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DeSantis, Trantalis ask federal government for aid in wake of historic flooding in Broward

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis have asked the federal government for aid in the wake of historic flooding in Broward County.DeSantis, who declared a state of emergency in Broward County due to the unprecedented flooding, on Tuesday sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for federal funding.Wednesday evening, Trantalis was on a flight to Washington, D.C., where he will formally request assistance.“The most urgent request is to try to get funding from [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], because that’s going to give folks here money to be able to bring their lives back together,” said Trantalis. “A lot of the folks in our communities, they’ve lost everything.”The flooding affected almost 1,100 homes and caused more than $100 million in damage.DeSantis sent his letter 13 days after the storm. He asked the president to issue a major disaster declaration.Trantalis echoed the urgency in the governor’s...

Local Holocaust survivor marks Israel’s 75th by sharing story

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

JERUSALEM (WSVN) — As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, a South Florida man, who’s a Holocaust survivor, is also marking the occasion.David Schaecter is looking ahead by looking back at his painful past.“Coming back to Auschwitz is really painful, but I need to do it,” he said in video recorded by Friends of the IDF.It’s an emotional return back to a painful past for the 94-year-old, who traveled to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland more than 80 years after he was kept prisoner there.Block 8 is where Schaecter was tortured and starved for nearly three years as a child.He witnessed thousands of brutal murders, including those of his own family members, but he got out of it alive.“I tell them that I’m the witness,” he said. “I’ve lived it. The Holocaust was real.”Schaecter is the first Holocaust survivor and first member of the public to ever set foot in that block.But the memorable moment was wrapped wit...

Urías goes 4 for 4 to carry surging Orioles past Red Sox 6-2

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — On a day in which their starting pitcher relied heavily on guile and the offense produced only one extra-base hit, the Baltimore Orioles still found a way to beat the Boston Red Sox.Using three run-scoring flies, a pair of sacrifice bunts and 10 well-timed singles, the Orioles rolled to a 6-2 victory Wednesday to secure their fifth straight series win.Baltimore took a 4-1 lead with a three-run fourth that featured, in order, three singles, a bunt, an infield hit and a sacrifice fly by Adley Rutschman.“The fourth inning was just really good hitting, executing, running the bases well,” manager Brandon Hyde said.Baltimore’s lone extra-base hit was an eighth-inning double by Ryan McKenna. And yet, without benefit of a home run, the Orioles pounced on previously unbeaten Tanner Houck and Boston’s relief corps.“We’re doing the little things really well. We need to,” Hyde said. “We’re not going to be first in offense and we’re not go...

Ex-Fugees rapper Pras Michel found guilty in scheme to help China influence US government

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

(CNN) — The rapper Pras Michel was found guilty in federal court in Washington on Wednesday of 10 criminal counts related to an international conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the US government.The Grammy-winning artist and former member of the Fugees faced multiple counts over the failed conspiracy to help Malaysian businessman Jho Low and the Chinese government gain access to US officials, including former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.Michel was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the US, witness tampering and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He faces up to 20 years in prison. No sentencing date was set.Michel sat stoically as each count came down on Wednesday and did not comment to reporters outside the courthouse.His attorney, David Kenner, expressed disappointment about the verdicts, but said he was confident that his mistrial motions will work out in their favor.“We are extremely disappointed in that result but are very...

Driver dies after Commuter Rail train collides with car in Abington

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

A driver died Wednesday after his car was hit by an Commuter Rail train in Abington, MBTA Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan said.Sullivan said crews were called to the area of Railroad Street and Birch Street around 4:50 p.m. following a report of the crash. SKY7-HD was over the scene later on Wednesday, where the car could be seen with serious damage. Citing a preliminary investigation, Sullivan said a vehicle was stopped at a roadway crossing gate near the train tracks when another vehicle drove around both the first vehicle and the gate. Sullivan said the car was then hit by an inbound train. There were no other reported injuries among the passengers on the train, according to Sullivan. There were also no other passengers in the car that was hit. “On behalf of the MBTA organization we express our most sincere condolences to the decedent’s family, friends and loved ones,” Sullivan said in a statement.The MBTA announced multiple service changes...

NBA star Anthony Edwards cited for assault following post-game outburst

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was cited for assault after allegedly striking two women with a folding chair after his team was eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday.The 21-year-old guard, whose stellar series went to waste against the Denver Nuggets, is accused of misdemeanor third-degree assault, according to TMZ. That charge carries an 18-month maximum sentence and $1,000 fine.“We are aware of the alleged incident regarding Anthony Edwards following Game 5 in Denver and are in the process of gathering more information,” the Timberwolves said in a statement. “We have no further comment at this moment.”Edwards is an explosive 6′4 scorer drafted with the first pick in the 2020 NBA draft. He was previously a star baller at the amateur level in Atlanta.“Ant-Man,” as he’s known by basketball fans, scored 158 points in his team’s five game series against Denver, where he was cited. ()

Massachusetts misconduct, faulty breathalyzer equipment puts 27,000 OUI convictions at risk

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

Tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents convicted of driving under the influence will get a second chance following a ruling from the state’s highest court citing “egregious government misconduct” and poorly calibrated breathalyzer equipment.The roughly 27,000 defendants who pleaded guilty or were convicted in operating under the influence cases that included breath test results from the Alcotest 9510 device from June 1, 2011, through April 18, 2019, “are entitled to a conclusive presumption of egregious government misconduct,” Justice Frank M. Gaziano wrote in the Supreme Judicial Court opinion in Commonwealth v. Hallinan issued Wednesday.The history behind this ruling can be traced at least as far back as 2015, with consolidated litigation challenging the reliability of breath test machines.That litigation led to an investigation by the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, which released a report in October 2017 that found the state Office of Alcohol Testing ...

House passes $56.2B budget, $700M over Healey’s plan

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

The House passed its version of the state’s fiscal 2024 spending plan late Wednesday afternoon, a slightly ballooned version of Gov. Maura Healey’s late winter budget offering which will now head to the Senate for further revision.Coming in at $56.2 billion, the budget makes free school meals for all of the Commonwealth’s students permanent, carries through on Healey’s plan to provide free community college to adults without degrees and moves the state lottery online, among other initiatives.“From critical investments in healthcare and workforce development, to funding for new initiatives that are designed to increase educational opportunities, better support working families, and provide for a safer and more reliable public transportation system, the House’s FY24 budget will help to make Massachusetts more affordable for residents, while allocating support for the Commonwealth’s most consequential institutions,” House Speaker Ron Mariano said in a written statement.A mass of the bu...

Ed Davis at Boston Marathon bombings hearing calls out government for getting in way of police doing their jobs

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

Police departments across the country are afraid to use tools that could help prevent crime from getting out of hand due to possible backlash from the government and public.Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis shared that message in Washington on Wednesday during a hearing on the lessons learned 10 years after the Boston Marathon bombings.Davis, the city’s police leader at the time of the tragedy, called for a “clear direction” from the feds on how departments should be using technology in policing. He pointed to how some cities and towns in Massachusetts, including Boston, have banned the use of facial recognition.“I understand the concerns about privacy in those situations,” Davis said, “But we must remember, as a government, that the police are the security team for the poor people in our cities. It’s scary to think that a political body has eliminated the use of an effective tool to solve crime at the local level.”Wednesday’s Senate hearing focused on the 2013 bombings and...

San Diego-area spots nominated for 'Best Beaches on the West Coast'

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:54:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Several beaches in San Diego have been nominated for USA Today's 2023 Readers' Choice for "Best Beach on the West Coast."With over 30 beaches spread across the region's coastline, San Diego is a perfect location for sunbathing, surfing, kayaking and more. This San Diego beach is considered ‘the most beautiful’ in the US: study But there are four specific beaches that some have considered top-notch while comparing them to all areas where sand meets the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. This is quite a compliment as the West Coast stretches over 1,000 miles. The first beach that's in the running is North County's Oceanside Harbor Beach. USA Today says this sandy spot "offers a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere, with gentle waves suitable for swimming, boogie boarding and surfing."Some qualities that may set Oceanside Harbor Beach aside from others include its fire pits, volleyball courts, picnic table areas and the fact that it's in walking distance to a variety o...