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Explosion at Pennsylvania chocolate plant kills 5, leaves 6 missing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

WEST READING, Pa. (AP) — An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania on Friday killed five people and left six people missing, authorities said.The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency confirmed the increase in the number of fatalities Saturday morning after the blast just before 5 p.m. Friday at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant in the borough of West Reading. 2 Illinois teens die in Colorado sledding accident Chief of Police Wayne Holben said the blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building.“It’s pretty leveled,” Mayor Samantha Kaag said of the explosion site. “The building in the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building four feet forward."The cause of the blast in the community about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia was under investigation, Holden told reporters. Authorities are investigating the possibility that a gas leak may have been responsible, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvan...

Tornadoes ravage Mississippi, Alabama overnight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — During our morning newscast Friday, we told you about the severe weather threat facing western Mississippi (along with northeast Louisiana and east/southeast Arkansas). That part of the Magnolia State was given a moderate risk of severe weather with a good probability of not only hail and strong winds but also tornadoes. A moderate risk is a Category 4 out of 5.That moderate risk was verified as 24 tornadoes were reported Friday night in Mississippi and Alabama. Mississippi had 14 of those tornadoes, and Alabama had ten. The worst of these affected the communities of Rolling Fork and Silver City, both northwest of Jackson. Reports Saturday morning indicate 23 people have died, four are reported missing and dozens are injured in Mississippi. Twelve of those who perished were in Rolling Fork, according to the town's mayor. Search and rescue teams are working with state and local agencies to find those who are trapped in the rubble. The 23 fatalities, with more expected...

Gophers add Canadian receiver Dallas Sims to 2024 recruiting class

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

The Gophers football program picked up a commitment Saturday from Canadian prep receiver Dallas Sims.Sims visited Minnesota this weekend and pledged to the U over offers from Purdue, Indiana, Iowa State and many others.“After a great unofficial visit at @GopherFootball I’m extremely excited to announce that I’m 110% committed to the University of Minnesota!” he wrote on social media.Sims is from Winnipeg, Manitoba, but has played at Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International. The U has had success with Canadians, including former cornerback Benjamin St-Juste now with the Washington Commanders and through Clearwater with current offensive lineman Tyrell Lawrence.Listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Sims has a reported 40-yard dash of 4.5 seconds, via Rivals, and he posted 24 receptions, 429 yards and four touchdowns in eight games a season ago, per Max Preps.Sims is the seventh commitment for the 2024 class and is one of four in March.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Gophers de...

Saunders: Will Rockies’ revamped 2023 lineup hit better than ’22 version?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

Last season, the Rockies’ offense was — how should I put this? — terrible.That’s not hyperbole when you consider that the Rockies:• Hit .254, the second-lowest in franchise history behind the 2021 team (.249).• Slugged .398, the first time in franchise history they finished with a slugging percentage below .400.• Hit 149 home runs, the second-fewest for an entire season behind only the inaugural 1993 club (142).• Hit 51 homers on the road, the second-fewest in a full season, trailing only the 2000 Rockies (49).But that was then, and this is now. Will the Rockies hit better in 2023? Yes, because they can’t be worse. But make no mistake, these are not your father’s Blake Street Bombers.How much better will they hit? That’s one of the key questions for a team I predict will go 71-91.Let’s go through what I believe will be Colorado’s starting lineup when it opens the season against the Padres on Thursday at Petco Park.1. Jurickson Profar, left f...

Lace 'em up for Run Seal Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

Run Seal Beach is again bringing together the local community for exercise and family fun on Saturday.For more than four decades, the race has brought thousands of runners to the area.Run Seal Beach includes 5K, 10K and kids fun runs, as well as a Finish Line Festival.For information, visit runsealbeach.com.

Man succumbs to wounds after Lancaster shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

A man was shot and killed in Lancaster Friday evening, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is encouraging anyone with information about the slaying to come forward.The man, whose name and age have not been released, was shot in the torso in the 800 block of West Avenue I at about 7:05 p.m., the LASD said in a news release. Paramedics took the man to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.No information about the shooter has been released.Anyone with information is asked to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Study finds two California cities are amongst top 10 most livable in US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – As people continue to shift back to pre-pandemic social and recreational activities — even if they are still working remotely — a new study has broken down the best U.S. cities in which to work, learn, hang out and generally enjoy oneself in 2023.Niche, a data analysis company, used Census data, surveys and other info sources to break down the best cities in the U.S., taking into account the cost of living, safety, school quality, nightlife, walkability, outdoor activities and more.As for California cities, Berkeley and Irvine placed 6th and 7th on the 2023 edition of the list, moving up from 8th and 10th respectively. Other California cities in the top 20 include Sunnyvale, San Francisco and Santa Clarita, all of which are in the bay area.See the top five for 2023 below:Weeks Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (File: Getty)Topping the list is Cambridge, Massachusetts, home to roughly 117,000. The city, which is also home to Harvard, "offers residents an urban feel" wi...

Saratoga crime report for the week of March 31

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

MARCH 11Grand Theft: Between 1:10 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., someone stole tools from a construction site in the 19000 block of Citrus Lane for a total loss of about $6,200.MARCH 13Residential Burglary: At 9:50 a.m., someone entered a residence in the 19000 block of Glen Brae Drive and stole cash, keys, and a passport for a total loss of about $1,000.MARCH 15Shoplifting: At 2:47 p.m., deputies responded to a theft call at Safeway in the Argonaut Shopping Center on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. An investigation revealed the suspect stole merchandise valued at approximately $175. The suspect was admonished for trespassing, cited and released.Vehicle Tampering: At 11:34 p.m., someone tampered with a vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence in the 20000 block of Saratoga Vista Court and attempted to enter the vehicle, which was evidenced by a tool found broken inside the door lock.MARCH 17Identity Theft: A Saratoga resident reported that someone used their personal information to access their ...

SF Giants’ Zaidi says matchup with Judge, Yankees ‘provides a little extra motivation’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In a lifetime of baseball, Gabe Kapler has seen a lot of Opening Days.“This one,” the Giants manager said, referring to their March 30 clash with the Yankees in the Bronx, “is a bigger stage than I think people are even giving it credit for.”There is no shortage of storylines that will play out in baseball’s most grandiose setting. On the bluegrass beneath Yankee Stadium’s iconic white facade, the red-white-and-blue bunting in the rafters and 50,000 surely mild-mannered fans, the Giants will meet Aaron Judge (again) and reunite with Carlos Rodón (though, with a forearm strain, he isn’t expected to pitch).After missing out on the playoffs, and then Judge, and then Rodón, their opening series with the Yankees (an ALCS team in 2022) presents the Giants an opportunity to start anew and set a tone for the 162 to come.From the very top of the organization, they are leaning in to the narrative.“I think if anything, it prov...

Secuestran a una pareja de Florida en Haití y piden un rescate, según la familia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:47:35 GMT

(CNN) — Una pareja de Florida fue secuestrada en Haití y permanece cautiva bajo demandas de rescate, dicen los miembros de la familia, quienes piden ayuda y presionan a los funcionarios estadounidenses para encontrarlos.Abigail y Jean-Dickens Toussaint, ambos de 33 años, fueron secuestrados el 18 de marzo en los alrededores de Port-au-Prince, la capital del país, según un comunicado de sus familias proporcionado a CNN.“Comparte esto y corre la voz tanto como puedas”, dice el comunicado, esperando que los dos regresen a salvo “con su hijo y su familia”.Un portavoz del Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. le dijo a CNN que están “al tanto de los informes de dos ciudadanos estadounidenses desaparecidos en Haití”.“Cuando desaparece un ciudadano estadounidense, trabajamos en estrecha colaboración con las autoridades locales mientras llevan a cabo sus esfuerzos de búsqueda, y compartimos información con las familias como podemos”, dijo el portavoz. “No tenemos nada más que compartir en ...