Jody Plauché was 11 years old when his father Gary shot and killed his accused molester at a Louisiana airport in 1984
A child abuse survivor whose father shot his accused abuser to death in plain view of television news cameras in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the 1980s says he suggests parents whose children are molested “not to take the law into your own hands and put yourself in a position to be prosecuted”.
Instead, “I would advise [them] … to be there for their child,” Joseph Boyce “Jody” Plauché remarked in a new interview that was recently published by People.
Kazakhstani soprano Aigerim Altynbek believes “greater heights” await after she came first in an international opera singing competition in Italy.
Altynbek was among singers from 50 countries competing in the Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino (CLIP) in the scenic harbor village of Portofino. The competition, which began in 2015, aims to support young talents and many of its winners and finalists have embarked on successful careers.
“I want to share some incredibly joyful news with you!” Altynbek posted on Instagram after she was awarded first prize on Sunday. “This was a truly special experience for me – and I believe even greater heights lie ahead.”
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Altynbek.
“This achievement, which has made our country’s culture known to the world and has been recognized by international experts, is of great significance,” Tokayev said. “You have made our state proud and brought our native art to the forefront of the world.”
Altynbek performed a duet last month with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Pompeii, days after an appearance with Spanish tenor José Carreras in Astana. She has already received a number of accolades, including first prize in the Città di Arcore – Giacomo Puccini opera singing competition in Italy last year. She has been studying in Italy after graduating from the Kazakh National University of Arts.
Reuters
If you’re a Floridian eyeing a new MacBook, you might want to wait until next month to go shopping.
About a dozen US states are gearing up for the sales tax holidays they hold during back-to-school season each year. These holidays allow shoppers to buy certain items without paying state sales tax. For example, Florida’s sales tax holiday, held this year from August 1 to August 31, covers eligible clothing, shoes, accessories, school supplies, and computers that cost less than $1,500.
These state tax exemptions can offer big savings, especially on pricey items like electronics. In Massachusetts, shoppers could buy a brand new 16-inch MacBook Pro for its retail price of $2,499 instead of the estimated $2,720 a New Yorker would have to pay after tax. Apple is promoting the state tax exemptions on its website, as MacRumors previously reported.
Many of the states hold their tax holidays in July and August in preparation for students returning to school and advertise the tax-free period as a back-to-school sales tax holiday. The specific dates can vary from year to year.
Some also offer sales-tax breaks at other times of year on items such as emergency preparedness supplies or household appliances. Florida is set to give residents a tax break on hunting, camping, and fishing gear beginning September 8.
Sales taxes make up almost half of state tax revenues, according to 2024 Census data. These holidays combined will cost states and localities nearly $1.3 billion in lost revenue this year, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated.
These are some states that have sales tax holidays for electronics and school supplies. Each state’s department of revenue or taxation website has more details.
West Virginia (August 1 to August 4): Computers $500 or less, and other items such as eligible clothing, school supplies, and sports equipment.
Several states also offer sales tax holidays on other items, such as clothing, footwear, or back-to-school supplies. They include:
Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.