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High tornado death toll in Mississippi like losing family

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Lonnie and Melissa Pierce lived a quiet, peaceful life in the Mississippi Delta before a powerful tornado swept up a neighbor’s semi-truck and dropped it onto their brick home like a bomb, killing the married couple.A retired welder, Lonnie Pierce was fond of hunting and bass fishing, friends and neighbors said. Melissa Pierce volunteered for a local Christian charity that operates a small thrift store.“They were good. About the best, I can tell you that,” said neighbor Harvey Cockrell, 76, a fellow welder who worked with Lonnie Pierce for decades.A mound of broken rubble was all that remained of the couple’s home after a devastating twister packing winds of up to 200 mph (320 kph) tore through the rural town of Rolling Fork late Friday. The 18-wheeler that had been parked next door before the storm hit remained perched atop the debris Monday, and deer antlers that had been among Lonnie Pierce’s hunting trophies covered the couple’s yard....

Georgia bill is latest GOP effort targeting prosecutors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A new Georgia commission to discipline and remove wayward prosecutors would be the latest move nationwide to ratchet up oversight on what Republicans see as “woke prosecutors” who aren’t doing enough to fight crime.The Georgia House voted 97-77 on Monday for Senate Bill 92 to create the commission. The Senate later sent the measure to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. Kemp has previously voiced support for the concept.The Georgia bill parallels efforts to remove prosecutors in Florida, Missouri, Indiana and Pennsylvania, as well as broader disputes nationwide over how certain criminal offenses should be charged. All continue anti-crime campaigns that Republicans ran nationwide last year, accusing Democrats of coddling criminals and acting improperly by refusing to prosecute whole categories of crimes including marijuana possession. All the efforts raise the question of prosecutorial discretion — a prosecutor’s decision of what cases to ...

Nashville shooter was ex-student with detailed plan to kill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire Monday morning at The Covenant School before being killed by police. But he provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for havi...

Gwyneth Paltrow’s experts to testify in Utah ski crash case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Gwyneth Paltrow’s attorneys are expected to call a series of experts and read depositions from her two teenage children on Tuesday in the first full day of the movie star ‘s trial that they have to call witnesses to make their case.Due to the trial’s judge-imposed eight-day clock, Paltrow’s defense team is expected to face tough time management decisions much like Sanderson’s did throughout last week as they attempt to juggle family members, ski instructors and experts in skiing and brain science.Paltrow is in court fighting a lawsuit from Terry Sanderson, the 76-year-old retired optometrist suing her for more than $300,000 over a 2016 ski collision that he says left him with broken ribs and years of lasting concussion symptoms. The actor and Goop founder-CEO has denied Sanderson’s claims that she crashed into him, countersuing for $1 and contending that he, in fact, skied into her.Her defense attorneys will likely use their witnesses t...

In The Month Of Ramadan, We Honour Abed Abdi

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

Politicians, Keep Your Thoughts And Prayers, Protect The Children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

Fence around Echo Park Lake to come down 2 years after it was erected

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

Two years after it was first erected, a fence surrounding Echo Park Lake, which triggered protests and demonstrations, is coming down.  Initially touted as a temporary barrier that would let the city clear out the park’s homeless encampments and conduct much needed repairs, the fence quickly became a symbol of the city’s homelessness crisis.  Two years ago this week, hundreds of protesters clashed with police over the closure of the sprawling homeless encampment at the park. Since then, the city has spent $600,000 to clear tons of trash, repair lighting and bathrooms and restrict entry points to the park.  Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez says the barrier will be completely removed by the end of the week. “He said that when the fence comes down, there’s going to be 24/7 security,” Emily Lee, who lives nearby, said. “So, we just want to make sure he keeps his word and there’s security here once the fence is down...the way it was when the fence was up.”  Lee, ...

Median home price climbs in Southern California for 1st time since last May

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

Home prices edged higher in Southern California last month, marking the first increase since the spring of last year, according to new data from the California Association of Realtors.The median sale price of existing homes in the region was $745,000 in February, a month-over-month increase of 0.9%. The increase can largely be attributed to higher prices in San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties were down month-over-month, data showed.Southern California Median Home PricesCountyFebruary 2023January 2023February 2022Month-over-month price changeYear-over-year price changeLos Angeles$726,870$778,540$773,490-6.6%-6.0%Orange$1,159,000$1,194,500$1,260,000-3.0%-8.0%Riverside$595,000$585,000$605,0301.7%-1.7%San Bernardino$466,500$446,900$450,0004.4%3.7%San Diego$875,000$824,950$888,0006.1%-1.5%Ventura$805,000$815,000$887,500-1.2%-9.3%California Association of RealtorsHome prices in Southern California had been in a freefall for eight stra...

'Not acceptable to use violence': Elk Grove Mayor, Sikh temple staff condemn shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

(KTXL) — Representatives from the Sikh community held a press conference on Monday, condemning a shooting that happened on temple grounds in Sacramento County during a religious celebration. Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, who regularly attends services at the temple, read a statement on behalf of the Bradshaw Sikh Society condemning the shooting following a fight between three men on Sunday afternoon. “The parade was peaceful and a celebration of our faith,” Singh-Allen said. “It is unfortunate that a few misguided people tried to ruin a cultural and religious event.”  2 people shot at Sikh temple in Sacramento County, sheriff’s office says “We condemn their actions and we hope that they are punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Singh-Allen continued. “Our youth must learn that is not acceptable to use violence for disagreements.” The temple hosted festivities Sunday where thousands of people attended a parade as part of Nagar Kirtan, a traditional celebr...

Boldy has another hat trick, Wild beat Kraken 5-1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:02 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy had his second hat trick in the last five games for Minnesota, Marc-Andre Fleury made 35 saves, and the surging Wild beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Monday night.Jake Middleton had a rare goal, Ryan Hartman scored late and Jared Spurgeon, Marcus Johansson and Joel Eriksson Ek each had two assists as the Wild stayed in first place in the Central Division. They took a one-point lead on both Colorado and Dallas into the day, with a critical road game against the Avalanche coming next on the schedule.Boldy is a big reason why the Wild are in the lead, with 11 goals in the nine games they’ve played since superstar Kirill Kaprizov was sidelined by a lower-body injury. The Wild are 6-1-2 without Kaprizov, who’s still 10th in the NHL with 39 goals.Jaden Schwartz ended Fleury’s shutout bid with 9 minutes left, scoring on a bouncing rebound that banked in off the goalie and into the net.CANADIENS 4, SABRES 3, SOBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Michael Pezzetta scored the ...