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Families left with nothing, asking for community’s help after fire at Sunrise townhouse complex

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

A fire that broke out at a South Florida townhouse complex Monday has left multiple families without a place to live, and now they are asking for the public’s help. Construction crews were seen Tuesday boarding up the townhouses, as the families that were affected went through their belongings. Eighteen adults and six children are now without a home. Juliette Assam lived in one of the eight townhouses that were affected, she was working when she saw flames coming through her glass door.“I don’t know what’s going to happen right now,” said Assam, who is a single mother of two. “When I looked, the fire was coming from the outside area, and I have a hose back there, so I went to pick up the hose and something popped back there,” said Assam. She attempted to put out the fire with no luck. “It was so hot and blazing. I panicked, I was trembling, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t even think of taking anything,” said Assam...

South Florida organization serves Holocaust survivors with Passover meals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

On this Holy Week, a special delivery of kosher meals for Holocaust survivors ahead of Passover.“Thank you so much,” said Adele. “It’s my favorite holiday, with the candles and the people, and everybody’s loving each other.”Ninety-three-year-old Adele was gifted a passover basket by the Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward County.“They always bring the best things, and I love the food,” said Adele.Included in the meal package is a full seder meal and more.“The meaning of passover is when Jews escaped Egypt and escaped slavery,” said Randy Colman, president and CEO of Goodman Jewish Family Services of Broward County, “and while Adele’s story is different, she escaped other atrocities, being in Poland and Russia and all the survivors who we really celebrate and embrace everyday.”Adele was born in Poland in the 1930s. The war would begin when she was only 9.“A lot of bad things happened,” said Adele, “but thank God, we ca...

Several students in Orange fall ill after being given gum that contained pepper

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

Emergency crews responded to the Dexter Park School in Orange on Tuesday after several students ate gum that contained pepper, officials said in a letter to parents and caregivers that was shared by Orange police. Officials said a student bought the gum online before offering it to other students during recess.The gum caused digestive issues including burning in the esophagus and mouth for some students who ate it, according to officials. Others who touched the gum but didn’t eat it had eye and skin irritation.“Appropriate action was taken to ensure the safety of our students,” officials said. The situation remained under investigation as of Tuesday afternoon.Officials continued, saying “appropriate disciplinary action” will be taken once the investigation is completed.  

Maryland Stadium Authority picks architecture firm to design renovations of Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium for $18 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

State-funded renovations of M&T Bank Stadium could begin as early as next year and the Maryland Stadium Authority has identified Gensler as the architecture firm that will design the project.The stadium authority issued a request for proposal on Jan. 27 and, of the five firms who conducted oral presentations, Gensler was selected to design the renovations for nearly $18 million.Yai Waite, an assistant vice president of procurement for the stadium authority, said during Tuesday’s stadium authority board meeting that Gensler was tied for the highest score among the firms who presented and offered the lowest fee. The board unanimously approved the contract.Gensler, a self-described “global architecture, design and planning firm,” has 53 offices internationally. The firm has designed a wide range of projects, including some sports venues; it is currently working on renovations to Crypto.com Arena — the home of the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers — in Lo...

Trump charged with 34 felony counts in hush money scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, ERIC TUCKER, JENNIFER PELTZ and WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through a series of hush money payments designed to silence claims that he feared would be harmful to his candidacy, New York prosecutors said Tuesday in unsealing a historic 34-count felony indictment.The charges arose from a series of checks that Trump or his company wrote during the presidential campaign to his lawyer and fixer for his role in making a payment to a porn actor who alleged an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.The payments were part of “an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined his campaign for president,” Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy said in court. They were made to “protect his candidacy,” Conroy added.The arraignment in Manhattan, though largely procedural in nature, was nonetheless the...

JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon says bank rules need update after SVB fail

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

NEW YORK  — JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said the U.S. and the banking industry should amend regulations following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last month, saying that the financial system needs to be adjusted so that one bank’s failure does not “cause undue panic and financial harm.”The comments, made in Dimon’s letter to JPMorgan Chase shareholders Tuesday, were his first since the two banks failed. Dimon, the chairman and chief executive of the nation’s largest bank, is a veteran of the 2008 financial crisis, and one of the last senior executives remaining at a Wall Street firm since the industry nearly collapsed 15 years ago.Dimon said in his letter there was plenty of blame to go around for Silicon Valley Bank’s failure. The bank’s management poorly handled the bank’s interest rate risk by buying low interest government bonds and mortgages, leaving it too exposed to the Federal Reserve’s rising interest...

IRS leader promises faster, easier tax filing process

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

WASHINGTON — New IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel delivered a tax-season pledge Tuesday that the agency will use an $80 billion infusion of cash to become faster, more tech-savvy and provide “real-world improvements” to taxpayers.Werfel, as he was ceremonially sworn in on Tuesday, said he would release a Strategic Operating Plan later this week laying out how the agency will use the money approved in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act.“This is our moment in history to transform the IRS,” said Werfel, who began working at the agency in mid-March.“We have a great deal of work ahead of us to ensure a more modern and high-performing IRS that provides world-class services to taxpayers,” he said.Some of the planned improvements include hiring more people to end long call wait times, additional locations for IRS staff to provide in-person service and expanded online accounts, so taxpayers and professionals will be able to address tax issues through e...

Aztecs return to San Diego after historic season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State men's basketball team returned home Tuesday afternoon after their historic season came to an end Monday in Houston.The Aztecs fell 76-59 to UConn in the NCAA National Championship game.It was the furthest the program had ever advanced in the tournament.Watch the team's homecoming in the video player above.

Highest-rated things to do in San Diego, according to Tripadvisor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated things to do in San Diego on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews.#30. USS Midway Museum- Rating: 5.0 / 5 (25,371)- Type of activity: Speciality Museums- Address: 910 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101-5811- Read more on Tripadvisor#29. San Diego Zoo- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (28,837)- Type of activity: Zoos- Address: 2929 Zoo Drive Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101- Read more on Tripadvisor#28. Balboa Park- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (13,023)- Type of activity: Parks • Gardens- Address: 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101-1660- Read more on Tripadvisor#27. La Jolla Cove- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (13,672)- Type of activity: Beaches • Parks- Address: 1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037-3600- Read more on Tripadvisor#26. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3,786)- Type of activity: State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas- Address: 12600 N Torrey Pines Rd, San Diego, CA 92037- Read more on Trip...

Death of former governor’s aide brings FBI manhunt to end

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:49 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The three-week manhunt for a former top aide to Maryland’s governor ended in his death after public corruption charges jeopardized his career and ultimately sent him on the run from federal agents when he skipped a court appearance last month. Following numerous twists and turns, the case against Roy McGrath ended Monday night when FBI agents confronted the fugitive outside Knoxville, Tennessee. McGrath, who had served as former Gov. Larry Hogan’s chief of staff, died in the hospital after being wounded by gunfire. As the criminal investigation and prosecution dragged on for years, McGrath consistently maintained his innocence and was adamant about going to trial in hopes of clearing his name, according to his lawyer, Joseph Murtha. But when the March 13 trial date arrived, McGrath surprised his attorney by failing to appear at the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.“We were moving forward and preparing for trial, but you never know what’s going on in someone’s m...