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Lawsuits filed by Airbnb and 3 hosts over NYC’s short-term rental rules dismissed by judge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge on Tuesday dismissed lawsuits filed by Airbnb and three hosts over New York City’s rules for short-term rentals, saying the restrictions are “entirely rational.”In a 14-page ruling, Supreme Court Judge Arlene P. Bluth said having to comply with a registration system does not present an “overly onerous obligation” to the company and hosts. Such a system, she said, will help identify many illegal short-term rentals before they’re listed on the Airbnb platform.“To be sure, these rules will likely not be perfect,” she added. “But it addresses a problem raised by OSE (New York City Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement) and avoids a key obstacle — enforcing the ban on illegal short-term rentals.”A city official cited thousands of illegal short-term rentals when defending the new rules in court, noting 43,000 on just Airbnb in 2018. The city received nearly 12,000 complaints regarding illegal short-term rentals from 2017 to 2021. New York’...

5 white nationalists sue Seattle man for allegedly leaking their identities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Five people affiliated with white nationalist hate group Patriot Front are suing a Seattle-area man who they say infiltrated the group and disclosed their identities online, leading them to lose their jobs and face harassment. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for Western Washington, The Seattle Times reported on Tuesday. The suit accuses David Capito, 37, also known as Vyacheslav Arkhangelskiy, of using a false name in 2021 when Patriot Front accepted him as a member.Then, Capito allegedly took photos at the group’s Pacific Northwest gatherings, recorded members’ license plates, and used hidden microphones to record conversations, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit also alleges that around November 2021, Capito got in touch with “anarchist hackers” known for targeting far-right groups, who helped him access Patriot Front’s online chats.Resulting leaks published online exposed the names, occupations, home addresses, and other identifying information...

Hoping to score Toronto tickets to see Taylor? How to avoid a Swift rejection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

Snagging tickets for a Taylor Swift concert can feel like winning the lottery, so it’s no surprise that many Canadian fans hope the odds work out in their favour as ticket sales begin on Wednesday.Last week, the pop superstar announced six concert dates at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in November 2024. And with it being the only Canadian stop on her Eras Tour, seats for the shows are certain to be in hot demand.Here’s what you need to know as the tickets begin to go on sale:You must be registeredIf you’re looking to grab Swift tickets right out of the gate, you already should’ve enrolled for the “verified fan” sale.Ticketmaster launched the registration process to weed out bots and scalpers, but the sign-up window closed over the weekend. Concertgoers who made the deadline will receive a unique access code on Tuesday with instructions on how to purchase tickets, though their pre-registration code does not guarantee they will get seats.Presale tim...

Massachusetts governor declares state of emergency amid influx of migrants seeking shelter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency Tuesday, citing an influx of migrants seeking shelter at a time when the cost of housing — already in short supply — continues to rise.There are nearly 5,600 families or more than 20,000 people – many of whom are migrants — currently living in state shelters, including infants, young children and pregnant women. That is up from around 3,100 families a year ago, about an 80% increase, Healey said.Many of the migrants are arriving by plane from other states. In the past 48 hours alone, she said, 50 migrant families have landed in the state in need of shelter.“It’s exponentially more than our state has ever served in our emergency assistance program,” she said. “These numbers are being driven by a surge in new arrivals in our country who have been through some of the hardest journeys imaginable.”The migrants arriving in Massachusetts are the face of the international migrant crisis and are coming at...

Yukon community of Mayo under state of emergency due to nearby fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

MAYO, YUKON — The Government of Yukon has declared a state of emergency for the Village of Mayo and the surrounding area due to a wildfire burning nearby. The community of about 450 people has been under an evacuation order since Sunday due to the Talbot Creek fire burning about four kilometres away.Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn says the state of emergency provides “absolute clarity” that responders have full authority to protect people and property, control the use of roads and help law enforcement.The declaration covers a 15-kilometre radius around the community, which is about 400 km north of Whitehorse.Yukon Protective Services says the Talbot Creek fire is estimated at nearly five square kilometres.A team of 11 firefighters from Saskatchewan arrived Tuesday to join 35 wildland firefighters, alongside structural firefighters to fight the blaze and set up protections for homes and infrastructure in the community. This report by The Canadian Press was firs...

Teen in critical condition after Wicker Park hit-and-run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

CHICAGO -- The family of a teenager is pleading for witnesses to come forward after a hit-and-run left their loved one in critical condition.17-year-old Nakari Campbell had left her home on Milwaukee Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. on Friday, and was walking to meet a friend to go to a party.Campbell reportedly crossed Division Street heading south on Ashland Avenue when she was hit by someone driving a 2008 red Mercedes Benz C-35 with an Illinois license plate DC60012.The teen landed on the roof of the car, then rolled off with her hair getting caught in the tire and was then dragged.Her family told WGN she is in critical condition at Stroger in the ICU in a medically induced coma and has already undergone several surgeries and skin grafts.Campbell is an incoming senior at legal prep high school in West Garfield Park. Family members said Nakari is a bubbly girl who loves fashion, and hanging out with friends and cousins.Doctors telling them it will be a long road to recovery for her....

Did you find a zucchini on your porch today? This might be why

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

(KXAN) -- Got some zucchini lying around? You could make zucchini bread, or pasta with it. Or you could sneak it onto your neighbor's porch. Seriously. After all, Aug. 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day. National Today describes the holiday as a day for farmers and gardeners to off-load the "way too much" of the vegetable they may have on their hands Aug. 8, which falls in the midst of peak zucchini season. COVID hospitalizations jump again: Maps show where it’s worst According to the Farmer's Almanac, the vegetable's fertility spawned the holiday. "Every gardener who has grown zucchini knows that this time of year vines go crazy producing hundreds of tiny squash," the Almanac's website says. "They quickly grow to gargantuan size if not picked."Thus, Thomas Roy designated Aug. 8 as National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day, according to Better Homes & Gardens.Roy has created dozens of holidays over the past three deca...

Taco Bell offering month of free weekly tacos for 'Taco Tuesday'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

(WBOY) — Taco Bell announced on Tuesday that it is offering millions of dollars in free tacos to celebrate the freeing of the trademark on "Tuesday Tuesday." After Taco John's "courageously decided to abandon its Taco Tuesday trademark registration," Taco Bell said it is offering two upcoming deals that have something for all taco lovers, even if they don't eat Taco Bell. The first deal is a free seasoned Beef Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos on Tuesday, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, and Sept. 5, no purchase needed. The deal is good for one taco per person, per day, and is only available during open hours, while supplies last, and at participating locations. Mega Millions jackpot increases to $1.58 billion ahead of Tuesday’s drawing If you're thinking, "What could possibly be better than free tacos from Taco Bell?" how about free tacos from anywhere? For the second part of the Taco Tuesday celebrations, Taco Bell is offering $5 million worth of tacos through DoorDash on Tuesday, Sep...

New faces, same style of football as Vandegrift Vipers gear up for another title run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Fresh off a 6A-D2 state championship game appearance last season, the Vandegrift Vipers are reloading for another deep playoff run this season by staying true to themselves, as head coach Drew Sanders puts it.A tremendous season that ended in a 42-17 loss to DeSoto in the state title game at AT&T Stadium is in the rearview mirror, but Sanders said the style of play that got them there will always be associated with any team he coaches.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters"We're focused on making sure that we don't get away from what got us here, and that's hard-nosed Vandegrift-style football," he said. "We like to run the ball, throw the ball deep in playaction, we like to play physical defense, and that's what we've talked about. We have to be locked in on what our DNA is."With the departure of quarterback Brayden Buchanan to play baseball at Baylor, t...

Voters in Ohio reject GOP-backed proposal that would have made it tougher to protect abortion rights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

By JULIE CARR SMYTH and SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON (Associated Press)COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected a Republican-backed measure that would have made it more difficult to change the state’s constitution, setting up a fall campaign that will become the nation’s latest referendum on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned nationwide protections last year.The defeat of Issue 1 keeps in place a simple majority threshold for passing future constitutional amendments. It would have raised that to a 60% supermajority, which supporters said would protect the state’s foundational document from outside interest groups.While abortion was not directly on the special election ballot, the result marks the latest setback for Republicans in a conservative-leaning state who favor imposing tough restrictions on the procedure. Ohio Republicans placed the question on the summer ballot in hopes of undercutting a citizen initiative voters will decide...