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Pandemic walloped metro Denver and Greeley economies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Metro Denver had the eighth strongest economy heading into the pandemic, but two years later, its economic ranking slipped to 121st out of 192nd metro areas, making it among the most deteriorated economies during the pandemic, according to a study from Brookings Metro.The region joined the “tested” category of top-half economic performers between 2011 to 2019 who dropped to the bottom half between 2019 to 2021. About 40% of very large metros, defined as having more than 1 million residents, moved into that tested group, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston and San Diego.“There are a lot of theories, but not a lot of firm answers as to why. Very large metros had this tremendous run of growth and they were where economic activity was increasingly concentrated. Denver was a poster child for that inclusive growth,” said Joseph Barilla, fellow and director of applied research at Brookings Metro Monitor and a co-author of the stu...

Opinion: The West’s iconic conifers will not regrow if wildfires continue to burn too hot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Wildfires and severe drought are killing trees at an alarming rate across the West, and forests are struggling to recover as the planet warms. However, new research shows there are ways to improve forests’ chances of recovery – by altering how wildfires burn.In a new study, we teamed up with over 50 other fire ecologists to examine how forests have recovered – or haven’t – in over 10,000 locations after 334 wildfires.Together, these sites offer an unprecedented look at how forests respond to wildfires and global warming.Our results are sobering. We found that conifer tree seedlings, such as Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine, are increasingly stressed by high temperatures and dry conditions in sites recovering from wildfires. In some sites, our team didn’t find any seedlings at all. That’s worrying, because whether forests recover after a wildfire depends in large part on whether new seedlings can establish themselves and grow.However, our team also found that if wildfires burn less int...

EU and international community closely monitoring events in Bangladesh ahead of crucial elections

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

All eyes currently remain firmly fixed on bitter events in Ukraine but there are rising fears that another huge country could be about to tear itself apart.Bangladesh is set for potentially explosive parliamentary elections in late December, poll vital not just for the country’s own future but for the EU and wider international community.The fear is that the outcome may result in yet further instability in a very large country, something that, with the Ukraine conflict rumbling on, is the last thing the West wants.Victory for its pro-India and pro-West incumbent government is likely to see Bangladesh looking further Westwards in the coming years.While less is known about exactly how the opposition would pivot itself in the event of victory, the feeling is that electoral success for the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) could see Bangladesh lean more towards China and Russia.The election is not until the end of the year but, already, there have been numerous demonstration...

Police release new information about teen’s stabbing death in El Sereno

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

The stabbing attacks on a 17-year-old honors student and a 33-year-old father in El Sereno on Friday occurred "with no provocation," Los Angeles Police Department officials said on Thursday.In a press conference, officials indicated that David Anthony Zapata, 32, was taken into custody in Alhambra on Wednesday in connection with the death of Woodrow Wilson High School student Xavier Daniel Chavarin and for allegedly stabbing Daniel Villalobos a few hours later.The El Sereno attack, which occurred at about 4 p.m. Friday in the 4500 block of Valley Boulevard, left Chavarin seeking help at a local King Torta shop before he collapsed on the floor, witnesses said. The adult man was stabbed "about a mile and a half away," said Detective Ryan Rabbett. Man accused of fatally stabbing high school student in L.A. taken into custody "Both incidents were completely unprovoked. these citizens were attacked for no apparent reason," Rabbett said.Zapata has been arrested seven times on misdemean...

Man charged with trying to stab flight attendant on flight from L.A. to Boston faces judge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

The man charged with attempting to open an airliner’s emergency door on a cross-country flight last weekend and trying to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon is headed to court on Thursday to find out whether he will be granted bail.Francisco Severo Torres, 33, of Leominster, Massachusetts, was arrested Sunday when United Flight 2609 from Los Angeles landed in Boston. He is charged with a felony related to interfering with flight crew members using a dangerous weapon. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.A detention hearing is scheduled for U.S. District Court in Boston.The plane was about 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received an alarm that a side door on the aircraft was disarmed, according to court documents. One flight attendant noticed the door’s locking handle had been moved. Another flight attendant had noticed that Torres was seen near the door and believed he had moved the handle.Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplan...

6 Injured after Police Chase near Washington Boulevard [Harvard Heights, CA]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Four Arrested after Police Chase on Washington Boulevard and Western Avenue Ended in Multiple InjuriesHARVARD HEIGHTS, CA (March 9, 2023) – Early Tuesday morning, a carjacking incident led to a police chase near Washington Boulevard.The carjacking occurred on March 7th, at around 8:00 p.m., in the 600 block of East 105th Street. The carjackers stole a gray Honda Accord at gunpoint.Police later spotted the Accord at around 12:30 a.m. and attempted a traffic stop. However, the Accord fled the scene and police gave chase. After a short while, the officers pulled back and began tracking the suspects instead.As the Accord approached the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Western Avenue, it collided with two other vehicles. The suspects attempted to flee on foot, but were caught shortly after.The impact of the collision left six people, in addition to the four suspects, with varying injuries. Some of the victims, a 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and a ...

Alisha Kopecky Died after Crash on East Granada Avenue [Apache Junction, AZ]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

26-Year-Old Female Driver Dies and 3 Other Injured in Deadly Car Accident near Broadway RoadAPACHE JUNCTION, AZ (March 9, 2023) – Late Sunday, police responded to a crash that claimed the life of Alisha Kopecky.On March 5th, officers were dispatched to a car accident on East Granada Avenue, just east of Highway 88/Idaho Road and south of Broadway Road.According to the police, a UTV driven by 26-year-old Kopecky with three male passengers crashed in the area which led to the death of Kopecky.Meanwhile, the three men suffered injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.Furthermore, the officers were not yet able to determine the cause of the incident but impairment is suspected as a factor.No additional information was added and the crash is under investigation. Moreover, authorities will release updates as they become available to the public.No words can mend the broken hearts and sorrow felt during this delicate moment. Deepest condolences and sympathies a...

Jennifer Cardenas, Matthew Pineda Dead after Wrong-Way Crash on 91 Freeway [Corona, CA]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Jennifer Cardenas, Matthew Pineda Killed in Two-Car Collision near 15 FreewayCORONA, CA (March 9, 2023) – Early Sunday morning, Jennifer Cardenas and Matthew Pineda were killed in a wrong-way crash on the 91 Freeway.The incident happened on March 5th, shortly before 4:00 a.m., on the 91 Freeway, just east of the 15 Freeway.According to reports, Pineda, in a 2019 Honda Accord, drove his vehicle westbound in the eastbound HOV lane of the 91 Freeway. The Accord was traveling at a high rate of speed. It then collided with a Toyota Corolla. The impact of the collision left the Corolla’s occupants, Cardenas and her passenger, identified as a 23-year-old woman with injuries.First responders to the crash pronounced 22-year-old Jennifer Cardenas and 24-year-old Matthew Pineda dead at the scene. Medics transported Cardenas’ passenger, the 23-year-old woman, to a regional trauma center for treatment.The team at Sweet James sends their warm and sincerest sympathies go out to t...

McConnell treated for concussion after suffering fall at DC hotel

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is being treated for a concussion and is staying at a hospital for observation after a fall at a hotel in Washington, DC, on Wednesday evening.“Leader McConnell tripped at a dinner event Wednesday evening and has been admitted to the hospital and is being treated for a concussion. He is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days of observation and treatment,” David Popp, communications director for McConnell, said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.“The Leader is grateful to the medical professionals for their care and to his colleagues for their warm wishes,” the statement said.The fall happened at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, DC, which was formerly the Trump International Hotel, according to a source familiar with the matter.McConnell was attending an event for the Senate Leadership Fund, a McConnell-aligned super PAC, another source familiar with the matter said.The 81-year-old is the Senate...

Rise in fentanyl deaths justifies use of military force against Mexican drug cartels, says California Sheriff

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:17 GMT

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is counting on recently introduced federal legislation to help prevent narcotics from flowing into OC.In a March 6 letter he sent to the authors of legislation that would authorize the use of military force against Mexican drug cartels, Barnes said the cartels are “flooding American communities with the deadly drug fentanyl” and taking lives on “both sides of our southern border.”“It is time for the federal government to take meaningful action against these hostile drug trafficking organizations,” Barnes said in the letter to Republican Reps. Mike Waltz of Florida and Dan Crenshaw of Texas.Introduced in January, the legislation would authorize the president to “use all necessary and appropriate force against those responsible for trafficking fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance into the United States or carrying out other related activities that cause regional destabilization in the Western Hemisphere.”The use of “military force” refers to the us...