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Tarantula crossing the road blamed for crash that sent a Canadian motorcyclist to the hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — A tarantula crossing the road in Death Valley National Park caused a traffic crash that sent a Canadian motorcyclist to the hospital, the National Park Service said.Swiss travelers, driving a rented camper van, braked suddenly to avoid hitting the tarantula as it crossed State Route 190 on Saturday, the park service said. The 24-year-old motorcyclist then struck the back of the camper van. The motorcyclist’s condition was not immediately available Monday.Death Valley’s desert landscape runs along part of central California’s border with Nevada and is known as the hottest place on Earth. Much of the national park’s roads remain closed following flash floods that occurred when the remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary swept through the region in August.“The spider walked away unscathed,” the park service wrote in a statement.While tarantulas spend most of their lives in underground burrows, 8- to 10-year-old males go aboveground in the fall to search for a mate...

Colombian police comb through cloud forest searching for soccer star’s abducted father

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Police air and land patrols searched a cloud forest in northern Colombia on Monday for soccer star Luis Díaz’s father, who was kidnapped over the weekend along with the player’s mother.The couple were at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas on Saturday when they were abducted by armed men on motorcycles. Diaz’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police that set up roadblocks around the town of 40,000 people, which is near Colombia’s border with Venezuela.But his father, Luis Manuel Díaz, remained missing. On Monday, special forces searched a mountain range that straddles both countries and is covered by cloud forest. Police also offered a $48,0000 reward for information leading to Diaz’s father.Officials said they did not rule out the possibility that the elder Díaz could have been smuggled into Venezuela, where he would be beyond the reach of Colombian police.Díaz is one of the most talented players on Colombia’s natio...

Biden and Jill Biden hand out books and candy while hosting thousands for rainy trick or treating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gray skies and drizzle added a spooky element and books were as abundant as candy at Halloween eve trick-or-treating that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted at the White House.Monday’s “Hallo-READ!” event featured book giveaways and story readings by the first lady, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and authors. The first lady showed her spirit by sporting feline ears, a tail and a black nose. She said she dressed as her cat, Willow. “Go have fun and eat lots of candy,” she told a group of costumed children after she read “Ten Spooky Pumpkins,” a counting book.Jean-Pierre donned a halo and angel wings, saying she chose that over a devil costume. After she finished reading, the president and first lady spent about 90 minutes welcoming children from local public schools and from military families, who were invited. As the costume-clad kids walked up along the driveway, Biden dropped M&...

Man charged with assault told Toronto parking enforcement officer ‘Let’s fight’: TPS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

A 25-year-old man has been charged in the alleged assault of a Toronto parking enforcement officer that occurred last month.Police were called to the Danforth Avenue and Logan Avenue area in Riverdale at around 7 p.m. on September 22, 2023, for reports of an assault.Toronto police said a Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO) was conducting enforcement in the area, and when the PEO was in the process of issuing a violation notice to an illegally parked vehicle, a man attempted to grab the officer’s handheld device.It’s alleged the accused grabbed the officer’s right forearm saying “Let’s fight” and attempted to prevent the officer from issuing the violation. The man entered the vehicle and fled the area.On Monday, police said 25-year-old Halefom Belay was arrested and charged with assaulting a peace officer.He’s scheduled to appear in court on December 5, 2023.

'They’ve done a complete 180:' City to use shuttered Kmart as migrant shelter after reversing course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

CHICAGO — An old department store near Ford City Mall on the Southwest Side could soon become a shelter as the city works to accommodate the recent influx of migrants who are being bused to Chicago, changing course on earlier opposition to the plan.In a letter sent out to 23rd Ward residents, Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd) said the city has notified her office about plans to use the location as it works to move migrants out of Chicago police stations. City council committee advances plan for migrant camp at vacant South Side lot According to Tabares, the plans for the facility were initially proposed by the governor’s office back in February, but the city had opposed the facility, deeming it unsafe. Tabares said the city has since reversed course on the decision and notified her office that it now intends to use the long-shuttered K-Mart as a migrant shelter.The new shelter would utilize the vacant building and parking lot in the 7000 block of South Pulaski Road, in West Lawn, to hou...

'Friends' cast reacts to Matthew Perry's death: 'We are all so utterly devastated'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

(AP) -- The stars of “Friends” say they are mourning the “unfathomable” death of Matthew Perry.“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer said in a joint statement to People on Monday. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.”From 1994 to 2004, each of the five actors appeared in every episode of all 10 seasons of the NBC sitcom along with Perry, who was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday at age 54. ‘Friends’ casting director: ‘I know a different side of Matthew’ “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," the statement said. “In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”It was the first public statement on Perry's death from Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc ...

Kaitlin Armstrong murder trial to begin Wednesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Nearly a year and a half after professional cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson was shot and killed at an Austin home last May, jury selection in the trial of the woman accused of murdering Wilson began Monday. Kaitlin Armstrong trial: Cameras only allowed for opening, closing statements Kaitlin Armstrong was charged in relation to Wilson's death. Armstrong pleaded not guilty in July 2022, with her arrest and plea following a 43-day fugitive hunt tracking her from Austin to Costa Rica, where she was ultimately arrested and detained.The jury has been selected and Armstrong's trial is set to begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. in Austin.Background on Mo Wilson's murderIn the evening on May 11, 2022, the Austin Police Department responded to a 911 call at a residence along Maple Avenue in east Austin. Police discovered an unconscious woman with a gunshot wound, who ultimately died at the scene.That woman was later identified as Wilson, a professional cyclist known for her expertise...

Federal judge orders immigration agents to stop removing Texas’ concertina wire on the border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) -- A federal judge on Monday ordered immigration agents to stop taking down or cutting through concertina wire placed on the Texas-Mexico border in Eagle Pass by state troopers and National Guard members in their efforts to deter migrants from crossing the border illegally.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration last Tuesday, claiming that the Border Patrol illegally destroyed state property when its agents cut through concertina wire on the banks of the Rio Grande to “assist” migrants to “illegally cross” the border.District Judge Alia Moses, a George W. Bush appointee, said she would grant Paxton’s request.“The Court shall grant the temporary relief requested, with one important exception for any medical emergency that mostly likely results in serious bodily injury or death to a person, absent any boats or other life-saving apparatus available to avoid such medical emergencies prior to reaching the concertina wire barrier,” Moses ...

Turn of the century rockers Creed will reunite for a 2024 tour that hits Treasure Island Casino in August

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

Kirk Cousins’ favorite band, turn of the century rockers Creed, have reunited for the second time and will hit the road for a tour that brings them to Treasure Island Casino Amphitheater on Aug. 17.Reserved seats are priced from $109 to $59 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster. General admission seats are also available for $39 each. 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven are also on the bill.After emerging from Florida in the mid ’90s, Creed went on to sell more than 11 million copies of their second record, 1999’s “Human Clay,” which spawned two No. 1 hits in “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open.” Soon after, however, the band’s bass player left the group and rumors of a split were eventually confirmed in 2004.In 2009, Creed reunited for a new record and tour. But their Target Center show that October only drew about 4,000 fans. They continued to tour through 2012, but as guitarist Mark Tremonti later said, the band...

Local autoworkers excited by news of tentative union agreement with GM

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:17:22 GMT

WENTZVILLE, Mo. – General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against the automaker, following deals with Ford and Stellantis.“Based on some of the things that we hear, I don't know if anybody is excited about it more than the temps, because it’s going to help them more than anybody else. That's my view,” autoworker Lori Fort said.It’s unclear what this deal means for the local General Motors Wentzville Assembly Center. Representatives for UAW Local 2250 would not comment and said they were awaiting more information. However, some workers on the picket lines are excited and ready to get back to work. Second Missouri teacher suspended for OnlyFans account “We keep the morale up. Everybody is looking forward to getting back to work,” autoworker Tony Franklin said.The terms of the tentative agreement are not set in steel just yet. Members of the UAW must ratify that.It’s been previously reported tha...