Tourists in Italy have been ignoring vital instructions from the local authorities following a major volcanic eruption earlier this month.
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Italy’s stunning island of Sicily. It first erupted on February 8.
Lava emerged from the volcano and descended along the southwest flank of the volcano, reaching an altitude of around 1,950 metres above sea level. Rather than staying away, tourists have been climbing the mountain to witness the sight up close.
Restrictions have been put in place, and tourists must stay at a minimum distance of 500 metres away from the lava flow, which must be accompanied by guides.
However, those rules are not being followed, and according to mountain police, known as Soccorso Alpino, people are climbing up too close to see the eruption that has been taking place for days.
With the number of people on the mountain, it has become difficult for authorities to monitor the situation, and therefore, guards are calling for the public to take responsibility.
In addition to the hot molten lava being extremely dangerous, the winter conditions on the mountain are also an issue. Appropriate clothing is necessary to stay safe at Mount Etna, but that is another big issue people have not been considering.
“We have already made some rescues, mainly because people don’t have the proper clothing”, shared marshal Paolo Bernardini of the Nicolosi mountain rescue team.
“We find tourists with hypothermia”, he continued. Despite the bans issued by the mayors of the Catania area, pictures show crowds of people gathered to witness what had been taking place.
The photographs also show the ash, flaming rocks and lava.
The flow emerged from a fissure on the southern rim of the Bocca Nuova crater. Fortunately, the lava flow did not pose an immediate threat to inhabited areas.
However, those who are in the area and plan to view the lava flow should adhere to the rules of the local authorities that have been put in place the safety of those around.
Longevity expert Dan Buettner says locals on the island of Ikaria, known for its residents’ longevity, love to tuck into meal which contains three key ingredients packed with range of health benefits.
Dan has spent decades investigating the secrets behind the extended lifespans in certain regions.
During a visit to Ikaria, a small island off the Greek coast, where one-third of locals reportedly live past the age of 90, he discovered locals preparing a chickpea soup with lemon and herbs.
This recipe, featured in Dan’s book, The Blue Zones – Secrets for living longer, consists of five easy steps.
It combines olive oil, freshly squeezed lemons, a blend of herbs, and chickpeas to create a delightful broth.
Expressing his fondness for the Ikarian dish, Dan penned: “This simple soup is a warming alternative to chicken soup in the winter, and yet another way to creatively make beans taste good and figure into your daily diet. Chickpea soup is one of the most classic comfort foods in Ikaria and even throughout the rest of Greece – you’ll find it in almost every home and tavern.”
Not only is this popular Mediterranean dish bursting with flavour, but it also boasts numerous health benefits.
Chickpeas
In an article titled The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus by a group of US health experts, they highlighted how this tasty food, which can also be enjoyed as hummus, is an excellent source of two essential nutrients.
They wrote: “Four tablespoons of traditional, chickpea-based hummus per day provides approximately two cups of legumes per week and 25 grams of dietary fibre – a shortfall nutrient in the diets of many adults and children. This same amount also provides approximately 14g of plant protein per week, as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals.”
The double-duty nutrients of protein and fibre do more than regulate health; they’re also thought to help lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes by working together to slow digestion and increase satiety.
Lemons
Lemons add another layer of benefit to the iconic Ikarian dish made largely from chickpeas.
Just one lemon contains roughly 60 percent of our recommended daily vitamin C intake, noted for slashing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Healthline also cites studies indicating that consuming more citrus fruits could even cut the risks associated with lung cancer.
Herbs
Additionally, herbs including garlic and bay leaves, integral to the Ikarian Chickpea soup recipe, are said to show various health advantages upon those who regularly indulge in this dish.
Garlic has long been praised for its health benefits, including its potential to lower cholesterol and combat seasonal ailments like the flu.
Bahee Van de Bor, a spokesperson for the British Dietitian Association and paediatric dietician, told the BBC: “Garlic contains high levels of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, sulfur and moderate amounts of magnesium, manganese and iron. It’s a bit of a wonder vegetable.
“Not only does it offer a rich array of essential nutrients but also serves as an excellent source of prebiotic fibre, which is crucial for providing nourishment for the beneficial bacteria residing in our gut.”
Long before Matthew Modine set foot in the Upside Down in Stranger Things, he established himself as a talented actor. Modine first gained recognition in the 1980s, starring in films like Birdy and Vision Quest. At the same time, Val Kilmer (a Juilliard-trained actor who had previously worked on stage) was trying to make it in Hollywood, appearing in films like Top Secret!, Real Genius, and Top Gun. Their paths crossed in a surprisingly intense confrontation, which Modine recently recounted on the Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast.
At the time, Modine was having breakfast with David Alan Greer, after the two had won an award at the Venice Film Festival for Robert Altman’s Streamers.
“There was a fella sitting about 10 feet from me and he was saying obscenities. It was clearly directed at me. I told David, who had his back to this fella, I said, ‘either that guy’s an actor studying a monologue or he has Tourette’s.’ But he’s clearly telling me to go F myself.
David looked over his shoulder and he says, ‘Oh, that’s Val Kilmer. He’s a really nice guy.’ David had worked with him on ‘Top Secret.’ So he got up and started talking to him, and he waved me over and I came over. I said, ‘Hi, my name’s Matthew.’ And Val says, ‘Yeah, I know who you are. I’m sick of you, man.’
Although Kilmer didn’t clarify what he meant, Modine thinks he knows why the fellow actor was annoyed with him. “Val had probably been auditioning for the same movies that I had as well,” said Modine. “I’d just done Mrs. Soulful, Private School, Vision Quest, so he probably was really sick of me.”
Ironically, this uncomfortable encounter helped Modine secure his role in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter commemorating the 40th anniversary of Vision Quest, Modine recalled how, during the awkward exchange with Kilmer, he was accused of having secured a part in Full Metal Jacket.
“And I said, ‘I’m not doing ‘Full Metal Jacket. You had to audition for it, which Val did. In his documentary, it shows how deep he went into the audition for that film. So I said, ‘I assure you, I’m not doing ‘Full Metal Jacket’ because I didn’t audition.'”
But that didn’t discourage Modine from stepping into action. He quickly phoned his agent, who was unaware of any details surrounding Kubrick’s 1987 war drama. Modine then suggested that they leverage an existing connection:
“So I said, ‘Well, I know that Kubrick makes his movies with Warner Bros., and we have ‘VisionQuest’ there. So why don’t we call [‘Vision Quest’ director] Harold Becker and Warner Bros., and ask them to send a print to Stanley Kubrick so he can see it? I’ll also call Alan Parker in London to get him to send over some scenes [from ‘Birdy’s edit].'”
Modine received the Full Metal Jacket script a month later, with a note from the late great Kubrick that read:
“Hello, my name is Stanley Kubrick. I’m a film director, and I wonder if you’d consider being in my film.”
Although Kilmer never worked alongside Kubrick, he did go on to enjoy a successful career. His portrayal of Jim Morrison in The Doors was a career highlight; his other notable projects include Willow, Tombstone, Heat, The Saint, True Romance, and 2021’s Val, an award-winning documentary about his life and career.
Modine’s impressive and expansive filmography includes Married to the Mob, Pacific Heights, Altman’s Short Cuts, Operation Varsity Blues, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. He also made memorable appearances on television in And the Band Played On, What the Deaf Man Heard, and Weeds. Modine has also directed short films and took part in stage productions.
Matthew Avery Modine born March 22 1959 is an award winning American actor His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick s Full Metal Jacket the title character in Alan Parker s Birdy high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest and the oversexed Sullivan Groff in Weeds
Warning: contains potential spoilers for Godzilla: Heist #1!
Godzilla has a new master, crowning an unexpected “King of the Monsters.” The very idea of anyone, or anything, controlling Godzilla might seem far out to many, but it is not outside the realm of possibility. In a preview for IDW’s Godzilla: Heist #1, a clever criminal finds a high-tech way to manipulate Godzilla for his own ends, but how long can this relationship last?
IDW shared a preview for Godzilla: Heist #1 with AIPT. The preview for the book, written by Van Jensen and drawn by Kelsey Ramsay, opens with a thief casing a casino. He boasts he does not need a crew for this heist, but he does have help: Godzilla! The thief has somehow acquired a series of drones that can bait Godzilla. The King of Monsters goes on a rampage, providing a smokescreen for the thief to go in and steal cash and gold. The thief, named Jai, likens it to “playing fetch with a god.”
Godzilla Is Earth’s Premiere Kaiju–And Its Most Powerful
How Did Godzilla End Up on a Heist Crew?
Godzilla helped kick off the “kaiju” genre in 1954, and it is only fitting he is the most powerful of them all. Awakened by atomic testing in the Pacific Ocean in the early 1950s, Godzilla would stomp a path across Japan. His enormous size and atomic breath made Godzilla extremely hard to kill, and even after he was seemingly defeated, he returned time and again. Godzilla became a hero as the movies continued, fighting King Ghidorah and King Kong, and his popularity would skyrocket throughout the world.
The preview does not make it clear if different frequencies can elicit different responses, but Jai got Godzilla to use his atomic breath to break through an impenetrable barrier.
Throughout Godzilla’s career, one constant has emerged: he cannot be controlled, which makes Jai’s actions in the preview for Godzilla: Heist #1 all that more impressive. The technology Jai uses special frequencies that he shoots into the air, all designed to rile Godzilla up. The preview does not make it clear if different frequencies can elicit different responses, but Jai got Godzilla to use his atomic breath to break through an impenetrable barrier. Jai swears by this system, as it has helped him pull off some big heists.
IDW Has Sent Godzilla Around the World and Through Time
Godzilla Will Soon Visit America
Godzilla as part of a heist crew sounds even wilder than someone being able to control him, but the preview makes it clear the King of Monsters is vital to Jai’s success. Scenarios placing him in unique situations have been a hallmark of IDW’s line of Godzilla comics since they began. Various minis and one-shots have transported Godzilla to different historical contexts and locations. A forthcoming series will see Godzilla come to America’s shores, visiting cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago. Other IDW Godzilla books have placed him in feudal Japan.
Godzilla will soon return to stomp his way through the Marvel Universe, and his first targets are none other than the Fantastic Four!
Godzilla has become a lasting pop culture icon, and his longevity is proof that he can be reinterpreted in new contexts, and Godzilla: Heist is taking a clever and unique approach to the King of Monsters. The distractions Godzilla creates help Jai pull off his elaborate heists, and by not having a crew, he can keep all the loot he steals for himself. The preview does not reveal how Jai obtained the equipment to manipulate Godzilla, making it one of Heist’s central mysteries. Regardless of how he got the technology, it seems to work.
Can Godzilla Be Truly Controlled? Or Is Jai Delusional?
Godzilla Might Be Too Much for Jai
On paper, Jai’s “arrangement” with Godzilla seems perfect, which raises questions about how long it can last. In the preview, Jai seems confident in his abilities to control Godzilla, but such a system is untenable. Godzilla is too large and too powerful to be controlled for any amount of time, meaning it will not be long before Jai’s system of controlling him falls apart, and the King of Monsters goes on another destructive spree.
When Denisa Hanna opened the text and saw images of the flames and smoke of the Palisades fire advancing from the highlands, she knew she had to cancel rehearsal.
She was safe in her home, Mid-City, but the pictures had come from the secretary of Palisades Lutheran Church, who was evacuating. The roads were jammed and the wind was howling.
“Please stay safe and say prayers for our friends near this horrible disaster,” Hanna, the president of the Palisades Symphony Orchestra, wrote in an email to its members.
They had planned to gather that night at the church on Sunset Boulevard, their first practice of the new year. For almost 60 years, the all-volunteer orchestra — together with the Brentwood Palisades Chorale — had served the community with a series of annual programs, and their first concert of 2025 was just a few weeks away.
Debbie Rafei hugs her cousin, Palisades Symphony violinist Douglas Green, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, during intermission.
Both improbable and inspirational, the 70-member orchestra grew from a fledgling adult education program at the local high school into a beloved institution through the hard work of its founder, Joel Lish, and Eva Holberg. Lish died in 2024 and Holberg two years earlier, but still the symphony played on.
But now its future had grown dark as embers turned to flames and flames ran through neighborhoods to the sea, and the music they loved fell silent.
The next day Hanna, who also performs with the orchestra on bass, sent another email. Even though Palisades Lutheran Church had not burned down, their community — and members’ homes — were in ashes.
“Due to the devastation,” she wrote, “I am not very sure about rehearsing. We may not even be able to get into the Palisades for quite a while.”
The scope of the disaster grew clear as the orchestra began to reconnect.
“We lost our house,” wrote first violinist Helen Bendix in a brief email to musical director and conductor Maxim Kuzin.
Palisades Symphony violinist Helen Bendix, left, who lost her home in the Palisades fire, is congratulated by Lynda Jackson after the symphony’s performance.
Bendix was one of the 16 members of the symphony and the chorale who had lost their homes. Between the Palisades and Eaton firestorms that week, more than 16,000 structures were lost and at least 29 people killed.
In the aftermath of such a tragedy, the musicians wondered how — even if — they could continue.
The violins and violas had to be saved. On the morning of the fire, Bendix grabbed them and headed with her husband to their car. The instruments were a connection to her mother, who had played the cello and died in 2020. At 72, Bendix was not about to lose that.
The impulse was as close to an instinct as she had ever felt, even though she assumed their home would be safe. Left behind were a portrait of her grandmother, photographs of her family, jewelry, wardrobe and the less sentimental essentials of life, glasses for reading music, tax records, medicine, passports and car.
Seven miles west from where the Palisades fire started in Temescal Canyon, Ingemar Hulthage didn’t grab his violin. With the fire advancing, he and his partner, Melinda Singer, caged their cats, loaded them in the car and drove away from their cul-de-sac home west of Topanga, hoping they would return.
Palisades Symphony member Stan Hecht rolls his bass drum into Westwood United Methodist Church before the benefit concert.
He too never thought the flames would travel as far as they did. He had lost his home in the 1993 Malibu fire — along with his most prized Fagnola violin — but he returned and rebuilt, installing a sprinkler system and purchasing another violin.
Taken in by a friend in Van Nuys, Hulthage hoped history wouldn’t repeat itself. But a video from a neighbor taken a day later confirmed the loss. There had been no water for the sprinklers.
Like hundreds of families in Los Angeles who had lost everything overnight, lives upended, Hulthage and Bendix were soon tallying losses and searching for a place to live, a modicum of stability.
Music director Maxim Kuzin, center, and the Palisades Symphony acknowledge applause after their performance.
When Maxim Kuzin began to receive emails from orchestra members asking when rehearsals would resume, he wasn’t certain how to answer. He had been with the orchestra for just a year and had always felt strength in the dedication of its members.
He lived in Gardena, far from the devastation, but knew how disorienting loss can be. He had emigrated from Ukraine in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea but felt as if he had never really left. So when news came last year that his childhood home in Kyiv had been hit by a missile, he was stunned.
Maybe music could help. He thought of the program he had planned back in December: the Taras Bulba Overture by Mykola Lysenko, a concerto by Edvard Grieg and César Franck’s Symphony in D Minor. Maybe like the musicians who endured the siege of Sarajevo in 1992 and still performed on the front lines, they too could shake their fists at the universe, at the forces of chaos and destruction.
“Recognizing the power of music to comfort and heal, we have decided to resume rehearsals as early as this Tuesday, January 14th,” he wrote in an email to the orchestra.
When Bendix read these words, she felt a feeling of relief. Moving forward sometimes means no looking back.
“We need to get together,” she replied, hoping she wasn’t too rusty.
Palisades Symphony violinist Ingemar Hulthage, center, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, moves a piano with violist David Quinn during intermission.
Without his violin, Hulthage wondered if he’d even be able to play. He joined the orchestra almost 25 years ago. As second violin, he considered himself an amateur, but he had always felt at home in the company of musicians.
Hanna knew she could help.
Many of the other musicians had saved their instruments. A friend, who played bass and owned a few electric basses — and who had lost his home — even joked about it. “I’ve got more basses in this motel room than I have underwear,” he said.
As a luthier — skilled at repairing stringed instruments — Hanna had a violin she could give Hulthage, and when the orchestra gathered on Jan. 14 to rehearse in the small meeting room of a senior living facility in Westwood, she presented it to him. He was overcome.
“This was the most normal I’ve felt since the fire,” he said.
Now they had a month to get ready.
Four weeks later, on the day of the concert, Hulthage purchased a tuxedo but had yet to change as he helped set up chairs for the strings in the transept of Westwood United Methodist Church. Though their performance space, the Lutheran church in Pacific Palisades, was still intact, months of cleaning soot and ridding the smell of smoke lay ahead.
Guest soloist Alexander Wasserman practiced the Grieg concerto, chords like thunderclaps resonating from the grand piano, a gorgeous black-lacquer Shigeru Kawai donated for this performance.
Two men wrestled three large timpani drums up the steps to the space before the altar. Another maneuvered the harp into the choir. In the vestibule, Katie Rudner folded programs for arriving guests and handed out envelopes for checks and helped with Venmo charges. Donations would be set aside to help the musicians and members of the community.
At 7 p.m. Bendix arrived, dressed in a black sequined skirt, jacket, scarf and earrings her children had presented to her after the fire. She found her seat in the second row and began warming up on the violin that her mother gave her 25 years ago.
Maxim Kuzin conducts the Palisades Symphony. He lived in Gardena, far from the fire devastation, but knew how disorienting loss can be. He had emigrated from Ukraine in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea.
Kuzin, dressed in embroidered Ukrainian shirt, greeted friends and well-wishers. More than 200 visitors slowly filled the sanctuary, and at 7:30 Hanna addressed the audience, beginning with her gratitude for the use of the church and closing in appreciation of the many who had helped make the evening possible. Then she stepped down and walked to where her bass stood.
Kuzin lifted his baton.
With two ascending notes, then two more and two more, the orchestra began Lysenko’s heroic overture, its lyrical grandeur slowly emerging as the strings and horns gathered strength and its momentum soon swelling to its rousing close.
As the applause ebbed, Kuzin took a moment to address the audience. The piece by the Ukrainian composer, rarely performed in the United States, elicited the conductor’s pride.
Attendees applaud the Palisades Symphony’s performance.
“I hope you can understand why Ukrainians cannot lose the war. A nation with such music cannot simply lose,” he said before welcoming Wasserman, who delivered a dramatic and sweet interpretation of the Grieg concerto.
After intermission, Kuzin appealed to the audience for its financial support, briefly speaking about the fire and those who lost everything.
“I hope that some of us will get that idea that they live now in a different world than all of us did in this period of time,” he said, hoping to re-create community with music, a bond of empathy, so that in the aftermath of this tragedy, “eventually, hopefully, some kind of meaning will be revealed to those of you who suffered.”
The D-minor key of the Franck symphony set a somber mood as violins tried to lift the melody up from the darker, deeper notes, and out of the score rose memories of the fire, the gusting wind, the smell of smoke and the heat. Crescendos broke like an overwhelming force over musicians and audience alike.
The second movement was the respite, opening with the harp and plucked strings. The English horn issued a plaintive, simple melody, as if trying to evoke older memories of a nearly forgotten time.
Westwood United Methodist Church. Though Palisades Symphony Orchestra’s performance space, the Lutheran church in Pacific Palisades, was still intact, months of cleaning soot and ridding the smell of smoke lay ahead.
The third movement was reclamation. In point and counterpoint, the musicians delivered a feeling of possibility that maybe one day they may all return to the homes they had lost and to the community that had embraced them almost 60 years ago.
The audience clapped and cheered. Kuzin mopped his brow, and Hulthage, Bendix, Hanna and rest of the orchestra stood and bowed.
Tate McRae’s third studio album, ‘So Close to What,’ just released today and the pop singer opens up about the inspiration behind her album. From her multitude of looks in the “Sports Car” music video, to her raw honesty in “Purple Lace Bra,” to a deep conversation with her dad leading to “Nostalgia,” Tate McRae shares her story behind her new album.
What do you think of her album? Let us know in the comments!
Tate McRae:
Is a Ferrari a sports car? I like a Ferrari. Sometimes it can be a bit of a mind f—. I remember crying on my 21st birthday. Creation is supposed to be from a place of total freedom. I mean, my team is f—ing chaotic, like, we have very ambitious shoots. We want to do everything in the world. And I’m also just like a bulldog on music. I’m just like, ‘Let’s get everything done.’ I don’t need a lunch break. Like, let’s just go. Everyone’s screaming at me, like, whip your hair. No, it’s like, it’s literally chaotic. The last set of the day, and it was the tank, and we were shooting the whole thing on film. So we only had so much left. And the director, my creative director, my hairstylist, everyone went like, “whip your head, dance!” And then eventually, like my- I dunked my whole head underwater. My whole wig fell off. And I was like “guys, this is literally insane.” What do I need in the studio? As long as I just have a person that doesn’t make me feel awkward, then I can write a good song. If I have people who are open to like the worst ideas ever, I feel like I’ll usually spit out good stuff, but if there’s a judgy crowd or energy in the room, it’s like literally one of the most dreadful processes of all time. I knew I wanted to put “Sports Car” out, mostly because I felt like it was a big swing for me as a dancer, and I could really see that song visually.
Earlier this week, news broke that Teresa Giudice of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, might be getting her own spinoff. The theory is interesting and would probably mean that the OG wouldn’t return to her beloved franchise. But fans are split down the middle on whether or not a spinoff would suit Tre and her family. Here’s what a possible solo show could look like.
Teresa Giudice’s All in the Family spinoff
One reality star does not make a spinoff. So, I would assume Tre would need the help of her family to make it successful. Now we already know she won’t be relying on Joe Gorga or Melissa Gorga to be the supporting cast due to their feud. So her four daughters, Luis Ruelas and possibly Joe Giudice, would have to be signed on as well. However, I don’t know how interested viewers are in seeing Luis on a spinoff series. He didn’t get along with the Real Housewives of New Jersey cast so well. And he and Tre are rumored to be having troubles. Now, if Bravo could promise scenes like their deleted fight over money in front of the gardener, I’d tune in. But I doubt viewers would get any of that.
If anything, Teresa would want to showcase her ideal traditional family. But all three older daughters are out of the family home. So, the pressure would land on Audriana Giudice to carry that load. The theme could also center around Tre and Luis’ first years of marriage as newlyweds. But again, I don’t think there is a real audience for that type of series.
Teresa Giudice would be the one and only star
The spinoff should be all about Teresa. For years, viewers have tuned in to watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey because of her drama. The mother of four gave us the table flip and ponytail tug heard around the world. She knows her worth and knows she has immense star power. Tre has so many ventures going that seeing her as an entrepreneur could be interesting. Cameras could follow her around on book and press tours while she meets and greets fans. If she is writing another book, Bravo cameras could capture the entire process.
Now that I think of it, maybe Tre should do more of a Crappie Lake spinoff. She’d kill with her Teresa-isms and probably loath having to tour around small-town America. If anything, it would be entertaining for Bravo fans. Imagine Teresa camping or fishing in her faux designer clothes. Maybe the mother of four gives out advice to the people she meets along the way. She could share her opinions on not cheating the government out of money or how to make a long-distance parenting schedule work with your ex.
A spinoff for Teresa Giudice might not work
It very much feels like Bravo is stalling when it comes to their plans for the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Fans have already been made aware we won’t be seeing the ladies of the Garden State until at least 2026. And rumors broke this week that only three women were being asked back. Vicki Gunvalson recently commented while on My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast about the possibility of a reboot. She shared, “I like seeing the same cast members over and over and over again,” but admitted the same fights have become a bit boring. Even Tre seems a bit apprehensive about a spinoff that would revolve around her family.
While hosting her podcast, Turning the Tables, Teresa shared, “The whole thing is, it is a lot to have it all on your family. But listen, never say never, so you never know what the future holds.” Personally, I feel as if Tre’s story has been told. There is no sequel needed. Bravo would have to think long and hard about what type of spinoff Tre is capable of doing. And if they are being honest, they might need to admit that she is perfect for the series but awful for her own. Only time will tell as fans are still awaiting news about a possible reboot for the Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Before Arielle Kebbel was saving lives as a lifeguard on Fox’s new drama Rescue: HI-Surf, she was a first responder on another (then Fox) show, 9-1-1. (The series has since moved over to ABC starting with its seventh season.)
Kebbel played firefighter Lucy across 10 episodes in Seasons 5 and 6, working alongside then with the 118 — and causing some trouble in Buck’s (Oliver Stark) love life. While out for drinks celebrating an impressive rescue, she kissed him. His response? Rather than tell his girlfriend at the time, Taylor (Megan West), he asked her to move in. Needless to say, their relationship fell apart (and not just because of Lucy and that kiss). Kebbel was last seen in the Season 6 finale as part of the emergency that saw the entire 118 in trouble. So, when TV Insider caught up with Kebbel to talk about Rescue: HI-Surf, we had to ask if there’s any chance of seeing her on 9-1-1 again.
“I love that people still talk about me on that show. I’ll be honest, a lot of the 9-1-1 fans I thought hated Lucy. I thought that, I don’t know, people were so mad at her for kissing Buck, which really wasn’t her fault,” she noted.
“I loved playing her, and I loved being a part of that ensemble. Oh my gosh, they welcomed me with open arms. We had so many good laughs,” recalled Kebbel. “Now more than ever, any way to honor first responders, and of course firefighters, is an important act of respect. But I don’t know. I would love to. I guess I’m just pleasantly surprised people still ask about it because I felt like when I was on the show.”
She also shared that playing Lucy helped prepare her for the role of Em on Rescue: HI-Surf and there was a special connection to playing a firefighter for her.
“Actually, taking on the show, I had a big fear of fire. Half my house burned down when I was a child, and I remember I was screaming for 9-1-1,” Kebbel revealed. “I’ve always had such a respect — firefighters for me have been heroes since I was five years old, and so to be able to play one was so important to me. And so yeah, I would always go back.”
Would you want to see Lucy pop up again? If so, how? Let us know in the comments section below.
9-1-1, Midseason Return, Thursday, March 6, 8/7c, ABC
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Whether you just launched your company or have been running it for years, making money last is always a challenge. There are so many tempting things that seem like they could help promote your brand or take your business to the next level. But the truth is, not every expense actually brings a return on the investment.
I have seen a lot of businesses accidentally waste funds on ideas that look good on the surface but don’t really do much for profits or growth. Then down the road, they wish they had that money back for when it was really needed. That’s why I wanted to share my thoughts on some common business expenses that you may want to reconsider or tweak before you add them to your budget.
When first setting up a new office, it can be tempting to go all out and buy expensive furniture and decorations to make the office look great. While having a nice workspace is important, spending a ton of money on decor when you’re first starting out probably isn’t a good idea. Funky rugs, expensive art on the walls and super comfy lounge chairs in the break room sound nice, but they won’t directly help your business make money. It’s usually better to get basic, affordable furniture and spend money on things that will attract customers or clients instead. You can always upgrade the office look later when you have more money coming in.
2. Lavish company parties
Throwing big, fancy company parties can be a fun way to boost morale, but they can also be a major business expense if not done carefully. Before planning a blowout holiday bash or summer cookout, think about whether the cost is really worth it versus other ways you could spend the money. Consider hosting lower-key, affordable events instead of going all out at expensive venues and catering top-shelf food and drinks. Employee appreciation is great, but focus on building the business first before splurging too much on parties.
3. Unnecessary office space
Renting more office space than your business truly needs is wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere. If your company is still small with just a few employees working remotely most of the time or in a shared co-working space, you may not need a huge private office yet. Only expand your physical workspace as your employee count and on-site needs grow. Consider if a smaller, less expensive space could still meet your short-term needs to avoid overpaying for space sitting empty much of the time. Location can also affect rent prices, so evaluate if an equally good but less pricey area could work for you as well.
4. Overpaying for services
When first starting out, it’s easy to overpay for services since you likely have little negotiating experience yet. Make sure to get multiple quotes for services like website development, graphic design, legal help and more so you don’t get charged way more than necessary. Ask other local business owners for recommendations of reasonably priced service providers too. Additionally, confirm that your service providers will clearly outline the costs upfront so you aren’t shocked by unexpected extra fees later on.
While proper insurance is important, not all types of policies are absolutely necessary for every business. Evaluate your specific risks and needs before just signing up for every coverage type an agent suggests. For example, you may not require international business travel insurance if you have no overseas plans yet. Confirm you only insure assets you truly own — like not paying to cover leased equipment you will return. Always shop around quotes too to avoid overpaying due to lack of knowledge. Note that understanding your insurance basics will help avoid wasting funds on unnecessary policies.
6. Expensive conferences
The chance to network sounds exciting, but understand that industry events require plane tickets, hotels, food expenses and time away from running the core business. Ensure any conference truly aligns with specific goals like making three deals or more. If your attendance won’t directly lead to quantifiable results, the major investment may not be worth it starting out. Consider cheaper local meetups first.
7. Business gifts and swag
Customized mugs, pens, luggage tags and other branded swag sure can look nice, but they may not directly improve your sales or service enough to justify the often hefty upfront costs. Consider lower-cost or digital-only alternatives like email signatures and social graphics when possible. You can, either way, spend your gift and swag money on proven marketing tactics or employee bonuses instead if your goal is pure business growth versus brand exposure. Quality clients will care more about your work than free tchotchkes.
It’s easy to over-order basic office supplies in a quest for organizational perfection, especially at the start. But supplies have storage and expiration costs, so only buy what you will reasonably use within about six months to avoid waste. This goes for snacks and beverages, too. Also, take inventory before repurchasing to avoid duplicates sitting around unused. Remember you can always do smaller, more frequent supply orders as needed to cut back on excess. And don’t forget to look for lower-priced bulk or wholesale suppliers, which is better than always relying on major brands.
Hope this gives you all something to think about next time an inviting expense comes your way. Entrepreneurship is all about being scrappy — so get creative allocating funds strategically to where they’ll have the highest ROI for your unique goals first.
Tourists looking to watch the sunset from the Empire State Building’s observation deck could soon be forced to fork over more than $100.
That’s because the owners of the storied landmark have decided to institute dynamic pricing – the hated money-grabbing scheme that sends ticket prices soaring at times of high demand.
Tickets for the observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors currently start at $79 for an adult, jumping to $96 for prime viewings at sunset. That figure could top $100 if desperate romantics drive up the cost under the surge-pricing model.
Tourists looking to watch the sunset from the Empire State Building’s observation deck could soon be forced to fork over more than $100. VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The stratospheric prices have led to an outcry from fans of the King Kong skyscraper.
“The Empire State Building used to be an iconic, affordable NYC experience,” Kyle Taylor, an Atlanta chef who has frequently traveled to the Big Apple over the years, told The Post. “Pricing it as a near-luxury attraction just adds to the growing exclusivity of the city, which in general, I’m not a fan of.”
The new pricing model was revealed during an earnings call on Thursday by Tony Malkin, chief executive of Empire State Realty Trust, who said the plan will help keep the company’s finances strong.
“We expect continued growth in 2025,” Malkin said, according to a Crain’s New York, which first reported the move. “We are still below overall 2019 levels of volume and have room for upside as visitation levels improve.”
Prices for tickets to the beloved tourist decks already fluctuate based on the time of day, rising to their highest level at sunset, according to Empire State Building’s website.
Prices for tickets to the beloved tourist decks already fluctuate based on the time of day, rising to their highest level at sunset, according to the website. Domingo Sáez – stock.adobe.com
But even at their cheapest, a trip to the New York skyline staple’s top floors would require a family of five to shell out roughly $400. That’s a huge jump from the $1.10 ticket for the building’s observatory in the 1930s, or even the $55 price just 15 years ago.
A dynamic pricing system would employ an algorithm to further raise prices during times of high demand. It is unclear how much more expensive high-demand tickets at sunrise, for example, would fetch.
Empire State Realty Trust did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jurga Rubinovaite, a Belgium-based travel writer behind the blog Full Suitcase, splurged on a ticket during a visit to the Empire State Building last year. Despite the tall price tag, she said the experience was worth it.
Still, she told The Post she wishes “they would introduce family tickets or bigger discounts at quieter times of day to keep it more accessible for families.”
“Iconic attractions like this should be something that everyone has the chance to experience at least once,” she added.
A dynamic pricing system would employ an algorithm to further raise prices for the tourist attraction during times of high demand. travelview – stock.adobe.com
Dynamic pricing has been adopted by a number of major companies, including Uber, Amazon and Airbnb, which all rely on their own unique algorithms.
Wendy’s faced backlash last year after it announced plans to shift toward a dynamic model with digital menu boards. The fast-food chain later clarified that it would use the technique to offer discounts when business was slow, but it would not raise prices at peak times.
Some musical artists, like Bruce Springsteen and Oasis, have also taken heat after partnering with Ticketmaster, which uses surge pricing, to sell seats to their concerts.
Empire State Realty Trust reported net income for the observatory of $28.5 million in the fourth quarter, up 6% from the year before.
Empire State Realty Trust attributed flat growth projections to an uncertainty around tourism trends in 2025. santypan – stock.adobe.com
It reported a total 2024 net income of $99.5 million, up 5.8% from the year before.
The company expects net income between $97 million and $102 million this year, which one analyst on the call noted was a fairly flat growth prediction.
Malkin attributed this stagnant growth to an uncertainty around tourism trends in 2025. He said direct flights from China to New York are a far cry from pre-pandemic numbers, and that geopolitical tensions could make the US a less attractive spot for Europeans.
“America as a brand for tourists in Europe is under some threat,” he said. “We saw this before in the prior administration.”
