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New data from DC’s 911 call center reveals short staffing, slow answering

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

Short staffing and longer answer times are plaguing D.C.’s 911 call center, according to newly released data from the Office of Unified Communications — highlighting the struggles of the agency.Of 180 employees to pull from, the 911 operations aim to have 44 employees for day shifts and 37 employees for night shifts, according to a statement. New data shows that around a third of shifts in July at the 911 call center were short staffed. In August, it was 39%.While the majority of calls were answered in 15 seconds or less, about one in four took longer. The standard set by the National Emergency Number Association is that 90% of calls be answered in 15 seconds or less.Numerous calls shown in the data took several minutes to be connected to a call taker.Earlier this summer, D.C.’s council passed emergency legislation requiring the Office of Unified Communication to publish call and staffing data every month. The new dashboard also features the number of dropped calls and t...

Commanders’ owner Josh Harris talks 12th man, team name ahead of season opener

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio Part 1 of WTOP Sports Director George Wallace's interview with Commanders' owner Josh Harris $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); Maryland’s own and new Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris is excited for the new season — but knows eyes are on him. Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris speaks with a member of the medi...

QB Cam Rising out again for No. 12 Utah in its game at future Big 12 opponent Baylor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

WACO, Texas (AP) — Cam Rising was not in uniform for 12th-ranked Utah’s game at Baylor on Saturday and was not playing for the second week in a row while still recovering from the torn ACL he sustained in the Rose Bowl eight months ago.Rising was on the field before the game but was wearing shorts with a protective sleeve on the left knee. He did more in practice this week after not playing in the season-opening over Florida, but it was still unclear when he might play. The Utes host FCS team Weber State next week before their Pac-12 opener at home against UCLA on Sept. 23.Utah is in its final Pac-12 season before joining Baylor in the Big 12 next year.Junior Bryson Barnes was set to get his second start for Utah, with redshirt freshman Nate Johnson likely to play as well. Barnes completed 12 of 18 passes for 159 yards, with a 70-yard touchdown to Money Parks on their first offensive snap, while Johnson ran for 45 yards and a TD on six carries in wildcat-like sets.Baylor also ...

MATCHDAY: Netherlands seeks a win at Ireland, struggling Poland plays Albania

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

A look at what’s happening in European Championship qualifying on Sunday:GROUP BThe Netherlands visits Ireland for a game in which the losing team will have a tough job of qualifying. The Dutch team is in second place with six points, while Ireland has three, both far behind France on 15. That’s partly down to the schedule — France has played two games more than the Netherlands and one more than Ireland — but neither the Dutch nor the Irish have been particularly impressive so far. The Netherlands won 3-0 against Greece on Thursday and France beat Ireland 2-0. Greece (6 points) plays Gibraltar and will take second place with a win if the Dutch team doesn’t beat Ireland. France isn’t playing ahead of a friendly with Germany on Tuesday.GROUP ESecond-place Albania (7 points) hosts third-place Poland (6 points), with leader the Czech Republic (8 points) not in action. Poland is still trying to get its qualifying campaign into gear after a series of underwhelming result...

A man convicted of murder in Massachusetts in 1993 is getting a new trial due to DNA evidence

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge granted a new trial to a man who found guilty of murder in 1993 after new DNA evidence called the conviction into question.Thomas Rosa was convicted of the 1985 killing of 18-year-old Gwendolyn Taylor. Rosa, who has always maintained his innocence, was tried three times for the killing.Suffolk Superior Court Justice Michael Ricciuti issued an order Wednesday that vacates Rosa’s conviction and opens the possibility of a new trial. Ricciuti wrote that new DNA evidence “casts doubt regarding the reliability of the eyewitness testimony” in the case.The New England Innocence Project and the Boston College Innocence Program said they will hold a news conference about the case on Monday in front of Suffolk Superior Court in Boston in which they will call for prosecutors to drop the charges. The groups said the district attorney should “end this almost forty-year nightmare, rather than try him again for a fourth time.”District Attorney Kevin H...

Massachusetts residents still losing home equity under state law foreclosure law despite Supreme Court ruling

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

Week after week, Massachusetts residents are still having their home equity taken under absolute title, according to advocates and lawyers working to have the practice stopped immediately and bolstered by a recent Supreme Court decision.In May, the nation’s highest court ruled in Tyler v. Hennepin County that a municipality in Minnesota had violated the Constitution’s takings clause when it sold a foreclosed property and kept proceeds beyond what the property owner owed in taxes.As a consequence, and according to Attorney General’s office testimony to the Legislature shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling, a provision of Massachusetts law allowing cities and towns to foreclose on properties, sell them, and keep the entire proceeds of the sale is also unconstitutional.The practice of “home equity theft” by municipalities or third party companies acting on their behalf continues to occur in Massachusetts, according to attorney Chris Perry, while the legislature, courts, ...

Massachusetts State Police trooper shoots, kills armed man in Hancock after 911 call

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

A Massachusetts State Police trooper shot and killed a man Saturday morning during a “confrontation” after police were called to a residence in Hancock for a report of a domestic incident, authorities said.A state police trooper arrived at a residence on Richmond Road around 7 a.m. and encountered an adult male armed with a weapon, according to state police and the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office.“Initial investigations indicate that when the officer arrived an individual armed with a weapon approached and would not back down following requests to stop resulting in the officer discharging his weapon,” the district attorney’s office said in a statement.CPR was performed on scene, a county ambulance responded, and the individual was pronounced dead, authorities said.State police previously identified the person killed by law enforcement as an adult male.The district attorney’s office did not say what weapon the man was armed with.The district attorney’s office ...

Affordable housing coming to Mission Valley along San Diego River trail

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- An affordable housing project along the San Diego River trail in Mission Valley just secured funding from the state.Dubbed "Riverwalk San Diego," this development will offer energy-efficient housing as part of a 200-acre "master-planned village" that will eventually contain 430 affordable multifamily units.That's according to local non-profit Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation, which announced Thursday that the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program has granted $41.1 million to the first phase of this project. Family of teens killed in 2018 DUI crash protesting after driver arrested again Once completed, Riverwalk San Diego will have 110 acres of parkland, 1 million square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail on land that is currently used as a golf course, Wakeland explained.As for phase one, the area will see 188 affordable homes established, plus a centrally located MTS Green Line Trolley stop as well as new bicycle a...

Bathrooms needed for border crossers forced to wait in line, Tijuana chamber says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) -- With no end in sight for the long lines at ports of entry in Tijuana, tourism officials south of the border say public restrooms are sorely needed, especially along pedestrian crossings.Right now, most people who need to use a bathroom while waiting in line, must seek access to a restroom located inside an area business and pay a fee."It's time the city built these facilities," said Julián Palombo Saucedo, president of Tijuana's Chamber of Commerce. "We need public bathrooms at both the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry." Border commuters want popular pedestrian crossing open soon Palombo believes the long wait times aren't going away any time soon."It's also time for commuters from both sides of the border to get used to these long lines," he said. "As we get used to these waits, sanitary facilities need to be accessible to people waiting in line in case they need to use the bathroom."Palombo says another thing that needs to happen is for Ped We...

G20 agreement reflects sharp differences over Ukraine and the rising clout of the Global South

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:29 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Group of 20 top world economies added the African Union as a member at their annual summit Saturday, and host India was able to get the disparate group to sign off on a final statement, but only after softening language on the contentious issue of Russia’s war in Ukraine. In the months leading up to the leaders’ summit in New Delhi, India had been unable to find agreement on the wording about Ukraine, with Russia and China objecting even to language that they had agreed to last year at the G20 summit in Bali. The final statement, released a day before the formal close of the summit, highlighted the “human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine,” but did not mention Russia’s invasion. It cited the U.N. charter, saying “all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use o...