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Pool deck at collapsed Surfside condo building failed to comply with codes, standards, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — The swimming pool deck of a beachfront South Florida condominium that collapsed two years ago, killing 98 people, failed to comply with the original building codes and standards, with many areas of severe strength deficiency, federal investigators said Thursday.Investigators with the National Institute of Standards and Technology gave an update on the collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida, during a regular meeting of the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee. The town of Surfside is located just north of Miami Beach.Besides design understrength, investigators reported signs of corrosion, misplaced reinforcement and the placement of heavier and additional plant containers on the deck than those in the original plans. These and other factors led to “ critically low margins against failure,” investigators said.Experts have previously suggested problems with the pool deck might have led to the 40-year-old, 12-story building̵...

DeSantis ratchets up feud with Newsom and dares California governor to take on Biden in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida escalated his feud with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday, daring the West Coast Democrat to “stop pussyfooting around” and launch a primary challenge against President Joe Biden.DeSantis, who announced his presidential campaign late last month, took on Newsom during a news conference in Florida in which he was asked about Newsom’s recent comments to Fox News agreeing to a hypothetical debate with DeSantis hosted by Sean Hannity.“He’s got huge problems in his state –- I mean, like, huge problems in his state,” DeSantis said. “Yet with all those problems, he has a real serious fixation on the state of Florida. I think it’s just bizarre.”DeSantis then turned to the Democrats’ 2024 primary election, in which Biden is facing only token opposition.“You know what? Stop pussyfooting around,” DeSantis said. “Are you gonna throw your hat in the ring and challenge Joe? Are you going to get in and do i...

Illinois man charged after telling police he shot himself in leg during dream about home intruder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

LAKE BARRINGTON, Ill. (AP) — A suburban Chicago man is facing firearm charges after he told officers he accidentally shot himself in the leg while dreaming that an intruder was breaking into his home, police said.The Lake Barrington man was charged about two months after Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were called to his home on April 10 on a report about a person with a gunshot wound, police said.Deputies who found the 62-year-old man with a gunshot wound to one of his legs applied a tourniquet to the limb because he “was losing a significant amount of blood” before being hospitalized, police said.The man told investigators he “had a dream that someone was breaking into his home” and during that dream, he “retrieved his .357 Magnum revolver and shot at who he believed was the intruder,” police said.“When he fired, he shot himself and apparently woke up from the dream,” police said Tuesday in a news release.Investigators determined there was no burglary attempt at the man’s hom...

Dog found shot inside bag in Davie dumpster, investigation underway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

In a shocking discovery, a dog was found shot and left inside a bag dumped behind a repair shop in Davie, according to Davie Police.The injured dog was found Sunday afternoon behind the Tires Plus located at 7520 W State Road 84.She was quickly rushed to Broward Animal Care, where caring veterinarians examined her. Miraculously, the bullet passed through without hitting any major organs or arteries. The furry friend was lucky to escape more serious harm.During an examination, veterinarians scanned the dog and hit the jackpot – they found a microchip. The five-year-old dog was in fact registered with Humans and Animals United, an animal rescue group. The same group that had previously found her a loving home.The Davie Police Department is actively investigating to track down the person responsible for this senseless act.In the meantime, the rescue group wasted no time in getting the dog the help she needed. They whisked her away to Ferreira Animal Hospital, where veterinarians ...

US trade representative sympathizes with EU concerns over surging Chinese EV imports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai expressed sympathy Thursday for European Union concerns about surging electric vehicle imports from China, saying the situation seemed to echo what has happened in the past in other important industrial sectors.But she stopped short of encouraging the EU to take action against the imports or committing the United States to taking similar steps.“The fact pattern that you’ve described in terms of a strategic, super-relevant industry growing out of China, creating concerns around whether or not the production and the trade is and will happen on a market-based basis, is something that we have been living with now for a couple of decades,” Tai said in an interview at POLITICO’s Global Tech Summit.Tai was responding to a POLITICO report that the European Commission, at the urging of France, is discussing whether to launch an investigation that could allow Brussels to impose additional levies, known as anti-dumping a...

New Hampshire officer pleads guilty to fabricating traffic warnings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — A former New Hampshire police officer has lost his certification after pleading guilty to fabricating traffic warnings and misusing driver records.Ryan Milligan, who resigned from the Merrimack Police Department, voluntarily surrendered his certificate and agreed to not seek future employment as a law enforcement officer as part of his plea agreement, the attorney general’s office said Thursday.Milligan, 36, was accused of using state police data to write up fake warnings he claimed to have issued during a traffic enforcement assignment last year. He pleaded guilty to two class B misdemeanors — tampering with public records and violating the state driver privacy law — and was fined $3,400 with all but $600 suspended for two years.The matter was prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Unit after a referral by the Merrimack Police Department.

Former priest charged in theft of over $100,000 in parish funds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

A former priest of a church in Granby was charged Wednesday in connection with the theft of more than $100,000 in parish funds from his church, officials said.Amherst man Tomasz J. Gorny, 43, was the parish priest at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Over a period of three years, he used church credit cards to buy power tools, a riding mower, food, wine, car accessories, video games and clothing, according to the DA’s office.The Springfield Diocese, who was responsible for the credit card payments, reported the suspicious activity to Granby police investigators who recovered hundreds of items in a storage unit in Easthampton in April.His arraignment is set for Friday morning in Belchertown.

Pfizer alerts doctors to impending shortage of long-acting penicillin for kids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

(CNN) — Pfizer, the manufacturer of Bicillin – a long-acting injectable form of the antibiotic penicillin – is warning doctors that it expects to run out of its formulations for children by the end of June. Formulations for adults are also expected to be in short supply but are not expected to run out.The company sent a letter to clinicians this week, which was posted by the US Food and Drug Administration.Bicillin is one antibiotic in a range of options that doctors can use to treat common childhood infections. Pfizer says it is not widely used in pediatrics because other options, such as amoxicillin, are preferred for kids.“This is a long-acting form of penicillin: You can just get one to two shots, and then you’re done, versus taking amoxicillin for five to seven days,” said Erin Fox, a pharmacist at the University of Utah who tracks drug shortages.Fox says the shots are painful, however, “so nobody likes to use them unless you have to.”In adults, Bicillin is the r...

Mayhem erupts at Denver Nuggets parade; reports of shooting, cop hit by fire truck

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

The Denver Nuggets championship parade on Thursday was overshadowed by reports of a gunman wounding multiple victims, as well as an incident involving a police officer being struck by a firetruck.“3 shooting victims in the area of 17 & Curtis. Denver police using the term Active shooter,” tweeted out one account dedicated to Colorado breaking news.Reports said that one victim had a gunshot wound in the leg, and news was shared later that the active shooter threat had subsided.ABC News reported that only two people had been injured in a shooting during the parade, and that Denver police had no current information on their conditions.Earlier reports identified a separate incident, directly following the celebration, where a Denver police officer was hit by a firetruck.“A DPD officer was struck by a fire truck near the end of the parade route at W. 13th Ave/Cherokee St,” the Denver Police Department tweeted out Thursday.“The officer was transported to ...

Ravens observations on Kevin Zeitler’s effort, J.K. Dobbins’ absence, left guard competition and more | ANALYSIS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:38 GMT

Kevin Zeitler is the player you don’t need to worry about.That’s the brand the Ravens guard has built over 11 seasons as a durable NFL starter. He reinforced it during the team’s mandatory minicamp this week, hustling through drills like a guy fighting for his job.Zeitler did, however, send the Ravens a message by skipping the voluntary organized team activities as he attempts to spur negotiations for a contract extension. The 33-year-old is entering the last season of the three-year, $22.5 million deal he signed and said retirement is still far away.“Of course, you would always, when you’re in a place this good, you’d love to finish out your career here,” he said Thursday when asked about a possible extension. “I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Not coming to OTAs for the first time, I kind of made it real clear. I still need this game, Iove this game and I want to play this game. … Honestly, that side doesn’t r...