url
stringlengths 40
420
| text
stringlengths 279
99.8k
| in_y0
bool 1
class | in_y1
bool 2
classes | category
stringclasses 2
values | publisher
stringclasses 1
value | crawl_date
stringclasses 171
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/academy-smith-refused-leave-oscars-broke-conduct-code/
|
Academy: Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Rock slap
NEW YORK (AP) — The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday’s Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.
The academy’s board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.
Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the academy said. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”
A representative for the academy declined to give specifics on how it tried to removed Smith. After Smith struck Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, several stars including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry spoke with the 53-year-old Smith.
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The film academy earlier condemned Smith’s onstage assault of Rock, but it used stronger language Wednesday.
“Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television,” the academy said. “Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.”
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
Rock, who had yet to respond publicly to the incident, performed stand-up Wednesday night in Boston. He was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation.
“How was your weekend?” began Rock who then cautioned the crowd that he didn’t have a lot to say yet about the Oscars, according to audio posted by the Hollywood trade outlet Variety. “I’m still kind of processing what happened”
A representative for Smith didn’t immediately respond to messages Wednesday regarding the academy’s latest moves.
Only a very small number of academy members have ever been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.
Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the academy’s board of governors, said Monday on “The View,” “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him.” (Even Oscars won by expelled members haven’t previously been ordered to be returned.) Goldberg added that “nobody is OK with what happened”
Others from Sunday’s telecast also began speaking out. Co-host Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. When he returned to his seat, Smith twice shouted at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.”
“I’m still a little traumatized by it,” said Sykes in a clip released Wednesday.
Within an hour, Smith was back on stage accepting the award for best actor for his performance in “King Richard.” Many in the Dolby Theatre gave him a standing ovation.
“I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross,” Sykes said. “I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, ‘Uh, unfortunately, Will couldn’t be here tonight.’”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/alex-jones-faces-fines-skipping-sandy-hook-deposition/
|
Alex Jones faces fines for skipping Sandy Hook deposition
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut judge said Wednesday Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones will be fined for each weekday that passes without him appearing for a deposition in a lawsuit brought by relatives of some victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The penalties were in response to Jones defying court orders to attend a deposition last week, when he cited a health problem including vertigo that later turned out to be a sinus infection. His testimony is being sought ahead of a trial to determine how much he should pay in damages to the families for pushing a conspiracy theory that the massacre never happened.
The penalties will begin at $25,000 per weekday beginning Friday and increase by $25,000 per weekday until he appears for a deposition, Judge Barbara Bellis said. She found Jones in contempt of court orders and repeated her view Wednesday that letters submitted by Jones’ doctors did not include enough evidence that he was too ill to attend last week’s deposition. She noted Jones appeared on his website show — either in-person or by phone — every day last week.
“The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant, Alex Jones, willfully and in bad faith violated without justification several clear court orders requiring his attendance at his depositions,” Bellis said during a court hearing held by video conference.
Bellis, a judge at Waterbury Superior Court, also ordered the deposition to be held at the Bridgeport, Connecticut, office of the families’ lawyers, instead of Austin, Texas, where it was scheduled last week. Austin is home to Jones and Infowars.
The judge, however, again denied a request by lawyers for the Sandy Hook families to order Jones arrested and detained until he could appear at a deposition. The attorneys first made the request last week.
Jones’ lawyer, Norman Pattis, criticized Bellis’ ruling and planned to appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday.
“The judge’s order is shocking and an insult to the medical doctor who advised Alex not to attend court proceedings,” Pattis said in an email to The Associated Press. “We regard the order as lawless and unprecedented.”
Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families, said during the hearing that the families were seeking penalties because Jones violated court orders and appeared to be attempting to avoid the deposition.
“So what we’ve tried to do ... is change that calculus, make it clear to Mr. Jones that the penalties that will accrue to him as a result of his further noncompliance are not worth it and that he should sit for deposition in order to avoid them,” Mattei said.
A new deposition date was not immediately set. Cameron Atkinson, another Jones lawyer, said Jones would next be available to testify on April 11.
Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed in the December 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, killed his mother at their Newtown home before the shooting, and killed himself at the school as police arrived, officials said.
The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut, saying they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones’ followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.
On Tuesday, Jones’ lawyers filed court documents that offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to settle the lawsuit and offered an apology for “any distress his remarks caused.” The families’ lawyers rejected the offers.
Jones was found liable for damages to the families in the Connecticut lawsuit as well as to some Sandy Hook families who sued him in Texas. Judges in both states found Jones liable by default without a trial, saying he repeatedly refused to abide by court rulings and provide requested evidence to the families’ lawyers.
Jones and his lawyers said he has turned over thousands of documents to the families’ lawyers and sat for depositions in the Texas cases.
Trials are scheduled later this year in Connecticut and Texas to determine how much Jones should pay the families.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the fines Jones would face start at $25,000 per weekday and increase by $25,000 per weekday, not $25,000 to $50,000 per weekday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/aso-deputy-hospitalized-after-getting-hit-traffic-stop/
|
ASO deputy hospitalized after getting hit at a traffic stop
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 5:39 PM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy is hospitalized after being hit during a traffic stop.
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy tried pulling someone over that’s when they say 36-year-old Tabaree Lewis hit the deputy’s patrol car. The deputy tried getting out but fell to the ground in pain.
A passing truck driver stopped to help.
Lewis is charged with fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of a crash, and driving without a license.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/breaking-2-children-hospitalized-after-school-bus-crash-levy-county/
|
BREAKING: 2 children hospitalized after school bus crash in Levy County
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 5:07 PM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
LEVY COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - Levy County sheriff’s deputies are reporting a school bus crash with injuries.
The accident occurred around 4 p.m. Fourteen kids were on the bus, two of which are being airlifted to a hospital.
The students are from a Yankeetown School. Northbound lanes of U.S. 19 are blocked near Village Pines Campground and will be for several hours.
This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
TRENDING STORY: Teen arrested by Ocala police on a first-degree murder charge
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/chris-rock-readies-1st-show-since-will-smith-slapped-him/
|
Chris Rock takes to comedy mic, still processing Oscar slap
BOSTON (AP) — Chris Rock received several standing ovations before he told one joke Wednesday at his first comedy show since Will Smith slapped him in the face onstage at the Oscars.
Rock only briefly addressed the slap to the sold out crowd in Boston, saying he was “still kind of processing what happened.”
“Other than the weird thing, life is pretty good,” Rock said midway through his first of two sets. The nighttime performances came just three days after Smith smacked the comedian for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while presenting an Academy Award.
Rock didn’t mention Smith or Pinkett Smith by name at his show in Boston. Wearing all white, he seemed to be almost embarrassed by the multiple ovations he received. As the applause carried on for minutes — with fans yelling “I love you, Chris!” — the comedian appeared to be getting emotional, a guest seated near the stage told The Associated Press.
“How was your weekend?” Rock joked before getting into his set.
Ticket prices skyrocketed after Smith took to the awards stage and slapped Rock on live TV, but the comedian made clear he wasn’t going to talk at length about it Wednesday.
“If you came to hear that, I’m not ... I had like a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” Rock said.
He spent much of the night skewering celebrities and politicians. Among them were the Duchess of Sussex, the Kardashians, as well as President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and former President Donald Trump.
Outside the venue, a fan showed off a T-shirt featuring the “G.I. Jane” logo and Pinkett Smith’s face. Another had a shirt he made that showed Smith’s face and displayed a crude joke about the couple’s relationship.
At least one person yelled during the show that Rock should sue Smith.
Rock’s joke at the Oscars was about Jada Pinkett Smith’s buzzed haircut: “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, comparing Pinkett Smith to Demi Moore’s “G.I. Jane” character, who had a buzz cut in the 1997 film.
Smith promptly stood up from his seat at the front of the venue and took to the stage, slapping Rock across the face before sitting back down and yelling at Rock to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth.
Pinkett Smith has spoken publicly about her diagnosis of alopecia, which can cause baldness.
Within an hour, Smith won best actor, receiving a standing ovation. During his five-minute acceptance speech, Smith talked about defending his family and apologized to the academy. A day later, Smith issued an apology to the comedian, to the academy and to viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions are “not indicative of the man I want to be.”
Pinkett Smith responded Tuesday with a graphic on Instagram that read: “This is a season of healing and I’m here for it.” She offered no further comment.
George Guay, a 24-year-old fan from Boston who grew up on “Everybody Hates Chris,” said he bought a ticket after Rock was slapped by Smith.
“He’s the most popular celebrity so I want to be here,” Guay said before the show, adding that he hoped Rock would open with a response to the situation. “I just want a good show.”
Afterward, some fans were a little disappointed he did not address the controversy more directly. But they also said they could see from his body language that he wasn’t sure how to do it.
“As soon as I saw him, his mood was a little bit shocked,” said Dave Henriquez, a 48-year-old musician from Newton, Massachusetts. “I got that it was weighing on him.”
Erin Ryan, a 33-year-old teacher also from Newton who was with Henriquez, said she felt Rock wanted to perform his act, “not make the standup about the one incident.”
Kathryn West-Hines, a 50-year-old Pilates instructor from Malden, Massachusetts, said she came away with even more respect for Rock. “I thought it was amazing, classy,” she said, adding that he wasn’t going to let “what happened Sunday” take away his shine.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences condemned Smith striking Rock. Its board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations of the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said it had asked Smith to leave the ceremony after hitting Rock, but he refused to do so.
This was not the first time Rock had made a joke at Pinkett Smith’s expense. When he hosted the 2016 Oscars, some people boycotted the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock then: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”
Wanda Sykes, who co-hosted the Oscars with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, said she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres scheduled to air April 7, Sykes also said letting Smith stay and accept his award should not have happened.
The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama “CODA” became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywood’s top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Wins for Ariana DeBose of “West Side Story, ”Troy Kotsur of “CODA” and Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” all had made history.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/congress-hears-siren-wail-ukrainian-legislators-visit/
|
Congress hears siren wail as Ukrainian legislators visit
WASHINGTON (AP) — As members of the Ukrainian parliament were pleading for aid on Capitol Hill, an air raid siren blared from one of their cell phones — a wrenching alert from the war-torn country back home.
One of the visitors reached into her bag, pulled out the phone and let the siren wail in the halls of Congress.
“Right now, you hear the sound?” said Anastasia Radina, a member of the Ukrainian Rada.
“This is the air raid alarm in the community where my son is staying right now,” she said at a press conference this week after meeting with members of Congress. “I need you all to hear that.”
The Ukrainian lawmakers met for a second day Wednesday with their counterparts in the U.S. Congress, urging American allies to more quickly provide additional military aid — fighter jets, tanks and other support — and to impose stiffer economic sanctions on the invading Russians they’re trying to push from their country.
The visiting legislators, all women, with family back home, were warning the U.S. that they do not trust negotiations underway with Russian President Vladimir Putin over ending the monthlong war. And they impressed on the Americans that their country is at a crucial juncture in the fight against his invasion.
“They desperately need more help both with military assistance and the tightening of sanctions,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, emerging from Wednesday’s private meeting at the Capitol.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressing President Joe Biden’s administration to do more for Ukraine — providing their political support for sanctions on Russian leadership, a ban on Russian oil imports to the U.S., even declaring Putin should be investigated for war crimes.
Biden on Wednesday announced that the U.S. will send another $500 million in direct aid to Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. At the same time, the Senate was working to pass legislation suspending Russia’s favored trade status — a measure that has been tangled over a related human rights provision, even though there is widespread support for suspending normal trade relations and halting Russian oil imports.
Lawmakers emerging from two days of meetings with the Ukrainian lawmakers kept up a largely unified front, with both Republicans and Democrats saying more funding would be needed, beyond the nearly $14 billion in military and humanitarian aid recently approved. Many are members of the Ukraine Caucus in the House and Senate, formed years ago to bolster the emerging democracy after it emerged from the former Soviet Union.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., described a sense of “buoyancy” in the room with the Ukrainian lawmakers Wednesday amid word of a possible Russian move away from Kyiv, even as he acknowledged the likely fighting still ahead.
“There’s a lot of support in Congress to continue to help them,” he said.
Yet there is concern in Congress that Biden’s administration is too timid in its response and too slow to send needed military equipment. Some speak of an administration “Afghanistan Syndrome.”
Republicans in particular, but also Democratic lawmakers, suggest there’s a hesitancy from the U.S. to push deeper into an overseas conflict with commitments of military aid after 20 years fighting the “forever war” in Afghanistan.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said the Ukrainians she had met with in the past had used that term “Afghanistan Syndrome,” but on Wednesday the Ukrainian legislators instead spoke with urgency about the military aid they need — with fighter jets at the top of the list.
“If they’re going to win, they need more,” Ernst said. “And they know they can win. But they just need the support coming from the United States.”
The Ukrainians delivered a long list of specific military equipment they are requesting, and senators said at the top remain the fighter planes the Biden administration has been reluctant to transfer from NATO ally Poland.
The Ukrainians told reporters after meeting with House lawmakers a day earlier that they also want other air support systems as well as tanks to push the Russians back from their cities.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has roused the world to his country’s side, speaking via video livestreams to legislative bodies around the world, the Ukrainian legislators provided their own compelling portrait this week in Washington — women fighting for their country abroad while their loved ones and families fight from home.
In the meetings on Capitol Hill and later with officials at Ukrainian embassy, the lawmakers said that while they are thankful for the U.S. help their country has received, they need more — especially now, as Russia’s strategy may be shifting.
But the Ukrainian lawmakers were apparently leaving Washington without firm commitments. Opposition lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said there is a “readiness” by members of Congress to act but nothing concrete.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have time,” she said at a later press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
Governing party lawmaker Radina expressed frustration that the U.S. was still distinguishing between defensive and offensive weapons, and said said Ukraine needs jets and air defense systems now.
“What we need is action,” she said.
The Ukrainians are wary of talks with Putin, and they framed the war not only as a fight for their country but for all of Western democracy. More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion.
“Putin cannot be trusted,” said Yevheniya Kravchuk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, at Tuesday’s press conference.
Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are making weekend trips to the Ukrainian border regions to understand the war first-hand. What they’ve seen is reminiscent of imagery many grew up with learning about World War II.
“It’s freezing cold. There’s like a little gust of snow, I mean, most folks didn’t have winter coats, they had like one bag,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., recounting what he saw a few weeks ago on the Polish border.
“It was reminiscent of the Second World War,” he said. “You’re just like watching, you’re just seeing this mass exodus of people.”
___
Associated Press writers Ben Fox and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/doctor-performs-1000-surgeries-with-help-robot-patient-says-he-saved-her-life/
|
Doctor performs 1,000 surgeries with help from a robot, patient says he saved her life
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - On National Doctor’s Day, one Ocala physician and his patient certainly have plenty to celebrate. Reginald Griffin is a general and bariatric surgeon at HCA Florida West Marion Hospital. He recently completed his 1,000th robotics surgery. The hospital has earned the robotic center of excellence award for this work.
“The robot is a very important tool we use in surgery,” he said. “It’s important for general surgeons to stay up with new technology. The robot is the latest technology in general surgery.”
According to data compiled by laparoscopic surgeon Prof. Dr. R.K. Mishra and published on the World Laparoscopy Hospital website, it was November 7, 1992, when the first robot-assisted hip replacement was performed on a 64-year-old man using the Robodoc. Ten more robotic hip replacements “were performed at Sutter General Hospital, Sacramento, Calif., under an investigational device exemption (IDE) approved by FDA Oct. 9, 1992.”
Mishra’s data also states that in June 1997, the first surgical robot to get FDA approval for surgeons to use to perform laparoscopic surgery was the “da Vinci Surgical System manufactured by Intuitive Surgical Inc.”
Griffin said he’s been using the technology since 2013. He now does the majority of his surgeries with the robot. He was originally trained to perform what’s called “open surgery” and “laparoscopic surgery,” Griffin said, which has been an important part of the medical field since 1990.
“The robot has really helped us reduce patients’ pain and get them out of the hospital,” said Griffin.
Doris Bostick is one of Griffin’s patients. She said after a year of multiple medications, and the need for a constant, steady flow of oxygen, she received robotic bariatric sleeve surgery in November of last year. She said she suffered from A-fib, high blood pressure, and obesity.
“I have lost 56 pounds in four months,” she said.
She showed us her scars, after the interview, which seemed to be barely there. “I had holes. No cuts, no incisions,” she said. She had the surgery and said the next morning she went home.
“I didn’t have to lay in bed,” said Bostick. “Nobody had to do any chores for me.”
Her children didn’t want her to get the surgery initially, but Bostick said they didn’t fully understand what she was going through medically. Ultimately she said yes to going under the knife.
But before surgery, she first had to go through a heart attack, stroke, and a fierce battle with covid.
“She came back and she said Ms. Bostick, you’re positive,” Bostick said recalling the conversation with a hospital nurse. “I said what. I said I don’t go around anyone, I said I don’t leave my room. I started weeping, and they took me to [the] death floor. I call the 6th-floor death floor because [there’s] nobody up there except people with COVID and all you hear is coughing.”
She recounted the horrific experience to our cameras. Staff only gave her wipes, Bostick said, instead of regular towels “like they’re expecting you to die.” But then she said she met a real-life angel. A doctor sat on the edge of her bed and told her “I’m going to take care of you, do you hear me.” She said she never saw him after that. She was released and sent home four days later.
It’s been four months since her weight loss surgery. Now she said she can walk around her neighborhood twice over and not need the oxygen she had needed for so many years.
“I feel great. To wake up and feel no pain and no breathing problems...choose to live. This is not your end.”
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/dunnellon-football-coach-price-harris-takes-madison-county-head-job/
|
Dunnellon football coach Price Harris takes Madison County head job
Cowboys have won four of the last five state 1A titles
DUNNELLON, Fla. (WCJB) -After a successful eight-season run coaching the Dunnellon Tigers football program, head coach Price Harris is leaving the team for 1A powerhouse Madison County. Harris confirmed the move to TV20 on Wednesday.
Harris led Dunnellon for eight years, compiling a mark of 69-22, including trips to the state semifinals in 2018 (4A) and 2020 (5A).
Harris is a 1993 graduate of Madison County. He takes over a Cowboys program that’s captured four of the last five state titles in Class 1A. Madison County was in need of a replacement for Mike Coe, who left to take a position in Georgia.
Harris’s move is ironic on two fronts. His Tigers beat the Cowboys last season, 28-26. Harris was also among the main proponents of the Metro-Suburban split that the FHSAA adopted four weeks ago, which gives schools outside the state’s eight most populous counties a chance to compete for their own state titles. In his new job, Harris will be vying for the 1A rural classification title, a division that was virtually unchanged under the new system.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/facebook-resorts-old-smear-tactics-against-tiktok/
|
Facebook resorts to old smear tactics against TikTok
(AP) - Eleven years ago, Facebook was caught red-handed after it hired a prominent public relations firm to try to plant stories harshly criticizing Google’s privacy practices in leading news outlets.
In 2018, it hired the PR firm Definers to do opposition research on the company’s critics, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The company’s longtime head of communications, Elliot Schrage, took the blame for approving the hiring of Definers and similar firms and left Facebook.
On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is using similar tactics to go after another rival TikTok. Meta, the Post reported, hired a Republican consulting firm called Targeted Victory to “orchestrate a nationwide campaign” against TikTok.
Targeted Victory, according to the Post, contracted with dozens of public relations firms across the U.S. to help “sway public opinion against TikTok” by planting local news stories and helping place op-eds targeting TikTok around the country, the story says.
Meta confirmed that it has hired Targeted Victory.
“We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success,” spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement.
Zac Moffatt, the CEO of Targeted Victory, said the company “manages bipartisan teams on behalf of our clients.”
“It is public knowledge we have worked with Meta for several years and we are proud of the work we have done,” he said in a statement.
The Post obtained internal emails from Targeted Victory that outlined a campaign to undermine TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The firm used a mix of “genuine concerns and unfounded anxieties” about TikTok in order to try to turn public and political sentiment against it.
According to the report, Targeted Victory was also working to get “proactive coverage” about Facebook into local media, including “submitting letters and opinion pieces speaking glowingly of Facebook’s role in, for instance, supporting Black-owned businesses.”
“We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm,” TikTok said in an emailed statement.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the report was Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/fda-panel-narrowly-sides-against-experimental-als-drug/
|
FDA panel narrowly sides against experimental ALS drug
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health advisers on Wednesday narrowly ruled against an experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a potential setback for patient groups who have lobbied for the medication’s approval.
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted 6-4 that a single study from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals failed to establish the drug’s effectiveness in treating the deadly neurodegenerative disease ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
“I think it would be a disservice to the patients and their families to approve a treatment that is of uncertain benefit,” said Dr. Kenneth Fischbeck of the National Institutes of Health. “It gets in the way of developing truly effective treatments if it turns out not to be effective.”
Fischbeck and other panelists said they hoped results of a larger study now underway would provide more evidence.
Their vote is not binding and the FDA will make the final decision on whether to grant approval by July. The vote could be used to bolster FDA’s negative review published earlier in the week that criticized Amylyx’s mid-stage study for its small size, missing data and questionable statistical analysis.
The FDA, however, has also emphasized the need for “regulatory flexibility” when reviewing drugs for fatal diseases like ALS. And the close vote could tip the agency toward an approval, given the lack of options currently available.
Typically, FDA approval requires two large studies or one study with a “very persuasive” effect on survival.
ALS destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord needed to walk, talk, swallow and — eventually — breathe. There is no cure and most people die within three to five years of their first symptoms.
ALS patients and their families have rallied behind Amylyx’s drug since its data was first published in 2020, launching an aggressive lobbying campaign and enlisting members of Congress to push the FDA to grant approval.
More than two dozen people spoke during Wednesday’s public comment session, including ALS patients, their family members and physicians who called on the FDA to make the drug available as a potential option to slow the disease.
“Slowing down the loss of function is significant to me and to my family,” stated Becky Mourey, a former music teacher and ALS patient, in comments read by her daughter. “More time to tell my children I love them with my own voice is everything to me.”
Dr. Teresa Buracchio, an FDA division director, said the agency had “benefitted enormously” from patients’ input. But she added that the problems with Amylyx’s data exist “even with the recognition that ALS is a rare disease, with a relentless course that has an enormous unmet medical need.”
The FDA has approved only two therapies for ALS. The more effective one extends life by several months.
Amylyx’s drug comes as a powder that combines two older drugs: one prescription medication for liver disorders and a dietary supplement long used in traditional Chinese medicine. In a 137-patient study in ALS patients, researchers reported those who took the drug progressed 25% more slowly than those taking a dummy drug after one year.
But FDA scientists said those results were “not persuasive” because of missing patient data, study conduct errors and unrealistic assumptions about how patients would decline over time.
Even the panelists who backed the drug said it was a difficult decision.
“I went back and forth during the day but ultimately I agreed with the (drugmaker’s) primary analysis,” said Dean Follman, a biostatistician with the NIH.
Some ALS patients already take the two older drugs, purchasing the supplement online and getting a prescription for the liver medication.
Even if the FDA rejects the Amylyx combo drug later this year, it may not be the end of the road for the treatment. Amylyx is conducting a late-stage, 600-patient study required to seek European approval. If those results — expected in 2024— show the drug extends life, the company could resubmit to the FDA and potentially win approval.
FDA regulators had initially urged the company to complete that study before submitting the drug.
Wednesday’s meeting marked the first time FDA had convened this advisory panel since disregarding its advice last June and approving Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm. Three panel members resigned over the controversial decision and the FDA has faced a broader backlash for approving an expensive medication with little evidence it works. As in the Amylyx case, the FDA faced intense pressure from patient groups to grant approval.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/free-uf-coalition-advocates-academic-freedom-uf-professor-files-suit-against-school/
|
Free UF Coalition advocates for academic freedom as UF Professor files suit against school
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Students, professors said free the University of Florida from what they call censorship from administrators.
The group formed the Free UF Coalition with the United Faculty of Florida and other student groups. They say they’re fighting for First Amendment rights.
“This is a crisis time for academic freedom,” said Professor Dr. Paul Ortiz.
Lawsuits against UF from professors against the University over freedom of speech, critical race theory and providing expert testimony inspired their cause.
RELATED STORY: ‘A significant victory’: UF cannot enforce conflict of interest policy to stop professors from testifying says U.S. Judge
“And we’re trying to emphasize this isn’t just an issue impacting the students and faculty here at UF because right now, as you know, our state has passed a whole raft of laws trying to stop us from talking about issues like racial inequality.”
On top of educating, the group’s goal is to get petitions signed to support their cause, specifically from undergraduate students.
“And that’s the voices they’re most likely to hear so if we have a lot of undergrads signing this petition, ‘said UF student Allan Frasheri. “That’s gonna truly show something to the administration.”
RELATED STORY: University of Florida professor files academic freedom grievance after critical race curriculum was barred
UF Professor Burt Richards filed a complaint against the school for violating his First and Fourteenth amendment rights. University staff sent TV20 a response that they won’t comment on open cases.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/hart-springs-swimming-closed-due-brown-out-conditions-water-levels-rise/
|
Hart Springs swimming closed due to “brown out conditions” as water levels rise
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
BELL, Fla. (WCJB) - Stepping out of the swimming area at Hart Springs on a hot day is something many look forward to, but right now visitors can’t even step in.
“In July of 2018 it was none of this water. It was gorgeous there was plenty of place for us to have a blanket and sit,” said Donna Maciver, a visitor at the park.
But this trip is different for the Maciver’s, and it’s all due to brown out conditions.
“There seemed to be some sand beaches in certain places. There was so much more land, so this is something,” she said.
According to county officials, brown out conditions happen when excess water from the Suwannee and Santa Fe rivers flows into the springs.
Because the water is at such a high level, the docks and retaining walls around the swimming areas are almost entirely covered by water.
Rocco and Carol Pupino said they’ve visited this park many times and are planning to retire near the springs.
“It’s usually much, much lower and there’s a lot of children here swimming and all,” said Rocco.
He said this is the highest level he’s ever seen the water reach.
“Well we haven’t been able to walk the boardwalk and that’s what we usually do every day.”
They aren’t the only ones missing out on activities. Most boaters can’t go on the water because of the higher current.
County officials will test for bacteria once fresh spring water pushes through.
They said there hasn’t been a bacteria problem in the past decade.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/irs-inflation-increases-tax-deductions-teachers-up-300-first-time/
|
IRS: Inflation increases tax deductions for teachers up to $300 for the first time
(Gray News) - Teachers and other educators will be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses when they file their 2022 federal income tax return next year.
The IRS reports this is the first time the annual limit has increased since the special educator expense deduction was enacted in 2002.
For tax years 2002 through 2021, the limit was $250 per year. For people currently filing their 2021 tax returns due in April, the deduction remains at $250.
According to the IRS, the limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments.
For 2022, an eligible educator can deduct up to $300 of qualifying expenses. If they are married and file a joint return with another qualified educator, the limit rises to $600. But in this situation, not more than $300 for each spouse.
According to the agency, educators can claim this deduction, even if they take the standard deduction. Eligible educators include anyone who is a kindergarten through high school teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide working at least 900 hours during the school year. Both public and private school educators qualify.
The IRS shared educators can deduct the unreimbursed cost of the following items:
- Books, supplies and other materials used in the classroom.
- Equipment, including computer equipment, software and services.
- COVID-19 protective items to stop the spread of the disease in the classroom. This includes face masks, disinfectant for use against COVID-19, hand soap, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, tape, paint or chalk to guide social distancing, physical barriers, such as clear plexiglass, air purifiers and other items recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Professional development courses related to the curriculum they teach or the students they teach. For these expenses, it may be more beneficial to claim another educational tax benefit, especially the lifetime learning credit.
According to the IRS, qualified expenses don’t include costs for homeschooling or non-athletic supplies for courses in health or physical education. As with all deductions and credits, the agency reminds educators to keep good records, including receipts, canceled checks and other documentation.
With the 2021 tax deadline just around the corner, the IRS said educators still working on their returns can claim any qualifying expenses here.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/last-capsule-containing-moon-sample-apollo-17-mission-opened-50-years-later/
|
Last capsule containing moon sample from Apollo 17 mission opened 50 years later
(Gray News) — One of the last unopened Apollo-era moon samples collected nearly 50 years ago during Apollo 17 was opened, NASA said.
Sample 73001 was opened in a process which took place from March 21 to March 22 under the direction of lunar sample processors and curators in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the agency said in a release.
Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt collected the sample during the Apollo 17 missions in 1972. They hammered thin, cylindrical sample-collection devices, or drive tubes, into a landslide deposit in the Moon’s Taurus-Littrow Valley.
The sample is the lower half of a double drive tube. The upper drive tube, sample 73002, was opened in 2019.
Before the sample was opened, images of the sample’s inside makeup were produced by X-ray scans taken by researchers at the University of Texas Austin.
The samples from the capsules are being studied by the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program, or ANGSA.
These samples won’t be the last brought back to Earth; NASA will be returning to the moon for more samples in the upcoming Artemis missions.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/man-behind-bars-having-sex-with-minor-may-be-more-victims/
|
Man behind bars for having sex with a minor, may be more victims
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 5:46 PM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GILCHRIST COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - Levy County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 37-year-old they say had sex with a minor in Fanning Springs. Deputies say there may be other victims.
Shawn Kohler of Chiefland was arrested on Tuesday on a charge of sexual assault of a person under 18 years old. They say he met the underage girl while working at a convenience store in Fanning Springs.
Security footage shows the two of them going to a car and are there for an extended period of time.
The victim later told deputies they had sex.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/man-sentenced-30-years-prison-raping-79-year-old-woman-when-he-was-18/
|
Man sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping 79-year-old woman when he was 18
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow/Gray News) – A 21-year-old man will spend 30 years in prison for raping an elderly woman at a campground in June 2019.
Authorities said Zeth Browder was 18 when he attacked a 79-year-old as she slept in her tent at a campground in Kawaihae, located on the northwest part of the island of Hawaii.
After several pandemic delays, a jury found Browder guilty in December 2021 of sexual assault, burglary, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. A judge sentenced him Tuesday to 30 years in prison.
Browder is from Hilo, Hawaii – about 65 miles from where the attack took place on the other side of the island. The victim lives in Colorado.
Browder did not testify at the trial, but addressed the judge before sentencing, insisting he was innocent and asking for leniency.
Copyright 2022 HawaiiNewsNow via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/nfl-teams-must-hire-minority-offensive-coach-upcoming-season-league-reports/
|
NFL teams must hire a minority offensive coach in upcoming season, league reports
(Gray News) - The NFL will require all of its professional football teams to hire a minority coach or a female as an offensive assistant starting in the 2022 season.
Earlier this week, the league made the announcement as team owners gathered in Florida for the annual league meeting.
Among the NFL’s initiatives to enhance opportunities for minority coaching candidates, teams will now be required to hire a minority coach as an offensive assistant, as reported by the NFL Network’s Judy Battista.
The NFL reports it is also looking at having teams invite staff members to league events. It’s an idea Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera said he believes would help the cause since it would allow minority candidates to get acquainted with decision-makers in more relaxed settings.
“We’ve worked for years and made progress in many areas to ensure that staff and leaders in our office and at our clubs reflect the racial and gender makeup of America, but we have more work to do, particularly at the head coach and front-office level,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
League officials also said the NFL is putting together a committee to review its diversity hiring practices.
The diversity advisory committee includes business leaders, academics and former Houston Texans GM Rick Smith.
According to the NFL Network, the group will review league and club policies in light of ongoing concerns over a lack of diversity in hiring.
“The National Football League announced the creation of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee, following its pledge last month to retain outside experts to review the league’s diversity policies and practices,” the league said in a news release. “The six-member committee will lend its expert, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives, including all hiring processes, policies and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions.
The 32 clubs released a joint statement Monday regarding their commitment to increasing diversity among ownership:
“The NFL member clubs support the important goal of increasing diversity among ownership. Accordingly, when evaluating a prospective ownership group of a member club pursuant to League policies, the membership will regard it as a positive and meaningful factor if the group includes diverse individuals who would have a significant equity stake in and involvement with the club, including serving as the controlling owner of the club.”
According to the NFL, other diversity, equity and inclusion-related changes are expected before the January 2023 hiring cycle.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/paiges-kitchen-deviled-potatoes/
|
Paige’s Kitchen: Deviled Potatoes
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Whether you are attending a tailgating party or a church picnic, there is a good chance you will find a plate of deviled eggs. They are easy to make, you don’t need a fork and they are just plain delicious. What if you could have that same deviled egg flavor inside a potato? Find out how in this week’s edition of Paige’s Kitchen!
· 1 pound of petite red potatoes (about 15)
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
· 1/2 cup sour cream
· 2 tablespoons brined capers, drained and rinsed
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
· 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
· 1 teaspoon lemon zest
· Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place potatoes in a small bowl, and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt; toss to coat. Spread potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake until tender when pierced, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Cut each potato in half crosswise. Carefully scoop out potato pulp into a medium bowl, leaving shells intact. Place shells, cut side up, on baking sheet, and bake in a preheated oven until dry, about 10 more minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Stir together potato pulp, sour cream, capers, parsley, dill, mustard, zest, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon mixture generously into each potato shell.
RELATED STORY: Paige’s Kitchen: Tea Time
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/pedestrian-dead-after-being-hit-by-car-ocala/
|
Pedestrian dead after being hit by car in Ocala
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 5:22 PM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - An elderly man is dead after being hit by a car near 2200 East Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala.
A woman was trying to change lanes and, when she merged to an inside lane of the road, 90-year-old Eugene Aldrich stepped into traffic.
She claims she did not see him and tried swerving to avoid him.
The man died at the hospital.
TRENDING STORY: 2 children hospitalized after school bus crash in Levy County
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/singer-kelly-clarkson-legally-changes-her-name/
|
Singer Kelly Clarkson legally changes her name
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 7:30 PM EDT
(CNN) - Kelly Clarkson is no more, at least not legally speaking.
The singer and television personality changed her name to Kelly Brianne.
That change turns her middle name into her last name, and she no longer has a middle name.
The 39-year-old says the decision stemmed from her recent divorce with Brandon Blackstock, although she was born with the last name Clarkson.
The original “American Idol” winner plans to keep the name Clarkson for her professional life since she’s used it for so long.
But in the eyes of the law, she’s now Kelly Brianne.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/soldier-killed-helicopter-incident-georgia/
|
Soldier killed in helicopter crash at Georgia airfield
HINESVILLE, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - A 3rd Infantry Division soldier has died after a crash involving two UH-60 helicopters early Wednesday morning.
According to the the 3rd ID public affairs office, the incident happened at Fort Stewart’s Wright Army Airfield around 2 a.m. The solider has been identified as 26-year-old Capt. James T. Bellew, of Charlottesville, Virginia, WTOC reports.
Bellew entered the Army in 2017 as a medical service officer, became an Aeromedical Evacuation Officer in 2019, and has been assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division since March of 2020.
Bellew’s previous assignment was at Camp Casey in South Korea as a Field Medical Assistant from September 2017 to September 2018.
“James was a part of one of the noblest professions imaginable; he dedicated his life to serving our country and did so in a role where he was constantly helping and saving the lives of others,” said Col. Eric Vanek, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade commander.
Wright Army Airfield is closed until further notice while the incident is investigated.
Copyright 2022 WTOC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/tree-crashes-through-house-louisiana-narrowly-missing-baby-asleep-bedroom/
|
Tree crashes through house in Louisiana, narrowly missing baby asleep in bedroom
NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. (KSLA/Gray News) - Severe weather moved through Louisiana Wednesday morning, causing one family in Natchitoches Parish to become trapped inside their home.
The sheriff’s office says a tree fell on the house while the family was inside.
A representative with the sheriff’s office says no one was injured in the incident.
Katie Stewart, who lives in the home, says her family was getting ready to eat breakfast when they heard strong winds outside. She says she looked up, and a big tree had come through the roof and living room.
A little while later, Katie Stewart says a bigger tree fell through the bedroom, where her great-granddaughter, Serenity, was asleep on the bed.
Katie Stewart’s granddaughter then ran to the door and tried to get into the bedroom to get the baby, but wasn’t able to. They were later able to get in through a bathroom.
“When we walked in and saw that tree on the bed, oh lord, that was a bad feeling,” said Serenity’s great-grandfather, Sam Stewart.
Katie Stewart says they all thought the baby was dead.
“Oh my god, we just bust out crying and said, ‘She dead, she dead,’” she said.
But when she was able to get into the bedroom, Katie Stewart found Serenity sitting upright on the bed in between tree branches, smiling.
“It was a blessing. Nothing but the good Lord did this,” Katie Stewart said.
Vanitria Stewart, Serenity’s mother, was on her way to the home when the accident happened.
“She [Serenity] was eating breakfast at the table and they told me [about the incident], and when I looked, I was shook. I was shaken up. I’m still shaken up,” she said.
Serenity’s family said it is God’s grace that protected her.
“Do I feel blessed? Yes, Lord! It wasn’t nothing but a blessing,” Sam Stewart said.
Copyright 2022 KSLA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/wanda-sykes-smith-slapping-rock-it-was-sickening/
|
Wanda Sykes on Smith slapping Rock: ‘It was sickening’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wanda Sykes said she felt physically ill after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face at the Oscars, and she’s angry Smith was permitted to stay and collect his award.
Sykes, who co-hosted Sunday at the Dolby Theatre with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she missed the confrontation live as she walked between her trailer and the theater after a costume change.
“Then someone showed me on the video,” Sykes said, “and I just felt so awful for my friend, Chris. It was sickening. I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatized by it.”
Smith, seated close to the stage during the awards show, walked up to Rock and slapped him after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. After he walked back to his seat, Smith cursed twice at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.”
The room and millions watching live were stunned. Soon after, Smith won his first-ever Academy Award for playing tennis dad Richard Williams in “King Richard” and gave a tearful acceptance speech in which he apologized but not directly to Rock. That came later in a statement.
Sykes, in a video released of her interview by “The Ellen Show,” said letting Smith stay and accept his award should not have happened.
“I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross. I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, ‘Uh, unfortunately, Will couldn’t be here tonight.’”
Sykes said she caught up with Rock later at a party and he apologized to her.
“I’m like, ‘Why are you apologizing?’ And he was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina, you all were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry, this is now going to be about this.’”
Schumer, in a since-deleted Instagram post, said she was “triggered and traumatized” by what happened.
“I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing,” she wrote. “So much pain in @willsmith anyway I’m still in shock and stunned and sad.”
Schumer went on, “Im proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed.”
Sykes had a question for the entertainment industry as a whole.
“We were the hosts. This is our house. We’re inviting you in. We’re hosting. We’re going to take care of you all tonight, make sure you have a good time, and no one has apologized to us,” she said. “We worked really hard to put that show together. Like the industry itself, what the hell is this?”
Hall has not spoken publicly about the confrontation, but others have.
Jim Carrey, who didn’t attend the Oscars, told Gayle King in a CBS interview Monday he was “sickened” when the crowd inside the Dolby gave Smith a standing ovation after he won his best actor award.
“I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like, oh, this is a really clear indication that we’re not the cool club anymore,” he said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/7-hurt-arkansas-tornado-storms-move-into-deep-south/
|
7 hurt in Arkansas tornado as storms move into Deep South
(AP) – Severe storms that included at least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after they spread damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas overnight before moving to the Deep South.
No deaths had been reported from the storms as of Wednesday evening, officials said.
But widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. “Significant damage” occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore.
In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto a roof of a building below. The fire department warned the debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns that the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse.
A warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The Mississippi Senate suspended its work as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement.
Rander P. Adams said his and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and they heard a loud whistling noise.
As his wife tried to open their front door, a large window exploded a few feet from her.
“The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it,” he said. “I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’”
Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. “We were blessed,” he said. “Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way.”
Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, about 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, said Washington County, Arkansas, Emergency Management Director John Luther. He had no additional information about them.
The National Weather Service said that tornado would be rated “at least EF-2,” which would mean wind speeds reached 111-135 mph (178-217 kph).
“Search and rescue teams have been deployed, as there are significant damages and injuries,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph (145 kph) struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, according to the weather service. That tornado damaged two homes, but no injuries were reported there. Another EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 100 mph (160 kph) touched down briefly before dawn Wednesday in a rural subdivision 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Dallas, damaging two roofs, the weather service reported.
The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hours and killed a man.
Damage was extensive in Springdale, including to an elementary school gymnasium and a warehouse, KFSM-TV reported. The Springdale School District, which is the largest in Arkansas, canceled all classes Wednesday.
“We have some commercial buildings and residences and everything in between ... with severe storm damage,” Luther said.
More than 8,000 power outages were reported in Arkansas, while outages totaled about 44,000 in Mississippi, 26,000 each in Louisiana and Alabama and 24,000 in Tennessee.
Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who didn’t immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state.
Ahead of the storms, schools in Memphis and dozens in Mississippi closed early or conducted classes online as a precaution against having children in crowded buildings or on buses. Officials in various Mississippi counties opened safe locations for people worried about staying in their homes during the storm. And in Louisiana, officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency advised people living in temporary housing such as trailers after Hurricane Ida to be on the alert and know where to go in case they need to evacuate.
——-
This story corrects that significant damage occurred to a nursing home near a hospital, not to the hospital.
___
Bleed reported from Little Rock, Ark., and Miller reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press journalists Jay Reeves in Newnan, Ga.; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Ark.; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tenn.; Margery Beck in Omaha, Neb.; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Emily Wagner Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/arians-retires-bucs-coach-bowles-promoted-top-spot/
|
Arians retires as Bucs’ coach, Bowles promoted to top spot
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Bruce Arians unexpectedly retired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a stunning move Wednesday night that the 69-year-old who guided the team to its second Super Bowl title says is not related to health.
It’s the second major retirement announcement for the Bucs this offseason, following Tom Brady’s announcement in February that he was ending his career. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, returned 40 days later, saying he would return for a 23rd season and noting he had “unfinished business.”
But instead of Arians, Brady will be playing for Todd Bowles after the defensive coordinator was promoted as the coach’s successor.
Arians, a two-time cancer survivor, stepped down as coach of the Arizona Cardinals due to medical concerns in 2017, only to be lured back to the sideline by the then-struggling Bucs two years later. This time, he said, he exits feeling the best he has in “many years” and is looking forward to transitioning into a front-office position working with general manager Jason Licht.
“This team is in a much better place than it was three years ago due to Jason’s great work and the Glazer family’s commitment to winning,” Arians said in a lengthy statement issued by the team.
“I want to focus on what I can give back to this incredible game that has provided so much for me and my family,” Arians added. “I really began thinking about my personal transition plan earlier this offseason. I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed.”
Arians, who will turn 70 this coming season, coached the Bucs to the Super Bowl title in the 2020 season — Brady’s first with Tampa Bay. The Bucs were 31-18 in Arians’ three seasons there and he was 80-48-1 in eight years as a head coach overall when adding in five seasons with the Cardinals from 2013 to 2017.
NBC Sports and the Los Angeles Times first reported Arians’ decision and that Bowles would be replace him.
“I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another,” Arians said. “I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition — everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition.”
Bowles becomes the sixth minority head coach currently in the NFL, joining Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Washington’s Ron Rivera, the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, Houston’s Lovie Smith and Miami’s Mike McDaniel. He also is the fourth Black coach in Bucs’ history, joining Tony Dungy, Raheem Morris and Smith.
Brady, in an Instagram post Wednesday night, said Arians was a major part of his decision to play for Tampa Bay and that he’ll be “forever grateful.”
“You are an incredible man and coach, and it was a privilege to play for you,” Brady wrote. “You are a true NFL legend and pioneer for all the work you have done to make the league more diverse and inclusive. Smart, tough, and loyal are a few of the words to describe your style. I will always remember the conversations we had when you recruited me two years ago and all of the things we discussed came true.”
There was no public indication at the NFL’s annual meetings on the Atlantic side of the state in Palm Beach, Florida, that such a move was coming. Arians was there, briefly, and did an interview with NFL Network about what the team would have done to replace Brady if the quarterback hadn’t changed his mind. Licht addressed reporters for a short time during the meetings, as did team co-owner Joel Glazer.
Arians did not do a group interview there, with the team saying he was leaving for personal reasons. He was also one of the four coaches who opted to not be part of the annual group photo of all NFL head coaches at the meetings.
Bowles was an interim head coach in Miami for three games in 2011, and went 24-40 in four seasons with the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018.
“I am appreciative of the Glazer family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades,” Bowles said. “Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. ... I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff, and front office in preparation for the 2022 season.”
Bowles was Arizona’s defensive coordinator for a portion of Arians’ tenure with the Cardinals. He reunited with his old boss in Tampa Bay after the Jets fired Bowles following the 2018 season.
Arians said timing of his decision to step away — along with’s Brady return — should serve Bowles well.
“So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn’t want that for Todd,” Arians said. “Tom’s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch.”
Licht said he’s excited to continue working with the former coach.
“Bruce established a culture here that set the foundation for a Super Bowl championship,” Licht said. “In my opinion, he is a Hall of Fame coach, so it is difficult for our football team to lose that type of leader. However, I am excited to have him continuing his contributions to our franchise in his new capacity.”
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/authorities-search-murder-suspect-loose-downtown-lake-city/
|
Authorities search for murder suspect on the loose in downtown Lake City
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 11:50 PM EDT
LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - The Lake City Police Department, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol searched for a murder suspect Wednesday night, according to a Lake City Reporter post shared by the police department on Facebook.
The suspect reportedly crashed a car near the intersection of Duval Street and Main Boulevard before running away. Lake City Police officers are leading the manhunt.
Officials with the police department declined to confirm any details on the search.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/biden-planning-tap-oil-reserve-control-gas-prices/
|
Biden planning to tap oil reserve to control gas prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve, according to a person familiar with the decision, in a bid to control energy prices that have spiked as the U.S. and allies have imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine
The announcement could come as soon as Thursday, when the White House says Biden is planning to deliver remarks on his administration’s plans to combat rising gas prices. The duration of the release hasn’t been finalized but could last for several months. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the decision.
News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.
High oil prices have not coaxed more production, creating a challenge for Biden. The president has seen his popularity sink as inflation reached a 40-year high in February and the cost of petroleum and gasoline climbed after Russia invaded Ukraine. Crude oil on Wednesday traded at nearly $105 a barrel, up from about $60 a year ago.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/decorated-marion-county-horseman-eugene-melnyk-dies/
|
Decorated Marion County horseman Eugene Melnyk dies
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 11:12 PM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - One of the most prominent horsemen in Marion County has died.
Eugene Melnyk, a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and owner of Winding Oaks Farm, died on Monday of an undisclosed illness.
His racing stables produced winners at the Breeder’s Cup, and the Dwyer Stakes.
As a breeder, his successes included the Kentucky Derby and the 3‐year‐old Colt of 2012.
He was 62 years old.
TRENDING STORY: Pedestrian dead after being hit by car in Ocala
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/gainesville-man-arrested-after-sexually-assaulting-teenager/
|
Gainesville man arrested after sexually assaulting a teenager
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A Gainesville man is behind bars for sexually assaulting a teenager.
According to Gainesville police, 26-year-old James Cieply assaulted the girl on multiple occasions.
Cieply is charged with sexual assault of a person under the age of 18. Per the report, he first abused the girl in June of last year at his home.
The girl then moved out of state. He abused her again when visiting her a few months later.
TRENDING STORY: MCSO dive team finds new evidence as two teens are charged with last Friday’s fatal shooting in Ocala
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/gator-lacrosse-team-routs-mercer-19-5-extends-winning-streak-five/
|
Gator lacrosse team routs Mercer, 19-5, extends winning streak to five
Florida led 9-4 at halftime, and outscored Mercer 10-1 after the break
MACON, Ga. (WCJB) -Freshman attacker Emma Lopinto scored five goals to lead the No. 10 Florida lacrosse team to its fifth straight win, a 19-5 blowout of Mercer on Wednesday afternoon in Macon, Georgia. Florida improves to 7-4 overall and drops Mercer to 5-3.
Lopinto scored three of her goals in a span of 2 minutes, 5 seconds spanning the first and second quarters, helping Florida stretch from a 3-2 lead to a 6-2 lead. Danielle Pavinelli scored twice, and Maggi Hall tallied a hat trick for the Gators.
Leading 9-4 at halftime, Florida wasn’t satisfied there, and outscored Mercer 10-1 after the break. Goalkeeper Sarah Reznick held strong in net, delivering 12 saves for a .706 save percentage.
Florida opens AAC conference play Sunday with a road game at Cincinnati at 11 a.m.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/inmates-be-charged-with-election-crimes-after-participating-alachua-county-supervisor-elections-registration-event/
|
Inmates to be charged with election crimes after participating in Alachua County Supervisor of Elections registration
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -The State Attorney’s Office is filing charging documents against ten inmates accused of illegally casting a ballot or registering to vote.
The cases stem from a program by the elections office to register inmates in the Alachua County Jail for the 2020 elections.
All of the inmates could be charged with felonies including false swearing or submission of false voter registration information as well as unqualified electors willfully voting.
Charging documents have been filed against Xavier L. Artis, Kelvin Bolton, Therris L. Conney, Arthur L. Lang, John B Rivers, Daniel D. Roberts, Leroy J. Ross, Henry T. Shuler III, Christopher T. Wiggins, and Dedrick Baldwin.
The elections office is declining to comment until they are contacted by the state attorney’s office.
RELATED STORIES:
- FDLE investigating Alachua County’s elections office for voter fraud
- FDLE concludes voter fraud investigation in Alachua County
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/mcso-dive-team-finds-new-evidence-two-teens-are-charged-with-last-fridays-fatal-shooting/
|
MCSO dive team finds new evidence as two teens are charged with last Friday’s fatal shooting in Ocala
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - The Ocala Police Department has arrested 18-year-old Leandre Cox and 14-year-old Cedrick Bowie for their role in the March 25 murder of 23-year-old Jacorie McCullough.
Cox turned himself in on Tuesday and is being charged as the person that pulled the trigger.
For Bowie, he was charged as an accomplice as he tried to help rob McCullough at the 7 Days Food Store.
“But when this scene of these actions happens we cannot blame it on society, but on the parents that do not teach their children well,” said resident Richard Black.
Early Wednesday afternoon the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s dive team searched a nearby pond and they pull out a bloody shirt. Witnesses told TV20 saw them pull a gun out of the water too.
Black added children need their parents to show them love at a young age to prevent tragedies like this.
“Children are needed to be cared for and the caring is the parents.”
Police are still looking for another suspect that is involved in the shooting.
Family and friends are having a candlelight vigil on Thursday at the store around 6pm where they’ll share memories of McCullough who many said was always a good guy.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/no-7-florida-completes-sweep-season-series-with-no-22-ucf/
|
No. 7 Florida completes sweep of season series with No. 22 UCF
Gators scored six of their 10 runs in the bottom of the 2nd
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - For the second year in-a-row, the contest between No. 7 Florida and No. 22 UCF was delayed by nearly an hour due to traveling delays for Central Florida. Except this spring, the orange and blue didn’t let the lengthy delay give them any issues.
The Gators (28-5) exploded for six runs in the 2nd inning on just three hits to take full command of the game, and eventually went on to win 10-3 against the Knights (29-8).
The victory was the second in-a-row for the orange and blue this season against the black and gold, and it also secured a sweep of the regular season series.
Elizabeth Hightower (9-1) earned her ninth win of the season. The right handed hurler tossed five complete innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits, along with striking out three Knights and issuing a trio of walks.
All three runs Hightower surrendered came on a pair of triples. She gave up a three-bagger to Katie Burge in the top of the 2nd. That brought home UCF’s first run of the game as Denali Schappacher touched home. The other triple occurred in the top of the 4th. This time, it was Schappacher who did the heavy lifting. She swatted Hightower’s pitch out to left center and just got under the glove of a diving Cheyenne Lindsey. Carson Frier and Shannon Doherty both came in to score, but those were the only runs given up the entire game by the Gators pitching staff.
Florida jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Charla Echols barreled a double to left center which plated Skylar Wallace. Then, two batters later, Raegan Walsh singled to center to score Echols from second. Both rbi hits came on 3-1 counts.
Wallace ended up stealing two bases in the contest, which gives her 30 stole bags on the season in 30 attempts. She also scored three times.
After the game was cut to 2-1 in the top of the 2nd, Hannah Adams got a run back for the Gators with a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to center field for Kendra Falby to tag up from third. Florida then rattled off five more runs in the frame before the third out was finally recorded. Both Katie Kistler and Emily Wilkie drove in two runs in the inning.
With the bases loaded, and now leading 4-1, Kistler ripped a single into right center. Echols and Wallace both came in to make it 6-1. The next batter was Wilkie, and she hit a looping pop fly that drifted toward the left field line and fell in after three UCF defenders couldn’t track it down. Kistler and Lindsey crossed the plate for the final runs of the inning, as Florida ballooned its advantage to 8-1.
Six of the nine starters for Florida recorded a hit and an rbi. Adams lead the team with three rbi. She had the honor of earning her last rbi and final run of the game off a solo home run to right center after being down in the count, 1-2. The orange and blue also had four hits for extra bases - each one was recorded by a different player.
Florida’s victory is the second consecutive one coming against top-25 ranked opponents.
Next up:
The Gators will open a three game series with No. 17 Auburn beginning Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m. at home.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/ocala-fire-rescues-tracy-collins-is-retiring-after-24-years-with-them/
|
Ocala Fire Rescue’s Tracy Collins is retiring after 24 years with them
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 12:55 AM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - A long-time crew member of Ocala Fire Rescue is hanging it up and retiring.
Fire Equipment Operator Tracy Collins, who is from Cedar Key, has worked for OFR since June of 1998.
During his 24 year tenure, he served for stations 3, 5, and most recently 6.
TRENDING STORY: Two students are in serious condition after a school bus crash in Levy County
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/plaza-live-is-hosting-an-event-students-multiple-florida-universities-meet-astronauts-nasa-administrator-bill-nelson/
|
Students from multiple Florida universities will meet astronauts and NASA administrator Bill Nelson.
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 12:55 AM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - University of Florida students are getting the chance to meet with astronauts and NASA administrator Bill Nelson.
Space shuttle crewmates are inviting university students to Plaza Live for a conversation on the future of space exploration.
TRENDING STORY: Free UF Coalition advocates for academic freedom as UF Professor files suit against school
The event sponsored by the Smathers Library is Friday for UF, UCF, USF, and Cookman University students.
Tickets are free but seating is limited.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/santa-fe-baseball-team-clobbers-eastside-via-run-rule/
|
Santa Fe baseball team clobbers Eastside via run-rule
Ram miscues on the mound add up in decisive loss
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 11:50 PM EDT
ALACHUA, Fla. (WCJB) -The Santa Fe baseball team kept on rolling with a 10-0 run-rule victory over Eastside on Wednesday. The Raiders (10-1) have extended their winning streak to 10 and haven’t tasted defeat since opening night against North Marion.
Against the Rams, the Raiders put up four runs through three innings and then poured it on, scoring six more runs in the fourth and fifth, with each run courtesy of either a wild pitch or a passed ball. Eastside drops to 3-6 overall.
Santa Fe is scheduled to host 10-2 Forest on Thursday night (weather permitting), while Eastside is set to host Oak Hall.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/two-students-are-serious-condition-after-school-bus-crash-levy-county/
|
Two students are in serious condition after a school bus crash in Levy County
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
LEVY COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - “We heard a loud explosion. We didn’t know what it was. Then we happened to hear and see all kinds of helicopters surrounding this place” said Lin Thompkins.
That is what residents of the Village Pines Campground, along US-19, experienced just before four o’clock when a tractor trailer hit the back of a school bus.
“What was going through my mind is if we can get anybody out. We need to get them out” said campground resident, Jeff Williams.
The bus, full of ten Yankeetown School students, was heading North on US-19 and stopped to unload children.
That is when the tractor trailer, that belongs to Denmark Cargo Solutions from Indiana, did not stop in time.
This resulted in the collision.
The manager of the Village Pines Campground says he was working on the yard when he heard the crash.
“I heard a loud explosion as I was turning to look at the school bus, that had stopped, to make sure the kids were getting off the bus. There were still kids on the bus. To see a school bus accident it is terrifying. So let’s help get these kids off the bus” said manager, Grant Davis.
Davis and other neighbors helped the students off the bus before law enforcement arrived.
Five of those students are injured and two are in critical condition at UF Health Shands.
“Prayers went up. The whole time I was in the bus I was praying” said Williams.
The bus driver suffered minor injuries but the truck driver was not hurt.
FHP is leading the investigation on the incident and will determine if any charges will be filed.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/us-returns-world-cup-despite-2-0-loss-costa-rica/
|
US returns to World Cup despite 2-0 loss at Costa Rica
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Christian Pulisic walked across the field with a towel draped around his head, angry after another U.S. defeat.
“We’re competitors, man. We hate to lose. In the moment I was frustrated,” he said. “It took me a little bit for it to sink in, that the qualification hit.”
Nearly 4 1/2 years after Pulisic buried his head in his hands to hide tears of failure, the U.S. rebounded to qualify for this year’s World Cup. A 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on Wednesday left the Americans in third place after the final night of qualifying, the final guaranteed berth from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
For Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola, smiles of relief broke out after an unrelenting burden was lifted.
“This is whatever I’ve always wanted to be, and right now emotions are a bit crazy,” Pulisic said, his voice quavering.
On the 1,267th day after a 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago ended the Americans’ streak of seven straight World Cup appearances, Yedlin addressed the team before the kickoff.
“I just thanked each and every one of them for giving me a second opportunity to redeem myself, and the country a second opportunity to redeem itself,” said the 28-year-old defender, the only American left from the 2014 tournament.
The U.S. remained winless in 12 qualifiers at Costa Rica, with 10 defeats and two draws.
Juan Pablo Vargas got behind Walker Zimmerman and headed Brandon Aguilera’s corner kick past goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 51st minute, and Anthony Contreras knocked in Jewison Bennette’s cross off a scramble in the 59th after Steffen palmed Aguilar’s free kick toward Contreras and blocked Contreras’ initial shot.
Coach Gregg Berhalter, who played for the U.S. at the 2002 World Cup, congratulated the players in the locker room. Starting lineups in the 14 qualifiers averaged an American-record low of 23 years, 302 days.
“Being the youngest team in the world to qualify for the World Cup is no easy task,” he said. “It’s a proud moment for the team, proud moment for U.S. Soccer, and we’re looking forward to competing in the World Cup again.”
A sellout crowd of about 35,000 in National Stadium came to life with the goals, but the Americans’ 5-1 rout of Panama at home last weekend gave them a huge goal-difference margin over Costa Rica. That meant the U.S. merely had to avoid losing by six goals or more in order to claim an automatic berth.
Canada, which had clinched its first World Cup trip since 1986 with a win Sunday, finished first in the group with 28 points after a 1-0 loss at Panama, ahead of Mexico on goal difference. El Tri clinched its eighth straight World Cup berth with a 2-0 home win over El Salvador, while the U.S. (25 points) finished third with a plus-11 goal difference to plus-five for Costa Rica (also 25 points).
Ticos coach Luis Fernando Suárez benched six starters from Sunday’s win at El Salvador who carried yellow cards, not wanting to risk a suspension for a June playoff against Oceania champion New Zealand.
As Berhalter spoke to his team, 24-year-old defender Erik-Palmer Brown popped open the first bottle of Duet Mosseux Brut, starting a brief bubbly and beer celebration before some players caught a charter flight to London. Berhalter headed with staff for a red-eye flight to New York and a connection for Qatar ahead of Friday’s draw.
U.S. bench players walked onto the field at the final whistle and exchanged handshakes and hugs with their teammates, while home fans cheered the Ticos. Then American players put on ski goggles and let loose.
“The party is going. I think we have run out of beer,” said Zimmerman, a 28-year-old defender who didn’t play in the first three qualifiers, then started 10 of the last 11. “Coming into the locker room, everyone just decided, you know what, we realized our goal, which was to qualify, and we did that, so everyone kind of forgot about tonight. We put ourselves in that position, where we could afford to do that.”
The U.S. finds out at Friday’s draw which three nations it will face in the group stage, which starts Nov. 21 at a tournament pushed back five months to avoid summer desert heat. A growing and increasingly hypercritical fan base is hoping to see Pulisic & Co. reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
“Now we have to test ourselves against the best players in the world, the best teams in the world,” said midfielder Tyler Adams, who came off at halftime with a bruise above his left knee from a tackle. “This was only the first stage in our development.”
Pulisic, the first American to play in and win a Champions League final, had been consumed with trying to lift the U.S. back to a World Cup. He led the team with five of its 21 goals despite making just seven starts due to COVID-19, a sprained ankle and shaky form when he first came back from the injury.
“Looking at the big picture, we’re obviously so proud to represent our country at a World Cup, so we’re thrilled for that. In a couple of days, I don’t think we’ll be thinking about this game,” he said. “I think we can do a lot of damage, man. I think we’re a confident bunch of guys, and, yeah, I think the country will get behind us.”
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220401
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/30/12-year-old-killed-by-younger-brother-who-found-gun-police-say/
|
Woman arrested after 12-year-old killed by brother who found gun, police say
ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – A woman was taken into custody after police say a 10-year-old child shot and killed his 12-year-old brother while playing with a gun they found inside a home in St. Louis.
The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 5600 block of Summit Place, which is in the Walnut Park West neighborhood. Authorities tell KMOV that 12-year-old LaFrance Johnson and his brother were with a parent, who was getting a haircut at the home, when LaFrance was shot in the face.
A 36-year-old woman was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death after she told police she owned the gun. Warrants are being applied at the Circuit Attorney’s Office.
LaFrance was a sixth-grader at Selvidge Middle School in the Rockwood School District, administrators confirmed. In a statement, the district said they were saddened to learn about his death.
“Our sincere thoughts and sympathies are with his family as well as the educators and friends who knew and loved LaFrance. We have assembled our crisis team at Selvidge Middle and will have counselors on hand this week for students and staff who will need assistance,” the district wrote.
This tragedy follows a series of shootings in St. Louis involving children handling guns. Major Ryan Cousins with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said these incidents are happening far too frequently.
The shooting comes days after a 12-year-old and 14-year-old were shot and killed in downtown St. Louis. Police are investigating that incident as a murder-suicide, though family members believe it was accidental.
In February, a 12-year-old girl was wounded in an accidental self-inflicted shooting.
“This is like the third incident in a week we’ve had so far. Prior to that, we have sent out information to the alderpersons about receiving gun locks,” Cousins said. “As an agency, we will come out and teach everyone how to use them. We do understand people are going to own guns; however, to protect these children, we want to ensure these guns are secured safely.”
Alderwoman Pamela Boyd, in whose ward the shooting on Summit Place happened, said irresponsible gun ownership and senseless killings must stop.
Last month, St. Louis Police launched the Lock it for Love gun lock initiative to provide free gun locks to the community with the goal to reduce gun violence, accidental shootings and suicides by firearm.
Through this initiative, responding officers will receive gun locks to provide to families impacted by gun violence, particularly when children are involved, or anyone identified with a firearm and children in the home.
Approximately 4,500 gun locks will be distributed by St. Louis City police, and officers will also come out and teach people how to use gun locks. Thirty engine houses in St. Louis City will also distribute free gun locks.
“As a mom, I know how important it is that we take every step we can to keep our babies safe,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “These recent shootings have devastated our entire city, and we need to take immediate action to protect our children. If you have a gun in the house, be a responsible gun owner; store firearms locked and unloaded and pick up a free gun lock to help you and your loved ones safe.”
Copyright 2022 KMOV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/2-students-seriously-injured-florida-school-bus-crash-with-semi-truck/
|
2 students seriously injured in Florida school bus crash with semi-truck
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 9:22 AM EDT
LEVY COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) – Five students in Florida were taken to the hospital Wednesday after a semi-truck crashed into a school bus, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
Two of those students were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
WCTV reports both vehicles were driving in the same direction on U.S. 19 in Levy County, Florida around 3:45 p.m. The school bus was in front of the truck.
Troopers said the bus was stopped to drop off a student when the truck slammed into the back of it.
The driver and 10 students were on board the bus at the time of the crash, according to troopers.
Copyright 2022 WCTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/after-house-vote-insulin-price-cap-bill-faces-uncertain-future-senate/
|
After House vote, insulin price cap bill faces uncertain future in Senate
President Biden’s call for Congress to cap the price to $35 per month has been answered by House Democrats: but the Senate still needs the support.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Weeks after President Joe Biden called on Congress to cap the price of insulin, the House passed legislation to do exactly that, capping the out-of-pocket cost for the essential drug at $35 per month for people with private insurance and Medicare.
At a press conference before Thursday’s vote, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said too many people living with diabetes are finding life-saving insulin to be out of reach because they can’t afford it.
Kildee said, “The idea that some families don’t have even access to a 100-year-old drug, it’s just unconscionable.”
What happens in the Senate is still unknown.
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) already introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act in the Senate. The bill has support from 34 senators, but no Republicans yet.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is working on a separate, bipartisan bill, with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), to lower the overall cost of insulin which would also help those who don’t have insurance.
Collins said, “We want to produce as comprehensive bill as possible that will help as many people who are insulin dependent as possible.”
Sen. Collins’ office said there’s an agreement on the framework of the bill, but they are still ironing out the legislative text. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that he supports both efforts to lower the cost of insulin, and wants a vote after Easter.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/alachua-county-pets-green-bean-zucchini-broccoli-sid-diego/
|
Alachua County Pets: Green Bean, Zucchini, Broccoli, Sid, and Diego
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Let’s take a look at some adorable adoptable animals from Alachua County looking for their new loving homes.
First, say good morning to this adorable litter of puppies. Green Bean, Zucchini, and Broccoli are looking for new forever homes. They tend to be a little bit shy at the shelter, but volunteers are certain they will blossom once they meet their new families.
Lastly, we have this dynamic duo Sid and Diego. These two fluffy guys came to the shelter together. Sid is more of a social kitty, while Diego likes to hang out and do his own thing. These two sweet boys would be the perfect pair to start April with.
The shelter is offering curbside services Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:30 to 5:30.
If you want to come meet a new friend and stay safe at the same time, they have you covered.
Dog and puppy adoptions are $40.
Cats and kittens are $20.
Those looking to adopt must be 18 or older and pets at home must be up to date on vaccines and licenses.
They ask anyone interested in these or other adoptables to schedule a visit at ACAS@alachuacounty.us.
RELATED STORY: Alachua County Pets: Mocha, Bella, Penelope, and Khajit
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/alex-jones-agrees-appear-deposition-sandy-hook-case/
|
Alex Jones agrees to appear at deposition in Sandy Hook case
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 2:55 PM EDT
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has agreed to appear at a deposition in Connecticut to answer questions in a lawsuit by relatives of some of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.
That’s according to new court filings by his lawyers Thursday, a day after a judge ordered fines against Jones for defying orders to attend a deposition last week despite his claim of illness.
Jones now says he can answer questions on April 11 and is asking the judge to put a hold on the fines.
There was no immediate ruling on Jones’ requests.
The families are suing him for calling the school massacre a hoax.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/body-18-year-old-abducted-walmart-parking-lot-found/
|
Body of 18-year-old abducted from Walmart parking lot found
FERNLEY, Nev. (KOLO/Gray) - Authorities in Nevada recovered the body of 18-year-old Naomi Irion, who was abducted from a Walmart parking lot more than two weeks ago, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office confirmed recovery of Irion’s body Wednesday night. A tip led them to a gravesite in a remote part of Churchill County on Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said. The next day, the body was confirmed to be that of the 18-year-old. Her family has been notified, KOLO reports.
The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and confirmed the identity, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said no more information will be released, and the investigation continues.
“We would like to extend our sympathy and condolences to the Irion family and thank all the volunteers for their hard work in trying to find Naomi and bring closure to the family,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely on these cases.”
Irion was kidnapped March 12 while sitting in her car at a Walmart in Fernley, waiting for the shuttle to take her to Panasonic at the Reno Tahoe Industrial Center where she worked. A suspect is seen on surveillance video walking outside Walmart moments before getting into Irion’s car and driving off with her inside.
Deputies found the car March 15 in a Fernley industrial park. They say evidence found inside suggested her disappearance was criminal in nature.
Troy Driver, 41, is accused of kidnapping Irion. He made his first court appearance via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping and is being held on $750,000 bail.
He was arrested Friday, as authorities continued to search for Irion.
If Driver’s bond is posted, he will not be released from custody until a GPS monitoring bracelet is installed. No contact is allowed with Irion’s family, and he will not be allowed to use drugs or alcohol.
His next hearing is set for April 5.
Copyright 2022 KOLO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/colin-kaepernick-named-honorary-captain-upcoming-spring-game-michigan/
|
Colin Kaepernick named honorary captain for upcoming spring game at Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Gray News) – The University of Michigan’s football teamed announced on Twitter that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been named an honorary captain for Saturday’s Maize and Blue Spring Game.
The scrimmage is one of the 15 practices allowed under NCAA rules and is free for all fans, according to the university.
Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016, the same year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
He led the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, where they fell short to the Ravens by three points. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was coaching the 49ers from 2011-2014.
The quarterback is hoping to play in the NFL again and most recently spoke with Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
While Carroll believes Kaepernick deserves a second chance, he cautioned it may not be with the Seahawks, according to the Associated Press.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/crews-work-contain-tennessee-wildfire/
|
Crews work to contain Tennessee wildfire
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (AP) — Firefighters from across Tennessee continued working Thursday morning to contain a wildfire near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that spread overnight despite rain from storms that passed through the area, officials said.
The blaze, which began as a brush fire Wednesday morning in the Hatcher Mountain area of Wears Valley, had spread to more than 3,700 acres (1,497 hectares) and had impacted more than 100 structures, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said during a press conference. Around 11,000 homes in the area had been evacuated. Three injuries were reported during the blaze, but Waters said no fatalities or missing people had been reported.
He said a coordinated response from emergency personnel, firefighters, forestry officials and others helped mitigate damage in the area.
“This fire could have been much more devastating had we not had this team in place. They were able to, even with the winds and the low humidity, they were able to stay ahead of it as much as possible,” he said.
Officials had warned early Wednesday that warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds increased the risk of fire danger. Waters said the conditions were similar to those in 2016 when wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
Firefighters from more than 70 agencies helped respond to the blaze and many worked through the night in an effort to keep it from spreading. It was only 5% contained, but fire lines drawn overnight helped keep the blaze from spreading into the city of Pigeon Forge, Waters said.
Rain early Thursday from storms passing through did not put the fire out, but officials said it helped the situation and the current weather conditions were more favorable for containing the fire.
Evacuation orders remain in effect until the fire is under control. Schools in the area were closed Thursday as a precaution, officials said.
The fire was in what the state Agriculture Department described as steep and difficult terrain. The cause is still undetermined.
At least three shelters were established for those evacuated, authorities said. More than 100 people stayed overnight at the Pigeon Forge Community Center, Sharon Hudson, executive director of the Eastern Tennessee chapter of the American Red Cross. told the Knoxville News Sentinel.
A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight, killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/cute-endangered-blue-eyed-black-lemur-born-florida-zoo/
|
Cute! Endangered blue-eyed black lemur born in Florida zoo
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Gray News) – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Florida has a new arrival – a baby blue-eyed black lemur.
The zoo said this is the second successful birth of a blue-eyed black lemur at the facility.
The Madagascar native is considered critically endangered, so every new blue-eyed black lemur born is said to be vital to the survival of the species.
They are one of only a few primates with blue eyes, according to the zoo.
Zookeepers haven’t announced a name yet and won’t know the gender until a health check. They want to give the new parents time to bond first.
“We have many reasons to celebrate this new infant. He or she will further enrich the social environment and experience of the zoo’s amazing mixed-species lemur group and strengthen the sustainability of the blue-eyed black lemur population,” said Tracy Fenn, Assistant Curator of Mammals.
The little primate will stay behind the scenes until it’s old enough to join the other lemurs in the zoo’s exhibit later this year.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/dashcam-video-shows-rider-pointing-gun-uber-driver-before-her-slaying/
|
Dashcam video shows rider pointing gun at Uber driver before her slaying
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (Gray News) - Chilling dashcam video shows the moments leading up to an Uber driver’s slaying.
Allegheny County police said the suspect got into the car Feb. 11 with the intent to rob the driver.
Prosecutors played what could be their most compelling evidence against Calvin Crew, 20 minutes of dashcam footage from Christi Spicuzza’s Uber, showing the last moments her family will see her alive.
Police said Crew is seen getting into the backseat of Spicuzza’s Uber.
In the video, the suspect’s hood is up, and he’s wearing an all-black face mask that covers all but his glowing eyes. He sits still, only muttering a word or two.
Ten minutes into the ride, Spicuzza cheerfully asks a question. He mumbles, and Spicuzza says, “That’s good.”
Eighteen minutes into the ride, police said Crew is seen inching to the middle of the back seat, pulling out a gun, grabbing Spicuzza’s ponytail and pressing the pistol to the back of her head.
Detectives on the case said the video was heart-wrenching to watch but acknowledged it could be key to getting justice for her and her family. She was a mother of four.
“She tried to reason with him and tried to plead to his humanity,” said detective Laurie McKeel with Allegheny County Homicide.
It was hard “knowing what’s coming, watching what Crew is doing without Christina even know what’s coming,” said detective Greg Renko of Allegheny County Homicide.
She is heard on the video pleading for her life: “I have four kids. What are you doing?”
When the dash camera is ripped off the windshield, the ride doesn’t end.
Police said Spicuzza was forced to drive for another hour while Crew accessed her financial apps like Venmo, PayPal, Dollar Bank and Square.
Police said Spicuzza was taken to a wooded part on Monroeville and was shot once in the back of the head.
Crew has been charged with criminal homicide, robbery and tampering with evidence.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group. All rights reserved. WPXI via CNN Newsource contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/dnc-clinton-campaign-agree-steele-dossier-funding-fine/
|
DNC, Clinton campaign agree to Steele dossier funding fine
NEW YORK (AP) — Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee have agreed to pay $113,000 to settle a Federal Election Commission investigation into whether they violated campaign finance law by misreporting spending on research that eventually became the infamous Steele dossier.
That’s according to documents sent Tuesday to the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, which had filed an administrative complaint in 2018 accusing the Democrats of misreporting payments made to a law firm during the 2016 campaign to obscure the spending.
The Clinton campaign hired Perkins Coie, which then hired Fusion GPS, a research and intelligence firm, to conduct opposition research on Republican candidate Donald Trump’s ties to Russia. But on FEC forms, the Clinton campaign classified the spending as legal services.
“By intentionally obscuring their payments through Perkins Coie and failing to publicly disclose the true purpose of those payments,” the campaign and DNC “were able to avoid publicly reporting on their statutorily required FEC disclosure forms the fact that they were paying Fusion GPS to perform opposition research on Trump with the intent of influencing the outcome of the 2016 presidential election,” the initial complaint had read.
The Clinton campaign and DNC had argued that the payments had been described accurately, but agreed, according to the documents, to settle without conceding to avoid further legal costs.
The Clinton campaign agreed to a civil penalty of $8,000 and the DNC $105,000, according to a pair of conciliatory agreements that were attached to the letter sent to the Coolidge Reagan Foundation.
The documents have not yet been made public, and FEC spokeswoman Judith Ingram said the FEC has 30 days after parties are notified about enforcement matters to release them.
The Steele dossier was a report compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele and financed by Democrats that included salacious allegations about Trump’s conduct in Russia and allegations about ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Documents have shown the FBI invested significant resources attempting to corroborate the dossier and relied substantially on it to obtain surveillance warrants targeting former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
But the dossier has been largely discredited since its publication, with core aspects of the material exposed as unsupported and unproven rumors. A special counsel assigned to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe charged one of Steele’s sources with lying to the FBI and charged a cybersecurity lawyer who worked for Clinton’s campaign with lying to the FBI during a 2016 meeting in which he relayed concerns about the Russia-based Alfa Bank.
Trump, who has railed against the dossier for years, released a statement celebrating the agreement and once again slamming the dossier as “a Hoax funded by the DNC and the Clinton Campaign.”
A DNC spokesperson played down the decision, saying: “We settled aging and silly complaints from the 2016 election about ‘purpose descriptions’ in our FEC report.” The lawyer representing both the campaign and the DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The letter was first reported by the Washington Examiner.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/expert-explains-why-there-is-cat-food-shortage/
|
Expert explains why there is a cat food shortage
AMES, Iowa (KCCI) - There’s a cat food shortage, and an Iowa State University professor says COVID-19 supply chain issues are to blame.
Specifically, supply chain professor Jonathan Phares points to the shortage of meat used in cat food.
He also said there has been an increase in cat adoptions since the pandemic began in 2020.
Most pet adoptions saw a spike and dropoff. Cats, however, continue to be adopted at the same rate as their pandemic highs.
“What we know in supply chains is that small changes have big impacts, and they can be very hard to recover from because demand doesn’t decrease,” Phares said.
Phares also said aluminum, which most wet cat food is packaged in, is also in short supply.
He notes online pet retailers like Chewy have done away with aluminum packaging to fight the cat food shortage.
Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/explainer-what-is-strategic-petroleum-reserve/
|
EXPLAINER: What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
DALLAS (AP) — President Joe Biden is again dipping into the nation’s petroleum stockpile to try to corral rising energy prices.
The White House announced Thursday that Biden ordered the daily release of 1 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the next six months. Biden will also ask Congress to penalize oil and gas companies that lease public land but aren’t producing energy.
The administration hopes that tapping the petroleum reserve will buy time and tamp down gasoline prices long enough until domestic producers can boost output.
Global oil prices were rising even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. When Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports in early March, he acknowledged it would come at a cost to American consumers.
This is the third time Biden has turned to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a little over four months. Back in November, he ordered the release of 50 million barrels of oil. Then, in his state of the union speech in March, Biden announced another 30 million barrels as part of a multi-nation effort to boost the oil supply.
Tapping the reserve is among the few things a president can do alone to try to control inflation, which makes Americans poorer and often creates a political liability for the party in control of the White House.
Here is a look at what’s involved:
___
WHAT IS THE PETROLEUM RESERVE?
America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a collection of underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold more than 700 million barrels of oil, although it is not currently full. The reserve held about 568 million barrels last week, down from more than 650 million barrels in mid-2021, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
The reserve was created after the 1970s Arab oil embargo to give the United States a supply that could be used in an emergency.
___
WHY IS IT USED?
The U.S. now exports more oil than it imports, but the reserve remains and has been tapped for various reasons, from offsetting the impact of hurricanes and ship-channel closings to raising money for deficit reduction.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush authorized withdrawing nearly 34 million barrels during the Gulf War, although only 17 million barrels were used. In 2011, President Barack Obama approved the release of 30 million barrels to offset the disruption of supply from Libya.
___
HOW DO THEY GET THE OIL OUT?
Oil is lighter than water — that’s why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface. To remove oil from the reserves, water is pumped into the salt caverns, making the crude float to the surface, where it is captured and sent through pipelines to refineries.
___
WHY IS BIDEN TAPPING THE RESERVE?
Supply and demand. Biden is hoping that by releasing more oil on the market, prices will fall. Prices did dip for nearly two weeks after Biden’s initial announcement about tapping the reserve back in November but then resumed their steep climb. U.S. crude is up almost 40% this year and has grown even more volatile in the past month.
Whether Biden’s latest move works will depend on several factors. One factor to keep in mind: Even though 1 million barrels a day is a huge amount of oil, the U.S. consumed nearly 20 million barrels a day last year, and worldwide consumption topped 97 million barrels a day.
___
WILL GASOLINE GET CHEAPER?
What most people want to know is what’s going to happen to prices at the pump. Many factors go into the price of gasoline. Refineries buy crude oil in advance, so they could still be working with more expensive oil. States have differing tax rates that affect the price that motorists pay.
On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of regular was more than $4.22, down about a dime from the peak earlier in March, according to auto club AAA.
The average is still under $4 a gallon in many states in the middle of the country, but it’s higher in the Northeast and highest in the West. In California, it’s an eye-popping $5.90 a gallon.
Even if those prices don’t drop, Biden can argue that by tapping the reserve he tried to help.
___
WHO GETS HURT MOST?
Gasoline prices are regressive — lower-income people are more likely to spend a higher percentage of their money on gasoline than are affluent Americans — so increases hurt the most price-sensitive consumers. Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners, says those consumers might not show up in measures of the nation’s economy, “but they show up in vote counts ... if we get down to it, that’s really what this is about.”
___
WHY DOES OIL MATTER?
The future of oil and gas in the U.S. is a political flashpoint and source of tension, especially as companies and government agencies grapple with climate change and the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
On one hand, the U.S. oil and gas industry has been praised by some political leaders for creating energy independence. Where the U.S. once relied heavily on imports, other nations now rely on the U.S. for oil. It’s also a job supplier: The oil and gas industry employs more than 10 million people in the U.S. and contributes about 8% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
Companies that supply oil benefit from higher prices. But consumers don’t like it when those higher prices trickle down to the pump.
The institute has previously said that any release of oil from the strategic reserve should be paired with policy measures that encourage more U.S. energy production. That collides with Biden’s promise to reduce dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/fox-news-hires-caitlyn-jenner-contributor-commentator/
|
Fox News hires Caitlyn Jenner as contributor and commentator
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel says it has hired Caitlyn Jenner as a contributor, with her first appearance set for Thursday on Sean Hannity’s program.
Jenner, the former Olympic decathlete, ran an unsuccessful campaign for California governor last year. The network said she’ll offer commentary and analysis across various Fox News Media platforms.
“Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all,” said Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO. “She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience.”
Jenner won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon in 1976. She later came out as a transgender and identifies as a female.
She said in a statement she was “humbled by this unique opportunity” to speak directly to Fox’s audience.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/gainesville-city-commission-is-meeting-discuss-new-boundary-map/
|
The Gainesville City Commission is meeting to discuss the new district boundary map
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 6:17 AM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Gainesville city commissioners are holding a special meeting to discuss the new district boundary map.
They’re asking for residents’ input.
They want residents to review a map they put online for feedback during the meeting.
TRENDING STORY: Two students are in serious condition after a school bus crash in Levy County
The meeting will be at city hall at 1 p.m.
Here is a link to the map.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/gainesville-woman-arrested-after-threatening-boaters-with-gun-lake-santa-fe/
|
Gainesville woman arrested after threatening boaters with a gun at Lake Santa Fe
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A Gainesville woman is behind bars after Alachua County deputies say she threatened people with a gun at Lake Santa Fe.
Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 52-year-old Cynthia Malott on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Deputies say the victims were fishing on their boat when Malott started to yell at them.
They say she told them they could not fish there before coming back with a long gun.
The victims ducked for cover because they thought the gun was a rifle.
Deputies later found a BB air rifle matching the description of the weapon used.
TRENDING STORY: Gainesville man arrested after sexually assaulting a teenager
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/gop-lawmakers-call-out-rep-cawthorn-over-orgy-remarks/
|
GOP lawmakers call out Rep. Cawthorn over ‘orgy’ remarks
(CNN) - Republican leaders have met with a GOP congressman who alleged drug use and orgies are taking place in Washington.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise called Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., into a meeting Wednesday.
The face-to-face was to address allegations Cawthorn made on a podcast that he was invited to an “orgy” and had seen cocaine use firsthand.
Cawthorn did not suggest any fellow lawmakers were involved in the actions but referenced people he “looked up to.”
GOP lawmakers complained during a closed-door party meeting Tuesday that they were receiving questions from constituents about it.
McCarthy said Cawthorn admitted in the meeting that his allegations were untrue or exaggerated.
“I just told him he’s lost my trust. He’s going to have to earn it back, and I laid out everything that I find is unbecoming,” McCarthy said. “And should - you can’t just say, ‘You can’t do this again.’ I mean, he’s got a lot of members very upset.”
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/got-dime-businesses-seek-treasury-help-with-coin-circulation/
|
Got a dime? Businesses seek Treasury help with coin circulation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Got a dime you can spare? Coins are in short supply — again.
Retailers, laundromats and other businesses that rely on coins want Americans to empty their piggy banks and look under couch cushions for extra change and “get coin moving.”
A group of trade associations that represent individual businesses including banks, retail outlets, truck stops, grocery stores and more is asking the Treasury Department for more help convincing Americans to get coins back in circulation.
The consequences of the circulation slowdown hit people who don’t have an ability to pay for items electronically, they say.
“If retailers are not able to offer change for cash purchases consumers who rely on cash will be vulnerable,” the associations said in a letter to Treasury.
For example, people who do their laundry at coin laundry mats could have a harder time finding change to wash their clothes. And on a larger scale, people who don’t have cash access aren’t able to patronize certain card-only businesses.
It’s not a coin shortage America faces, but a lack of circulation.
“We can’t print our way out of this problem,” said Austen Jensen, a senior vice president for government affairs at the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Jensen’s group, along with the American Bankers Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, and National Grocers Association, is trying to meet consumer demand and wants a new public campaign to increase coin circulation.
Jensen said his group is also encouraging member retailers to find creative ways to deal with the shortage of coins, including rounding-up purchases for charity promotions. And he says businesses with multiple locations could send coins from one store to another.
This is not the first time during the pandemic that the issue of low coin circulation has arisen.
The coronavirus disrupted consumers’ buying habits and shifted purchases largely to plastic cards to such an extent that in July 2020, the Federal Reserve restricted coin orders by financial institutions.
The Fed also convened a U.S. Coin Task Force, made up of representatives from various federal agencies, which led to a campaign encouraging the public to get coins into circulation.
This February, the task force issued a State of Coin report, which said pandemic lockdowns slowed small transactions that generated change and there was a temporary aversion to cash for perceived hygienic reasons. The report also said the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint contracted with a third party consultant to review the coin supply chain.
Coin deposit volumes began to increase gradually starting in the summer of 2020, but businesses say the problem has come up again as people have stopped using coins and have stuck to plastic cards.
The issue has had the biggest impact on people who don’t have bank accounts. An estimated 22 percent of U.S. Americans were “unbanked” or “underbanked” in 2019, according to the Federal Reserve.
The Treasury Department has yet to respond to the letter. The government encourages people to help get coin moving by spending it with retailers, taking it to their banks and credit unions, or using a coin recycling kiosk like the ones found at grocery stores.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/graphic-man-gets-27-years-prison-hiring-woman-create-torture-videos-his-sexual-pleasure/
|
GRAPHIC: Man gets 27 years in prison for hiring woman to create torture videos for his sexual pleasure
WARNING: The details in this story may be disturbing to readers.
(Gray News) – A Vermont man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for a brutal murder-and-kidnap-for-hire scheme in which he paid a woman in Venezuela to make snuff videos of children and adults for his sexual pleasure.
The United States Department of Justice announced the sentencing Wednesday for 38-year-old Sean Fiore.
According to court documents, Fiore paid a woman in Venezuela $600 to make a video that showed the “sadistic abuse” of a young child. After Fiore received that video, he then paid the woman $4,000 for another video, this time involving an adult victim in which Fiore demanded the victim be killed.
The DOJ said for the second video, Fiore sent the woman a 600-word script with details of exactly what he wanted the video to show, including her hitting and kicking the victim, burning him with cigarettes, urinating and defecating on him, filling his mouth with feces, wrapping his head with plastic, and smothering him to death by sitting on his face. Fiore then received a 58-minute video, in which, at the end, the adult male victim appeared to be dead.
Court documents also show that Fiore possessed other videos and images depicting “sadistic sexual abuse” of young children.
Fiore pleaded guilty in October 2021 to conspiracy to kidnap and kill a person overseas, murder-for-hire, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced Wednesday to 27 years in prison.
“Fiore committed some of the darkest, most heinous deeds humanity can imagine,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Millhollin for HSI in New England. “Today’s sentence ensures that he will be locked away, unable to repeat the depraved crimes he has admitted to. We are grateful to our partners here in Vermont and around the world who worked tirelessly alongside us to investigate and prosecute this case.”
The woman in Venezuela, identified as Moraima Escarlet Vasquez Flores, 39, of Colombia, is charged with conspiracy to murder and kidnap a person in a foreign country, conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and aiding and abetting the receipt of child pornography. She was arrested in Colombia in September 2020, and Colombia recently approved her extradition to the U.S.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/hermit-river-dave-no-show-disputed-woodlot-hearing-faces-fines/
|
Hermit ‘River Dave’ a no-show at disputed woodlot hearing, faces fines
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A former hermit in New Hampshire who went back to live on the wooded property he was ordered to leave realizes that his time there is drawing to a close — but he appears willing to keep fighting against his removal for now.
David Lidstone, who just turned 82, failed to show up for a contempt of court hearing Thursday in his tug-of-war with a Vermont landowner over a patch of forest near the Merrimack River that he’s called home for 27 years before his cabin burned down in an accidental fire.
Given his history of not appearing at hearings until he’s arrested, a judge on Thursday interpreted Lidstone’s no-show as a “seemingly deliberate” move and imposed costs to cover some of the landowner’s expenses. He said Lidstone would face a $500-a-day fine if he doesn’t leave the woodlot by April 11.
“I am not sure why he missed it,” said Jodie Gedeon, a kayaker who befriended Lidstone years ago. A phone message was left for Lidstone.
A judge issued an injunction in 2017 for “River Dave” — as Lidstone is known — to leave after the landowner, Leonard Giles, sued him. But there have been delays in the case: Besides the pandemic, Lidstone hasn’t always shown up for court and he’s been in and out of jail as he resisted the injunction.
Court records say the undeveloped property has been in the Giles family since 1963 and is used for timber harvests. Lidstone had claimed that years ago, the current owner’s father gave his word — but nothing in writing — allowing him to live there. He also has disputed whether he’s on the property in the first place.
“I have a great deal of sympathy for Mr. Lidstone,” Judge Andrew Schulman said Thursday, “but it is what it is.”
Giles’ attorney, Lisa Snow Wade, responded, “I look at it from a different perspective. The person who should have the sympathy here is Mr. Giles, who’s an 86-year-old veteran who’s been put through this. This is not that easy for him emotionally, or you know, financially.” She said he’s paid over $39,000.
Snow Wade had suggested a financial penalty for Lidstone, saying time in jail did not seem to change his behavior.
Earlier this month, Lidstone told The Associated Press “I know my days are numbered here,” a day after he was arrested and pleaded not guilty to a trespassing charge on the land. “Eventually I’m going to have to move.”
Lidstone, who became known as a friendly face to kayakers and an advocate for keeping the river clean, wasn’t sure what he would do next or where he would go, even though he’s had offers of other places to live and more than $200,000 in donations.
A leader of a group that has helped organize fundraisers for Lidstone posted on its “Help local legend David Lidstone ‘River Dave’” Facebook site that the page would be taken down, saying the group has done what it can for him.
“Dave has the means at this point to get a place for the remainder of his years and has a large local support group to reach out to when he needs us,” Darrin Apichell wrote.
Lidstone, a logger by trade, is accused of squatting in a rustic cabin he built on the land in Canterbury. The wooden, two-level A-frame cabin had solar panels, a small, cluttered kitchen with pots hanging from the ceiling, and curtains on the windows. His porch had a footstool with a base made of stacked beer cans. He converted a wood stove into a beehive. He attached lights, a mirror and a pulley for a clothesline to logs supporting the cabin. He also had a vegetable garden.
But while Lidstone was in jail over the property dispute, his cabin burned down in August as it was being dismantled at Giles’ request. The Canterbury fire chief said the fire was accidental.
Lidstone, who has been representing himself, was ordered to pick up his remaining possessions and leave. An outpouring of support followed. He didn’t think he could go back to being a hermit and lived with some friends. But by late fall, he had turned a shed that survived the fire into a makeshift home, outfitted with a solar panel and a wood stove.
Lidstone was given permission last year to hire a surveyor to give him “peace of mind,” Schulman said, but he has been unable to get someone to come out yet.
It hasn’t been easy to serve Lidstone with a notice to appear in court. There’s no road access to the property, which is about a mile and half into the woods. In January, one process server slipped, fell down an embankment, and injured his leg in his attempt to reach Lidstone at the woodshed, according to a motion filed by Snow Wade.
“Mr. Lidstone has been painted as a sympathetic figure in the media because he is an 81-year-old veteran wanting to live a romanticized life off-the-grid,” another plaintiff’s motion from December said. “That does not excuse his conduct of returning to Mr. Giles’ land, again, and again, and again.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/high-school-senior-takes-great-grandmother-her-first-prom/
|
High school senior takes great-grandmother to her first prom
WATFORD CITY, N.D. (KFYR/Gray News) - A high school senior in North Dakota told his parents he didn’t have anyone he wanted to ask to his senior prom until his father told him to take his great-grandmother.
KFYR reports Watford City senior Dakota Wollan made his great-grandmother’s night by taking her to her first prom.
“I couldn’t believe I was out there,” said Wollan’s great-grandmother Madeline Miller.
Wollan said it all started with a prom proposal.
“I have an old truck she gave me, it’s a 1985 Ford she handed down to me, and I got it running again. So, I took that truck and made a sign,” he said.
The sign read: Can I take you to prom in this old truck?
“I was just wondering why he would want a 92-year-old going to prom with him when so many young girls are at the school,” Miller said.
Wollan said he was nervous to ask his great-grandmother.
“If she would have said no, I wouldn’t have gone, but thanks to her, I got to make a memory for my last prom and her first prom,” Wollan said.
And the two said their prom night was pretty special.
“Walking beside my great-grandson, listening to the music as we walked, and people clapping and hollering were some of the best moments,” Miller said.
Wollan and Miller danced the first dance, and then Wollan took his date home.
“We brought tears to many people’s eyes,” Wollan said.
Copyright 2022 KFYR via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/inflation-gauge-surged-64-february-fastest-pace-since-1982/
|
Key inflation gauge sets 40-year high as gas and food soar
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Measures of inflation will likely worsen in the coming months because Thursday’s report doesn’t reflect the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which occurred Feb. 24. The war has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
Squeezed by inflation, consumers increased their spending by just 0.2% in February, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month. The decline partly reflected a shift away from heavy spending on goods to a focus on services, such as health care, travel and entertainment, which consumers had long avoided during the worst of the pandemic.
Spending on such services grew 0.6%, the most since July, while purchases of autos, furniture, clothes and other goods dropped 2.1%. Many economists had previously suggested that a shift away from goods purchases might loosen supply chain snarls and cool inflation. But prices are still rising rapidly for goods, including a 1.1% increase in February.
Americans’ overall incomes rose 0.5% in February, the highest gain since November and up from just 0.1% in January. Wages and salaries jumped 0.8%, the most in four months.
Businesses have been raising pay to attract and keep employees — a trend that is benefiting workers but also giving employers cause to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. That cycle is helping fuel inflation.
Last month, food costs climbed 1.4%, the most in nearly two years. Energy costs spiked 3.7%, the biggest such increase since October.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5% and matching the highest monthly figure since 2008. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
Michael Pearce, an economist at Capital Economics, estimated that the gas price spike will cost Americans an annualized $100 billion in March.
Americans will likely dig into their savings to cover the higher gas costs in the near term, he said. “But if higher gasoline prices are sustained, that will eventually weigh on spending in other areas.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is expected to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/ivermectin-does-not-prevent-covid-19-hospitalization-study-finds/
|
Ivermectin does not prevent COVID-19 hospitalization, study finds
(Gray News) - A recent study conducted in Brazil found that ivermectin, a medication used to treat certain parasitic infections, didn’t reduce the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19.
The study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine after researchers in Brazil studied more than 1,300 patients, half of which received ivermectin and the other half a placebo.
There were no significant differences between the ivermectin and placebo groups concerning viral clearance at day seven, according to the study. And there were no significant differences between the groups in the risk of hospitalization or clinical recovery.
Researchers wrote they did not find a significant or clinically lower risk of medical admission to a hospital or prolonged emergency department observation with ivermectin administered for three days than with the placebo.
Upon conclusion of the study, researchers found that ivermectin did not result in a lower incidence of medical admission to a hospital or prolonged emergency department observation for COVID among outpatients at high risk for serious illness.
Ivermectin has been the topic of several discussions and other trials throughout the pandemic regarding coronavirus treatment.
The Associated Press reported that Australian researchers published a study in June 2020 that found ivermectin inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory setting. But that was not the same as testing the drug on humans or animals.
Following that Australian study, the FDA released a letter out of concern warning consumers not to self-medicate with ivermectin products intended for animals.
“If there is one thing we have learned in the pandemic is that we cannot jump the gun as far as determining or making assumptions about the effectiveness of potential agents,” said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection prevention at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/long-term-impact-covid-19-stressors-studied-by-university-florida-researchers/
|
Long-term impact of COVID-19 stressors studied by University of Florida researchers
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - There’s no doubt, isolation can affect a variety of behaviors from your sleep patterns to they way you socially intact, even alcohol consumption.
The long-term effects of these COVID-19 stressors in older adults are being studied by researchers at the University of Florida.
Older adults have been disproportionally affected particularly those of minority race and ethnicity, that’s according to Sara Jo Nixon, Professor in departments of psychiatry, psychology, and neuroscience.
She said, as we come out of the pandemic, some individuals will continue to report pain, attentional deficits, and substance abuse, while others may improve over time.
“Distinguishing those two groups is really important because then we can target prevention and early intervention to really promote healthy aging over time,” Nixon said.
This study is currently in the recruitment process. Individuals between the ages of 65 and 75, who have not contracted COVID to date, are being asked to participate.
RELATED STORY: New variant detection COVID-19 test invented by University of Florida researchers
Those selected will complete a series of questionnaires over the course of three years. They will also a few noninvasive lab tests to track depression, concentration and other mental functions.
For more information on how to participate call UF’s Neurocognitive Lab at 352-294-4929.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/nearly-5000-increase-seized-fentanyl-laced-pills-us-between-2018-2021-study-says/
|
Nearly 5,000% increase in seized fentanyl-laced pills in the US between 2018 and 2021, study says
(CNN) - A new study found the number of illicit pills containing fentanyl seized by United States law enforcement jumped a whopping 4,850% between 2018 and 2021.
According to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration data, more than 42,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized in 2018 and nearly 2.1 million were seized in 2021.
Fentanyl can be found in counterfeit versions of drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.
The rise in fentanyl seizures parallels a fatal overdose crisis driven by synthetic opioids.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse funded the study and said when a pill is contaminated with fentanyl, as is now often the case, poisoning can easily happen.
A co-author of the study said widespread education is needed about the risk of the pills that don’t come from a pharmacy. He said the immediate message is that illegally obtained pills can contain fentanyl.
The study was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence on Thursday.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/new-gender-option-x-coming-us-passports/
|
New gender option ‘X’ coming to US passports
(CNN) - Americans who do not consider themselves male or female will soon have a new option on their passports.
Starting April 11, citizens can use “X” as a gender marker, according to a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He says this is an attempt to be “respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion.”
The official designation of the “X” marker is “unspecified or another gender identity.”
This is the first time a federal government agency has offered this sort of marker on an identity document.
The “X” option is expected to be available on other forms sometime in 2023.
President Joe Biden made the announcement Thursday as a part of commemorating Transgender Day of Visibility.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/north-central-florida-businesses-recovering-tornado-damage-can-now-apply-small-business-loans/
|
North-Central Florida businesses recovering from tornado damage can now apply for small business loans
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - People in several North-Central Florida counties can now apply for small business loans to help with the cleanup from the March 12th tornado.
Small businesses in Marion, Alachua, Levy, Putnam, and other bordering counties with Marion can apply for the loans.
Three separate loan programs are available, including business physical, economic injury, and home disaster.
Businesses can apply online with SBA at this link
Businesses can also visit the DLOC for one-on-one assistance at the Ocala Public Library located at 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Ocala, FL 34470
For questions or assistance, call (800) 659-2955.
TRENDING STORY: Gainesville woman arrested after threatening boaters with a gun at Lake Santa Fe
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/pandemic-took-toll-teen-mental-health-us-study-says/
|
Pandemic took a toll on teen mental health, US study says
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 in 10 U.S. high school students said they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the pandemic, according to government findings released Thursday.
Several medical groups have warned that pandemic isolation from school closures and lack of social gatherings has taken a toll on young people’s mental health.
“This really gives us the evidence to say with certainty that the pandemic was incredibly disruptive for young people and their families,” said Kathleen Ethier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The reports are based on anonymous online surveys of about 7,700 public and private high school students from 128 schools during the first six months of 2021. It is based on a similar survey the CDC conducts every other year in schools,
Among the findings:
- 44% reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless during the past year. A similar survey before COVID-19 hit put the figure at 37%.
- 66% said they found it more difficult to complete their schoolwork.
- 29% said a parent or other adult in their home lost a job and 11% said they experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult at home.
- 24% said they went hungry during the pandemic because there was not enough food at home.
There likely was some underreporting, especially for certain questions about emotional or physical abuse in the home. Teens might be afraid that an abusive parent or other adult might see their responses, said Ilan Cerna-Turoff, a Columbia University researcher who studies children’s mental health.
CDC officials said that the pandemic did not affect teens equally. LGBT youth reported poorer mental health and more suicide attempts than others. About 75% said they suffered emotional abuse in the home and 20% reported physical abuse. By comparison, half of heterosexual students reported emotional abuse and 10% reported physical abuse, the CDC said.
___
The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/pittsburgh-woman-celebrates-111th-birthday-about-have-great-great-grandchild/
|
Pittsburgh woman celebrates 111th birthday, about to have great-great-grandchild
PITTSBURGH (WTAE) - A special birthday party was held in Pittsburgh for a woman who has surpassed the average life expectancy for an American woman by 33 years.
On Tuesday, Janet Wharton celebrated her 111th birthday, and her family helped with the celebration.
“This is awesome. I am honored to be here and speak on her behalf, and it’s just amazing she’s 111-years-old, the oldest in our family,” said Wharton’s granddaughter Cynthia Wilson.
Wharton is simply known as “Nanny” among her family members. She was born on March 29, 1911, in South Carolina and raised in Pittsburgh.
Wharton has also lived in New York, where she married Jimmy Vaughn and became a beautician. She also said she went to school for nursing and cared for others in that capacity a few days a week.
But her most significant legacy is her family, as not many people get to see this many future generations.
Wharton has one child, two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
And her family said she’s about to have a great-great-grandchild – a baby boy who is expected to arrive in June.
Wharton has short-term memory recall issues, but she could go on and on about the older memories from her life, like her favorite vacation.
“That’s the most beautiful place you’ll ever go. If you ever get the chance to go to Hawaii,” Wharton said.
Her family said they feel blessed to celebrate another year with their “Nanny.”
“It’s surreal and overwhelming. I can’t believe it because she doesn’t look 111,” Wilson said.
Copyright 2022 WTAE via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/pluto-has-giant-ice-volcanoes-that-spew-water-instead-lava/
|
Pluto has giant ice volcanoes that spew water instead of lava
(CNN) -- While Earth’s volcanoes are spewing lava, scientists say Pluto had much cooler volcanic eruptions.
A new study reveals the dwarf planet has giant ice volcanoes that were active as recently as 100 to 200 million years ago.
The discovery was made during NASA’s New Horizons mission.
Researchers point to a region of Pluto largely made of bumpy water ice and filled with volcanic domes.
One volcano is similar in volume to one of Earth’s biggest volcanoes: Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
Still, researchers say the volcanoes on the frigid planet look nothing like what they have already seen in other parts of the solar system.
They believe when Pluto’s volcanoes erupted, a cold mixture of ice and water flowed out like toothpaste onto the planet’s surface.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/puppy-who-lost-his-leg-after-horse-stepped-him-is-up-adoption/
|
Puppy who lost his leg after a horse stepped on him is up for adoption
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 2:48 PM EDT
(Gray News) – A puppy who had to have his leg amputated after he was stepped on by a horse is up for adoption, according to an Ohio animal shelter.
From Heaven to Earth Rescue in New Philadelphia, Ohio, said the five and a half week old border collie mix, who’s name is Happy, was injured March 27 after a horse stepped on him and broke his left front leg.
The shelter said the veterinarian was unable to repair his leg, and had it amputated instead.
Happy will be up for adoption soon, according to the shelter.
For more information on the shelter, or to adopt Happy or one of the shelter’s other animals, you can visit From Heaven to Earth Rescue’s website.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/restorative-justice-resolves-alleged-assault-indiana-lake/
|
Restorative justice resolves alleged assault at Indiana lake
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A judge says restorative justice was successfully used in Indiana to remediate a confrontation in which a Black man said a group of white men assaulted him and threatened to “get a noose” while at a southern Indiana lake more than a year ago.
The alleged assault gained national attention in July 2020 when Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, said he called 911 after five men assaulted him and pinned him to a tree at Lake Monroe, just south of Bloomington.
Judge Lance Hamner, who presided over the case, said it was the first time he’s seen a criminal case resolved through restorative justice, a process that includes a conference between the offender and victim and which gives the offender an opportunity to apologize.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/scientists-finally-finish-decoding-entire-human-genome/
|
Scientists finally finish decoding entire human genome
(AP) - Scientists say they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago.
An international team described the first-ever sequencing of a complete human genome – the set of instructions to build and sustain a human being – in research published Thursday in the journal Science. The previous effort, celebrated across the world, was incomplete because DNA sequencing technologies of the day weren’t able to read certain parts of it. Even after updates, it was missing about 8% of the genome.
“Some of the genes that make us uniquely human were actually in this ‘dark matter of the genome’ and they were totally missed,” said Evan Eichler, a University of Washington researcher who participated in the current effort and the original Human Genome Project. “It took 20-plus years, but we finally got it done.”
Many — including Eichler’s own students — thought it had been finished already. “I was teaching them, and they said, ‘Wait a minute. Isn’t this like the sixth time you guys have declared victory? I said, ‘No, this time we really, really did it!”
Scientists said this full picture of the genome will give humanity a greater understanding of our evolution and biology while also opening the door to medical discoveries in areas like aging, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and heart disease.
“We’re just broadening our opportunities to understand human disease,” said Karen Miga, an author of one of the six studies published Thursday.
The research caps off decades of work. The first draft of the human genome was announced in a White House ceremony in 2000 by leaders of two competing entities: an international publicly funded project led by an agency of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and a private company, Maryland-based Celera Genomics.
The human genome is made up of about 3.1 billion DNA subunits, pairs of chemical bases known by the letters A, C, G and T. Genes are strings of these lettered pairs that contain instructions for making proteins, the building blocks of life. Humans have about 30,000 genes, organized in 23 groups called chromosomes that are found in the nucleus of every cell.
Before now, there were “large and persistent gaps that have been in our map, and these gaps fall in pretty important regions,” Miga said.
Miga, a genomics researcher at the University of California-Santa Cruz, worked with Adam Phillippy of the National Human Genome Research Institute to organize the team of scientists to start from scratch with a new genome with the aim of sequencing all of it, including previously missing pieces. The group, named after the sections at the very ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, is known as the Telomere-to-Telomere, or T2T, consortium.
Their work adds new genetic information to the human genome, corrects previous errors and reveals long stretches of DNA known to play important roles in both evolution and disease. A version of the research was published last year before being reviewed by scientific peers.
“This is a major improvement, I would say, of the Human Genome Project,” doubling its impact, said geneticist Ting Wang of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the research.
Eichler said some scientists used to think unknown areas contained “junk.” Not him. “Some of us always believed there was gold in those hills,” he said. Eichler is paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press’s health and science department.
Turns out that gold includes many important genes, he said, such as ones integral to making a person’s brain bigger than a chimp’s, with more neurons and connections.
To find such genes, scientists needed new ways to read life’s cryptic genetic language.
Reading genes requires cutting the strands of DNA into pieces hundreds to thousands of letters long. Sequencing machines read the letters in each piece and scientists try to put the pieces in the right order. That’s especially tough in areas where letters repeat.
Scientists said some areas were illegible before improvements in gene sequencing machines that now allow them to, for example, accurately read a million letters of DNA at a time. That allows scientists to see genes with repeated areas as longer strings instead of snippets that they had to later piece together.
Researchers also had to overcome another challenge: Most cells contain genomes from both mother and father, confusing attempts to assemble the pieces correctly. T2T researchers got around this by using a cell line from one “complete hydatidiform mole,” an abnormal fertilized egg containing no fetal tissue that has two copies of the father’s DNA and none of the mother’s.
The next step? Mapping more genomes, including ones that include collections of genes from both parents. This effort did not map one of the 23 chromosomes that is found in males, called the Y chromosome, because the mole contained only an X.
Wang said he’s working with the T2T group on the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, which is trying to generate “reference,” or template, genomes for 350 people representing the breadth of human diversity.
“Now we’ve gotten one genome right and we have to do many, many more,” Eichler said. “This is the beginning of something really fantastic for the field of human genetics.”
__
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/severe-storms-pummel-south-after-7-hurt-arkansas-tornado/
|
Severe storms pummel South killing at least 2 in Florida
(AP) - A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight — killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
In Florida, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday morning that two were killed and two injured when a tornado touched down in the western Florida Panhandle.
Two homes were destroyed and powerlines were knocked down, according to Washington Country Emergency Management spokeswoman Cheryl Frankenfield. The county’s Facebook page showed at least one home that was obliterated, as well as trees down on another home. No other details were immediately available.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has employees in the area to help, spokesperson Samantha Bequer said. She said neighboring Jackson County also had property damage.
“It’s a nasty day, but thankfully these storms are moving quickly,” she said.
At least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after earlier storm caused damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas.
About 185,000 customers were without electricity Thursday morning in the wake of the storm along a band of states: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utilities.
The worst of the weather Thursday morning appeared to be at the southern end of the storm front, which was expected to bring heavy rain and high winds all along the U.S. East Coast later in the day. Much of the Florida Panhandle was under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
Widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. “Significant damage” occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore.
In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto the roof of a building below. The fire department warned that debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse.
Daylight revealed widespread wind damage across Alabama.
One person suffered minor injuries when a storm hit the University of Montevallo campus south of Birmingham, damaging three buildings, officials said, and a woman was injured when a manufactured home rolled over in rural Bibb County. A school bus was flipped at a high school in south Alabama, and part of the roof was missing from a church in northwest Alabama.
Elsewhere, a warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The Mississippi Senate suspended its work Wednesday as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement.
Rander P. Adams said he and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and a large window exploded just feet from his wife as she tried to open their front door.
“The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it,” he said. “I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’”
Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. “We were blessed,” he said. “Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way.”
Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, shortly after 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, according to Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse.
Sprouse said in a statement that one of those critically injured had improved and was in stable condition and the other five were released from a hospital.
“Our first responders have completed door-to-door searches, and we believe everyone has been accounted for,” Sprouse said.
The National Weather Service in Tulsa said Thursday that the tornado has been rated an EF-3, up from an initial assessment of EF-2, with wind speeds between 136-165 mph (219-265 kph). The tornado reached a peak speed of about 145 mph (233 kph) and 5 miles (8 kilometers) while on the ground for about eight minutes, according to the weather service.
In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph (145 kph) struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, damaging two homes.
A small tornado also touched down briefly on the eastern edge of Dallas, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. The tornado struck just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday near McClendon-Chisolm with top winds of about 100 mph (161 kph) and damaged homes, but no injuries were reported, according to the weather service.
The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hours and killed a man.
Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who did not immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state.
The National Weather Service office in New Orleans said Thursday that teams would be out in Tangipahoa and St. Tammany Parishes in southeastern Louisiana and in Jackson County in southeastern Mississippi surveying damage. They said the highest wind speed recorded in the office’ coverage area was 67 mph (108 kph) at the New Orleans Lakefront airport with winds in Baton Rouge reaching into the high 50 mph (80 kph) range.
Firefighters, meanwhile, have been trying to get handle on a wildfire spreading near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, amid mandatory evacuations as winds whipped up ahead of the approaching storm front.
The fire, which was not contained, had expanded to about 250 acres (more than 100 hectares) as of Wednesday afternoon. One person was injured, and a plume of smoke rose above one community not far from where 2016 wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
___
Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson, Mississippi, and Mattise from Nashville, Tennessee; many other Associated Press journalists contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/skippy-issues-voluntary-recall-more-than-9300-cases-peanut-butter/
|
Skippy issues voluntary recall of more than 9,300 cases of peanut butter
(Gray News) – Skippy Foods, LLC has issued a voluntary recall of more than 161,000 pounds of peanut butter.
According to the company, 9,353 cases of reduced fat creamy, reduced fat chunky and creamy peanut butter blended with plant based protein are being recalled due to the possibility some of the jars may contain fragments of stainless steel from manufacturing equipment.
The affected jars of peanut butter were shipped to 18 states, and all retailers have been properly notified.
Skippy Foods, LLC said there have been no consumer complaints so far associated with this recall.
Check the top of the jar for the following recalled code dates:
If your jar has a different “BEST IF USED BY” date than what is listed, it is not part of the recall.
Impacted jars of peanut butter can be returned to the store where it was purchased for an exchange or call Skippy Foods Consumer Engagement at 1-866-475-4779, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Central Time.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/stephen-foster-folk-culture-center-state-park-hosts-32nd-annual-stephen-foster-antique-tractor-engine-show/
|
The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park hosts the 32nd annual Stephen Foster Antique Tractor and Engine show
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 6:52 AM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - The 32nd annual Stephen Foster Antique Tractor and Engine show starts.
The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park is hosting the event.
TRENDING STORY: Gainesville man arrested after sexually assaulting a teenager
There will be antique farming equipment on display, a tractor pull competition, and several family fun activities and games you can enjoy.
This event will last until Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/students-accidentally-served-milk-cartons-filled-with-sanitizer/
|
Students accidentally served milk cartons filled with sanitizer
CAMDEN COUNTY, N.J. (Gray News) - Health officials in New Jersey are investigating after students at four separate schools were accidentally served milk cartons filled with sanitizer.
The Camden County Health Department reported the Camden Schools Early Childhood Development Center called 911 Wednesday morning after 25 students had ingested an unknown substance with an “antiseptic-like odor.”
None of the children had reportedly gotten sick from the substance but were taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to the school district’s Twitter page.
They also reported they immediately stopped serving the milk once the contamination was discovered.
The health department said first responders were also called to another early development center, Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Development Center, where more children had reportedly ingested the substance.
Five children from that center were taken to the hospital, and 15 were looked over by doctors on site.
All of the impacted children were discharged by Wednesday afternoon, the health department said, and no illnesses related to the contamination have been reported.
The health department reported at least four schools have been impacted by the contamination, and testing is being conducted.
It was determined an unknown quantity of cartons had been filled with “non-toxic consumable sanitizer,” sealed, and shipped along with the milk typically served to students.
Since the cartons were sealed, the contamination was not discovered until the milk was served to the students. School officials identified the supplier of the milk as Guida’s Dairy, per NJ.com.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture said it was investigating an incident involving the New Britain company, regarding 1% low-fat half-pint milk cartons with a sell by date of April 11 that contained diluted sanitizer. It stated the milk had limited distribution in New Jersey and only was sold to institutional customers; the affected product was not sold for retail.
The investigation so far indicated the issue was limited to milk within a time range of 4:30 and 7:30 and code stamped on the cartons. The agency said Guida’s Dairy was cooperating with officials and had asked all its customers to throw out the product with an April 11 date on it out of an abundance of caution.
An initial investigation conducted by the Camden County Hazmat Team reported the substance is used in the manufacturing and packaging of the milk.
The health department said they are in contact with the milk company and are working with them to find and remove all impacted products.
The Camden County School District reported they will stop serving milk until the investigation is complete.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/suave-deodorant-sprays-recalled-due-elevated-levels-benzene-carcinogen/
|
Suave deodorant sprays recalled due to elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen
(Gray News) - Unilever is voluntarily recalling two Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirants due to slightly elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen, in the products.
Benzene is not an ingredient in the recalled products, but a review showed unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can.
The following products are part of the recall:
Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Powder scent
- 4 oz. and 6 oz. cans
- UPC codes 079400751508; 079400784902
- Expiration date through September 2023
Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Fresh scent
- 6 oz. cans
- UPC code 079400785503
- Expiration date through September 2023
The FDA says exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin; it can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders.
The FDA says consumers should throw away the recalled products. If you have further questions about the recall, contact Unilever at (866) 204-9756.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/tv20-meldon-law-scholar-athlete-week-spencer-dorosheff/
|
TV20 Meldon Law Scholar Athlete of the Week: Spencer Dorosheff
Dorosheff co-owns Thy Will Bee Done Apiary with his parents
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Since he was five-years-old, hitting plastic balls with plastic rackets in his grandparents garage, Spencer Dorosheff has been in love with tennis.
“I like the individuality of it,” said Buchholz senior boys tennis player Spencer Dorosheff. “When you’re out on the court you’re by yourself, it’s all up to you. You get all the fame if you win, and it’s all on you if you lose, so that’s kinda the best part about it.”
The Buchholz senior is the number one seeded player on the Bobcats boys tennis team. As a four year starter and captain, Dorosheff is a perfect 10-0 this season.
His impressive record is a combination of his dedication and strong resolve.
“He’s inquisitive,” said Buchholz tennis coach Robert Taylor. He really likes to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. He’s not someone that’s gonna super overpower you but I think what he does is he has a great work ethic and does what he needs to do to get the job done.”
It’s also a big reason why he signed a scholarship to play tennis for the University of North Florida.
“Those guys are really good and I’m definitely gonna have my work cut out for me, but that’s the fun of it, that’s why you wake up every day, and you put in the hours, just trying to be the best.”
Academically, Dorosheff has a 4.1 weighted g.p.a. and co-owns a business with his parents.
“My dad is a bee keeper and we started off selling honey, and we’ve since grown our product line. We now have bees wax candles and honey infused soaps, so it’s been a very good adventure.”
On top of that, He’s also on the home owner’s association board for his neighborhood.
“My neighbor’s the president and I’m pretty good friends with him. Just being in that professional environment and learning how to run a meeting and being around some pretty respectable people has taught me a lot.”
Dorosheff plans to major in business administration at UNF.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/two-kids-with-special-needs-left-outside-iowa-school-unsupervised/
|
Two kids with special needs left outside of Iowa school unsupervised
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) - A family in Iowa is speaking out after their two special needs children were left outside of a school unsupervised on Tuesday.
“The only thing I could think about was the what-if’s, and this needs to be addressed and not happen again,” mother Gina Hernandez said.
She said her children, Victor, 10, and Angel, 7, were left outside of their elementary school after their after school program for about 15 minutes.
Victor has autism, and Angel has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Angel said his teachers told him and his brother that their dad was out front, and they were sent out the door without an adult seeing them off.
“Me and Victor were told to go outside and when we went outside, there was nobody,” Angel said.
The brothers wandered the parking lot looking for their dad’s truck, and when they realized he was not there, they tried to get back into the school.
“We knocked on the doors and no one answered,” Angel said.
Hernandez said her husband found the boys by the dumpsters.
She said the gap in time between her boys being alone and their dad showing up is terrifying because of what Victor has done in the past.
“He wanders. There’s an interstate right there,” Hernandez said, “When he’s mad, he’ll go up and try to make it onto the interstate, and teachers have to stop him.”
Des Moines Public Schools said in a statement that parents text the Metro Kids Program when they arrive to pick up their child. In this case, the employee walked the wrong kids to the door and failed to stay with Victor and Angel until they were in the care of their parent.
The employee has been put on leave as the school district investigates.
In the meantime, Gina says she does not know what they will do about after school care.
“We don’t know that we can continue to entrust them in the care they’re getting at the school,” she said.
According to the school district, the children were left outside for about five minutes before staffers realized there had been a mistake and employees notified the parents immediately.
The district said it takes the safety of the children in the Metro Kids Program very seriously.
Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/ukraine-nuclear-operator-russian-troops-leave-chernobyl/
|
Ukraine nuclear operator: Russian troops leave Chernobyl
LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards Ukraine’s border with Belarus, the Ukrainian nuclear operator company said.
The operator, Energoatom said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
Energoatom also said reports were confirmed that the Russians dug trenches in the Red Forest, the 10-square-kilometer (nearly four-square-mile) area surrounding the Chernobyl plant within the Exclusion Zone, and received “significant doses of radiation.”
The Russian troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, the operator said. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plant’s administration doesn’t have any complaints about the Russian troops who were “guarding” the facility.
“It turns out that the occupiers ‘guarded’ the station for more than five weeks, and even so well that there are no complaints,” Energoatom said in a statement on Telegram.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/whats-up-with-wind-fm-331/
|
“What’s up” with WIND-FM 3/31
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 6:18 AM EDT
To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Lucky you!
WIND-FM has a special keyword for TV20 viewers to win Bon Jovi tickets.
Here’s what you missed when we caught up with Hunter and Parker.
RELATED STORY: “What’s up” with WIND-FM 3/24
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
https://www.wcjb.com/2022/03/31/woman-mauled-by-dogs-life-support-continues-fight-her-life-family-says/
|
Woman mauled by dogs on life support continues to fight for her life, family says
ABBEVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A South Carolina woman continues to fight for her life at a local hospital after being attacked by three dogs earlier this month.
The Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office said a woman, later identified as Kyleen Waltman, was viciously attacked outside of a home in Abbeville County on March 21.
WHNS reports on March 23, her family wrote that she was in critical condition and that doctors were closely monitoring her, according to an update on a GoFundMe account for Waltman.
Initially, deputies said a witness was able to scare the dogs away from Waltman to stop them from mauling her further.
On Sunday, her family wrote that doctors were keeping Waltman sedated so she didn’t aggravate her spinal cord by trying to move.
Waltman was also on a ventilator, according to the family. She is doing most of the work herself. However, her blood pressure does go high while her oxygen levels drop.
On Tuesday, the family said doctors woke Waltman, and she could see and talk to her daughters and mother.
Waltman was scheduled to get a prosthetic on her right arm. However, according to her family, doctors had to remove her arm to her shoulder due to an infection detected.
The woman’s sister said Waltman is a mother of three and recently became a grandmother. At times, she has done well while at the hospital but ultimately has been placed back on life support.
The dogs in the attack were seized by Abbeville County Animal Control, and police said their investigation remains ongoing.
Copyright 2022 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.wcjb
|
20220402
|
End of preview. Expand
in Data Studio
README.md exists but content is empty.
- Downloads last month
- 5