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Md. House back to full membership after new delegates are sworn in

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) administers the oath of office to Del. Malcolm P. Ruff (D-Baltimore City). (Courtesy Bryan P Sears)(Courtesy Bryan P. Sears) House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) administers the oath of office to Del. Malcolm P. Ruff (D-Baltimore City). (Courtesy Bryan P Sears)(Courtesy Bryan P. Sears) This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.The Maryland House of Delegates is back to full membership following the swearing in of the chamber’s two newest members.Dels. Ryan Spiegel (D-Montgomery) and Malcolm P. Ruff (D-Baltimore City) were sworn in Thursday in s...

Denver weather: Another stormy Pinpoint Weather Alert Day then dry, warm days return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — There is a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms moving west to east across the Front Range and in Denver weather this Friday evening.Friday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day for thunderstorms that will move across the Front Range. A few storms could produce lightning, heavy rain, wind and hail. Beethoven and Brews, Crosscurrents, plus 7 things to do in Denver this weekend There will be similar storms on Saturday afternoon before we finally get to enjoy a dry stretch in the forecast from Pinpoint Weather, Colorado’s Most Accurate Forecast.Rain outlook for the week ahead of July 7 from Pinpoint Weather.Weather tonight: Storms depart and cool overnightShowers and thunderstorms should head east by early evening Friday. There is a chance that a few lingering showers could last past 9 to 11 p.m. along the Front Range. But, overall the storm threat should end quickly in metro Denver. Forecast lows across Colorado by Saturday morning, July 8.Some storms ...

Chatfield State Park swim beach reopens after E. coli closure

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

Update July 7: Chatfield State Park's swim beach has reopened.DENVER (KDVR) -- A second state park's swimming areas in metro Denver have been closed due to higher levels of E. coli detected in the water, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a release Thursday. Chatfield State Park's swim beach has been temporarily closed after tests showed elevated levels of E. coli in the water, CPW said. The levels registered unsafe bacteria levels above the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment requirements. High E. coli levels close Cherry Creek swim area Signage has been put up around the park informing visitors of the closure but boating access and hand-launched vessels are not restricted, CPW said. Cherry Creek State Park swim areas were also temporarily closed Thursday after routine tests showed elevated levels of E. coli in its waters. Neither state park's swimming areas will be reopened until tests indicate the levels are safe, CPW said.

Woman robbed, sexually assaulted on nature trail in Coconut Creek; police ID person of interest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

Police are investigating after, they said, a man ambushed and robbed a woman who was walking alone at a South Florida nature center, and the horror did not end there. According to Coconut Creek Police, the incident happened along one of the trails at the Fern Forest Nature Center, located along the 200 block of South Lyons Road, just before 2 p.m., Thursday.“There was a sexual assault and a robbery,” said Coconut Creek Police spokesperson Scotty Leamon.An investigation is now underway that could lead police to the woman’s alleged attacker.Detectives said the 53-year-old victim told officers she was walking alone on one of the trails when a man robbed and sexually assaulted her.The woman eventually got away uninjured.“Physically uninjured. Now, mentally, emotionally, that’s a different story,” said Leamon.Those who visited the nature trail on Friday were in sheer disbelief to hear about the attack.“It’s crazy, you know,” said visitor Michael Tineo, “but yeah, defini...

Crack in North Carolina roller coaster may have formed 6-10 days before closure, commissioner says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An ongoing investigation by North Carolina’s Department of Labor found that a large crack in the support column of a towering roller coaster had been visible for at least a week before the amusement park shut it down for repairs.“It looks like maybe six to 10 days prior, some pictures had been taken that shows the beginning of the crack, and then by obviously last Friday, the thing was completely severed,” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press.Charlotte-based Carowinds amusement park came under investigation this week after a video surfaced online of an operational roller coaster with a large crack in one of its columns. The footage of Fury 325, known as a “giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters), showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers barreled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph).Carowinds, which straddles th...

Families of Parkland shooting victims grieve loved ones during 3rd day of 1200 building visits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

More relatives of victims of the Parkland massacre went inside the building that became a crime scene. The pain of the past is still visible five years after the tragedy.Speaking with 7News on Friday, Debbi Hixon shared what she felt when she walked the halls of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.“You just feel how terrified they had to have been in that building, and then to get to the spot where Chris was, and it hit me,” said Debbi Hixon. “That’s where our life together ended, and so, you know, it’s a lot to process, and you just wonder, how did we get here?”Debbi lost her husband, Chris Hixon, in the mass shooting.“Five and a half years later, I think I still wait for him to come home,” she said, “and it was really kind of a reality slap that that’s not going to happen.”Chris, an athletics director and coach at MSD, confronted the shooter and was one of 17 people killed.“Seeing the puddles of blood, where people had been shot or had died in those spaces...

Son of Haverhill mayor accused of making inappropriate comments to female high school students

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

A Haverhill foreign language teacher accused of making sexually inappropriate comments to female students at Haverhill High School appeared in court Friday.39-year-old James Fiorentini, the son of Haverhill Mayor Jim Fiorentini, pleaded not guilty to two counts of accosting or annoying another person, both misdemeanors. The mayor was seen in court supporting his son.Court documents show Haverhill police were first notified of the alleged inappropriate language in May. One of the victims told police Fiorentini would ask her sexually-charged questions and share graphic details of his sex life during class. Another victim claimed he would try to look down her shirt and up her skirt, and that she was afraid to be left alone with him.In a statement, Haverhill’s superintendent said they placed Fiorentini on administrative leave as soon as they learned of these allegations.“The school system is working with legal counsel, and the court system to review the outcome of today’s arraignme...

Ticker: Yellen and China’s No. 2 aim for improved communication; Fire that killed 2 aboard a cargo ship to burn for days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Premier Li Qiang expressed hopes Friday for better communication as Yellen appealed to Beijing not to let frustration over U.S. curbs on technology exports disrupt economic cooperation.Both governments used positive terms to describe Yellen’s visit to China’s capital, which was aimed at improving strained relations, and stressed the importance of U.S.-China economic ties.Yellen and Li announced no new plans for more high-level meetings to revive contacts that disputes over technology, security and other irritants have disrupted. Yet, Yellen is the latest of several senior U.S. officials traveling to Beijing to encourage Chinese leaders to revive interactions between the governments of the world’s two largest economies.Fire that killed 2 aboard a cargo ship to burn for daysA cargo ship docked at the East Coast’s biggest port smoldered for a third day and will likely burn for several more after the fire claimed t...

Sea breeze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

The beach was the place to beat the sticky heat. Inlets, nearby bridges, rocks, they all were fine spots, too, as summer has arrived in the Bay State.Seaside temps will come close to 80 degrees Saturday and early Sunday before rain possibly moves in. Dive in while you can.Scarlett Dean 13, jumps off a rock into the cool waters on Friday in Cohasset. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)Hendrix Gustafson 15, jumps off a bridge into the water on Friday in Cohasset. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)New York transplant Ousmane Sam cools off from the hot weather at the splash fountain at the Christian Science Plaza in Boston. (Amanda Sabga/Boston Herald)Mia Laral, 6, runs through the splash at the Christian Science Plaza. (Amanda Sabga/Boston Herald)

Wu looks to increase EV charging stations on Boston streets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

The City of Boston is looking to partner with private businesses to expand the availability of electric vehicle charging stations on public roads.The aim of two requests for proposals released this week by the city is to “bolster the number of public, curbside charging stations equitably distributed citywide” for residents who drive electric vehicles, but don’t have driveways to charge them.“With rapidly advancing technology and subsidies from federal and state sources, electric vehicles can be affordable for families looking for a cleaner, greener alternative, but we must develop the public charging infrastructure to ensure accessibility across all our communities,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement.Wu added, “As we work to improve multimodal transportation access across walking, biking and public transit, we also strive to make the transition to electric vehicles possible and create jobs building the infrastructure necessary for our city.”One request is looking to test the pri...