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Oakland police union blasts mayor after city's 911 system experiences delays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

(BCN) -- Oakland's 911 system was still experiencing delays Friday after a power failure caused the system to go down Thursday night, according to the Oakland Police Officers' Association. The 911 phone lines have been restored, but the city's computer aided dispatch system remains inoperable, the police union said. Calls may be temporarily slower than normal, the city tweeted Thursday night. Pregnant woman, 20, killed in Antioch crash identified Backup generators went down after a power failure on Thursday, and the city's 911 system crashed. The 911 system could not be restarted even after power was restored, said the police union. "Police officers, dispatchers, and even the county grand jury all warned this would happen," OPOA president Barry Donelan said in a statement. The union cited an Alameda County Civil Grand Jury report released last month that warned that Oakland's 911 system was facing "imminent collapse." "Yesterday it happened," said the police uni...

Afros, twists and plaits: Trinidad on a quest for more diverse hairstyles at schools after outcry

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Government officials are pushing to relax hair codes at schools in Trinidad and Tobago following a recent public outcry over nearly two dozen students who didn’t receive their high school diploma because they wore Afros, cornrows and other hairstyles at graduation.Education Minister Nyan Gadsby Dolly called for new rules that would allow students to wear Afros, locks, twists, plaits and cornrows, which are called canerows in the Caribbean in reference to sugarcane. She presented the proposal during a meeting Thursday with legislators, principals and teachers, noting that wigs or dyed hair wouldn’t be allowed.The meeting was held more than a week after a private high school in Trinidad prevented 23 graduating students from walking the stage to receive their diploma because of their hairstyles.Gadsby-Dolly called the incident “unfortunate and regrettable” shortly after it happened, writing on Facebook that: “The time for this conversation in Tr...

Northwestern suspends coach Pat Fitzgerald for 2 weeks without pay following hazing investigation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

Northwestern suspended coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay Friday following an investigation into alleged hazing within the football program.The school said an investigation led by attorney Maggie Hickey of law firm ArentFox Schiff did not find “sufficient” evidence that the coaching staff knew about ongoing hazing. But investigators found there were “significant opportunities” to find out about it and report the conduct.Fitzgerald started serving his suspension on Friday. He said in a statement he was “very disappointed” when he heard about the hazing allegations.“Northwestern football prides itself on producing not just athletes, but fine young men with character befitting the program and our university,” he said. “We hold our student-athletes and our program to the highest standards; we will continue to work to exceed those standards moving forward.”Investigators said the hazing often happened in the team’s locker room and the activities might have begun at its l...

Nacho Elvira’s birdie blitz gives him 1-shot lead in Denmark

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

FARSO, Denmark (AP) — Nacho Elvira moved ahead of first-round leader Robert MacIntyre by a stroke after carding an 8-under 62 in the Made in HimmerLand on Friday.Elvira started his second round with a blizzard of birdies; five in a row from the third hole to be 6 under through seven holes. He bogeyed once, on the 11th, but immediately birdied the next with a five-foot putt.“That was what I call a quick start,” Elvira said.He was 9 under at the European tour event, after MacIntyre followed his opening 64 with a 68.Ross Fisher was two shots off the pace thanks to a 67.In fourth at 6 under were Marc Warren, the 2014 champion, and fellow Scot Richie Ramsay. They both shot 64s.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

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

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 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 will head ...

South Florida scorcher as heat index reaches 110 degrees; record temps prompt advisory for 2nd consecutive day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

Another day has brought another heat advisory in South Florida, prompting local first responders to issue words of warning.Friday’s heat advisory remains in place in Miami-Dade and Broward counties until 7 p.m. and in Monroe County until 6 p.m.The National Weather Service confirmed Miami reached 97 degrees on Friday, shattering a 2020 record of 95 degrees.https://twitter.com/NWSMiami/status/1677419236682264578?s=20The relentless heat was felt across South Florida, with the heat index, or “feels like” temperatures, reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit along the east coast.Fire rescue units are standing by ready to help.Earlier in the day, City of Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Damian Beitra met with the crew at Fire Station No. 7, as they prepared for another hot day on the job that could include heat related calls.Beitra said it’s important to watch for signs of heat illness.“The first early warning signs that are going to be thirst — you’re goin...

Beached dolphin dies near Mizell-Johnson State Beach Park in Hollywood

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

A dolphin died after it was found Friday afternoon beached near Mizell-Johnson State Beach Park in Hollywood. 7Skyforce hovered over the scene as State Park and Recreation workers provided assistance to the beached dolphin.Other authorities were contacted to assist in the dolphin rescue. The dolphin was taken away in a U-Haul truck Friday afternoon.

North Miami man found guilty of aiming laser pointer at government helicopters

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

After a trial in Miami federal court, a jury has convicted a North Miami man for deliberately pointing a laser pointer at two United States Coast Guard helicopters and one Miami-Dade Police Department helicopter.According to the evidence presented during the trial, Patrick E. Longsworth, 68, targeted three government helicopters in late November of last year. The laser pointer strikes occurred on two separate occasions, affecting two U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and one Miami-Dade Police Department helicopter.In the initial incident, the laser struck a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer in the eye. Six days later, Longsworth again directed the green laser pointer at a second U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Shortly after that, a Miami-Dade Police Department helicopter arrived at the scene and was also repeatedly targeted by the laser. The incident was captured on video by police officers, who were able to track Longsworth to his residence, where he was apprehended holding the laser pointer...

US approves cluster bombs despite humanitarian concerns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday announced it will include cluster bombs in the United States’ next $800 million weapons package for Ukraine, as well as armored vehicles and air defense missiles.National security adviser Jake Sullivan responded to humanitarian concerns about the controversial cluster bombs by emphasizing the need to provide Kyiv with artillery and by saying that Ukraine has already been targeted by Russia’s cluster bombs.“We recognize that cluster munitions created risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance,” Sullivan said during a White House press briefing. “This is why we deferred the decision for as long as we could, but there is also a massive risk of civilian harm if Russian troops and tanks roll over Ukrainian positions and take more Ukrainian territory and subjugate more Ukrainian civilians because Ukraine does not have enough artillery.”Cluster munitions are designed to destroy multiple targets at once by dropping explosive “bomblets” ove...

Standoff continues in Worcester after man allegedly shoots 2 family members, shoots at officers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:51 GMT

A standoff continued in Worcester Friday afternoon, hours after police said a man shot two of his family members and then shot at police before running back into his home. The incident happened on Colby Avenue shortly after 8:30 a.m. Police said the man shot at his family members and opened fire on police when responding officers tried to arrest him. Police said the family members who were shot were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. None of the officers were hit, according to police.Still, the scene in Worcester remained active as of around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon with various law enforcement personnel on scene.Police said they were using drones as part of their response. Some residents in the area were evacuated from their homes.One neighbor earlier in the day Friday told 7NEWS he heard sirens around 9 a.m. The neighbor, Abdul Bilal, said he was concerned“I didn’t know what was happening,” Bilal said of his reaction.“I’ve been living here for tw...