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From meeting his wife to rescuing a child in a pond, retiring St. Anthony fire chief ‘grateful’ to serve hometown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

When Mark Sitarz reflects on his 25 years as a St. Anthony firefighter, one word comes to mind above all.“Thankful,” he said last week.St. Anthony Fire Chief Mark Sitarz is retiring Oct. 31, 2023, after 25 years with the fire department. (Courtesy of the St. Anthony Fire Department)Sitarz is thankful the city he grew up in hired him as a paid on-call firefighter in 1998, then as a lieutenant, captain and finally fire chief in 2013.He’s thankful he was able to respond to what would become the memorable calls, like meeting his future wife, Sarah, after her car overheated in 2001, and rushing to the Interstate 35W Bridge collapse in Minneapolis in 2007.And, more recently, he’s thankful that he happened to be driving to work on Silver Lake Road one day in July — a moment in time that found him soon jumping into a murky pond and saving a boy from drowning. “Right place, right time,” he said.Sitarz, who turns 54 next month, now says the time is right to step away from the fire depar...

Driver charged with murder of 4 Pepperdine University students on PCH in Malibu out on bond

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

A 22-year-old driver facing four counts of murder after the vehicle he was driving earlier this month hit and killed four Pepperdine University students on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu has been released on Bond.  Fraser Bohm was taken into custody on Oct. 24 and charged with four counts of murder for the deaths of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams. Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams died when authorities say a speeding driver hit them on the Pacific Coast Highway roughly four miles east of the school. The crash happened on Oct. 17, when the four college seniors were hit by a vehicle allegedly driven by Bohm. The 22-year-old was arrested at the scene for gross vehicular manslaughter but was released from custody hours later while authorities investigated the circumstances of the crash. Authorities on Oct. 18, 2023, investigate a fatal crash in Malibu that occurred one day earlier. (KTLA)Accordi...

2 people stabbed near Bernal Heights in SF

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Two people were injured after a stabbing Sunday near the Bernal Heights neighborhood, the San Francisco Police Department said. The stabbing happened around 4:13 p.m. in the area of Bayshore Boulevard and Cortland Avenue. SFPD officers arrived at the scene and spotted two male victims suffering from stab wounds. They were both treated for medical care and taken to the hospital. As of Sunday evening, one victim has non-life-threatening injuries. The other has life-threatening injuries.The suspect, however, was able to escape before SFPD's arrival. No information was provided about the suspect. Assault suspect throws ‘suspicious devices’ towards pursuing officers, leads police on chase from SF to Martinez Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444. You can also text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with "SFPD."

24-acre brush fire burns near Lower Otay Lake

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Cal Fire crews are battling a multi-acre brush fire that broke out near the Lower Otay Lake Sunday afternoon.The fire, called the "Border 34" fire, was stopped at 24 acres, according to officials. As of 8:30 p.m., it was 60% contained.The fire, which broke out around 3:30 p.m., had a moderate rate of spread with the potential to reach 75 acres, the department said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.No structures or homes were threatened with the fire, officials said. Brush fire near border prompts closure to I-8 The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Cal Fire. However, it came as the Santa Ana winds continued strengthening, giving way to elevated ignition risk across the county.Gusty eastern winds are expected to continue at high speeds through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.Farther north, parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties were placed under a red flag warning through Monday due to the risk of fire ignition wit...

Suspect detained in an explosion that killed 3 people at a Jehovah’s Witness gathering in India

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — A former Jehovah’s Witness has been detained on suspicion of setting off an explosive device that killed three people and wounded 50 others at a denomination gathering in southern India, authorities said Monday.Hundreds of Witnesses were at a local prayer session Sunday at the Zamra International Convention Center in the town of Kalamassery in Kerala state when the explosion took place. An improvised explosive device placed inside a tiffin box was believed responsible, the state’s top police officer, Sheik Darvesh Saheb, said.The suspect was identified by police as Dominic Martin, a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who posted a video on Facebook claiming responsibility for the blast before surrendering to the police. Martin, a local, said in the video he decided to carry out the blast because he feels the Jehovah’s Witness theology is wrong.“They teach that all people of the world would perish and only they will live. What should we do with people who ...

Cornell University sends officers to Jewish center after violent, antisemitic messages posted online

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

Cornell University administrators dispatched campus police to a Jewish center after threatening statements appeared on a discussion board Sunday.Cornell President Martha E. Pollack issued a statement explaining there were a series of “horrendous, antisemitic messages” threatening violence against the university’s Jewish community, specifically naming the address of the Center for Jewish Living.“Threats of violence are absolutely intolerable, and we will work to ensure that the person or people who posted them are punished to the full extent of the law,” Pollack said. “Our immediate focus is on keeping the community safe; we will continue to prioritize that.”The Cornell University Police Department is investigating and has notified the FBI of a potential hate crime, she said.Pollack said the website was not affiliated with the school in Ithaca, New York, about 227 miles (365 kilometers) northwest of New York City. “The virulence and destructiveness of antisemitism i...

Stock market today: Asian shares mixed after S&P 500 slips ahead of Fed interest rate decision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares were mixed on Monday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision this week on interest rates.U.S. futures gained while oil prices fell more than $1 a barrel. Concerns over an escalation of the Israel-Hamas war has added to uncertainty over supplies. The Israeli military’s ground forces conducted incursions into Gaza over the weekend and Prime Minister Netanyahu warned of a “long and difficult” war.A mixed set of economic reports Friday didn’t appear to alter Wall Street’s expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep its benchmark rate of above 5.25% unchanged at a meeting Wednesday.A report showed that the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation remained high last month, but within economists’ expectations. Spending by U.S. consumers was stronger than expected, even though growth in their incomes fell short of forecasts.U.S. consumer expectations for inflation in the coming year are rising, up to 4.2% from 3.2% last month. That’s particularly concerning for the...

EU co-ordinating six new humanitarian aid flights for Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

A new EU aid flight departed on 27 October from Copenhagen, carrying 51 tonnes of medicines, medical items, and education supplies on behalf of Unicef to Egypt for people in need in Gaza. The flight is part of 6 upcoming flights of the EU humanitarian air bridge operation transporting essential supplies provided by partners for fast deployment to the field. The EU is funding the total cost of all flights and supporting the co-ordination of operations under the European Humanitarian Response Capacity.The upcoming flights are scheduled to be rolled out over the next two weeks. Besides UNICEF, among the partners providing the humanitarian cargo there are the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Food Program (WFP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The delivered aid items will be used to scale-up the humanitarian response for the recent violence escalation affecting...

Médico forense dice que se requiere investigación adicional en la muerte del actor Matthew Perry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

(CNN) — La causa de la muerte del actor Matthew Perry en su residencia este sábado requerirá pasos adicionales de investigación por parte de la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de Los Ángeles antes de llegar a una conclusión, según los registros de la agencia.El médico forense actualizó su registro en línea para Perry este domingo por la tarde, listando su causa de muerte como “diferida”.“En los casos en que la causa de la muerte no pueda determinarse en el momento de la autopsia, se emitirá un certificado diferido hasta que se hayan completado estudios adicionales”, según las directrices del forense de Los Ángeles.Ya se ha realizado la autopsia, pero los forenses están esperando los resultados de los informes toxicológicos para determinar la causa de la muerte de Perry, según informó la oficina del médico forense a la CNN este domingo. Estos informes pueden tardar semanas en completarse.Los investigadores tienen previsto utilizar los informes tox...

Bears receiver Velus Jones Jr. shoulders blame for dropped touchdown pass: “It’s real devastating”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Velus Jones Jr. slipped and fell on his rear while he slowed down for Tyson Bagent’s underthrown pass. Still, no Chargers defenders were anywhere near him when the ball fell straight through Jones’ arms, hit his chest and landed on the end zone turf.That dropped touchdown pass was probably the lowest point of yet another rough game for the Chicago Bears (2-6) — and nobody in their locker room was more visibly, gut-wrenchingly disappointed than Jones after Los Angeles’ 30-13 victory Sunday night.“It’s real devastating,” the second-year receiver said, his pained emotions obvious on his face and in his voice.“You prepare all week in practice and put in the work that’s needed, and you catch that 100 times after practice, 100 times on the JUGS (machine), and you get that small window of opportunity to show what you can do, and it don’t happen for you,” he added. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I feel like this is a ...