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A Virginia Beach man won the right to keep an emotional support emu. Now, he’s running for office.

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

VIRGINIA BEACH — Nicholas Olenik has battled mental health challenges throughout his life.As a sometimes anxious child, it took longer for him to process emotions. Four years ago, the 41-year-old fell into a depression when his brother died from a heart attack. The dark days of the pandemic, and his father’s battle with — and later death from — cancer in 2021 only made things worse.So last year, after a buddy told him about emus and how they can be a great emotional support companion, Olenik decided to give it a try.That’s right, emus — the large flightless birds from Australia that typically stand about 5-foot-7 and weigh more than 100 pounds.Olenik purchased an emu egg locally, watched over it until the chick hatched in December, and bottle fed her as she grew. He and wife Sarah named the chick Nimbus and allowed it to roam freely throughout the house they share with their teenage daughter and Olenik’s aunt in the Kempsville area. While they all watched with delight as Nimbus cudd...

Angels manager Phil Nevin suspended 1 game for outburst at umpire

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Saturday for a postgame outburst at an umpire following a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays a night earlier.Bench coach Ray Montgomery managed the Angels during the second game of the three-game series as Nevin served his suspension.Nevin was seen holding up a tablet computer and yelling at plate umpire Mike Estabrook as the crew left the field after the 4-1 loss Friday night. The umpires access their locker room through the tunnel at the end of the visitor’s dugout on the first base side of Rogers Centre.A Toronto police officer accompanied the umpire crew as it descended the dugout steps. Montgomery had to restrain Nevin as the umpires passed through the end of the dugout.Nevin was angry about the game-ending called third strike against pinch hitter Michael Stefanic, who entered in the ninth inning with the bases loaded after Shohei Ohtani left be...

Not-so-perfect storm knocks out power in Montgomery Co. neighborhood amid heat wave

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

What happens when your power goes out during a heat wave? A Montgomery County, Maryland, neighborhood is learning the hard way as they approach nearly a full day without power.When severe thunderstorms rolled through the D.C. region Friday night, Robert Bernstein was visiting his dad at an assisted living facility. When he arrived back at his home in Colesville, he found that his electricity had been knocked out.The power outage comes amid a three-day heat wave that has been hanging over the District and its surrounding areas. It’s a dangerous time to be without air conditioning as officials advise residents to stay indoors.“It was surely a truly inopportune time for the power to go out,” Bernstein said.On Friday night, Bernstein was unable to heat up his dinner or sleep comfortably. But his biggest concern was going into Saturday without power with the heat index expected to rise over 100 degrees.A spokesperson for PEPCO told WTOP that crews are working to restore...

El exboxeador profesional Félix Verdejo es declarado culpable de secuestrar y matar a una mujer embarazada

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

(CNN) — El exboxeador olímpico Félix Verdejo-Sánchez fue declarado culpable de secuestro con resultado de muerte y muerte intencional de un niño por nacer, según un comunicado de prensa de la Oficina del Fiscal Federal (USAO, por su siglas en inglés) del Distrito de Puerto Rico.Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz y su hijo por nacer fueron encontrados muertos en la laguna San José el 1 de mayo de 2021. Un día después, Verdejo-Sánchez –quien compitió en los Juegos Olímpicos de 2012– fue arrestado y acusado de secuestro, robo de auto y asesinato, según muestran documentos de la corte federal, según informes anteriores de CNN.“Un jurado federal condenó hoy a Félix Verdejo-Sánchez por los delitos federales derivados del asesinato de Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz el 29 de abril de 2021”, se lee en el comunicado de la USAO.En la mañana del asesinato de Rodríguez Ortiz, Verdejo-Sánchez ejecutó un plan premeditado para asesinar a Rodríguez Ortiz y su hijo por nacer, según el comunicado.Finaliza el juic...

DC man sentenced in child sexual abuse case

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

A D.C. man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for sexually abusing a child, according to a news release from the District’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.Mikeale Frazier, 24, is also subject to 10 years of supervised release after his prison term.Frazier pleaded guilty to first degree child sexual abuse in October 2022. According to the news release, he sexually abused a 14-year-old child for about six months, even continuing after a relative of the victim told him to stay away from her.The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Frazier also took a video of the abuse.Frazier was arrested in June 2021 and has been in police custody since.Source

Fairfax Co. suspect arrested for robbery of elderly woman

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

Police officers in Reston, Virginia, have arrested a suspect who they say robbed a 66-year-old woman on Monday evening.The elderly victim boarded a bus near the Hunter Woods shopping center in Reston on July 24, Fairfax County police said in a news release. Aboard the bus, she began a conversation with 38-year-old James David Freeman, who police say identifies as Jasmine Freeman and Kelly Freeman.The victim exited the bus in the 11000 block North Shore Drive and sat on a nearby bench. Freeman sat on the bench beside her, and after a physical struggle, stole her wallet and fled the scene, police said.The victim was uninjured during the robbery, according to police, and Freeman is currently being held on no bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center after being arrested on July 26.Below is a map of where the robbery occurred. Source

1 dead after motorcycle crashes into cyclists in Boulder County

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A crash between a motorycle and multiple cyclists in Boulder County resulted in one death, according to Colorado State Patrol.The crash happened on Lefthand Canyon Drive, though the exact area was unknown. It was first reported at 12:08 p.m.The motorcyclist crashed into two-to-three cyclists, CSP said.According to CSP, the motoryclist then attempted to drive away before crashing.CSP was investigating.

2 climbers rescued after falling nearly 60 feet

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Two climbers were rescued Friday night after falling nearly 60 feet in White River National Forest in Pitkin County.Around 9:15 p.m., Pitkin County Sheriff's Deputies received a call about a woman yelling for help near Weller Campground, a small campground on Independence Pass.The cry for help was coming from the Weller Slap climbing area adjacent to the campground. Expect delays on the I-70 mountain corridor next week Two climbers had fallen and sustained substantial injuries.Mountain Rescue Aspen responded and ultimately deployed a team of over 20 members to rescue the climbers.The team and medics made contact with the climbers at around 11:19 p.m.Flight for Life Colorado was called to transport one of the climbers at around 12:20 a.m., while the second climber was able to be transported by ambulance.

Cyclist killed in NW Miami-Dade hit-and-run; search underway for pickup truck driver

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

Police are searching for a driver who, they said, struck and killed a man on a bicycle in Northwest Miami-Dade and fled the scene. Miami-Dade Police said they have a description of the pickup truck that was involved in the crash near Northwest 75th Street and 27th Avenue, Friday night.“We’re investigating a hit-and-run involving a Dodge Ram traveling southbound on 27th Avenue from 75th Street,” said MDPD Sgt. Manuel Muñoz. “It’s probably going to have extensive front-end damage of the passenger side, including windshield.”Detectives said the pickup truck is burgundy. If you have any information on this hit-and-run or the driver’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Man hospitalized after overnight stabbing in Fort Lauderdale

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

Rescue crews rushed a man to the hospital after, police said, he was stabbed in Fort Lauderdale during the overnight hours.Fort Lauderdale Police units responded to the scene of the stabbing along the 100 block of Northwest 15th Avenue, just before 12:10 a.m., Saturday.Paramedics transported the victim to Broward Health Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.Officers were seen gathering evidence at the scene for their investigation. Further details have not yet been released. If you have any information on this stabbing, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.