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Ferry runs aground near Seattle; no injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — A passenger ferry ran aground near Bainbridge Island west of Seattle on Saturday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or contamination, authorities reported. Washington State Ferries, a division of the state Department of Transportation, said via Twitter that the vessel Walla Walla ran aground in Rich Passage at around 4:30 p.m. as it was traveling from the city of Bremerton to Seattle. “Initial indications are the vessel suffered a generator failure,” Washington State Ferries said. A tug boat was dispatched to the scene, and officials were opening an investigation. The Pacific Northwest Coast Guard tweeted that it had crews on cutters and a helicopter responding to the scene.It added that there were “no reported injuries or any reports of pollution.” The Department of Transportation said on its website that the Seattle-Bremerton route was out of service “due to an issue with” the Walla Walla.The website lists the vessel as a four-engine, jumbo class ferry ...

G7 building consensus for faster end to carbon emissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

SAPPORO, Japan (AP) — Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations were finalizing a consensus Sunday on phasing out carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, amid calls from China and other developing countries for more aid in making a transition to renewable energy. The G-7 energy and environment ministers gathered in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo are expected to issue a communique Sunday that balances climate and other environmental concerns with needs for energy security. Officials attending the closed door talks indicated they expect a statement embracing a faster shift to renewable energy while slashing carbon emissions in the coming decade. However, setting a timeline for phasing out coal-fired power plants remains a sticking point, the Kyodo News Service reported. Japan relies on coal for nearly one-third of its power generation and is also promoting the use of so-called clean coal, using technology to capture carbon emissions, to produce hydrogen — which ...

President Biden approves Indiana disaster declaration after recent tornadoes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for Indiana to help Hoosiers recover from the deadly tornadoes and severe storms on March 31 and April 1. The declaration makes federal funding available to people in Allen, Benton, Clinton, Grant, Howard, Johnson, Lake, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Sullivan and White counties. WATCH: Aerial video shows tornado’s path of destruction in Illinois, Indiana According to The White House, the grants can help with things like temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help people and businesses recover.Residents and business owners who sustained losses in these counties can apply for assistance online, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or using the FEMA app. Police say Whiteland took ‘direct hit’ during severe weather and tornadoes; middle school set up as shelter "We're grateful for this action that will help thousands of Hoosiers and many communities that sustained damages f...

Storm threat over as cooler and comfy air arrives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The record high for today at Austin's Camp Mabry was 94º set in 1924 and we tied the record today. Through April 15th we've had six 90º+ days since the start of the year. Only one year had more 90º days by now, in 1967 they had eight 90º days.90º days by April 15 at Austin - Camp Mabry El Niño watch issued: Here’s what that means Isolated severe storms have ended after producing up to ping-pong sized hail in parts of Fayette County. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been cancelled.Now, behind a cold front, the sky will be clear the rest of the night. We'll have a breezy north wind overnight that will usher in less humidity and cooler temperatures. Lows Sunday morning will drop to the low to mid 50s. The Cap 10K is tomorrow with cool, dry air along with breezy north winds.Near ideal weather for tomorrow morning's Cap 10KThe rest of Sunday's weather looks fantastic with comfortable humidity and highs in the upper 70s under sunshine.Sunday's forecastA series of distu...

Mifepristone still an approved medication, but ‘things are changing rapidly,’ Minnesota AG Ellison says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Planned Parenthood leaders on Friday affirmed that Minnesotans can still access mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions, while battling court rulings out of Texas and Washington state put mifepristone’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in jeopardy.“Things are changing rapidly,” Ellison said. “Nobody can honestly say they know exactly what is going to happen, but we are committed to make sure that people have the right to make their own reproductive choices and use safe drugs like mifepristone.”U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, issued a court ruling on April 7 that placed a hold on the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, which has been on the market since 2000. That same day, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, issued a ruling ordering U.S. authorities not to ...

Apparent tornado strikes Hecker, Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

HECKER, Ill.- A tornado-warned storm system rolled through St. Louis early Saturday evening, leading to various widespread damages across the bi-state region. One small Illinois community suffered notable damage. Hecker, Illinois, a village with around 500 residents in Monroe County, is believed to be among the hardest hit. It's about 40 minutes south from the city of St. Louis. Trending: Kim Hudson says farewell to FOX 2 FOX 2's debris tracker indicated that a tornado struck the area. We are waiting to confirm information on this situation from the National Weather Service, the reason behind the "apparent" classification for the tornado. Viewers shared several photos with FOX 2 of damaged roofs to homes and businesses, downed power polls and snapped tree branches, among other damages. Tornado warnings were issued in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson and Franklin counties around 6 p.m. for nearly an hour. Many of these threats have moved east to Illinois around 7 p.m., a...

UPDATE: Tornado warnings cleared in St. Louis metro

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Tornado warnings in the St. Louis area have been cleared as of 8 p.m. Saturday. A strong storm system slammed through the region fro several hours. St. Louis City, St. Louis County, plus many neighboring counties on both sides were under tornado warnings around the 6 p.m. hour. Severe weather threats were abundant Saturday, mainly in the form of strong winds, hail and thunderstorms. Strong instability up in the mid-levels of the atmosphere made for some dangerous and destructive hail, but mostly to the west. Some fell in sizes up to 2.5 inches, close to tennis ball or baseball sizes.A tornado watch remains in effect across the St. Louis region through 10 p.m. Saturday. The watch includes most St. Louis metro counties on both sides of the state, according to the National Weather Service.During a tornado watch, atmospheric conditions are favorable for a tornado to develop, but a tornado has not yet been sighted or indicated by weather radar.If a tornado warning is issued, ...

Kiszla: With Nuggets feeling heat of championship pressure, is it put up or shut up time for coach Michael Malone?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

OK, you nattering NBA knuckleheads, make up your fickle minds. Are these dudes from Denver championship frauds or too talented to waste another MVP year of two-time MVP Nikola Jokic’s career?Stuck in the crossfire of this noise is coach Michael Malone. Help me out here, please. Are our gritty, little Nuggets the least scary No. 1 seed in league history? Or does Malone deserve to lose his job if Denver gets bounced early from the playoffs? It can’t be both.“I hate to break it to you guys. I don’t watch TV. I don’t read the paper. The pressure that I have I put on myself. You’re never going to put pressure on me. This is my job. This is my livelihood. I love my job,” Malone said last week.Contrary to his see-no-evil, hear-no-evil protest, Malone does feel pressure to deliver a championship. The urgency to win it all begins at the top, with Nuggets ownership.While Stan Kroenke has never been reluctant to reach into his deep pockets to fund the pursuit of a trophy, history suggests he h...

Kurtenbach: Sacramento brought cowbells, light beams, and an NBA Finals-like atmosphere to Warriors-Kings Game 1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

SACRAMENTO — Have you ever heard the sound of 17 years of frustration and anticipation being released?It sounds like thousands of ringing cowbells.Saturday’s Game 1 between the Warriors and Sacramento Kings was the biggest sporting event in the capital city in a generation, and to be in the vicinity of the Kings’ downtown arena was to be bombarded with that fact — and the sound of those cowbells.Given the short commute from the Bay, there was speculation that Sacramento’s arena would become the Blue-and-Golden 1 Center.The absurd cost of tickets listed on the secondary market — Front Office Sports reported that prices were the highest for a non-Finals game in league history — further suggested a Bay wave.But that was not the reality.If there was any blue in the crowd, it was just as likely to come from a Kings fan in a 1980s-style throwback jersey.That said, the atmosphere was NBA Finals-caliber. My Apple Watch wouldn’t stop telling me I needed to exit the ar...

NBA playoffs live updates: Wiggins, Looney lift Warriors to halftime lead in Game 1 vs. Kings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:38 GMT

To view the live updates on your mobile device click here.GAME ESSENTIALS: Warriors (44-38) at Kings (48-34) at Golden1 Center, at 5:30 p.m. (PT). TV: ABC. Announcers: Mark Jones (play-by-play), Doris Burke (color commentary), Malika Andrews (sideline reporting).ODDS: Kings -1.5. OVER/UNDER: 237.5.SEASON SERIES: Warriors went 3-1 against the Kings in the regular season. ALL-TIME SERIES: Warriors lead 215-193. PLAYOFF HISTORY: None.For the first time since the Kings franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985, the Golden State Warriors and the Kings will face off in an all-Northern California playoff series.The Warriors and Kings will kick off the first round series on Saturday evening up in Sacramento, which has left the region palpably excited. Interestingly, it’s the defending champion Warriors who enter the series as favorites to win, despite Sacramento being the better team in the regular season and the favorite on Saturday.For Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson (an...