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Iowa city hires outside firms to investigate partial building collapse

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two firms have been tasked with investigating the partial collapse of a six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, that left three dead, many injured and dozens displaced, the city announced Wednesday.The city hired White Birch Group, LLC, and SOCOTEC Engineering to complete a cause and origin report that will be shared with the public “when deemed appropriate,” city officials said in a statement.A report could start to answer questions about the May 28 partial collapse, including why residents remained in the 116-year-old brick, steel and concrete building despite the many warnings over many months about its integrity.Structural engineers, masons, city inspectors and tenants all had concerns, city documents show.One tenant noticed in April that the wall was bowing, the window frame was pulling away from the wall and the floor was uneven. Shauna Dixon messaged her leasing agent questioning if the wall was safe.“Just asking because the floor and wa...

Israeli parliament vote deals setback to Netanyahu and judicial overhaul plan

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s parliament on Wednesday appointed an opposition lawmaker to the powerful committee that picks the country’s judges, defying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a vote that exposed divisions within the ruling coalition and raised questions about his control over his political allies.The vote appeared to temporarily avert a crisis that had threatened to unleash renewed political turmoil over Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul plan.The opposition had threatened to withdraw from negotiations with Netanyahu over the overhaul if its candidate, Karine Elharrar, was not named to the committee. Despite Elharrar’s appointment on Wednesday, the opposition said it would nonetheless suspend talks with Netanyahu until the second vacancy on the committee is filled and it can resume work.“No committee, no talks,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said. Netanyahu accused his opponents of trying “to blow up the dialogue.”Netanyahu’s government unveiled the jud...

Denver still one of the most in-demand cities for renters

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — With home values approaching record highs again, Denver is still one of the country's hottest markets for renters and would-be renters.RentCafe's monthly rental activity report says Denver is at the top of the nation's list when it comes to rental activity. The report ranks the 150 largest cities according to how rental metrics have changed this month from the same month last year. These include the yearly change in apartment availability rate, the change in pageviews, the change in the number of apartments in a given city that were added to someone's favorites and the change in saved searches for rentals in that area. Denver’s June rent according to 4 rental sites Of 150 cities, Denver has the 15th-highest total score. In good news for renters, apartment availability in Denver has grown 14% in the last year as the city has had more and more rental units come online. The number of pageviews for Denver apartments has grown 13%, the number of favorites 126% and the n...

What are some things HOAs can and can't do in Colorado?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- There are nearly 10,000 homeowners associations (HOAs) in Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, some of which have a lot of rules that curtail what you can and can't do in and around your home.If you're looking to buy a home -- or already have -- you may be wondering if there are any limits on what HOAs can and can't do. What’s getting cheaper or more expensive in Denver? HOAs are regulated by the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act, initially passed in 1992 and amended a few times since.Some things that HOAs can doIf something isn't expressly banned by the law, a HOA is likely able to do it. However, here are a few examples of things that you may not know:Foreclose on your houseThere are several steps HOAs have to take before they can foreclose on a house, but they are able to do so. There are some situations where they can't, however.Prohibit short-term rentalsHOAs are allowed to prohibit you from making your house into a sho...

Easy hikes near the Front Range, Denver metro area

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The sun is coming out this weekend after weeks of storms persisted in Colorado.With the weather warming up and schools released for summer, Coloradans are getting out in nature. When Denver could finally start to dry out from the rain To kick off the hiking season, here is a list of some popular beginner-friendly trails, based on elevation and distance, that are near the Front Range.1.5 hours or less average completion timeMorrison, Red Rocks Trading Post Trail: 1.5-mile loop with 357-foot elevation gain, 47 minutesBoulder, Baseline Trail: 1.4-mile loop with 337-foot elevation gain, 45 minutesLakewood, Green Mountain and Hayden Trail Loop: 1.8-mile loop with 396-foot elevation gain, 55 minutesBoulder, Enchanted Mesa and McClintock: 1.9-mile loop with 419-foot elevation gain, 59 minutesMorrison, Castle Meadow and Tower Trails: 2.4-mile loop with 360-foot elevation gain, 1 hour 4 minutesLittleton, Coyote Song Trail: 3-mile loop with 321-foot elevation gain, 1 hour 1...

18-year-olds arrested in deadly road rage shooting

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Two people have been arrested in connection to a road rage shooting that killed a 48-year-old man in the Dayton Triangle neighborhood in Aurora. Road rage incidents on the rise, concerning for law enforcement According to the Aurora Police Department, Juan Carlos Rivas-Luna, 18, of Aurora, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder, and Aracely Enriquez, 18, also of Aurora, was arrested on one charge of accessory to first-degree murder.Juan Carlos Rivas-Luna was arrested on charges of first-degree murder in connection to a road-rage shooting that killed a 48-year-old man. (Aurora Police Department)Aracely Enriquez, 18, was arrested on a charge of accessory to first-degree murder in connection to a road-rage shooting that killed a 48-year-old man. (Aurora Police Department)Rivas-Luna and Enriquez were taken into custody in the 1000 block of Hanover Street by the Aurora Police SWAT Team without incident. The arrests followed a week-long investigation, according...

Panthers’ injury issues from Stanley Cup Final will carry into next season

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Reminders of this run to the Stanley Cup Final will be everywhere when next season starts for the Florida Panthers. There will be a new banner to celebrate the Eastern Conference championship. There will inevitably be a highlight video recapping the best moments of this postseason.There will also be scars. Missed games. And a lot of rehabbing.The Panthers’ goal for next season is simple and obvious — get back to the Cup final and win it all. But coach Paul Maurice is sounding a cautionary alarm, already aware that the physical toll this postseason took on some players will carry over into next season.“We’re going to have a hell of a time making the playoffs next year,” Maurice said. “That’s a fact.”The math says he’s not wrong. Florida got into the playoffs this year by the slimmest of margins, just one point. There was no room for error, and he already knows next season’s opening-night lineup won’t be the best one Florida can have on the ice.There were at least...

Miami cold case closed after 4 decades as missing person Ronald Gilchrist identified as homicide victim

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

MIAMI/CLEARWATER, FLA. (WSVN) — Detectives from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit have successfully closed the 42-year-old missing person’s case of Ronald Gilchrist, shedding light on a long-standing mystery. Gilchrist, who was reported missing at the age of 29, had vanished while traveling from Clearwater to Miami in 1980.According to investigators, Gilchrist left a residence on Bonner Avenue in Clearwater on October 28, 1980. He was driving a 1977 Ford 4-door vehicle headed to Miami International Airport on November 3, 1980, to pick up his in-laws and take them to Marco Island. However, Gilchrist never reached his destination and ceased all contact with family and friends.Detectives’ efforts recently led them to a crucial breakthrough in the case. They obtained photographs of Gilchrist from 1980 and shared them with MDPD investigators and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office. It was discovered that Miami-Dade Police had conducted...

Cooper City, BSO unveil state-of-the-art crime center for enhanced public safety

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

Cooper City and the Broward Sheriff’s Office have teamed up to unveil a Real Time Crime Center that aims to boost public safety. This high-tech facility operates 24/7 and uses cutting-edge technology to stay ahead of potential threats and support emergency responders in real time. By setting up a central hub for digital info, the RTCC gives BSO direct access to strategically placed video surveillance systems and license plate readers all over the city. The RTCC lies in its ability to give direct access to strategically placed video surveillance systems and license plate readers all over the city. These tools allow the BSO to monitor key areas and quickly spot any suspicious activities or vehicles. By linking these surveillance systems to the central hub, law enforcement can respond promptly to potential threats and stop them before they become major incidents.

America’s European burden: How the Continent still leans on the US for security

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:31:07 GMT

This article is part of the Europe’s strategic impotence Special Report.PRISTINA, Kosovo — There is no statue of France’s Jacques Chirac in Kosovo’s capital, no square named for Gerhard Schröder and no boulevard for Spain’s Javier Solana.One will find all of the above, however, for Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright and the other American leaders who spearheaded the 1999 NATO bombing campaign in Yugoslavia to prevent Serbian forces from massacring Kosovo’s Albanian population.While many member countries contributed to the NATO operation, Kosovars have no illusions about who really saved them from genocide.Thanks to the U.S., “we have our freedom and democracy and were able to build the state of Kosovo,” the country’s then-Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told Clinton at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the NATO intervention in 2019.Little has changed in the nearly 25 years since the NATO action. If anything, Europe is more reliant on American security today than it was then.Just a...