 2024.

Inside, the focus of the gallery will be on the natural world and also how we impact it.

All of the new features included in the Nature + Love project will be launched at the start of the Horniman’s 125th anniversary celebrations.

If you are heading to the Horniman Museum and Gardens for the day, there are a number of other things to see and do.

In addition to exploring over 350,000 objects and specimens from around the globe, you can also head to the aquarium and butterfly house on site.

Though, both of these are paid-for parts of the attraction with a ticket to the butterfly house costing £9.90 per adult and £6.50 per child and a ticket to the aquarium costing £6.50 per adult and £3.50 per child.

Until November, you can also check out the ‘Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures’ exhibition.

The exhibition is inspired by Jules Verne’s ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ and visitors will be able to ‘climb’ aboard the Nautilus submarine and head on an underwater adventure.

Tickets for the experience are also paid-for, with adult admission costing £9.80 and child admission costing £7.

If you want to just explore the free areas you can venture around the museum itself and the gardens too, where you will find an Animal Walk with goats, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens and alpacas.

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A tourist in Tenerife bought a meal abroad for a family of seven, but people were left floored by the bill. Gemma Loveden was taken aback when she saw the cost

Lots of people visit Tenerife to soak up the sun and enjoy a much needed break abroad, but the cost of food has left some a little floored. Mum Gemma Loveden previously took her family of seven for a meal out in the Canary Islands hotspot, and the cost was quite unexpected.

When visiting Tenerife, the family opted to sample treats from steak to pizza, and they washed their food down with drinks when they soaked up the holiday atmosphere. Despite the prices likely being on the menu, the family were left gobsmacked by how reasonable the bill was when it was presented to them at the restaurant.

Gemma was so taken aback that she decided to share the story on TikTok. Sometimes when you travel abroad, the price of things can take you by surprise.

She shared a clip, stating: “Evening meal this evening cost €54.84 (around £45)”. She wasn’t the only person who was impressed by the value either.

After the clip was shared, several people commented to share their thoughts. People were stunned by how cheap it was.

One user admitted: “That would be £150 easy in Turkey.” Another wrote: “How? That’s amazing!”

A third commenter added: “Good price. We normally pay roughly €50 to €60 for three people.” Meanwhile, a fourth exclaimed: “Amazing value, and your kids seem very well behaved too. That’s amazing.”

Others were also impressed with her children’s table manners. One noted: “Love their table etiquette. Great parenting.”

Someone else also replied: “That’s amazing. I live in Cyprus. It would be much more than that.”

While it’s no secret that the cost of a lot of things has increased lately, food is generally considered reasonably priced in Tenerife. When compared to the rest of Europe, it’s believed to be one of the most affordable places to eat.

Obviously, holidays can be as cheap or expensive as you choose to make them though. Despite this, you can bag some budget meals when you’re out and about.

Dining out is popular with tourists, with budget meals reported to range from €6 to €15 and mid-range meals averaging €20 to €40 per person. This is considered to be excellent value when compared to other major European cities.

If you’ve never been to Tenerife, it’s a popular destination due to its “eternal spring” climate. The island offers year-round sunshine and warmth and it’s just a few hours’ flight from mainland Europe.

Many people love it as it homes a diverse mix of affordable beach resorts, volcanic landscapes (including Mount Teide), vibrant nightlife and family-friendly attractions. It’s popular with those who enjoy a spot of winter sun too.

SACRAMENTO — Sharon Sharp, the embattled director of the California Lottery criticized for her handling of major contracts, resigned Monday, saying that months of controversy had made her “tired and angry.”

Insisting the resignation was her idea and not that of Gov. Pete Wilson, Sharp said she was stepping down so she could spend more time with her husband, who lives in Illinois. However, a source in the Administration said she was urged to resign.

“It’s just time for me to go home,” said Sharp, who is credited with adding several lottery games, including Keno, and of helping to turn around the agency’s downward revenue slide.

“I’m grateful to the governor . . . who I’m sure wished many times that the lottery would stay out of the news and most especially that I would stay out of the news.”

Sharp’s resignation came several weeks after it was disclosed that the former lobbyist for a company that received lucrative lottery contracts described Sharp in a secretly tape-recorded conversation as “our gal.” The conversation was played during a federal court trial of lobbyist Clayton R. Jackson, who has been charged with racketeering and money laundering.

On Monday, Sharp dismissed Jackson’s comments as the idle boasting of a lobbyist who wanted to impress others with his ability to gain access to public officials. Calling Jackson’s statement “ridiculous,” she maintained that her relationship with his former client, GTECH Corp. of Rhode Island, had always been professional and that there was no conflict of interest.

“I’m Don Sharp’s gal,” she quipped, referring to her husband of 34 years.

In a short statement, Wilson praised Sharp for “innovative leadership” at the lottery, especially improvements in customer services and the addition of new games–Keno, Fantasy 5, Daily 3 and multiple Scratchers, which helped boost sales. A spokesman for the governor said Wilson’s staff would conduct a nationwide search for her replacement.

“Her job is completed,” Wilson said. “She will give her successor a more efficient and more effective lottery to support education for California’s children.”

But the tense news conference announcing Sharp’s resignation contrasted starkly with the one two years ago in which the governor proudly announced her appointment.

At the time, Wilson said Sharp was his handpicked choice to revitalize a demoralized lottery and reverse a decline in sales that had caused deep reductions in the agency’s contributions to public schools.

Sharp, 53, left office Monday having accomplished the sales turnaround but also having created so much controversy over her handling of contracts that she became a political liability for the Wilson Administration.

Sharp was director of the Illinois lottery before coming to California. She commuted to her home in Chicago throughout her tenure and said Monday that she has no job lined up after leaving.

Although the governor’s office Monday had nothing but public praise for her work, staff members privately have been expressing concern about the appearance of favoritism in the awarding of lottery contracts.

Just days before Sharp’s resignation, Wilson’s chief of staff, Bob White, spoke generally of worries about the lottery’s contracting process.

“You want to make sure that the process and every contract let, on something as major as this, is above suspicion,” he said. “Our main goal was to make the things not sole sources; to make it as competitive as could be in a not very competitive world.”

White denied that Sharp was pressured to resign, but a source familiar with the lottery said an Administration official sent to review the lottery’s operation came away “concerned at the way they conducted business.” The source said the governor’s office urged Sharp to resign.

“I think it’s a welcome step,” said Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), one of Sharp’s most vocal critics. “I think it has just become a tainted and unmanageable mess over there. She would have nothing to look forward to but grief.”

Hayden said he will ask the governor and attorney general to investigate the lottery’s relationship to GTECH and to work with other states where the company’s contracts are being criticized.

As one of her final acts in office, Sharp said she had asked for a state audit of the lottery’s handling of a $400-million, five-year contract awarded GTECH to operate its computerized games. “For the sake of the future of the California Lottery, this issue must be put to rest,” she said.

During Sharp’s tenure, GTECH was awarded three lottery contracts totaling nearly $500 million and was recommended for a fourth–all without competitive bids.

Sharp had been in office only a few months in 1991 when she proposed a one-year extension of GTECH’s contract to operate the computerized games.

Her recommendation came just days after former state Sen. Alan Robbins pleaded guilty to a series of charges including accepting a $13,500 bribe allegedly from Jackson, to influence legislation of interest to GTECH.

Although the company was never implicated in the charges, an embarrassed governor’s staff asked the agency to delay awarding the contract for at least a month. Before the contract extension expired, Sharp again recommended–and the Lottery Commission approved–a $25-million amendment for the purchase of 2,000 additional terminals and upgrades to the computer system. Several staff members complained internally that the purchase should have been handled by competitive bids.

A year later, she did seek competitive bids, this time for a new computer contract, but GTECH was the only company to submit a proposal.

Rival companies complained that the specifications for the contract so favored GTECH that it was useless for them to bid. Sharp insisted that the specifications were standard for the industry and again recommended that GTECH get the contract. The commission agreed.

In September, she proposed that GTECH receive another contract without competitive bid to provide an automated system that would make it easier to cash lower-prize Scratchers. She later withdrew her recommendation after the governor’s office expressed displeasure at the lack of competition. That contract is still pending.

Asked at the conclusion of proceedings Monday in his corruption trial for his opinion on Sharp’s resignation, Jackson said: “That’s too bad. . . . If this (the trial) was all over, I’d say something.”

Times staff writer Mark Gladstone contributed to this story.

Out of the Game

California State Lottery Director Sharon Sharp announced her resignation Monday, two years after she was appointed to the job by Gov. Pete Wilson. Here is a snapshot of the performance of the lottery under her tenure.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 8 million a month

GAMES INTRODUCED

* Dec. 1991: SuperLotto

* Feb. 1992: Fantasy 5

* April, 1992: Daily 3

* Nov. 1992: Keno

ANNUAL LOTTERY REVENUE (In billions of dollars) ‘85-’86: $1.8 ‘86-’87: $1.4 ‘87-’88: $2.1 ‘88-’89: $2.6 ‘89-’90: $2.5 ‘90-’91: $2.1 Sharp’s term: (Sept. 1991 to Nov. 1993) ‘91-’92: $1.4 ‘92-’93: $1.8

The youngster had the galleries chanting his name as he tried to fulfill a vow made 12 months ago – to clear the water with his tee-shot on the final ninth hole.

A year older, bigger and stronger – and armed with a bespoke club – he had made it a mission to conquer what had turned into a personal challenge.

“When I go on to the range I just think about this every single day,” Frankie said in one of countless television interviews during the round.

Described as a “chatterbox” by his dad, Frankie showed he is a chip off the old block – talking confidently in front of the camera, demonstrating a steeliness to succeed and possessing a stylish swing of the club.

Anticipation built on the course as the Fleetwood family, again alongside good friends the McIlroys and Lowrys, played their way round to the ninth tee.

Young Frankie was wide right with his first attempt and, after the Augusta patrons sang for him to get another chance, came closer with a second but it still ended up wet.

He walked off with the consoling arm of Shane Lowry’s daughter Iris – who also went close to hitting the putting surface – round his shoulders.

“I think more than anything the pressure is on me to keep making the Masters until he reaches the green on the ninth,” said father Tommy, who continues his quest this week for a first major title following several top-five finishes.

Fleetwood tuned up his short game with a hole-in-one which made the patrons roar, with American trio Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley also carding aces to dial up the entertainment factor.

Bradley, who was the US captain in their Ryder Cup defeat by Europe last year, is first player in the history of the 66-year competition to land holes-in-one in consecutive years.

The noise in the galleries is likely to be matched this week as the sporting drama intensifies, but the chaos inside the ropes – toddlers sliding down bunkers and babies crawling across putting surfaces – will make way for the cordiality of the main event.

Father-of-five Jason Day jokingly described the occasion as “a circus”, with Clark adding: “As a man with no kids I’ll say it’s great birth control but it’s a lot of fun.”

Celebrity stardust came in the shape of comedian Kevin Hart, who caddied for two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, and former NFL star Jason Kelce in a roving reporter role on the course.

Their presence came hours after Augusta chairman Fred Ridley discussed the ongoing battle for the Masters to find the balance “between respecting tradition and innovating”.

On this evidence, the Par 3 Contest is treading the line nicely as the Masters looks to ensure it – and golf – remains relevant for generations to come.

NEW ORLEANS — The wife of a U.S. soldier was released Tuesday from a federal immigration detention facility where she had spent nearly a week after being taken into custody on a Louisiana military base.

The detention of 22-year-old Annie Ramos, the Honduran-born wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant preparing to deploy, prompted public backlash from critics of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign who warned it demoralized troops during an ongoing war.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Ramos’ mother-in-law, Jen Rickling, confirmed her release to the Associated Press. The New York Times first reported Ramos’ release.

Ramos, who married Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank in March, had been detained by federal immigration agents while attempting to register at his base to receive military benefits and ultimately obtain a green card. She had lived in the country since she was less than 2 years old. Homeland Security said Ramos had been ordered removed by a federal immigration judge in 2005 after her family had failed to appear for a hearing.

Ramos and her husband say she has been attempting to gain legal status, including by applying for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2020 though her application remained stalled amid legal battles to eliminate the program.

“All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby,” Ramos said in a statement to the Associated Press after her release. “I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community — just as my husband serves our country with honor.”

A spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, said that Kelly had called Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding Ramos’ detention. Blank has family in Arizona.

“I’m happy Annie is back with her husband and family where she belongs,” Kelly said in a statement. “They never should have gone through this painful process, but far too many families like theirs are because of this administration.”

Homeland Security told the Associated Press that Ramos had been released with a GPS monitor “while she undergoes further removal proceedings.”

“She will receive full due process,” Homeland Security said.

The Trump administration has scrapped policies of immigration enforcement leniency toward the family members of military personnel and veterans, even as the military has promoted the protection of U.S. soldiers’ family members from deportation as a recruiting incentive.

Ramos said she plans to continue studying biochemistry and focusing on enjoying married life with her husband.

“As Matthew continues preparing for his long career in the military, my focus now is on securing my status, continuing my studies, and building our life together,” Ramos said. “We want to create a home, a future, and a family. This experience has been incredibly difficult, but it has also reminded me of the power of faith, love, and community. I am hopeful for what comes next.”

Brook writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Juan Lozano contributed to this report from Houston.

When Tina LaMonica and Warren Wellen purchased their South Pasadena Craftsman home in 2001, the one-car garage dated back to 1917, a time when people parked their narrow Ford Model T cars inside garages like this one.

“We bought it for $650,000,” LaMonica says of the house. “Of course, we could never afford to buy it now.”

The couple moved in when their daughters, Sophie and Ruby Wellen, were little, and their tree-lined street was full of families with young kids who rode their scooters throughout the neighborhood.

“We all grew up together and had block parties,” says Sophie, 30. Now, she adds, “There are no new families moving in. No one left. Why would they?”

Tina LaMonica and Warren Wellen sit on the patio with their daughter, Sophie Wellen, and their dog, Hazelnut, next to the 230-square-foot ADU where Sophie lived for two years. Her younger sister is now living in the ADU.

Music was always a part of their home, Sophie says, thanks to her father, Warren, 65, who is both an attorney and a musician in the alternative rock band Brahms’ Third Racket.

“He plays everything,” Sophie says. “Throughout my entire childhood, he was always making music.”

LaMonica adds, “It can be disruptive.”

So in 2021, the couple pulled together money from different sources, including a line of credit, and turned the garage into a tiny 230-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, for Warren to use as a music studio.

“It was intended to be a creative space, not a home,” says LaMonica, 64, who is a commercial real estate broker. “The total cost was around $125,000, including permits, construction and all systems — a significant investment, but one that ended up serving our family in unexpected ways.”

The garage before, left, during, right, and after, below, construction. (Tina LaMonica)

A few months after using his new music studio, Sophie, who had been in law school at the University of Michigan, moved back to Los Angeles after being away for 10 years.

“She wasn’t working right away, and like many new grads, she had student debt and credit card debt from getting through school,” says LaMonica. “Market rent in the Los Angeles area wasn’t realistic, even with a job offer lined up. So, the studio became her first home. It gave her stability and independence during a major transition.”

Sophie, who describes her relationship with her parents as close, says the ADU was always meant to be temporary and she’s grateful for it.

“At 28, I didn’t know where I wanted to live in L.A.,” she says. “I had only grown up in Pasadena, which is a small community. I felt lucky to be able to live in this little house in the back and explore the city to find the right place for me, instead of rushing to grab the first place I could, like so many of my associates had to do. It was right after the bar exam, and I was really stressed.”

The ADU features a Murphy bed and and a nice-sized kitchenette.

The kitchenette has a compact air fryer-toaster oven from Our Place, and a slim, Classic retro-style refrigerator.

After clerking for a judge in Washington, D.C., Sophie’s boyfriend William Lang moved to Los Angeles and joined her and her dog in the ADU, bringing his two cats with him.

“It was a full house,” Sophie says, laughing. “And yes, they were indoor cats! But we made it work. Finding a rental was hard. I couldn’t really afford a nice apartment in L.A. I had to save up and wait until my boyfriend got here so we had two incomes.”

It’s no surprise they felt at home. Although it’s small, the unit is sunny and bright, with a pitched roof and a big picture window overlooking the lush backyard and swimming pool. (The blinds can be closed for privacy.)

There’s a Murphy bed that turns into a love seat when pulled down, which saves space, and classic black-and-white checkerboard porcelain tile from Mission Tile in South Pasadena that gives the living spaces a surprising sense of fun. The unit also has a bathroom with a shower, a closet and a storage nook above the bathroom.

The ADU has room for a desk, flat-screen TV and comfy chair.

There’s also room for a desk, a flat-screen TV on the wall and a comfortable chair. Not having a dining room isn’t a problem because there’s a welcoming patio just outside the French doors, with two chairs, a couch and a coffee table.

“The backyard was our saving grace,” says Sophie. “Most of the time, William sat at the little table. It was cozy and nice. I got to be near my parents, and they got to know my partner better.”

The ADU has a roomy kitchenette with white cabinets and countertops, a compact air fryer-toaster oven from Our Place, and a slim retro-style refrigerator from Unique. “You can bake, broil and fry with the small Wonder Oven,” LaMonica says. “Ruby uses it all the time.” There’s also a mini-split system for heating and cooling, and if needed, a stackable washer and dryer can be added later.

A patio area provides another living space steps outside the ADU.

Soon after Sophie moved out, having lived in the back house for two years, her 27-year-old sister Ruby moved in. “She works in Torrance and can’t afford to rent an apartment close to her job,” her mother says. “The ADU gives her a chance to live affordably, stay safe and be near family, while building financial footing on her own terms.”

LaMonica is happy with the ADU, though she wishes they could have added a second floor, which the city of South Pasadena didn’t allow at the time.

She imagines a future in which one of her daughters lives in the main house, and she and her husband live in the ADU. “I think an ADU is a great long-term solution,” she says. “It keeps people from moving out of California. With an ADU, at least you can keep your family on site.”

In some ways, the small ADU is more than just a solution for young people who can’t afford to live in Los Angeles. A 2025 study found that Los Angeles ranked second among the 50 largest U.S. metros for its share of working adults (ages 25 to 40) living with parents.

Backyard homes can also help people connect with their community.

“The nice thing about the ADU is that it can give you a sense of community that’s hard to find right now because people are so isolated,” says Sophie, who now rents a two-bedroom duplex in Hancock Park with Lang for $4,500 a month. “We’re both lawyers at private law firms and doing well, but I still don’t feel like I could have a child right now and give them the life I want. It’s hard to make big life decisions in L.A., especially if you have student debt. It was really nice to have dinner with my parents every once in a while. They didn’t want William and I to leave.”

The bathroom inside the ADU.

As Southern California gets more crowded and housing costs rise, young people have to look for options different from those their parents had when they were growing up.

LaMonica says she and her husband never thought they would house both daughters in a converted garage. “But in a place like Los Angeles,” she says, “the tiny ADU turned into a flexible and essential lifeline for our family, not just once but twice.”

And maybe one day, Warren will finally get his music studio.

HELEN Flanagan has finally sold her family home for a whopping £500,000 under the asking price.

The former Coronation Street actress, 35, bought the six-bedroom abode with ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair, whom she split from back in 2022 after 13 years together.

Despite their long-term relationship and three children, the former couple never married and the family home, near Bolton, is solely in footballer Scott’s name.

But since their split, Helen has been living in the home with their kids; Matilda, Delilah and Charlie.

Last year we reported the house was put on sale for £1.5million before being reduced to £995,000.

And now, the house has been marked as sold, subject to contracts, on Rightmove.

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Despite the hefty cut from £1.5M to £995,000, the couple will still make profit from the home if it went for it’s final asking price, as it was bought by Scott for £840,000 in 2021.

In addition to its six bedrooms, the impressive home is set across three floors – with a massive walk-in wardrobe and a sprawling garden surrounding the gated home.

In January, we revealed how Scott, 37, was keen to get the home sold, while Helen wasn’t in any rush to move out.

A friend of Helen’s said at the time: “Scott pays for the house and all the bills and he’s decided a six-bedroom place is way too big for Helen on her own with the kids.

“But Helen doesn’t want to move and is digging her heels in.

“She loves the place, the kids are settled at the local school and her mum and dad live around the corner.

“Scott wants to buy Helen a four-bedroom home. He’s even offered to put it in her name but wants to stop the maintenance payments.

“The relationship has completely broken down. They no longer communicate — everything goes through her parents.”

But another pal explained Helen has spent a fortune of her own money renovating it.

They said: “The house was really run down and Helen has modernised it and made it into the beautiful family home it is today.

“Scott wants to sell to take the money out, but he hasn’t found Helen or the kids a new place. He’s not being reasonable. He and Helen are not on the same page.”

BROOKLYN Beckham cut a stern figure as he took a long phone call outside of a hotel in Los Angeles.

The estranged son of Victoria and David Beckham paced outside of the steps of the hotel while on the 30-minute call during a day out with wife Nicola Peltz.

Brooklyn was dressed casually in a black t-shirt and Nike baseball cap outside the Sunset Plaza Hotel in West Hollywood on Friday. 

He completed the look with black Doc Martens and black jeans.

Brooklyn and Nicola married in 2022 and live in a £12million home in Los Angeles.

They have been at war with Posh and Becks since last year when they skipped David’s 50th birthday in May.

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Brooklyn confirmed he had severed all ties in January in an explosive six-page statement.

His tense phone call comes after it was reported that the couple has been approached by an US streamer for a tell-all series to rival his estranged parents’ Netflix deal.

His American management teams are said to be in early talks with production heads at Hulu.

An insider said: “Brooklyn is keen. Alongside documenting his culinary business venture, Hulu bosses will hope he will open up about the bombshell rift with his parents.

“This isn’t just any platform. Hulu which is owned by Disney is home to global smash hits like The Kardashians.

“They’d be instantly propelled firmly into the big leagues and in direct competition with Netflix, which, of course, has its own Beckham ties having run authored documentaries by both of his parents.

“Brooklyn and Nicola have been offered big money interviews before but turned them all down.

“When they do decide to speak, it will be on their own terms.

“They also want to make it clear they are not being controlled by the Peltz family and that they make their own decisions.”

Actress Nicola, 31, has appeared in several Hulu productions including The Beauty and When The Streetlights Go On.

Her billionaire dad, Nelson, once controlled a huge stake in Disney.

Nicola ramped up the war with David and Victoria last week by claiming her parents treat Brooklyn, 27, “like another son”.

CRUZ Beckham has poked fun at mum Victoria with very cheeky quip.

The youngest Beckham son Cruz, 21, took to social media as he cooked up a storm in the kitchen, seemingly following in his estranged brother Brooklyn’s footsteps.

Brooklyn, who launched a nuclear attack on his ‘controlling’ parents and vowed not to reconcile earlier this year, famously shares cookery videos on social media and deems himself a budding chef.

In Cruz’s video, he cooked some crepes for his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, and served them up with some Nutella.

A man called Daley Thompson penned: “I love when a son cooks for his mum,” which seemed to be a dig at Brooklyn being a chef and being estranged from his family.

Cruz then cheekily replied: “You think VB is eating a Nutella crepe [laughing emoji] no chance Daley.”

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Fans flocked to react to his hilarious quip.

One person said: “Daley – stop right now, thank you very much,” referecing the famous Spice Girls song.

A second penned; “Victoria hasn’t had chocolate since the 90’s !!!”

“I love that she’s not relatable,” added a third.

“Absolute gold,” said a fourth.

While a fifth penned: “What does VB eat, I need tips she’s a legend.”

In her Netflix documentary, Victoria revealed she hasn’t eaten chocolate since the 1990s.

In the series, she told husband David: “I’m not going to start now!”.

Back in January, amid the ongoing Beckham family feud, things came to a head.

Brooklyn said at the start of the year that he did “not want to reconcile” with his family, and accused his parents of “controlling” the narrative.

His initial statement read: “I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private.

“Unfortunately my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.

“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

He then went on to recall the night of his wedding and how his mother danced in an “inappropriate way”.

The Great British Menu judge Tom Kerridge has shared an insight into life with his rugby-loving son Acey, describing the youngster as a ‘monster’ and an ‘absolute unit’

Tom Kerridge says he has “monstrous fireworks” with son Acey as he shared a candid family insight. Tom, 52, shares 12-year-old son Acey with wife Beth Cullen-Kerridge.

Beth is a sculptor by trade and last year took part in two shows in the United States. While Tom says rugby-loving Acey, who still attends the local state primary school, is like a “mini me”.

The two share a love of motorbikes and a passion for cooking. Tom has previously described Acey as an “absolute unit” and revealed he could deadlift 80kg by the time he was aged nine.

Tom, who grew up in a single-parent household in Wiltshire, says he is “learning to be a dad”. It comes as he opened up about his relationship with young Acey.

Speaking to The Times, Tom said: “We have monstrous fireworks but we also have the best laughs. The best way I can describe my relationship with him is I am like his big brother, just with money.

“So we will play the same games. We’ll do daft things. And then we’ll fall out like brothers as opposed to a father and son relationship.

“I grew up in a single-parent family so I’m learning to be a dad at the same time as he’s learning to be a son. I haven’t got anything to base it on so we’re both learning as we go along. And I think so far we’re doing all right.”

Tom has previously explained that Acey found his “space” on the rugby pitch. Although the chef says he has a “red mist” and “hates losing,” taking inspiration from former England star Joe Marler.

Speaking on the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner podcast, Tom said: “My son is an absolute unit, rugby is his space, rugby is his game, rugby is where he is going to go. He plays number one, number three.

“He suffers from red mist. We have a conversation about it quite a lot, he can be the most gentle, wonderful human but he’s also got this streak of, he hates losing, he has a temperament that explodes and I love that, I try to control, to enhance it.

“My son is unnaturally strong, he’s nine years old but he can deadlift 80 kilos, he’s a monster and Joe is his hero. Joe is the greatest thing that’s ever been.”

Tom also says that his arguments with Acey drive Beth “nuts”. On the Rugby Lives podcast Tom disclosed that young Acey mirrors many of his characteristics.

When questioned if his son ‘takes after him’, Tom responds: “Yeah, in a lot of ways, he does massively and it drives my wife nuts because sometimes just like, two of us. And we do fall out quite a lot because we argue about the same thing and it’s almost like having an argument with yourself and then afterwards we both laugh about it.”

Tom will return to screens from 7pm tonight (April 3) with The Great British Menu on BBC Two. This week’s episode will see the top two chefs from Northern Ireland cooking a six-course meal in a bid to impress the judges, including Tom, Great British Menu Champion of Champions Lorna McNee, and comedian Phil Wang.

As “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” lands in theaters, coloring stations, collectible popcorn containers and mascot Marios are all in place to entice arguably the most prized moviegoers to Hollywood today: kids.

By Sunday, Universal Pictures expects the five-day opening of the “Super Mario” sequel to reach $186 million domestically, and around $350 million worldwide. That would make it easily the biggest hit of the year, surpassing a pair of successes that also launched with young moviegoers in mind: Pixar’s “Hoppers” ($297 million worldwide) and Amazon MGM’s “Project Hail Mary” ($300.8 million).

It’s not the start of a new trend but the culmination of one. In 2024, PG-rated movies outgrossed any other rating for the first time in decades, with $3.18 billion in domestic ticket sales according to Comscore. Five of the top six movies worldwide were PG movies: “Inside Out 2,” “Moana 2,” “Despicable Me 4,” “Wicked” and “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

Last year was no different. PG-rated films amassed $2.96 billion, again besting the longtime leader, PG-13. The top draws globally were “Ne Zha 2,” “Zootopia 2,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “A Minecraft Movie” and the PG-13-rated but not exactly kid-adverse “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

Good news has been hard to come by in Hollywood. Contraction, most recently with Paramount Skydance’s planned purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, has added to the anxieties of an already jittery industry. While ticket sales are up so far in 2026, they remain more than 20% below pre-pandemic levels. In February, AMC, the nation’s largest exhibitor, said it would continue to shutter underperforming theaters.

But despite a lot of talk about the imperiled future of moviegoing, future moviegoers — kids — are turning out in droves.

“There’s a recognition that this is an increasingly important group of movie fans and we’re doing everything we can to make sure their experience is wonderful,” says Michael O’Leary, president and chief executive of Cinema United, the trade group for theater owners.

Gen Alpha, those aged 12 or younger, may even be the movies’ best hope. A study last year by the National Research Group found that no generational group wanted to watch movies on the big screen, as opposed to at home, more than Gen Alpha.

“We’re emboldened by some of the research that indicates younger folks are the fastest growing demographic of people going to the movies,” O’Leary says. “We’re very much focused on the fact that we have to build the next generation of movie fans.”

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In 2023, “The Super Mario Movie,” part of Universal’s collaboration with Nintendo and “Minions”-maker Illumination, grossed $1.36 billion. Its sequel is likely to get close to that, and add to a mounting string of $1 billion kids movies. The most recent was The Walt Disney Co.’s “Zootopia 2,” which became the highest-grossing Hollywood animated film of all time with a whopping $1.87 billion.

Increasingly, a generation that grew up with smartphones, iPads and Netflix is propelling today’s biggest blockbusters.

“What’s been true for a long time and is maybe even truer today: Families want to be out,” says Jim Orr, distribution chief for Universal, which recently announced the expansion of its exclusive theatrical window from three weekends to five. “They want to do things. They want to make memories.”

“No one talks about: Remember that great time when we sat on the couch?”

And this year may be the most kid-catered year at the movies yet. There are 26 wide-release PG movies slated for 2026, up from 24 in 2025 and 18 in 2024.

That includes a summer lineup that’s family friendly on a nearly week-to-week basis. Potential blockbusters lined up include “Toy Story 5” (June 19), “Minions & Monsters” (July 1) and the live-action “Moana” (July 10). Though currently unrated, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” (May 22) and “Supergirl” (June 26), not to mention “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (July 31), will all also target young moviegoers.

A PG comeback

The PG surge comes several years after most family movies detoured to streaming during the pandemic, a shift that some, at the time, feared would become permanent.

“The family film has literally come back from near-extinction,” says Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Comscore. “The one genre that really took a major hit with the pandemic was the family film.”

But kids increasingly count among a key category for theaters: the habitual moviegoer. That’s considered going to six or more movies a year. And it’s not just younger kids. Last year, 41% of Gen Z moviegoers went to the movies at least six times, according to NRG, up from 31% two years earlier.

For cinephiles who have long feared movie theaters effectively turning into mini theme parks, the predominance of kid-oriented franchise blockbusters is unlikely to allay those concerns. Mid-budget, adult releases are increasingly rare. Dramas and comedies have struggled to attract audiences. Family-friendly movies occupying a bigger slice of cinemas is partially because adult moviegoing has waned.

But if older moviegoers are harder to coax away from the couch, families have been more eager. For them, the appeal of getting out of the house, despite rising ticket costs or the options on streaming services, is as strong as ever.

“In many instances, they’re going to the theater to get away from all of the other screens that inhabit their lives,” says O’Leary. “When I was a kid, you went to the movies, in part, to escape from something. So it’s a new variation on that old theme.”

Dergarabedian has taken to calling PG the new PG-13. If slightly adult-leaning movies once occupied the center of the multiplex, that territory now belongs to the PG movie.

“The kids that are going to the movies today are going to take their kids tomorrow,” Dergarabedian says. “As long as people keep making kids, the future of the movie theater experience is assured.”

Coyle writes for the Associated Press.

9-year-old Karim Al-Haj Hussein survived an Israeli strike on his home in Lebanon’s Baalbek that killed his mother, father and other family members. Karim managed to crawl from the rubble of his home, despite being injured himself.

Three-time champion Phil Mickelson will miss this year’s Masters and step away from golf “for an extended period” because of a family health matter.

The American has only missed the tournament on three other occasions since making his debut at Augusta National in 1991.

In a post on X, Mickelson wrote: “Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter.

“I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish everyone the best of luck and will be watching.”

The 55-year-old last missed the first major of the season in 2022 after making controversial comments about the then-proposed LIV Golf project and the PGA Tour.

His absence this year, for the tournament that runs from 9 to 12 April, means it will be the first time since 1994 that both Mickelson and Tiger Woods will not feature in the Masters.

Mickelson sat out of the first four events of the 2026 LIV Golf season, at Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore. He also cited a “family health matter” when announcing his initial absence on 1 February.

Although he returned to action last month at Steyn City in South Africa, where he finished tied for 48th place, it was unclear whether he would play at Augusta.

Mickelson, who missed the cut at last year’s Masters, has also won the US PGA Championship twice and triumphed at the Open Championship, at Muirfield, in 2013.

Only Jack Nicklaus (six), Woods (five) and Arnold Palmer (four) have won more Masters titles than Mickelson.

FAMILIES have been left gutted after Center Parcs confirmed they were scrapping a popular service at the resorts.

The company previously offered a creche service for kids between three months and three years, for up to three hours.

Costing around £30 a session, it has since confirmed that this will no longer be offered at any of the resorts by the end of next month.

Customers with upcoming bookings have discovered they can no longer book their kids in if their holiday is after the end of May, with the option removed across all of Center Parcs’ UK sites.

One frustrated parent said on a Facebook Center Parcs group: “I had planned to book a much needed child free trip to the spa with my husband and planned to put the children in the kids clubs and our 2 year old in the crèche so we could go together. 

“However the crèche is unavailable for booking? I could cry.”

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Others explained why they had found the creche so helpful.

One said: “We used the crèche for my youngest who wasn’t old enough for any activities so us parents and the older two could do the treetop adventure together.”

Another added: ” We used the crèche whilst my husband and I did a couples hour in the spa.

“If we have the money for the holiday, we can choose to spend it on the crèche and have an hour to ourselves.”

A third said: “It’s only three hours and provides the adults of the holiday with maybe just a lunch of hot uninterrupted food together as it’s their holiday too. 

“We all need a break sometimes.”

The creche was the only activity where parents could leave children aged under three, although they had to stay on-site.

Activities for older children that do not require a parent to accompany them are still on offer, such as Wizard Academy (3+) and Chocolate Chef’s Academy (3+).

Center Parcs said it is developing new activities for children of all ages to be enjoyed by families together.

A spokesperson told The Sun: “At Center Parcs, we’re always looking to review and evolve the guest experience. 

“We have made the decision to remove the crèche activity from our breaks, to reflect guest feedback and limited demand for this particular activity. 

“Crèche sessions are one of more than 20 activities available within our Activity Den and our other activities will continue to run as normal. 

“We’re developing new activities for children of all ages, with the aim of creating even more engaging experiences for families to enjoy together at Center Parcs.”

It’s not the only changes at the parks in recent years.

Last summer, changes to the pools revealed opening times were 9am instead of 10am, as well as new Quiet hours on select days.

However, it also confirmed that the pools would be closing at 8pm rather than 10pm.

And in September 2025, they introduced new staggered check in times.

Treehouse access guests can check in from 1pm, while Forest Lodges, Hotels and Apartments check in is from 3pm.

Exclusive Lodges check in times stay at 2pm, as well as Woodland Lodges from 4pm.

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IT’S being billed as a huge tribute concert to Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, who died in November.

But I’m told the “Manichester” event in honour of the Stone Roses bassist, organised by his brother Greg, has caused a rift in the family.

The concert will see musicians including Zak Starkey, Baz Fratelli from The Fratellis, John Mcclure from Reverend And The Makers and Simone Butler from Primal Scream come together at Manchester’s Diecast in May.

Cast are also lined up to perform, along with Mick Rossi from Slaughter & The Dogs and Stone Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim.

But while the concert was believed to have the full support of Mani’s family, which includes his twin sons Gene and George, insiders say not everyone is in agreement.

A source said: “Mani’s legacy and celebrating that is so important to so many people.

MANI UNITED

Gallagher brothers and Stone Roses to unite for incredible tribute concert

TICKET ROW

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“But not everyone related to him is happy about this concert.

“Even his young son Gene has voiced his concerns on social media.

“It is all very messy and is spilling over into the public domain.

“This is not what Mani would have wanted. His twin boys were everything to him.”

Greg confirmed earlier this month that he was organising the tribute concert, and said there were hopes of snaring Noel and Liam Gallagher to perform, as well as Johnny Marr.

He said: “I think it will be brilliant.

“With the names already in the hat, and the names we’re yet to announce, it’s a worthy thing, a tribute to our kid, a Mancunian legend, and I know he’d love it.

“He would be absolutely buzzing about it.”

Mani, who was best known for his work with Stone Roses and Primal Scream, died at home in Manchester aged 63.

Noel and Liam made an on-stage dedication to him during their Oasis ’25 Live reunion tour, while rock icons including Stone Roses singer Ian Brown turned out to pay their respects at his funeral.

As a fan of Mani, I hope this can be resolved quickly and without further upset.

LITTLE BRIT OF FAMILY TIME

BRITNEY SPEARS is being supported by her sons following her arrest for driving under the influence – and it’s about time too.

For years, the Circus singer was deserted by her boys – who she has with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

But it seems they are back in her life and bringing a smile to her face.

She shared a video on Instagram on a boat with Sean and Jayden, during a getaway, including a shot of them smiling together.

Britney wrote: “Thank you guys for all your support… Spending time with family and friends is such a blessing!”

AITCH FIZZES MUSIC

HE was flying high after his stint in I’m A Celebrity last year.

But now Aitch is facing another trial, and it could be just as gruesome.

I’m told the Strike Me A Pose rapper is embroiled in a legal row over his Syps drinks brand with two former directors of the company.

Aitch, real name Harrison Armstrong, created Syps back in 2023 with businessmen David Olusegun and Alexander El-Nemer – with the trio proudly showing off their fizzy, flavoured water at events across the UK.

But I’m told that partnership is now well and truly over, with David and Alexander resigning as directors.

A source said: “Harrison has fallen out with David and Alexander and it seems there is no going back.

“They’re in a full-blown legal dispute and it’s all in the hands of their lawyers.

“The three created the brand together so it could get messy.

“Harrison is still working on the brand and is running things with his manager.

“How quickly this is going to get resolved is the question. One thing is for sure though, Harrison wants it dealt with so he can move on.”

TAMER ROLE FOR HARDMAN ACTOR

TAMER HASSAN is swapping punch-ups for pull-ons after landing a major new deal with sportswear giant Reebok.

The hardman actor has filmed an advert for a bold campaign inspired by Robin Hood, of all people.

It sees Tamer playing a cheeky “friendly villain” who nicks sports kits before handing them out to kids.

He is joined by UK rapper K-Trap, and starry cameos from
Gary Oldman, Laila Morse and Lisa Maffia.

An insider said: “Tamer is genuinely thrilled to be part of something revitalised and forward-thinking.

“Reebok is part of the culture, and seeing it evolve with fresh energy in 2026 makes this really exciting.”

The retro-style campaign is also a nod to 2005 British crime flick The Business, which starred Tamer alongside Danny Dyer.

Filmed at a secret North London location, the advert is set to drop later this month and marks the start of a huge year for the actor.

He’s gearing up for the premiere of Rise Of The Footsoldier: Retribution at Cannes in May, ahead of its UK cinema release this summer.

From the big screen to the high street, it sounds like Tamer has a lot going for him right now.

TEARY NIGHT FOR ELLIE’S WOLF PACK

WOLF ALICE had an emotional night headlining the final evening of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s concert series – with frontwoman Ellie Rowsell breaking down in tears.

The group debuted two new songs, Hit The Sky and Gospel Oak, and towards the end of the latter, her voice broke and she became teary.

She asked the band to restart the track from the beginning of the final verse and was then hugged by guitarist Joff Oddie and bassist Theo Ellis.

Later, Theo admitted that performing in London’s Royal Albert Hall for the charity concert was making him emotional, too.

He said: “These are my best friends. It’s unbearable how much I want to cry all the time in this gaff.”

They deservedly picked up the British Group gong at the Brit Awards last month following the success of their fourth studio album, The Clearing – one of the best British albums of 2025.

If you’re yet to see them, make sure you make it to one of the festivals they’re playing across the UK this summer.

BENSON SWOON

BENSON BOONE got his fans hot under the collar while cooking up this tour announcement.

He whipped off his top, cracked eggs with his biceps and showed off his rippling muscles as he added ingredients to a bowl while baking a cake.

It was eventually topped with the poster for his new Wanted Man tour.

I have to applaud him for the sexy and hilarious snippet posted on Instagram, but it’s a sea change from 12 months ago when he told Rolling Stone magazine that he didn’t want to rely on his body to sell shows.

He told the mag: “I definitely remember there was a time where I would take my shirt off because I didn’t know what else to do.

“I don’t want to rely on my physical form to be the primary driver of my shows.”

It’s a good job he’s had a fair few hits.

YOU BOOTY, KATYA

STRICTLY’S Katya Jones looked the part – and had the footwear to match – when she strutted in to watch the opening night of musical Kinky Boots.

And she was in for a real treat.

With glitter, tinsel, red leather and high heels, this latest production of the hit show is a dazzling spectacle, the likes of which the West End has rarely seen.

Fellow Strictly star Johannes Radebe is mind-blowing as drag queen Lola, above, proving his singing voice and stage charisma are almost as brilliant as his dancing.

But playing the perfect straight man is X Factor winner Matt Cardle as Charlie Price, who inherits his father’s ailing shoe factory in Northampton and comes up with a plan to save it by making footwear for Lola and her fellow artistes.

Fun, feel-good and unforgettable, everyone should try these Kinky Boots for size.

The bass genius Thundercat has, to his regret, been spending way too much time absorbing bad news on his phone.

“We are cellphones at this point, basically,” he said. “That’s what life feels like. It’s a weird one we’re living through right now, to say the least. You have to try to stay inspired, to keep moving forward. But like, you’re processing absolute hell and war in the background, and you’re still supposed to look cute.”

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

That whipsaw feeling — processing grief and destruction, while doing your song-and-dance to survive, all via the same rectangle — is the backdrop of Thundercat’s new album, “Distracted,” his fifth LP and first in six years. The album is a typically dense and playful showcase for his extravagant musicality, and packed with guests like ASAP Rocky, Tame Impala and Lil Yachty.

But it’s poignantly introspective on tracks like “What Is Left to Say” and “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time.” “She Knows Too Much” has a touching cameo from his late friend and frequent collaborator Mac Miller.

“After [Miller’s] death, there were a lot of questions, a lot of stones left unturned,” Thundercat said. “But this song came to be from the simplicity of making music between friends. It’s a language, a snapshot. It was a beautiful moment between us.”

Thundercat, born Stephen Bruner, grew up in L.A. immersed in the city’s progressive jazz scene, playing with everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Suicidal Tendencies. These are some of the places around Los Angeles that still keep his inner comics-nerd satiated and musical curiosity fed — no matter what bleak news is blowing up his phone.

9 a.m. Find some coffee that slaps

If I notice that I’m doomscrolling, if stuff is getting a little bit too dark and weird and twisted, I’ll put my phone down and go drink some coffee and get way too much energy. I’ll go to the good old boys at Commissary. That’s good coffee.

My day doesn’t always consist of me picking my instrument up, but it’s more like as it feels right. If I’m not intentionally writing or working on somebody’s music, a lot of the time it’s just me. The time between is just as important as the time spent with music, so it’s learning to be OK without my bass in my hands for a second.

But there’s still so much to learn about harmony and melody from that instrument, you know? Nothing makes up for spending time with an instrument and learning it in a different manner. That’s how Larry Graham came up with slap bass. It has no bounds for what you want to create. It’s just about how far your mind can go with it.

Noon. Pick up a comic book

I find myself to be very much like a Lebowski-like character. The things that I enjoy bring me peace, like fashion and comics. The family at Golden Apple on Melrose have been my family since I was a child. The family there has always looked out for me and been avid supporters of my career. They remember my dad bringing me in — I remember the day that Image Comics premiered at Golden Apple. It’s nothing but love and artistry and great people to meet in Golden Apple — they’ve been one of the through lines in my life that has just been consistent. L.A.’s landscape keeps changing, but Golden Apple has been a beacon of nerdisms.

5 p.m. Fun at the movies

I have always been a fan of Universal CityWalk’s AMC theaters, even though they charge ridiculous prices. Everybody’s trying to keep their industry alive in this moment; it’s of one of those grit-and-bear kind of things. But at the same time, the experience that you have there is absolutely golden.

I love seeing movies there, because there’s so much to do around there. There’s a comic store, Halloween Horror Nights, Nintendo Land. There’s a Hot Topic, because I am a goth hoochie daddy. I’ve been going my whole life. I just enjoy going to the movies there by myself or with friends. Sometimes they get bored, because I will keep choosing to do this, but I don’t care, because it is a movie theater that I love. It’s always a joy to have AMC at Universal City Walk.

8 p.m. Sushi that’s a cut above

One of my favorite restaurants in L.A. is a restaurant by the name of Asanebo. It’s a sushi restaurant that is of very high prestige. The chefs there are very loving and caring. They make the most amazing food on the planet. It’s a beautiful environment — one of the best sushi restaurants, I would say, in the world. But it’s about the history for me, and the family that is built there, from the waitresses to the hosts. They treat you like royalty there.

10 p.m. Fun with friends and all that L.A. jazz

Most of the time, I don’t know what the hell is going on. A lot of the time, I would rather just sit on the couch and watch “Star Trek.” I’m not always wanting to immediately get up and just go sacrifice myself to the nightlife.

I really enjoyed growing up playing gigs all over L.A., but a lot of those places don’t even exist anymore. We could play outside the Hollywood Bowl. We’d play at a dive bar or play at a wedding, but my childhood friendships were linked to to the functionality of music in my life. If we were playing at a musty bar or some weird coffee house, it was like, “I get to play with Kamasi [Washington], and they’re going to pay us in sandwiches.”

I enjoyed The World Stage in Leimert Park. Low End Theory at the Airliner — I’d be hanging out with Flying Lotus or Tyler would drop an album and come up to perform. It was about my friends and hanging with the people that I love.

I think as time progresses, I enjoy spending time with my friends — whatever that entails. If it’s going out to a club and all that, seeing a friend perform, my friend Anderson has a beautiful club called Andy’s. There’s a restaurant called Verse, that’s owned by my friend Manny, that serves absolutely amazing food and has live music. It’s just fantastic. They just erected a Blue Note here in Los Angeles, which is awesome.

Where would you go to listen to a song by me and Channel Tres where you can dance on somebody’s butt? I’m still gonna say Andy’s, but I can finish off the night at Living Room. That’s a good place to listen and enjoy the nightlife, just a great club.

WASHINGTON — Buried in the fine print of the massive deficit-reduction bill is–of all things–a brand new social program.

The new program will cost $1 billion over the next five years–somewhat less than the Clinton Adminstration had requested, but still a substantial sum in this era of tight budgets.

Supporters, including Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, insisted that some provisions in the new program actually would save the government money in the long run. Even many of the program’s supporters questioned that assertion, however, although they insisted that the money is worth spending in any case.

The family preservation and support program–along with expanded spending for childhood immunization, tuberculosis prevention, food stamps, “empowerment zones” intended to help inner cities and the earned income tax credit for low-income workers–represents the flip side of the massive budget cutting and tax-raising efforts of the bill. All told, those social programs–aimed in large part at helping families with children–will receive an additional $29 billion from the bill.

“The President’s long-term investments for kids and families have been very well supported by this bill,” said Shalala.

The social-program funds not only were key to keeping some of President Clinton’s policy initiatives alive, they were crucial to winning support for the budget in the heavily Democratic House, where liberal Democrats and members of the Congressional Black Caucus had threatened to vote against the budget bill unless it contained money to back up at least part of Clinton’s promise to “invest” in programs for the poor.

“There are a number of important features in this bill that represented the basis for many liberal and progressive Democrats to feel they could support the overall budget,” said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles).

The survival of the family preservation program, which at several points during the long budget negotiations seemed likely to die, would mark the end of a long legislative road. The program would give money to the states for early intervention and support programs for troubled families. It has passed the House three times and was approved by both chambers last year as part of another piece of legislation ultimately vetoed by then-President George Bush.

Supporters of the program argued that, by intervening early, social workers can help troubled families before their situations deteriorate so much that the state has to place children in costly foster care programs.

Skeptics, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.), argued that the ability of social workers to accomplish those goals has never been proven. At one point during budget talks, Moynihan derided the program as “welfare for social workers,” several participants said.

But other legislators argued that, even if the program does not save money by avoiding foster-care placements, it will provide badly needed help for children. “This creates early intervention to keep children from being abused,” said Rep. Robert T. Matsui (D-Sacramento), who was the program’s chief sponsor in the House.

The program “has been pared down a good deal, but at least we got it,” Matsui said.

The birth of this new program is an object lesson in how legislators and Administration officials can use the arcane rules of the budget-cutting process to advance other items on the legislative agenda.

Over the years, Waxman has become a master at that art. This time around, he engineered a new $200-million program to expand the number of tuberculosis patients who can receive federal Medicaid benefits over the next five years. He also played a key role in winning money for the Administration’s proposed child immunization program, which would receive $585 million under the budget bill.

Although immunization has been a high priority for Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Waxman and other supporters of the program had to overcome opposition not only from congressional conservatives but from some White House officials who were willing to accept much lower dollar amounts for the program as they sought to hit their deficit-cutting goals, according to Administration and congressional sources.

Under the tuberculosis program, people who are poor but not otherwise eligible for Medicaid–primarily single men without children–and who have active tuberculosis can receive government-supplied out-patient services if the state they live in decides to participate. Public health officials said they hope that the additional money will reduce the rapid spread of the disease by targeting a group of people who often do not receive care.

The immunization program has two major components. The first part will provide $500 million over the next five years to pay for vaccinations for 2.6 million children whose families lack insurance. The money also will cover the 6.5 million children now covered under Medicaid, relieving the states of a financial burden.

The second part of the bill, which has drawn howls of outrage from drug manufacturers, would allow all states to buy vaccines in bulk at the price manufacturers provide to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–something 11 states now do. The CDC has negotiated steep discounts from the prices that drug companies charge private pediatricians.