Latest news with #Knives
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrity hair stylist Fabio Sementilli's wife found guilty in his 2017 stabbing death
A Los Angeles jury on Friday found the wife of celebrity hair stylist Fabio Sementilli guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in his 2017 stabbing death. Sementilli, 49, was found with stab wounds to his neck, face and chest on the patio of his home in Woodland Hills, California, on Jan. 23, 2017. Monica Sementilli's sentencing is scheduled for June 23. A new "20/20" episode, "Sex, Knives, and Videotape", airing Friday, April 11, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu, examines the case. You can also get more behind-the-scenes of each week's episode by listening to "20/20: The After Show" weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by "20/20" co-anchor Deborah Roberts. Prosecutors said Monica Sementilli and her lover, Robert Baker, were having an affair and conspired to kill Fabio so the couple could be together and collect life insurance money. As the pair awaited trial, Baker decided in 2023 to plead "no contest" to all charges relating to Fabio's murder, including the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and murder while lying in wait. Pleading no contest meant Baker did not contest the charges and accepted the facts alleged by prosecutors without admitting to being guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. MORE: Betrayal turned deadly: The killing of a celebrity hair stylist In October, another man -- Christopher Austin -- was arrested in connection with the case. Testifying for the prosecution during Monica's trial in March, he told jurors that he and Baker stabbed Sementilli to death after she left the door of their home unlocked. When questioned by the defense, Austin denied that he had been offered a deal by prosecutors in exchange for his testimony. Austin was convicted of second-degree murder and personal use of a knife in Sementelli's killing. He faces 16 years in prison when he's sentenced in April. Friday's verdict may offer some degree of justice for the Sementilli family. In interviews prior to the jury's decision, they told "20/20" that they still feel his absence deeply. Sementelli's son Luigi, who is Monica's stepson said that he takes comfort from his father's Rolex watch. "He wore this all the time. He wore it when he died," he told "20/20." "I wear it for special occasions when I wanna feel close to him. It's probably my most -- one of my most cherished--- possessions." Sementelli's sister Mirella said she takes comfort in his memory. "It's hard to dig deep for a silver lining here. No, it's -- his legacy will live on," she told "20/20." "We were blessed to have him, even for a short time." Celebrity hair stylist Fabio Sementilli's wife found guilty in his 2017 stabbing death originally appeared on
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Shonda Rhimes' 'The Residence' is a deflated balloon of a whodunit
Shonda Rhimes' 'The Residence' is a deflated balloon of a whodunit Show Caption Hide Caption The most anticipated TV shows of 2025 USA TODAY TV critic Kelly Lawler shares her top 5 TV shows she is most excited for this year If I happened to be a Netflix honcho, and megaproducer Shonda Rhimes came to me with a pitch for a "Knives Out"-style murder mystery set in the White House, I would have said yes immediately, just as the real streaming service did. What's not to love about the idea? You've got Rhimes, the prolific TV creator responsible for "Grey's Anatomy" and "Bridgerton," plus the kind of silly/serious whodunit that has served Netflix very well with director Rian Johnson's "Knives" film series. Add stars like Uzo Aduba ("Orange is the New Black"), Randall Park ("Fresh Off the Boat") and Giancarlo Esposito ("Better Call Saul") and you might be tempted to start printing your own money. But somehow, despite all it has going for it, "The Residence" (now streaming, ★★ out of four) is a disappointingly flimsy and flaccid story. Created by Paul William Davies ("Scandal" and "For the People") and produced by Rhimes and frequent collaborator Betsy Beers, "Residence" is not an abject failure. But it's also nothing resembling the greatness of "Bridgerton" or "Grey's." It's like a dish cooked with a whole lot of expensive, artisanal ingredients that ends up tasting like Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. It tastes good, sure, but it's not nearly as delicious as all of its components should make it. Set in the headquarters of the nation's executive branch, the eight-episode miniseries takes place mostly on the night of a state dinner for Australian leaders in which chief White House usher A.B. Wynter (Esposito) is found dead in a room in the residential side of the building, and it's not clear if foul play is involved. It's a political, diplomatic and jurisdictional nightmare, and D.C. Metro Police Chief Larry Dokes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) calls in his trusty consulting detective, Cordelia Cupp (Aduba) to run the investigation. Quirky (but more in an annoying way than a charming one), savant-like and completely lacking in social niceties, Aduba's Sherlockian gumshoe somehow convinces the president (Paul Fitzgerald) to lock down the entire White House as she questions butlers, chefs, political staffers, foreign emissaries and even the president himself. Scenes of Cupp's investigation are intertwined with those from congressional hearings that inevitably followed the incident, complete with former Senator Al Franken playing a senator. Watching "Residence" is frustrating because none of these intriguing elements add up to much. Aduba's quirky Cupp lacks the originality and delectable flavor of great pop-culture detectives like "Knives" protagonist Benoit Blanc. Instead, she feels like a cheap Amazon dupe of the Daniel Craig character: Looks right in the pictures, but falls apart after delivery. Her character development is in the shallow end of the pool, yet she might be the character who's most deeply drawn in the overstuffed cast. The whodunit's central mystery is also half-baked: the death of Wynter is as bland as Esposito's character is in flashbacks. It doesn't provide the humorous tone the series is clearly courting, and the jokes are half-hearted and awkward. Even the show's title is a letdown: Although it's an accurate label for the private areas of the White House that the president and his family reside in, it is a generic, sanitized name for a series aiming for quirk and comedy. "Knives Out"! "Clue"! "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"! These are snappy titles that draw you in. (Meanwhile, my mind keeps confusing "The Residence" with Fox's 2018-23 soapy medical drama "The Resident.") The series just generally lacks snap, panache, style, verve, or whatever you want to call it. It's the pudding without the proof, less than the sum of its parts. TV is absolutely plagued with these good-but-not-good-enough series right now, so it's frustrating to sit through middling episodes from Hollywood's most talented professionals. If we're going to get Shonda Rhimes in the White House with a comedic murder-mystery series, I want to see the best version of that. Not just the most passable one Netflix can get to our screens.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indiana DNR debating future of Williams Dam on East Fork White River
For several months, Amy Amstutz-White has been on a desperate quest to save her 53-year-old bait and tackle shop and community's way of life. Her shop sits midway up the hill overlooking the East Fork White River. Farther downstream, Williams Dam looms over the water. Williams Dam is the subject of an Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) study for possible removal. Amstutz-White is trying to save it. 'I grew up playing and swimming in the river,' she said. In 1962, her grandfather bought a little shop across the parking lot which started the family business. Her father, Chris Amstutz, bought the business from his father and, in 1985, built a one-story brown cabin that houses the current shop. Inside White River Bait and Tackle, patrons can find deer and bison heads mounted on the wall, fishing lures of all shapes and sizes suspended from the ceiling, fireworks on the shelves, Buck Knives, and other knick-knacks. If the dam is demolished, the shop will disappear along with it. The Amstutz family was surprised when they first heard of the DNR's plan in October. 'I just didn't know what they wanted to do,' Chris Amstutz said. He has walked along the dam many times when the water was low, he said, and found nothing wrong with its foundation. The face of the dam, where water flows over, is thin and has been breached a few times by drift logs. Each time, the DNR has repaired it. But the back of the dam is strong. Chris Amstutz said he has never seen a crack in that part of the dam, which holds back the water. But the DNR says otherwise. 'Williams Dam is failing,' DNR Assistant Director Marty Benson said via email. 'DNR is conducting this feasibility study to present options to help prevent a total dam failure.' Those options include full, partial or no dam removal, according to a recent DNR press release. Originally constructed in 1913, according to information on Lawrence County's tourism website, the dam once provided hydroelectric power. Now it's a popular fishing spot. The DNR has scheduled a meeting at 5:30 p.m. on March 4 in Brinegar Hall at Stone Gate Arts & Education Center, 931 15th St. in Bedford. The DNR and its consultant SWCA will present the preliminary findings from their study. The meeting is promised to be a spirited affair. Amstutz-White has been reminding people to attend on her personal and business Facebook pages. She has also gathered more than 10,000 signatures on a paper petition titled 'Petition To Save Williams Dam.' The same petition on has garnered over 1,100 signatures. 'I'm posting not just as the owner of our local bait shop but as someone who, like so many of you, has countless memories tied to the waters of Williams Dam,' Amstutz-White wrote in the petition. 'This place is more than stone and steel; it's a haven where generations have come together to experience the peace and joy of nature, a sanctuary in a fast-changing world. Taking it away would tear apart a part of our community's soul.' 'I've grown up on this riverbank for 30 years,' an online petitioner commented. 'There's no place on earth I'd rather be. This river is way more than just a waterway. It's a way of life. Also, a lot of people's lives and businesses depend on this dam staying put. I see nothing but devastating impacts for both people and wildlife if we lose this dam. Please keep.' If the dam is demolished, 'we'll have a big mud hole up here for the rest of our lives, instead of a nice travel river,' said Chris Amstutz. 'Down below the dam right now, there's places where it's not 2 foot deep, all the way across,' he added. Both the DNR and SWCA said via email no decision has been made about the future of Williams Dam. This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: White River bait and tackle shop owner fights to save Williams Dam
Hi Dubai
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Hi Dubai
Top Table returns to Gulfood's 30th edition with world-class chefs and culinary futurists
The landmark event will welcome culinary royalty - 21 Michelin Star Chef Alain Ducasse for the first time, among a line-up of 120+ world-renowned chefs holding 50 Michelin Stars combined Gulfood, the world's largest annual food and beverage sourcing event, welcomes the return of global culinary icons to Top Table – its flagship culinary exhibit that aims to rediscover gastronomy under the theme ' Culinary Futurism '. For the first time in the mega event's history, international culinary legend Chef Alain Ducasse, the most awarded Michelin Star chef (21), will take to the spotlight along with a line-up of celebrated global and UAE-based chefs holding a combined 50 Michelin Stars. Top Table will see these F&B icons display their expertise through live cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and other activations across all 5 days of Gulfood (February 17 – 21 2025) from 10AM – 6PM at Al Mustaqbal Plaza near Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF FOOD WITH DISTINGUISED INTERNATIONAL AND UAE-BASED CHEFS This year's Top Table will set a new standard by bringing together the top culinary futurists from around the globe to reveal exclusive industry insights, cutting-edge cooking methods, novel F&B product discovery and cultural exchange that will transform perceptions of and interactions with food. It will explore how changing science, technology, and consumer preferences will influence food preparation, production, and dining experiences while presenting new techniques, inventive flavour combinations, unconventional textures and much more. Top Table will see participation from many charismatic international chefs such as: Alain Ducasse – Celebrity Chef & owner of Ducasse Paris, awarded 21 Michelin Stars and Lifetime Achievement on The World's 50 Best Restaurants List, owns 34 restaurants globally and holds Guinness World Record for most Michelin Stars awarded to a living chef – Celebrity Chef & owner of Ducasse Paris, awarded 21 Michelin Stars and Lifetime Achievement on The World's 50 Best Restaurants List, owns 34 restaurants globally and holds Guinness World Record for most Michelin Stars awarded to a living chef Romain Meder – Chef and Co-Founder of Prévelle in Paris, Alain's right-hand man, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and is the Pioneer of Naturalité Cuisine – Chef and Co-Founder of Prévelle in Paris, Alain's right-hand man, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and is the Pioneer of Naturalité Cuisine Angel Leon – Chef & owner of Aponiente, Spain, awarded 3 Michelin Stars, 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & owner of Aponiente, Spain, awarded 3 Michelin Stars, 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Ana Ros – Chef & owner of Hiša Franko, Slovenia, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & owner of Hiša Franko, Slovenia, awarded 3 Michelin Stars and 1 Michelin Green Star and 3 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Deepanker Kholsa – Chef & co-owner of Haoma, Thailand, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 1 Michelin Green Star and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Chef & co-owner of Haoma, Thailand, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 1 Michelin Green Star and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Fredrik Berselius - Chef & owner of Aska, Brooklyn, New York, awarded 2 Michelin Stars and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Several talented UAE-based chefs will also participate in Top Table including: Mohamed Orfali – Head Chef & co-owner of Orfali Bros, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 2 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Head Chef & co-owner of Orfali Bros, awarded 1 Michelin Star, 2 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Daniel Birk – Executive Chef at ROW ON 45 – Awarded 2 Michelin Stars, 3 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards – Executive Chef at ROW ON 45 – Awarded 2 Michelin Stars, 3 Toques by Gault & Milau and 2 Knives from the Best Chef Awards Solemann Haddad – Head Chef & owner of Moonrise, awarded 1 Michelin Star and 1 Knife from the Best Chef Awards, winner of Michelin Dubai Young Chef Award in 2022, and 2022 Gault & Millau Future Great of the Year. – Head Chef & owner of Moonrise, awarded 1 Michelin Star and 1 Knife from the Best Chef Awards, winner of Michelin Dubai Young Chef Award in 2022, and 2022 Gault & Millau Future Great of the Year. Ali Shiddique – Head Chef at LOWE, a restaurant that has received multiple prestigious accolades, including the Michelin Green Star in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for its dedication to eco-conscious gastronomy. EXPERIENCE THE LATEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE INNOVATIONS Top Table will also include exhibits showcasing novel industry innovations. Blend Studio – will showcase immersive masterclasses highlighting the newest trends and never-before-seen creations made by industry experts honouring the artistry of beverages spanning popular handcrafted cocktails to rediscovering the world of coffee while providing networking opportunities with the foremost beverage maestros. Likewise, The Tasting Room will involve leading F&B brands presenting their creations to top international chefs who will taste, evaluate and select the most outstanding inventions. This enables visitors to search for new F&B partners, unearth emerging trends and try inventive products, including a portfolio of unique cheeses, caviar, truffles, seafood, artisan bread and much more. WITNESS GLOBAL CULINARY ICONS DEBATING CRITICAL INDUSTRY ISSUES International F&B experts will take the stage to debate the industry's most pressing challenges and opportunities in The Culinary Debate. Traversing topics such as the involvement of Artificial Intelligence in F&B production, the efficacy of alternative and plant-based proteins or the impact of environmental sustainability, these debates will offer fresh perspectives on the rapidly evolving industry landscape. CELEBRATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULINARY TALENT Gulfood's YOUTHX Young Chef Challenge returns for its 4th edition, bringing together top emerging chefs from luxury hotels around the world to compete for AED 100,000 worth of prizes and a career-defining internship at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe. This year's challenge promises a dynamic showcase of cultural exchange, culinary diversity, and cutting-edge techniques, setting it apart from previous editions. EXPERIENCE DUBAI'S THRIVING FOOD SCENE Dubai World Cuisine returns with its exclusive fine-dining series, featuring four- and six-hands collaborations between homegrown and internationally acclaimed chefs. The highlight? An eight-hands dinner with legendary Chef Alain Ducasse, Romain Meder, and Takahisa's Wagyu and Sushi Masters Hisao Ueda and Takashi Namekata. These dinners are limited-seat experiences that sell out fast and are held at some of Dubai's most sought-after fine-dining restaurants. Marking its 30th edition, Gulfood also launches Gulfood After Hours, offering visitors exclusive deals at Dubai's top restaurants, from casual eateries to gourmet hotspots. Simply book a table and show a Gulfood ticket to enjoy special menus and discounts at venues like Filia, Luigia, Mama Shelter, Carna, Citronelle Club, and more throughout the event. For more information on Gulfood 2025, and to purchase tickets, please visit:
