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Snowshovels in hand, Vermonters volunteer to clean up after epic floods

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

By LISA RATHKE (Associated Press)ANDOVER, Vt. (AP) — Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris.The water drained off most of the streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture across the picturesque downtown. Other communities cleaning up as well from historic floods that were more destructive than Tropical Storm Irene in many places. Dozens of roads remained closed, and thousands of homes and businesses are damaged.But with people still being rescued, high water still blocking some roads and new flash flood warnings issued with more rain on the way, the crisis is far from over, according to state Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison. “Vermonters, keep your guard up, ...

Celtics complete Grant Williams trade, receive multiple second-round picks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

A week after the deal was initially agreed to, the Celtics officially completed the three-team trade that will send Grant Williams to the Mavericks on Wednesday.The Celtics announced Wednesday that they have acquired two second-round picks and the right to swap a third second-round pick as part of the deal. The picks are:– The more favorable of Chicago’s or New Orleans’ second-round pick in 2024.– Dallas’ own 2030 second round pick.– In addition, the Celtics acquired the right to swap a previously acquired 2025 second-round pick (the more favorable of Washington, Golden State, or Detroit) with Dallas’ own 2025 second-round pick.The Celtics also reportedly received a trade exception worth somewhere in the $6-$7 million range in the deal.Welcome to the fam, @Grant2Will!@chime | #MFFL pic.twitter.com/6IT8h8QUPt— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) July 12, 2023The deal also sent Reggie Bullock and a 2030 first-round pick swap to the Spurs. The Mavs acquired a pair of second-round pick...

Isaiah Roby, Trevor Keels struggle in Summer League opener as Knicks fall to 76ers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

LAS VEGAS — The Knicks Summer League roster is obscure, the product of going through the last two drafts without a first-round pick.But one player who has a chance to crack Tom Thibodeau’s rotation is Isaiah Roby. The 25-year-old is among the most seasoned veterans across the Vegas Summer League, having logged 151 NBA games (mostly with the OKC Thunder) after getting drafted in the second round of 2019.The Knicks signed Roby toward the end of last season, giving him $400,000 up front with the hope of bringing him into the 2023 training camp.Then a potential rotation spot opened up last week when Obi Toppin, the reserve power forward, was traded to the Pacers in what amounted to a salary dump. Positionally, Roby is best suited for the replacement. Other than Julius Randle, he’s the only power forward on the current roster.The problem — as reinforced by his 7-point, 26-minute performance in Saturday’s Summer League defeat to the Sixers — is there ar...

In Pensacola, you can step through city’s vibrant history, then dig your toes into its sugar white sand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

Patti Nickell | Tribune News ServiceAs a beach-loving traveler, I have seen a lot of sand in my time. The pearl-pink sands of Bermuda and the charcoal black sands of Hawaii. The dunes of Cape Cod and the golden stretches of the Cote d’Azur.But I can truthfully say that I have never seen more beautiful beaches than those sugar white expanses of the Florida Panhandle. For nearly 250 miles, the beaches border an aquamarine stretch of the Gulf of Mexico that has earned it the nickname Emerald Riviera.As fond as I am of beaches, however, I love history and culture just as much. And in the panhandle of Florida, that means Pensacola.It may surprise some – even in the state of Florida – to learn that it was Pensacola, not St. Augustine, that was first discovered by European explorers.In this case, Spanish explorer Tristan de Luna who happened on these beaches in 1559, six years before Ponce de Leon wandered ashore in St. Augustine.De Luna didn’t stick around (thanks to a hurricane that dest...

Sweetgreen set to open third San Diego location

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Cult-favorite Los Angeles-based restaurant chain, Sweetgreen, is set to open its third location in San Diego this week.The new outpost of the fast-casual salad spot will be opening at Del Mar Highlands Town Center on Tuesday, July 11.Sweetgreen was founded in 2007 by three recent college graduates in Washington, D.C. as a way to "reimagine fast food." Since then, over a hundred restaurants have been opened, gaining widespread popularity among health-food enthusiasts and foodies alike. Farm to table: Local nonprofit ‘upcycles’ to help families with food insecurity The Del Mar Highlands Town Center location will open nearly two months after Sweetgreen expanded its presence in San Diego to Westfield UTC in La Jolla. The first outpost in America's Finest City opened early last year in Carlsbad at the Beacon La Costa Towne Center.To celebrate the Del Mar location's opening, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with the North San Diego Business Chamber of Commerce at 10 ...

Indiana authorities investigate deaths of 3 patients within a week at addiction treatment center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) — The deaths of three patients within a week at a northern Indiana addiction treatment center are being investigated by local authorities, who are also looking into a suspected overdose involving a fourth patient.The St. Joseph County Police Department said Tuesday it was working with the county coroner’s office to investigate the deaths and the suspected overdose at Praxis Landmark Recovery, an all-male drug and alcohol rehabilitation center located near Mishawaka, a city that is adjacent to South Bend.The first death was discovered July 3 at the treatment center, where police and first responders called to the scene about a dead patient found the body of Seth M. Jones, 19, of Montpelier, Indiana.The next day, police and first responders were called again to the center about a second death and found the body of William Breda, 46, of Griffith, Indiana. Police said Breda and Jones’ bodies were found in rooms across the hall from each other.Within six hours ...

Chinese hackers breached State Dept., other government email on eve of Blinken visit, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers foiled Microsoft’s cloud-based security in hacking the email accounts of officials at multiple U.S. agencies that deal with China ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing last month, officials said Wednesday.The surgical, targeted espionage accessed the email of a small number of individuals at an unspecified number of U.S. agencies and was discovered in mid-June by the State Department, U.S. officials said. They said none of the breached systems were classified, nor was any of the stolen data.One person familiar with the investigation said U.S. military and intelligence agencies were not among the agencies impacted in the monthlong spying campaign, which also affected unnamed foreign governments.The officials spoke on condition they not be further identified. In a technical advisory Wednesday and a call with reporters, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI said Microsoft d...

‘A puddle of emotions’: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jessica Chastain, others discuss their Emmy nominations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

Reactions from select nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards.SHERYL LEE RALPH“I am a puddle of emotions! It is just absolutely crazy. It, I mean, I am living one spectacular year. … In all honesty, it could never ever be about me trying to beat that moment (of last year’s ceremony, when Ralph won her Emmy and stole the show, singing much of her speech). Maybe they’ll ask me to host it! That moment was something. as all of my friends say that’s something you worked for Sheryl. That’s something you waited for and you received the gift, now, just sit back and be lovely and I’m gonna just sit back and be lovely! And so thankful to everybody who thought that it should be me … for me to be in a space where that is happening for me after all of these years, I’m just so happy. I am SO happy.” — Ralph, who’s nominated for best supporting actress in a comedy for ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” JESSICA CHASTAIN“It’s incredible … the thing that was th...

In Greece, 7 get life for stabbing death of fan that triggered crackdown on soccer violence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Seven men in northern Greece were sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after being found guilty of murder in the beating death of a 19-year-old soccer fan that shocked the country and triggered a crackdown on soccer-related violence.Twelve defendants involved in the February 2022 attack were convicted last week in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Seven received life terms at a sentencing hearing Wednesday and the five others were ordered to serve 19 or 20 years in prison.Alkis Kambanos died of stab wounds near his home and two others were injured after a group of men went to search for rival fans at random in an area next to a stadium used by Thessaloniki soccer club Aris.“This is a vindication for our family but my boy is never coming back,” the dead fan’s mother, Melina Kakoulidou, told reporters outside the court after the sentences were announced.The attackers drove to the scene of the murder in three cars, carrying knives and wooden bats. Aged bet...

Archibald removed from AFN meeting for violating code of conduct, says interim chief

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:35 GMT

HALIFAX — The interim chief of the Assembly of First Nations says former national chief RoseAnne Archibald was barred Tuesday from participating in the organization’s annual general meeting because she violated its code of conduct.Joanna Bernard told chiefs gathered in Halifax Wednesday that she is committed to making the assembly safe for all. “There must be zero-tolerance policies within the AFN,” Bernard said. “We pledge to ensure that happens, and we are already taking steps.” As an example, she pointed to the decision by meeting co-chairs Tuesday to exclude “a participant who was violating the code of conduct for our meetings.”Bernard did not specify how Archibald had violated the code, and she was not made available to media.The decision Tuesday came after Archibald, participating by video, denounced leaders of the First Nations advocacy organization and said her ousting last month was an example of “lateral violence” and a...