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Oregon State, Washington State working to keep Pac-12 open, align with Mountain West, AP sources say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

Oregon State and Washington State are moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for as long as two years while entering an agreement with the Mountain West that will allow the Pacific Northwest schools to fill out their sports schedules, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.The agreement could set the stage for a long-term deal between Oregon State and Washington State and the Mountain West. What that looks like is unlikely to be determined soon, said the people, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because neither the schools nor the Mountain West were making their negotiations and internal discussions public.In the short-term, Oregon State and Washington State would get the clarity about conference affiliation they need to give their coaches, athletes and recruits. The Mountain West would get a payout from the schools and alignment with programs that have been competitive at the Power Five level.Oregon State is ...

Denver Auditor decries city's lack of safe, habitable spaces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Denver is failing to provide sufficient low-income housing for its residents, according to a report from the City and County of Denver's Auditor Timothy O'Brien.In a release, O'Brien says the audit shows the government is not doing enough to ensure safe, habitable spaces at affordable housing properties and also failing to ensure taxpayer-funded affordable housing projects are delivering on promised units. One dead after shooting at El Paso County Courthouse In particular, the audit said that the Department of Housing Stability's "lack of oversight" has caused the DHA Delivers for Denver Program not to deliver the required units.Specifically, the audit showed the program fell short by 32 units for very low-income households and 301 units for moderate-income households. Additionally, 203 units have been reported for rent at market rates, which the Denver Housing Authority claimed as part of the agreement to develop affordable housing. The 203 units were rented for...

The Supreme Court won’t allow Florida to enforce its new law targeting drag shows during appeal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Thursday it will not allow Florida to enforce its new law targeting drag shows, while a court case proceeds.The justices refused to narrow a lower-court order that has prohibited the law from being enforced statewide.Florida had asked the court to allow its anti-drag show law to be enforced everywhere except at the Hamburger Mary’s restaurant in Orlando, which challenged the law’s constitutionality.Three justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, said they would have granted the state’s request.Last month, a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s order stopping the law from being enforced. The district court found that the law likely restricted free speech and couldn’t be enforced anywhere in the state.Hamburger Mary’s regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children are invited to attend. The restaurant’s owner said the law was o...

Former Opa-Locka Police officer arrested for grand theft and credit card fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

Authorities arrested Keondra Renee Weekes, a former Opa-Locka police officer, on charges of third-degree grand theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Weekes, who was terminated from the Opa-Locka Police Department in July 2022, surrendered her assigned equipment but neglected to return the department-issued credit card. FDLE initiated an investigation at the request of the Opa-Locka Police Department after uncovering unauthorized transactions on the credit card account.Over a span of five months, officials said, Weekes engaged in over 100 transactions at various gas stations, accumulating a total over $8,000.“Weekes took advantage of a privilege that was revoked from her when she was terminated,” said FDLE Miami Special Agent in Charge Felipe Williams. “Law enforcement officers take an oath, and although Weekes no longer works for the department, FDLE still takes the violation seriously and will ensure justice is...

BCPS superintendent says schools, district offices to reopen Friday after heavy rains flood South Florida campuses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Peter Licata on Thursday said that schools will be fully open on Friday after inclement weather caused colleges and schools in Broward to close out of an abundance of caution. The relentless rainfall that battered South Florida all day Wednesday led Broward County Public Schools and Broward College to cancel classes on Thursday.“Tomorrow we are expected to be open fully,” said Licata during a news conference. “We just got off the meeting with the regionals and the cabinet members. We are going to be fully open.”https://twitter.com/browardschools/status/1725200581478740121?s=20Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials opted to keep their schools open on Thursday.Cellphone video sent to 7News by a parent captured a roadway that resembled a river during their morning commute.In Northwest Miami-Dade, students arrived at American Senior High School only to end up in the dark. The school remai...

Man left with cuts, scrapes on his head after owl attack in Medfield 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

A man in Medfield is recovering after he was attacked by an owl earlier this week. Ken Wadness was taking his usual run through Medfield’s High Noon Reservation on Monday night when the attack happened. He was ultimately left with deep gashes in his scalp after he said the owl swooped out of the darkness toward him and his 11-pound dog, Micah. “Nothing like this has happened before in all the 30 years that I’ve been running in the woods,” Wadness said.“I saw a large bird come below my elbow, swooping right over Micah,” he continued. “And then, suddenly it disappeared.”Wadness didn’t know exactly what happened. Something told him, though, whatever had just attacked was not done with him and Micah. “Within ten seconds later, ‘whack’ on the back of my head, the talons of this bard owl just stuck into my head and hit me with a force that I knew could have probably killed Micah or grabbed onto him.”Despite his injuries, curiosity got the better of Wadness. He pointed ...

Not as chilly tonight, then mild and breezy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

10/10 day today, don’t you agree? We had a lot of sunshine, light wind and mild temperatures. It felt more like October than November. Temperatures return to the 60s tomorrow then take a dip this weekend with a few showers and breezy conditions.Overnight, temperatures won’t drop as much as earlier this week. It’ll be cool with temperatures starting off in the upper 30s/low 40s. That’ll be a good starting point to get back up in the 60s.Yes, it will be mild again in the 60s tomorrow, but it does come with a a couple changes. We’ll see more clouds and the breeze will be gusty out of the southwest. Expect a slight breeze in the morning and the wind be stronger midday and into the afternoon. The weekend features some showers and breezy days with a day-to-day drop in temperatures.We’ll watch a front to our west and area of low pressure to our south to bring the showers. The heaviest rain from the low pressure stays offshore, but brings rain for the Cap...

Democratic Party office in New Hampshire hit with antisemitic graffiti

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

LACONIA, N.H. (AP) — Police are investigating after a Democratic Party office in New Hampshire was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti and posters.Swastikas and slurs were found spraypainted on the windows and walls of the the Belknap County Democratic Committee building in Laconia on Wednesday morning, and posters with antisemitic messages were glued to the windows.Johnna Davis, chair of the Belknap County Democratic Committee, said she believes the vandalism happened because the committee recently expressed support for the Jewish community during Israel’s war with Hamas.“We are just people with our ideas, and we may not agree with you politically, but we’re all human,” Davis told WMUR-TV.Police said those responsible will face elevated criminal mischief charges because of the antisemitic messages. The attorney general’s office released a statement saying it is aware of the incident, and that hate crimes have no place in New Hampshire.

Tech review: Three gift suggestions for the techie on your Christmas list

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

Jim Rossman | Tribune News Service (TNS)This week we have three more gadgets I’ve been testing that would make great Christmas gifts.Just a note on pricing. I don’t post affiliate links. I don’t benefit monetarily from any of these suggestions. Also, I post the retail price, but most of these are discounted for the holidays.The Dabbsson DBS2300 Plus Power Station. (Dabbsson/TNS)Dabbsson DBS2300 Plus portable power stationI’ve reviewed a lot of portable power stations, and the rate at which they are improving is almost stunning.The Dabbsson DBS2300 Plus ($1,799, dabbsson.com) is a 2,330 watt-hour power station that can expand to 16,660 Wh with the addition of a second DBS2300 Plus and up to four external 3,000 Wh DBS3000B batteries ($1,599). This is a system that can power your entire home in the event of an electrical outage.The DBS2300 Plus has an AC output capacity of 2,200 watts with a 3,000W surge capacity.The batteries are Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) and they are rated for...

Howie Carr: Tough talk from Teamsters chief Sean O’Brien a bunch of hot air

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:21 GMT

Tough guys don’t tweet.At least they don’t tweet threats – for obvious reasons. The old saying applies: Never let your mouth write a check your rear-end can’t cash.Sean O’Brien, the pinky-ring Teamster thug out of Local 25 in Charlestown, obviously didn’t get the memo. Which is why he has been be-clowning himself for months now with these empty insults against Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, like this one from June:“Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made. In reality, just a clown & fraud. Always has been, always will be. Quit (sic) the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime (sic) cowboy.”O’Brien, now the national capo di tutti pinky rings, tweeted that after he tangled with Mullin at a hearing in March. Mullin asked the question that even those of us who spent decades (against our wills) in unions always wanted to ask the fat thugs running our locals:“What job have you created – one job?” Mullin asked. “Other than sucking the...