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U.S. deploys high-tech Pentagon program to help Canada detect, suppress new wildfires

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Defense has deployed a new high-tech fire detection system to help Canada battle one of its worst wildfire seasons on record.The White House says the FireGuard system uses real-time data from drones and satellites to help detect new flareups in remote areas before they burn out of control. It’s just the latest helping hand from the U.S. since smoke from wildfires in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec began drifting south of the border earlier this month. Since early May, more than 800 U.S. firefighters, supervisors and technicians have been deployed throughout Canada, along with various aviation assets. Canada has since requested additional airtankers and smokejumpers — wildfire specialists who parachute into remote areas — through both federal and state-level channels. Other resources being sent north include hand crews, incident management teams and fireline leadership positions, according to the Idaho-based National Interagency Fire Center. ...

Michigan man charged with threatening synagogue massacre

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — A 19-year-old Michigan man has been charged with threatening a mass killing at a synagogue on the fifth anniversary of the massacre at two New Zealand mosques by a white supremacist gunman, federal officials say.Seann Patrick Pietila of Pickford, a township in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, was arrested Friday and charged with transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure another, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Prosecutors say he planned to target the Shaarey Zedek congregation in East Lansing.He allegedly made threats on social media, including Instagram, that included comments about neo-Nazi ideology, antisemitism and glorifying mass shootings, most notably the 2019 shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, The Detroit News reported.Pietila was arrested the same day a truck driver was convicted of storming a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 and fatally shooting 11 congregants in an act of antisemitic terror. The attack at the Tree of Life synagogue was t...

One-third of home buyers are paying in cash – who are they?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – It's been nearly a decade since the percentage of all-cash home purchases was this high, but you may not want to start stocking away savings in hopes of doing the same.Real estate brokerage Redfin found that 33.4% of buyers opted for an all-cash deal in April, the highest that mark has been since 2014."All-cash purchases are making up a bigger portion of the homebuying pie for one major reason: Elevated mortgage rates are deterring homebuyers who take out mortgages more than they’re deterring all-cash buyers," the study found. "Overall home sales were down 41% from a year earlier in April in the metros included in this analysis, compared with a 35% decline for all-cash sales."The analysis was based on county records going back to 2011 in the 40 most-populous U.S. metropolitan areas. El Niño could mean the hottest year on record, meteorologists warn The average 30-year fixed rate for a mortgage as of June 8 is 6.71%, according to Freddie Mac, so it's not surprising that...

What is a heat burst?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It is widely accepted information that, on the whole, the temperature goes down during the evening and nighttime hours. If they aren't dropping every hour it could be that they are holding steady. If they go up, it's not by much.But a rare event happened late Friday night in Burnet and Georgetown. And, it might have awakened you from a sound sleep. The midnight temperature at Georgetown Municipal Airport was 83° with a humidity of 59%. The wind was out of the southwest at 12 mph. The sky condition was reported as mostly clear. Based on this observation it stood to reason that the 1 a.m. temperature should have dropped another degree or two. But that did not happen.Instead, that 1 a.m. observation showed a temperature of 97°, a 14° increase. The relative humidity dropped to 20°. The wind was from the west wind at 17 mph and a gust of 37 mph. A thunderstorm started to weaken.Georgetown heat burstBy 2 a.m. the temperature had dropped back to 84° with the dew point up to...

Prominent corners of St. Paul are owned by an out-of-state pension fund. Some are bustling. Some are empty.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

When management consultant Sherry Johnson co-chaired a neighborhood task force looking at all the vacant properties on St. Paul’s popular Grand Avenue business corridor, she was taken aback to discover how many spaces were owned by the same out-of-state pension fund — the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.Unlike some other commercial owners willing to host seasonal vendors, pop-up shops and art collectives, the retirement system has kept some of the three-mile corridor’s largest retail areas empty rather than lower rents and negotiate with small, local businesses.The Columbus, Ohio-based retirement system, known as STRS Ohio, owns the retail malls lining three corners of Grand Avenue and Victoria Street, home to such celebrated storefronts as the Bread and Chocolate restaurant and bakery, J.W. Hulme leather goods, Evereve clothing and Cafe Latte. But its mall at the intersection’s southwest corner runs for nearly half the block approaching Milton Stree...

Community gathers for Charlie’s Playground ceremony

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - In South Colonie this morning, Saddlewood Elementary School held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for ‘Charlie’s Playground.’ The park is named after Charlie Fernandez, a first-grader who passed away from neuroblastoma. The community gathered on June 17 to honor her memory. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Try Everything" by Shakira was Charlie’s favorite song. Her teacher says the lyrics perfectly describe who Charlie was.“I think the song that was just sung embodies everything that Charlie loved." said Sarah Norton, Charlie’s teacher. "And that was her favorite song. Try anything. She would. She would try anything.”Even after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma, her teachers remember how even after she woke up blind, that never stopped her from loving to go to school.“One of the greatest stories of what started this playground. She climbed to the top of the slide while she was blind. And I was like, ‘Char...

Mozeliak: 'We stand by Oli' as last-place Cardinals hit another skid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

NEW YORK - The St. Louis Cardinals started the 2023 season with a historically bad 10-24 clip through early-May, and things haven't gotten much easier in recent weeks. The Cardinals, just like then, sit last place in the National League and are now 16 games below .500 at a 27-43 mark. They have lost 11 of their last 13 games, and their current six-game skid is their second worst of the season. RELATED - Missouri’s two MLB teams hold worst records in NL and AL Postseason is usually an aspiration for the team, but it seems like a long shot this year unless a large string of wins comes soon. It's been an adjustment period for almost everyone involved with the team, including second-year manager Oli Marmol. Nearly halfway through the season, Marmol has taken heat for several comments and decisions throughout the season. That includes his questioning of Tyler O’Neill’s baserunning efforts, the big-league development of young outfielder Jordan Walker and indecisiveness on the role of n...

Police: Man used fake gun to steal dog food from Maplewood Schnucks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. - A man is behind bars after he reportedly used a fake gun to steal dog food from a Maplewood Schnucks store. Prosecutors have charged Gerold Hopkins, 42, with one count of first-degree robbery in the case. The robbery happened on June 10 at the Schnucks location in the 7300 block of Manchester Road. Records: Man accused of scamming St. Louis slots is cross-country cheater The store manager told police that Hopkins walked inside the store, picked up a bag of dog food and started walking toward the parking lot with the intention of stealing it. The manager reportedly confronted Hopkins and told him to return the item and leave. After that, Hopkins allegedly told the manager he had a gun and pulled out what the manager initially believed was one. He got away with the dog food and started taking off on a bicycle. Police responded to the Schnucks shortly after that, then traced the location of Hopkins. After stopping him, deputies notices a bag of dog food inside his b...

Fatal hit-and-run incident in Jurupa Valley leaves one person dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

One person is dead after a fatal hit-and-run crash in Jurupa Valley, officials announced on Saturday.Deputies from the Riverside Sheriff’s Jurupa Valley Station responded to the scene, located at Market Street and 24th Street in Jurupa Valley, at approximately 2:35 a.m.Deputies and Cal Fire personnel found the unidentified victim on the northbound shoulder of Market Street. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials won’t publicly identify the person until their next of kin is notified about the tragic incident.  The Jurupa Valley Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating the fatal hit and run. No suspect is currently in custody and officials are unsure at this time if alcohol or drugs played a part in the deadly collision. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call Deputy Petersen at the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station at 951-955-2600.

Mom and 12-year-old daughter dead in Tesla crash in Santa Clara

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:27 GMT

(KRON) -- A 44 year-old mother and her 12-year-old daughter died after their Tesla collided with a tree Wednesday afternoon. The car engulfed in flames following the collision which caused delays in Santa Clara, according to the City of Santa Clara. The crash happened in the northbound lanes of San Tomas Expressway between Forbes Avenue and Homestead Road. Local police and fire departments are on the scene. Cinemark and Westfield abandoning downtown SF just the latest in string of bad news As of 3:45 p.m. San Tomas Expressway was closed in both directions near the scene of the crash. By 4:30, the southbound lanes of San Tomas Expressway were reopened. The northbound lanes were closed for several hours but have since reopened as of 8:25 p.m.Viewer photos from the scene of the crash show a white Tesla fully engulfed in flames. The vehicle appeared completely destroyed after the flames were extinguished. A witness who said they saw the crash told KRON4 that speed may have been a fac...