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Cannabis Industry Approves of Newsom’s Actions to Preserve Branding and Licenses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

Last week, the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) applauded recent moves by Governor Gavin Newsom in signing Senate Bill 51 and vetoing Assembly Bill 1207. SB 51 extends the cannabis provisional licensing program for an additional seven years. The new end date is Jan. 1, 2031 for the designated social equity applicants and licensees that qualify for an extension. The bill also gives the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) the authority to issue provisional licenses to qualified social equity operators seeking a commercial cannabis retail license. The DCC can reissue these provisional licenses, if people are showing real progress toward their annual permits. “CCIA firmly believes that SB 51’s narrow extension of the provisional license program for social equity retail applicants is paramount in realizing the promises of Prop. 64 and aligns seamlessly with CCIA’s longstanding vision of broadening legal retail access throughout California,” said Yvette McDowel...

Two Swedes shot dead in Belgium, suspect at large

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

By Catherine Nicholls | CNNTwo people with Swedish nationality were shot dead in the Belgian capital Brussels on Monday evening with the suspect still at large, according to Belgian public broadcaster VRT.The motive of the shooting is not yet clear, which came as Belgium hosted Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifying match.Following the attack, the terror threat level for Brussels was raised to 4, the highest level. Belgium as a whole was previously level 2.Police are on the streets to ensure safety, the city’s mayor Philippe Close posted on X.“Following the shooting in Brussels, police services are mobilizing to guarantee safety in and around our capital, in collaboration with the Minister of the Interior,” Close said. “I am at the crisis center… to ensure coordination.”Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo posted to X: “My deepest condolences to the relatives of this cowardly attack in Brussels. I am closely following the situation, together with the Ministers of Justice and Home Af...

Reese’s $25,000 promotion may violate sweepstakes laws

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

Reese’s may be in violation of state and federal laws with its new sweepstakes offer currently advertised on packs of peanut butter cups.The promotion on two-cup packages reads “You could win $25,000” and, in smaller print, “See details inside.” But only after consumers have bought and opened a package can they see the small print: no purchase is necessary to enter the sweepstakes.The Reese’s contest was first reported Monday by Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, who runs the Consumer World website.Hershey Co., that Pennsylvania candymaker that owns the Reese’s brand, didn’t immediately respond to telephone and email messages left Monday by The Associated Press.Sweepstakes are primarily governed by state laws, which require that no purchase is necessary to participate. A contest that requires a purchase is a lottery, which is subject to different rules.Three federal agencies — Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communi...

ServisFirst: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — ServisFirst Bancshares Inc. (SFBS) on Monday reported third-quarter net income of $53.3 million.On a per-share basis, the Birmingham, Alabama-based company said it had net income of 98 cents.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 96 cents per share.The holding company for ServisFirst Bank posted revenue of $221.3 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $107.8 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SFBS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SFBSSource

Coast Guard opens formal inquiry into collapse of mast on Maine schooner that killed a passenger

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Coast Guard said Monday it has launched a formal investigation into a fatal accident aboard a historic schooner off the coast of Maine in which a mast fell and killed one person and injured three others.The main mast of the schooner Grace Bailey splintered and fell onto the deck on Oct. 9. The collapse killed Dr. Emily Mecklenburg, 40, a physician from Rockland. Coast Guard officials said the formal inquiry is intended to determine what led to the collapse and identify anything that can help improve maritime safety. “As a member of a lifesaving service, I am deeply saddened by this tragedy,” said Capt. Amy Florentino, commander of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. “The Coast Guard is committed to conducting a thorough investigation aimed at identifying causal factors that will prevent an accident like this from reoccurring.”The owners of the vessel, the Grace Bailey Navigation Company of Rockland, have no comment on the investigation, said Nicole Ja...

Connecticut postmaster pleads guilty to fraud in $875,000 bribery scheme with maintenance vendor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

DANBURY, Conn. (AP) — A former Connecticut postmaster has admitted to defrauding the U.S. Postal Service of nearly $875,000 in a scheme involving cash bribes, misuse of USPS credit cards and demands for free personal vehicle repairs.Longtime postmaster Ephrem D. Nguyen of the office in Danbury, a western Connecticut city of more than 86,700, pleaded guilty Friday to honest services wire fraud, a crime punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. His guilty plea in the case, which remains under investigation, was announced Monday.His federal public defender declined to comment on the case.As the postmaster since 2003, Nguyen was in charge of supervising the maintenance and repair of all equipment, facilities and vehicles. Federal prosecutors said he required in November 2020 the work to be performed by a particular vendor, even though another vendor already had a contract with the Danbury post office. Nguyen then demanded the new vendor provide free repairs to his personal vehicle ...

Miniature ‘Star Wars’ X-wing gets over $3 million at auction of Hollywood model-maker’s collection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — A miniature X-wing Starfighter used in a “Star Wars” film sold for over $3 million during an auction over the weekend of items both collected and created by longtime Hollywood model-maker Greg Jein.The collection amassed by Jein, who died last year at the age of 76, brought in about $13.6 million during an event at Heritage Auctions in Dallas. The auction house said that everyone from model-makers to collectors and science-fiction fans attended, making the event its best-attended in years.Joe Maddalena, Heritage’s executive vice president and a longtime friend of Jein’s, said in a news release Monday that the auction was “a profound testament to my friend as both a visual-effects master and one of the great collectors.”Jein not only had an Oscar and Emmy-nominated career making miniature models for nearly half a century, but he also spent a lifetime collecting costumes, props, scripts, artwork, photographs and models from the shows he loved.The Red Leader X-wing Starfi...

Police say 2 Swedes are fatally shot in Brussels. Premier links the attack to terrorism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has linked the shooting deaths of two Swedes in central Brussels to “terrorism.”“I have just offered my sincere condolences to @SwedishPM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels,” De Croo said. He added on X, formerly known as Twitter, “As close partners the fight against terrorism is a joint one.”Media reports aired amateur videos showing a man shooting several times near a station using a large weapon.A police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters, said the two victims were Swedes.The Swedish national soccer team was scheduled to play Belgium at Heysel Stadium later in the evening, some 3 miles (5 kilometers) away. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.BRUSSELS (AP) — Two Swedes were killed in a shooting late Monday in central Brussels, police said, prompting Belgium’s prime minister and senior C...

Belgium’s prime minister links fatal shooting of two Swedes in Brussels to “terrorism”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s prime minister links fatal shooting of two Swedes in Brussels to “terrorism.”Source

NJ man arrested in airport parking garage shooting that killed 1 Philadelphia officer, wounded 2nd

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:32 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One man has been arrested and at least two other people are being sought in an airport parking garage shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and injured another last week, authorities said. Yobranny Martinez Fernandez, 18, of Camden County, New Jersey, was arrested before dawn Monday in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and was being held in that state on a fugitive warrant.Authorities said Officers Richard Mendez and Raul Ortiz had just arrived at work around 11 p.m. last Thursday when they heard breaking glass and saw several people breaking into a car in the parking lot at Philadelphia International Airport. A confrontation ensued, and the two officers and one of the suspects were shot.Mendez, 50, who had been on the force for more than two decades, was shot four times and pronounced dead at a hospital. Officials said the slain officer’s handcuffs were placed on the suspect at the time of his arrest. Ortiz, a 20-year veteran of the force, was shot onc...