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Hilary dumped record rainfall on California, but it might not ease wildfire risk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Yet another deluge was dropped on Southern California this year as Tropical Storm Hilary moved through the region over the weekend. While the storm broke rainfall records for this time of year in some parts, experts say the rainfall might not have much impact on local wildfire risk moving into the peak of the season.After Sunday's downpour, Cal Fire officials said the potential for fires might ease slightly in the short-term as vegetation responds to the added moisture. But, they are still expecting wildfire season to proceed as normal moving into the state's driest and most fire-prone months."As of right now, it's kind of a near-normal September and October," Cal Fire Public Information Officer Matthew Cornette told FOX5SanDiego.com. "The rain could help slow down the fires a little bit until the fuels dry out again and then we'll be back to where we were before the storm." PHOTOS: Tropical Storm Hilary moves through San Diego According to Cal Fire, California's hydr...

San Diego Unified welcomes students for first day of class following delay from Hilary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Students in San Diego’s largest school district went back to school Tuesday morning.The first day was actually delayed by one day for nearly 100,000 San Diego Unified School District students due to Tropical Storm Hillary.Despite that, the energy was off the charts Tuesday, with the cheerleaders and a marching band greeting students as part of a back to school celebration at Hoover High School.The Cardinal’s mascot “Cardi” was dancing and so was SDUSD Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson, who describes himself as a product of San Diego Unified. PHOTOS: Tropical Storm Hilary moves through San Diego The district chose Hoover High as the school to highlight on the first day because of all the new and unique academic programs, like sports medicine.Their athletic department is also gaining more attention. This year, there are five new CIF sports for women, including flag football.“I appreciate this community, and the love it has for our community and the fact that they love ed...

Man arrested in connection to Mira Mesa apartment stabbing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A man was arrested Monday on suspicion of stabbing another man inside a Mira Mesa apartment, San Diego police said.According to SDPD, the stabbing happened around 8:40 p.m. at an apartment complex located at 9669 Gold Coast Drive.For reasons still under investigation, the two men involved got into a physical altercation that led to one man getting stabbed in his upper abdomen, SDPD Watch Commander David O'Brien said. Pedestrian hit, killed by trash truck in downtown The victim, a 40-year-old man, was transported to a nearby hospital with a non-life threatening injury.The suspect, identified by police as 36-year-old Jonathan Boaz, remained at the apartment and surrendered himself to police without incident, O'Brien said. He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.The circumstances that led to the stabbing are still under investigation and anyone with information on the incident was asked to contact SDPD's Northeastern Division at 888-538-8000 or leave ...

Lawyers win access to files in New Hampshire youth detention center abuse case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Details of the criminal investigation into abuse at New Hampshire’s youth detention center must be shared with attorneys for former residents who have sued the state, a judge ruled.Judge Andrew Schulman granted a motion Monday seeking to force the criminal bureau of the attorney general’s office and state police to comply with a subpoena issued by lawyers for close to 1,000 men and women who say they were physically, sexually or emotionally abused as children at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester.The facility, formerly called the Youth Development Center, has been under criminal investigation since 2019. Ten former workers have been charged with either sexually assaulting or acting as accomplices to the assault of more than a dozen teenagers from 1994 to 2007, and an 11th man faces charges related to a pretrial facility in Concord. Some of their trials had been scheduled to start as early as this fall, but in his latest ruling, Schulman said none wou...

Federal legislation proposed to protect Coast Guard Academy cadets who file sexual assault reports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — Bipartisan federal legislation was introduced Tuesday that would protect cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy who report a sexual assault from being disciplined for minor collateral misconduct, such as underage drinking.The change would put the Connecticut service academy in line with policies at Department of Defense military academies. The U.S. Coast Guard is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.The legislation comes amid recent revelations that the service did not widely disclose a six-year internal investigation it conducted, known as Operation Fouled Anchor, into dozens of cases of sexual assault and misconduct between 1988 and 2006. The Coast Guard also apologized for not taking “appropriate action” years ago when it failed to adequately handle cases of sexual assault and harassment at the academy in New London.Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, whose district includes the academy, noted in a statement how the Department of Defense “swiftl...

Toronto man creates app to discover and rate sensory-friendly places

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

A Toronto resident has created a new app aimed at making the world more inclusive for autistic people or sensory issues.Leo Lagnado developed NeuroHub after his six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with autism. The app is free and allows those who use it to discover and rate sensory-friendly places.“We’ve always really struggled with finding places that can be welcoming to her,” said Lagnado. “Every single place that’s rated opens the door to a family like mine.”When she was first diagnosed, he searched for apps in hopes to find something that rates businesses based on accessibility for autistic people, but came up short.“I didn’t find anything and I said ‘Why didn’t no one think of this or build this.?’ So I said maybe I’ll try to figure out how to code and build it myself.”Lagnado said he learned how to code and built NeuroHub app, then tested the app with the help of 70 neurodivergent people and released it in the Apple Store last su...

Federal NDP targets blue seats in Alberta, bets on urban prairie appetite for change

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal New Democrats are eyeing Alberta’s urban-rural divide as a way to flip blue seats in the next general election.Jennifer Howard, chief of staff to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, sees an opening in the Prairie province.She believes Alberta’s recent provincial election shows voters in the urban Prairies are rejecting politicians who peddle conspiracy theories, talk about the World Economic Forum and bash the media. Howard says while these are topics conservative politicians want to raise, she believes city dwellers are more focused on health care, the cost of living and climate change. In May, the Alberta New Democrats gained 14 seats, shutting out the United Conservative Party in Edmonton, and winning more seats in Calgary, the UCP’s traditional urban base. Howard says it’s not always a straight line from provincial to federal support, but she feels hopeful this will allow the federal party to expand its reach, especially in Edmonton and Saskato...

Father of NFL cornerback Caleb Farley killed in apparent explosion at North Carolina home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The father of Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley died in an apparent explosion around midnight on Monday that destroyed the NFL player’s North Carolina home and left another person injured, authorities said.Robert M. Farley, 61, was found dead in the debris of the Lake Norman, North Carolina house Tuesday morning, the Iredell County Fire Marshal’s Office said in a statement.First responders went to the house around midnight. They found one victim exiting the collapsed structure. The person, who has not been identified publicly, was transported to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte with non-life-threatening injuries, county officials said.County property records list the NFL player as the homeowner. The Titans player was not there at the time of the reported explosion, said Kent Greene, director of Iredell County Fire Services and Emergency Management. Property records list the tax value of the home as nearly $2 million. Titans coach ...

Return of live shows after COVID closures revived performing arts industry: StatCan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

A new report from Statistics Canada says the return of live shows and events after pandemic restrictions revived the country’s performing arts industry in 2022, with significant revenue and salary growth in specific sectors.The report says promoters and presenters of performing arts, sports and similar events hit hard by COVID-19 cancellations in 2020 and 2021 saw revenue increases of nearly 146 per cent in 2022, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the non-profit performing arts industry saw revenues increase by 71 per cent, while the for-profit industry had an increase of more than 56 per cent in 2022.StatCan says 2022 was the first full year of true recovery in these industries and it used data from the goods and services tax sales and payroll deduction files, among other sources, to estimate related revenue and salary growth.The report also looked at Canada’s film and television industry — currently impacted by the U.S. actors’ and writers’ strikes —...

Quebec releases new road safety plan, includes higher fines for drivers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:00 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec is rolling out a sweeping series of proposed regulations to deter dangerous drivers by increasing fines and adding speed cameras across the province. Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault presented a five-year road plan today, which includes higher financial penalties and more demerit points for drivers who commit infractions in school and construction zones.Also included in the 27-point plan is a provincewide, 30-kilometre-per-hour speed limit in school zones, a deployment of speed cameras and funding to better secure pedestrian and bike paths.The new road safety plan is so far just an outline of objectives, many of which will require the government to draft new laws and regulations.The plan doesn’t specify, for example, how much fines will increase for unsafe road behaviour.Guilbault says the province is dedicating more than $180 million to realize the plan.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2023.The Canadian Press