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Flooded New England communities shift to recovery, shoveling out tons of mud and debris

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

By LISA RATHKE (Associated Press)ANDOVER, Vt. (AP) — Floodwaters receded in Vermont cities and towns pummeled by a storm that delivered two months of rain in two days, enabling people to focus on recovering from a disaster that trapped residents in homes, closed roadways and choked streets and businesses with mud and debris.The water drained off in the capital city of Montpelier, where streets were flooded Tuesday by the swollen Winooski River, and lingering concerns about a dam just upstream eased as water levels there appeared to stabilize.“It looks like it won’t breach. That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner,” Montpelier Town Manager Bill Fraser said.Fraser said the city of 8,000 has shifted into recovery mode, with public works employees removing mud and debris downtown and building inspections to come as businesses begin cleaning up their properties. Brown water from the Winooski reached the tops of parking meters downto...

Headed to Taylor Swift’s Denver concerts? Here’s how to use transit to get to Empower Field.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

Taylor Swift fans headed to her Denver concerts Friday and Saturday have several transit options to get there — offering ways to avoid parking costs and reduce the hassle at Empower Field.Hyoung Chang, The Denver PostRTD’s W-Line light rail train stops at a platform at the Decatur-Federal Station in Denver, near Empower Field, on Dec. 16, 2021.Here’s a look at how the Regional Transportation District is adding capacity to help fans, along with navigation tips and a few pitfalls to avoid.RTD has made planning pretty easy: On its Next Ride website, select the “plan a trip” option and type “Taylor Swift” in the destination box to see your options to get to the stadium. Several third-party phone apps also provide real-time RTD schedules and route mapping, including Google and Apple maps, the Transit app, and the Uber and Lyft apps.Top tip: Check your route’s schedule in advance to make sure it will still be running after the 6:30 p.m. show...

Think it's hot now? Get ready for temperatures up to 115 this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

If you've gone outside in the past day or two, you know how hot it is. By this weekend, you may be missing the midweek temperatures. Southern California weather The National Weather Service said that beginning Thursday, a "long-duration heat wave" will hit inland areas, "spreading into the valleys closer to the coast by Friday.""Highs will peak between 100 to 110 degrees, and possibly up to 115 degrees, hottest over the LA County interior," the NWS added. Specifically, interior areas will see their temperatures peak Friday to Monday with highs between 100 and 113 degrees and lows in the 70s and 80s.KTLA's Henry DiCarlo displays some of the high temperatures the Inland Empire is likely to see on July 12, 2023. In coastal valleys and the Santa Monica Mountains, temperatures will be between 90 and 105 between Friday and Sunday. In that time period, the heat will extend into the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, as well as valleys in Ventura County. Huntington Beach lifeguard su...

Traffic sign blasting classical music in Santa Monica prompts complaints

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

A traffic sign playing classical music in a Santa Monica intersection is prompting complaints from people who are finding it hard to sleep. The music-playing sign was placed at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Broadway and apparently blasts its classical tunes day and night. Residents have told KTLA about the situation, including one caller who said the music is too loud and makes sleeping difficult.It was unclear why the traffic sign is playing the music. KTLA put in a call to the city but has not heard back.

Step Into Jurassic Park For A Bite at Comic-Con

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

Universal Products & Experiences and Amblin Entertainment are re-opening the park gates at Comic-Con International in San Diego to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park. Step Into Jurassic Park is a free, timed-entry event at the convention Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22. Visitors will be greeted by meticulously crafted scenes, bringing the 1993 prehistoric park to life, from the Dilophosaurus attack scene and that famous moment on the toilet.  There will be product displays, featuring 30th anniversary-inspired toys, collectibles, apparel, accessories and Jurassic-themed food offerings from John Soules.Raptor nuggets (Courtesy John Soules)“There will be Jurassic World Chicken Nuggets,” Jason Trotta from John Soules tells L.A. Weekly. “To further inspire the “play with your food” revolution, John Soules Foods is the first to introduce five unique dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets — T. rex, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, Dinosaur Footprint and Raptor Claw. As a fun an...

DJ Minx Revives Women On Wax

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

DJ Minx Revives Women On Wax: Detroit house and techno artist DJ Minx got her start after being inspired by a trip to the Music Institute in downtown Detroit.“I had gone there for a few weeks, before heading up to the DJ booth to watch the DJ play,” she says. “The DJ was Derrick May. I was intrigued by his profession and the way he could make the crowd scream. Once I became interested, some friends of mine gathered equipment for me, and I started practicing in my downtown Detroit apartment. Things started to get real when I saw Moodyman in the crowd, watching me play music. Not once, but several different clubs I played in, he was in the audience, but at the end of my set, he was gone. One night, I saw him in the audience, but he stayed this time. He walked up to me when I was finished and asked if I was ready to start my label. He said he would help me start it up and would help with distribution. He said it was the next step in my career, and I needed to do it.&#...

San Jose agencies help provide health care for low-income residents

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

Editor’s note: This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students, a two-week intensive course in journalism. Students in the program report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.For some San Jose residents, accessing proper medical care is a difficult challenge. The Healthier Kids Foundation, Gardner Health Services and the Vietnamese American Service Center are just a few organizations that strive to better the lives of children and adults. These organizations are focused on offering programs to those who stumble upon economic difficulties.The Healthier Kids Foundation aims to eliminate health barriers affecting today’s youth. Program Director Patricia Alonso said a variety of programs are offered for families such as 10 Steps to a Healthier You, as well as free pregnancy, dental, hearing and vision care.“We also have a program that identifies uninsured families, and assists them through the application pro...

South Lake Tahoe hotel to become Margaritaville Resort

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

A large hotel in South Lake Tahoe will reopen this winter as a Margaritaville Resort, the company announced Tuesday.The 30-year-old, nine-story complex has been operated since 2013 as Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel; before that, it was Embassy Suites. It’s just south of the state line, between Heavenly Village and Harrah’s.As Margaritaville, it will have 399 suites and five bars and restaurants, including JWB Prime Steak and Seafood.The Margaritaville hospitality company was founded by singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and named after his 1977 hit song. It includes hotels, restaurants, stores, vacation clubs, a cruise ship and a Florida retirement village.There is currently one Margaritaville Resort in California, in Palm Springs. Two San Diego properties are scheduled: a Gaslamp Quarter hotel to open next month, and a Mission Bay resort next year.Among other resorts in the works at Lake Tahoe are two big projects on the North Shore: a revamp of the Cal-Neva, and a Waldorf Astori...

Farmers Insurance pulls out of Florida, drops 100,000 policies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

TALLAHASSEE — Farmers Insurance Group announced Tuesday that it would no longer write new policies or renew existing homeowner, auto and umbrella policies, affecting about 100,000 customers, a day after Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis threatened to take action if it did.“Hearing rumors @WeAreFarmers might pull out of Florida,” Patronis tweeted Monday afternoon. “If that’s true my office is going to explore every avenue possible for holding them accountable. Don’t get to leave after taking policyholder money.”A spokesman for Patronis declined to explain what action he would take to hold the agency accountable, directing all questions to the Office of Insurance Regulation, which Patronis oversees as CFO.The state agency on Tuesday received a “market reduction notice from Farmers Insurance Group,” communications director Samantha Bequer said in an email to the Orlando Sentinel. “OIR is reviewing the notice in accordance with applicable Florida Statutes.”She said she coul...

How NIMBY are you? Take our quiz!

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:57 GMT

It’s human nature to be skittish when news comes that a housing development is proposed for your community.Change is hard. And, yes, if you’re a property owner, that little real estate valuation machine in your head starts spinning.So being a tad “NIMBY” – that’s ‘Not In My Backyard” if you didn’t know – is a natural reaction to any development. Meanwhile, a sense of “greater good” – or what’s best for your community outside of your personal desires – may bubble up, too.Related ArticlesReal Estate | These 7 California metro areas have the lowest young adult homeownership rates in the country Real Estate | Huge San Jose housing project will include affordable homes Real Estate | San Jose office building sells for a loss, will be replaced by housing Real Estate | Rents in this Southern California metro are now more expensive than in San Francisco Real Estate | Mini transit village is eyed near San Jose train st...