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New York City will implement minimum wage for app-based workers, marking national first

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — New York City will implement a minimum pay rate for food delivery workers on apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash — marking a first for the U.S., officials said this week.The new rule could nearly triple average earnings for app-based delivery workers in the coming years. New York’s more than 60,000 delivery workers currently make an average of $7.09 an hour, according to the city. But on July 12, an increased pay rate of $17.96 an hour will take effect — and that minimum wage is set to rise to $19.96 by April 2025, the city said. For years following, the minimum pay rate will be adjusted annually for inflation.“Our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us — now, we are delivering for them,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a Sunday statement announcing the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s new rule. “This new minimum pay rate, up by almost $13.00/hour, will guarantee these workers and their families can earn a living, ac...

Amazon’s appetite for Northern Virginia: $52 billion and counting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

Amazon’s HQ2 headquarters build out in Arlington County, Virginia, has been a high-profile project for the company, but over the past decade and a half, it has quietly been building out a huge network of data centers in Northern Virginia as well.In a recent report, Amazon said since 2011, it has invested $51.9 billion in Virginia. That includes spending on data centers, the Amazon Web Services corporate office in Fairfax County and the HQ2 campuses in Arlington’s National Landing.The report said Amazon contributed $8.2 billion in total gross domestic product to Virginia’s economy between 2011 and 2022.Amazon Web Services construction, operations and on-site maintenance has created 11,180 full- and part-time jobs in Virginia in 2021.Amazon Web Services paid $334 million in business personal property taxes in connection with its Virginia data centers in 2022, the Amazon report said.Amazon also said it remains on track to power all of its operations, including data centers, with 100% r...

Who took Peppa Pig? Ocean City police ask for help finding suspects

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

After being stolen from her “home” at an Ocean City, Maryland, candy store, Peppa Pig is safe, but police continue to search for suspects Monday.Police are now asking the public for help in identifying three suspects who police say swiped the Peppa Pig figure from the candy store in the 120th Street area.The suspects were seen on surveillance footage walking down the sidewalk with Peppa near the store at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, police said. They were last seen in the area of 126th street.The suspects are male, police said, but their ages are unclear.Police did not say how they were able to retrieve Peppa but posted a photo of officers after they recovered the statue.It’s unclear if Peppa has returned to her post at the candy store just yet.Police are asking anyone who can identify the suspects in the photos to contact the department by emailing [email protected] or calling 410-723-6610. Anonymous tipsters can call 410-520-5136.Source

Rusia arresta y acusa de narcotráfico a músico estadounidense

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

MOSCÚ, Rusia – Un músico estadounidense que lleva más de una década viviendo en Rusia fue arrestado bajo sospecha de narcotráfico, informó el sábado la prensa rusa.Los reportes señalan que Michael Travis Leake es sospechoso de vender mefedrona, cuyos efectos son similares a los de la cocaína y MDMA. Una corte de Moscú ordenó que fuera detenido dos meses previo al juicio, según reportes.Se enfrenta a cargos de producción o distribución de drogas, que conllevan una sentencia de hasta 20 años en prisión.Una cuenta de Instagram bajo el nombre de Travis Leake Instagram lo identifica como el cantante de la banda Lovi Noch (Aprovecha la noche). Según la prensa, Leake antes era paracaidista en el ejército de Estados Unidos y vive en Moscú desde 2010. Putin anuncia el envío de armas nucleares tácticas a Bielorrusia Zelenskyy: al menos 500 niños ucranianos han muerto durante la invasión rusa Las leyes antidrogas de Moscú son estrictas...

Wisconsin’s alcohol industry gets behind update, greater enforcement of laws

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s smallest craft brewers, including the maker of the popular Spotted Cow beer, large retailers like the Kwik Trip convenience store franchise and other producers, wholesalers and retailers are getting behind a rapidly moving proposal that would overhaul the state’s alcohol laws and lead to stricter enforcement efforts.The measure, hammered out in secret the past five years largely between Republican lawmakers and the multi-billion dollar alcohol industry, is moving quickly through the GOP-controlled Legislature. It was introduced on Friday and was scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday. The Legislature is expected to pass it in two weeks.Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration has also been involved with negotiations.Most of the changes would not be noticeable to average alcohol consumers in the state, those who worked closely on the bill said. But the creation of a new division to oversee liquor laws could lead to the enforceme...

Trump travels to Florida as history-making court appearance approaches in classified documents case

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump traveled to Florida on Monday ahead of a history-making federal court appearance this week on dozens of felony charges accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents and thwarting the Justice Department’s efforts to get them back.Trump’s Tuesday afternoon appearance in Miami will mark his second time since April facing a judge on criminal charges. But unlike a New York case some legal analysts derided as relatively trivial, the Justice Department’s first prosecution of a former president concerns conduct that prosecutors say jeopardized national security, with Espionage Act charges carrying the prospect of a significant prison sentence.Ahead of his court date, he and his allies have been escalating efforts to undermine the criminal case against him and drum up protests. He’s ratcheted up the rhetoric against the Justice Department special counsel who filed the case, calling Jack Smith “deranged” as he repeated without any evi...

Woman shot 11 times in Pinellas County expected to survive

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

PINELLAS COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) opened an investigation that began early Sunday morning in Pinellas County when a woman was shot many times by a family member.PCSO responded to a call at approximately 1:30 am to the home on 134th Street North after the woman made it out of the house and into a neighbor’s house to call 911.According to Chief Deputy Paul Halle, the woman was shot about 11 times, most of which were to the chest and head and several in the legs.The sheriff’s office said that the man, who they believe to be the suspect, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was later identified as Wayne Lovell Dew, 65.“It’s amazing, you think of somebody who’s been shot that many times, that is still able to walk out of her house, walk across the street to a neighbor and tell them what happened,” Chief Deputy Paul Halle said.Police said the situation is now resolved but did not ...

MBTA replaces majority of Green Line B branch service with buses after derailment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

A large section of the Green Line’s B branch service is being replaced by shuttles after a trolley derailment, according to the MBTA.The transportation authority said around 2:10 p.m. that what was first reported as a disabled train turned out to be a derailed trolley at Packard’s Corner.As crews respond, officials said service between Blandford Street and Washington Street stations would be replaced with shuttle buses in the meantime.“Expect delays as Buses are dispatched,” the MBTA tweeted out.In an update 30 minutes later, officials said the switch to shuttle bus service had been extended to between Kenmore and Washington Street. This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.https://twitter.com/MBTA/status/1668319680254156802

Tour boat capsizes in cave along the Erie Canal in upstate New York

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

(CNN) — A tour boat capsized in an underground cave along the Erie Canal in Lockport, New York, on Monday, police said in a Facebook post.Seven people were transported to Eastern Niagara Hospital, and all were in stable condition with no life-threatening injuries, according to hospital spokesperson Patricia Kingston-Brandt.Multiple agencies responded, police said, and surrounding streets were closed to allow rescuers better access, police said.The boat was touring the Lockport cave, police said. Located about 20 miles east of Niagara Falls near the US-Canada border, the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Tour takes people along the Erie Canal through an underground cave.“Embark on one of America’s longest underground boat rides along the Erie Canal and experience a trip of wonders,” its website states. “Visitors are awestruck as they take a ride that has been described as both ‘peaceful and eerie’ as the boat glides through the lifeless water, illuminated only by smal...

Judge’s Surprise Retirement Gives Healey High Court Pick

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:53:44 GMT

Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher plans to step down in January, giving Gov. Maura Healey a chance to appoint someone to the state’s highest court early in her first term.The SJC announced Monday that Cypher, who turned 64 in February, will retire from the court on Jan. 12, 2024 after a nearly seven-year tenure. A court spokesperson said Cypher “wants to devote her time to teaching and research.”Cypher will take a position at Boston College Law School for the spring 2024 semester as a Huber Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law. She said in a statement that she is “looking forward to pursuing my love of teaching.”Her departure will come several years before Cypher turns 70, the mandatory retirement age for Massachusetts judges, and creates the first vacancy on the SJC since Healey was elected in November.Healey’s predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Baker, saw the entire court turn over during his two terms and appointed all seven curren...