What to know now:
1. Affluenza teen, mom caught: Ethan Couch, the Texas teen who was on the run after he missed an appointment with his probation officer two weeks ago, was found with his mother in the Mexican resort area of Puerto Vallarta Monday. Couch, violated the terms of a 10-year probation sentence he received in a drunk-driving crash that killed four people in 2013. At trial, Couch's defense team said the teen should not be held responsible for the four deaths because he suffered from "affluenza" – having two much money and parents that never taught him right from wrong. Couch faces the possibility of years in jail.
2. No charges filed: The officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice will not face charges in the shooting. According to Cuyahoga County (Ohio) prosecutor Tim McGinty, there was "indisputable" evidence that Rice was drawing a pellet gun from his waistband when Timothy Loehmann and his partner arrived on scene and, within seconds, shot Rice. McGinty said the boy was trying to either hand the weapon over to police or show them it wasn't real, but that Loehmann had no way of knowing that and "had had reason to fear for his life."
3. Lemmy dies: Ian Lemmy Kilmist, the frontman for the group Motorhead, died Monday after a brief battle with cancer. Lemmy, famous for his mustache and mutton chops, started out with the psychedelic band Hawkwind in the '70s then went on to spend 40 years with Motorhead whose most famous song, "Ace of Spades," became a rock anthem in the '80s. Kilmist was 70.
4. Whole Foods fined: Whole Foods will pay a fine of $500,000 to settle allegations by New York's Department of Consumer Affairs that it overcharged customers for prepackaged food. Officials say in June they tested 80 different types of prepackaged food at Whole Foods and found mislabeled weights on every one. The company's co-CEOs have apologized in a video posted online.
5. New Year at the Garden: If you are planning to go to New York City to watch the ball drop and ring in the new year, you are going to want to remember your wallet. In the town that never sleeps and charges $10 for a glass of tea, the Italian eatery Olive Garden is offering the rare chance to pay $400 per person for dinner at its Times Square location on New Year's Eve. What do you get? Open bar, buffett (no breadsticks), and a view of the famous ball drop at midnight. Ruby Tuesdays is offering a similar deal for prices ranging from $349 a head to $1,699 for the "Couple's VIP Table."
Good news, ladies! A 2016 calendar featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin has hit the newsstands. The calendar shows the Russian leader in various settings, including Putin fishing, lifting weights, going to church and snuggling with a dog ("Dogs and I have very warm feelings for one another.") The limited-edition calendar is being snapped up, according to reports.
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Black labs are the best! Or, maybe they are just incredibly impatient. Your call.
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