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Plantation firefighter receives warm welcome at FLL after returning from serving in Israel amid war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

A Plantation firefighter returned to South Florida to a warm welcome after serving in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.There was a special surprise waiting for Lt. Aston Bright with the Plantation Fire Department as he stepped back on U.S. soil and walked through the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Wednesday afternoon.“So good to see you,” Bright said to his friend Amanda Green as they embraced.“So glad you’re home,” said Green.Bright spent the past two weeks volunteering in Israel with the Emergency Volunteers Project.“There was a rocket strike here,” he said in a cellphone video.Bright said he was in the middle of it.“I was in the Gaza envelope for most of the time, so I was within just a few miles from Gaza,” he said. “We were running calls from fires that were started from rockets.”As he helped people in Israel, his friends back home said they were worried about his safety every single da...

Some endoscopy patients potentially exposed to infection at Salem Hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

Salem Hospital has notified some endoscopy patients after officials found they may have been exposed to infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis A, officials said Wednesday. Salem Hospital addressed the situation in a statement, saying the hospital was made aware earlier this year of “an isolated practice involving a small portion of endoscopy practices who were potentially exposed to infection due to the administration of their intravenous medication in a manner not consistent with our best practice.”A hospital spokesperson in a subsequent statement said the situation affected nearly 450 patients over a period of roughly two years. Salem Hospital said the IV practice was immediately corrected after being identified. Hospital quality and infection control teams were also notified.“After a comprehensive review, including feedback from public health officials at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), we have determined that the infection risk to patients f...

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole unanimously wins AL Cy Young Award

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

Investing big money in free agent pitchers can be a risky proposition. Some guys break down as they get older, others seemingly fall apart the moment the ink on their contract is dry.But some arms are worth the money, and Gerrit Cole is Exhibit A for how a big deal can pay off.The New York Yankees’ ace won his first career Cy Young Award on Wednesday, earning the American League honor unanimously to beat out Minnesota’s Sonny Gray and Toronto’s Kevin Gausman. It’s the latest highlight for the big right-hander, who has been everything the Yankees could have hoped for since signing a nine-year, $324 million deal ahead of the 2020 season — the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history.Other than a brief two-week stretch in 2021 when he was sidelined with COVID-19, Cole has made every start for New York through his first four seasons, posting a 3.08 ERA with 816 strikeouts over 664 innings. His 17.8 wins above replacement is second only to Philadelphia’...

Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown both miss Celtics rematch vs. 76ers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion) and Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) both missed their first game of the season in the Celtics’ rematch against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.Both were initially ruled as questionable for the game. Brown was a late addition to the injury report on Wednesday morning.Porzingis told reporters in Philadelphia at Wednesday’s morning shootaround that he suffered the injury when he banged knees with the Knicks’ Julius Randle during the Celtics’ win on Monday night. He went on to play the rest of the game. It limited him at Wednesday’s shootaround but he doesn’t believe the injury is serious.As the Celtics begin a four-game road trip that includes a back-to-back on Sunday and Monday, it seems the team is being cautious with Porzingis. Though he played the healthiest season of his career last year, the big man has a lengthy injury history.“The medical staff, they want to be smart about these things,” Porzingis told reporters in Philly....

Ticker: Retail sales slip in October; FCC adopts rules to eliminate ‘digital discrimination’  

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

Americans cut back on retail spending in October, ending six straight months of gains, though the decline was partly driven by falling prices for both gasoline and cars.Retail sales declined 0.1% last month after jumping a strong 0.9% in September, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department.“The October retail sales report was stronger than expectations, but confirmed a slowdown in consumption,” Ellen Zentner, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a note to clients.September’s figure was revised higher from an initial report of a 0.7% gain. Excluding sales of gas and autos, retail sales ticked up 0.1%.FCC adopts rules to eliminate ‘digital discrimination’The Federal Communications Commission is implementing new rules banning internet providers from discrimination in how they provide service to communities based on income, race and other protected classes.The rules package, which the commission ratified on Wednesday, would empower the a...

Protests erupt in San Francisco as Biden, Chinese leader meet for APEC trade summit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

Hundreds of protesters marched and waved signs and flags and occasionally scuffled Wednesday across San Francisco where President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit after holding talks down the road from the city at a Woodside estate.More than 1,000 demonstrators waving Tibetan flags marched mid-day down Market Street chanting “Free Tibet” and criticizing the Chinese Communist Party and its leader Xi. There were reports of isolated pushing and shoving between groups of critics and supporters of China in the city.“The United States is a country that believes in human rights,” said demonstrator Penpa Dhundup, 50, of Berkeley, who was draped in a gold, red and blue Tibetan flag and wore a “Save Tibet” headband. “How can they welcome a Communist Party who takes away everything which the United States is based on?”Earlier in the morning, police in riot gear pushed up against a crowd of demonstrators representing workers’ r...

Healey boosts aid by $62M at UMass, state schools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

The state will add $62 million to financial aid for the state’s public community colleges, state universities and UMass schools, Governor Maura Healey announced Wednesday — expanding broad coverage for low-income students and reducing out-of-pocket expenses for middle-income students by up to half.“This expansion of MASSGrant Plus will open doors for more students to access higher education, which will strengthen our economy as a whole,” Healey announced Wednesday morning at Salem State University.The MASSGrant Plus Expansion, which draws on funding from the so-called millionaire’s tax passed last year, is expected to benefit 25,000 students at state colleges and universities.The aid will go to all students who enroll in public colleges and universities in Massachusetts and qualify based on their FAFSA applications and apply retroactively for enrolled students for the current semester by sending credits to their accounts.The program will cover full cost...

Trump wants mistrial in NY civil fraud case 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

NEW YORK  — Lawyers for Donald Trump asked for a mistrial Wednesday in the New York civil fraud case that threatens the former president’s real estate empire. They accused the judge of tainting the proceedings with “tangible and overwhelming” bias.Trump’s lawyers urged Judge Arthur Engoron to stop the case immediately, arguing he had irreparably harmed Trump’s right to a fair trial through “astonishing departures from ordinary standards of impartiality.” They cited his rulings against their client as well as the prominent role played by the judge’s chief law clerk.Engoron gave lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office until Thursday to decide whether they will file a response before he rules. Judges have broad latitude to conduct trials as they choose. Last week, Engoron spurned the defense’s request to end the trial through what’s known as a directed verdict.Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Repu...

Expect rain through this weekend in San Diego County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Active weather across San Diego County as quick-moving showers and thunderstorms roll through Wednesday into the weekend.There will be on and off scattered showers through Saturday afternoon as a Pacific storm system off the coast of California brings us two rounds of rain. Storm to bring rain to San Diego starting Wednesday We are experiencing the first round of rain Wednesday through Thursday morning. Already a quarter inch of rain has fallen in many areas including Chula Vista, Ramona, Julian and Brown Field. Showers pushed onshore just after 10 a.m. Wednesday with thunderstorms embedded in that leading edge.There is still a threat of thunderstorms going into Wednesday evening so be careful of lightning strikes, brief heavy downpours and gusty winds. A Beach Hazards Statement for the San Diego County coastline and a Marine Statement for outer waters are in effect until Wednesday evening to warn people of those hazards. Atmospheric river heading for Souther...

Free 'Dump Day' event happening in Chula Vista this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:57 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- Another "Dump Day" event will be taking place this week in San Diego County. On Saturday, Nov. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, San Diegans can bring non-hazardous, unwanted items to the free "Caltrans District 11 Dump Day" event. It will be held in the Chula Vista Maintenance Yard at 570 C Street in Chula Vista. Free ‘Dump Day’ held at two San Diego-area locations in October Multiple dumpsters will be on site for household waste and approved debris. Four mattresses and four tires separated from the rims will be accepted per household.Items that will not be accepted include hazardous waste (batteries, paint, oils, flammables, etc.), construction debris (concrete, dirt, asphalt, asbestos), compressed gas, aerosols, treated wood waste, refrigerators and freezers. City of San Diego one step closer to using smart streetlights Also on Saturday, "I Love a Clean San Diego with Clean CA" – Vista La Mesa Cleanup -- will take place at Vista La Mesa Park in La Mesa fro...