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Fairfax County set to permanently allow outdoor dining — with a few new rules

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

Outdoor dining became a thing during the COVID-19 pandemic — Fairfax County, Virginia is set to make eating and drinking outside of a restaurant, bar, brewery or vineyard a permanent possibility.A proposed zoning ordinance amendment would automatically allow food and drink businesses to set up temporary seating areas. A planning commission public hearing is set for Jan. 10, and the Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on Feb. 6.“Outdoor dining can significantly improve the pedestrian experience throughout the County,” according to a staff report. “By activating the street-level pedestrian environment, it can increase vibrancy and make commercial areas more social and active.”The plan would largely extend outdoor dining provisions that the county — and most of the region — adopted to allow food and drink businesses to consider other ways of staying in business, when indoor dining wasn’t allowed. The county’s COVID-19 emergency declaration ended...

UniFirst: Fiscal Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

WILMINGTON, Mass. (AP) — WILMINGTON, Mass. (AP) — UniFirst Corp. (UNF) on Wednesday reported earnings of $42.3 million in its fiscal first quarter.On a per-share basis, the Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company said it had profit of $2.26.The uniform provider posted revenue of $593.5 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on UNF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/UNFSource

Police: Victim shoots gunman after attack outside Denver museum

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A man shot and injured a suspect in the parking lot of a Denver museum after the suspect attempted to rob him in front of his girlfriend and children, police said.On Dec. 31, Denver Police Department officers responded to a shooting in the parking lot of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science at 2:44 p.m. According to a probable cause statement obtained by FOX31, the victim told officers he arrived at the museum with his girlfriend and two kids when he noticed two Hispanic men walking towards them with handguns drawn. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox The men were described as:Hispanic malesBetween 18-24 years oldThin buildBetween 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 6 feet tallThe man told officers he was in fear for his, his girlfriend and his children's lives.According to the statement, the two suspects began to grab at the victim and told him to give them the silver chain he was wearing around his neck. One of the suspects allegedly stru...

Iran says at least 103 people killed, 141 wounded in blasts at ceremony honoring slain general

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two explosions minutes apart Wednesday in Iran targeted a commemoration for a prominent general slain in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, killing at least 103 people and wounding at least 141 others as the Middle East remains on edge over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.No group immediately claimed responsibility for what Iranian state media called a “terroristic” attack shortly after the blasts in Kerman, about 820 kilometers (510 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.While Israel has carried out attacks in Iran over its nuclear program, it has conducted targeted assassinations, not mass-casualty bombings. Sunni extremist groups including the Islamic State group have conducted large-scale attacks in the past that killed civilians in Shiite-majority Iran, though not in relatively peaceful Kerman.Iran also has seen mass protests in recent years, including those over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022. The country also has...

Investigation into Florida GOP chairman expands amidst rape allegations

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

The ongoing investigation into former Sarasota County Commissioner and current Florida GOP Chair, Christian Ziegler, has taken a significant turn as law enforcement widens its scope following a disturbing rape allegation that surfaced in October. The case involves an encounter between Ziegler, his wife, and a woman, leading to a subsequent accusation of non-consensual sexual activity during a second planned meeting.According to the victim’s account, despite the cancellation of the second meeting, Ziegler allegedly appeared unexpectedly and committed the sexual assault. The latest development in the investigation now revolves around a video recording, as revealed in a recently executed search warrant.“I’ve seen it where they fight and in other instances where it’s a very serious allegation like a homicide or a suicide caught on tape or whatever then yeah, they will cooperate in something for that, but it’s very hard to get them to agree to release docume...

US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

(CNN) — The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Al Udeid last month where he thanked Qatar for their increased spending on the base.But he made no mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas leaders. Qatari officials have countered that it was only after a US request dur...

Police investigating fatal collision involving cyclist; westbound Coral Way shutdown

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

Authorities shut down a West Miami-Dade street after a car struck a bicyclist, Wednesday morning. Miami-Dade Police officer were at the intersection of Coral Way and Southwest 72nd Street where they blocked off the westbound lanes of Coral Way. According to officials, the driver of the vehicle involved stayed at the scene and reported that the incident occurred at 6:04 a.m. when he struck a cyclist on the road. Live video footage from 7SkyForce captured the scene as officers investigated the damage surrounding a body covered by a yellow tarp. Details surrounding the circumstances of the collision, as well as the identity of the victim and any potential charges, are yet to be released.Local law enforcement are urging commuters to seek alternate routes as the westbound lanes remain shutdown while the investigation continues. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Dozens dead in Iran after blasts strike Qassem Soleimani memorial

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

More than 100 people were killed and dozens more injured in Iran after two explosions went off near the tomb of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on Wednesday, according to local media reports.Iran’s state media reported that at least two explosions occurred in the cemetery in the city of Kerman, where hundreds of people were commemorating Soleimani’s death four years ago. The feared general led Iran’s paramilitary Quds force before being killed by a U.S. drone strike in January 2020.According to Iranian state news agency IRNA, 103 people died and around 140 injured people were taken to hospitals. Officials are investigating the cause of the explosions. IRNA reported that Iranian authorities believe it was a terrorist attack, citing Kerman’s deputy governor for security, Rahman Jalali.The first blast went off 700 meters away from Soleimani’s tomb, while the second explosion happened minutes later about one kilometer away from the grave.This story has been u...

Movers Find Mass. Among Top States For Outbound Residents

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

Massachusetts was a top 10 state for outbound residents, according to a study that examined where and why Americans moved in 2023.United Van Lines’ 47th annual National Movers Study, released Tuesday, found Americans “are moving eastbound and southbound – and relocating to less expensive areas with comparable amenities to larger metropolitans.”“We are continuing to see the trend that Americans are moving to more affordable, lower-density areas across the country, with many heading to Southern states,” United Van Lines Vice President of Corporate Communications Eily Cummings said. “Movers are also becoming more strategic with their planning, as relocation continues to be driven by factors such as the price of housing, regional climates, urban planning and job growth.”The top 10 “inbound” states that attracted more residents in 2023 were, in order, Vermont, Washington, D.C., South Carolina, Arkansas, Rhode Island, North Carolina, South Dakota, Alaba...

EV tax credits just changed again: Here’s where you can still get discounts

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:39:58 GMT

(CNN) — The Internal Revenue Service updated the rules for electric vehicle tax credits again starting with the first day of 2024, bringing some good and bad news.The bad news is that fewer vehicles are now eligible for federal tax credits, and even fewer are eligible for the maximum $7,500 credit.But there’s good news, too. Many electric and plug-in hybrid models are still eligible for at least a portion of the full tax credit. Also, consumers can now get the tax credit applied to the purchase price of the vehicle at the time they buy it, rather than having to wait until they file their taxes. And, as before, if you lease, rather than purchase the vehicle, you can still enjoy the benefit of the tax credit even on vehicles that would not otherwise qualify.Many states and even municipalities also offer their own incentives for electric vehicles and for the installation of home EV chargers. These IRS changes don’t impact those incentives.Even with electric vehicles being heavily ...