NEW YORK (AP) — “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment in the Will Smith-Martin Lawrence action comedy series, opened with an estimated $56 million in theaters over the weekend, handing Hollywood a much-needed summer hit and Smith his biggest success since he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.

Expectations were all over the map for “Ride or Die” given the dismal moviegoing market thus far this summer and Smith’s less certain box-office clout. In the end, though, the Sony Pictures release came in very close to, or slightly above, its tracking forecast.

“Ride or Die,” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, is Smith’s first theatrical test since his 2022 slap of Rock earned him a 10-year Oscar ban. The “Bad Boys” film was in development at the time and ultimately went forward with about a $100 million production budget.

Smith starred in the Apple release “Emancipation,” but that film — released in late 2022 — was shot before the slap and received only a modest theatrical release before streaming.

This time around, Smith largely avoided soul-searching interviews looking back on the Oscars and instead went on a whistle-stop publicity tour of red carpets from Mexico to Saudi Arabia, where he attended what was billed as the country’s first Hollywood premiere. The 55-year-old Smith, who for years was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” the YouTube series “Hot Ones” and on Friday, made a surprise appearance at a Los Angeles movie theater.

Given that “Bad Boys” trailed May disappointments like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Fall Guy” – both of which struggled to pop with ticket buyers despite very good reviews – the “Ride or Die” opening counts as a critical weekend win for the movie business.

“The fact that a movie overperformed is the best possible news,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “It seems like all we’ve been doing over the past few weeks and almost since the beginning of the year, with a couple of exceptions, is try to figure out why seemingly well-marketed, well-reviewed movies have underperformed. This ignites the spark that the industry has been waiting for.”

“Ride or Die” still didn’t quite manage to match the opening of the previous “Bad Boys” film: 2020′s “Bad Boys for Life.” That movie, released in January 2020, debuted with $62.5 million. After the pandemic shut down theaters, it was the highest grossing North American release of that year, with $204 million domestically.

“Ride or Die” added $48.6 million internationally. Though reviews were mixed (64% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave the film a high grade with an “A-” CinemaScore. Black moviegoers accounted for 44% of ticket buyers, the largest demographic.

In the film, which comes 29 years after the original, Smith and Lawrence reprise their roles as Miami detectives. The plot revolves around uncovering a scheme to frame their late police captain (Joe Pantoliano). In one of the movie’s most notable scenes, Lawrence slaps Smith and calls him a “bad boy.”

Movie theaters will need a lot more than “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” though, to right the ship. Ticket sales are down 26% from last year and more than 40% below pre-pandemic totals, according to Comscore. A big test comes next weekend with the release of Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” After sending several Pixar releases straight to Disney+, the studio has vowed a lengthy, traditional theatrical rollout this time.

Last weekend’s top film “The Garfield Movie,” slid to second place. Also from Sony, the family animated comedy collected $10 million in ticket sales over its third weekend, bringing its domestic gross to $68.6 million.

The weekend’s other new wide release, “The Watchers,” failed to click with moviegoers. The horror film, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, is about a stranded 28-year-old artist in Ireland. Following poor reviews, the Warner Bros. release grossed $7 million in 3,351 theaters.

That allowed “If,” the Ryan Reynolds imaginary friend fantasy, to grab third place in its fourth weekend of release, bringing the Paramount Pictures cumulative domestic total to $93.5 million. Rounding out the top five was “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which added $5.4 million in its fifth weekend of release. It has grossed $150 million domestically and $360 million worldwide.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $56 million.

2. “The Garfield Movie,” $10 million.

3. “If,” $8 million.

4. “The Watchers,” $7 million.

5. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” $5.4 million.

6. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” $4.2 million.

7. “The Fall Guy,” $2.7 million.

8. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” $2.4 million.

9. “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” $1.9 million.

10. “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” $1.8 million.

(Gray News) – A woman was killed after being involved in a multi-vehicle crash involving a cement mixer in Arizona.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report of a serious injury collision on Williamson Valley Road just north of the intersection with Pioneer Parkway.

The sheriff’s office said three vehicles were involved, two passenger cars and a cement mixer.

According to authorities, one of the vehicles was stopped at the light at Pioneer Parkway in the left lane, proceeding when the light turned green.

Another vehicle tried to pass the first using the lane-ending right lane, which forced the driver to merge into the left lane, causing him to strike the first vehicle.

The collision caused the second vehicle to spin into the opposite lane right in front of an oncoming cement mixer truck.

The driver of the mixer attempted to avoid the car but crashed into it, causing the car to careen into a dirt shoulder. The mixer impacted a guard rail.

The driver of the vehicle struck by the mixer was flown to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The driver’s wife, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was taken from the scene, but died on the way to the hospital.

Deputies arrived at the scene to conduct a preliminary investigation. Several witnesses said the driver of the cement mixer did not have time to avoid the crash.

Authorities said there did not seem to be any affecting impairment with the driver of the vehicle struck by the cement mixer.

If possible, officials said an interview will be conducted with the driver at a later date.

(AP) - Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be interviewed by New York probation officials Monday, a required step before his July sentencing in his criminal hush money case, according to three people familiar with the plan.

Trump will do the interview via a computer video conference from his residence at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, the people told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose the plans publicly.

One of Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche, will be present for the interview. People convicted of crimes in New York usually meet with probation officials without their lawyers, but the judge in Trump’s case, Juan Merchan, said in a letter Friday that he would allow Blanche’s presence.

The usual purpose of a pre-sentencing probation interview is to prepare a report that will tell the judge more about the defendant, and potentially help determine the proper punishment for the crime.

Such reports are typically prepared by a probation officer, a social worker or a psychologist working for the probation department who interviews the defendant and possibly that person’s family and friends, as well as people affected by the crime.

Presentence reports include a defendant’s personal history, criminal record and recommendations for sentencing. It will also include information about employment and any obligations to help care for a family member. It is also a chance for a defendant to say why they think they deserve a lighter punishment.

A jury convicted Trump of falsifying business records at his own company as part of a broader scheme to buy the silence of people who might have told embarrassing stories about him during the 2016 presidential campaign. One $130,000 payment went to a porn actor, Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump, which he denied.

Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says he is innocent of any crime and that the criminal case was brought to hurt his chances to regain the White House.

Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, said in statement Sunday that President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party allies “continue to ramp up their ongoing Witch-Hunts, further abusing and misusing the power of their offices to interfere in the presidential election.”

“President Trump and his legal team are already taking necessary steps to challenge and defeat the lawless Manhattan DA case,” he said.

Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11. He has discretion to impose a wide range of punishments, ranging from probation and community service to up to four years in prison.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A man accused of killing his father and brother in 2021 is getting his day in court.

Gilbert Jerry Mendez was arrested and accused of the shooting that killed his father, 62-year-old Samuel Mendez Sr. and his brother 37-year-old Samuel Mendez Jr.

The case unfolded after police were called to a shooting in October of 2021 on Olive Street.

The trial will begin on June 10th at the 49th district court at 8 a.m.

ZAPATA COUNTY, Tex. (KGNS) - In Zapata County, the result of the sheriff race during the March primaries is still felt to this day. The incumbent Raymundo del Bosque claimed fraud took part in his opponent, Ramon Montes, winning the democratic seat. The claim led Del Bosque to file a lawsuit that ended with a trial.

The results on March 5th proclaimed Ramon Montes as the winner with 2,273 votes with a margin of 186 votes. Incumbent Raymundo del bosque had secured 2,087 votes. After an election contest filed by del Bosque, roughly three months later, the decision was final. Montes was the winner for the Democratic seat.”

Beating an incumbent is very hard to overcome. We knew we were going to face adversity,” said Montes. “We knew there was going to be obstacles, but I had a lot of people backing me up family of course, a lot of supporters, and with the team I had behind me, I mean we knew we were going to do an excellent job.”

Montes explained after the election there had been a recount giving him three more votes and had hoped that was the end of the problem. ”They served me with it. And, I had five days to respond, so we weren’t really prepared as to you know who we were going to hire,” he said. “I reached out to few attorneys here in Laredo, and eventually we had to do our research because we know that he had one of the best attorneys.” The trial took place from May 7 through 8 and May 23 through 24. The arguments hinged on illegal votes that should not have been counted. In Zapata County, people must be registered to vote and reside within the county. And, at polling stations, election judges are required to ask if voters live within the county. If voters responded that they didn’t, the voter had to file a statement of residence, or SOR, that proved they lived within Zapata. Del bosque and his council alleged 87 voters had been allowed to vote without filing an SOR. The court elaborated that no evidence was provided, and that the addresses were current so there was no need to submit an SOR. The plaintiff also claimed that 42 votes had been counted despite having missing dates and information.

The case finalized with only 45 votes disqualified, and the decision remained the same. Ramon Montes won. Montes adds changes need to be made within the department.

“We need more visibility in the community I think it’s very important, the our neighborhoods are in dire need of patrol presence, and the traffic control,” he emphasized. “More than anything starts hitting the, like start having search warrants for drugs. ” Despite the contest, Montes encourages people to continue showing up to vote, especially in November, when Montes will once again be on the ballot. This time facing Republican Wanda Cuellar Garcia.”A lot of the people in the community are afraid to come out and vote because of the election contest bringing in witnesses, and it was very hard for them. And unfortunately, it had to happen, but I want them to come out and vote again because I know that we can make the difference in the community.”

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - After Wednesday’s special city council meeting, questions remain on the motion made by the city council during the 3-hour meeting.

Specifically, what does a memorandum of understanding between the Legacy Water Corporation and Laredo entail?

Answering that question, Mayor Treviño explained that the MOU does not commit the city to only establishing a partnership with Legacy Water, but it does allow Laredo to begin discussions stating they’re open to the possibility.

According to Councilwoman Melissa Cigarroa, Legacy Water has identified water in the Carrizo Aquifer—outside the city limits—which is why the city is looking at collaborating with the non-profit organization.

However, she says this does not limit Laredo from looking at other sources.

“We are looking to enter into some type of collaboration with this non-profit corporation so that we can secure secondary water in case Laredo needs it,” District 3 Council Member Melissa Cigarroa tells us. “Now we know in the future, in about 20 years, the demand that we see with our population growth will exceed our water rights to take water out of the Rio Grande.”

Cigarroa adds that the Rio Grande River is one of the most distressed rivers and the drought has led there to be additional stressors on it, making the search for secondary sources more important.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Growing up in Laredo, TX, most people would know, “El Diablito”, “La Bota” and “La Escalera”—all cards from the beloved game Loteria.

For many, Loteria is more than just a game, it’s an expression of shared identity and tradition that brings families together. And now, it can be found under a bridge.

“If you give somebody something beautiful, it’s going to celebrate them and enrich their life,” said Noah Quiles, the artist behind Up Art Studio, a studio that’s known across the country for infusing art with culture.

“So, all 17 pillars, over a span of a mile and a half, all have art designs and patterns on it,” Quiles continued.

Two and a half years ago, Up Art Studio helped craft the Public Master Art Plan for the City of Laredo. The plan identified parts of the community that could benefit from a piece of art. On that plan was the Lafayette Overpass Bridge—a bridge that encompasses 12 blocks that is straddled by generational families living in the Canta Ranas and Los Amores neighborhoods.

“What I’ve found in each community I’ve worked in is that community members want to be seen, recognized, and validated,” explained Quiles. “What better way to engage family than when you’re at gatherings with a game of Loteria.”

In painting the Lafayette bridge, the team of professional artists engaged the talents of local Laredo artists and embarked on creating a colorful masterpiece.

One of those local artists, Alyssa Cigarroa, serves as a council member of the area. She was able to utilize District Priority funds to pay for the art project, saying the project goes beyond a blank canvas.

“I believe artistic interventions in neglected areas can really tackle some economic challenges and bring a sense of pride, bring a sense of community,” Cigarroa said.

It’s a sense of community that would bring neighbors together, under the bridge, that would include something for everyone, including an upgraded playground with the latest equipment for kids, a splash pad with a canopy above for sun protect, exercise equipment that’ll soon be installed for adults, a tiny home community down the block for veterans, and for everyone, a new health clinic providing much-needed services for everyone.

“This is important because a lot of the residents living in District 8 do not have cars and rely on public transportation to get to doctor’s offices and the hospitals, which can take an entire day,” Cigarroa said. “So having a community clinic right here in the neighborhood where they can walk to is a huge benefit.”

Benefits that many agree that for one of Laredo’s oldest parts of town, was long overdue for some cultural beauty.

As for the materials used for the art project, Cigarroa and Quiles chose mineral-based paint that will not fade or chip over time, which will allow generations of families to enjoy the life-size Loteria icons for years to come.

The total cost of the project is approximately $575,000, which includes the art installation, new playground equipment, new pickleball courts and new exercise equipment. Gateway Community Health Center is building the clinic with an investment of $2.7 million. It is expected to open for services in July 2024.