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Tennessee’s House expels 2 of 3 Democrats over guns protest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI and JONATHAN MATTISE (Associated Press)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In an extraordinary act of political retaliation, Tennessee Republicans on Thursday expelled two Democratic lawmakers from the state Legislature for their role in a protest that called for more gun control in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. A third Democrat was narrowly spared by a one-vote margin.The split votes drew accusations of racism, with lawmakers ousting Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are both Black, while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, survived the vote on her expulsion. Banishment is a move the chamber has used only a handful times since the Civil War. Most state legislatures possess the power to expel members, but it is generally reserved as a punishment for lawmakers accused of serious misconduct, not used as a weapon against political opponents.Jones, Pearson and Johnson joined in protesting last week as hundreds of protesters packed the Capi...

MTS Board launching investigation into claims against agency, Fletcher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- After a special closed-door meeting Thursday morning, the MTS Board of Directors announced they will hire outside counsel for an independent investigation into claims of sexual assault and harassment made by a former MTS employee against San Diego County Supervisor and former MTS chair Nathan Fletcher.“Mr. Fletcher failed to act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of MTS," said MTS Board Acting Chair Stephen Whitburn.In a lawsuit, the former employee alleges Fletcher pursued and assaulted her and then in alleged retaliation, she was fired from MTS the same day the supervisor announced a bid for state senate. Lawsuit against Supervisor Fletcher alleges sexual assault Last week, Fletcher scrubbed that plan, announcing he was going into treatment for PTSD and alcohol abuse, later announcing he will step down as supervisor next month.Fletcher said he had "consensual interactions" outside his marriage but denies any claims of assaul...

Boy, 14, among 2 arrested in deadly park shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Two people, including a man and teenage boy, were arrested Thursday in a deadly shooting behind the North Clairemont Recreation Center, authorities said.Julian Vargas, 19, and a 14-year-old boy whom police did not name because he is a child were taken behind bars, Lt. Adam Sharki said in a news release.The incident occurred Feb. 19 around 11:50 a.m. in the 4400 block of Bannock Avenue, where officers found a man in the grassy area of the park with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body, according to police.The victim, 22-year-old Cesar Lopez-Sandoval, died at a hospital, per SDPD. Lopez-Sandoval was a San Diego-based rapper, according to his family. MTS Board launching investigation into claims against agency, Fletcher During the investigation, detectives determined Vargas and the teenage boy as suspects in the case."On April 6, 2023, at approximately 7:45 a.m., Vargas was taken into custody in the 8200 block of Camino Santa Fe and arrested per this case. At a...

Minor league pitcher calls Tatis 'cheater' after monster HR

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

A San Francisco Giants minor leaguer called Fernando Tatis Jr. a “cheater” on Twitter after the suspended San Diego Padres superstar hit a mammoth home run Wednesday night in a Triple-A game while on a rehab assignment.Kade McClure of the Sacramento River Cats responded to a tweet that included video of the homer at Sacramento's Sutter Health Park by saying, “cheater hits a homerun on a rehab assignment during a steroid suspension.”McClure deleted the tweet sometime Thursday afternoon. His tweet had received several responses from Padres fans defending Tatis and criticizing the pitcher's high ERA.Tatis is playing for the El Paso Chihuahuas on a rehab assignment while finishing the 80-game suspension he received Aug. 12 after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He'll be eligible to join the active roster on April 20.Tatis was initially greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos after his homer off McClure, but the crowd mostly booed after he did his trademark stutter-st...

Suspect shoots 2 hostages after wounding California officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A man fleeing police in Northern California took two hostages at a public park on Thursday, killing one of them and wounding a California Highway Patrol officer before surrendering, authorities said.The events played out in Roseville, a city of about 150,000 northeast of Sacramento, in the early afternoon as families played at nearby baseball fields and children attended camp.The California Highway Patrol officer was in stable condition at the hospital. The names of the two people taken hostage, including the one who died, were not released. The condition of the second hostage was unknown. Both were adults.The incident unfolded when highway patrol officers were looking to serve the man a warrant, prompting him to shoot at and wound an officer. The Roseville Police Department received a radio call around 12:30 p.m. alerting them an officer had been shot, Capt. Kelby Newton said. When they arrived, the suspect was seen carrying a gun and running. He then grabb...

Fentanyl caused ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ rapper Coolio’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop’s biggest names of the 1990s with hits including “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” died last year because of fentanyl, his manager said.Coolio’s former longtime manager Jarez Posey told The Associated Press Thursday that Coolio’s cause of death was fentanyl and that he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamine in his system. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office listed his death as accidental and cited cardiomyopathy as a “significant condition.” Posey also confirmed that investigators determined Coolio’s severe asthma and cigarette smoking played a role in his death. Coolio — born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., on Aug. 1, 1963 — died at the Los Angeles home of a friend on Sept. 28, 2022. He was 59. Coolio won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film “Dangerous Minds” that sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime P...

Arizona judge skeptical of suit seeking to execute prisoner

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge expressed skepticism about whether he can order any changes in response to a lawsuit against Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, that attempts to force her to carry out an execution previously scheduled for Thursday.Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz agreed to let attorneys brief their arguments in the coming weeks, but he also said he’s not sure what he has the power to do — since the Arizona Supreme Court order authorizing the execution of Aaron Gunches in the 2002 killing of Ted Price will expire late Thursday night.“What can I do? There is no warrant of execution to do anything with,” Moskowitz said, noting he can’t issue or extend such a court order. The judge scheduled a June 23 hearing for lawyers to make their arguments.Hobbs — who has ordered a review of Arizona’s death penalty protocols because of the state’s history of mismanaged executions — had vowed to not carry out any death sentences until there’s confidence the state can do so without violating ...

Arkansas House OKs bill allowing permitless concealed carry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A permit would not be required to carry a concealed handgun in Arkansas under a bill lawmakers sent Thursday to Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, which supporters say is meant to clear up a decade-old disagreement about the state’s gun laws.Sanders’ office said she plans to sign the measure approved by the majority-Republican House on a 81-11 vote.“The governor strongly supports the Second Amendment,” spokeswoman Alexa Henning said in a statement. “This bill further clarifies that Arkansas is a constitutional carry state.”Both gun rights and gun control advocates already widely considered Arkansas to be one of more than two dozen states that doesn’t require a concealed carry permit. That’s followed a 2013 change to the state’s gun laws that’s prompted differing interpretations on how it’s affected the state’s concealed carry requirements.The bill was approved Thursday with no debate in the House, but opponents ...

B.C. lifts health-care mask rules with province ’emerging’ from pandemic, Henry says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia has lifted pandemic restrictions including mandatory mask-wearing in health-care settings, and proof of vaccination and COVID test results for visitors in care homes.Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday that the requirement for health-care workers to be fully vaccinated would remain, but the steady decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations indicated the province was “emerging” from the pandemic.Henry said that despite the continued presence of COVID-19 infections in the next few months, authorities were likely to be able to say that B.C. was no longer in a pandemic.The lifting of restrictions took effect immediately, but Henry said it did not mean such restrictions would not return in the fall, as experts were still studying the seasonality of COVID.B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province would start its spring booster vaccine program on April 11, targeting people with the highest risk of severe COVID infections such a...

Officials: Eight people rescued at Florida Panhandle beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:11 GMT

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Eight people were rescued Thursday at a Florida Panhandle beach as weather forecasters predicted a high chance for rip currents in the area, officials said.Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to Johnson Beach in Perdido Key twice, the Pensacola News Journal reported. The area is on the Gulf of Mexico just southwest of Pensacola.Rescue workers pulled three adults and four children from the water shortly before 2 p.m., officials said. Two children and one adult were taken by LifeFlight to a nearby hospital, and another child was taken by ambulance. Their conditions weren’t immediately known.About two hours later, rescue workers responded to another call about a person in distress in the water. Officials said that person was helped out of the water by another beachgoer and then taken by LifeFlight to an area hospital.It wasn’t immediately known whether rip currents were to blame for either of the incidents, but the National Weather Service in Mobile...