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Minnesota ramps up spring flood preparations as snowpack rapidly melts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

As large amounts of snow rapidly melt in warm and even summerlike temperatures seen across much of Minnesota this week, state and federal officials are making preparations for widespread spring flooding.At a briefing in St. Paul on Thursday, Gov. Tim Walz, the National Weather Service, Army Corps of Engineers and state agencies said they’re getting ready for major flooding to unfold over the next week on the Mississippi, Minnesota, St. Croix and Red rivers — though the exact degree of the flooding is yet to be seen. It comes after the winter brought significant amounts of snow across Minnesota, reaching the top 10 snowiest winters for many parts of the state.“We do have this ongoing flooding. It is going to get worse. Thankfully, a few conditions were in place that are keeping us from being quite as bad as it could be,” said Twin Cities National Weather Service chief meteorologist Dan Hawblitzel. “Most notably, the drought that we were in last year. That has helped the soils absorb ...

Conor Sen: Major League Baseball’s revolution has just begun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

Major League Baseball is famous for clinging to its past, reflecting a storied heritage that fans cherish. But that can be an obstacle when change is needed and decision makers are reluctant to act or take risks.The league finally made some highly publicized changes this year responding to fan complaints that games were too slow and boring. The new rules speed up play and encourage more action within games — and thank goodness for that.Flow-throughEarly results have been positive, but this is only the beginning. It will take years for the impact of the new rules to be fully felt as they flow through into the decision-making of teams and players alike. Fans have reason to argue and debate about baseball again, and the sport feels fresh for the first time in years.The most noteworthy change this offseason was the introduction of a pitch clock to eliminate delays in the game. It’s had an immediate impact on the nature of play this season, with the average game time falling ...

Arjun V.K. Sharma: A rapidly spreading deadly fungus is a warning about climate change

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

Last month, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change charted global temperatures to be 1.1 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and on a destructive trajectory to surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming by the early 2030s. This intersects surprisingly with another piece of news: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounding the alarm on a sometimes deadly pathogenic yeast that’s spreading rapidly in health care facilities.Researchers increasingly believe that the yeast, Candida auris, is the first pathogenic fungus to arise from global warming. Its growing microbial footprint will test how prepared the world is for the disease pressures we face from climate change.In 2022, there were nearly 2,400 C. auris infections in 28 states, with Nevada and California reporting the highest numbers. Clinical cases have increased every year since 2016. The 2022 count is almost 40 times what amounted over a three-year span starting in 2013, the year ...

St. Louisans stranded at Fort Lauderdale's airport due to severe weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Flights were grounded, leaving travelers stranded at Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after severe flash flooding.The National Weather Service said it was 25 inches of rain in 24 hours that hit Fort Lauderdale and the Broward County region."The amount of rainfall is unprecedented, with reports of more than 20 inches of rain in some areas," said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. "Overnight, I signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency to allow the city to better marshal its resources in response to the storm." Trending: St. Louis County battles over marijuana sales tax The record rainfall forced drivers to abandon their vehicles. The airport shut down until Friday at 5 a.m., which meant passengers were stranded in south Florida."They made us go get our luggage, so we leave the security area. To go back out to the ticketing office to our gates to get our luggage," said Joe Sanfillipo, a St. Louis traveler. "We go get our luggage...

Why a 21-year-old has been arrested in document leak probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

By AUDREY McAVOY (Associated Press)U.S. authorities have arrested a 21-year-old information technology specialist called Jack Teixeira in connection with the disclosure of highly classified military documents about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues. The leak is believed to have started on a social media site called Discord, where Teixeira posted for years. Here’s a look at the security breach that the Pentagon has called a “ very serious risk to national security.”WHO IS JACK TEIXEIRA?Jack Teixeira is an airman first class in the Massachusetts Air National Guard. He is detailed to an Air Force intelligence unit, according to Facebook posts from the 102nd Intelligence Wing based at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts.His specialty in the Air National Guard is as a “cyber transport systems specialist,” which is essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks, including their cabling and hubs.WHA...

Police arrest armed man after hourslong standoff at Koreatown bank

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

Los Angeles police officers engaged in an hourslong standoff with a man who allegedly entered a bank with a knife Thursday afternoon.The Los Angeles Police Department received a call around 1:40 p.m. after a panic alarm was triggered inside the Bank of Hope on the 2700 block of Olympic Boulevard.According to an LAPD spokesperson, a man entered the bank with a knife. He was described as a Hispanic man standing about 5 feet 8 inches.Video from Sky5 showed several LAPD squad cars blocking the exit of the bank's parking lot.An LAPD helicopter circled overhead and an armored vehicle responded to the scene and parked next to a black sedan.Police used tear gas to get the allegedly armed man to leave his vehicle. April 13, 2023. (KTLA)Police used tear gas to get the allegedly armed man to leave his vehicle. April 13, 2023. (KTLA)Los Angeles police vehicles block off the exit of a bank parking lot in Koreatown during a standoff with an armed suspect on April 13, 2023. (KTLA)An armored vehicl...

Riverside County student tests positive for tuberculosis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

A middle school student tested positive for active tuberculosis in Riverside County on Thursday.The student attends Raymond Cree Middle School in Palm Springs and was briefly hospitalized, but is now receiving treatment at home, according to Riverside County officials. The student is expected to survive.Parents of around 50 students received an email from the Riverside University Health System-Public Health and the Palm Springs Unified School District informing them that their child may have been exposed to the illness.About 20 staff members who were possibly exposed were also notified.Another letter informing parents about the TB case is being sent out, but that letter is only informational. The children of parents who receive the informational letter are not considered at risk for exposure, officials note. A screening clinic for students will be held on April 18 in which parents were encouraged to have their children participate. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found for the first...

Thousand Oaks man arrested on vandalism, drug and weapons charges 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

Detectives with the Thousand Oaks Direct Enforcement Unit and Special Enforcement Unit have arrested a man after he was being investigated for gang graffiti and illegal firearms. According to a release by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Bryan Pinedo Martinez allegedly caused over $950 worth of damage to a business in Thousand Oaks by defacing it with gang-related graffiti. Authorities obtained a search warrant for Pinedo Martinez and his residence after further investigation into the vandalism. Pinedo Martinez was located and arrested for felony vandalism on Wednesday, and the subsequent search of his residence located controlled substances, ammunition, large-capacity magazines, gang-related indicia, and graffiti paraphernalia.   Teen arrested after racist graffiti, threats spray painted on Riverside County elementary school The Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit and Special Enforcement Unit recovered controlled substances, ammunition, large capacity magazines, gang-rela...

Analysis: Why Dianne Feinstein’s absence in Senate is causing problem for Democrats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

By Mary Clare Jalonick | Associated Press WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s monthslong absence from the Senate to recover in California from shingles has become a vexing problem for Democrats who want to confirm President Joe Biden’s nominees to the federal courts. Now there is some pressure from within her party, and her state, to resign.With frustration mounting among Democrats, Feinstein on Wednesday asked to be temporarily replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she recuperates. The statement came shortly after a member of California’s House delegation, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, called on her to step down, saying it is “unacceptable” for her to miss votes to confirm judges who could be weighing in on abortion rights, a key Democratic priority.It will not be easy to temporarily replace Feinstein on the influential committee. Republicans could block such a move, given that the full Senate must approve committee assignments.The conundrum for Senate Majority Leader Chuc...

Man killed by falling tree in Fairfax Co.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:31 GMT

A man died while cutting trees in Chantilly, Virginia, when one fell on him Thursday afternoon.Fairfax County police said he and others were working in the area, cutting down trees behind homes on Pleasant Valley Road.Officials said they got a call about an incident around 3:45 p.m. Police told WTOP that authorities determined the man died on the scene.Police have not identified the man but say he was in his mid-20s.This story is in progress. Check back with WTOP.com for the latest. Source