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‘A great feeling’: Okanagan wildfire battle has turned a corner, say fire chiefs

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

KELOWNA, B.C. — Fire chiefs say the fight against devastating wildfires that have been rampaging around Lake Okanagan, B.C., has turned a corner after days of destruction.West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund said “things are finally looking better,” with an army of 500 firefighters engaged in a battle that is now in a new phase.He told a news briefing Sunday that no more homes in West Kelowna had been destroyed by the McDougall Creek wildfire in the past 24 hours and it was possible to begin to “talk about recovery.”Kelowna fire chief Travis Whiting told the briefing he was also “very excited” about the advances being made, with his crews optimistic and in good spirits.He said there had been decreased fire activity, compared to the extreme behaviour of fires in recent days as they tore through neighbourhoods and destroyed homes in both West Kelowna and Kelowna, on either side of the lake.The positive developments in the Central Okanagan come amid...

Court documents suggests reason for police raid of Kansas newspaper

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

The police chief who led the raid of a Kansas newspaper alleged in previously unreleased in court documents that a reporter either impersonated someone else or lied about her intentions when she obtained the driving records of a local business owner.But reporter Phyllis Zorn, Marion County Record Editor and Publisher Eric Meyer and the newspaper’s attorney said Sunday that no laws were broken when Zorn accessed a public state website for information on restaurant operator Kari Newell.The raid carried out Aug. 11 and led by Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody brought international attention to the small central Kansas town that now finds itself at the center of a debate over press freedoms. Police seized computers, personal cellphones and a router from the newspaper, but all items were released Wednesday after the county prosecutor concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to justify the action.Late Saturday, the Record’s attorney, Bernie Rhodes, provided copies of the aff...

Relief in Nova Scotia as main road reopens to Peggy’s Cove after disastrous floods

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

HALIFAX — The manager of a sea kayaking operation in Nova Scotia says locals and tourist alike are relieved to have a road reopened to a key provincial tourist destination.Adam Zita with East Coast Outfitters says the opening of a temporary bridge on the road to the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse will put an end to lengthy detours.He says in an interview that the road was washed out during the devastating floods last month that resulted in the deaths of four people, including three children, who were trying to escape the rushing waters.Pam Lovelace, the municipal councillor for the area, says it’s a spark of good news for a region that was hit hard by forest fires in May and then by July’s flooding.She says residents were worried that the closed road would have made it more difficult for ambulance and fire services to respond quickly.The provincial Department of Public Works said Friday it had opened a single-lane temporary bridge along the road near Blind Bay, N.S.This r...

As college football season arrives, schools pay monitors to stop players and staff from gambling

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — North Carolina junior tight end John Copenhaver gets a group text message from his university pointing out the latest betting scandal or reminding him of the importance of not violating rules against betting on sports.“It’s being put in our heads every single day,” he said.Schools feel they have no choice. The spread of legalized sports gambling — and some early scandals — have captured the full attention of athletic departments and conference offices. All major conferences are paying independent betting monitors to make sure their athletes abide by the rules — and to catch those who are not.All of this means the personal information surrendered by athletes — birthdays, addresses, Social Security numbers, cellphone numbers — is used in a way unlike the same information shared by their fellow students. Some combination of those details can tip off a betting monitor that something doesn’t look right.“They’re just onboarding and they’re going through ...

Navy shipbuilders’ union approves 3-year labor pact at Bath Iron Works

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

BATH, Maine (AP) — The largest union at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works in Maine overwhelmingly approved a new three-year contract, the union said Sunday, averting another strike like the one three years ago that contributed to delays in delivering ships.The contract, which takes effect Monday, raises pay a range of 2.6% to 9.6% in the first year with differences due to a mid-contract wage adjustment that already took effect for some workers, and will be followed by a 5% increase in the second year and 4% increase in the third. Workers are receiving an increase in contributions to their national pension plan while health insurance costs will grow.Machinists’ Union Local S6, which represents about 4,200 production workers, touted the biggest pay raises by percentage since the union’s founding in the 1950s.“Local S6 would like to thank you for your vote and support as we continue to advocate for our members’ best interests and uphold the contract with the utmost dedication,” un...

From turmoil to triumph, Spain earns its first Women's World Cup title with a 1-0 win over England

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Spain was celebrating its first Women's World Cup trophy Sunday after an impressive display proved too much for England in a 1-0 victory for La Roja. Olga Carmona scored in the first half of the final and Spain held on to cap the month-long tournament. Overcoming the turmoil that had surrounded the team, the victory made Spain the first team to hold the under-17, under-20 and senior world titles at the same time. Spain is the fifth winner in nine editions of the Women’s World Cup and joined Germany as the only two nations to win both the men’s and women’s titles.At the final whistle the Spanish players piled on each other in front of their goal. They were still dancing on the field until the trophy presentations, where they kissed the trophy and raised their arms triumphantly as golden glitter fell from above. “We’ve suffered a lot throughout the past 12 months but I think everything has a reason to be. This has made us a stronger team,” Carmona said. “And it’s really ...

Maui town ravaged by fire will 'rise again,' Hawaii governor says of long recovery ahead

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Friday that what's rebuilt from the ashes of the devastating wildfires on Maui will be determined by the people.“Lahaina will rise again,” Green said during a livestreamed evening address from Honolulu. The seaside town will be rebuilt as a living memorial to those lost — a number that increased by three on Friday to 114 — while preserving and protecting Native Hawaiian culture, he said.His wife, Jaime Kanani Green, stood next to him and cried as she described Lahaina as a vibrant community rich in history and culture.“Tragically it took less than a single day for us to lose Lahaina in the deadliest fire our country has seen in more than a century," she said.Native Hawaiians and others from Lahaina said earlier Friday they worry Hawaii's governor is moving too quickly to rebuild what was lost while the grief is still raw.“The fire occurred only 10 days ago, and many people are still in shock and mourning,” Tiare Lawrence, who grew u...

Airfare is finally cheaper, but you may want to book soon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – If you've been patiently waiting for the time to buy a plane ticket you may not want to wait much longer to book a flight.Travel app Hopper said in an Aug. 8 release that the average ticket for a domestic flight was $257, 11% less than the same time last year, and, notably, less than it was at this time in 2019.In July, the airline fare index fell 8.1% over the previous month, a fourth straight month of decline, according to the Consumer Price Index Summary released in August. Planning a trip to Europe? You’ll need to apply for ‘authorization’ starting in 2024 It's welcome news for travelers who saw airfare prices skyrocket last summer.The end-of-summer window won't last forever, however.Hopper expects the average fare to be around $267 in August and remain steady through mid-September, after which plane tickets will start to creep up in price. It's worth noting that the average takes into account all flights — there are always some that are cheap and others that aren'...

Tropical Storm Hilary makes landfall along Mexico's Baja coast, speeding toward California

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP/KTLA/KSWB) — Hilary, after being downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm Sunday morning as concerns mounted over the storm causing what could be deadly flash flooding in the border city of Tijuana, Southern California and places as far north as Idaho that rarely get such heavy rain.Hilary hit the coast in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles south of Ensenada.The storm has already caused flooding in places across Mexico’s arid peninsula and threatens to unleash torrential rains on mudslide-prone Tijuana, where many improvised houses cling to steep hillsides just south of the U.S. border.Forecasters warned the storm could cause extreme flooding, mudslides and even tornadoes. Parts of the U.S. Southwest could be hit with once-in-a-century rains and there is a good chance Hilary could break all-time records as the wettest known tropical cyclone to douse Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.As of 11 a.m. Pacific time, Hilary was located about 215 m...

Jet ski collision on Decker Lake prompts STAR Flight response

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:16:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) —  Several agencies responded Sunday to a collision between two jet skis on Decker Lake, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.ATCEMS said the call for the crash, which involved 2 jet skis, 4 adults and 1 child, came in at 1:15 p.m.According to officials, at least two people were injured as a result of the crash.At 1:45 p.m., ATCEMS said one patient was still in the water but was with a rescue swimmer.ATCEMS, Austin Fire Department and Travis County STAR Flight all responded to the incident.This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN for more information.