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DC-area storm damage keeps lights off, trains stopped across region

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

Despite the withering impact of storms across the District, Maryland and Virginia, officials are still seeing serious impacts on traffic and power for consumers across the region. Here’s the latest.Amtrack train are stopped in Virginia for over four hours, passengers tell WTOP.Storm damage response continues in the D.C. metro area.Over 7,000 were without power in portions of Northern Virginia and D.C.’s Maryland suburbs.Local airports report hundreds of flight delays and cancellations amid storms.Officials report ongoing cleanup after significant damage from Friday night storms tore a roof off a District building, downed several trees and powerlines in Prince George’s and Montgomery County, Maryland, and even pushed hail into northern Virginia.While the winds and rains have calmed, and most of the region isn’t being pelted by rain, impacts on local commuters and families continue to be felt.Amtrak riders are seeing continuing impacts from damaging winds and r...

Ionescu hits 20 straight shots for a record 37 points to win the 3-point contest; Aces win skills

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu electrified the crowd Friday by hitting 20 straight shots and scoring a record 37 of a possible 40 points to win the 3-point shooting contest at the WNBA All-Star Game in a performance that will be incredibly difficult to match.She made 25 of 27 shots to break the event record for the WNBA and NBA — and nearly meeting her own high standards.“Shouldn’t have missed two,” Ionescu said. “It was the final round. I had just lost in the skills. I wasn’t going to lose again.”The Las Vegas Aces’ team of Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum won the skills competition with a time of 44.3 seconds in the final round, easily beating the 58.0 put up by the Ionescu and Liberty teammate Courtney Vandersloot.In the 3-point contest, Ionescu beat the Seattle Storm’s Sami Whitcomb and the Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale in the final. Whitcomb had 24 points and Ogunbowale 11.“I knew they were going in,” Ionescu said. “I was telling my...

Wimbledon 2023: Jabeur vs. Vondrousova in the women’s final, and Djokovic vs. Alcaraz in the men’s

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova are a combined 0-3 in Grand Slam finals.That will change Saturday, when they will face each other for the Wimbledon championship.The No. 6-seeded Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia, left Wimbledon a year ago as the runner-up to Elena Rybakina, then was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open in September. Jabeur is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to get to the singles final at a major tournament.Vondrousova, a 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, made it to the title match at the French Open four years ago as a teenager. After losing that one to Ash Barty, Vondrousova is back at that stage at a Slam as the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963.Vondrousova wasn’t able to compete at the All England Club in 2022, because she had a cast on her left wrist after two operations. Her ranking fell after she missed about six months last season.Both Jabeur and V...

Taylor Swift's donation will cover 75K meals

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- While it was estimated that Taylor Swift's two Denver concerts would generate $40 to $50 million, the superstar made sure she donated to the local food bank.The Food Bank of the Rockies received a donation from Swift which will cover 75,000 meals, the nonprofit said in a release Friday. Report: Taylor Swift legions about to drop $200M on Eras spending in Denver “We are seeing more need now than we ever have before. This is hitting Food Bank of the Rockies’ budget hard. To meet the needs of our neighbors experiencing hunger, we are spending triple what we were pre-COVID on food purchasing every month,” Chief Marketing Officer at Food Bank of the Rockies Aditi Desai said. “We’ve been able to meet the increased demand thanks to the generosity of individuals like Taylor Swift. Her gift will help fuel our work across the Rockies and allow us to distribute more food to our communities. I was shocked and then thrilled by the news! We are grateful for her inspired suppor...

A short night for Michael Kopech and a long night for the Chicago White Sox in 9-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

Friday was not the return Michael Kopech had in mind.The Chicago White Sox reinstated the right-hander from the injured list ahead of Friday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.He started, but it was a short and wild outing.Kopech allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning in a 9-0 loss to the Braves in front of 42,782.“Physically I feel good,” Kopech said. “Obviously I wanted to go out there and take what I felt physically and have some results with it. But if there’s a positive takeaway for me, I felt physically good. Just erratic. Tough way to come back.“I had a chance to throw every day of the break. Felt good. Even playing catch today, getting ready for the game, felt really good. Just didn’t take the feeling and execute with it.”The four runs came on a Matt Olson grand slam.The Sox returned from the break with a thud, falling behind quickly and never recovering. Losers of eight of their last 10, the Sox are a seaso...

North Dakota police say 1 officer died, 2 injured in shooting that also left suspect dead in Fargo

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — One police officer has died and two others were critically injured in a Friday shooting in Fargo, North Dakota, police said.The suspect also was killed, police said. In a statement late Friday, police said a civilian was wounded in the shooting that happened Friday afternoon. Witnesses said a man opened fire on police officers on a busy street before other officers shot him. The Fargo Police Department said it plans to release more details on Saturday afternoon. The investigation is ongoing.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.A man opened fire on police officers — hitting more than one — on a busy street in Fargo, North Dakota, Friday afternoon before other officers shot him, multiple witnesses said.Police have not confirmed if anyone, including police officers, was shot in what they called a “critical incident” that happened before 3 p.m., but a hospital reported receiving patients within hours, and law enforcement agencies across the...

Mega Millions jackpot grows to $640 million, among highest in lottery game’s history

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

The Mega Millions top prize has grown again to an estimated $640 million after there was no winner of the lottery’s latest giant jackpot.The numbers drawn late Friday night were: 10, 24, 48, 51, 66 and gold Mega Ball 15.The estimated $640 million jackpot in the next drawing would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing is an estimated $328 million.Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows.The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.The Associated Press

Long Island serial killer probe not over after architect is charged in 3 of 11 deaths

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities on Long Island are vowing to continue investigating a string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders after charging an architect in the deaths of three of the 11 victims. Rex Heuermann, 59, is accused of killing Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello over a decade ago. He is also considered the prime suspect in the death of another woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Their bodies were bound and hidden in thick underbrush along a remote beach highway across the bay from the Massapequa Park community where Heuermann has lived all his life. Investigators have said it’s unlikely just one person killed all the victims. “We’re going to continue to work, investigate, and try to get a small measure of closure for all the victims’ families,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said. Heuermann, 59, was arrested late Thursday, a year and a half after authorities formed an interagency task force with investigators from the FBI, a...

Twins edge A’s, 5-4, to retake first in AL Central

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. — Joey Gallo hit a go-ahead, two-run homer run off of reliever Shintaro Fujinami in the ninth inning, and Jhoan Duran pitched a sketchy ninth for his 13th save as the Twins eked past the A’s on Friday night, 5-4, in front of an announced 7,923 at Oakland Coliseum.Donovan Solano started the ninth inning with a double to left field. After a strikeout by Byron Buxton, Gallo hit an 0-1 pitch from Fujinami (5-8) into the Budweiser seats in right field, his 16th homer of the season as the Twins retook climbed back to .500 and reclaimed sole possession of first place in the American League Central.Cleveland started the day a half-game up on the Twins but blew a 4-0 lead in a 12-4 loss at Texas.The A’s chased Twins starter Kenta Maeda after three innings, and the Twins twice left the bases loaded. But Emilio Pagan, Jordan Balazovic, Jovani Moran and Griffing Jax combined to throw four scoreless innings.Jax (5-6) earned the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth.Duran allowed a run...

WATCH: Massive wildfire grows to 2,800 acres in Riverside County

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:43:11 GMT

Firefighters are battling a large fast-moving wildfire that erupted in Moreno Valley on Friday.Named the “Rabbit Fire,” the brush fire is located near the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Jack Rabbit Trail, in the community of Lakeview. It was initially reported as 20 acres with a rapid rate of spread just shortly before 4 p.m. The flames later spread to around 600 acres by 6 p.m. before exploding to 1,500 acres around 7 p.m., Cal Fire officials confirmed. By 7:30 p.m., the fire grew to around 2,815 acres. Zero percent containment is reported so far.Located in a grass and brush-heavy area, a private ranch property is being threatened by the moving flames. Fire crews have surrounded the property with flame retardant.“All of a sudden, I see this puff of smoke come up and all chaos broke loose,” said Emmanuel Castro, a Moreno Valley resident. “The whole hill caught on fire then across the street and then it jumped to my lawn. My horse was over there pasturing and I had to save ...