February 19 top stories
It is February 19. Hope your weekend was good. Today is Presidents’ Day. Here are today’s top stories.
Minn. 2 cops and 1 firefighter killed in response to DV call
According to local authorities, two police officers and a firefighter were fatally shot and another officer was injured after responding to a domestic incident early Sunday morning in Burnsville, Minnesota. Burnsville is approximately 15 miles south of Minneapolis.
The incident began around 1:50 am local time, when Burnsville police were called to a home where a man was reported to be armed and barricaded inside with family members.
The city officials said in a news release, after arriving, the situation escalated into gunfire with responders. Three men were fatally shot, while another officer was injured and taken to a hospital. He is believed to have suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Burnsville city officials identified the three victims Sunday afternoon as officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, 40.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was also killed.
The other family members were able to leave the home and are safe. A total of 7 children between the ages of 2 and 15 were in the home.
Miami schools send permission slips over Black history
A parent, Chuck Walter, posted an image of the permission slip he received on X, but did not share the name of the school, he said, to avoid backlash. The post has at least 13 million views, with some commenters expressing shock, confusion and anger that the school required the permission slip.
In the form, parents were asked if they could give permission for their child to participate in a “Read Aloud,” which was described as an activity where “students will participate & listen to a book written by an African American.” The event listed types of [Black] guests that may attend as “fireman/doctor/artist.”
Walter told a news outlet he was among the parents at Coral Way K-8 Center, a Miami-Dade public school, who were asked to sign permission forms so their children could participate in a Black History Month activity. His daughter’s teacher said the permission form needed to be signed or she would be removed from class during the activity.
A parent whose child attends a different school in Miami-Dade County, told a news outlet that she also received a permission form for her child to participate in Black History Month events.
In April 2022, Florida Gov. DeSantis signed the Individual Freedom Act into law, also known as the “Stop WOKE Act,” which is intended to limit teachings or mandatory workplace activities that suggest a person is privileged or oppressed.
DeSantis addressed the backlash to the permission slips during a news conference, accusing schools of “virtue signaling”. He said, “there is nothing in the state that required that, the state board of education immediately wrote a letter to the principal that said “knock it off, stop with the nonsense.”
Gas explosion at VA home kills 1 firefighter and injures others
A house exploded in Sterling, Virginia, on Friday night as fire crews were inside checking a gas leak, leaving one firefighter dead and at least 13 others injured, including 11 first responders. Sterling is less than 5 miles north of Washington Dulles International Airport.
The department identified the deceased firefighter as 45-year-old Trevor Brown, who was with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.
Crews responded to the home around 7:40 pm ET Friday after getting a 911 call about a gas odor coming from the residence.
Sterling city officials said firefighters entered the home with appropriate PPE and the two occupants of the home, as well as their pets, were removed. Shortly before 8:30 pm, units on the scene reported a “catastrophic explosion” that caused firefighters inside the home to become trapped and injured others outside the structure. Officials said calls for help came from the wreck, and crews rushed to find and rescue firefighters in the debris. It was “somewhat chaotic” as the department tried to track down all the injured firefighters, figuring out how many were trapped under debris. All units were accounted for and receiving medical care by around 9:15 pm. There were “varying degrees of injuries.”
The fire department’s investigation is ongoing, but a city official believes the explosion was related to a 500-gallon underground propane tank on the side of the house that crews found leaking into the home.
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NBA All-Star Weekend: Curry defeats Ionescu in 3-point contest
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game took place Sunday night in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game was aired live on TNT and streamed on Max.
It was the first time ever a three-point contest between NBA and WNBA superstars occurred–the first of its kind. New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry were shooting from the same depth. Ionescu had the option of shooting from either the WNBA three-point line (22 feet and 1.75 inches) or NBA three-point line (23 feet and 9 inches), but opted for the NBA arc. However, she used a WNBA ball.
Ionescu went first and put up a score of 26 after her first round. Curry followed with 29 points to win. He shared a friendly hug with Ionescu before being presented with the championship belt.
Steph Curry is a two-time NBA three-point contest champion and holds the league’s record for most career three-pointers made (3,642). However, in 2023, Sabrina Ionescu set the WNBA record for most three-pointers in a single season (128). She also set a WNBA and NBA all-time record score in the three-point contest last season, recording 37 points out of a possible 40. She used the WNBA equivalents – the line is a little closer and the ball is slightly smaller.
See Alex for the report on Trump’s NY civil fraud trial ruling.
Judge fines Donald Trump more than $350 million
Thanks, Callie.
On Friday, New York Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former president Donald Trump and his business, the Trump Organization, to pay about $350 million in damages for financial fraud and failing to accept responsibility for it.
It is the final decision in the New York civil fraud trial that lasted from October to December 2023. The case was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The judge said documents prove that the Trump side inflated asset values to make more money and has refused to admit error or change their ways.
Trump said he would appeal the ruling. He called the judge and attorney general corrupt.
NBC News explained that an appeal in the case would likely take years, but Trump could have to post a bond for the full amount of $350 million if he does so.
Last month, Trump was ordered to pay $83 million to E. Jean Carroll in her defamation case against him. Trump wants to appeal that case, but would have to put up a bond of $83 million as well.
So, Trump is being hit with nearly a half billion dollars’ worth of penalties from civil cases, and this is all separate from his four pending criminal cases: one in New York (hush money), one in D.C. (2020 federal election), one in Georgia (2020 state election), and one in Florida (classified documents).
The trial for the New York case, the hush-money trial, will begin March 25.
Thanks for that report. That is all the news stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
Minn. 2 cops and 1 paramedic killed in response to DV call:
Miami schools send permission slips over Black history
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/14/miami-schools-permission-slip-black-history-00141535
https://x.com/ChuckWalterFL/status/1757220780373373048?s=20
Gas explosion at VA home kills 1 firefighter and injures others:
NBA All-Star Weekend: Curry defeats Ionescu in 3-point contest:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39549220/stephen-curry-beats-sabrina-ionescu-3-all-star-shootout
Judge fines Donald Trump more than $350 million