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Divided Boston City Council makes no progress on redistricting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

Despite having just two weeks to pass a new redistricting map, the Boston City Council accomplished next to nothing at its latest meeting.The divided body’s inability to agree on how city lines should be redrawn, or even which of its subcommittees should be tasked with the assignment, prompted further concern from Mayor Michelle Wu’s office, which had filed its own map proposal Monday to try to expedite the process.“Today’s hearing shows there is still much work ahead to pass a redistricting map that reflects the consensus of the City Council,” a Wu spokesperson said on Monday.Given the “tight deadlines,” the spokesperson said, the mayor has been in contact with Council President Ed Flynn to encourage the body to set dates for special meetings prior to May 30, the cutoff date for when a new redistricting map can be passed to avoid a delay to the Sept. 12 preliminary election.It became apparent early on into Monday’s civil rights subcommittee hearing, where a federal judge’s decision...

Long delays expected after rollover crash in South Bay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- A rollover crash prompted several lanes to be closed on a major road in Chula Vista, police said.The collision occurred around 2:19 p.m. at Telegraph Canyon Road between Paseo Del Rey and Medical Center Drive, which is only open in one lane going eastbound, Chula Vista Police Department tweeted. Westbound traffic remains closed at Medical Center Drive, authorities said.Police advise drivers there will be long delays, and to use alternative routes while they investigate the crash scene. Afghan on terror watch list reportedly arrested near San Diego border SkyFOX captured video of a pickup truck rolled over on its side in the center of the road while a van could be seen crashed onto the sidewalk.Check back for updates on this developing story.

Three in hospital after vehicle catches fire in Bathurst and Fisherville area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

Three people are in hospital after a collision that left a vehicle on fire in the Bathurst Street and Fisherville Road area on Monday night.COLLISION:Bathurst St + Fisherville Rd7:40 p.m.– Reports of a head-on collision– One vehicle on fire– Police are on scene– Unknown injuriesROAD CLOSURE: Bathurst is closed in both directions#GO1092467^lb— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 16, 2023Police were called to the area at approximately 7:40 p.m. after reports of a head-on collision that left one vehicle on fire.One adult female was transported to a local trauma centre with serious injuries but was in stable condition. Another adult female was transported to local hospital with minor injuries.One child was transported to Sick Kids hospital with serious injuries but was in stable condition.Bathurst Street is closed in both directions due to the collision.

Washington lawmakers reach deal on drug policy, avoid automatic decriminalization

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Democratic and Republican leaders in the Washington Statehouse reached a tentative deal on a major new drug policy Monday, one that would avoid making the state the second to decriminalize the possession of controlled substances.Lawmakers will consider the compromise Tuesday when they return to Olympia for a special session. Gov. Jay Inslee called them back after they failed to pass a new drug policy before adjourning late last month.Under the deal, intentional possession or public use of small amounts of illegal drugs would be a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail for the first two offenses and up to a year after that.But police and prosecutors would be encouraged to divert cases for treatment or other services, and the measure provides millions of additional dollars for diversion programs and to provide short-term housing for people with substance use disorders. A temporary, 2-year-old law that makes intentional drug possession illegal is due t...

3 people killed, at least 7 injured in New Mexico shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Three people were killed and two police officers were among at least seven people injured Monday when an 18-year-old opened fire in a northwestern New Mexico community before law enforcement fatally shot the suspect, authorities said. The shootings occurred around 11 a.m. in Farmington, a city of about 50,000 people near the Navajo Nation that is a supply line and bedroom community to the region’s oil and natural gas industry.Officers responding to several calls about a shooting found “a chaotic scene” where a man was firing at people on a residential street, Farmington Police Deputy Chief Baric Crum said during a news conference. Police confronted the suspect before fatally shooting him. They found three people dead.Crum did not identify the suspect and said he didn’t know the ages of any of the victims. Police were trying to determine why he was in the neighborhood.San Juan Regional Medical Center received seven injured, including a Farmington police office...

Number of migrants fell 50% at US southern border after immigration changes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of migrants encountered at the southern border fell 50% during the last three days compared with the days leading up to the end of a key pandemic-era regulation, U.S. officials said Monday.But a high number of migrants are still in U.S. custody, although the number has fallen “significantly” since last week, said Blas Nunez-Neto, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at the Department of Homeland Security.The ability of U.S. Border Patrol to hold migrants has been a key concern as more migrants came to the border in the days leading up to the end of immigration restrictions linked to the pandemic, referred to as Title 42. The administration is facing a lawsuit aimed at curtailing its ability to release migrants from custody even when facilities are over capacity. At one point last week, more than 27,000 migrants were in custody along the border, a number that may top 45,000 by the end of May if the powers to more quickly release migrants ...

House GOP lawmaker readies contempt charge over Afghanistan dissent cable

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is threatening to push forward a legislative effort to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress next week if he does not release a classified cable sent from U.S. diplomats in Kabul shortly before the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, told reporters Monday that the House Foreign Affairs Committee could vote on the contempt charges at a hearing May 24. The State Department has said it is trying to provide Congress with “appropriate” information on the cable while also protecting its employees. The so-called dissent channel has for decades provided a way for diplomats to discreetly voice concerns about strategy. They are automatically classified to protect the identities of the Foreign Service officers.McCaul has battled with the Biden administration for months over gaining unprecedented access to the messages as part of a larger Republican inquiry int...

At 81, Martha Stewart becomes oldest Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — At 81, Martha Stewart isn’t slowing down and some might say she’s heating up. Stewart has been chosen as one of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit cover models, the magazine announced Monday.She’s the oldest model to grace the cover of the annual swimsuit issue, surpassing Maye Musk who posed for the special issue in 2022 at 74.The businesswoman and media personality wrote in an Instagram post Monday that she hopes the cover inspires people “to try new things, no matter what stage of life you’re in.” She also posted a video clip from an interview on her podcast with MJ Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief. The video showed a series of images of Stewart from a photo shoot in the Dominican Republic, including one of her emerging from water in a blue swimsuit wearing sunglasses. “They were pouring water over my head,” Stewart said during the podcast. Stewart founded Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in the 1990s and became synonymous with cookin...

Fort St. John, B.C., tells all 21,000 residents to prepare to evacuate as fire nears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia has issued an evacuation alert telling all of its approximately 21,000 residents to get ready to leave in response to a wildfire that’s grown to more than 130 square kilometres in size.An update from the BC Wildfire Service this afternoon says the Stoddart Creek wildfire is burning out of control and continuing to spread.The blaze, which the service says is suspected to be human-caused, has previously triggered alerts and evacuation orders for other properties in its path in the Peace River Regional District since it was discovered on Saturday.It has scorched the traditional territories of the Blueberry River First Nations, Doig River First Nation and Halfway River First Nations.Fort St. John’s evacuation alert says all residents need to prepare to leave on short notice because of the fire’s potential danger to life and health.The wildfire service lists the Stoddart Creek blaze as one ...

5 plead guilty in fake nursing diploma scheme in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:36 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Five people have pleaded guilty in South Florida to participating in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and find employment.Krystal Lopez and Damian Lopez, both of Palm Beach County, Florida; Francois Legagneur, of Nassau County, New York; Reynoso Seide, of Union County, N ew Jersey; and Yelva Saint Preux, of Suffolk County, N.Y.; pleaded guilty last Wednesday in Miami federal court to wire fraud conspiracy. They each face up to 20 years in prison at a July 27 hearing.A total of 25 people were charged earlier this year in a scam that sold more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing degree diplomas from three Florida-based nursing schools, according to grand jury indictments. The schools involved — Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute — are now closed.During guilty plea hearings, Damian Lopez, Legagneur, Seide and Saint Preux admitted to soliciting and recruiting people who sough...