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3 Firefighters Hurt as Fire Burned Historic Buildings in Salt Lake City Nightlife Hub

A blaze that began in a restaurant kitchen injured three firefighters and scorched century-old buildings in Salt Lake Metropolis’s nightlife hub, officers stated.

Firefighters have been dispatched to a cooking hearth on the London Belle Supper Membership on Monday night time and located smoke and flames within the kitchen space, Salt Lake Metropolis Hearth Chief Karl Lieb stated at a information convention. The extraordinary warmth created a difficult setting, and since it was unsafe to maintain firefighters inside or on the roof, the place they usually begin their assault, he stated they fought the hearth with aerial gadgets.

“The firefighters did an amazing job preventing this hearth, significantly given the pace at which it unfold, the gasoline that was obtainable to it and the depth,” Lieb stated.

One of many injured firefighters had a damaged ankle; one other was affected by smoke inhalation, dehydration and nausea; and the third was injured by falling particles and was trapped briefly in opposition to a sequence hyperlink fence, Lieb stated. All have been doing OK Tuesday morning. There have been about 78 firefighters on the scene, he stated.

Officers estimate about $5 million in losses by way of the 5 affected buildings, Lieb stated. The investigation of the hearth might take weeks.

Jason Andersen, the chef de delicacies at Whiskey Avenue Cocktails & Eating, had simply left for the night time when his sous-chef referred to as in a panic, saying the block was ablaze and everybody was evacuating. Andersen rushed again. He couldn’t get shut, however the sous-chef described to him in actual time how the hearth rapidly turned an inferno, blasting by way of home windows and taking pictures smoke and particles into the air.

Andersen, who has labored on the bar and restaurant for seven years, stood teary-eyed at a police barricade Tuesday morning because the odor of smoke lingered within the air. All that remained inside his office was a pile of charred planks. Now navigating sudden unemployment, Andersen joked with others to chop by way of the ache: “I left my knives in there!”

“I’m harassed, however principally in shock proper now,” Andersen stated. “It was like residence, a household. We have been at all times there for one another, and now our residence has burned to the bottom.”

Mayor Erin Mendenhall described the hearth as “a tragic loss” for town, calling the institutions that burned “iconic companies in our downtown core” that she hopes will return to the block.

“Los Tapatios, London Belle, White Horse and Whiskey Avenue are on the coronary heart of what Salt Lake Metropolis’s downtown vibe is,” Mendenhall stated. “And I feel there’s numerous tears being shared amongst Salt Lakers that see the devastating harm right here.”

A neighboring restaurant, Eva, reported some smoke and water harm however nothing main.

Town will work with the companies to offer no-interest loans to assist cowl among the prices as soon as they get their insurance coverage assessments again, Mendenhall stated.

The fireplace destroyed buildings that date again to 1920 and are “residence to beloved native companies and gathering locations that convey life, tradition, and connection to our group,” the Downtown Alliance stated in a press release on Tuesday, noting that the results will “ripple far past the partitions of the impacted property.” The alliance, which represents 2,500 companies and constructing homeowners, stated the affected property homeowners have stated they intend to rebuild.

“This dedication offers us hope as we glance towards restoring the vitality of this block,” the alliance stated.

The alliance thanked first responders who contained the hearth, protected close by buildings and made positive all clients and staff evacuated safely.

Earlier than it was diminished to rubble, the block of adjoining bars with full kitchens was a vibrant after-hours hangout within the capital metropolis’s small downtown space. Some locals jokingly referred to the strip as “Sinners’ Row,” a commentary on the anti-alcohol tradition in a state the place greater than half the inhabitants belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, identified broadly because the Mormon Church.

The London Belle Supper Membership had leaned into its scandalous historical past. The bar and restaurant’s web site says it was as soon as the area of an notorious madam of the early 1900s who orchestrated a city-sanctioned block of prostitution. In fashionable instances, the candlelit cocktail lounge described itself as a “seductive sanctuary, the place historical past and hedonism intertwine.”

A light-weight rail line that runs alongside the block is open, however the mayor inspired individuals to keep away from the realm except they have to be there.

Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland.

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Tesla Autopilot Operators. $25-$30/Hour. Plus Family-Building.

Tesla Interior NewModelY 91

Are you a “extremely motivated self-starter” who desires to drive an “engineering automobile for prolonged intervals, conducting dynamic audio and digicam knowledge assortment for testing and coaching functions?”

This function requires a “excessive degree of flexibility, sturdy consideration to element, glorious driving expertise, and the power to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic surroundings.”

You could have driver’s license, after all, and be English-language and tech-savvy, Oh, and you could move a drug take a look at.

If you’re , you possibly can apply to autonomous automobile producer Tesla for a job as an Autopilot Car Operator.

Tesla’s job ad seeks folks to drive across the Flushing neighborhood in Queens, New York Metropolis, in one in all its autonomous autos gathering knowledge. Nonetheless, the boilerplate teases that there might be extra in retailer as candidates will need to have “the pliability of touring to home or worldwide locations, as crucial.”

The complete-time job pays from $25.25 to #30.60 a hour, relying on the shift.

The complete-time place comes with fairly a bundle of advantages that features well being, dental, imaginative and prescient, 401(okay), well being financial savings account, weight reduction and commuter advantages together with family-building advantages corresponding to fertility, adoption and surrogacy advantages; back-up childcare and parenting help; and the Tesla Infants merchandise program. Advantages can be found on the primary day of rent.

The job advert is a sign that Tesla could need to deploy its ride-hailing and/or robotaxi providers within the Huge Apple someday quickly. The corporate has been given the inexperienced mild to launch its robotaxi in Texas, after a take a look at drive in Austin. It has been testing its ride-hailing service in San Francisco and introduced plans to expand to Arizona.

State and native legal guidelines usually require corporations providing ride-hailing providers to turn out to be licensed as as transportation community corporations (TNC).Tesla is a licensed TNC in Texas.

Picture: Tesla Inside NewModelY_91 Picture from Tesla.

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Milwaukee Area Recovers From Record Rain and Flooding

The Milwaukee space started drying out Monday after weekend rain hit unofficial information in Wisconsin of greater than 14 inches (36 centimeters) in lower than 24 hours, main a number of rivers to flood at record-high ranges, washing out autos, flooding basements and reducing energy to 1000’s of properties.

No fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning from the storms that started Saturday night time and stretched into Sunday. Highway closures have been extra remoted Monday as flood warnings continued in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties. About 2,000 homes within the space remained with out energy as of Monday afternoon.

Residents couldn’t imagine what they noticed as rains pounded the realm Saturday night time.

Colby McMillan and a buddy have been driving residence round 11 p.m. in Milwaukee when their automobile stalled out in what McMillian thought was only a puddle.

Then the water began coming in below the door.

“Because the water was coming in, it was like, ‘What is occurring?’” McMillan mentioned Monday. “It was very, very stunning to me. We needed to get out of this automobile and out of the rain. I had by no means seen something like this earlier than.”

They escaped and helped others keep away from getting caught like they did. However the automobile was totaled, McMillan mentioned.

Town of Milwaukee was nonetheless assessing the extent of the harm Monday as flood waters have been receding, mentioned town’s public works director, Jerrel Kruschke.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency after touring a few of the harm in suburban Wauwatosa on Monday and known as the flooding “unprecedented.”

Rob Sieracki lives throughout the road from a canine park that he mentioned was fully underwater. One automobile was submerged, one thing Sieracki didn’t notice till he noticed a photograph the subsequent day.

About two toes (60 centimeters) of water got here up the entrance of his home, in-built 1890, leading to a number of inches of flooding in his basement. He additionally misplaced energy for 15 hours.

“As a result of we’re on a hill, we turned out to be comparatively OK,” Sieracki mentioned. “Some water did are available in, it’s pungent water, we expect it’s sewage, however we’ll be OK.”

The flash flooding led to the cancellation of the ultimate day of the Wisconsin State Truthful in West Allis outdoors of Milwaukee on Sunday, in addition to USA Triathlon’s Dash and Paratriathlon Nationwide Championships in Milwaukee. 1000’s of athletes from across the nation have been anticipated to take part in that occasion.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson mentioned he’s listening to tales of residents throughout town, together with his personal uncle, who had water all the way in which as much as the highest of their basement.

“I definitely hope {that a} storm like this doesn’t go to on town for not less than one other millennium,” Johnson mentioned.

The Nationwide Climate Service predicted extra rain for the realm Monday night time, however nothing just like the extended deluge Saturday into Sunday that brought about the flash flooding.

“There may very well be some areas that get some heavy downpours,” mentioned Sarah Marquardt, a Nationwide Climate Service meteorologist on the Milwaukee/Sullivan workplace. That would delay areas with standing water however not lead to further flooding, she mentioned.

The Nationwide Climate Service mentioned 4 rivers within the Milwaukee space hit record-high ranges over the weekend. The official two-day rain whole on the Milwaukee airport of 6.91 inches (about 17.6 centimeters) was the second-highest on file, Marquardt mentioned. The file was 7.18 inches set in June 2008. The only-day whole on the airport on Saturday of 5.74 inches (about 14.6 centimeters) was second solely to the file of 6.81 inches set in 1986, Marquardt mentioned.

Unofficial two-day rain totals within the 10- to 12-inch vary, with one studying exceeding greater than 14 inches (about 35.6 centimeters) in northwestern Milwaukee County, would set file highs for the state as soon as verified over the approaching weeks, Marquardt mentioned. The present state file is 11.72 inches (about 29.8 centimeters) set in 1946.

The Kinnickinnic, Milwaukee, Menominee and Root rivers all hit file highs over the weekend, with the Milwaukee River going greater than 4-feet over flood stage, Marquardt mentioned.

A youngster clinging to a tree department and standing on a submerged log was rescued by firefighters in an inflatable boat on Sunday afternoon after getting swept away because the Root River flooded a street in Franklin, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Milwaukee. He was rescued unhurt about 100 yards (91 meters) downstream from the place he entered, the Franklin Fireplace Division mentioned.

Firefighters responded to over 600 calls together with for gasoline leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, in accordance with the Milwaukee Fireplace Division.

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Texas Crime Labs Say They Need More Resource for a THC Ban

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As Texas lawmakers debate whether or not to manage or ban THC merchandise, officers with the state’s crime labs say they don’t have the assets at present to implement no matter regulation is handed.

“From against the law lab perspective, mercifully, we don’t have a canine in that combat. I actually don’t care. Simply inform me what I would like to check, after which I would like assets to have the ability to present that consequence,” Peter Stout, president and chief govt officer for the Houston Forensic Science Middle, informed The Texas Tribune after he testified earlier than the Home Public Well being Committee on Wednesday. “In any other case, I grow to be the explanation the wheel falls off this wagon, which has principally been the final six years now.”

Wednesday’s committee listening to centered on Home Invoice 5, which might create a blanket ban on merchandise containing any “detectable quantity of any cannabinoid” aside from cannabidiol and cannabigerol, higher often known as CBD and CBG, non-intoxicating elements of hashish. This invoice would remove nearly all of hemp merchandise, together with these which are authorized beneath the federal definition.

“There’s been numerous reviews of synthetic and artificial cannabinoids and their results on the patron, and these merchandise have grow to be available,” stated Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, the committee’s chair and HB 5’s creator. “A few of these merchandise are marketed in a manner that’s engaging to kids, for instance widespread meals merchandise, like sweet.”

The Senate’s model of the invoice additionally requires a ban, however since Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this 12 months vetoed comparable laws that may have banned THC, some lawmakers have signaled they’d assist extra laws over a ban.

Kim Carmichael, spokesperson for Home Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, informed The Texas Tribune that the Home hasn’t dedicated to a ban.

“HB 5 was filed as an identical invoice to what the Home handed within the common session, as a result of that’s probably the most logical place to begin for negotiations,” Carmichael stated. “Because it handed in that kind, members believed they need to resume debate the place it ended up. It will nonetheless undergo the method of a public listening to and ground debate, so the place it finally ends up is unknown right now.”

Specialists invited by lawmakers on Wednesday to speak about THC largely targeted on the well being risks of THC, the potential felony networks that underlie the business, and the unimaginable job of enforcement.

Alice Amilhat, assistant chief of the crime laboratory division for the Texas Division of Public Security, informed lawmakers the DPS crime lab is equally overwhelmed with requests, and it doesn’t matter what lawmakers determine, it will likely be an costly course of.

“I don’t have a monetary assertion for you, but when a ban goes by way of, the testing course of will likely be simpler, however the issue is we simply don’t know if the caseload will enhance as effectively,” she stated. “We don’t know what number of instances will are available in, we don’t know what number of seizures, we don’t know the way a lot regulation enforcement will want our assist.”

Crime labs in Texas have discovered themselves in a no-win scenario on regulate THC. If a ban goes by way of, testing will likely be comparatively straightforward as a result of all crime labs want to find out is that if there’s THC within the substance, however it is going to nonetheless imply extra instances for them. Not banning, however regulating THC may even drive their caseloads up and the testing course of can grow to be costlier and time-consuming in the event that they need to spend time making an attempt to detect permissible quantities of THC in substances. Each eventualities are unsustainable for crime labs, that are battling deadlier medicine, with the present assets they’ve.

“There are solely 266 licensed drug chemists within the state,” Stout informed lawmakers. “I’m listening to fentanyl, and once you guys get it found out (with THC), then I’ll spend money on gear and different stuff for testing.”

Stout stated crime labs throughout the state have backlogs on instances that attain tons of to 1000’s deep, and in comparison with sexual assault and firearms instances, THC testing will likely be a decrease precedence.

“I’ve been fairly vocal that I’ve not made the investments to check hemp in Houston on the scale that we in all probability would wish to, as a result of I can’t sustain merely with the drugs which have fentanyl,” he informed the Tribune. “So yeah, I’m going to prioritize the fentanyl earlier than hemp, and each greenback I spend on testing medicine is a greenback I don’t need to spend on testing a sexual assault equipment.”

DPS handles about half of the forensic work within the state, and municipal, county, or regional labs deal with the remainder. Every has its supply of funding that may be inconsistent, however none of it’s sufficient, in keeping with crime labs.

Stout stated the common crime lab throughout the nation will get round $600 in funding per case, when laboratories in all probability want $2,500 in funding per case to cowl personnel, time, and gear. He stated that, past the cash drawback, the time-consuming nature of coaching is a priority, and there’s no pool of licensed drug chemists ready for a job.

“We have now under-resourced forensic laboratories for thus lengthy, there is no such thing as a pipeline or workforce,” he stated. “The individuals aren’t there, and the cash will not be there.”

The continued challenges at crime labs have resulted in instances taking years to resolve. Crime labs haven’t any management over their workload — no matter substance or case regulation enforcement decides to give attention to will influence crime labs, whether or not they’re prepared for it or not.

“Okay, guys, you additionally want me to reply you on that sexual assault equipment and that murder, which of them would you like me to do first?” Stout stated. “As a result of we will’t afford to do all of them. Assist me out right here.”

Stout stated crime labs want extra time and cash.

“And I get that’s precisely the unsuitable reply, that no person needs to listen to. They wish to give us a giant pot of cash and go on to different issues, however it doesn’t work that manner,” he stated.

This text initially appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/13/texas-crime-labs-THC-hemp-ban-regulations/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and fascinating Texans on state politics and coverage. Be taught extra at texastribune.org.

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