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Crime center stage as DC Council returns to work

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

The D.C. council has returned from the summer recess and during a hearing of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, the focus was on a bill aimed at combating crime and helping victims.The committee heard testimony from residents and government officials on four bills, two that focus on how sexual assault cases are handled in the city. The final two called for incentive programs aimed at preventing crime.“Each of these bills is aimed at addressing issues that we’ve been seeing recently as part of the spike in both violent crime and property crime in the District of Columbia,” said committee Chair and Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto.The “Accountability and Victim Protection Amendment Act of 2023,” among other provisions would make it illegal for someone convicted of stalking from possessing a gun; create a law that would make strangulation a stand-alone felony offense; and require that those accused of sexual assault take an HIV test. It also includes the extending of or...

Browns WR Amari Cooper active against Steelers despite dealing with a groin injury

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper will play in Monday night’s game against Pittsburgh despite dealing with a groin injury.Cooper, Cleveland’s No. 1 receiver, injured the groin in practice on Saturday and was listed as questionable on the final injury report. Cleveland made cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, safety Ronnie Hickman, Luke Wypler, defensive end Isaiah McGuire and defensive tackle Siaki Ika inactive. The Browns are trying to win in Pittsburgh in the regular season for the first time since 2003.The Steelers placed leading receiver Diontae Johnson (hamstring) and Anthony McFarland (knee) on injured reserve a few hours before kickoff. Pittsburgh promoted running back Qadree Ollison to the 53-man roster and put him on the active roster.Quarterback Mason Rudolph, offensive tackle Dylan Cook, wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick and cornerback Desmond King are inactive for the Steelers. King is still trying to get up to speed after being signed on Aug...

Trump plans to meet with striking autoworkers in Michigan instead of attending second GOP debate

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

Former President Donald Trump will travel to the battleground state of Michigan next week to meet with striking autoworkers instead of participating in the second Republican presidential debate, a person familiar with his plans said Monday.Trump, who also skipped the first debate last month, has signaled that he is already focused on the 2024 election against President Joe Biden as he maintains a wide lead against his GOP rivals in primary polls. In recent days, he has been leaning hard into the strike, painting himself as sympathetic to the workers and accusing Biden of trying to destroy the car industry by expanding electric cars and other green energy policies.The Sept. 27 trip, first reported by The New York Times, will also include a primetime speech, according to the person familiar with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity before they were made public.That’s the date others in the GOP field will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library...

Wrong-way driver in deadly I-25 crash may have been drunk: police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The suspect in a fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 25 allegedly showed signs of intoxication when interviewed by police following the crash, according to a probable cause statement.The crash happened at 2:25 a.m. Saturday morning on northbound I-25 around West 8th Avenue. Denver Police tech’s indecent exposure occurred during training, documents allege According to police, Morgan Hefley, 23, was driving southbound in the northbound lanes and caused a head-on crash with another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle, 42-year-old Lorenzo Escobedo Acosta, was pronounced dead on the scene.Because of the extensive damage from the crash, Hefley had to be extricated from her vehicle. She was then transported to a local hospital.A Denver Police officer with the unit focused on DUI and drug recognition interviewed Hefley while she was in the hospital.According to the probable cause statement, the officer noted that Hefley, "exhibited a pronounced odor of an alcoholic bevera...

Deputy SRO's counseling helps teen avoid suicide

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) — Deputy Jeff Cislo entered law enforcement specifically to work with kids. And that is exactly what he is doing in Douglas County.Students and faculty alike simply call him Cislo. Cislo is the deputy school resource officer at Mountain Vista High School. Eaton detective happy in his small town His number one priority is keeping the student body safe. His number two priority is the kids' mental wellbeing."We are working with kids from a mental health perspective on a daily basis," Cislo said.Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Cislo is the school resource deputy at Mountain Vista High School. (KDVR)'You made me feel so safe'One student in particular is very grateful Cislo is here. The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was in emotional trouble and thought suicide was an option to end the pain. Cislo sat down with the child and had a heart-to-heart talk. "So what I explained to this student was your parents would rather spend money on you (for h...

Beachgoers nervous after spotting crocodile in ocean at Pompano Beach

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

Dozens were out enjoying the warm water at the beach until they experienced shock from seeing a crocodile in a South Florida ocean.Plenty of people decided to catch some sun on the sand in Pompano Beach on Monday when they spotted the reptile in the water near the pier. Cell phone video caught the crocodile swimming closer to the shore. “I saw a shadow and I thought ‘Man, what the heck?’ I ain’t ever seen a fish like that’,” said David, who was on the pier at the time. On-lookers like David and others on the structure, saw the crocodile around 8 a.m. on Monday.“His head about like this and you see his big ol’ snout,” David continued.They shouted for swimmers to get out of the water when shortly after the “No swim” flags came up. Pompano Beach Ocean Rescue made sure beachgoers stayed clear of the potential danger, while word of the spotting spread on-shore.“That’s wild,” said one man. “I did see the video, I mean hey, this is their home...

Boston lands National Women’s Soccer League franchise

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

A third professional women’s sports team is coming to Boston.The still-unnamed team will join the National Women’s Soccer League. Boston has been awarded an expansion franchise and the team will play at White Stadium, located within Franklin Park, after substantial upgrades are made.The Boston Renegades are members of the Women’s Football Alliance. The Renegades are their league’s five-time defending champions. In January, Boston will begin play in the new Professional Women’s Hockey League.On Tuesday, the arrival of the soccer franchise will be be celebrated at a City Plaza event. Among those expected to attend are NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, the franchise’s owners and Mayor Michelle Wu.According to a report, the Boston Unity Soccer Partners paid a $53 million expansion fee to join the NWSL.The franchise hopes to be more successful than the Boston Breakers, the former women’s pro soccer team that dropped out of the NWSL in 2018. The B...

Orioles rookie Heston Kjerstad proud to ‘earn my stripes’ with champagne and condiment shower to celebrate first homer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

Heston Kjerstad realizes he got lucky.As his teammates dumped seemingly the entire contents of the clubhouse kitchen on his head Sunday as he sat awkwardly in a laundry cart, he closed his mouth in time to avoid most of the disgusting concoction — including Chick-fil-A sauce, smoothies, beer and salad dressing.“All I tasted was balsamic vinaigrette,” Kjerstad said with a laugh. “It could’ve been worse.”In any other setting, what happened at the end of the Orioles’ playoff clinch party Sunday would be downright bizarre. But not in an MLB clubhouse, where career firsts and milestones are often met with similar celebrations.It’s a rite of passage for ballplayers — a shared experience to commemorate their first home runs, wins, saves and other accomplishments. Kjerstad’s celebration capped off what was a wild atmosphere inside the Orioles’ clubhouse after the club clinched its first playoff berth since 2016 and beat the T...

State Education Board to release 2023 MCAS results, vote on physical and sexual education changes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is set to discuss the latest round of MCAS results and move forward with revisions to physical and health education framework at Tuesday’s meeting.The upcoming meeting is set to first tackle long-discussed revisions to how the state teaches health and physical education.The changes, proposed by the Healey administration and released for a 60-day public comment period in June, have been touted as important updates to an outdated framework including things like media literacy and inclusive of gay, queer, and trans students’ identities and needs.They would be the first updates to the curriculum guidelines in 25 years, and the final say on curriculum would remain at the discretion of local school districts.The department received nearly 5,400 responses of public comment, according to a summary released ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, and the newly updated draft “reflects various changes intended to addressCommen...

Councilors target flow of guns into Boston

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:45 GMT

Facing down the latest mass shooting, the Boston City Council is quickly moving on an ordinance that would task police with compiling annual data on firearms trafficking, a measure aimed at cutting down on gun violence.The ordinance, discussed at a Monday morning hearing of the government operations committee, is listed as “matters recently heard for possible action,” on the Wednesday City Council meeting agenda.Council President Ed Flynn, who co-sponsored the ordinance, said it is modeled in part, after a similar measure that was passed in New York City last year.“From community violence to domestic violence to violence against oneself, guns remain a particularly dangerous weapon of choice,” Councilor Brian Worrell, the other co-sponsor, said. “This data is critical for policymakers and law enforcement to do their jobs and keep our community safe.“We cannot continue to sit idly by while our communities are repeatedly traumatized by violence, mainly because the weapon was purchased ...