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DeSantis Still Can’t Find Enough Employees for His Voter Fraud Crackdown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis first announced a new unit to investigate alleged voter fraud in the state, he painted a picture of a sweeping police agency with more than 50 positions and unprecedented authority. Over one year later, the Office of Election Crimes and Security has struggled to staff up — even as the legislature recently increased its budget. Seven of the office’s 18 positions remain vacant according to a July organizational chart provided to The Intercept through a public records request.DeSantis created the unit in April 2022 amid a broader Republican push to sow distrust in the electoral system by spreading false claims of voter fraud. But since its inception, the office has consistently fallen short of its staffing goals. An ABC affiliate reported that only three of 15 positions had been filled by January.  Join Our Newsletter Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you. ...

DC region leads for women in IT jobs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

The D.C. region ranks No. 4 among the 75 North American markets covered in CBRE’s annual Scoring Tech Talent report.According to the report, the D.C. region added 17,100 tech talent workers between 2017 and 2022, bringing the total number in the industry to 265,240 as of the end of last year. That’s a 7% five-year increase and higher than overall national employment growth. Technology-related jobs now account for 8.8% of all jobs in the D.C. region.The report examined education, compensation, diversity and opportunity among other factors for those working in technology, and for companies with technology jobs to fill. Tech talent is defined by CBRE as those working in 20 key tech professions across all industries from software engineers to systems and data managers.CBRE also notes the D.C. region’s tech talent pool is sought after.“D.C. has the third-largest number of tech degree graduates — 63,000 of them — which creates an incredible opportunity for employer...

Chris Buescher wins 2nd straight NASCAR Cup race at Michigan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Chris Buescher won his second straight NASCAR Cup Series race by holding off Martin Truex late in the FireKeepers 400 on Monday.Buescher, who won last week at Richmond, took the lead on lap 133 in the No. 17 Ford and didn’t give it up. With 12 laps to go in the 200-lap race, Truex challenged him with door-to-door driving before sparks were seen under his No. 19 Toyota and he faded.Truex made a savvy move to win Stage 2 shortly after pitting, going high before dropping low to surge past Daniel Suarez, and finished second. Denny Hamlin was third followed by Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson.Buescher, driving for RFK Racing, gave Ford its ninth straight victory at Michigan to extend the longest winning streak by a manufacturer at a track that has hosted Cup races since 1969.The race was suspended Sunday due to rain, which delayed the start and later led to a red-flag stoppage that lasted 19-plus hours before the race resumed under cloudy skies the next day.Tw...

Browns defensive ends Alex Wright, Isaiah Thomas could miss significant time with knee injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland’s defensive line depth is suddenly a concern as second-year ends Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas could miss significant time for the Browns with knee injuries.Before Monday’s practice, coach Kevin Stefanski revealed both injuries while providing few other details or a timetable for recovery.Stefanski did say the injuries could stretch into the regular season, which begins Sept. 10 against Cincinnati.Stefanski said one of the ends was injured in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game against the New York Jets and the other was hurt “before” that.Wright and Thomas are listed as Cleveland’s respective Nos. 4 and 5 ends behind All-Pro Myles Garrett, Za’Darius Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo.The Browns revamped their defensive front this offseason — Smith came via trade and Okoronkwo as a free agent — after the unit underperformed in 2022.Wright and Thomas both missed Sunday’s workout along with defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, who got poked i...

NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 Results

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

MondayAt Michigan International SpeedwayBrooklyn, Mich.Lap length: 2.00 miles(Start position in parentheses)1. (4) Chris Buescher, Ford, 200 laps, 41 points.2. (5) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 200, 55.3. (13) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 200, 37.4. (12) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 200, 48.5. (17) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200, 43.6. (14) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 200, 45.7. (2) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 200, 30.8. (22) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 200, 29.9. (9) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200, 28.10. (25) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 200, 29.11. (3) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 200, 34.12. (20) Austin Cindric, Ford, 200, 27.13. (1) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 200, 24.14. (6) Joey Logano, Ford, 200, 27.15. (31) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 200, 23.16. (18) Aric Almirola, Ford, 200, 21.17. (29) Harrison Burton, Ford, 200, 20.18. (11) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 200, 35.19. (15) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200, 18.20. (34) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 200, 17.21. (27) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet, 200, 16.22. (28) Ryan Preece, Ford, 199, 15.23. (26) Just...

'The brr is back': Farmers Almanac releases winter forecast for Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Winter is coming ... in a few months. The Farmers' Almanac released the winter 2024 extended weather forecast and it predicts a cooler winter than last year. The Farmers' Almanac projects an overall chillier winter than usual due to the indication of an El Niño, which is unusually high water temperatures off the Pacific Coast of South America, according to the Almanac. While southern states are expected to have unseasonably cold temperatures and more storms, in Colorado, the Almanac anticipates a cold winter with average snowfall. Soon, it will get dark before 8 p.m. Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Travis Michels said El Niño won't change Colorado's winter, but the winter may be wetter than normal. While Michels expects the winter to be an average temperature, he predicts wetter conditions in the coming months due to the previous rain this year. According to Michels, Denver collected 17.7 inches of rain for the first half of the year. To put that into perspective, ...

'One hail of a year': Data shows more than 150 damaging hail storms this year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- It's been "one hail of a year" in Colorado, at least according to data posted by the National Weather Service.A map posted by the NWS shows that, so far this year, there have been 151 reports of hail over 2 inches in diameter in Colorado, which is around the size of a lime or larger.That number puts the Centennial State second only to Texas, which has reportedly seen 344 reports of the damaging-sized hail, more than twice that recorded by any other state. Plowable hail in the summer? Why it’s possible Much of this was concentrated in the eastern part of the state, as noted by NWS. Data from the Colorado Climate Center from 1955 to 2022 shows that a vast majority of hail over 2 inches falls east of the mountains.Across the 67 years, there have only been a handful of reports of hail 2 inches or larger in the western half of the state.Notable hail storms so far in 2023The most notable hail storm so far this year came in late June, when nearly 100 concertgoers at Red ...

Crews battle fire across three triple deckers in Dorchester

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

Firefighters were on scene on Irma Street in Boston Monday afternoon battling a large fire spanning three different buildings. The Boston Fire Department in a post on social media said crews were facing heavy fire conditions in a 3-family residential building at 20 Irma Street as of around 2:45 p.m. The fire, authorities said, had spread to two adjacent buildings, drawing a three-alarm response. SKY7-HD was over the scene shortly before 3 p.m., showing a large plume of smoke over the area. Numerous fire crews were also spotted at work pouring water on flames that had burned through a building roof in at least one spot. On the ground, Boston fire officials later shared photos showing three buildings with visible fire damage. While heavy fire conditions had been knocked down as of 3:05 p.m., the Boston Fire Department said crews were continuing to chase hot spots.No further information was immediately available.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS ...

20-year-old accused in deadly shooting in Plymouth held without bail after arraignment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

A 20-year-old man accused in connection with a deadly shooting in the Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth last month appeared in court Monday to face a murder charge in the case. John Geovanni Pires Monteiro Macedo pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office announced. The DA’s office said police initially responded around 2:40 p.m. on July 12 after receiving several calls reporting a shooting at the state forest. On scene, the DA’s office said first responders found Robert Aponte-Flores, 25 suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his face, left arm and right collarbone. Aponte-Flores was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, the DA’s office said. A 7NEWS crew in Plymouth observed a major police presence on July 12 after this shooting. In its update this week, the DA’s office said state police secured an arrest warrant for Macedo one day after the shooting. Authorities then arre...

Judge dismisses Trump’s defamation counterclaim against E. Jean Carroll after sex abuse verdict

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:37 GMT

By Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily NewsNEW YORK — A Manhattan judge on Monday dismissed Donald Trump’s counterclaim against E. Jean Carroll, alleging she defamed him as a rapist after a jury found him liable for sexual abuse.The decision by Judge Lewis Kaplan found that the difference between Carroll’s allegedly defamatory remarks — that Trump “raped” her as defined under New York law — and the jury’s finding that he forcibly digitally penetrated her was “minimal.”“The difference between Ms. Carroll’s allegedly defamatory statements — that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as defined in the New York Penal Law — and the ‘truth’ — that Mr. Trump forcibly digitally penetrated Ms. Carroll — is minimal. Both are felonious sex crimes,” Kaplan wrote.“If Ms. Carroll had stated that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her by forcibly digitally penetrating her vagina instead of referring also (allegedly) to forcible penile penetration, there would have been no different effect on the mind of an average listener.”A jury...