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Training the trainers: Nonprofit shows Miami-Dade Animal Services staff how to help make shelter dogs ready for ‘fur-ever’ homes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Animal trainers in Miami-Dade County are learning some new lessons so they can better help the dogs at their animal shelter, thanks to a nonprofit.The staff at Miami-Dade Animal Services in Medley learned that sometimes it’s the trainers who need to learn a new trick.That’s why on Friday, these workers received a lesson in how to better take care of animals — many of whom have had a “ruff” life.The lesson came from the nonprofit Dogs Playing for Life.“They’re a national organization that goes around the country, just giving best practices to all the shelters,” said Flora Beal, a spokesperson for MDAS. “They help us to identify the best way to work with each individual dog.”“Dogs are naturally sociable creatures, so we want to give dogs the chance to, instead of living in social isolation in a shelter, to actually be able to get out and be dogs.” said Aaron Caldwell with Dogs Playing for LifeMDAS’ shelter c...

Sweeten up your weekend at the Lemon Festival in Chula Vista

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!The 26th annual Lemon Festival is coming back to downtown Chula Vista this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Attendees will be able to enjoy lemon-infused activities on Third Avenue like zesty photo opportunities, a lemon cookoff competition, a kids zone for the Lil' Lemons, food options, arts and crafts vendors and a wine and beer garden. This weekend’s Perseid meteor shower will peak at this time in San Diego Chula Vista, in the 1890s and early 1900s, was known as the "Lemon Capital of the World" after it was found that the local environment was perfect for growing lemons because of the cool temperatures and lack of extreme heat, according to Peter Watry with the South Bay Historical Society.If you are not taking a car to the festival, public transportation will be available for the event. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is offering service on the UC San Diego Blue Line to the E Street Station, where you the...

Survivors of Maui’s wildfires return home to blackened ruins as death toll rises to 67

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Blackened hulks of burned-out cars, the pavement streaked with melted and then rehardened chrome. Block after block of flattened homes and businesses. Incinerated telephone poles, and elevator shafts rising from ashy lots where apartment buildings once stood. A truck bed full of glass bottles, warped into surreal shapes by the furious heat. Anthony Garcia assessed the devastation as he stood under historic Lahaina’s iconic banyan tree, now charred, and swept twisted branches into neat piles next to another heap filled with dead animals — cats, roosters and other birds killed by the smoke and flames. Somehow it made sense in a world turned upside-down. “If I don’t do something, I’ll go nuts,” said Garcia, who lost everything he owned. “I’m losing my faith in God.”That was the scene residents found when they were allowed back home to take stock of their shattered homes and lives Friday as the toll rose to 67 confirmed dead in this week’s wildfires, which t...

Blue Jays’ bats stay quiet, Berrios struggles early in loss to Cubs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

The schedule gets a bit funky for the Toronto Blue Jays after a weekend set with the Chicago Cubs, three off-days in the span of eight days offering both a needed respite from the August grind and some challenges in running a six-man rotation.Hence, the option of Alek Manoah to triple-A Buffalo on Friday afternoon, a move that in one fell swoop ended the burden of a seven-man bullpen, too many rest days between outings for the starters and created an opportunity to optimize for an Aug. 22-24 series in Baltimore.Sounds good until you consider the downside, which in this case is Manoah enduring a second demotion in a jarring season of struggle for the right-hander – only this time, there’s no obvious path back to the majors like there was when he was first sent down in early June.“We’ll see. You never really know,” manager John Schneider, speaking before a 6-2 loss to the Cubs, said of how Manoah can reclaim his roster spot. “A lot of it’ll be how t...

Mayor Johnson fires Dr. Allison Arwady as Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

CHICAGO -- Mayor Brandon Johnson fired Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady on Friday.Mayor Johnson's office confirmed the termination of Dr. Arwady to WGN-TV on Friday.Dr. Arwady was with the Department Of Public Health since 2015, where she initially served as Chief Medical Officer before being confirmed as Commissioner in January 2020. Illinois Supreme Court upholds state’s ban on semiautomatic weapons Dr. Allison Arwady released the following statement Friday night:"Over a decade of working in public health in Chicago--including four years as the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health--my top priority has always been protecting the health of all Chicagoans.It has been the best chapter of my life (so far!) leading the CDPH team, especially through the COVID pandemic, when public health was needed more than ever. Public health must always be driven by science and medicine, and never politics.It is critical that this work receives t...

Paul Lisnek on Illinois assault weapons ban, Hunter Biden, and Donald Trump

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

CHICAGO — WGN Political Analyst Paul Lisnek joined WGN Evening News to discuss several big stories from the week.The topics include the Illinois Supreme Court's decision to uphold the state’s ban on semiautomatic weapons, and the latest on Hunter Biden and former President Donald Trump.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesTune in Sunday mornings for WGN-TV Political Report.

Will Airbnb refund a Maui booking after wildfires?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

(KRON/NEXSTAR) — Airbnb will be granting full refunds to guests with accommodations booked in Maui who request them, a representative for the short-term rental provider confirmed. The Airbnb extenuating circumstances policy is currently in effect for areas of Hawaii, including the entire island of Maui, the representative said.This policy allows guests with eligible stays to cancel and get a full refund. Hosts in the impacted areas can also cancel without fees or other consequences. Maui wildfire disaster: How can I donate to help? The company's extenuating circumstances policy is in effect for all of Maui and parts of the Big Island that are also being impacted by wildfires. Hosts and guests with eligible stays in the impacted areas can get information directly through their Airbnb account.The company is closely monitoring the situation and will provide more information soon, a representative told KRON4.The island of Maui is currently reeling from devastating wildfires that all-b...

Cedar Park man raises money for those who lost their homes in the Parmer Lane fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) – Rob Solis almost lost his home to the Parmer Lane fire Tuesday. That night, he said his fiance called, telling him that their front lawn was on fire and embers were falling from the sky onto their roof.  “I rushed home,” Solis said. “I immediately grabbed water hoses and started putting out fires wherever I could,” he continued. Luckily, his home survived, but it got him thinking about those whose homes did not.   When he saw the flames, “you immediately go to the worst-case scenario – ‘I'm gonna lose everything that I have.’ And unfortunately, there were people in this scenario that did over at the Bexley [at Silverado] apartments,” he said. Solis started thinking of ways he could help those people. He fronts a band, Solis and The Unwritten, and he decided to turn a performance he had planned Wednesday night into a fundraiser. The fundraiser yielded nearly $1,000, and he went searching for families affected by ...

Lake Travis ISD adds new bus drivers, opens up routes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — School districts across Central Texas have struggled to fill bus driver positions over the last few years, but this year many are seeing more people signing up.In Lake Travis ISD, the district had to make major changes to bus operations with a shortage of drivers last year.Paula Miller is the director of transportation in the district, she said increasing pay has helped bring back a lot of drivers.“We have hired 15 new drivers this summer,” Miller said.Last year the shortage of drivers meant the district had to cut some routes. ‘Extreme struggle to find drivers’: Lake Travis ISD moves to week on week off bus schedule The district didn't offer students living within two miles of a campus transportation and for everyone else they had to offer rides every other week."We were able to go back to filling every single seat with the 15 drivers to keep us from having to do the rotations,” said Miller.One reason why more people have come back is an increase in pay, she said....

Loons go down to 10 men and get blown out 5-0 by Nashville in Leagues Cup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Minnesota United provided two thrilling results to advance in the Leagues Cup knockout rounds in August.The third time was not charmed; it was cataclysmic.After the Loons went down to 10 men after a half hour Friday, MNUFC kept wilting and Nashville kept rolling, stacking goals in 5-0 blowout win in a Leagues Cup quarterfinal Friday at GEODIS Park in Tennessee.United was one win away from playing in the tournament’s semifinal, but remain a club that falls short in the game before the real big game.Instead of the buzz of playing one of North America’s top teams —  Los Angeles FC or Monterrey — in a semifinal Tuesday. They will have to fight a hangover and regroup for the return of MLS play on Aug. 20 at New York City.The game changed when D.J. Taylor was issued a red card in the 34th minute for a “professional foul last man,” when the referee deemed Taylor making contact on Jacob Shaffelburg.One definition is it’s a deliberate foul against an attacking player to prevent him fro...