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Florida author creates children’s book to prepare families for hurricanes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

A young author’s book is helping kids and their families to be hurricane ready. Fernanda Ferrell-Zabala lives in Lee County in Southwest Florida. When hurricane Ian struck last year, she tried to entertain her nephew and niece during the aftermath of the storm.One conversation inspired her and two co-authors to write a children’s book aimed at helping parents talk to children about some of the emotions they’re likely feeling when a storm hits.It was a big success and local schools want their students reading it.“The Lee County school system, has not only approved this book for all of their students from kindergarten through second grade, but they have also added it as part of their curriculum,” Zabala said.The book is titled “Rosie and the Hurricane.”Zabala said her next goal is to raise enough money so that she can gift the books to the Lee County district for free.

13-year-old boy speaks out after 3-legged bear enters home near Orlando

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

A three-legged bear gave a Florida teen a scare when he was home alone. Now, he’s talking about the bizarre encounter.At first sight, it was a bear scare for a 13-year-old-boy at his house near Orlando.“I was sitting on the couch and I heard noises from the patio back here and all of the sudden, I asked my dog what’s that noise, he looked at me and he started barking, and once he started barking, I got up, there was a bear right over by the beer keg and I started freaking out,” said Joseph Diglio, the homeowner’s son. “And once I saw it was Tripod.”The three-legged bear named Tripod has been lurking in the Orlando-area community for about the past 10 years. He’s well known in the community.“It’s not that big of a surprise because we see him all the time,” Diglio said. “He’s came in our garage and grabbed cookies from the freezer.”“We are not upset, it’s actually a fun visit,” said J...

Heat Advisory for parts of the area Tuesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

Heat continues to build into the forecast, with a Heat Advisory to go into effect on Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to climb a few degrees tomorrow, while humidity levels also increase. That’ll drive heat index values to surpass 95 degrees when factoring in both temperature and humidity. The advisory lasts through Wednesday for the highlighted area, but could be expanded to more locations on Thursday with even hotter weather expected.

Robbins: New bio highlights Dr. King’s enduring legacy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

On Aug. 26, a 21 year old white racist left his Florida home, bringing with him his swastika-festooned assault rifle and a handgun. He headed to Edward Waters University, a historically Black university in a largely Black section of Jacksonville, then got out of his car and donned a bulletproof vest. Chased off campus by a university security guard, he drove to a Dollar General store and executed three Black people in cold blood: Angela Michelle Carr, 52, Jerraid Gallion, 29 and Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre, Jr., 19. The murderer’s racist writings and rants left Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters with “no question” that the killings were racial. “He hated Blacks, and I think he hated just about everyone that wasn’t white,” said Sheriff Waters. “He made that very clear.”This latest targeted killing by white Americans of Black Americans for being Black Americans came only hours before America marked the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic “I have a dream” speech at the Li...

Massachusetts labor movement reflects on a year of fights, wins: ‘Every day is Labor Day’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

Unions in Massachusetts and across the nation have seen a rare coalescence of spiking public and political support, labor leaders reflected at Boston’s annual Labor Day Breakfast on Monday, signaling confidence in the future of the movement.“I can’t imagine being anywhere else on Labor Day than in the greatest union city in this country with the greatest movement in the labor movement with all of you,” said Lou Antonellis, Business Manager of the IBEW 103.Antonellis, among many other speakers, noted that support for unions is at a “50-year high,” “88% of workers under 30 support being in a union” and “labor’s political stars are finally aligning from the White House to the State House to Boston City Hall.”The Labor Day Breakfast, held at the Boston Park Plaza hotel Monday morning, brought out a wide array of local union leaders and members — representing actors, hotel workers, teachers, musicians, nurses and man...

Chicago White Sox can’t get off the ground again in a 12-1 loss in Kansas City — their 6th defeat in 7 games and 85th of the season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

For a portion of Monday afternoon, the Chicago White Sox were trending toward the wrong end of history.Displaying pinpoint control, Kansas City Royals starter Cole Ragans retired the first 13 batters at Kauffman Stadium. Yoán Moncada broke up the bid for perfection, lofting a single to center with one out in the fifth.The Sox finished with three hits in a 12-1 loss in front of 10,646. Ragans allowed one hit and struck out seven in six scoreless innings.“He’s got five pitches,” Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn said. “In today’s game guys are throwing hard, but a lefty throwing 98 (mph), commanding his stuff, you don’t see like that every day.”Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Ragans, named the American League Pitcher of the Month for August on Sunday, was “pretty electric.”The other two Sox hits — a double by Lenyn Sosa and an infield single by Trayce Thompson — came in the eighth.Chasing pitches and hitting ground bal...

Man stabbed at Toro Nightclub in Gaslamp Quarter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A man was stabbed Monday at a downtown nightclub, San Diego police said.According to SDPD, around 12:30 a.m. officers were flagged down regarding a stabbing that had just happened at the Toro Nightclub in the Gaslamp Quarter, located at 672 Fifth Avenue.Officers found a 23-year-old man with a stab wound to his stomach, police said.Witnesses of the stabbing followed the suspect and flagged down officers, who took the man into custody without incident, SDPD Watch Commander Scott Foster said. Police described the suspect as a 21-year-old man. Deadly crash prompts SR-67 closure near Ramona The victim was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. The victim is believed to be in stable condition.The circumstances that led to the stabbing are still under investigation.Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call SDPD's Central Division at 619-744-9500 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Two transported to hospital following collision in St. Clair West and Dufferin area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

Two people have been transported to hospital following a collision in the St. Clair Avenue West and Dufferin Street area on Monday evening.Police responded to reports at approximately 6:11 pm of a collision that occurred in the intersection.Police, fire and paramedics on scene as two vehicles were involved, and both vehicles remained on the scene.Two people were transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.Officers remain on scene and advise to avoid the area.

Australian who fell ill at remote Antarctic base is rescued after daunting mission, authorities say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An Australian who fell ill at a remote Antarctic base is returning home on an icebreaker following a daunting mission to rescue him, authorities said Tuesday.The man was working at the Casey research station when he suffered from what authorities described as a developing medical condition that needed specialist assessment and care.The icebreaker RSV Nuyina left Australia last week and traveled south more than 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles), breaking through sea ice to reach a location 144 kilometers (89 miles) from the base, the Australian Antarctic Division said in a statement.From there, two helicopters were deployed from the deck Sunday and arrived at the base after nearly an hour to rescue the man.“The first phase of the evacuation was performed safely and successfully and the ship is now on the return voyage to Hobart,” said Robb Clifton, the division’s acting general manager of operations and logistics. “Getting this expeditioner bac...

Zheng Qinwen advances to US Open quarterfinals by ousting last year’s runner-up, Ons Jabeur

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:33 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Zheng Qinwen routed last year’s U.S. Open runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4 on Monday to move into the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for her deepest run ever in a Grand Slam tournament.Zheng, who is seeded No. 23, becomes the first Chinese player to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open since Wang Qiang in 2019. She did it by overpowering the fifth-seeded Tunisian with an aggressive baseline game that produced 21 winners.“I feel just super happy and excited to play in a big stadium and have a really good performance today,” the 20-year-old Zheng told the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd.For Jabeur, who committed 33 unforced errors and has appeared ill at times during her U.S. Open run, it was a disappointing finish after reaching the finals of three of the last five Grand Slam events, including the last two Wimbledons.Zheng’s win mean three of last year’s four U.S. Open singles finalists are gone, leaving only second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, a Belarussian who will tak...