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Oregon secretary of state resigns due to marijuana job

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced her resignation on Tuesday amid sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for having moonlighted as a highly-paid consultant to a marijuana business.Fagan, a Democrat, apologized on Monday for working for the marijuana company, which has a record of unpaid bills and taxes, but indicated she intended to serve the remaining two years of her term. Fagan’s consulting job paid $10,000 per month, with bonuses three times that amount if she helped the company get licensed in other states. She announced on Monday that she quit that job, and on Tuesday bowed to pressure to leave her elected office too.“It is clear that my actions have become a distraction from the important and critical work of the Secretary of State’s office,” Fagan said.Gov. Tina Kotek, also a Democrat, said she supported Fagan’s decision.“It is essential that Oregonians have trust in their government. I believe this is a first step i...

Ex-Raider Ruggs taking plea deal, prison in fatal DUI crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ex-Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs told a judge Tuesday he will admit that he drove drunk at speeds up to 156 mph, causing a fiery crash that killed a woman. The plea deal is expected to send the 24-year-old first-round NFL draft pick to state prison for three to 10 years. Ruggs waived a long-delayed preliminary hearing with the agreement to admit that he drove under the influence of alcohol causing death, a felony, his lawyers said. A six-month sentence for a guilty plea to misdemeanor manslaughter will be folded in with the total.Ruggs spoke only to acknowledge for Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia that he understands the terms of the agreement. Prosecutor Eric Bauman told the judge the Clark County District Attorney’s office endorsed the deal.“This is the first step toward a fair resolution to this matter and we look forward to closure for all parties involved,” Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement ...

Oregon secretary of state resigns amid criticism for moonlighting as a highly-paid consultant to marijuana business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon secretary of state resigns amid criticism for moonlighting as a highly-paid consultant to marijuana business.Source

Grad students walk out for better wages

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

Grad students, postdoctoral fellows, and supporters at Queen’s University joined a nationwide walkout on Monday demanding increased federal investment into their wages.Federally funded grad students say the majority haven’t seen a pay increase in 20 years despite 50% inflation over that time. While it ran shorter than expected due to poor weather, Queen’s saw roughly 100 participate in the walkout culminating at Summer Hill, with groups from the chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology departments confirming their attendance ahead of the demonstration. The local demonstration was part of a larger “Support our Science” demonstration involving over 40 universities all throughout the country.Executive Director of Support Our Science Sarah Laframboise said those fighting for change are hoping provincial and federal government will step up for the next generation.“Today, the research community has come together to declare the importance of graduate ...

1 shot at Walmart in Lauderdale Lakes, airlifted in critical condition; subject in police custody

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

One person was airlifted to the hospital after being shot at a South Florida store. Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the Walmart, located at 3001 N. State Road 7, Tuesday afternoon. According to deputies, the victim was found inside the Walmart.The victim was airlifted to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition. According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, the victim was shot multiple times. The shooter fled the scene on a scooter. Deputies have a subject in custody who matched the description of the shooter. 7Skyforce hovered over the scene at Northwest 46th Avenue and 26th Street where the subject sat on the sidewalk with handcuffs. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Underwater cemetery found off Dry Tortugas National Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK, Fla. (AP) — Archeologists have found the remains of a 19th century quarantine hospital and cemetery on a submerged island in Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park in the Gulf of Mexico.While only one grave has been identified, historical records indicate dozens of people — mostly U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Jefferson — may have been buried at the site in waters west of Key West, Florida, park officials said in a news release Monday.A group that included park cultural resources staff, the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center, the Southeast Archeological Center, and a University of Miami graduate student, made the discovery during a survey of Fort Jefferson Post Cemetery that began last August.They discovered the grave of John Greer, a laborer who died on Nov. 5, 1861. Officials said they don’t know much about Greer, but his grave was prominently marked with a large slab of greywacke, the same material used to construct the firs...

Webb telescope detects mysterious water vapor in a nearby star system

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

(CNN) — The James Webb Space Telescope has detected water vapor around a rocky exoplanet that orbits a star located 26 light-years away from Earth.Now, astronomers are trying to determine whether that water vapor is an indicator of what would be the first-known presence of an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet.Small, cool red dwarf stars are the most common stars in the universe. The exoplanets found in the “habitable zone” — the perfect distance from a star to allow the planet to be warm enough to host liquid water on its surface — often orbit red dwarfs very closely since they aren’t as warm as the sun.Red dwarf stars lash out with ultraviolet and X-ray radiation that has the potential to demolish fragile layers of gas, leading scientists to question whether rocky planets orbiting them can maintain — or regain — atmospheres.Astronomers observed a hot, rocky exoplanet called GJ 486 b using the Webb telescope. The planet is about 30% larger than Earth and ha...

Jets decline tackle Mekhi Becton fifth-year option: source

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

Gang Green has finally decided on the future of its former first-round pick ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline to pick up his option.According to a league source, the Jets have declined to pick up tackle Mekhi Becton’s fifth-year option for the 2024 season. ESPN was the first to report the news of Gang Green deciding not to pick up Becton’s option.According to the NFL collecting bargaining agreement, teams can exercise an option of a former first-round pick ahead of their fourth season in the league. The salary is determined by a formula by position, playing time, etc.If the Jets had picked up his option, that would have fully guaranteed Becton a salary of $13.5 million for the 2024 season. The 2023 season will be the final year of his contract, which will pay him a based salary of $3.125 million after he was selected 11th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisville.The fifth-year option became fully guaranteed with the new CBA in 2020. Before that, the fifth-year option w...

Review: ‘Big George Foreman’ is a tidy, cleaned-up biopic of the boxer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

Katie Walsh | Tribune News ServiceFor a certain millennial population, the name “George Foreman” is more likely to conjure up an image of a favorite kitchen appliance before it brings to mind “heavyweight champ.” Indeed, the boxer/preacher/entrepreneur might be better known these days for his “Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine,” a gadget renowned in college dorms and bachelor pads across the nation, thanks to Foreman’s affable infomercials and infectious grin. Foreman became a pop cultural icon in the late ‘90s, with a ubiquitous media presence (he competed on “The Masked Singer” in 2022) and likable quirks, such as his five sons also named George Foreman.But in the new biopic directed and co-written by George Tillman Jr., with a title as large as its subject, “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,” the grill, and the sons, are relegated to the sidelines. This film seeks to reassert George’s story as an athlete and a...

Guregian: JuJu Smith-Schuster already loves being a Patriot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:52 GMT

FOXBORO — JuJu Smith-Schuster was coached by offensive genius Andy Reid last year, and had Patrick Mahomes, currently the best quarterback on the planet, throwing him passes.And if that didn’t provide enough of an adrenaline rush, Smith-Schuster won a Super Bowl ring playing for the Chiefs.Listening to him Tuesday during his media availability, the newest Patriots receiver hasn’t traded in a Mercedes for a Volkswagen coming to Foxboro.Smith-Schuster told the crowd he was loving life at Gillette, and already loving his football experience.While the Patriots signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal with the hopes he would add some flash to the offense, it doesn’t hurt that he’s also doubling as a pitchman for what’s good about being on a team that hasn’t made it to the postseason in two of the last three years.What drew him to Foxboro?Along with the money, of course, he chalked it up to the allure of playing for head coach Bill Belichick.“When I was in Pittsburgh for five years, w...