EXPLOSION REPORTED AT 2ND IOWA GENDER REVEAL PARTY
WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating an explosion at another Iowa gender reveal party that happened one day after a blast at a similar gathering in a nearby community killed a 56-year-old woman.
Authorities say no one was injured in the explosion Sunday in rural Waukee, a Des Moines suburb, but they are looking into unconfirmed claims that the blast broke a neighbor’s windows.
Waukee Fire Capt. Tomme Tysdal says the Waukee explosion came from a commercially available gender reveal kit, unlike the homemade device that killed Pamela Kreimeyer on Saturday near Knoxville, a town 45 miles (74 kilometers) away.
Authorities say Kreimeyer died instantly when her family’s device exploded, hitting her in the head from 45 feet (14 meters) away.
Gender reveal parties with attention-grabbing efforts such as explosives have become increasingly common nationally and popular on social media.
STREET WITH SINKHOLE THAT SNAGGED BUS TO BE CLOSED 8 WEEKS
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Officials say it will take about eight weeks to complete repairs on a downtown Pittsburgh street where a sinkhole opened up, partially swallowing a city bus.
The city said Tuesday that a contractor was removing concrete and debris from the hole that opened Monday, and utilities will work on securing fiberoptic lines there. The city’s water and sewer authority will then check for damage to water, sewer and storm lines. There are also electric, gas and other lines below ground.
After repairs are made, the sinkhole will be partially filled, a concrete layer poured, and sidewalks and curbs repaired.
The bus was lifted from the hole late Monday night. The driver was uninjured in the Monday morning rush hour incident; the lone passenger was treated at a hospital.
STUDY TRIPLES POPULATION AT RISK OF CLIMATE-TRIGGERED FLOODS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study says the number of people threatened by climate change-triggered flooding is about three times higher than previously thought. But it’s not because of more water.
The study says it is because the land, especially in Asia and the developing world, is several feet lower than what space-based radar has calculated. The study says that radar mistakes rooftops and tree canopies for ground with an average error of about 6.5 feet (2 meters).
So instead of 80 million people living in low-lying areas that would flood annually by 2050 as the world warms, this new study finds the population at risk is closer to 300 million people.
The study by the non-profit Climate Central is in Tuesday’s journal Nature Communications.
FAMILY CITES HOCKEY AS FACTOR IN PAVELICH LEGAL WOES
GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (AP) — The family of a player on the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic champion men’s hockey team says concussions and blows he received during his playing career have contributed to his current legal troubles.
A Minnesota judge Monday found 61-year-old Mark Pavelich incompetent to stand trial on charges he beat a neighbor with a metal pole. The case against Pavelich was suspended as authorities petition to have him committed.
The Star Tribune reports Pavelich’s sister, Jean Gevik, says her fun-loving brother has totally changed because of his degenerative brain disease. The National Hockey League reached a court settlement last year with hundreds of retired players who claimed harm from head injuries while playing. The NHL admitted no wrongdoing.
After the Olympics, Pavelich played for the New York Rangers and two other NHL teams.
BUCKS CENTER LOPEZ UNKNOWINGLY BOUGHT STOLEN DISNEY GOODS
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say longtime Disney enthusiast and Milwaukee Bucks center Robin Lopez unknowingly purchased rare items stolen from Disney World in Florida.
State attorney’s office records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel show Lopez had purchased clothing from a vintage Epcot animatronic called Buzzy that had gone missing from a now-defunct attraction at the Orlando theme park.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigators say a former Disney employee and his cousin used fake IDs to sneak into the park last year and steal items valued at thousands of dollars, selling them in a lucrative market for exclusive memorabilia.
Authorities have charged the men with dealing in stolen property, grand theft and burglarizing a structure at the park.
Lopez purchased the items on eBay and is said to be cooperating with authorities.
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SWITCHES FROM UA TO UARIZONA FOR SEO
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The University of Arizona has announced it is changing its abbreviation from UA to UArizona in an effort to increase search engine optimization results for the college.
The Tucson-based college says in a statement released Monday that the change would help distinguish the school from other national and international entities that use UA, including the University of Alabama, Under Armour and United Airlines.
Officials say the southern Arizona university was not appearing high on Google results when UA was typed into search engines.
University officials say the college will now use UArizona for its communications, including news releases. The college had already changed its Twitter handle to @uarizona.
Officials say there are not yet any plans to use the new abbreviation on college merchandise or in chants at sporting events.
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