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Mobile home park residents form co-ops to save their homes

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — When Gadiel Galvez learned that the owner of his mobile home park south of Seattle was looking to sell, he and other residents worried their largely Latino community would be bulldozed to make way for another Amazon warehouse.So, they decided to form a cooperative and buy their park in Lakewood, Washington. With help from a nonprofit that advises communities like theirs and helps them secure loans, they bought it for $5.25 million. Since becoming owners in September, everyone’s worked to make improvements.“Everybody thought, ‘You know what? … I’m going to make this place the best that I can,’” said Galvez, 22, who is a co-op board member. “Some people painted their homes, some people remodeled their interiors and exteriors, and some are working on their roofs.”With rents rising at mobile home parks nationwide, advocates tout the cooperative model as a way to preserve one of the last affordable housing options for people with low- or fixed-incomes and to g...

Texas electric service providers must respond to complaints within 15 days beginning in September, new rule says

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas approved rule changes that reduced the number of days an electric service provider has to respond to consumer complaints.Beginning Sept. 1, electric service providers must respond within 15 days, according to PUC. Under the current rules, electric utilities and retail electric providers have up to 21 days to respond after being notified of a consumer complaint.“This rule change will speed up the complaint resolution process for electricity consumers in Texas and allow CPD to help more customers resolve issues with their electric service providers,” the PUC said.In December 2021, PUC voted to move forward with more changes to improve the reliability of Texas’ power grid. The vote came after thousands of Texans were without power for days following the deadly winter storm in February 2021.According to the Texas Tribune, in March, a Texas appellate court ruled PUC overstepped its authority during the 2021 winter storm ...

How weather impacts home runs in Major League Baseball

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- What's your favorite part of a baseball game? Do you go to see the power hitters launch majestic home runs over the outfield fence? Or, is a mound duel between two pitchers more your flavor? If it's home runs that you want then you'll be happy to know that home runs have been increasing over the last several years. The reasons may vary from stronger hitters to weaker pitching. But there's another factor that many would have never considered. It has to do with the changing climate.Scientists at Dartmouth College did a study dating back to 2010. Their research was recently published in the American Meteorological Society bulletin. The research included studying 200,000 balls put into play (walks and strikeouts were not included) along with the dimensions of the 30 baseball stadiums and the weather.It is a given that a baseball travels better in warm weather. The less humidity in the air the better it is for baseballs to travel out of the park. That's why power hitters...

Firkus jurors speak out: How they decided in hours that husband killed Heidi

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

Finding Nicholas Firkus guilty of murdering his wife in St. Paul came quickly for jurors because, when two weeks of testimony ended, about half of them said they’d heard enough to not believe his account of a stranger intruding in their home.The other half of the jurors were leaning toward a guilty verdict and they wanted more time to review the testimony and evidence, according to three jurors interviewed by the Pioneer Press. Deliberations lasted between two and three hours, they estimated.Nicholas James Firkus. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Corrections)They said they were confident in Firkus’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt — the legal standard they had to meet — but it carried an emotional toll.“There weren’t ever feelings of, ‘Did I do the right thing?'” said Pete Grabowski, the jury’s foreman. “The feeling was, ‘We just convicted a guy of a crime and every family and friend tied to that case is now im...

One person dead, two hospitalized in Arapahoe County apartment complex fire

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

One person died and two others are hospitalized after an early morning fire in an Arapahoe County apartment complex Saturday.The fire broke out in Woodhaven Apartments, the 2300 block of S. Quebec Street, South Metro Fire Rescue said in a 4:10 a.m. tweet. When firefighters arrived, there was an active fire in a hallway and several people were trapped in the building.Update: firefighters are still working to control the fire. please stay clear of the area. pic.twitter.com/bdWFRttLs6— South Metro Fire Rescue (@SouthMetroPIO) April 8, 2023Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Denver weather: Warm, blue skies through the weekend — with highs in the 80s next week Crime and Public Safety | Colorado legislature poised to create “last resort” property insurance plan as crisis looms Crime and Public Safety | Marshall fire victims with lower incomes, less insurance lag in rebuilding, study finds Crime and Public Safet...

Instant videos could represent the next leap in AI technology

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

Ian Sansavera, a software architect at a New York startup called Runway AI, typed a short description of what he wanted to see in a video. “A tranquil river in the forest,” he wrote.Less than two minutes later, an experimental internet service generated a short video of a tranquil river in a forest. The river’s running water glistened in the sun as it cut between trees and ferns, turned a corner and splashed gently over rocks.Runway, which plans to open its service to a small group of testers this week, is one of several companies building artificial intelligence technology that will soon let people generate videos simply by typing several words into a box on a computer screen.They represent the next stage in an industry race — one that includes giants like Microsoft and Google as well as much smaller startups — to create new kinds of artificial intelligence systems that some believe could be the next big thing in technology, as important as web browsers or the iPhone.The new ...

Rapids Notebook: Robin Fraser to reach milestone in Burgundy; Open Cup date confirmed vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

After a period of immense turmoil under previous management, Saturday night’s kickoff will represent a milestone of stability for Colorado Rapids head coach Robin Fraser.When the Rapids (0-3-3, 3 points) play in “Blue Hell” against Sporting Kansas City at 6:30 p.m. MST at Children’s Mercy Park on Apple TV, it will mark Fraser’s 100th regular-season game in charge of Colorado.Fraser (41-31-27, 150 points in Colorado), has called the Mile High City home since the 1990s when he first played for the Foxes. Since returning to Denver, given the resources, few coaches have accomplished more with less, which has resulted in a step up in stature.A player-first manager, he’ll back his team’s ability to get points no matter how overmatched they may seem on paper with the right tactical ingenuity and a favorite “Fraserism” — consistency.“I’ve enjoyed playing under Robin so much, and he’s obviously a very experienced p...

LAPD says puppy OK after being tossed from moving car during hours-long pursuit, identifies 3 arrested at chase's end

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

The Los Angeles Police Department on Saturday identified the attempted murder suspect at the center of Friday's hours-long pursuit that ended in West Carson after traveling through multiple cities in Los Angeles County.Police also named two women accused of helping the suspect in his getaway attempt and provided an update on the puppy that was tossed from a moving vehicle during the chase.Gustavo Alvarez, a 27-year-old man from Los Angeles, was the initial suspect wanted for an attempted murder and carjacking at 101st and San Pedro streets on March 26, police said on Twitter. Lynette Moreno, a 26-year-old woman from Los Angeles, was arrested for setting up the second getaway vehicle used by Alvarez, and 25-year-old Michelle Zamudio of Santa Monica was the driver of the second vehicle, police said. Attempted murder suspect who led police on wild chase taken into custody in West Carson Alvarez is being held without bail on a charge of attempted murder, Moreno is being held in lieu o...

Man shot to death in Del Aire: LASD

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

A man in his mid-to-late 50s was shot to death in Del Aire Friday evening.The unidentified man, believed to be between 55 and 60 years old, was found suffering from a gunshot to his upper torso just after 6:45 p.m. in the 5100 block of West 141st Street, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and no information about the shooter has been released.Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Ex-49ers star Aldon Smith sentenced to a year in jail for DUI

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:10:22 GMT

Former 49ers football star Aldon Smith was sentenced Friday to a year in jail for driving under the influence after he rear-ended a Recology truck in Redwood City in 2021 and allegedly offered the driver $1,000 not to alert police.Smith, the 49ers’ single-season sack record holder, will serve his time in San Mateo County jail, according to San Mateo County Superior Court records.The former pass rusher was arrested in December 2021 after the collision on an Interstate 280 off-ramp. The driver of the truck he hit suffered minor injuries.Smith, 33, initially pleaded not guilty to driving-under-the-influence but changed his plea to no contest in January after Judge Kevin Dunleavy offered a sentence of no more than 16 months in prison for the troubled former NFL player.Dunleavy in his order Friday went beyond the three years’ probation required by law and ordered five years of probation for Smith after he is released, court records show.California Highway Patrol officers had been c...