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License Plate Surveillance, Courtesy of Your Homeowners Association

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

At a city council meeting in June 2021, Mayor Thomas Kilgore, of Lakeway, Texas, made an announcement that confused his community.“I believe it is my duty to inform you that a surveillance system has been installed in the city of Lakeway,” he told the perplexed crowd.Kilgore was referring to a system consisting of eight license plate readers, installed by the private company Flock Safety, that was tracking cars on both private and public roads. Despite being in place for six months, no one had told residents that they were being watched. Kilgore himself had just recently learned of the cameras.“We find ourselves with a surveillance system,” he said, “with no information and no policies, procedures, or protections.”The deal to install the cameras had not been approved by the city government’s executive branch.Instead, the Rough Hollow Homeowners Association, a nongovernment entity, and the Lakeway police chief had signed off on the deal in January 2021, giving police access to reside...

Lab-grown chicken is one step closer to being sold in the US

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

Americans are one step closer to being able to buy chicken grown from animal cells, also known as lab-grown meat.Good Meat, the developer of such a chicken product, announced Tuesday that it has received a so-called “no questions” letter from the Food and Drug Administration. That letter states that the administration is satisfied that the product is safe to sell in the United States. The FDA issued a similar letter to another company that makes meat from cultured chicken cells, Upside Foods, in November.That’s a big step, but it doesn’t mean shoppers will be able to try the product just yet. To get the green light to sell to consumers, both companies need the go-ahead from the US Department of Agriculture.The FDA’s letter “clears a crucial step in bringing Good Meat to restaurants and retail in the US,” Good Meat said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it “is now working with the US Department of Agriculture on necessary approvals.&#...

Portugal back with Martínez as coach, Ronaldo in the squad

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

It’s a new era for Portugal as it begins European Championship qualifying under a new coach and with Cristiano Ronaldo far away from soccer’s biggest stadiums.Portugal starts its Euro 2024 qualifying campaign at home against Liechtenstein in Group J on Thursday, with Roberto Martínez debuting as coach and Ronaldo still in the squad.It will be Ronaldo’s first appearance with Portugal since leaving Europe for Saudi club Al Nassr after a mostly disappointing stint with Manchester United. He is set to break the all-time record of appearances with a national team after tying Bader Al-Mutawa’s mark of 196 outings for Kuwait during last year’s World Cup.Martínez is taking over Fernando Santos, who quit in December after Portugal’s elimination by Morocco in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Santos left amid the controversy of benching Ronaldo in the knockout stage of the tournament in Qatar.Santos was in charge of Portugal for eight years, leading the national team to the Euro 2016 ...

Va. Rep. Don Beyer returns to school more than 50 years after college graduation

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

For Northern Virginia Congressman Don Beyer, it’s never too late to go back to school. At 72 years old, Beyer — who represents Arlington, Alexandria City, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County — is a part-time student at George Mason University.“I’m pursuing a graduate degree in computer science with emphasis on machine learning, and according to George Mason University, that’s the closest to quote unquote artificial intelligence,” said Beyer, a 1972 graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts.More Government NewsMore Congress NewsMore Local NewsHe said that he’s always loved learning and that many family and friends have graduate degrees.“So, in some ways, I’m just catching up at the age of 72,” Beyer said.His area of study is no cakewalk, and before tackling some computer science classes in the fall, he’s deep into building some required credits.“It turned out I needed about seven prerequisites, things I hadn&#...

Super seniors lead the way into March Madness Sweet 16

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

Jerome Tang took his time finding the right players to fit into the program he wanted to build at Kansas State.They meshed just right, taking Tang and the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 in a season that started with them being picked to finish last in the Big 12.Four have been downright super.Anchored by fifth-year seniors Markquis Nowell, Desi Sills, Tykei Greene and Abayomi Iyiola, Kansas State is heading from the Little Apple to the Big Apple to face Michigan State at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.“To have guys who have 100 college games under their belt, there are just certain things that you pick up that it doesn’t matter how talented you are that you can’t gain it except through experience,” Tang said.Super seniors have had a huge impact on the teams that have made it this far in March Madness.Nine of the 16 remaining teams have players in fifth seasons granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic. They bring experience, leadership and presence with them on these deep runs into the b...

DC man receives prison time for threatening texts, sending images of his girlfriend

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

A 19-year-old man is facing more than two years in prison for threatening his girlfriend and sharing images of her. Prosecutors said his case serves as a lesson for teens across the region.Threatening someone, nefariously using their image and manipulating them to gain control are all markers of an abusive relationship, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.More DC NewsMore Crime NewsThose actions led a judge to sentence the 19-year-old from D.C. to two and a half years in prison. While the unnamed man and his girlfriend were 17 years old at the time, prosecutors said he threatened to kill her before killing himself in a series of texts, saying if he couldn’t have her, no one could.The teen also sent sexually explicit videos of the girl to her mom, her co-worker and her friend in an act of revenge porn, prosecutors said.“As a result of the defendant’s threats, the 17-year-old’s family obtained a civil protection order against the defendant. Despite thi...

AP PHOTOS: Marseille carnival melds resistance with revelry

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

MARSEILLE, France (AP) — On a sunny afternoon in the center of Marseille in southern France, traffic was stopped as the sound of drumming and a swarm of rollicking beasts filled the streets.The city’s unofficial yet infamous Carnaval de la Plaine had arrived — right on the precipice of a week filled with violent protests and discontent over French President Emmanuel Macron’s move to force through an unpopular bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.Organized by neighborhood residents, the independent carnival is rooted in the local community’s activism against gentrification and all forms of oppression. Residents of this ancient and diverse Mediterranean city take to the streets in the most wacky and elaborate costumes they can come up with, and exercise free rein to throw flour at anyone not in the know — or brave enough to show up in normal clothes.Most editions in recent memory end with riot police dispersing the feisty crowd with tear gas, making police interve...

Denver paramedic struck by drunk driver, saved by co-workers

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A Denver Health paramedic is recovering after being hit by a drunk driver last week while biking home in Denver. As a paramedic, Jacob Oldefest drives and rides the streets of Denver every day.  “The last four years I’ve been able to help so many people and be a part of saving so many lives, helping so many folks,” Oldefest said. He usually bikes to and from work. “I’ve been bicycle commuting for four years and been having a great time,” Oldefest said. Wednesday night, things took a turn for the worse.  Pueblo mom shot twice, survived attempted carjacking “I remember seeing her windshield and being on the ground," Oldefest said. A drunk driver plowed into Oldefest at the corner of Colfax and Sherman, taking off and leaving him with a broken femur, lacerated kidney and liver, a hematoma and lots of scrapes and bruises.  “You always want to go over the car, never under the car,” Oldefest said. "So apparently I stood up on my pedals and t...

World Baseball Classic final: Japan wins third title with 3-2 victory over Team USA

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

(CNN) — Japan won the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night, downing Team USA 3-2 in the championship game at loanDepot Park in Miami.The game ended in dramatic fashion with Japan’s Shohei Ohtani striking out his MLB teammate Mike Trout with a full-count slider to seal Japan’s third title. Ohtani, who batted .435 and pitched to a 1.86 ERA, was also named the tournament’s most valuable player.Ohtani pitching to Trout was something special — not only will the pair go down alongside baseball’s all-time greats, but they are also Los Angeles Angels teammates.“It was the greatest situation facing the greatest hitter, so it was great,” Ohtani told ESPN.The 28-year-old added: “I’ve seen Japan winning, and I just wanted to be part of it,” when speaking to MLB.“I really appreciate that I was able to have the great experience. As I say, the next generation, the kids who are playing...

Chillier Coast

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:28:38 GMT

What a day we had for ourselves yesterday as temps pushed to near 60 and sunshine kept it nice and dry. Today, we’ll keep the dry trend going, but more mid to high level clouds mix in. Additionally, the biggest difference today will be the onshore wind at the coast that’ll keep it chillier across far eastern Massachusetts. Inland, temps rival yesterday’s highs and the numbers drift up to near 60 degrees. Tomorrow is milder at the coast as most locations warm to 55-60. It’ll be a bit unsettled at times with scattered showers and a gusty winds. While we don’t get a lot of rain, it’ll be enough to keep the umbrella handy and expect some slow downs and puddles on the road from time to time. Rain totals generally run near or under 0.25″. Friday will be dry before Saturday afternoon and Saturday night turn cold and wet. We’ll likely see a mixed bag of precip across the northern Worcester Hills as sleet and snow mixed in. Across Ski Country, ...