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Mark Gietzen, abortion foe who forced recount of Kansas vote, dies in plane crash at 69

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Mark Gietzen, a longtime conservative Republican and anti-abortion activist in Kansas who forced a recount of the state’s decisive vote affirming abortion rights last year has died in a plane crash. He was 69.The Kansas Republican Party said in a Facebook post that Gietzen, of Wichita, died Tuesday evening in Nebraska. He was flying a single-engine Cessna 172 Skyhawk when it crashed in a field near O’Neill, Nebraska, about 190 miles (306 kilometers) northwest of Omaha, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s crash log. Gietzen was the only person on board and the log said the plane crashed “in unknown circumstances.”Jim Howell, a county commissioner in Sedgwick County, Kansas, which includes Wichita, told The Wichita Eagle that Gietzen had flown to Nebraska to visit his mother. Gietzen grew up in the Bismarck, North Dakota, area and served in the U.S. Marines before coming to Kansas in the late 1970s to work for aircraft manufacturer...

Ex-division rivals Carolina, Florida set to clash in East final for a shot at he Stanley Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs facing challenges that made it unclear how long either might stick around.The former Southeast Division peers are still here, halfway to winning the Cup as they enter the Eastern Conference final in what could be a bruising series. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series starts Thursday at Carolina which is in its second conference final in five seasons. It is Florida’s first trip this far since 1996.The Panthers pushed their way into the postseason only to earn a date with Boston, which had just posted the greatest regular season in NHL history. The Hurricanes were facing injuries to key forwards that made a weakness exposed from past playoff stumbles even more acute.“It’s amazing, but it’s pretty hard right now to think about accomplishments to this point,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “We want to keep going. We want to keep playing and that’s what we’re thinking about.”...

Independent candidate poised to become first elected Black mayor of Colorado Springs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

DENVER (AP) — An independent mayoral candidate was poised Wednesday to defeat his Republican opponent to become the first elected Black mayor in the conservative city of Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second largest city. The apparent win in Tuesday’s run-off election by Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant, is the latest political setback for Republicans in a state that was once a battleground state.Mobolade moved to the city of nearly 485,000 residents known for its military bases and being a hub of evangelical Christianity to start a church just over a decade ago and went on to co-found a cafe and restaurant, according to his campaign website. He also worked in city government in posts promoting economic development and helping small businesses.At an election night party, Mobolade cast his victory as a win for those who are looking for something different in politics and those who have become disillusioned with the “great experiment” of the United States.“To anyone who d...

US beats Austria 4-1 for 4th straight win at ice hockey worlds, Canada eases past Kazakhstan 5-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The United States maintained a perfect record at the ice hockey world championship by beating Austria 4-1 on Wednesday for a fourth straight victory in the group stage.Lane Hutson and Nick Perbix contributed a goal and an assist each while Rocco Grimaldi and Carter Mazur also scored for the Americans, who moved four points clear atop Group A. Denmark is second with a game in hand, while Austria stayed on one point in seventh.Nick Bonino skated around the goal to feed the unmarked Grimaldi, who opened the scoring with a shot high into the net 7:16 minutes into the middle period at Nokia Arena.Captain Thomas Raffl equalized for the Austrians 10 minutes later but Mazur restored the U.S.’ lead after just 57 seconds, netting from the slot.Hutson doubled the advantage on a solo effort in the final period and Perbix finished it off into an empty net.In the Latvian capital of Riga, Canada eased past Kazakhstan 5-1 for its fourth straight win to move to the top of Gro...

Hill baffles Tigers for six innings as Pirates collect 8-0 victory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Rich Hill gave up one hit in six innings, Austin Hedges drove in three runs and the Pittsburgh Pirates rolled to an 8-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.The 43-year-old Hill (4-3), the oldest active player in the majors, allowed just Matt Vierling’s infield single and two walks while striking out seven. A trio of relievers completed the shutout as Pittsburgh won for just the third time in 15 games.Rodolfo Castro homered and knocked in two runs, while Bryan Reynolds contributed three hits and scored two runs.Tigers starter Eduardo Rodríguez, who had allowed just two runs in his previous six starts, gave up four runs and six hits in five innings.Detroit manager A.J. Hinch was ejected for the first time this season during the fourth inning. He was tossed by home plate umpire Nic Lentz for arguing balls and strikes.Hedges ended Rodríguez’s streak of 21 scoreless innings with a two-run double in the second, which glanced off the glove of the center ...

Angelina Jolie unveils fashion venture aimed at sustainability, assisting refugees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Angelina Jolie announced a new fashion venture Wednesday aimed at allowing customers to participate in the making of their own creations with master tailors, pattern makers and artisans around the world while keeping discarded fabric out of landfills.The actress, director, and former special envoy for the United Nations’ refugee agency said on Instagram and the new website of Atelier Jolie that the project will make use of deadstock fabric and vintage materials.“We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socio-economic background,” Jolie posted on the brand’s site. “We will spotlight the people who play a part in each creation. We will bring together a diverse team, including apprenticeships for refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill.”The project hopes to “help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their own businesses,” Jolie wro...

Banner plane crashes, bursts into flames near Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood; pilot dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

One person has died after a banner-towing plane crashed on a road adjacent to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and burst into flames.Video from 7Skyforce showed the aircraft flying low to the ground, at around 12:30 p.m., Wednesday.Moments later, the plane plummeted and crashed on South Park Road, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, and ignited. The aircraft, a yellow Piper PA-25 Pawnee that was headed toward the beach from North Perry Airport, was owned by Aerial Banners, Inc.In a distress call to air traffic control, the pilot reported encountering difficulties shortly after takeoff and expressed the need to release the banner being towed.“Yeah, I’m gonna have to drop this banner on this climate,” he said.Moments later, he made the decision to release the banner.“I’m at 400 [feet], I’ve got to drop this over a lake,” he said.But the pilot was unable to regain control of the aircraft and fell from the sky.In video captured by 7Skyforc...

Ex-division rivals Carolina and Florida clash in East final for a shot at the Stanley Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs facing challenges that made it unclear how long either might stick around.The former Southeast Division peers are still here, halfway to winning the Cup as they enter the Eastern Conference final in what could be a bruising series. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series starts Thursday at Carolina which is in its second conference final in five seasons. It is Florida’s first trip this far since 1996.The Panthers pushed their way into the postseason only to earn a date with Boston, which had just posted the greatest regular season in NHL history. The Hurricanes were facing injuries to key forwards that made a weakness exposed from past playoff stumbles even more acute.“It’s amazing, but it’s pretty hard right now to think about accomplishments to this point,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “We want to keep going. We want to keep playing and that’s what we’re thinking about.”...

Driver transported after SUV crashes into Pompano Beach home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

Rescue crews took a man to the hospital after his SUV careened into a Pompano Beach home.According to city officials, the driver swerved and lost control after he tried to avoid hitting a cat that was crossing the street in the area of Northwest First Court near 27th Avenue, late Wednesday morning. Live video footage showed the damage to the property’s fence and house. The impact busted a hole through a bedroom inside the structure.Police said no one inside the house was injured.Paramedics transported the driver to the hospital in unknown condition.

Prepping for Swifties: Locals, authorities in Foxboro prepare and brace for impact of Taylor Swift concerts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:04:50 GMT

The stage is nearly set at Gillette Stadium for Taylor Swift’s three performances this weekend, with thousands of Swifties expected to have a big impact on the area.All of the while, throughout the run of shows that start on Friday, authorities will be cracking down on who can get anywhere near the stadium.“Our goal is provide a safe and secure environment for everyone that goes to Gillette,” Foxboro Police Deputy Chief Richard Noonan said.It’s a departure from how things went down during the singer’s tour stop in Philadelphia last weekend, where some fans crowded the venue’s parking lot and set up lawn chairs instead of buying stadium tickets, leaving some “Bad Blood” with officials.It’s a workaround that won’t be an option in Foxboro, though, with a Kraft Sports and Entertainment spokesperson telling 7NEWS:“Guests will be required to show an event ticket to get into the parking lot and guests not holding a ticket wi...