New bipartisan effort aims to help workforce shortage

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

New bipartisan effort aims to help workforce shortage DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis joined a group of bipartisan lawmakers to announce proposed legislation to help fill the workforce shortage. The first part of the proposal would cover the cost of an associate's degree or industry certificate for up to two years in eligible fields. Those fields include elementary and early childhood education, firefighting, law enforcement, forest management construction trades and short-term nursing. Denver housing costs 37% more than the national average The governor's proposed budget requests $40 million for the zero-cost education and training. If passed, the investment is expected to help 20,000 Coloradans in the next two years. "This is important for the state, because right now we're not filling those jobs. If we can direct students into those jobs and make it cost-free for them to get those credentials, we know we'll increase the number of students, number of graduates available to fill those jobs. That's not just good for them, it's good...

Sun, Sand, and Model Volleyball

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Sun, Sand, and Model Volleyball The hottest event on the beach returns to South Florida this weekend. Over 200 models from top agencies gather at a two-day event to play at the tournament.Saturday is a practice, but the real throwdown happens Sunday.The event has other activities such as rock climbing walls, dunk tanks and fun photo booths. The event will have DJs like Brody Jenner and amazing food, so bring your bestie and don’t miss out.FOR MORE INFORMATION:modelvolleyball.com

Miami Arts Charter School produces show at The Listening Room in Wynwood

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Miami Arts Charter School produces show at The Listening Room in Wynwood When the school day ends, performance night begins for the students of Miami Arts Charter school.Students get a chance to experience what it’s like being in the entertainment business when they perform at The Listening Room.The students aren’t only in the show, they are also running it behind the scenes. Teachers get to see the students apply what they learned in class.The shows are open and free to the general public.

Family visiting Fort Lauderdale hook great white off coast

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Family visiting Fort Lauderdale hook great white off coast A family on a vacation in South Florida expected to catch a big fish, but they were genuinely surprised by what they reeled in off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.“What do you think?” asked a man on cellphone video that captured a great white shark drifting on a fishing line alongside their boat.“Best day ever!” said a boy.The best day ever is how this little guy is describing this incredible fishing adventure.He and his family were out on the waters in Fort Lauderdale when they nabbed the great white.“There he is, hundred by 50,” a man said on the video.The family, who are from North Dakota, said they came to South Florida for an exciting fishing trip, so they booked a shark fishing adventure with Good Hit Sportfishing, but they had no idea how eventful the trip would become.While in the fight to catch another fish, one of the men said they felt a great tug on their fishing line.“All of a sudden, when it hit the one rod, it just hit it and it took o...

Victoria Park in Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Victoria Park in Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone Victoria Park in Fort Lauderdale is a gem filled with history, amazing restaurants and plenty of fun activities. Gateway Theater is perfect for film fans. It has modern updates, but it also keeps some of its history. Gastrothèque is perfect if you are looking for an amazing American food experience. Did we mention it also has a bar?In case you needed a rug, Victoria Park also has you covered. Tufting House teaches a class in making a rug from start to finish.

US senators press Defense Secretary Austin on sending F-16 jets to Ukraine

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

US senators press Defense Secretary Austin on sending F-16 jets to Ukraine A group of senators from both parties is pressing the Pentagon for more information on what it would take to send F-16 jets to Ukraine.The fresh push came in a letter Tuesday to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from eight senators, and obtained by POLITICO, as top administration officials from President Joe Biden on down have poured cold water on bipartisan calls to send U.S.-made fighters into the fight for now.The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is “now at a critical juncture,” the senators wrote, arguing F-16 fighters could give Kyiv an edge as Moscow’s full-tilt invasion enters a second year.“After speaking with U.S., Ukrainian, and foreign leaders working to support Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference last month, we believe the U.S. needs to take a hard look at providing F-16 aircraft to Ukraine,” the senators wrote. “This would be a significant capability that could prove to be a game changer on the battlefield.”The letter was organized by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-...

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson rebuts report about September contract offer with cryptic Twitter response

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson rebuts report about September contract offer with cryptic Twitter response Lamar Jackson broke his silence on his contract negotiations with the Ravens on Tuesday. As is often the case when it comes to Baltimore’s quarterback, though, what he actually said was cryptic.The 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player seemed to dispute an ESPN report by NFL insider Adam Schefter that he turned down a $200 million guaranteed deal from the Ravens in September, tweeting an animated gif in response.Then Jackson, who is representing himself in contract negotiations, added another response: “133/3 years fully guaranteed but I need a agent?”For good measure, he added, “People throw [poop emoji] at the wall and hope it stick.”What’s not clear is whether the reported three-year, $133 million offer was its own deal or part of a larger offer from the Ravens. Later on Tuesday, Schefter responded to Jackson’s tweet, clarifying the parameters of the supposed deal.That deal, which was reported in September, included $133 million guaranteed at sig...

Boston pushes for fare-free bus expansion, says 42% of riders saved money

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Boston pushes for fare-free bus expansion, says 42% of riders saved money Boston Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge said the cost savings to users and increased ridership recorded halfway through the city’s fare-free bus pilot makes a strong case for removing fares on other forms of public transportation.A city analysis, released Tuesday, showed 42% of riders using the three free bus routes in Mattapan, Roxbury and Dorchester saved money in the first year of the program. Twenty-six percent saved $20 or more in October, which could result in a two-year savings of $480.Further, ridership increased by 35% on these three fare-free routes, 23, 28 and 29, from the fall of 2021 to fall 2022, compared to the 15% uptick seen throughout the MBTA system, the report stated.“We’ve seen ridership growth on these three lines significantly outpace growth on the system as a whole,” Franklin-Hodge said. “And we’ve seen that growth be absorbed by the buses without increasing delay or reducing performance of the bus.“All of which goes to show that a fare-free bus can be ...

Late-winter storm pummels Northeast with heavy, wet snow

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

Late-winter storm pummels Northeast with heavy, wet snow PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A winter storm dumped heavy, wet snow in parts of the Northeast on Tuesday, causing tens of thousands of power outages, widespread school closings, dangerous driving conditions and a plane to slide off a taxiway.The storm’s path included parts of New England, upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey. Snow totals by the time it ends Wednesday were expected to range from a few inches to a few feet, depending on the area.About two feet of snow fell in parts of northern New York and the Catskill Mountains, with Indian Lake in New York’s Adirondack Mountains recording 31 inches (79 centimeters) of snow. Gov. Kathy Hochul said some areas could get an additional foot by Wednesday morning. “Heavy snow has impacted much of the state today — and it’s not over yet,” Hochul said late Tuesday on Twitter. She said more than 74,700 households had lost power and that a windy night was anticipated.In Derry, New Hampshire, firefighters and pol...

As Toronto police end overtime patrols on transit, some commuters unsure of results

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:31:42 GMT

As Toronto police end overtime patrols on transit, some commuters unsure of results A day after Toronto police said they were ending extra patrols on city transit, some residents said they were unsure how much of an effect the measure had on public safety.Police announced Monday they were ending the boost in officers’ presence on the Toronto Transit Commission that was introduced in late January after several high-profile cases of violence.Those shifts had been filled by more than 80 officers working overtime shifts on a given day. Police said they would return to deploying on-duty officers on the TTC for regular, proactive patrols.City manager Paul Johnson had said at a February budget meeting that police would not be able to afford the overtime patrols _ which cost about $1.5 million per month _ past the end of winter unless additional funding was considered.Daily transit user Chris Zafirati said Tuesday that he thought the extra police patrols had been a “nice gesture” but he hadn’t seen a significant expansion of visible police presence ...