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Florida wildlife officials called after alligator discovered in homeowner’s pool

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

(CNN) – It’s the time of year when alligators are most active, and this one waddled through the woods to find water.During its search for a swim, it decided Lynn Tosi’s pool was the perfect place.“I just kind of circled around, not knowing what i was gonna do next,” Tosi said. “I sure wasn’t going outside.”The alligator which Tosi later learned was 11-and-a-half feet long left a large hole in her screened porch.“He busted right through there, kinda like the Kool-Aid man you know,” Tosi said.Tosi says most people in Florida always play it safe around lakes and ponds a piece of advice pushed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, especially as the weather gets warmer.“It’s that time of year,” Tosi said. “We’re kind of used to it around here.”The FWC makes no mention of backyard swimming pools.But Tosi says after what happened, she thinks all homeowners should double-check...

Silicon Valley Bank collapse sends tech startups scrambling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

(CNN) — The sudden collapse of a top Silicon Valley lender has pushed tech investors and startups to scramble to figure out their financial exposure and the impact on their ability to operate, at a time when many businesses were already on edge from widespread layoffs and less access to capital in an uncertain economy,California regulators closed down Silicon Valley Bank on Friday and put it under control of the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC is acting as a receiver, which typically means it will liquidate the bank’s assets to pay back its customers, including depositors and creditors.The move capped off a stunning 48 hours during which uncertainty about the prominent tech lender’s liquidity prompted some startups to weigh withdrawing funds and also sparked fears of a contagion risk for the broader financial industry.Following the bank’s collapse on Friday, uncertainty in the startup community only grew.“Now that the bank has folded,...

2 hospitalized after explosion at Central Florida Japanese steakhouse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

OCALA, Florida (WESH) — Two people went to the hospital after they suffered burns in an explosion at a Japanese steakhouse in Ocala, according to Ocala fire officials.Fire officials responded to Edo’s Japanese Steakhouse about the explosion on Thursday night at 5 p.m. Edo’s is a popular teppanyaki restaurant located at 4414 SW College Road.Ocala Fire Rescue received reports of an explosion with possible burns at approximately 5 p.m.When firefighters got there, they were told to go to the open grill area, where extinguishing powder covered the ground, and the two burn victims were found.The injuries were serious enough that first responders took the victims to the hospital. No other injuries were reported by Ocala Fire Rescue.The cause of the fire is still unknown.

FDA approves new nasal spray to treat migraine headaches in adults, Pfizer says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration approved a new nasal spray as a rapid treatment for migraine pain in adults.The nasal spray zavegepant, sold as Zavzpret, may relieve pain and other bothersome migraine symptoms as soon as 15 minute after use, drugmaker Pfizer said in a news release. The drug is expected to be available in pharmacies in July 2023, the company said.There are already a number of different types of medications available to treat migraines, including several kinds of nasal sprays. Zavzpret is the first to work by blocking the calcitonin gene-related peptide, CGRP, a protein that is released in the brain that contributes to inflammation. Several pills block CGRP, but many people with migraines experience significant nausea and can’t tolerate medications they have to swallow.Zavzpret is also an alternative for people who have heart disease or other conditions that prevent them from being able to safely use other kinds of migraine treatments.In t...

New York City rats can catch the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, study finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

(CNN) — The millions of Norway rats that live alongside New Yorkers are among the animals that can catch the virus that causes Covid-19, a new study says. However, reports of the virus spreading from any types of animals to humans remain rare.Pets like cats, dogs and hamsters; zoo animals such as big cats, primates and hippos; farmed mink; and wildlife such as deer and anteaters are among the animals in which Covid-19 infections have been reported. For the study, published Thursday in the American Academy of Microbiology’s journal mBio, the researchers captured 79 rats from three sites in Brooklyn in fall 2021 and tested them for exposure to SARS-CoV-2.“Most of the rats were trapped in city parks within Brooklyn, although some were captured near buildings outside of park boundaries,” study co-author Dr. Tom DeLiberto, SARS-CoV-2 coordinator with the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said in a ...

State police: 19 year old charged with manslaughter allegedly drove 120 mph before fatal I-93 crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

Massachusetts State Police say a 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fatal car crash in Braintree.Hedweens Quetant was arrested without incident on Wednesday, March 8, according to an MSP spokesperson. The Boston resident was taken into custody nearly three weeks after a crash on I-93 in Braintree resulted in the death of Michael Wojdag, 46, of Hanson.Authorities said Wojdag was ejected after a vehicle struck the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV he was in at a high rate of speed around 9 p.m. on Feb. 19. Two other passengers in the SUV, a 45-year-old woman and teenage boy, were also injured in the crash, which sent both vehicles off the right side of the road.According to state police, Quetant and four other passengers riding in the Honda Civic that struck the SUV were uninjured and were found standing in a breakdown lane near the sedan.Electronic evidence from both vehicles, physical evidence from the scene and witness accounts were later collected by authorities, leading inv...

Bruins notebook: Tyler Bertuzzi set to face old teammates with new linemates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

This weekend’s back-to-back games against Detroit promises to be bring some different emotions for Tyler Bertuzzi, but coach Jim Montgomery is adding a little extra juice for the former Red Wing.Bertuzzi, who until last week had been a member of the Red Wing organization since being drafted by Detroit in the second round in 2013, was bumped up onto the David Krejci-David Pastrnak line in Friday’s practice, moving Pavel Zacha to the Charlie Coyle-Trent Frederic line.Whether it sticks remains to be seen, but Montgomery said the thinking is two-pronged.“Just a little bit of experimentation to see what it would look like,” said Montgomery. “We know from early in the year that Zacha with Coyle and Frederic is a real good shutdown line, so there’s a real good secondary shutdown line. Zacha has penalty killed all year and he knows our D-zone coverage. That has a lot do with it. And I thought Bertuzzi has made a lot of plays, so we put him with some other playmakers. He ma...

Dolphins picking up Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, affirming franchise’s commitment to its quarterback

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

In a move that reaffirms the franchise’s confidence in its quarterback, the Miami Dolphins are exercising Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, according to a league source on Friday.The decision locks in Tagovailoa through the 2024 season. The Dolphins had already stated their commitment to the 2020 draft’s No. 5 pick for the 2023 season, Tagovailoa’s fourth. Now, he is set to make $23.2 million in 2024.In 2022, Tagovailoa the league in passer rating (105.5) and yards per pass attempt (8.9). He threw a career-high 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions, completing 64.8 percent of passes for 3,548 yards.The greater concern now is his durability. Tagovailoa missed 5 1/2 games last season, including Miami’s playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, due to two separate stints in concussion protocol.This breaking news story will be updated. ()

Chris Perkins: Brazilian black belt reveals how jiu-jitsu could help Dolphins’ Tua reduce concussions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

If Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa strengthens his neck muscles, keeps his chin close to his chest when he falls and learns to land on his shoulder and roll instead of landing on his back, it’ll go a long way toward avoiding concussions.That’s not me talking, that’s what Ailton Barbosa thinks. Barbosa is a third-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and instructor at American Top Team/Coconut Creek, one of the nation’s best MMA teams.The Dolphins are having Tagovailoa study jiu-jitsu in the offseason. They hope it’ll teach him how to fall without that whiplash effect of his head hitting the ground.“I think it’s going to be helpful for him,” Barbosa said.Jiu-jitsu turned out to be the winning idea for the Dolphins.Coach Mike McDaniel said the team had lots of ideas for teaching Tagovailoa how to fall and avoid concussions.“We were willing to go to any length,” McDaniel said at last week’s NFL scouting combine. R...

Dolphins clear major cap space by restructuring Hill, Armstead contracts; RB Ahmed returning for 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:03 GMT

The Miami Dolphins continue to set themselves up financially for the start of free agency Monday, and are now well below the salary cap after two immense moves.After they restructured outside linebacker Bradley Chubb’s contract for $14 million in cap relief, as reported Thursday morning, the Dolphins first cleared another $11.876 million by reworking left tackle Terron Armstead’s deal and a whopping $18 million with a restructure of wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s contract, according to a league source and ESPN on Friday.Between the three moves and the release of tight end Cethan Carter on Tuesday, the Dolphins go from $16 million over the cap to about $29 million under. They’re also clearing $13.6 million by releasing cornerback Byron Jones, but since Miami is making that move with a post-June 1 designation, those savings can’t be realized until then.Free-agency negotiations begin Monday at noon. Free agents can first sign with new teams Wednesday.Contract...