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The father who shielded his kids in a shootout might be out of a job, but he's not out of money or help -- he's up hundreds of thousands in donations, plus a lifeline for his children.

A GoFundMe for Anthony Jefferson was started shortly after news spread about his heroic deed last week -- jumping on top of his three kids at a car dealership when bullets started flying -- and the account has already swelled to a whopping $273,891 ... and counting.

The largest donation came in from an anonymous person, who dropped $25k. Lots of other donations have been coming in anonymously as well, in increments of $2k, $1k and then into the hundreds. In all, there's been roughly 8,000 people who've contributed.

That'll certainly help Anthony -- whose wife recently told us he'd been canned from two gigs of his in painting and construction ... all because he was injured from the shooting and was going to be out of commission for a while. As crappy as that is, people are clearly lending a hand to hold him and his family over for the time being.

There's more assistance on the horizon though, if Anthony and co. want it. Dr. Raha Didevar of Big HeArts Interventions tells TMZ ... she'd be willing to offer Anthony's three young children therapy via Zoom pro bono once a week ... for a year or more if they need it.

Astronauts will very soon be taking a crap in a toilet that costs a whopping $23 million. Science, baby.

NASA's set to launch nearly 8,000 pounds of supplies Tuesday from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to the International Space Station ... and the cargo will include the Universal Waste Management System.

The toilet -- around 28 inches tall -- will be 65% smaller and 40% lighter than the current John on the ISS, but it'll have the capability to support larger crews. It will be installed next to the current toilet, and astronauts will test how the new crapper performs in a microgravity environment.

Some of the toilet's features -- a urine funnel and seat made to be more accommodating for female crew members. It'll also feature a 3D-printed titanium dual-fan separator ... which creates a strong airflow that'll help pull the astronauts' urine and waste into the toilet.

Remember, no gravity up there so they'll take all the help they can get.

The new toilet also improves the pretreat system that's used to collect and treat urine before it's processed and recycled for reclaimed water. If the new toilet's a hit ... it could one day be used on missions to the moon and even Mars.

The re-supply mission will also include food, science experiments and even skincare from Estée Lauder.

Demi Lovato's ex-fiance is defying reality claiming they haven't broken up ... because it ain't over 'till they say the words to one and other.

Max Ehrich went on a ramble Sunday night, saying, "Up to this moment we haven't spoken over the phone ... we haven't even officially ended anything to each other." He actually posted several messages on his Instagram story ... which he has since deleted.

The "Young and the Restless" actor makes it pretty clear he doesn't want to end the relationship ... professing his love to Demi ... "If you're reading this ... I love you always.... unconditionally... no matter what." He went on ... "I'm here in real time with y'all. I love Demetria and just want her to be healthy and safe."

Max also lobbied for Demi to get the Grammy she deserves, adding "Demetria is THEE best female vocalist alive. And everyone should know it."

As we reported ... Max, who also directed his fans to stream Demi's songs, claimed over the weekend he learned about their break-up when he read about it in the tabloids while filming on set ... insisting "this is the God's honest truth." Demi reportedly disputes Max's account ... her people say she and Max spoke, she told him it was over and about to come out in the media.

The Instagram stories came just days after Demi posted a picture without her engagement ring. The split comes just 2 months after he popped the question.

An American in Thailand had the balls to post scathing reviews of a resort -- so the place turned around and went after him in court ... which could now land him behind bars.

According to multiple reports, Wesley Barnes, who works in Thailand, faces up to 2 years of jail time and a fine after Sea View Resort on Koh Chang island filed a complaint with authorities ... claiming he was posting unfair and inaccurate reviews about 'em, including on Tripadvisor.

Apparently, he'd booked a stay in the summer, but had a bad time and ended up beefing with some of the staff over a corkage fee. The resort says it only resorted to legal action because Barnes has posted several bad reviews, even after it reached out to him.

As for what he allegedly wrote ... apparently stuff like, "The staff was not friendly. Nobody could smile. The restaurant manager was very rude and full of himself. He is from the Czech republic. There are other hotels with better-friendlier staff. Avoid this place like it was the Coronavirus!" Another alleged review also likened the hotel working conditions to "modern day slavery."

If that sounds run of the mill to you ... it ain't under Thai defamation laws!

In Thailand, if a company files a complaint against you (like they did here against Barnes) it can get you in serious trouble. Barnes was taken in by immigration police, escorted back to Koh Chang, briefly detained and then released on bail.

Chrissy Teigen's in the hospital due to heavy bleeding during the pregnancy of her third child, and though she says it's scary right now ... she also says her baby boy's still doing well.

It sounds really bad ... Chrissy says her placenta's been bleeding for about a month, but it got much worse over the weekend. She had a pretty vivid description, saying ... "Like if you were to turn a faucet onto low and leave it there."

The supermodel, chef and TV host is still keeping fans informed by posting lots of video from her L.A. hospital bed. The good news -- Chrissy says the doctors are taking great care of her, she feels really good and her baby is "so healthy, growing stronger than Luna or Miles" ... her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son with John Legend.

She adds that her baby is "just the strongest little dude," but he just so happens to be "in the sh***iest house" -- Chrissy's description of her weakened placenta.

Chrissy says she's taking her meds and remaining on bed rest like she's supposed to, and they have to just relax and try to get through the "danger zone" of the next few weeks ... then things will be looking much better.

Joe Montana is a badass ... first grabbing the alleged kidnapper who snatched his grandchild right inside his home, then grabbing some grub at a fancy restaurant.

Joe hit up Nobu in Malibu Saturday night, just hours after he and his wife, Jennifer, had an enormous scare. TMZ Sports broke the story ... and a 39-year-old woman got inside the Malibu home where Joe and Jennifer were staying, spotted their 9-month-old grandchild and scooped the infant up. She went to another part of the house, where Joe and Jennifer confronted her and got the baby back.

Someone inside the home flagged down cops, who happened to be on the same block, and the woman was caught and arrested for burglary and kidnapping.

Salt Bae is endangering his customers when it comes to COVID-19 -- at least according to Boston authorities, who just shut down his restaurant there.

City officials ordered Nusret Gokce's signature steakhouse shut its doors this weekend after finding the joint was allowing patrons to pack in without social distancing, and not wear masks.

The proof is partly up on the restaurant's own Instagram ... there's at least one clip of people flocking back to the establishment -- which had re-opened about a week ago. Massachusetts had recently announced it would start letting more people dine-in and even stand at the bar for foodservice in groups of 10.

So, what's the smoking gun of alleged wrongdoing that the city's got on Salt Bae and co.? Welp, it might be the video's that got him trending right now ... which looks a little wild.

A TikTok video shows a woman twerking inside what appears to be the lobby of Nusr-Et -- with none other than SB himself recording from afar. On its own, it's a pretty funny clip ... unless you're Boston public health officials.

The family of Coliesa McMillian -- who appeared on Season 8 of "My 600-lb. Life" -- was thankfully allowed to see her in the hospital before she died ... something they feared would not be possible due to COVID restrictions.

Coliesa passed away Tuesday at a hospital in Louisiana, but her mother, Sadie Courville, tells TMZ she'd been at the Baton Rouge facility for quite a while ... and they hadn't been able to visit her due to pandemic rules.

She says the hospital made an exception when it was clear Coliesa was on her deathbed, allowing her and Coliesa's 2 teenage daughters in to say their final goodbyes.

Sadie says she patted Coliesa's arm while her girls cried and held her hand.

According to Coliesa's mom ... the family doesn't know the exact cause of death, but she says her health went downhill after she underwent weight loss surgery and sadly, she never recovered.

A rep for the East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office tells us ... a review of Coliesa's medical records shows she died of natural causes due to complications from that surgery months ago.

Shocking admission from Tyreek Hill ... the Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro says he would flat-out LOSE in a race against Lamar Jackson!!!

The wide receiver made the revelation to TMZ Sports this week ... saying the Baltimore Ravens QB is just that damn fast!!!

"I done retired from racing, man," Hill says. "So, he'll probably get me right now."

Incredible level of respect for the QB from Hill ... considering most in the NFL believe Tyreek is the fastest player BY FAR.

But, the Chiefs wideout says Jackson is really that quick ... and really that good at football.

"Lamar, he's a G.O.A.T. He's a dog, man," Tyreek tells us ... "For him to be that fast and for him to make people miss, like, the way he does is just crazy."

Of course, the two players will have a chance to put their speed on display against each other later Monday ... when the Chiefs and Ravens face off in the most anticipated regular-season matchup of 2020.

Hill himself says he's jacked up for the game ... telling us, "This is why we play football, for reasons like this, man. To be a part of something like this."

As for if you need some fantasy points from Tyreek to win your matchup this week ... Hill tells us he's GUARANTEEING he'll get them for you.

His only request? He's asking you to check out his Soul Runner clothing line ... and drop some cash on some merch.

The decision not to charge the cops who killed Breonna Taylor has taken its toll on an untold number of Louisville residents, who are having a hard time coping.

We've learned there's been an increase in the number of Louisville residents seeking mental health help and are citing Breonna's case as the reason.

Joe Nalley, CEO of Kentucky Mental Health Care, tells TMZ ... the day after the announcement they saw 30 new clients, and a third of them cited Breonna not getting justice as the reason.

Millicent Cahoon, founder of Therapists for Protester Wellness, tells us their crisis hotline -- an emergency call line that provides people with psychological help -- has been ringing off the hook since the announcement ... and they've needed 10 therapists minimum on the line to handle the volume.

The organization has also set up booths offering free mental health services to protesters.

Tiffany Farmer, owner Best Life Mental Health Services in Louisville, tells TMZ ... she got 5 referrals for new clients the morning after the decision, directly in response to Breonna's case.

At Kentucky Mental Health Care, we're told 90% of clients are bringing up Breonna with their therapists, mostly saying any hope of justice is gone. There's also been a spike in prescriptions for anti-anxiety medication, including 17 new requests in a single day instead of the normal 4 or 5 Rx's.

Meanwhile, at Best Life Mental Health Services, we're told at least 70% of clients are frequently discussing Breonna in therapy and are seeking help processing what just happened.

"Little Women: LA" star Christy McGinity came through big time for a couple of friends ... helping arrange for a venue and minister -- HER!!! -- for their special wedding day.

We're told Christy felt terrible about friends Matt and Katie canceling their wedding because they lost their venue due to COVID-19 restrictions. We're told Christy flew from NYC to San Diego to organize a Hawaiian-themed wedding in a friend's sprawling backyard Wednesday.

So you ask, why the Hawaiian theme? We're told that's where the couple was going on their honeymoon ... they plan to head there as soon as the pandemic ends ... if it ever does.

The socially-distanced wedding -- limited to only 20 guests who were all temperature checked on their way in -- was officiated by none other than Christy. We're told she got ordained specifically for this ceremony.

As if that wasn't enough ... we're told Christy also designed and baked a Hawaiian-themed cake for the newlyweds. The couple isn't bummed about having to pare down the wedding ... that's because when it's safe to do so, the couple will have a big wedding ceremony as originally planned.

East Coast artist Vanessa Carlton was only 22 years old when she shot to stardom after her debut single, "A Thousand Miles," hit the airwaves in early 2002 ... and thanks to the catchy piano hook and dreamy vocals, it made its way into the ears and hearts of the world.

The debut single has been featured on movies, television shows and commercials ... and it opened the door for her first studio album, Be Not Nobody, that included Vanessa's next hit, "Ordinary Day."

Although Carlton continues to create incredible music (like her 2020 album, Love Is An Art) her most beautiful creation since "A Thousand Miles" is her daughter, Sidney.

President Trump's infamously elusive tax returns have reportedly seen the light of day -- and they appear to paint a portrait of Houdini-like tactics that have allegedly allowed DT to avoid paying income taxes for years ... and a grand total of $750 in his first year on the job.

The NYT claims to have obtained tax-return data extending over two decades, including 2016 and 2017 ... years they report Trump paid a paltry $750 in income taxes in each year. Prior to that -- for at least 10 of the previous 15 years -- NYT says Trump paid $0 in income tax.

An attorney for the Trump Organization disputed the Times' findings ... and called them inaccurate ... asserting Trump had paid tens of millions in personal taxes to the feds over the past decade, including millions more since announcing his candidacy is 2015.

The Times says the attorney appears to be conflating "personal taxes" with income taxes -- noting DT has paid taxes for Medicare, Social Security and taxes for household employees.

As for how it's possible that Trump could've avoided paying income taxes for all those years -- as the Times reports -- it's because, based on the filings they've reviewed, he reported losing more money than he made ... in what they characterize as "chronic losses."

As for how rich the dude actually is ... the Times says the returns show he does own hundreds of millions in valuable assets, but they also claim he's hundreds of millions in debt as well, debts they say are coming due soon. So, it's really unclear how much he's worth.

The Times also reports that the returns do not show anything not previously known about Trump and Russia as far as business dealings are concerned. Just a quick glance at how much dough the dude was rolling in back in the 2000s because of "The Apprentice" and the licensing deals that followed -- the NYT says it amounted to upwards of $427 million all in. They also say some of that money was reinvested into other businesses -- including golf courses -- which have hemorrhaged cash.

Now, Trump has already caught wind of the report -- and he's calling it the usual ... fake news.

Trump says he's currently under audit by the IRS -- which the Times confirms, and explains it could cost the Prez a whopping $100M if they find that a $72 mil tax credit he once claimed is illegitimate.

One of the ballistics reports used to determine who shot who in the moments leading up to Breonna Taylor's death appears to contradict the Kentucky AG's version of events -- or at the very least, offer a more complete view ... which is mired in uncertainty.

Reports say that the first ballistics report conducted by the Kentucky State Police -- first obtained by VICE News this week -- could not definitively say for a fact if the 9-mm bullet that struck LMPD Officer Mattingly was, in fact, from Breonna's BF, Kenneth Walker.

In relation to the bullet that went through Mattingly's leg -- which he asserted had come from Walker firing from down the hall -- the initial KSP report reportedly says, in part, "due to limited markings of comparative value, [the] item was neither identified nor eliminated as having been fired from #45." #45 pertains to the magazine in Walker's gun.

Even more damning is the fact that one of Walker's attorneys, Steven Romines, recently claimed to CNN that he and his team had obtained an internal LMPD personnel record showing Officer Hankison (who was firing from outside) had actually been issued a 9-mm handgun at some point by the department, casting doubt on AG Cameron's claim that all the officers were using .40 caliber guns that night, and that Walker had the only 9-mm.

So, what does this all mean??? Basically, that AG Cameron might've possibly not been as forthcoming in describing the ballistics report's findings -- or which ballistics report he was actually referring to when saying evidence showed that Walker had hit Mattingly first.

Remember, there was a second ballistics report conducted by the FBI -- one which, in addition to the KSP ballistics report, was given to the grand jury to read -- but Cameron didn't say during his Wednesday presser which report he consulted when explaining the decision. It's also unclear what the feds concluded on this issue, and if there's a discrepancy.

The one thing that could make this moot -- namely, whether Mattingly was hit by Walker's bullet, or a fellow officer's bullet -- is the fact Walker admitted to firing a warning shot ... which, presumably, would authorize officers to use deadly force and return fire regardless.

If you thought people getting hit by dangerously spinning cars would stop a good old-fashioned sideshow ... welp, you're wrong. Exhibit A -- these Seattleites, who really DGAF.

Check out this wild scene that unfolded near the Space Needle Saturday night, where dozens of cars and even more people gathered in some sort of parking lot to burn rubber and send their whips into orbit, with spectators more than eager to gather around and watch.

KOMO News reporter Cole Miller captured a good chunk of the action -- including the moment a red Mustang (or maybe a Nissan 350Z) went flying into the crowd and took out a number of bodies as its donut got out of control. It literally glides into them, and hard.

What's even crazier than that is the fact that the donuts continued -- more cars filled the space and keep on revving ... and strangely, the swaths of people don't really disburse either. It seems like those who were hit might not have been seriously injured, and if they were ... the others wanted to stick around and keep an eye on things. Then, a 2nd hit.

You see another red sports car swerve into a guy and send him flying. Not even that was enough to break up the madness -- what was enough, however, were cops ... who eventually showed up, after wading through the pileup of cars blocking off the key participants.

That sent folks scrambling, but Miller notes it wasn't easy to get out of there. There was a major traffic jam as cops arrived. He also says the sideshow isn't tied to protests happening in town either -- they go down once or twice a month, especially in the summertime.

California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed a new law allowing transgender prisoners in the State to be housed based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

Newsom signed SB 132 Saturday -- among other LGBTQ+-friendly legislation -- which will require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's officers to privately ask inmates during the intake process if they identify as trans, nonbinary or intersex.

If they do, the inmate can then be placed in a facility in which they feel most comfortable and safe.

The new CA law says an inmate's request cannot be denied based solely on a prisoner's anatomy, sexual orientation or another factor that may be present among other inmates at any given facility. What the state could deny a request over ... legit "management or security concerns," although Newsom didn't lay out exactly what that might mean.

If an inmate's request is denied, the state has to offer a written explanation as to why and offer that prisoner a meaningful opportunity to object. BTW, the law also requires prison guards to address inmates by their preferred pronouns and to search them based on their gender identities as well. It's being hailed as a step forward in the LGBTQ+ community.

Of course ... there've been concerns raised about this new system, as some feel cis-gender heterosexual males can abuse the new policy to infiltrate female prisons ... and commit atrocities from the inside. However, the state senator who authored the bill, Scott Wiener, says he doubts that'll happen very often, if at all ... saying it's a false narrative that trans men or women are only out to get into certain gendered wings.