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Wildfire risk: California insurance market rattled by companies' withdrawals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two insurance industry giants have pulled back from California's home insurance marketplace, saying that increasing wildfire risk and soaring construction costs have prompted them to stop writing new policies in the nation's most populous state.State Farm announced last week it would stop accepting applications for all business and personal lines of property and casualty insurance, citing inflation, a challenging reinsurance market and “rapidly growing catastrophe exposure.” The decision did not impact personal auto insurance.“We take seriously our responsibility to manage risk," State Farm said. “It’s necessary to take these actions now to improve the company’s financial strength.” Fire crews rescue driver from flooded road in Arvada Allstate, another insurance powerhouse, announced in November it would pause new homeowners, condo and commercial insurance policies in California to protect current customers. “The cost to insure new home customers in California i...

Discover summer’s newest fashion trends at Paraiso Miami Swim Week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

Got your summer “bod” ready and need some new swim look inspiration? Paraiso Miami Swim Week is the answer.This multiple-day fashion fair is going down at Collins Park in Miami Beach this weekend.And they’re ready to tropic like it’s hot.To kick off Miami Swim Week, Paraiso is ready to capture the summer vibes on the runway.Natalija Dedic Stojanovic: “I always like to call our event as a fashion festival. It has a lot of music involved. It’s a perfect mix of fashion week and Coachella.”The event previously closed to the public is now welcoming everyone.Natalija Dedic Stojanovic: “We have over twelve brands and twelve fashion shows throughout those 4 days. Some of them are still for the industry only but a lot of them are also open to the public. We get to engage everyone that loves summer lifestyle.”One tropic brand you’ll see is Azulu.Maya Memoviz: “We’re really happy to be here. We did a small show last year. ...

The last ‘celebronaut’ standing will prove the survival on new Fox show ‘Stars on Mars’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

If space is the final frontier, then Mars is for the stars. That’s the idea behind Fox’s new show, “Stars on Mars.”12 celebrities are competing among each other to prove they’ve got what it takes to survive and thrive on the red planet.Things are getting out of this world in Fox’s new competition series “Stars on Mars.”But before simulating a Martian life without necessities like wifi and personal assistants, Celebro-nauts like Ronda Rousey and Tinashe celebrated the show at “The Mars Bar” launch party pop-up in Hollywood.Ronda Rousey: “I’m kind of like a space nerd and it sounded like a space camp for adults.”Ronda Rousey: “When you watch the show you’ll see that I never miss a single Mars fact, I wanted to be a scientist before I became a fighter.”Tinashe: “The reason I want to go to space is just exploring something new, new territory, something like, I’m into tech, I’...

Miami Police search for missing 80-year-old woman

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

CORAL WAY, Fla. (WSVN)- Miami police seek the public’s help in their search for an 80-year-old named Milagros De Cardenas.She was reported missing from the Coral Way area. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs around 140 pounds, and was last seen wearing an orange sweater with a grey-black dress with flowers. Officials urge anyone with information please call 305-603-6300 or 305-579-6111.

MBTA Takes New Pass At Track Worker Safety Plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

The MBTA will pilot new “worker ahead” warnings on some of its subway tracks, revise its radio communications about employees on the rails, amend training for dispatchers and more after drawing federal scrutiny for a series of dangerous incidents. T officials on Monday submitted a revised work plan to the Federal Transit Administration, meeting the regulatory agency’s deadline for another pass at laying out immediate reforms that will mitigate risks that employees face while on the rail right-of-way. One of the main steps the T will take this summer is piloting a new signage program flagging when workers are ahead of trains in the Green Line’s central tunnel. In a letter to the FTA alongside the plan, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said officials selected that location because “a majority of the near miss incidents” that generated concerns “took place near Copley Station.” Several changes were already underway before the Monday deadline...

High school roundup: Michael Oates hits walk-off homer, lifts Xaverian to thrilling win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

In a Div. 1 baseball first-round contest, Michael Oates cranked a three-run, walk-off homer, lifting fifth-seeded Xaverian (14-7) to a 5-3 win over No. 26 Algonquin.Chris Costello earned his 100th career coaching win as No. 17 Walpole (13-8) defeated No. 16 Wachusett, 3-1. … Jack Ritchie scattered four hits in a complete-game effort as No. 9 Bridgewater-Raynham (17-4) beat No. 24 Bishop Feehan, 3-1. … Mason Lombard turned in six innings of shutout work, allowing three singles while racking up nine strikeouts as No. 7 BC High (13-8) punched its ticket to the Round of 16 with a 5-0 victory over No. 26 Barnstable.In the first round of the Div. 2 tournament, Evan Yakavonis fired five innings of shutout ball for the win, surrendering just three hits while striking out eight to guide No. 5 Whitman-Hanson (17-4) to an 11-0 blanking of No. 28 Burlington. … Jacob Shirley tossed a one-hitter as No. 11 Masconomet (16-5) defeated No. 22 Woburn, 2-0. … D.C. Brown fanned nine, while allowing two ...

10-page plan rolled out by MBTA on track safety

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

The MBTA will focus on nine ways to improve track safety for employees over the next 60 days, according to a revised work plan the beleaguered agency submitted to federal officials on Monday.The 10-page plan, shared with the Herald following a public records request, puts the emphasis on enhancing communication to alert dispatchers and train operators of when and where employees will be working on the right-of-way, and providing ways for dispatchers in the operators’ control center to track worker locations.It outlines ways to tighten up training for all employees involved in work that requires right-of-way access, from those performing track construction to personnel acting as flaggers who warn of oncoming trains, to those managing this activity in the operations control center, according to the plan.“We share the goal of managing risk involving right-of-way activities, with a specific focus on reducing both the frequency and severity of incidents,” MBTA General Manager Phill...

Ancient and Honorable

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

As they have for nearly four centuries, the members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts marched to the Common in a June tradition.The third oldest chartered military organization in the world, this year’s change of command was the Artillery Company’s 385th.Founded in 1638, the Company has left its headquarters at Faneuil Hall and marched to Common on the first Monday of every June since.Once there, the organization forms rank on the Carty Parade Ground and awaits inspection by the governor — this time Gov. Maura Healey who was greeted with the booming report of three howitzers operated by the Massachusetts National Guard’s 101st Field Artillery Group.Captain Commanding Thomas Goodfellow resigned his commission as commander of the Artillery Monday, handing the command staff to Captain Timothy Haraden, who was elected to his position by members of the Company.Members of the Aleppo Minutemen fire their muskets during the time-honored ...

Frustrations boil over for Alex Cora in series finale loss to Rays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

After nearly a week in Boston, the Tampa Bay Rays departed on Monday evening, finally bringing an end to a frustrating series for the home team.Baseball’s winningest team arrived last Wednesday night, enjoyed a day off on Thursday and were rained out on Friday before finally beginning their four-game set against the American League East’s last-place Red Sox.To paraphrase Bill Hader’s iconic “Saturday Night Live” character Stefon, this series had everything: a heartbreaking injured list stint for Chris Sale (left shoulder inflammation), the club’s first scheduled doubleheader since 1978, a slew of defensive blunders, a surprising roster move, and an ejection.But most of all, it was a long weekend of countless brutal reminders that whether they scrimp or spend, this team still keeps landing at the bottom of the standings, craning up at a frugal-but-ferocious Florida team.The Rays were already the only team in baseball with 40 wins when they came to ...

Federal monitor: Too many people in NYC are stopped, searched and frisked illegally

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s reliance on the tactic known as “stop and frisk” as part of a new initiative to combat gun violence is harming communities of color and running afoul of the law, a court-appointed federal monitor reported Monday.Monitor Mylan Denerstein said the NYPD ‘s Neighborhood Safety Teams — special units deployed in the past 14 months to seize guns in high-crime areas — were engaging in “unconstitutional policing” by stopping and frisking too many people without justification.In one police precinct, Denerstein said, only 41 percent of stops, 32 percent of frisks and 26 percent of searches were lawful.The Neighborhood Safety Teams, a replacement for the anti-crime units that the NYPD disbanded in 2021, operate in 34 areas that account for 80% of the city’s violent crime — largely communities of color. Of the people the teams have stopped, Denerstein said, 97% are Black or Hispanic.A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said city officials “have se...