Students in Southwest Florida are preparing for Prom 2021

Seniors and Juniors in Southwest Florida are getting ready for prom this year after COVID -19 canceled Prom 2020. School districts share how they are preparing for the glamorous night.

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    U.S. and Iranian officials clashed on Friday over what sanctions the United States should lift to resume compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, with Washington predicting an impasse if Tehran sticks to a demand that all sanctions since 2017 be removed. The two nations laid out tough stances as indirect talks in Vienna on how to bring both back into full compliance with the agreement wound up for the week, with some delegates citing progress. The talks, in which European Union officials are shuttling between the remaining parties to the deal and the United States, aim to restore the bargain at the core of the agreement - restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of U.S. and other international sanctions.

  • These Prefabricated Homes Showcase the Beauty and Innovative of Sustainable Living

    While locations of the kitchen and bathrooms are set, clients can customize the layouts to fit their needs, including open or traditional floor plans, and add amenities such as balconies, gardens, and parking. Architect Jeffrey Sommers of Square Root designed the semi-customizable C3 Pre-fab—the first LEED Platinum–certified home in Chicago—using corrugated Galvalume, reclaimed wood, and fiber cement. Modular construction allowed the firm to build on a narrow site that would have not have allowed traditional building methods.

  • LEADING OFF: Judge still sore; Jays' Hernández to C-19 IL

    Aaron Judge's health is again a concern for the New York Yankees. The star slugger has missed two games with soreness in his left side, and manager Aaron Boone wasn't sure if Judge would be able to play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was off to a hot start, and New York is hoping that won't be interrupted by a trip to the injured list.

  • Saint Vincent volcano: 'Explosive' Soufrière eruption sparks mass evacuation

    La Soufrière on Saint Vincent island spews ash 6 km into the air, as 16,000 people are evacuated.

  • Why We Love a Small Loveseat

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  • The defender who might be elusive for Dolphins and outside-the-box front-seven solutions

    There’s no greater need for the Dolphins on defense in this draft than finding another edge rusher, a position where Miami is lacking after the offseason jettisoning of Kyle Van Noy (released) and Shaq Lawson (traded to Houston for linebacker Benardrick McKinney).

  • Why Jalen McDaniels is a shining product of Hornets’ development focus and investment

    The Charlotte Hornets’ renewed attention to detail in drafting and development has seen players like McDaniels grow from late draft picks to impactful fill-in starters.

  • Medical Examiner: Chauvin’s Restraint Was ‘More Than Floyd Could Take’

    via REUTERSThe medical examiner who wrote the controversial report on George Floyd’s cause of death testified on Friday that the cops’ restraint “was just more than Mr. Floyd could take”—but he wouldn’t rule out the role of drugs and heart issues.Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker’s testimony provided a small glimmer of hope for Derek Chauvin’s defense team after a devastating week of evidence in which the Minneapolis Police Chief said the former officer “absolutely” violated protocol, and two renowned medical experts said Floyd died of low oxygen caused by the cops’ actions alone.Baker’s official report listed Floyd’s cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” He listed hardening and thickening of the artery walls, heart disease, fentanyl use, and methamphetamine use as “other significant conditions.”The report’s mention of drug use and heart issues, and its omission of any reference to oxygen deprivation, outraged Floyd’s family last year, prompting them to commission their own independent report, which won’t be shown to the jury, that concluded Floyd died of strangulation.Pulmonologist: Chauvin’s Knee on Floyd Was Akin to Having ‘a Lung Removed’It also became the crux of Chauvin’s defense, which is that Floyd’s death was partly the result of factors unrelated to the arrest, like pre-existing heart issues and drugs, and Chauvin was only doing what he had been trained to do as a cop.On Friday, Baker said his cause of death was “fancy medical lingo for the heart and the lungs stopped. No pulse, no breathing.” It occurred “in the setting of” law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression, he said.While Baker said Floyd was “generally healthy” before May 2020, he refused to rule out Floyd’s heart issues—high blood pressure, carotid arteries, a larger-than-normal heart due to hypertension—as playing a role in the death.“He has a heart that already needs more oxygen than a normal heart, by virtue of its size, and it’s limited in its ability to step up to provide more oxygen,” he said. “In my opinion the law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression was just more than Mr. Floyd could take by virtue of those heart conditions.”He said the amount of fentanyl was higher than amounts found in some fatal overdoses, and the methamphetamine would have increased the work Floyd’s heart had to do to keep pumping oxygen.But, ultimately, he said that was not the cause of death. The “topline” was that Floyd’s heart and lungs stopped “in the setting” of the officers’ activities.“It was the stress of that interaction that tipped him over the edge given his underlying heart disease and toxicological status,” he said.A veteran medical examiner, who previously worked in the Hennepin County office with Baker, testified on Friday that she agreed with Baker’s official cause of death—but thought it was solely due to the officers’ activities.Chauvin ‘Absolutely’ Violated Policy When He Knelt on Floyd: Police ChiefDr. Lindsey Thomas said drug levels were “very low” and his slow death over several minutes indicated that it wasn’t a heart attack. “This is not a sudden cardiac death,” she said.She said the mechanism of death was “asphyxia or low oxygen”—echoing testimony from an Illinois pulmonologist on Thursday who said Floyd’s lungs and breathing apparatus were slowly cut off by the combination of four factors: Chauvin’s left knee on Floyd’s neck, Floyd’s prone position during the arrest, Chauvin’s right knee on Floyd’s back, arm, and side, and the combination of handcuffs and the roadway acting like a vice for Floyd.“Put all together… what it means, to me, is that the activities of the law enforcement officers resulted in Mr. Floyd’s death,” Thomas said.After viewing videos of Floyd’s death, she could pinpoint the moment she saw an “anoxic brain reaction,” which looks like a twitch and is what the body does when the brain no longer has enough oxygen.Chauvin kept his knees on Floyd for several minutes after that moment, she said, even after another cop said there’s no pulse. “They maintain the position so, at that point, his heart has also stopped,” she said.Thomas said that “other significant conditions” are usually only included on death certificates for public health and research purposes, and none of them caused Floyd’s death.However, under cross-examination, she conceded that, if the police were taken out of the equation, she may have concluded that heart problems or drug use were the cause of death.Chauvin, 45, is on trial for second and third-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter after holding his knee on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes during the arrest over a counterfeit bill. Three other officers—Tou Thao, Thomas K. Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng—will face a trial in August.Nelson has raised questions about whether the distressed crowd of bystanders and Floyd’s refusal to initially get into a squad car factored into Chauvin’s level of force. However, several current and former Minneapolis police officials, and use-of-force experts, have testified that it was not part of his training and was “totally unnecessary” once Floyd had stopped resisting.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • Scoop: Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel escorted out of RNC retreat

    During this weekend’s highly anticipated donor retreat hosted by the Republican National Committee in Palm Beach, Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel was escorted off the premises while his primary opponent, Jane Timken, was allowed to stay, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell Axios.What we’re hearing: The invitation-only event is taking place at the Four Seasons Resort, and the RNC reserved the entire hotel. While Timken, former Ohio GOP chair, was invited to the event “because she is a major donor” — Mandel was not, so he was asked to leave, according to one of the sources.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeDespite not having his name on the list, Mandel seized on the opportunity to get some face time with top Republican donors while they all were in one place, one source familiar with his plans told Axios.But when the first event formally kicked off at the hotel Friday night, Mandel and others who did not have credentials were asked to leave.A spokesperson for the RNC declined to comment. Mandel's team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Between the lines: Those attending the retreat not only have access to big donors, but also key party players, including former President Trump. Saturday evening, the group will travel to Mar-a-Lago, where Trump is expected to deliver remarks and mingle with attendees. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential contender, will also speak. Why it matters: The incident gives Timken more visibility and access to Trump, which is crucial as he continues to be the party’s rainmaker and most influential player. It also underscores how Trump’s efforts to continue leading the GOP have made all interactions with donors high-stakes. Background: Trump previously showed interest in endorsing Timken, but was ultimately talked out of it by his son, Donald Trump Jr., and other top advisers.Mandel and Timken have long been extremely pro-Trump and both are vying to get the former president's endorsement — which could be the deciding factor in who wins the race to replace Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who recently announce he will not run for reelection.More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

  • Service with a smile: Prince Philip puts Land Rover hearse at heart of funeral he designed himself

    The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin will be carried through the grounds of Windsor Castle in a modified Land Rover that he designed for the occasion himself. The funeral will take place next Saturday at 3pm, following a short procession in which the Prince of Wales and senior members of the Royal family will follow the coffin on foot as it is driven to St George’s Chapel. The Queen will not take part in the procession. It will be a royal funeral like no other, with Royals adhering to Covid-19 guidelines by wearing masks throughout the ceremony and maintaining social distancing. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed that it would not be a state occasion, in accordance with the Duke’s wishes, but a ceremonial royal funeral in line with the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002. Her Majesty gave final approval to the plans, which “very much reflect the personal wishes of the Duke" who died peacefully at home in Windsor Castle on Friday morning.

  • Meghan Markle won't travel to Prince Philip's funeral. Experts say flying while pregnant during the pandemic can be risky.

    An OB-GYN said flying while pregnant is generally safe before 36 weeks. Meghan Markle, whose due date is not known, didn't get clearance to fly.

  • Prince Charles breaks the royal family's public silence after Prince Philip's death: 'I miss my father enormously'

    The Prince of Wales is the first of Queen and Prince Philip's four children to share a statement after the death of their father.

  • Texas GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw recovering from emergency eye surgery that will leave him blind for a month

    Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) revealed Saturday that he underwent emergency surgery on his left eye a day earlier after a doctor discovered his retina was detaching. The surgery "went well" he said, but it will require a long and likely arduous recovery. "I will be effectively blind for about a month," he explained, adding that a "few more prayers that my vision will get back to normal ... wouldn't hurt." While he recovers, he'll be mostly "off the grid," he said. It was a "terrifying prognosis" for Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, who was hit by an IED blast during a mission in Afghanistan's Helmand province in 2012. The injury cost him his right eye and badly damaged his left, his vision only returning after several surgeries, The Dallas Morning News notes. Crenshaw said "it was always a possibility that the effects of the damage to my retina would resurface, and it appears that is exactly what has happened." pic.twitter.com/9laF7Gjfvo — Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 10, 2021 House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called Crenshaw a "fighter" who "has the support of every one of his colleagues" in Congress. "He's going to win this battle, too," McCarthy wrote on Twitter. More stories from theweek.com7 brutally funny cartoons about Mitch McConnell's corporate hypocrisyHow red states silence urban votersYou should start a keyhole garden

  • MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell says he hired private investigators to find out why Fox News isn't letting him speak on air

    Mike Lindell said Friday he "spent a lot of money" investigating Fox News for its failure to invite him on air to peddle false election claims.

  • Boris Johnson says he won't attend Prince Philip's funeral so a royal family member can take his place

    Prince Philip's funeral on April 17 has a 30-person limit. A statement from 10 Downing Street said Johnson wants family members to be able to attend.

  • South African variant can 'break through' Pfizer vaccine, Israeli study says

    The coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa can "break through" Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to some extent, a real-world data study in Israel found, though its prevalence in the country is low and the research has not been peer reviewed. The South African variant, B.1.351, was found to make up about 1% of all the COVID-19 cases across all the people studied, according to the study by Tel Aviv University and Israel's largest healthcare provider, Clalit. But among patients who had received two doses of the vaccine, the variant's prevalence rate was eight times higher than those unvaccinated - 5.4% versus 0.7%.

  • NASA delays Mars helicopter flight after a crucial rotor-blade-spinning test ended abruptly

    Ingenuity was supposed to spin its blades at full speed on Friday, but a "watchdog" timer that identifies issues abruptly cut the test short.

  • Luxury ships from the Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise lines sail to the rescue and evacuate islanders in the path of a volcano eruption

    Saint Vincent's National Emergency Management Organisation has since tweeted that La Soufrière volcano has erupted.

  • Arizona man dies, woman rescued from steep ledge in Death Valley National Park

    Officials said that Alexander Lofgren, 32, was dead and Emily Henkel, 27, was hospitalized after they were found in Death Valley National Park.

  • I'm a 17-year-old Fortnite gamer who's won over $646,000 in two years since going pro. I average about 10 hours of gaming daily.

    Diego Palma, aka Arkhram, is 17 and says he got into gaming while recovering from a knee injury. He later signed with a pro-gaming league at age 14.