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166 years after a deadly shipwreck, the world's oldest known cigars are on display in Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - The oldest known cigars in the world are now on display at the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Tampa. "What's amazing about these cigars is that they pre-date the city of Tampa," said Drew Newman, a fourth-generation cigar maker. Deep in the cigar vault at the historic El Reloj building sit cigars discovered amid the wreckage of the SS Central America. The ship was traveling from Central America to the American East Coast in 1857 when it encountered a hurricane off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The ship sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, along with 425 passengers and over two tons worth of gold, personal belongings, and other artifacts. "There are these moments when you get an absolute forensic sense of a particular moment, and the cigars to me represent that," said Bob Evans, a scientist and historian who helped discover the wreckage in the early 1990s. "The cigars, there's something about an artifact, a historical artifact that's compelling and coun...

WATCH LIVE: Texas senators to vote on articles of impeachment in Ken Paxton trial, here's what you need to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Eligible Texas senators are poised to vote on 16 articles of impeachment Saturday morning in the historic trial against suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton.Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, presider of the trial, announced in a press release that senators — who act as jurors — will vote on the articles a little after 10:30 a.m. Saturday.The 30 senators began deliberation Friday a little past noon, after closing arguments in the trial finished a little before noon Friday, leaving senators to consider whether they would convict Paxton on 16 different impeachment articles. The suspended attorney general's wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton of McKinney, is barred from voting and was not allowed to participate in deliberation, per the Senate rules.Jurors will vote separately on each article of impeachment. If two-thirds of the senators vote yes on an article, it will be a conviction and result in Paxton being removed as attorney general. If there are not enough senators voting yes o...

Dozens evacuated from Frank Street fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Crews responded to a fire on Frank Street in Schenectady early in the morning on September 16. The fire broke out at 3 a.m. at the Southgate Apartments. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! All ten apartment units in the building were evacuated, and all residents were able to escape. One resident was treated for minor injuries at the scene before being transported to Ellis Hospital. Schenectady Fire Chief Donald Mareno stated it took about an hour to get the fire under control, and that the middle of the building sustained major damage. No firefighters were injured during the operation. The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie set to close Officials from the Red Cross said they are currently helping 11 adults and 22 children who have been displaced by the fire with finding a place to stay, along with other assistance. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the incident is not believed to be...

Armed man detained during RFK Jr.’s Hispanic Heritage event in Los Angeles 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

What was supposed to be a celebration of the start of Hispanic Heritage Month led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was briefly interrupted when an armed gunman attempted to approach him. According to a Facebook post from the 2024 presidential candidate, the man was “spotted and detained” during his speech at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Friday evening. ‘Piqui’s Law’ passed after SoCal boy murdered by father in custody battle “The man, wearing two shoulder holsters with loaded pistols and spare ammunition magazines, was carrying a U.S. Marshal badge on a lanyard and beltclip [sic] federal ID,” RFK Jr.’s post said. “He identified himself as a member of my security detail.” An unidentified armed man being detained by LAPD at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Hispanic Heritage Month event on Sept. 15, 2023. (Facebook/Robert F. Kennedy Jr.)Kennedy Jr.’s actual security detail quickly “isolated and detained” the man before LAPD arrived to make the arrest, his Facebook post said. While he ...

Video: Car plows into fire hydrant, causes extensive damage to nearby alleyway, garage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

A car that collided with a fire hydrant led to two very different events in Corona.Video from the scene, near the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Neece Street, shows a wrecked green sedan on the sidewalk after plowing over the hydrant.As a result of the collision, the hydrant burst, completely flooding a nearby alley.The crash was also believed to have sparked a garage fire; video footage shows firefighters battling flames in a garage while standing in ankle-deep water. The crash was also believed to have sparked a garage fire; video footage shows firefighters battling flames in a garage while standing in ankle-deep water. (LLN)Video from the scene shows a green sedan that plowed into the hydrant, spilling water into a back alley and completely flooding it. (LLN)Video from the scene shows a green sedan that plowed into the hydrant, spilling water into a back alley and completely flooding it. (LLN)Fire crews were able to put the flames out before they spread to any neighboring st...

Woman killed, man injured in West Oakland shooting Saturday morning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

OAKLAND — A 34-year-old woman was killed and a 39-year-old man wounded in a shooting early Saturday in West Oakland, authorities said.The name of the woman has not been released. The shooting was reported about 1:26 a.m. in the 1000 block of 12th Street, near Lowell Park.Authorities said the woman was sitting in a parked car and the man was outside the vehicle when someone started shooting toward them. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man was transported to a hospital, where his condition was not immediately available.Police said the woman and man knew each other, but investigators are still trying to determine if the people shot were the intended targets. A motive for the shooting has not yet be determined.This is the 90th homicide investigated by Oakland police in 2023. Last year, the city’s 90th homicide did not occur until Sept. 19.Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $15,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shoot...

As poverty rises nationally, California sees a small dip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

California bucked a national trend of growing poverty as the state’s rebounding economy and a shrinking population made for a mild improvement in one tally of the financially stressed.California had 5.14 million residents living with incomes below the poverty level during the three years ended in 2022 – down 18,000 in a year, according to the Census Bureau. Nationally, 32.2 million lived in poverty in the timeframe, up 777,000 over 12 months as high inflation pruned household budgets already thinned by diminished pandemic stimulus.My trusty spreadsheet reviewed the bureau’s “supplemental poverty measure” which tracks how many Americans live on incomes below poverty thresholds. This calculation adjusts incomes for government assistance and reflects each state’s cost of living.By this math, California had the most residents in poverty, followed by Texas at 3.3 million, Florida at 2.77 million, New York at 2.32 million and North Carolina at 1.1 million.Pov...

Photos: Bay Area high school football Week 4, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

San Ramon Valley 35, McClymonds 7See a photo you like? Click Here to see these and more and to purchase high-quality prints or a keepsake photos on mugs, buttons, greeting cards, and more.San Ramon Valley’s John Pau Mendoza(3) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against McClymonds in the second quarter of their game at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) San Ramon Valley’s Mitch Bruno (9) sacks McClymonds quarterback Jacob Wasso (11) in the third quarter of their game at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) San Ramon Valley quarterback Luke Baker (2) throws the ball while being pressured by McClymonds in the second quarter of their game at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) San Ramon Valley’s John Pau Mendoza(3) runs for a...

Mother of two killed by stray bullet while on her couch in Oakland Friday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

OAKLAND — A 42-year-old mother of two was killed Friday night when she was struck by a stray bullet while inside her Laurel District home, authorities said.Her name has not yet been released. The shooting was reported around 9:40 p.m., in the 3600 block of 38th Avenue near Masterson Street.Authorities said that the woman was apparently lying on a couch when a dispute erupted outside the home and multiple gunshots were fired, police said. At least one stray bullet entered home.Her husband and two children, who were also nearby in their home Friday, were were not injured.The woman was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead at 10:15 p.m.Police said they were told that the woman grew up the home.Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the dispute outside. No arrests have been made, but numerous shell casings were recovered.The killing was the 89th homicide investigated by Oakland Police this year.Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $15,000 ...

Leading Democrat in Maryland Senate Race Once Blamed Murders On Decriminalized Pot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:23 GMT

Eight months before Maryland voters will cast their ballots in a rare U.S. Senate primary, the bulk of the state’s Democratic machine has already consolidated behind one candidate. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks emerged as a front-runner shortly after announcing her candidacy, garnering endorsements from major Democratic officials and organizations before her campaign had any issue platforms listed on its website. The race presents a unique opportunity to fill a safely blue seat with a new candidate for the first time in 16 years. If Alsobrooks is successful, she would become Maryland’s first Black senator. While Democrats have embraced Alsobrooks’s historic campaign with enthusiasm, however, her record on criminal justice has largely gone overlooked.During past campaigns for Prince George’s state’s attorney, Alsobrooks positioned herself as staunchly “tough-on-crime.” In addition to pushing the notion that cannabis decriminalization led to drug dealers...