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World's largest cruise ship almost ready to start sailing from Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, successfully completed its initial round of sea trials and sailed the open ocean for the first time.The massive 1,198-foot ship is almost ready to start sailing from Florida early next year. DuPage County shelter waiving adoption fees for large dogs due to overcrowding crisis The ship returned to the Meyer Turku, Finland shipyard, where it's under construction.Later this year, the ship will be pushed to its limits in a second round of sea trials, Royal Caribbean said.(Royal Caribbean)(Royal Caribbean)(Royal Caribbean)In addition to 18 guest decks and 2,805 staterooms, the ship features the largest water park at sea — with six record-breaking waterslides and seven pools. The ship's Frightening Bolt will be the tallest waterslide to sail and Pressure Drop will be the first open freefall waterslide on a cruise.The ship is equipped to hold a maximum of 7,600 guests, according ...

Biden: Expanding Supreme Court would 'politicize it maybe forever'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

President Biden expressed his opposition Thursday to expanding the Supreme Court in the wake of its latest controversial decision, warning that it would risk further politicizing the institution.Biden, in an interview with MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace, was asked if the 6-3 conservative majority on the high court is “too young and too conservative” and could do too much harm to the country with its rulings.“I think they may do too much harm,” Biden said. “But I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, we’re going to politicize it maybe forever in a way that’s not healthy.”“Maybe it’s just the optimist in me — I think that some of the court are beginning to realize their legitimacy is being questioned in ways that it hadn’t been questioned in the past,” Biden added, suggesting Chief Justice John Roberts is among those weighing that.The White House previously indicated that Biden was opposed to expanding the Supreme Court in the wake of its ruling in June 2022 that overt...

Expect more crowds on Lake Austin, LBJ after Lake Travis ramp closes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — Summer is here and people are hitting the lakes and rivers across Central Texas, but on holiday weekends these popular spots can get even more crowded.Law enforcement agencies who patrol the Highland Lakes are gearing up for the 4th of July weekend, but they are also expecting even more crowds with the Mansfield Dam boat ramp closing.”When the levels in other lakes drop we do see somewhat of an increase from people going from the lakes that don’t have that much water to the ones that do,” said Cody Hatfield chief game warden with Texas Parks and Wildlife.Hatfield said they will have three to six boats patrolling Lake LBJ for 4th of July weekend. Texas Parks and Wildlife officers will be partnering with local agencies as well. Lake Travis boat ramp to close due to low water levels; only one to remain open for now ”I’ve got every single game warden in my district and they will be patrolling the Highland Lakes,” Hatfield said.On  Lake Austin officers...

Noah Feldman: The Supreme Court just stood up for electoral democracy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court firmly rejected the so-called independent state legislature theory. This bizarre theory would have allowed renegade legislators to violate their state constitutions in setting rules for federal elections — allowing them to hijack elections for U.S. Congress and even the presidency.The ruling was therefore a vote to protect the democratic process. That’s one of the Supreme Court’s most important jobs. It’s hard to overstate how important it is that this court is prepared to fulfill that duty.The decision in the case, Moore v. Harper, was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. It was joined not only by the court’s three liberals but also by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. That too is significant. By joining the opinion, Kavanaugh and Barrett showed that, notwithstanding their undoubted conservatism, they are not going to be radical revolutionaries when it comes to the basic structure of democratic ...

Son of Wild coach Darby Hendrickson selected by Bruins in 2023 NHL Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Beckett Hendrickson was getting antsy at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday. He had already watched a number of his teammates from the United States National Team Development Program get selected in the 2023 NHL Draft and he was ready for his named to be called.As time progressed, Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson sat alongside his son in the stands and tried to provide some words of wisdom.Finally, late in the fourth round, with the Boston Bruins on the clock, Becket heard his name. The family rose to their feet to celebrate and Darby rushed over to his son.“You just want to give him a hug,” Darby said. “You’re just happy for him.”This moment has been a long time coming for Beckett. He grew up around the Wild because of his dad, interacting with the likes of longtime captain Mikko Koivu as a kid and then trying to model his game after skilled winger Matt Boldy as he got older.“He’s always loved the Wild,” Darby said. R...

Southern California heat wave arrives for July 4 weekend, could bring triple digit temps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

After months of overcast and unseasonable weather across Southern California, a massive heat wave is arriving this weekend just in time for the Fourth of July holiday.Much of the greater Los Angeles area will begin heating up Friday, with the interior valleys and desert communities feeling the strongest levels of heat. Click here for the latest local weather alerts Excessive heat warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service in Los Angeles for the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley this weekend. A heat advisory will go into effect in the Los Angeles area mountains. KTLA meteorologist Vera Jimenez said Thursday was a day of transition from low pressure to high pressure, and typically high temperatures don't really "kick in" until a day after that transition."But today, even our interior sections, our temperatures rise well above average," Jimenez said.The National Weather Service in San Diego issued a heat advisory for the whole of the Inland Empire, in addition ...

Sale closed in Los Gatos: $2.8 million for a two-bedroom home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

16891 Spencer Avenue – Google Street ViewThe spacious historic property located in the 16800 block of Spencer Avenue in Los Gatos was sold on June 15, 2023. The $2,800,000 purchase price works out to $1,302 per square foot. The house, built in 1925, has an interior space of 2,150 square feet. The property features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces. It sits on a 6,750-square-foot lot, which also has a pool.These nearby houses have also recently been purchased:On Marchmont Drive, Los Gatos, in March 2023, a 4,404-square-foot home was sold for $4,631,000, a price per square foot of $1,052. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In June 2023, a 3,533-square-foot home on Littlefield Lane in Los Gatos sold for $5,100,000, a price per square foot of $1,444. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 4,517-square-foot home on the 16400 block of Englewood Avenue in Los Gatos sold in April 2023, for $5,400,000, a price per square foot of $1,195. The home has 6 bedr...

Bay Area heat wave: Places to cool down in Santa Clara County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

Cooling centers are opening across Santa Clara County with weekend temperatures in inland parts of the Bay Area expected to soar into the upper 90s or even triple digits, officials said.The incoming heat wave, expected to last through the weekend, prompted the National Weather Service on Thursday to issue a heat advisory for the entire region.Santa Clara County is opening cooling centers at local libraries, parks and recreation grounds in San Jose, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Gilroy and Saratoga.Outreach workers plan to make extra visits to homeless encampments in need of additional water and other resources, county officials said.“We strongly encourage everyone to use the County Libraries and other cooling centers during these sweltering conditions,” Kathryn Kaminski, a county housing official, said in a release.Find your nearest cooling center at www.preparescc.org/heatsafety or a list of San Jose’s libraries at www.sjpl.org...

Winn shoves in first career start, but SF Giants silenced in second straight loss to Blue Jays

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

TORONTO — It was just over a year ago, last June 23, that Keaton Winn made his final start at Single-A San Jose, returning from a two-year absence caused by a pandemic and major elbow surgery. When the Giants won their last World Series, Winn was merely a teenager in Ollie, Iowa: population 200.On Thursday, the Giants reached the midpoint of their season, and Winn made his first major-league start in front of 27,761 fans, in North America’s most diverse metropolis.Despite a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays, dropping their first series since the second weekend of June, the Giants (45-36) completed their first 81 games in better position than they were last season, when they sputtered into the halfway point at 41-41 with their eighth loss in nine games (and only worse to come). And with six strong innings of work from Winn, they may have found a starter who can help their prospects the rest of the way.Mixing his devastating splitter (52% of his pitches) with a high-90s heater, the 25-y...

A’s offense avoids another no-no, but NY Yankees’ big inning sends Oakland to 10-4 loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:18:46 GMT

OAKLAND — Tony Kemp ended the threat of the A’s being no-hit for the second straight game when he singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning. But less than 24 hours after the Yankees’ Domingo Germán pitched the 24th perfect game in MLB history, the A’s imperfections cost them a chance at winning the series against New York.The Yankees scored eight times in the sixth inning — including the second homer of the series by former A’s All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson — to hand the A’s a 10-4 loss before an announced crowd of 14,718 on Thursday afternoon at the Coliseum.The A’s finished with eight hits and executed all the fundamentals early: stolen bases, sacrifice flies, and hitting with runners in scoring position. Even center fielder Esteury Ruiz losing his glove over the outfield wall after making a leaping grab to momentarily rob Isaish Kiner-Falefa of a second-inning home run appeared to signal this might be the A’s ...