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In New York City, scuba divers’ passion for the sport becomes a mission to collect undersea litter

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — On a recent Sunday afternoon, the divers arrived on a thin strip of sand at the furthest, watery edge of New York City. Oxygen tanks strapped to their backs, they waded into the sea and descended into an environment far different from their usual terrestrial surroundings of concrete, traffic and trash-strewn sidewalks.Horseshoe crabs and other crustaceans crawl on a seabed encrusted with barnacles and colonies of coral. Spiny-finned sea robin, blackfish and wayward angelfish swim in the murky ocean tinted green by sheets of algae.Not all is pretty. Plastic bottles, candy wrappers and miles and miles of fishing line drift with the tides, endangering sea life.The undersea litter isn’t always visible from the shore. But it has long been a concern of Nicole Zelek, a diving instructor who four years ago launched monthly cleanups at this small cove in the community of Far Rockaway, where New York City meets the Atlantic Ocean, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) south of ...

Who is Arthur Engoron? Judge weighing future of Donald Trump empire is Ivy League-educated ex-cabbie

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — He’s driven a taxi cab, played in a band and protested the Vietnam War. As a New York City judge, Arthur Engoron has resolved hundreds of disputes, deciding everything from zoning and free speech issues to a custody fight over a dog named “Stevie.”Now, in the twilight of a distinguished two-decade career on the bench, the erudite, Ivy League-educated judge is presiding over his biggest case yet: deciding the future of former President Donald Trump’s real estate empire.Last week, Engoron ruled that Trump committed years of fraud by exaggerating his wealth and the value of assets on financial statements he used to get loans and make deals. As punishment, the judge said he would dissolve some of Trump’s companies — a decision that could cause him to lose control of marquee New York properties, like Trump Tower.Starting Monday, Engoron will preside over a non-jury trial in Manhattan to resolve remaining claims in New York Attorney General Letitia James’...

A fight over precious groundwater in a rural California town is rooted in carrots

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

NEW CUYAMA, Calif. (AP) — In the hills of a dry, remote patch of California farm country, Lee Harrington carefully monitors the drips moistening his pistachio trees to ensure they’re not wasting any of the groundwater at the heart of a vicious fight.He is one of scores of farmers, ranchers and others living near the tiny town of New Cuyama who have been hauled into court by a lawsuit filed by two of the nation’s biggest carrot growers, Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms, over the right to pump groundwater. The move has saddled residents in the community 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles with mounting legal bills and prompted them to post large signs along the roadway calling on others to boycott carrots and “Stand with Cuyama.”“It’s just literally mind-boggling where they’re farming,” Harrington said, adding that his legal fees exceed $50,000. “They want our water. They didn’t want the state telling them how much water they can pump.”The battle playing out in...

Ukraine aid left out of government funding package, raising questions about future US support

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they won’t give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded President Joe Biden’s request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation.Still, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers.Then, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. In doing so, he closed the door on a Senate pack...

2 elderly men missing after reportedly falling into Lancaster aqueduct

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

Authorities are searching for two elderly men believed to have fallen into an aqueduct while fishing in Lancaster.The missing men were identified as Minas Khacheryan, 86, and his brother Grigor Khacheryan, 78, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.The men were last seen on Friday at around 8 a.m. on the 1000 block of East Chevy Chase Drive in Glendale.They headed over to the California Aqueduct in Lancaster to fish when they reportedly fell into the water, authorities said.On Saturday, divers from the LASD’s High-Risk Tactical/Rescue Team made their way into the aqueduct to begin searching for the missing men. The brothers have not yet been found.Divers from LASD’s High-Risk Tactical/Rescue Team searched a Lancaster aqueduct on Sept. 30, 2023, after two elderly men reportedly fell into the waters while fishing. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)Minas is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, with gray balding hair, blue eyes and a goatee. H...

Orange County doctor allegedly stole $150 million from federal COVID healthcare program

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

An Orange County doctor was charged with defrauding around $150 million from a federal program providing COVID-19 health services to uninsured patients.Anthony Hao Dinh, 64, from Newport Coast operated clinics in Westminster and Garden Grove. He is a licensed doctor of osteopathy who was an ear, nose and throat specialist, as well as a facial plastic surgeon, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.Dinh allegedly stole millions of dollars by submitting claims for reimbursement under the Health Resources and Services Administration’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides claims reimbursement to healthcare providers for testing, treating or administering vaccines to uninsured patients for COVID.From July 2020 to March 2021, Dinh allegedly submitted false claims for treating patients who were already insured, services not actually rendered, and services that were not medically necessary, officials said.“As a result of these false and fraud...

San Jose Sharks’ first round pick strengthens case to crack NHL roster out of camp

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

SAN JOSE – William Eklund hasn’t been shy about saying he wants to be on the San Jose Sharks’ roster for the regular season opener, now less than two weeks away.Eklund made a case for himself Saturday night, maybe his best of training camp so far, as he got a chance to kill penalties and be on the power play in what became a 2-1 overtime preseason loss to the Los Angeles Kings at SAP Center.Ekiund had 13:13 of ice time through two periods, third-most among the forward group, and finished with four shots on net. He moved well throughout the night and was perhaps more noticeable than he had been in his one prior exhibition game.“He’s done some good things at camp for sure,” Sharks coach David Quinn said of Eklund before Saturday’s game. “I thought (Friday’s) practice was a good practice for him. … So just continue to improve and play with that pace and tenacity he’s played with, which complements his skill. That’s why I’m so high on him because of the pace and his co...

Newsom rejects bill to give unemployment checks to striking workers

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

By ADAM BEAM (Associated Press)SACRAMENTO — California won’t be giving unemployment checks to workers on strike, with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoing a bill Saturday that had been inspired by high-profile work stoppages in Hollywood and the hotel industry.Newsom, a Democrat, says he supports workers and often benefits from campaign contributions from labor unions. But he said he vetoed this bill because the fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits will be nearly $20 billion in debt by the end of the year.“Now is not the time to increase costs or incur this sizable debt,” Newsom wrote in a veto message.The fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits is already more than $18 billion in debt. That’s because the fund ran out of money and had to borrow from the federal government during the pandemic, when Newsom ordered most businesses to close and caused a massive spike in unemployment. The fund was also beset by massive amounts of fraud that cost the state billions of...

Stefan Frei ties MLS lead with 12 shutouts and Sounders play Nashville to scoreless draw

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Stefan Frei made one save to help tie the MLS lead with 12 shutouts and the Seattle Sounders played Nashville to a scoreless draw on Saturday night.Seattle (12-9-10) is unbeaten in six straight regular-season matches, with four draws, for the first time in over two years. Nashville (12-9-9) had won each of its first two meetings with Seattle, each by a 1-0 scoreline, during the 2022 season. Joe Willis made three saves for his ninth shutout of the season for Nashville.Nashville has lost only one of its last 11 regular-season home matches, with six wins and four draws, dating to the beginning of April. Since joining the MLS in 2020, Nashville has lost just nine home matches.The teams take to the field again Wednesday, with Nashville hosting Orlando City while the Sounders host the LA Galaxy.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Shea Langeliers’ 8th-inning homer sends A’s past Angels 7-3 after Joe Boyle’s no-hit bid broken up

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:14:27 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Even with a two-run deficit in the eighth inning of the 161st game of a 111-loss season, the Oakland Athletics were still fighting.Their manager loved to see that unceasing fire stay lit in an awfully dark year.Shea Langeliers hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the A’s five-run eighth inning, leading Oakland to a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.Zack Gelof homered and added two late RBI singles for the A’s, who earned their fourth victory in 16 games on the penultimate day of their franchise’s worst season since 1916.Oakland could have been crushed after Joe Boyle’s no-hit bid ended with LA’s three-run rally in the seventh, but nobody gave up.“These guys have competed, and they’ve gotten better,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight showed … in Game 161, going behind, the grit, the grind, the fight that’s in that room, the belief. These young players are starting to understand that co...