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Bargain-hunting Uruguayans are flocking to Argentina as its peso slides. Back home, shops struggle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

GUALEGUAYCHÚ, Argentina (AP) — On a recent cross-border shopping trip, four friends from Fray Bentos, Uruguay, visited the nearby Argentine city of Gualeguaychu, where they could afford to live lavishly and snap up eye-popping bargains.Thanks to a huge disparity in the two South American countries’ currencies, Stella Ferreira and a friend treated themselves to a low-cost pampering at a hair salon, while two other friends hunted around for stylish but inexpensive pants.With its economy faltering, Argentina’s peso has plunged against the U.S. dollar and its annual inflation is 115.6%, one of the highest rates in the world. In contrast, Uruguay’s economy is more stable, with low inflation and a stronger currency. The result has been a huge flow of shoppers from Uruguay throwing an economic lifeline to struggling Argentine stores and restaurants in cities like Gualeguaychú, Concordia and Colón. But there’s a downside for Uruguayan businesses along the border: In the provinces of S...

Vermont starts long road to recovery from historic floods, helped by army of volunteers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

The Marshfield Village Store, which sits at the junction of two country highways in a tiny Vermont town, has become a little bit of everything in recent days as residents struggle to recover from historic floods that battered the state.First the shop in Marshfield, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) east of the state’s biggest city, Burlington, served as a shelter for about three dozen people. By Friday it was a distribution center for much-needed fresh water and a go-to for supplies. “We’re about to start putting it out more formally, if there are other folks who haven’t been able to get the support that they need yet, so that we can get equipment and volunteers to them, emergency medication, work on their properties, that’s where we’re at right now,” said Michelle Eddleman McCormick, the store’s general manager.Storms dumped up to two months’ worth of rain in a couple of days in parts of the region earlier this week, surpassing the amount that fell when Tropical Storm Irene blew throu...

The show must go on! Matilda shines even in the heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

Temperatures are heating up in Central Texas and they aren't going away anytime soon."It said it was 110, when I was driving in," said a man working on the stage at Zilker Hillside Theatre.With afternoon temperatures being so high the lows aren't dropping as much as many of us would like.  "Temperatures haven't been falling below 100 degrees in Austin this week until 8 or 8:30 p.m. which is pretty extraordinary," said KXAN Meteorologist David Yeomans. "Typically, this time of year our high is 96, 97 degrees that means it could be in the upper 80's when the sun goes down, this is 10 or 12 degrees hotter than that."The heat isn’t stopping people from enjoying some of their favorite activities though, as it was packed at Matilda, which is being put on by Zilker Theatre Productions."Even with the heat, a small crowd will get 1000 to 1500,” said David Ponton.  “Big nights we are talking 3500."David Ponton is the Executive director of  Zilker Theatre Productions, he says a ...

Flood risks, power outages follow Friday's severe storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A flood advisory will stretch into the overnight hours for some around the St. Louis region, and tens of thousands are without power after Friday's storms. The latest severe storm brought lightning, heavy rain and damaging winds around the region. Heavy rainfall also led to some scattered flooding in north St. Louis County, St. Charles County and the Metro East.As flood advisories still persist, there could be potentially some serious risks to streets and property. If a flood warning is issued in your area, find an area where you can move to higher ground immediately. Ameren reports around 30,000 people are without power in Missouri and Illinois after Friday’s round of storms. St. Louis radar: See a map of current weather here Per Ameren's county breakdown, around this many customers are dealing with power outages as of 11 p.m. Friday...Customers without power in MissouriSt. Charles – 100St. Louis County – 20,000St. Louis City – 1,000Jefferson – 1,200C...

Man faces life in prison for killing 3 teens after doorbell prank in Riverside County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

A man who killed three teenage boys in Riverside County after they played a doorbell-ringing prank on him in 2020 was sentenced to life in prison on Friday.Anurag Chandra, 45, from Corona, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after he was convicted by a jury in April of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.The deadly crash happened on Jan. 19, 2020, as six teenage boys were having a sleepover that night. One of the boys was given a dare to approach Chandra’s home on Modjeska Summit Road.After ringing Chandra’s doorbell, the teens quickly drove away in a 2002 Toyota Prius.Chandra chased down the six teens in his 2019 Infinity Q50 and eventually caught up with them on Temescal Canyon Road near Squaw Mountain Road.Chandra rear-ended and sideswiped their vehicle until they were forced off the road before slamming into a tree. Chandra had reached speeds of 99 miles per hour...

California foster youth can now attend college for free

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

Foster youth across California will now be able to attend college, free of charge, after new legislation, SB 307, was signed into the state budget Monday. The new Fostering Futures program will cover the entire cost for foster youth to attend a University of California, California State or California community college.93% of foster youth in California want to attend college, but only 4% will attend and graduate with a degree. In addition, foster youth are directly impacted, more than other youth, by significant increases in cost of living, which further impedes their ability to go to college. (Getty Images)An expansion of the existing Middle Class Scholarship, MCS, program, the Fostering Futures program will cover college tuition for foster youth in addition to other costs including books, food and lodging. Officials say the program serves to both increase the likelihood that foster youth can reach their educational goals and also better prepare them to enter the next stage of their...

Orange County doctor sentenced to nearly 3 years for accepting illegal surgery payments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

Orthopedic surgeon David Payne, 66, of Irvine was sentenced to 33 months in prison for accepting more than $315,000 in illegal payments, bribes, and kickbacks for performing spinal surgeries at a corrupt Long Beach hospital that has been shut down. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and to surrender the $316, 597 he received in illegal payments. Payne was convicted on March 3 of conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, and use of an interstate facility in aid of bribery.The owner of the Long Beach Pacific Hospital, Michael Drobot, conspired with Payne and other doctors, chiropractors, and marketers to pay kickbacks and bribes in return for patient referrals to the hospital for spinal surgeries and other medical services. Drobot paid Payne up to $15,000 for each spinal surgery that he performed at the hospital. They allegedly covered up the bribes by disguising the payments as marketing services and fees. In the final years of the scheme, it garnered more than $500 million...

Oakland: 8-year-old boy shot during I-580 gun battle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

OAKLAND — An 8-year-old boy was shot during a freeway gun battle Friday night in Oakland, authorities said.The shooting happened around 6:20 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 580 at Harrison Street, said CHP Officer Andrew Barclay. Witnesses reported seeing the occupants of two cars shooting at each other.A third vehicle was caught in the crossfire and an 8-year-old passenger was shot at least once, Barclay said.The driver pulled over at Grand Avenue, determined the boy had been shot and took him to Highland Hospital, Barclay said. The boy’s condition was not known Friday.The suspects continued driving, Barclay said. A description of them and their vehicles was not immediately available.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Man shot in West Oakland on Thursday night Crime and Public Safety | Two more FCI Dublin correctional officers charged in burgeoning sexual abuse scandal Crime and Public Safety | Photos: Oakland police host CommUNITY Tou...

DC-area storm damage keeps lights off, trains stopped across region

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

Despite the withering impact of storms across the District, Maryland and Virginia, officials are still seeing serious impacts on traffic and power for consumers across the region. Here’s the latest.Amtrack train are stopped in Virginia for over four hours, passengers tell WTOP.Storm damage response continues in the D.C. metro area.Over 7,000 were without power in portions of Northern Virginia and D.C.’s Maryland suburbs.Local airports report hundreds of flight delays and cancellations amid storms.Officials report ongoing cleanup after significant damage from Friday night storms tore a roof off a District building, downed several trees and powerlines in Prince George’s and Montgomery County, Maryland, and even pushed hail into northern Virginia.While the winds and rains have calmed, and most of the region isn’t being pelted by rain, impacts on local commuters and families continue to be felt.Amtrak riders are seeing continuing impacts from damaging winds and r...

Ionescu hits 20 straight shots for a record 37 points to win the 3-point contest; Aces win skills

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:01 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu electrified the crowd Friday by hitting 20 straight shots and scoring a record 37 of a possible 40 points to win the 3-point shooting contest at the WNBA All-Star Game in a performance that will be incredibly difficult to match.She made 25 of 27 shots to break the event record for the WNBA and NBA — and nearly meeting her own high standards.“Shouldn’t have missed two,” Ionescu said. “It was the final round. I had just lost in the skills. I wasn’t going to lose again.”The Las Vegas Aces’ team of Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum won the skills competition with a time of 44.3 seconds in the final round, easily beating the 58.0 put up by the Ionescu and Liberty teammate Courtney Vandersloot.In the 3-point contest, Ionescu beat the Seattle Storm’s Sami Whitcomb and the Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale in the final. Whitcomb had 24 points and Ogunbowale 11.“I knew they were going in,” Ionescu said. “I was telling my...