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House Republicans propose planting a trillion trees as they move away from climate change denial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Speaker Kevin McCarthy visited a natural gas drilling site in northeast Ohio to promote House Republicans’ plan to sharply increase domestic production of energy from fossil fuels last month, the signs of rising global temperatures could not be ignored. Smoke from Canadian wildfires hung in the air.When the speaker was asked about climate change and forest fires, he was ready with a response: Plant a trillion trees.The idea — simple yet massively ambitious — revealed recent Republican thinking on how to address climate change. The party is no longer denying that global warming exists, yet is searching for a response to sweltering summers, weather disasters and rising sea levels that doesn’t involve abandoning their enthusiastic support for American-produced energy from burning oil, coal and gas.“We need to manage our forests better so our environment can be stronger,” McCarthy said, adding, “Let’s replace Russian natural gas with American...

Twins’ Sonny Gray loses control, lead in fifth inning of 7-6 loss to Mariners

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

SEATTLE — After sweeping the A’s over the weekend in Oakland, the Twins had a chance to win their fourth consecutive game for the second time this season, and first since April 11-14, on Monday at T-Mobile Park.The Mariners had other ideas.Twins starter Sonny Gray started the fifth inning with a 2-0 lead and just 45 pitches on his scorecard. But the right-hander lost his command, walking two batters and hitting another, as Seattle scored four before holding on for a 7-6 victory in front of 25,770.With Cleveland’s 11-0 victory at Pittsburgh, the Twins’ lead in the American League Central was trimmed to 1½ games.The Twins made it interesting in the ninth against right-hander Ty Adcock, who started the night with an 0.69 earned-run average. Edouard Julien hit a one-out single and, after Byron Buxton’s third strikeout, Donovan Solano singled to right to bring up Max Kepler.Kepler hammered a drive into the right-field bleachers to cut the Twins’ deficit to 7-6. But Paul Sewald relieved a...

Investigators mum on Fargo shooting that killed officer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

Authorities are answering few questions about the Friday shooting in Fargo that killed a police officer, including why the shooter opened fire.This photo provided by The City of Fargo, N.D., on Saturday, July 15, 2023 shows police officer Jake Wallin. On Saturday, Fargo’s police chief said a gunman opened fire on police and firefighters as they responded to a traffic crash in North Dakota. One officer, Wallin, was killed and two others were wounded before a fourth officer killed him. (The City of Fargo via AP)The Fargo Police Department has declined to discuss the Friday shooting that killed 23-year-old Officer Jake Wallin. Fargo Chief Communications Officer Gregg Schildberger referred questions to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, or BCI, noting the state agency is leading the investigation.Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski did not return a message left by The Forum seeking comment on this story, but City Deputy Chief Communications Officer Katie Ettish said ...

Neighbor recalls moment house exploded in St. Charles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The St. Charles Fire Department is investigating a home explosion that sent three adults and two children to the hospital on Monday."It was very scary to see it happen. I couldn't even imagine," said Kara Schemkes.Video from her front door showed the moments after the explosion."The family was in my front yard. So I got them water, whatever they needed," Schemkes said. "They had two little babies, so I was consoling them, and I was just trying to help any way I could. I just heard this massive boom kind of like a firework in a way."Several neighbors called 911. Officials with the St. Charles Fire Department said eight fire trucks and more than 60 first responders immediately arrived on the scene. Reported house explosion in St. Charles; 5 people rushed to hospital "We had multiple victims outside the building and a one-story home fully involved," said Deputy Chief Steve Brown. "Immediate medical care began on three adults and two children."He said the victims we...

8,000-acre 'Rabbit Fire' 45% contained in Riverside County

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

Fire crews gained additional containment Monday on the more than 8,000-acre Rabbit Fire in Riverside County, allowing some evacuation orders to be lifted and more roads reopening as early as Tuesday morning. The fire broke out Friday afternoon near Lakeview and moved quickly through dry brush just east of Gilman Springs Road, authorities said. The fire was 45% contained as of Monday evening after charring 8,283 acres, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. An evacuation order impacting homes in zones one and two were downgraded to evacuation warnings. ZONE 1: South of Seneca Springs, East of Highway 79, West of Manzanita Park Road, North of Forest Boundary Road ZONE 2: South of East 1st Street, East of Olive Avenue, West of Highway 79, North of California Ave/Highway 79  Timelapse video shows Riverside County wildfire explode Southbound Highway 79 will be reopened as of 4 a.m. Tuesday, though Road closures will remain in place on Jack Rabbit Trail, ...

Man and woman injured after crash causes car to run into Van Nuys restaurant

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

A man and a woman were injured after a two-car crash in Van Nuys on Monday. The collision resulted in one of the cars crashing into a nearby restaurant. Los Angeles police responded to reports of a traffic collision at 6800 North Kester Avenue at 7:30 p.m. Video footage shows the aftermath of the crash where fire crews are on scene. A red vehicle remains in the middle of the road with airbags deployed, while the other white vehicle involved in the crash appears to be fully submerged in the restaurant with only its tail end hanging out.A red vehicle remains in the middle of the road with airbags deployed after a crash in Van Nuys (Source: Citizen)A red vehicle remains in the middle of the road with airbags deployed after a crash in Van Nuys (Source: Citizen)A white vehicle involved in a crash appears to be fully submerged in the restaurant with only its tail end hanging out. (Source: Citizen)Car crash in Van Nuys (Source: Citizen)A 40-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were bo...

Oakland A’s skid hits eight games as Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta sets Boston record

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

OAKLAND – After a disastrous top of the sixth that saw the visiting Red Sox pile up four runs against the Oakland A’s to blow the game open, things got even worse in the bottom of the seventh against Nick Pivetta, who set a Boston record by striking out 13 in relief. Following his second strikeout of the night in another hitless inning for the A’s, a frustrated Ryan Noda made a motion with his bat as he walked away from the umpire.Home plate umpire Emil Jimenez threw Noda and his 10 home runs, second-most on the team, out of the game for his actions.“I kind of got mad and swiped at the dirt in anger toward myself,  and started walking back to the dugout and didn’t even know I got tossed until I was halfway there ” Noda said. “I think it was just a misunderstanding.”It’s been that kind of season for Oakland, now losers of eight in a row. After playing three close games against the Twins, the A’s suffered their first shutout post-A...

Former Sharks forward says Barracuda coach pressured him to fight

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

A former San Jose Sharks forward said he was pressured by a coach with the team’s AHL affiliate to fight opposing players, adding that it was a key factor in his decision not to re-sign with the organization.Martin Kaut, whom the Sharks acquired from the Colorado Avalache in January, told the Czech website iDNES.cz in a story published Sunday that an unnamed Barracuda coach would choose an opponent, usually a fellow Czech-born player, before each game for him to fight. When Kaut refused, he said the coach responded by saying that his refusal was a reason why he wasn’t in the NHL.Kaut in the story mentioned Adam Klapka, a Czech native who is listed at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds and was credited with six AHL fighting majors this past season for the Calgary Wranglers. Kaut, listed at 6-2 and 190 pounds, has only two fighting majors in five seasons of North American professional hockey.“They also chose Czechs for me. Why? It was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to continue ...

Wong drives in career-best three runs, Pivetta strikes out 13 as Red Sox beat Athletics 7-0

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Connor Wong hit a two-run double and singled in a run for a career-high three RBIs, leading the Boston Red Sox past the Oakland Athletics 7-0 on Monday night for their eighth win in nine games.Nick Pivetta (6-5) matched his career high with 13 strikeouts over six innings of one-hit relief after replacing lefty opener Brennan Bernardino, who worked two innings. It marked Pivetta’s ninth career double-digit strikeout game and first of 2023 — and his most Ks with the Red Sox after striking out 13 while pitching for the Phillies in June 18, 2018, against Saint Louis.Justin Turner and Adam Duvall added sacrifice flies for Boston, which is 6-1 in a stretch of 12 straight matchups against teams below .500.The A’s lost their eighth straight game and dropped a season-high 46 games under .500 at 25-71. The game drew a Red Sox-heavy crowd of 9,987.Oakland right-hander Paul Blackburn (1-2), scratched from his previously scheduled start against Boston on July 8 b...

Mets 1st-round draft pick Colin Houck gets a $2.75 million signing bonus

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — First-round draft pick Colin Houck will receive a $2.75 million signing bonus from the New York Mets, above the slot value of $2,607,500 for his selection at No. 32 overall last week. The 18-year-old high school shortstop from Georgia passed up a college commitment to Mississippi State to sign with the Mets. New York’s first pick was pushed down 10 spots because the Mets were more than $40 million above the initial luxury tax threshold last year.The club announced last Friday that Houck and second-round pick Brandon Sproat, a pitcher from the University of Florida, had agreed to deals. Both were assigned to Port St. Lucie in the rookie level Florida Complex League.Sproat, who turns 23 in September, was drafted by the Mets in the third round last year but returned to school when the sides could not strike a deal. The right-hander was chosen 56th overall this year and agreed to a $1,474,500 bonus, exactly slot value.Two-way player Nolan McLean, a right-handed pit...