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Tropical Storm Hilary makes landfall in Mexico’s Baja California, pushing torrential rains on northward path (CORRECTS: A previous APNewsAlert erroneously reported that Hilary was still a hurricane)

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

ENSENADA, Mexico (AP) — Tropical Storm Hilary makes landfall in Mexico’s Baja California, pushing torrential rains on northward path (CORRECTS: A previous APNewsAlert erroneously reported that Hilary was still a hurricane).Source

Guardians present Tigers’ slugger Miguel Cabrera with guitar as retirement gift

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Miguel Cabrera has owned Cleveland’s pitching staff during his career.The Guardians presented the Detroit slugger with a guitar as a retirement gift before his final game at Progressive Field on Sunday in which he batted cleanup for only the second time this season.The guitar, honoring Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame connection, had the name “Miggy,” plus Cabrera’s picture and his No. 24 on the front. Manny Ramirez and Guardians third baseman José Ramírez helped present the guitar to Cabrera behind home plate. Cabrera held it high in the air and went through a playing motion before heading to Detroit’s dugout. Cabrera, 40, is retiring at the end of the season. The teams finish the season with three games in Detroit. It’s easy to see why no one connected with the Guardians will be unhappy their days facing Cabrera are almost over.Cabrera is batting .308 (282-for-917) with 50 homers and 176 RBIs in 248 career games against Cleveland. He’s hitting .297 (145-fo...

Ward-Prowse has 2 assists as 10-man West Ham beats Chelsea 3-1 in Premier League

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

LONDON (AP) — James Ward-Prowse had two assists on his West Ham debut to help his new team beat Chelsea 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday despite playing with 10 men for 30 minutes, leaving Mauricio Pochettino still looking for a first win as Blues manager. Ward-Prowse set up the first two West Ham goals to upstage Moises Caicedo, who gave away a clumsy penalty for the third goal in injury time after coming on as a second-half substitute for his first Chelsea appearance since his record-breaking $146 million move from Brighton.Ward-Prowse, who joined from relegated Southampton this week, delivered a perfect corner that was headed in by Nayef Aguerd to give West Ham the lead in the seventh minute. Carney Chukwuemeka equalized for Chelsea in the 28th and Enzo Fernandez — who cost Chelsea about $130 million last season — then missed a penalty for the Blues just before the halftime break. West Ham retook the lead when Ward-Prowse played a ball over the top for Michail Antonio to run o...

Ticker: Starbucks told to pay $2.7M in lost wages; Robotaxi fleet cut after crashes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

A judge has ordered Starbucks to pay an additional $2.7 million in lost wages and tax damages to a former regional manager who was earlier awarded more than $25 million after alleging she and other white employees were unfairly punished following the high-profile arrests of two Black men at a store in 2018.In June, Shannon Phillips won $600,000 in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages after a jury in New Jersey found that race was a determinative factor in Phillips’ firing, in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination laws.The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that U.S. district judge Wednesday ordered Starbucks to pay Phillips another $2.73 million in past and future lost earnings and benefits as well as compensation for tax disadvantages due to the lump sum, according to court documents. The company opposed paying any amount, saying Philipps had not proven she couldn’t have earned the same or more in the future.Robotaxi fleet cut after crashesGeneral Motors...

3-year labor pact approved at Bath Iron Works

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

BATH, Maine — The largest union at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works in Maine overwhelmingly approved a new three-year contract, the union said Sunday, averting another strike like the one three years ago that contributed to delays in delivering ships.The contract, which takes effect Monday, raises pay a range of 2.6% to 9.6% in the first year with differences due to a mid-contract wage adjustment that already took effect for some workers, and will be followed by a 5% increase in the second year and 4% increase in the third. Workers are receiving an increase in contributions to their national pension plan while health insurance costs will grow.Machinists’ Union Local S6, which represents about 4,200 production workers, touted the biggest pay raises by percentage since the union’s founding in the 1950s.“Local S6 would like to thank you for your vote and support as we continue to advocate for our members’ best interests and uphold the contract with the utmost de...

Sweltering temperatures bring misery to large portion of central US, setting some heat records

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Sweltering temperatures lingered Sunday in a large swath of the central U.S., causing misery from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.Record high temperatures were recorded in Texas and other states. People were told to chug extra water while mowing lawns or exercising outdoors, and to check on neighbors to ensure air-conditioning is available.“These high temperatures can impact our friends, families, and neighbors who may live alone, especially if they limit their use of air conditioning,” Sarah Russell, commissioner for the St. Louis Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement. “We urge everyone to stop and visit loved ones to ensure they are healthy and well during this extreme heat.”The Dallas-Fort Worth area was expected to reach 110 F (43.3 C) Sunday after hitting 108 F (42.2 C) Saturday, said Sarah Barnes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The record high for those dates was 107 F (41.7 C), set in 2011.Barnes said the area is not cooling...

Block Island, Rhode Island, welcomed back vacationers Sunday, a day after a fire tore through hotel

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (AP) — Block Island welcomed back vacationers Sunday, a day after a fire tore through a historic hotel early Saturday, prompting officials on the summer tourist spot off the coast of Rhode Island to declare a state of emergency and urge the public to stay away.“Block Island is open for visitors! The beaches are lovely, many restaurants and shops are open. Come to bike and hike,” the Block Island Chamber of Commerce said in Facebook post Sunday.About 50 firefighters from around the state were flown and shipped in to help fight the flames at the Harborside Inn, and at least four ladder trucks were also brought in, the chamber said Saturday.In a separate post Sunday, the chamber urged donations to the Block Island Fire Department.“Their courageous efforts and fast action helped save the town. THANK YOU to all firefighters and first responders for keeping us safe,” the chamber wrote.The roof of the inn caved in around 1:30 a.m. All guests were evacuated, and no seriou...

A store owner was killed over a Pride flag she flew in front of her California business

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

CEDAR GLEN, Calif. (AP) — A dispute over an LGBTQ+ pride flag at a California clothing store spiraled into deadly violence this weekend when a man shot and killed the 66-year-old business owner right in front of her shop, authorities said.The man ran away from the store after the shooting Friday night but was later found and killed in a confrontation with officers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.The agency said Laura Ann Carleton was pronounced dead at Mag.Pi, the store she owned and operated in Cedar Glen. The small community in the San Bernadino Mountains is roughly 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles. Before the shooting, the man “made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store,” sheriff’s officials said.It was not immediately clear what happened when officers confronted the man, whose identity hadn’t been released as of Sunday.Carleton, who preferred to be called “Lauri,” is survived by her husb...

Starbucks told to pay $2.7 million in lost wages to manager fired after arrest of 2 Black men

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — A judge has ordered Starbucks to pay an additional $2.7 million in lost wages and tax damages to a former regional manager who was earlier awarded more than $25 million after alleging she and other white employees were unfairly punished following the high-profile arrests of two Black men at a store in 2018.In June, Shannon Phillips won $600,000 in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages after a jury in New Jersey found that race was a determinative factor in Phillips’ firing, in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination laws.The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that U.S. district judge Wednesday ordered Starbucks to pay Phillips another $2.73 million in past and future lost earnings and benefits as well as compensation for tax disadvantages due to the lump sum, according to court documents. The company opposed paying any amount, saying Philipps had not proven she couldn’t have earned the same or more in the future.In April 2018, a Philadelp...

‘We might not have a home’: Fire evacuees in Kelowna parking lot ponder unclear fate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:14 GMT

KELOWNA, B.C. — Robert Pullen and his husband, Warren, got a knock on their door on Thursday night from a neighbour, and estimate they had about 10 minutes to get out the door. A fast-moving wildfire was approaching their home on Knox Mountain in Kelowna, B.C. Robert credits his background in the military for having them ready to leave so quickly, along with the couple’s two dogs. Barking orders at his partner of 20 years as if he was still in uniform may have been a bit much — causing an eye roll and a friendly laugh in hindsight — but the stress eventually turned to relief. Life goes on. The couple is among more than 30,000 evacuees fleeing wildfires across British Columbia. Some face uncertain futures, with the prospect of their homes and communities being destroyed, or their livelihoods lost.Outside Kelowna’s Prospera Place arena, which is hosting evacuees, the Pullens chat in lounge chairs in the parking lot, having decided to leave a local mall where other evacuees had gathere...