Daz Cameron gave Norfolk the lead with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Tides held on to edge Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4-3 before 4,373 on a stormy Sunday afternoon Bark in the Park Day at Harbor Park.

The Tides (57-31 overall, 9-5 in the International League’s second half) went 2-1 in the series and 5-3 for the year against the RailRiders (42-45), the top affiliate of the New York Yankees.

Norfolk next will head to Georgia for a six-game series against the Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves’ highest farm team.

After a 58-minute weather delay, Connor Norby’s second leadoff homer of the series and Kyle Stowers’ opposite-field blast to the picnic area in left field gave the Tides a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

The RailRiders answered with two runs in the fourth off left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, who was all but unhittable in the first three innings of his five-inning stint. Andres Chaparro’s double to left field and Jake Lamb’s single to center pulled Scranton even.

In the sixth, Ryan McKenna singled to center and stole second base with two out before Cameron slugged a pitch to left-center for his 12th home run of the year. It eventually dealt a loss to starter Mitch Spence (7-5), who is tied for the league lead in victories.

In the seventh, Scranton’s Estevan Florial grounded a single to right to bring home Michael Hermosillo, trimming the Tides’ lead to 4-3.

Norfolk reliever Ryan Watson, who gave up that one run and four hits in three innings, gained the victory. Logan Gillaspie pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save of the year, catching Hermosillo looking at strike three to end the game despite an appeal to the automated balls-and-strikes system.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE SECOND-HALF STANDINGS

(through most of Sunday’s games; 1H refers to the team’s first-half record)

Team, W-L, Pct., 1H

*Worcester (Red Sox), 9-4, .692, -, 39-36

St. Paul (Twins), 10-5, .667, -, 43-31

c-Norfolk (Orioles), 9-5, .643, 0.5, 48-26

*Nashville (Brewers), 8-5, .615, 1.0, 40-34

Scranton/W-B (Yankees), 8-5, .615, 1.0, 34-40

Iowa (Cubs), 9-6, .600, 1.0, 43-30

Buffalo (Blue Jays), 8-6, .571, 1.5, 34-41

*Indianapolis (Pirates), 8-6, .571, 1.5, 33-41

*Jacksonville (Marlins), 8-6, .571, 1.5, 32-42

Lehigh Valley (Phillies), 8-6, .571, 1.5, 36-37

Durham (Rays), 8-7, .533, 2.0, 40-35

Columbus (Guardians), 7-7, .500, 2.5, 33-41

*Louisville (Reds), 7-7, .500, 2.5, 40-33

Rochester (Nationals), 7-8, .467, 3.0, 34-39

Gwinnett (Braves), 6-8, .429, 3.5, 33-42

Toledo (Tigers), 6-9, .400, 4.0, 33-41

Memphis (Cardinals), 5-10, .333, 5.0, 39-36

*Omaha (Royals), 4-9, .308, 5.0, 38-34

Syracuse (Mets), 4-10, .286, 5.5, 33-41

Charlotte (White Sox), 2-12, .143, 7.5, 35-40

*Does not include Sunday’s result.

c-clinched first-half title and berth in championship series in September.

In the wake of Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the alliance can take a well-deserved victory lap. I commanded troops from both nations in Afghanistan, and Swedish forces in the Libyan campaign of 2011. The countries have professional and motivated personnel equipped with superb technology systems, from advanced fighter jets to stealthy naval corvettes.

This spells trouble for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military, already much depleted by its misadventure in Ukraine. Both new members have painful historical experiences with Russia. Finland comes with 800 miles of NATO border the Russians will have to plan to defend. If Putin were to invade Estonia, for example, he would now be vulnerable to being flanked through previously neutral Finland, seriously complicating his military calculus.

One aspect of the Sweden-Finland accession gaining little geopolitical attention — when all is focused on Ukraine — is how they will add to NATO’s strength in the Arctic. When I visited the Nordic states a decade ago as the alliance’s supreme allied commander, their defense chiefs gave me a demonstration of their winter capabilities — their mastery at operating in what our Canadian allies call the High North, above the Arctic circle. I came away deeply impressed.

So, given the new members, what would a coherent NATO strategy for the increasingly important Arctic look like?

Step back and look at the geography. As global warming removes more and more of the ice cover, access to vital shipping routes and hydrocarbons — oil and gas — will be increasingly crucial for the nations on the front porch of the Arctic Sea.

Before his invasion of Ukraine, Putin was increasing the Arctic capability of Russia’s military. More troops, bases and ships were added within the Arctic circle. Given the immense losses he has suffered in Ukraine, this effort will likely slow, giving NATO leverage and an opportunity. The alliance should form a smaller “Arctic Coalition” within NATO to focus in increasing its defensive capability to the north.

This coalition should include a well-staffed center devoted to study and analysis of defensive activities in the harsh conditions. Logically and symbolically, this should be based in the territory of one of the two new allies.

The alliance should also develop a detailed defensive plan for responding to Russian activities in the north. NATO has elaborate defensive plans for dealing with attacks by Russia against the Baltic nations, Turkey and Black Sea countries — it needs a similar war plan for the High North, to be rigorously tested in tabletop exercises and real-world operations.

NATO can also increase its routine surveillance and patrol activities in the region. This should include regular under-ice nuclear submarine patrols by the U.S. and UK; more satellite time devoted to surveilling the polar region; increased overflight by long-range maritime patrol aircraft operating out of Iceland, Canada and Sweden; and ground-based, long-dwell radar systems on Greenland and other northern locations.

Finally, NATO should conduct regular, large-scale combat exercises under realistic conditions. Warfighting is very different at 50 F below freezing. Every relevant NATO combat system — from missiles to rifles to radars to warships — should be evaluated for its efficacy Arctic conditions.

There is a diplomatic aspect to NATO’s role in the region as well. The international organization known as the Arctic Council includes all seven NATO members and Russia, as well as observer nations including China. It has provided a forum for planning for shared use of international waters and airspace where disputes can be heard and compromises reached. The Arctic Council, like the effective Cold War arms-control agreements, can be part of a diplomatic track to address non-Ukrainian issues.

Adding Sweden and Finland is a very positive step for NATO for many reasons — geography, military capability, advanced technology, European unity. But it also signals much more capability to operate in the Arctic. The alliance should think carefully and act swiftly to capitalize on this northern windfall while Russia’s attention is elsewhere.

James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A retired U.S. Navy admiral, former supreme allied commander of NATO, and dean emeritus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, he is vice chairman of global affairs at the Carlyle Group. 

After excelling with the Norfolk Tides, Grayson Rodriguez is back in the majors.

The Baltimore Orioles’ top pitching prospect will be recalled from Triple-A to start Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday. The corresponding move will be announced later.

Hyde said he was “very pleased” with the progress Rodriguez made with Norfolk after he was demoted in late May. The 23-year-old struggled with a 7.35 earned-run average in his first 10 big league starts, but he returned to dominant form with the Triple-A Tides.

In seven starts with the Tides since his demotion, Rodriguez posted a 1.69 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings — similarly impressive numbers to the ones he put up throughout his minor league career.

His orders when he was sent down were to improve the command on his mid-to-high 90s-mph fastball. Hyde said he’s achieved that.

“The reports have been awesome with how the command has improved,” Hyde said before Sunday’s victory versus the Miami Marlins. “The stuff has always been there, it’s just all about command with him. He’s throwing the ball extremely well with command down in Triple-A, and we’re excited for him to start” Monday.

Whether he remains in the Orioles’ rotation for the remainder of the season remains to be seen, but Hyde made clear what the club’s hope is for the young fireballer.

“I think we’re in the mindset of winning games right now, and hopefully he sticks in the rotation for the rest of the summer,” Hyde said.

From the very beginning, Rodriguez’s rookie campaign hasn’t gone as expected. The 6-foot-5 right-hander was expected to open the season in Baltimore’s rotation, but he struggled in spring training and was beaten out by Tyler Wells, who was the Orioles’ top starting pitcher through the first half.

But it took less than a week for Rodriguez to make his MLB debut, as an injury to starter Kyle Bradish made way for the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect, whom Baseball America ranks as the 15th-best prospect in the sport. He was solid in April with a 4.07 ERA but was battered in May, allowing 35 hits and 27 runs in 21 innings to balloon his ERA above 7.00 and his WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) to 1.743.

Three of his May starts were perplexingly bad, causing Rodriguez and the Orioles to suspect he was tipping his pitches. He made a change to his mechanics out of the stretch position and had a successful start against the Toronto Blue Jays, but he then allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers in late May. He was demoted the next day.

Back in Triple-A, a level Rodriguez dominated last year, he struck out 10-plus batters in three of his seven starts. In his past 15 innings, he’s allowed just eight hits and four walks.

“I think the message was pretty clear on when he went down, the reasons why and what we felt like he needed to work on,” Hyde said. “I think out of the gate down there wasn’t as smooth, but these last few starts there have been really good. They’ve done a nice job of kind of applying what we talked about up here before he went down, so we feel comfortable where he is right now, and hopefully, he can impact us positively the rest of the year.”

His first assignment is challenging. The only MLB team as hot as the Orioles, who are on an eight-game winning streak, are the National League West-leading Dodgers, who extended their winning streak to six games Saturday.

While Rodriguez’s status as a top prospect, his tantalizing potential and his recent success in Triple-A all earned him another shot in the big leagues, it results in Cole Irvin, who has recently been a consistent starter, moving to the bullpen.

Irvin’s poor performance early in the season is why Rodriguez remained in the rotation, and the left-hander replaced Rodriguez when the rookie was optioned to Triple-A. In his five starts since, Irvin has posted a 2.66 ERA, including back-to-back one-run outings in Baltimore wins.

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (AP) — A sudden flash flood swamped a southeastern Pennsylvania road, sweeping several cars away and claiming at least four lives. Three other people, including a 9-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, remained missing, authorities said.

Officials in Bucks County’s Upper Makefield Township said torrential rains occurred at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Washington Crossing area. Other parts of the East Coast were experiencing heavy rain, including Vermont. Authorities there said landslides could become a problem on Sunday as the state copes with more rain following days of flooding.

“My team and I continue to monitor the situation as more rain falls in Vermont. There are flash flood warnings throughout the state today. Remain vigilant and be prepared,” Gov. Phil Scott said.

Sunday’s strong storms led to hundreds of flight cancellations at airports in the New York City area, according to the tracking service FlightAware. More than 300 flights were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey alone, while more than 160 flights were canceled at Kennedy International Airport in New York. Hundreds of flights were also delayed.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and tornado watches for parts of Connecticut, western Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. A tornado warning was issued for an area along the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border.

Thousands of power outages also were reported in the region.

In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, a sudden, torrential downpour turned deadly in Upper Makefield Township.

Fire Chief Tim Brewer told reporters that the area got about 6 1/2 to seven inches of rain (about 18 centimeters) in 45 minutes.

“In my 44 years, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “When the water came up, it came up very swiftly. We do not think that anybody drove into it, that they were actively on that road when it happened.”

There were about 11 cars on the road at the time, and three were swept away. There was about four to five feet of water over the road, he said. The bodies of four people had been recovered and three people — a woman and the two children — remained missing as of midday Sunday, Brewer said.

Brewer declined to identify the relationships of the victims but said “one family has been severely affected.”

Eight people were rescued from the cars and two from the creek, he said.

All three vehicles swept away were later located, and no one was found inside. One was about 1.5 miles from where it entered the creek.

“We are treating this as a rescue but we are fairly certain we are in a recovery mode at this time,” Brewer said.

About 150 people were searching the creek during the night and 100 were involved Sunday morning, walking along the creek, he said.

Meanwhile, recovery efforts were underway in Vermont from recent days of heavy precipitation.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation said 12 state roads remained closed while 12 were partially open to one lane of traffic and 87 have been reopened that were previously closed.

The agency said 211 bridge inspections have been completed this week in damaged areas and there are 4 state bridges closed and 4 town structures currently closed.

Rail lines throughout Vermont were also damaged by the rain and flooding, the transportation agency said. The agency said it reopened 57 miles (about 92 kilometers) of rail lines, and 64 miles of rail line remains closed.

“Our crews have been working tirelessly all week to repair the damaged state roads and bridges, and to restore the state’s transportation infrastructure for Vermonters and visitors to our state,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn.

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This story corrects the name of the township to Upper Makefield.

__

Associated Press writers Ron Todt in Philadelphia; David Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; and Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this story.

By JAKE COYLE (AP Film Writer)

NEW YORK (AP) — After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend, according to studio estimates.

The Paramount Pictures debut was boosted by strong overseas sales of $155 million from 70 markets. But while a $235 million worldwide launch marked one of the best global openings of the year, “Dead Reckoning” couldn’t approach the high-speed velocity of last summer’s top film, “Top Gun: Maverick.”

“Dead Reckoning Part One,” the seventh film in the 27-year-old series, had been forecast to better the franchise high of the previous installment, “Fallout,” which opened with $61 million domestically in 2018. Instead, it also fell short of the $57.8 million “Mission: Impossible II” debuted with in 2000.

That puts the film’s opening-weekend tally very close to the tepid launch of Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters with $82 million over five days and $60 million over the three-day weekend. Paramount and Skydance had higher hopes for the action extravaganza of “Dead Reckoning,” which cost $290 million to make, not counting marketing expenses.

Those costs were inflated, in part, by the pandemic. “Dead Reckoning,” directed by Christopher McQuarrie, was among the first major productions shut down by COVID-19. It was preparing to shoot in Italy in March 2020. When the film got back on track, McQuarrie and Cruise helped lead the industry-wide recovery back to film sets – albeit with some well-publicized friction over protocols along the way.

Still, “Dead Reckoning” was hailed as a high point in the franchise. Critics (96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and fans (an “A” CinemaScore) alike came away awed by the stunts and chases of the latest “Mission: Impossible” film. Though the coming competition of “Barbenheimer” — the much-anticipated debuts of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — looms, “Mission: Impossible” should play well for weeks to come.

“This is a global franchise. It’s going gangbusters and its going to play for a long time. Quality always wins in the end,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Paramount.

“Dead Reckoning,” Aronson said, met or exceeded the studio’s expectations.

“In international markets, in like-for-like markets, we’re 15% ahead of ‘Fallout,’ and that’s taking China out,” added Aronson. “Domestically, we’re over 3% ahead of ‘Fallout’ for the first five days. To beat its predecessor is phenomenal, especially in this environment.”

Cruise, the so-called savior of movie theaters last year, traveled tirelessly to again pump life back into a summer box office that’s been sluggish. After a splashy world premiere in Rome with a red-carpet on the Spanish Steps, Cruise and McQuarrie surprised theaters in Atlanta, Miami, Toronto and Washington D.C. in the days ahead of opening.

“Dead Reckoning” hit theaters at a crucial mid-summer period for Hollywood, and not just because of the SAG-AFTRA strike which began Thursday. “Mission: Impossible” launched a week before one of the biggest box-office showdowns of the year.

Though “Dead Reckoning” and “Oppenheimer” have vied for some of the same IMAX screens, each film has publicly endorsed the idea that a rising tide lifts all blockbusters. Cruise and McQuarrie in early July even bought opening-weekend tickets to both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and “Oppenheimer” filmmaker Christopher Nolan reciprocated with their own gestures of support.

However that trio of films performs over the next few weeks will do a lot to determine the fate of the summer box office.

“These are a crucial couple of weeks for the industry starting this weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. “I think it’s going to be a fun reinvigoration of the box office because we have had a few films underperforming. Really, the summer movie season restarts this week with ‘Mission’ leading into ‘Barbenheimer.’”

No other new wide release challenged “Mission: Impossible” over the weekend. Second place went to Angel Studios’ faith-based political thriller “Sound of Freedom” which increased 37% in its second with $27 million. Jim Caveziel stars in the child trafficking drama.

Last week’s top film, “ Insidious: The Red Door ” slid to third with $13 million in its second weekend. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is dropping quickly with $12 million its third weekend, with a domestical total so far of $145.4 million.

In limited release, the Searchlight Pictures’ mockumentary “Theater Camp” opened to $270,000 from six theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

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

1. “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” $56.2 million.

2. “Sound of Freedom,” $27 million.

3. “Insidious: The Red Door,” $13 million.

4. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” $12 million.

5. “Elemental,” $8.7 million.

6. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” $6.1 million.

7. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” $3.4 million.

8. “No Hard Feelings,” $3.3 million.

9. “Joy Ride,” $2.6 million.

10. “The Little Mermaid,” $2.4 million.

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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

There’s a place on the Outer Banks where it’s been Christmas every day for the last 55 years.

The Christmas Shop and General Store on U.S. 64 in Manteo offers a true maze of rooms — dozens of them — filled with magical holiday trees of every size, twinkling lights, ornaments, jewelry, gifts, locally-made chocolates and old-timey candy, plus a pretty spooky bonus Halloween section.

Generations of visitors to the Outer Banks have made wandering the shop a yearly tradition.

For the past several years, Gary Chatnik and Vicki Parks have owned the store, keeping the sprawling wooden building and its many rooms true to the original founder’s vision.

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Christmas past

New Yorker Edward Greene arrived on the Outer Banks in 1953 to perform as a dancer in The Lost Colony outdoor drama on Roanoke Island. In spirit, he never left.

But it wasn’t until more than a decade later, in 1967, that Greene made a permanent move to the Outer Banks, opening the Island Gallery and Christmas Shop with partner Richard Lacerre. It started with a small space where the two sold Christmas trees and some locally commissioned art pieces. Today, the popular shop on is a maze of 35 rooms over 25,000 square feet filled with all things Christmas and beach.

Greene died in 2021 at 96, but worked in the shop as much as he was able even after “retiring” and selling to the new owners.

“He couldn’t stay away,” said store manager Patricia Lassen, who has worked at the Christmas Shop for 27 years and was close to Greene. “He came in every day for probably a year or more after Gary bought the shop.”

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Christmas present

Chatnik and Parks’ purchase of the store grew their family-owned business, which also operates five other Christmas-themed stores in other states.

The family has kept the main areas close to the same as original, but have added some new artists, displays and brands to keep the magic and excitement building. New this year are rooms devoted to Harry Potter and the Grinch.

“People like the change up, it’s not the same year after year,” said Lassen.

Other rooms include Santa’s Toy Factory filled with hundreds of toys for kids, a room devoted to sports and pets and a home decor room offering coastal decor, jewelry, Outer Banks home accents, handbags, hats, coverups and accessories.

A favorite of visitors, the General Store, continues to sell locally-made chocolates and old-time candy brands, but has added all sorts of beach munchies, hot sauces, coffee and tea, hostess gifts and offers a wine shop with daily tastings from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On a recent summer afternoon, the daily wine attracted a gaggle of visitors from as far away as Indiana to sip local vino and chat with the locals.

Also new is a Santa Bucks program, where shoppers receive a $5 coupon for their next visit with every $50 spent and free personalization on all of the stores ornaments.

Over the past few years, the owners have started working with the regional food bank and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce on charities and community initatives, and plan to do more in the future.

The Christmas Shop is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more or shop online at outerbankschristmas.com

Sometimes the deliciousness of a restaurant begins with the building itself.

The stately Beaux-Arts style building at the corner of Granby and Main streets in downtown Norfolk stands as a reminder of another time. The exterior entrance greets visitors with grand columns, and heavy doors open up into a well-appointed dining room.

The building was originally home to Virginia Bank & Trust Company starting in 1909. I have loved this space for many years, as Trilogy Bistro and later Norfolk Tap Room. Now it’s the new location for Mermaid Winery.

Inside it is airy and open, with gorgeous touches throughout. The age of the building and the quality craftsmanship show through in the woodwork, and a number of sea-inspired hues of blue and green adorn walls and accents. A large mermaid mural greets diners.

Owner Jennifer Eichert moved Mermaid Winery from its original location in Ghent, where it has been for the past dozen years since opening. A few years back, the winery, wine bar, and bistro also opened a Virginia Beach outpost.

The grand opening for the new Norfolk location of Mermaid Winery was held in early July.

THE EAT: GENTLEMAN’S CUT PORK TENDERLOIN, $25

For my entree, I picked the Gentleman’s Cut Pork Tenderloin.

The tenderloin is glazed in an addictive boozy berry sauce, and sliced on the bias to show off the pink interior. It’s stacked on top of a creamy, savory mound of truffle mashed potatoes and tender grilled carrots, also cut on the bias.

I love pork tenderloin, and this one was prepared wonderfully. It was tender and flavorful, with just the right amount of pink signifying it was not overcooked. The glaze was a sassy-sweet offering full of flavor, accenting the sweetness of the pork gorgeously.

The truffle mashed potatoes won me over in both taste and texture, and the carrots were a real treat.

We started the meal by sharing a few appetizers.

Two Mermaid Tacos ($14) come to an order. Here soft flour tortillas are stuffed with perfectly blackened tuna, fresh avocado, charred pineapple pico de gallo and crispy tortilla chips. A sassy sriracha sour cream is drizzled on each.

We also shared the Charred Corn Crème Brûlèe ($15). This is one of the more unusual, in a good way, dishes I’ve had in some time. A beautifully seasoned rich, thick corn custard is served in a ramekin with a crisp, slightly sweet brûlèe topping. Crisp shards of bacon are served on top of that, and sharp pickled red onion comes on the side, a lovely foil to the corn.

Dessert was a white chocolate cheesecake that was completely decadent. The creamy offering was full-on chocolate flavor, accented with whipped cream and blueberries. I’m not often a dessert person, but I did share it, and I am glad I did.

Service from Michelle was wonderful.

THE DRINK: CHAMPAGNE BAUGET-JOUETTE

Wine is the name of the game at Mermaid Winery, but it’s not just their own wine they pour here.

There are vintages that come from the urban winery, crafted with grapes from Virginia and California. Choose from a selection of whites, reds, and sweet wines under the Mermaid label.

Or pick from dozens of other wines by the bottle, glass or flights from across the country and around the world.

At dinner we enjoyed a bottle of Champagne Bauget-Jouette, from the hillsides of Epernay, France. This is a true Champagne – note the capital “c” – done in the methode champenoise. The wine is 50 percent chardonnay, 45 percent pinot meunier, and five percent pinot noir.

A lovely straw gold color with lots of small, tight bubbles, there is a lovely creaminess and richness with a tangy sweetness that is very well balanced. Fresh and light, look for notes of apple, pear, and peach on the nose.

Mermaid Winery is at 101 Granby St., Norfolk. Call 757-233-4155 or visit www.MermaidWinery.com

Patrick Evans-Hylton, [email protected] 

By JOHN LEICESTER (Associated Press)

PARIS (AP) — Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who charmed France with her English grace, natural style and accented French and made the country her home, has died at age 76.

The London-born star and fashion icon was known for her musical and romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Their songs notably included the steamy “Je t’aime moi non plus” (“I Love You, Me Neither”), with Birkin’s ethereal, British-accented singing voice interlacing with his gruff baritone.

The style Birkin displayed in the 1960s and early 1970s — long hair with bangs, jeans paired with white tops, knit mini dresses and basket bags — still epitomizes the height of French chic for many women around the world.

Birkin also was celebrated in France for her political activism. In 2022, she joined other screen and music stars in France in chopping off locks of their hair in support of protesters in Iran. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Birkin’s daughter with Gainsbourg and also an actor in her own right, cut off a lock of her mother’s hair for the “HairForFreedom” campaign as Iran was engulfed by anti-government protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Birkin as a “complete artist.”

“Jane Birkin was a French icon because she was the incarnation of freedom, sang the most beautiful words of our language,” he tweeted.

French media reported that Birkin was found dead at her Paris home. The French Culture Ministry tweeted that Birkin died Sunday. It hailed her as a “timeless Francophone icon.”

Birkin’s early movie credits included “Blow-Up” in 1966, credited with helping introduce French audiences to her “Swinging Sixties” style and beauty.

Birkin and Gainsbourg met two years later. She remained his muse even after the couple separated in 1980.

She also had a daughter, Kate, with James Bond composer John Barry. Kate Barry died in 2013 at age 46. Birkin had her third daughter, singer and model Lou Doillon, with French director Jacques Doillon.

French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Birkin had suffered from health issues in the past few years that kept her from performing and her public appearances became sparse.

BFM TV said Birkin suffered a mild stroke in 2021, forcing her to cancel shows that year. She canceled her shows again in March due to a broken shoulder blade.

A return to performing in May was put off, the French broadcaster said, quoting the singer as saying she needed a bit more time and promising her fans she would see them again come the fall.

Del. Cia Price has been on Twitter for nearly a decade.

She regularly uses the social media platform to communicate with constituents, and even credits the site with helping her craft legislation later signed into law.

But since the company came under new ownership last year, the Newport News Democrat has been unimpressed with its new policies. When she heard about Threads, the new social media app from Twitter rival Meta, she quickly signed up.

“I really like it,” she said. “It has a user-friendly feel to it and so far the folks that I’m following and who are following me are having interesting conversations and not just talking at each other, which is a welcome change of pace.”

Elon Musk has implemented a series of erratic changes since buying Twitter last year, including setting a limit this month on the number of posts users can view each day. The change sparked notable backlash, leaving some to speculate that Threads could overthrow Twitter as the preferred social media platform for political figures.

Many political players in Virginia are active on Twitter and, so far, aren’t abandoning their accounts. But some Hampton Roads state legislators — seemingly all Democrats so far — are dipping their toes into Threads, which is trying to present itself as a more stable, friendlier version of Twitter.

“They are trying to replicate a Twitter experience prior to Musk’s takeover and that is really appealing to a lot of individuals,” said Cayce Myers, a public relations professor at Virginia Tech. “If Threads takes off, which I think it will, you are certainly going to see the government on there.”

More than 100 million users signed up for Threads in its first week. But Meta executives have said they don’t intend to promote politics or hard news on the platform. Several local lawmakers have made the leap anyhow. Among those on the new platform: House Minority Leader Don Scott, D-Portsmouth; Del. Jackie Glass, D-Norfolk; Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News; and Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach.

Sen. Louise Lucas — the reigning queen of social media in Hampton Roads — also joined Threads. The Portsmouth Democrat has more than 90,000 followers on Twitter, where she’s earned a reputation for comical yet biting quips that sometimes go viral. She hadn’t posted anything on Threads as of Friday, but already had more than 400 followers.

Editorial: Twitter’s slow collapse poses challenges for public institutions

Del. Angelia Williams Graves, D-Norfolk, said she’s having trouble downloading the app but expects to have her account up soon.

That’s not to say she’s looking forward to it. Graves said she doesn’t have much hope that any social media site will stay “friendly” for long, but still believes it’s a crucial tool for communication.

“I think that it’s important that we use the platforms that are available,” she said. “That’s part of public office, informing the public and communicating with the public — so if it’s there and people are using it, then we want to be there also.”

Price, meanwhile, is cautiously optimistic.

The delegate said she was eager to join Threads because she’s dismayed by sexist and racist content now permitted to stay up on Twitter. She hopes the new platform will maintain stricter standards. 

Under Musk, Twitter removed some community content standards and eliminated an advisory council that provided guidance on tackling hate speech and harmful conduct. The move largely drew ire from Democrats. Meanwhile, Republicans have praised Musk as being an advocate for free speech.

Myers, who focuses on political communication, said the left has generally been more critical of Twitter’s changes throughout the past year. While some of the Musk’s changes received partisan reactions, the professor said the limit on daily views can present a potential obstacle for any user.

“One of the benefits of social media is that if you are in any sort of communication space, you can get your information out quickly and control the flow of information,” he said. “If you have a restriction on the views, then that really does take away the effectiveness of the communication, regardless of what that communication is.”

Although Myers said it remains to be seen if Threads can top Twitter, he believes it’s a legitimate threat.

“It is a competitor and because it’s a Meta-based product, it’s going to eat into some of their marketplace,” he said.

While Republicans seem slower to embrace Threads in Hampton Roads, some notable Republicans at the federal level have popped up on the platform, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former Vice President Mike Pence. Former President Donald Trump previously launched his own social media platform, Truth Social, after he was banned from Twitter.

Rich Anderson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, said he doesn’t have any objections to Threads but doesn’t plan to join. He isn’t anticipating a mass exodus from Twitter or Facebook.

Facebook, which is also owned by Meta, and Twitter often face criticism but have maintained massive user networks for years, he explained.

“Republicans pre-Musk talked about leaving because they thought it was too liberal and now you have liberals saying they’re going to leave because they think it’s become too conservative,” Anderson said. “I don’t think there will be huge defections but that’s just my gut intuition telling me that.”

Spokesperson Macaulay Porter did not directly respond to an inquiry about whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin is on or considering joining Threads. But the governor does appear to have a Threads account, which as of Friday remained private and had three followers.

“The governor will continue to engage with Virginians through multiple mediums — whether it is Twitter, Facebook, press releases or speaking directly with Virginians across the Commonwealth,” she wrote in an email.

In addition to political figures, several Virginia agencies maintain active Twitter accounts with large followings, including the Department of Education (17,000 followers), Department of Health (26,000 followers), Department of Emergency Management (43,000 followers) and the Department of Transportation (77,000 followers).

Jessica Cowardin, assistant director of communications for VDOT, said the agency has not joined Threads but is exploring it.

Jason Elmore, deputy communications director for the emergency management department, said the agency uses Twitter to notify the public about safety alerts, such as tornado and flash flood warnings. But he said the department doesn’t have any serious concerns with the changes on Twitter because it uses a range of methods to communicate with the community.

“So far, it hasn’t been an issue but we are keeping track of things going on with Twitter,” Elmore said. “I foresee that in the near future that we are going to go ahead and give Threads a try and see what it’s like. It does kind of have the same feel as Twitter does so hopefully we can utilize it as well.”

Katie King, [email protected]