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After ‘alarming increase’ in Boston-area roofie reports, Massachusetts looks to give out drink spiking test kits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

After police departments reported an “alarming increase” in date rape drug incidents across the region, Massachusetts legislators are looking to give out drink spiking test kits to bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.Law enforcement in the Boston-area has been sounding the alarm about numerous people reporting they were roofied at local bars. Police have warned people to use the buddy system, cover their drinks, and don’t leave their drinks unattended.“Yet reports of these incidents persist, over and over again,” State Sen. Paul Feeney said from the State House during the budget debate.“We’ve seen an alarming increase in drink spiking incidents at bars, nightclubs, concert venues and even house parties across the Commonwealth,” said Feeney, a Democrat from Foxboro.He proposed a drink spiking prevention and awareness amendment called “Drink Spiking Tests Bulk Purchase Program and Awareness Campaign,” and the amendment passed t...

Lemon Grove SWAT standoff ends; suspect in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

Editor's note: This story has been updated to say the location is the 8000 block of Longdale Drive, and to reflect updated information from authorities that the victim is a neighbor and was injured by bullet fragments.LEMON GROVE, Calif. -- One person was injured after shots were fired in East County Thursday morning, prompting an hours-long SWAT standoff that ended with the suspect in custody, San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.The rounds were fired off at a residence on the 8000 block of Longdale Drive in Lemon Grove. authorities say a female neighbor was hit by bullet fragments and was transported to a local hospital. She's expected to make a full recovery. Owners of San Diego restaurants charged with COVID-relief fraud Meanwhile, the sheriff's department said the suspect was barricading himself inside a home in the area. The mother of the suspect was able to get out the home safely and the sheriff's department says no one else was inside the home. No one else was ...

Adnan Syed’s murder conviction on hold for now, as Maryland Supreme Court considers appeal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Adnan Syed will not return to jail and his murder conviction is on hold, for now, as Maryland’s Supreme Court decides whether to hear his appeal. The state’s highest court issued an order on Thursday that prevents the reinstatement of Syed’s murder conviction by a lower court.Syed’s legal case began more than two decades ago, and gained international attention from the hit podcast “Serial.” He regained his freedom in September from a judge after Baltimore prosecutors moved to vacate his conviction, saying they reviewed the case and found alternative suspects as well as unreliable evidence used at trial.But the victim’s family said they received insufficient notice to attend the September hearing before the judge in person, which violated their right to be “treated with dignity and respect,” and the state’s intermediate appellate court agreed. In a 2-1 decision in March that was stayed for 60 days, the judges reinstated Syed’s convi...

Ford electric vehicle owners to get access to Tesla Supercharger network starting next year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — All of Ford Motor Co.’s current and future electric vehicles will have access to about 12,000 Tesla Supercharger stations in the U.S. and Canada starting next year.Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the agreement Thursday during a “Twitter Spaces” audio chat.“We think this is a huge move for our industry and for all electric customers,” Farley said.Musk said he didn’t want Tesla’s network to be a “walled garden” and that he wants to use it to support sustainable transportation. “It is our intent to do everything possible to support Ford and have Ford be on an equal footing at Tesla Superchargers,” Musk said. Farley said there will be a cost to Ford owners, perhaps a monthly subscription, but he didn’t give specifics. Details of any financial arrangement between Ford and Tesla were not announced. At first, Ford’s current electric vehicles will need an adapter to hook into the Tesla stations, which have their own connecto...

St. Louis mayor signs executive order to support transgender community

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones on Thursday signed an executive order designed to make transgender people feel more welcome in the city.The order calls for city agencies to pursue policies that will reduce the impact of transgender laws restricting gender-affirming care and sports participation passed earlier this month by Missouri lawmakers. Under the order, the city’s health department will increase access to information about gender-affirming care; inclusivity training will be incorporated for new and current city employees; city-run sports programs will not ask participants about their gender identity; and one bathroom in each city building will be designated as an all-gender facility, KSDK-TV reported. The city’s economic development arm also will be asked to recommend incentives for businesses to support gender inclusivity.Jones, a Democrat, signed the order after a discussion with LGBTQ+ leaders about how the new Missouri legislation will affect their co...

NTSB: Unsafe speeds blamed for fiery crash that killed 10

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal traffic investigators said Thursday that unsafe driving speeds of multiple vehicles on wet roads in low visibility was the probable cause of a fiery 2021 interstate crash in Alabama that killed nine children and one adult. The National Transportation Safety Board released a report about the June 19, 2021 crash that involved 10 passenger vehicles and two commercial trucks on Interstate 65. The report described a horrific chain of events as the trucks and an SUV slammed into cars that had slowed because of minor crashes on the rain-slick highway. But it did not assign blame or cause beyond unsafe driving speeds for road conditions. “Driving at speeds above the speed limit or too fast for conditions can have serious consequences, including a loss of vehicle control, increased crash severity, and more severe injuries,” investigators wrote in their conclusion. Investigators wrote that that the probable cause of the crash was the “unsafe speeds of multiple ...

US Park Police investigate attack on Australian journalists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Park Police said it has placed two officers on administrative leave after video showed two Australian journalists being attacked during Monday night’s protest in Washington, D.C.Acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan said the attack is being investigated.Video captured by WJLA-TV in Washington showed reporter Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers being assaulted as law enforcement officials cleared an area near the White House so President Donald Trump could walk to a nearby church that had been damaged during the demonstrations the previous night. The journalists were reporting live for Australia’s Channel 7 on the demonstrations protesting George Floyd’s death at police hands in Minnesota.“As is consistent with our established practices and procedures, two U.S. Park Police officers have been assigned to administrative duties, while an investigation takes place regarding the incident with the Australian Press,” Monahan said in a statement posted on Twitter....

Who killed Alexandra Anaya in 2005? FBI doubles reward to $20,000 for the answer.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

HAMMOND, Ind. — The FBI is doubling its reward to $20,000 in the case of a Hammond teen who was brutally murdered 18 years ago. Alexandra Anaya was reported missing on Aug. 15, 2005, from her home in Hammond, Indiana. Chicago cardinal defends compensation plan, urges info on abusers after Illinois abuse report Three days later, boaters discovered her torso floating in the Little Calumet River. The rest of her body was never found.On the day she disappeared, she was wearing a gold chain with a round, religious medallion. It was never found either.Her family hopes the increased reward will help lead police to her killer.Alex's mother, Sandra Anaya, said she still holds on to hope that the person responsible for Alex's death will be held accountable. Meanwhile, she said family has helped her stay strong after all these years. "She was loving and caring and beautiful inside and out," Sandra said. "I miss her a lot. It's hard to relive everyday thinking of her because it's so painful. ...

Americans more sure about who they don't support in 2024 race than who they do: poll

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

(The Hill) – Results from a new survey indicate American voters are more set on who they don’t support in the 2024 presidential race than who they do support.Monmouth University polling, released Thursday, tested Democratic President Biden against Republican former President Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups. DeSantis officially joined Trump and Biden in the race this week, but Pence has not yet declared his candidacy. The poll found in each hypothetical that between 44 and 46 percent of voters said they “definitely” won’t back Biden, and between 7 and 8 percent say they “probably” won’t vote for him. Roughly a third of likely voters said they’ll definitely vote for Biden against both Trump and DeSantis — or 32 and 31 percent, respectively. Twenty-seven percent say they’ll definitely back him against Pence. Against Biden, 46 percent of voters say they definitely will not cast their ballots for ...

Texas school postpones graduation after majority of seniors declared ineligible

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:32:15 GMT

MARLIN, Texas (KWKT) — A high school in the small Texas city of Marlin postponed graduation after discovering that a majority of seniors didn't meet minimum grade and attendance requirements.Now, however, parents are speaking out with some saying they weren't adequately notified that their students weren't on track."This is a catastrophic failure of leadership and accountability," said one parent of a high school senior at Marlin ISD said at a recent school meeting.Marlin administrators said the ceremony was postponed after an audit found only five students in the senior class met basic guidelines, according to NPR. The most popular college majors aren’t the highest-paying – these degrees are, study finds However, it was a message some parents wished they knew sooner."How many of ya'll got a letter on April 17th saying that your babies were on track and then come Thursday… told our babies can't graduate," one parent said.Over the last three days, school officials have been conduct...