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Wood burning ban issued for metro Los Angeles on Christmas

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

Many Southern Californians who want to enjoy a warm fire on Christmas Day are out of luck.The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has issued a residential No-Burn Day for December 25 due to a predicted spike in air pollution levels.The wood burning ban includes all of Orange County and non-desert areas of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.“South Coast AQMD reminds residents in these areas that burning wood in their fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device is prohibited at any time,” air quality managers said in a bulletin on Sunday.South Coast AQMD map showing the wood burning restrictions for Christmas Day. (South Coast AQMD)This also includes manufactured fire logs such as those made from wax or paper. Mountain communities above 3,000 feet are exempt from the ban, along with homes that rely solely on wood for heating and those without natural gas service.While Sunday’s air quality was listed as “good” to “moderate” across AQMD’s ...

Suspects sought in back-to-back armed robberies in L.A.

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating two armed robberies allegedly committed by the same suspects in under an hour. LAPD officials would not release the exact locations of the robberies, but they did confirm that they both happened in South Los Angeles between 11:10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning.Of the two suspects, one is described by police as an approximately 27-year-old woman who is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds. She was captured on surveillance footage wearing a ski mask, a red hoodie and purple and yellow pants. She was also armed with a semiautomatic handgun, LAPD said on X, formerly Twitter. The second suspect was described as a man driving a gray Chrysler 300 with paper license plates, a DWV sticker and possible rear quarter damage. The suspect's vehicle was described as a gray Chrysler 300 with paper license plates, a DWV sticker and possible rear quarter damage. (X/@LAPDHQ)According to the LAPD, both suspects match...

Half price dogs, cats and pets at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is cutting its adoption fees by half this holiday season, driven by a continued surge in homeless pets after the COVID-19 pandemic.From now until Jan. 3, puppies under 6 months old are $105, adult dogs are $75, kittens are $60, adult cats are $50, and rabbits are $35. The cost covers vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, and a microchip.Max, a 3-year-old dog, is available for adoption. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.Penny, a 7-month-old cat, is available for adoption. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.Squirt is a red-eared slider turtle available for adoption. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.Mikaela, a 1-year seven-month-old dog, is available for adoption. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.Jaspurr, a 2-year-old cat, is available for adoption. Photo courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.Nala, a 3-year-old dog, is available for adoption. Photo courte...

Houston’s offense sputters with C.J. Stroud out in 36-22 loss to Browns

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Case Keenum and the Houston Texans’ offense couldn’t do anything Sunday against the Cleveland Browns in their second game without star rookie C.J. Stroud.Keenum managed just 62 yards passing and threw two interceptions before being replaced by Davis Mills late in the 36-22 loss. Stroud remains out while recovering from a concussion he sustained Dec. 10.“We just didn’t do enough today,” Keenum said. “We got our butts kicked and that’s never fun. I hadn’t had it like that in a while.”After squeaking out a 19-16 overtime win at Tennessee last week, Houston struggled from the start Sunday and didn’t score on offense until the fourth quarter.“When we had positive plays, we ended up having a negative play,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “It just seemed like we couldn’t get out of our own way. And when you continue to hurt yourself, the self-inflicted penalties, negative yardage, sacks, those plays just keep you behind the chains and it’s hard to keep up versus a very good defens...

Grounded charter jet freed to leave France. Lawyer says most passengers expected to return to India

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A charter plane sequestered while carrying 303 Indians to Nicaragua was authorized Sunday to leave the French airport where it has been grounded for four days for a human trafficking investigation. A lawyer for the airline said the plane would take many of the stranded passengers back to India on Monday.Local authorities were working through Christmas Eve on formalities to allow some passengers to leave the small Vatry Airport in Champagne country, regional prosecutor Annick Browne told The Associated Press. All of the passengers, including a 21-month-old child, had been stuck in the airport terminal since Thursday.Two passengers were detained as part of a special French investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group. Several others requested asylum in France, according to the local administration. Prosecutors said 11 passengers were unaccompanied minors who were put under special administrative care. The Legend Airlines A340 plane stopped...

¿Un dragón volador apaga fuegos? Así es el nuevo robot que ayudará a los bomberos

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

Un equipo de investigadores japoneses diseñó un robot para combatir incendios inspirado en los dragones voladores, con una manguera de cuatro metros (13 pies) de largo que puede cambiar de forma y es manejable a distancia.Los detalles de este prototipo, llamado Dragon Firefighter (bombero dragón), se publican en la revista Frontiers in Robotics and AI, en un artículo firmado, entre otros, por científicos de la Universidad de Osaka y la de Tohoku.“Imagina un dragón volador que no lanza fuego, sino que lo apaga con ráfagas de agua”, resume la revista. El objetivo es ayudar a extinguir incendios que son demasiado peligrosos para que los humanos se acerquen.La manguera se propulsa hacia arriba (volando a dos metros del suelo) mediante ocho chorros de agua controlables que brotan de su centro y su cabeza; esta puede cambiar de forma y orientarse hacia las llamas, dirigida por una unidad de control en un carro.Este está conectado a través de un tubo de suministro a un camión d...

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence leaves with shoulder injury after clearing protocol to play vs. Bucs

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury and left Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter.Lawrence had just cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol a day earlier, allowing him to start against the Buccaneers.C.J. Beathard replaced Lawrence with 13 1/2 minutes to play and Jacksonville trailing 30-6.Lawrence went 18 for 30 for 213 yards and a third-quarter touchdown pass. He had two first-half interceptions and a fumble in the third. All three turnovers led to Tampa Bay touchdowns.The Jaguars believe Lawrence sustained a head injury while scrambling up the middle on the team’s final drive of a 23-7 loss to Baltimore last weekend. He misfired on seven of his final eight passes after the hit, a stretch that raised concerns on the sideline. Lawrence reported symptoms after the game.The third-year pro, who hasn’t missed a game since entering the league as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2021, practiced for the f...

Commanders remain uncertain at quarterback after Sam Howell gets benched again in loss to Jets

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Sam Howell had a chance to clear some of the doubts as to whether he can be the Washington Commanders’ quarterback of the future.A second straight benching has only intensified them.Howell was replaced in the third quarter Sunday by Jacoby Brissett, who led the Commanders on three straight touchdown drives to help Washington erase a 20-point deficit and take a late lead before falling 30-28 to the New York Jets on Greg Zuerlein’s 54-yard field goal with 5 seconds left.“It was tough,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said. “We didn’t help (Howell) early. We dropped a couple of balls that we probably should have caught. Your confidence sometimes can get shaken. That’s what I started to feel in the second half and I was really concerned.“That’s why I made the decision that I did.”Howell certainly didn’t help himself a week after being benched in Washington’s 28-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Rivera stuck with Howell, who came in le...

Vikings lose tight end T.J. Hockenson and wide receiver Jordan Addison in latest wave of injuries

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings lost two more important offensive players during Sunday’s 30-24 loss to Detroit as tight end T.J. Hockenson and receiver Jordan Addison left the game with injuries.Addison, a rookie, hurt his ankle during an interception return by Lions safety Kerby Joseph in the second quarter. Hockenson hurt his knee on a third-quarter catch when Joseph dove toward his legs. Hockenson went to the medical tent and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.The Vikings were already playing without quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles tendon) and right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle). Cousins was injured on Oct. 29. O’Neill missed his second straight game.The defense took a hit against the Lions, too, with a quadriceps injury for edge rusher D.J. Wonnum that sent him to the locker room on a cart early in the fourth quarter. Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder) was hurt in the third quarter after starting in place of Byron Murphy (knee), who wa...

Lions hang on to beat Vikings 30-24 and clinch 1st division title since 1993

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:24 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dan Campbell towered over the podium in a black T-shirt commemorating Detroit’s first division title in 30 years, reveling in the moment as the bass from the locker room next door pulsated through the walls.When the Lions played at Minnesota two years ago in Campbell’s first season, the 6-foot-5 head coach cried during his postgame news conference in the emotion of a crushing loss.The NFL ‘s most famously losing franchise has made major progress in so many ways.Jahmyr Gibbs had two rushing touchdowns, Amon-Ra St. Brown had 106 receiving yards and a third-quarter go-ahead score and Ifeatu Melifonwu had the game-sealing interception at the 5-yard line with 49 seconds left to lead the Lions past the injury-ravaged Vikings 30-24 on Sunday.“I’m proud of all the Lions fans out there who’ve been dying for this for years,” Campbell said. “That was for you, too.”Nick Mullens was intercepted four times to offset two touchdowns on 411 passing yards, none mo...