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39 crimes in 90 days: KwaDukuza's alleged serial rapist demands private lawyer

39 crimes in 90 days: KwaDukuza's alleged serial rapist demands private lawyer

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Illinois Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 16, 2025
Illinois Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 16, 2025

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Illinois Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 16, 2025

The Illinois Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here's a look at June 16, 2025, results for each game: 17-21-23-27-52, Powerball: 19, Power Play: 5 Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here. Midday: 0-3-4, Fireball: 5 Evening: 5-0-0, Fireball: 4 Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here. Midday: 1-5-2-2, Fireball: 2 Evening: 3-9-3-4, Fireball: 4 Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here. Midday: 09-20-25-35-39 Evening: 07-12-16-26-35 Check LuckyDay Lotto payouts and previous drawings here. 05-10-16-19-28-48, Extra Shot: 21 Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results Prizes up to $600: Claim at an Illinois Lottery retailer, a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim. By mail, send the required documentation to: Illinois Lottery Claims Department, P.O. Box 19080, Springfield, IL. Prizes from $601 to $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim. Prizes over $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center or by mail. Appointments Required: Schedule an appointment for in-person claims. Documentation: Bring a photo ID and Social Security number proof. Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday. Lucky Day Lotto (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily. Lucky Day Lotto (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily. Lotto: 9:22 p.m. CT on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Pick 3 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily. Pick 3 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily. Pick 4 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily. Pick 4 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily. This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Illinois editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 16, 2025

The Best Baby Toys, from Birth to 12 Months
The Best Baby Toys, from Birth to 12 Months

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The Best Baby Toys, from Birth to 12 Months

This article may contain affiliate links that Yahoo and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links. Play is truly a baby's work. Staring at a waving rattle is how they practice tracking with their eyes, reaching for a toy is how they get motivated to crawl and grasp, and getting attached to their favorite toys is an early way babies learn to regulate emotions. If that all sounds intense for a person who can't even talk yet — it is! But also, pretty much anything is a toy to a baby. 'Babies are just starting to process the world through touch, sound, and movement, so anything soft, safe, and sensory-rich is wonderful,' says Haley DeSousa, head of curriculum and instruction at Haven childcare centers, which use a play-based, Montessori approach. (She's also a first-time expectant mom, so she understands how overwhelming the baby aisles can be!) 'I tell people to keep it pretty simple. Wave a scarf during tummy time, hand them a soft kitchen spatula to explore. You'll purchase toys, too, but it's helpful to know that you probably have many rich play materials right at home.' Always note age grading, but especially with kids this young. A toy marked for 6 months and up will likely be frustrating or useless for a 3-month-old. A 4-month-old has vastly different skills and interests than a 10-month-old, and manufacturers try to signal age-appropriateness to parents so kids are presented with developmentally appropriate toys. Avoid toys that 'perform' for your little one, and look for toys that are meant to engage them and that allow them to drive the play. You'll want a fairly robust number of toys and household distractions around. Babies can seem to have a really short attention span, because after 5 or 10 minutes they might get overwhelmed. It will be a few years before you can expect your child to play with something for a half-hour. But the good news is that sitting in their bouncer or high chair and watching you, a sibling, the dog, or even a waving tree can be just as much fun for your baby as playing with a toy. Amazon $6 Oballs are ideal for young babies who are learning to grab objects. This ball is very easy to grasp, which helps your baby be successful and avoid frustration. Once they grab it, they can shake it around to rattle it and even start work on releasing objects by throwing it (look for that skill closer to their first birthday). Buy Now Maisonette $17 Infants see objects with high-contrast most clearly — it's why they stare at people's hairlines, or at men with beards, or at trees out the window. These beautiful black-and-white cards will catch their eye, too, and hold their attention. Set them on the ground at tummy time, or prop one where your baby can see it while they're in the bouncer seat. When your baby can grasp onto them, the cards are made to withstand manhandling, chewing, and exploring with sticky hands. Buy Now Nordstrom $35 The high-contrast black and white of this simple grasp ball makes it positively baby bait — they'll reach for it and work on learning to grasp it early on. It's made of organic cotton and has a ring attached so you can add it to their stroller or play gym. Buy Now Amazon $40 (was $115) While there are plenty of great play gyms for a baby (see our reviews of three other play gyms we love), this new one from longtime brand Melissa and Doug combines best features for a very affordable price. The arches are sturdy wood, the mat reverses (black and white for infants, a colorful ocean for older babies) and the plush toys are high-quality. The whole thing folds down easily to stash away. Buy Now Amazon $18 Tens of thousands of five-star online reviews don't lie — this is a great toy for a young baby. It looks wild, but all those loops give a somewhat-uncoordinated little one plenty of places to grab on and hold. It's lightweight, and sometimes one of the first toys an infant can manage to bring up to their mouth — a major victory! Buy Now Walmart $17 Have a lovey around for your baby to get attached to. Self-soothing is a developmental milestone, so rather than fear they'll get dependent on clutching a blankie or plush friend, accept it as a way they'll calm themselves. Learn from our parenting experience: Help them get attached to something like Carter's Elephant blankie that is inexpensive and easy to replace, because the day will come when Ellie (or whatever your baby loves) will get misplaced and you'll need another, or a backup. Buy Now Walmart $15 Babies spend a hilarious amount of time enchanted by their own hands and feet. Make it even more fun with these socks and wristlets that turn their limbs into waving, rattling toys. Lay your baby on their back on a safe spot and they can entertain themselves looking at the high-contrast designs. All can be machine-washed. Buy Now Haba $18 The handle of your car seat or the bumper on a stroller practically cry out for something interesting for your baby to look at — this spiral toy fits the bill. Your baby can watch the shapes wave and sway, and eventually reach up to grab them. It's a much-appreciated distraction on a drive or long outing. Buy Now Amazon $14 (was $16) Simple, classic baby toys get a clever spin with this set of three infant toys. The taco crinkles and has tomato-shaped teethers, the avocado rattles and has a roller ball, and the lemon and lime clack together with a satisfying sound. Buy Now Amazon $40 This set of plush sensory toys — the textured veggies can be pulled out and set into a field of 'dirt,' the seed packets crinkle — can also be sat upright so the reverse side, a play mirror, attracts your infant during tummy time. It stays interesting the entire first year — first for gazing, then for grasping, then for 'gardening.' Buy Now Fat Brain Toys $11 See the phenomenon in action: Just as kids get excited about the box a toy comes in, babies get thrilled by the tags on toys. This brand capitalizes on that by having tags all over their toys! Babies can rub the silky loops, pull the elephant's tail, grasp the ear for a crinkling sound — and the whole thing can go in the washing machine if you've got a drooler. Buy Now Walmart $4 This might be the best bang for your toy buck ever. Babies love how the 'keys' knock together, and each of the three are actually a teether that's meant to be chewed on to provide some relief from teething pain. Cool it in the fridge and it can provide some numbing relief, too. It's easy to hook onto your diaper bag and have with you on outings. Buy Now Lovevery $92 If you've not already discovered these age-and-stage-based toy kits, now is a good time. The toys are spot-on for what your young baby is interested in and capable of handling, and the parent guide will walk you, the grown-up, through ways to engage your baby and promote development. If you love it, know that there are kits available for every three-month period through age 4. Buy Now Maisonette $50 Such a pretty sensory toy! This coral-reef-themed activity ball gives your baby many textures to explore, and includes both a teether and a small baby-safe mirror. It's lightweight and relatively small, about 8 inches by 7 inches, and has a loop for attaching it to a play gym or elsewhere. You'll want to hand-wash this one if it gets over-loved. Buy Now Lalo $95 There's nothing that will make you more self-conscious about the floors in your home than your infant being ready for rolling and crawling, and putting their hands in their mouth in between workout sessions. A cute floor mat will look good and give your little one a soft, easy-to-clean spot for playtime. Buy Now Amazon $142 Your baby might be ready for an upright activity center like this one at 4 or 5 months, but 6 months is more of a sure bet, when they have good neck control and their feet can reach the bounce mat with the keyboard. There are toys everywhere your baby turns on this! Later, remove the seat and turn this into a play table for other toys. It can stay useful for years. Buy Now Walmart $21 Halfway through the first year your baby will already be showing a sense of humor and a love of all things silly. This highly rated toy can be tipped over but pops back up, which leads to a total gigglefest for babies. It plays songs and sounds and lights up, too. Set it just out of reach to give your baby some incentive to crawl over and play with it. Buy Now Fat Brain Toys $13 As your baby starts to use a high chair for meals, we suggest a stick-on toy to keep them entertained and sitting longer. PipSquigz Loops adhere to the tray and provide tactile, rattling fun. They're food-grade silicone and safe for chewing, too. Buy Now Walmart $35 At 6 months your baby is at the 'fill and spill' stage, where taking objects out of something and then putting them back in is endlessly entertaining. This toy, a pretend fishbowl with little sea creatures, makes the exercise even better with lights, sounds, and songs if you choose to turn on the electronics (the batteries are included). Buy Now Amazon $5 Your baby's teeth continue to come in during the second half of the first year. This teether is easy for your baby to hold, and the massaging bristles can clean their gums too. Buy Now Target $28 Between 9 and 12 months your baby will become fascinated by the idea of object permanence — the concept that when something is hidden, it still exists. It's what makes peek-a-boo fun for them, and what will crack them up about this set of a wooden box and yellow ball. They drop the ball inside (practicing hand-eye coordination) then fish it out through the little door — over and over again. Buy Now Amazon $8 (was $9) Didn't we all play with this rocking set of stacking rings? It takes a surprising number of fine motor skills for a baby to get each of the five rings onto the peg, which is why we suggest it for 9 months and up. The top ring has rattling beads inside. Buy Now Lalo $13 By this age, you're going to start to need bath toys to make bathtime more like playtime. Nesting, stacking cups are one of the simple toys that DeSousa recommends. Lalo's six-piece set has drainage holes on every piece for water play, and they also nest together to make a pretty, pleasing shape. Buy Now Amazon $29 (was $35) At under a year old, your baby will likely just bang away on these keys, but that's all good fun. Later, they might be able to follow the color-coded music sheets to pick out simple tunes. You can set this wooden piano so that your child is making the music, or so that it plays familiar songs for them to move to (Beethoven's "Ode to Joy,' Mozart's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"). It has volume control. Buy Now Haba $20 Soon your baby will graduate to stacking wooden blocks, but in the meantime they can learn to set these soft blocks on top of each other. Each of the five is printed with a different animal and there are textures, crinkly noises, and squeakers, too. Buy Now Walmart $85 (was $100) You're going to want to encourage your baby's gross motor skills, too. This playhouse is huge for your baby but only 36 inches long for your playroom. They can crawl through the swinging door, pull up on the table, and walk around the house. They can also turn the light switch on or off, ring the doorbell, put pretend mail through a slot, or do any of dozens of other activities. The sounds and phrases the toy makes can be set to any of three stages, from simple sounds for a baby this age to lessons about numbers and colors for a toddler. Buy Now The Best Zipper Sheets to Solve the Worst Bed-Making Task 49 Stylish Nursery Ideas for the Unique Baby Room of Your Dreams This $16 Find Is One of the Best Purchases I've Ever Made at IKEA

Raleigh's Triangle Pro Painting Sets the Bar High for Exterior Painting and Staining Services
Raleigh's Triangle Pro Painting Sets the Bar High for Exterior Painting and Staining Services

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Raleigh's Triangle Pro Painting Sets the Bar High for Exterior Painting and Staining Services

Raleigh, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Raleigh, North Carolina - Triangle Pro Painting has once again raised the bar for exterior painting services across the greater Raleigh area, this time with a standout fence staining project that earned a glowing review from homeowner Angie Crookenden. Known for transparency around exterior painting cost, meticulous craftsmanship, and clear communication, the team delivered an experience that left Angie "beyond impressed" and eager to share her praise. The job may have started with wood and stain, but it quickly became a story about trust, skill, and good old-fashioned follow-through—hallmarks of true exterior painting specialists. Angie's feedback now joins a growing collection of strong exterior painting reviews, reflecting the consistency and care Triangle Pro Painting brings to every project. When Angie first contacted Triangle Pro Painting, she was looking for more than just a simple fence treatment. Her vision called for a durable, solid-color stain that would both protect the wood and elevate the overall look of the property. The challenge wasn't just in finding the right stain—it was in selecting the ideal color that would complement the home's existing palette and blend seamlessly into the outdoor environment. Triangle Pro Painting responded with personalized guidance and expert insight, helping the homeowner select Benjamin Moore's Woodluxe solid stain in Cordovan Brown, a rich and timeless shade that added elegance and warmth to the space. "We had such a positive fence staining experience with Triangle Pro Painting," Angie said. "David, who measured the fence and provided the quote, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He explained the entire process and helped me understand the difference between types of stains. Nelson, who power washed and stained the fence, was efficient and professional. EJ, the production manager, was eager to make sure we were 100% satisfied with the finished product and kept communication open during the process." As with every exterior project the company takes on, preparation was non-negotiable. Nelson ensured the fence was thoroughly power washed, stripping away dirt, pollen, and old debris that could interfere with stain adhesion. That kind of surface preparation not only leads to a smoother finish but also significantly increases the lifespan of the coating. In a region like Raleigh, where weather can be unpredictable and extreme, these extra steps are essential. The climate in central North Carolina presents a unique set of challenges for exterior surfaces. Humidity, rain, intense summer heat, and the occasional ice storm all conspire to wear down traditional coatings. That's why Triangle Pro Painting relies exclusively on high-performance, weather-resistant products like Woodluxe. Designed to resist fading, cracking, peeling, and mildew, it's the kind of product that holds up under pressure—protecting both aesthetics and structure. Fence staining, like all forms of exterior treatment, is about much more than curb appeal. It's also a matter of home preservation. Routine maintenance with professional-grade materials can extend the life of outdoor surfaces by many years. In Raleigh, a fresh exterior coating every five to ten years is the norm, depending on sun exposure, moisture, and material type. Triangle Pro Painting emphasizes this proactive approach to prevent costly repairs down the line. The company's client-first philosophy was particularly evident in the execution of Angie's project. Throughout the process, production manager EJ maintained direct communication, keeping the homeowner updated, answering questions, and ensuring expectations were met at every stage. This open line of contact gave the homeowner peace of mind and clarity, something many homeowners appreciate when navigating renovation decisions. "Everyone arrived on time and did exactly what they said they would do," Angie said. "I am beyond impressed by this company and love my newly stained fence." Though the job focused on fence staining, the principles applied—attention to detail, premium materials, and clear communication—are the same ones that drive all of Triangle Pro Painting's exterior work. These values are also central to the company's mission of delivering lasting value to Raleigh-area homeowners. With housing demand still strong, many homeowners are turning to exterior upgrades to make their properties stand out. A clean, well-painted or well-stained exterior can boost a home's curb appeal by up to 5%, a critical advantage in a competitive market. Triangle Pro Painting understands that today's homeowners are not just investing in appearances—they're investing in durability and peace of mind. The company continues to grow its loyal customer base by following through on its promises and exceeding expectations on jobs both large and small. "Our job isn't just to make your home or fence look good today—it's to make sure it still looks good years from now," said Brandon Griffin, founder of Triangle Pro Painting. "We don't cut corners. We don't rush. And we never leave a job without making sure our clients are 100% happy. That's the standard, whether it's a full exterior repaint or a custom fence stain." With a reputation built on integrity, professionalism, and premium craftsmanship, Triangle Pro Painting continues to set the tone for what homeowners should expect from local contractors. From initial consultation to the final walkthrough, each project is handled with care, pride, and a deep respect for the property and its future. For estimate inquiries or to schedule a consultation, contact Triangle Pro Painting at (984) 464-6162 or visit ### For more information about Triangle Pro Painting, contact the company here:Triangle Pro PaintingBrandon Griffon(984) 464-6162press@ Rowland Rd #102, Raleigh, NC 27615 CONTACT: Brandon GriffonError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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