Author: rpnadmin

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — More rain and thunderstorms were possible Monday at the Grand Canyon following a major flash flood that left one person dead and about 15 others missing or unaccounted for, with scores of visitors evacuated and the only water pipeline for tourists and residents destroyed. Emergency water restrictions that began Monday prevented tourists from staying overnight at lodges and hotels within the park. Year-round residents were asked to conserve water. A flood watch was in effect. Visiting the Grand Canyon – a crown jewel of the national park system – can be particularly dangerous in the summer because…

A South Carolina police officer died and a second was injured in a “gunfight” Saturday in a park, following a call about a domestic dispute, Columbia police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook said. The suspect, a 33-year-old man with a lengthy criminal record, also died, Holbrook said at a news conference in the capital city. The deceased officer, 29-year-old Christopher DeLong, had been with the police department for two years and leaves behind a wife and two young children, Holbrook said. “Our hearts are broken this evening,” he said, appearing choked up at times. DeLong’s wife, in a social media post,…

NEW YORK — Hundreds of people gathered near New York City’s popular Washington Square Park Sunday to judge a Mayor Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest. The winner, Amadeo Fusca, was the crowd favorite, wearing a jersey for the NBA champion New York Knicks underneath a suit. Fusca also had a haircut and facial hair similar to Mamdani, taking home a $100 prize. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who took office in January, has amassed a large following on social media and among younger residents. The event was sponsored by the social media app, Sonder. Mamdani’s agenda as mayor is centered on refocusing…

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A major flash flood at the Grand Canyon forced the evacuation of dozens of people and swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River that runs through it, the National Park Service said. The flooding in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the river, happened Saturday afternoon. Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over the creek and significantly altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and creating what appeared to be a new river rapid. The park service said it was seeking information about more than 20 people who may be missing or…

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — Volunteers carried out a more than 15-hour operation to rescue a man who got off route in the Sierra Nevada and was stranded on a small ledge, the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team said. A four-person team carried out the rescue last weekend near Mammoth Lakes, California, in a precarious gully. The challenge came in having no time to spare with thousands of feet of vertical exposure below, said team spokesperson Mitchell Quiring. The stranded climber had only one foot fully on the 6-inch ledge and was shaking out his legs and switching them…

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Karina strengthened into a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday and could become a major storm this week, forecasters said. The cyclone’s center was far out at sea and was not threatening land. Karina had maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said, making it a Category 1 hurricane. A major hurricane is Category 3 or greater. The storm was located about 820 miles southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula and was moving northwest at 15 miles per hour a forecast path farther out into…

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — With screams and giggles, whipping ponytails and white-knuckle grips, Minnesota fairgoers are taking delight in the magic of the Tilt-A-Whirl ride as it turns 100 years old. The iconic ride and its brightly colored cars debuted at the Minnesota State Fair in 1926, and it has been a mainstay at fairs across the country ever since. Riders who stumbled off the ride on Thursday spoke with The Associated Press about the ride, which is a favorite for many. Valerie Nelson, a Minnesota native who returned to her home state to visit the fair, said she first…

Snow tires, mud tires, all-terrain tires — gone? California’s new efficiency standard could wipe out most of the tires on the market by 2033.  [SADLER] What is an inefficient tire? An inefficient tire to me is one that a tire that doesn’t roll.  [MORANO] That’s right. And all tires roll. No, what this is is they’re considering tires that are inefficient, meaning not aerodynamic enough, not fuel-mileage conscious enough. Doesn’t meet their specific requirements for carbon dioxide reduction. Their goal is to remove the equivalent of almost half a million cars off the road, you know, equivalent in CO2 reductions.…

WASHINGTON — A Kentucky woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that she intentionally damaged the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Melissa Farris is scheduled to be arraigned next week on two felony counts. Grand jurors indicted her Thursday on charges of destroying the veterans’ memorial and destroying government property. An attorney for Farris didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Friday. Farris, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, is suspected of spray painting the words “Clean hands dirty $” on the monument and filling a fountain with bubbles on Aug.…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville International Airport would be renamed for Dolly Parton under a proposal announced Friday by Tennessee’s governor. Gov. Bill Lee proposed the name change just days after the country music icon died Tuesday of cancer at age 80. It echoes the wishes of more than 150,000 Parton fans who have signed an online petition to rename the airport. “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness,” Lee…