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San Francisco to upgrade water infrastructure after winter flooding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- After historic winter rainstorms flooded some San Francisco neighborhoods with several feet of water, officials are pumping money into improving storm drains and other infrastructure. Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and Environmental Protection Agency announced a $369 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to the SFPUC on Thursday.The funds will support the city’s capital improvements and resiliency projects to mitigate flood prone areas with stormwater upgrades and water main replacements, like the Wawona and Folsom areas, and Vicente Street. A series of powerful atmospheric rivers overloaded storm drain systems in the city last winter. Some low-lying neighborhoods were swamped after more than five inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours on New Year’s Eve. SFPUC will modernize aging wastewater and stormwater infrastructure to enhance seismic resiliency, adapt to climate change, and reduce the risk of...

Rhode Island attorney general sues manufacturers of ‘forever chemicals’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha filed a lawsuit Thursday against the manufacturers of so-called “forever chemicals,” commonly referred to as PFAS, saying they have caused significant harm to the state’s residents and natural resources.Neronha faulted the companies for engaging in what he described as “a massive and widespread campaign to knowingly deceive the public,” moving assets to avoid paying for damages, and manufacturing, marketing and selling hazardous chemicals for decades while knowing the risks.The complaint, filed in Providence County Superior Court, alleges the companies violated state environmental and consumer protection laws.“We are still uncovering the consequences of exposure to these hazardous chemicals by Rhode Islanders, but the burden of this enormous cost should be borne by the companies who made, marketed, and sold these products,” Neronha said.Andrew Fasoli of the American Chemistry Council, an industry group, ...

Vradenburg ties program record for doubles, Michigan State edges Rutgers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Brock Vradenburg went 2 for 3, including a program-record tying 22nd double, and Michigan State edged Rutgers 6-4 on Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament.Michigan State (33-21), the No. 8 seed, earned its first victory in the conference tournament since 2016 and will play again on Friday. Rutgers (33-23) lost both of its games in the tournament.Vradenburg tied Blaise Salter (2014) and Chris McCuiston (2002) for the most doubles in a single season at Michigan State. Vradenburg is hitting .403 this season with 13 home runs and 68 RBIs.Michigan State closer Wyatt Rush shut down the Rutgers offense over the final 4 2/3 innings. Rush threw 72 pitches, allowing just three hits and striking out four. Rutgers reliever Jake Marshall got a strikeout to strand runners on second and third in the seventh inning, but the Spartans plated a pair of runs on bases-loaded walks in the eighth to break a tie at 4-all.___AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports and https:...

Possible tornado spotted in SW Miami-Dade as stormy weather batters South Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

Wicked weather across South Florida ignited a possible tornado touchdown in Southwest Miami-Dade County and triggered a flood advisory in parts of Broward.As of 4 p.m. the National Weather Service has not confirmed whether or not the widely documented funnel cloud touched down.Multiple 7News viewers sent in video of the funnel cloud.In Southwest Miami-Dade the intense winds knocked over a tractor-trailer, injuring the driver. He has been taken to an area hospital in stable condition.Witness Julio Ramirez described what he saw while on the road.“Suddenly, I saw the tornado coming down, approximately about maybe a mile away from us,” he said. “I saw the tornado when it was hitting, and I decided to make a left turn just to avoid the tornado coming toward me. Thank God nothing happened. I just walked away from it.”Strong wind gusts were reported across Miami-Dade, including 56 mph in West Kendall, 45 mph in Miami and 37 mph in Opa-Locka.Cellphone video showed ha...

Miami Beach to return WWII rent money to U.S. as Hyundai Air & Sea Show begins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

As the 2023 Hyundai Air & Sea Show kicks off this Memorial Day weekend, the City of Miami Beach has made a heartwarming decision. They plan to give back the rent money that the U.S. government paid during World War II, along with adjustments for inflation. Back in the day, Miami Beach was transformed into a massive military training ground, and now the city wants to honor its historical significance.Credit: City of Miami Beach“Couldn’t be prouder to return $420 in the inflated-adjusted rent that Miami Beach charged for housing and training thousands of troops in WWII,” said Mayor Dan Gelber in a press release. “It was our greatest honor to do our part for so many that served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms.” It’s a personal matter for Gelber, whose late father, Seymour Gelber, trained in Miami Beach as part of the Army Air Corps during the war. Seymour Gelber later became the Mayor of Miami Beach.“The reality is that many of these service members who experience...

Twitter to pull back from Europe’s disinformation crusade

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

Twitter is on the verge of withdrawing from one of the Europe Union’s efforts to stamp out disinformation.In the coming days, the social networking giant, which is owned by Elon Musk, is expected to end its participation in the bloc’s code of practice of disinformation, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter, who were granted anonymity to speak to discuss internal discussions between the company and the European Commission.The code of practice is a voluntary rulebook that was revamped last year and includes obligations for companies like Twitter, Meta and Alphabet to track political advertising, stop the monetization of disinformation, and provide greater access to these platforms to outsiders. While not mandatory, companies’ participation in the code was designed to help offset some of these firms’ obligations within the separate, and mandatory, Digital Services Act — new social media rules that include fines of up to 6 percent of a comp...

12-year old boy accused of cutting classmate’s hand with razor at Blackstone middle school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

One child needed stitches and another is expected to face charges after police said a 12-year-old boy allegedly cut a classmate with a razor at a middle school in Blackstone on Thursday.Blackstone police said a school resource officer responded around 8:30 a.m. at Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School after being told about a fight between two students. One of the students, age 12, allegedly had a razor and cut the other student’s hand during the incident, according to police.The other student is 11-years-old.The 12-year-old, police added, is expected to be summoned to Milford Juvenile Court at a later date.“The two students are known to each other and police do not have reason to believe that there was any threat against the larger school community,” police said.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Lawmakers leave Washington without a debt limit deal as risk of default grows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

(CNN) — A debt limit deal is still not yet close at hand for House Republicans and the White House as lawmakers leave the nation’s capital and the risk of a first-ever default grows.With no bill to vote on, House lawmakers are leaving for the Memorial Day weekend, though they will be given 24 hours’ notice to return if and when a deal is reached.Each day that passes without a bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling brings the nation closer to default, which could be catastrophic for the global economy and have financial effects on countless Americans.Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday would not guarantee that a deal will pass by June 1, which the Treasury Department has warned could be the earliest possible “X” date for missing debt payments.Instead, he pointed to the GOP House-passed debt bill, despite Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying that he won’t bring it to the Senate floor.“There is a bill that has passed the House that sits in the Senate,” he told CNN’s Manu ...

Atlantic hurricane season expected to be near average this year, NOAA says. Here’s how many storms to expect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

(CNN) — This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be near average, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.Forecasters at the agency are predicting 12 to 17 named tropical storms, five to nine of which could become hurricanes. They expect as many of four of those could strengthen into major hurricanes – category 3 or stronger.The last time there was fewer than the average of 14 named storms was in 2015. Hurricane season technically begins June 1, though storms have developed before that date in the past.“As we saw with Hurricane Ian, it only takes one hurricane to cause widespread devastation and upend lives. So regardless of the number of storms predicted this season, it is critical that everyone understand their risk and heed the warnings of state and local officials,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said at a news conference. “Whether you live on the coast or further inland, hurricanes can cause serious im...

Woman rescued after fire breaks out in Dorchester building

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:08:59 GMT

A woman was rescued Thursday after a fire broke out at a building in Dorchester, Boston fire officials said. The Boston Fire Department said crews responded to the scene on Thetford Avenue around 3 p.m.Crews were able to get the woman out of the building as firefighters said they faced heavy flames. Officials said the woman was then taken to a hospital by Boston EMS.Image provided by the Boston Fire DepartmentThe fire department shared photos from the fire response, showing crews pouring water on the charred structure. By 3:30 p.m., officials said heavy fire had been knocked down and the fire had been contained to the rear of the building. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.