By The Associated Press | PUBLISHED: December 11, 2018 at 6:13 pm | UPDATED: December 12, 2018 at 4:40 am By DON THOMPSON | Associated Press SACRAMENTO — California’s increasingly deadly and destructive wildfires have become so unpredictable that government officials should consider banning home construction in vulnerable areas, the state’s top firefighter says. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ken Pimlott will leave his job Friday after 30 years with the agency. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said government and citizens must act differently to protect lives and property from fires that now routinely threaten large populations. That may mean rethinking subdivisions in thickly forested mountainous areas or homes along Southern California canyons lined with tinder-dry chaparral. Yet Los Angeles County supervisors stung by California’s housing shortage approved a massive rural housing development Tuesday despite the fire … [Read more...] about Cal Fire chief: State must consider ban on homes in fire-prone areas
Fires
Tuesday’s NFL: Vikings fire offensive coordinator John DeFilippo
Associated Press Published 6:22 AM EST Dec 12, 2018 Minneapolis — The Minnesota Vikings, still seeking to salvage a season that started with Super Bowl designs, made a last-ditch move to capture a mid-December spark by firing offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Coach Mike Zimmer made what he called an “extremely difficult decision” on Tuesday morning, following a 21-7 defeat at Seattle on Monday night . DeFilippo’s first season on the job ended after just 13 games, amid a sharp decline in production by the offense over the past six weeks. “I went round and round and round and round about it because I feel like, ‘I hired him. It’s my job to try to help him to continue to get better,’” Zimmer said. “I obviously didn’t do a good enough job there. I’ve always felt like if you hire a guy, you should stick with him and try to help him and help him mature as a coach.” The Vikings (6-6-1) have been held to … [Read more...] about Tuesday’s NFL: Vikings fire offensive coordinator John DeFilippo
Artist who created Stations of the Cross in San Luis Valley loses studio to fire
SAN LUIS • Huberto Maestas is known for his 15 dramatic bronze sculptures making up the Stations of the Cross Shrine in Colorado's oldest town, San Luis.The casting molds for those sculptures, along with Maestas' works in progress and artworks by family members who shared his studio and foundry, were destroyed in a Dec. 4 fire.Costilla County and Alamosa firefighters responded to the 7:45 p.m. call, battling the blaze until about 2 a.m., said Chris Rodriguez, the county's emergency management coordinator. Flames fully engulfed the nearly century-old building at 405 Main St., he said."It's probably the most destructive fire that we've had in this area, other than the wildfires," Rodriguez said. "That no one was seriously injured is a blessing."The fire's cause had not been determined. Huberto Sculpture Studio was built in the 1920s and served as the county shop, the Alamosa Valley Courier reported. A Gofundme page set up to help the Maestas family had raised more … [Read more...] about Artist who created Stations of the Cross in San Luis Valley loses studio to fire
Vikings fire DeFilippo
The Detroit News Published 12:37 AM EST Dec 12, 2018 Minneapolis — The Minnesota Vikings, still seeking to salvage a season that started with Super Bowl designs, made a last-ditch move to capture a mid-December spark by firing offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Coach Mike Zimmer made what he called an “extremely difficult decision” on Tuesday morning, following a 21-7 defeat at Seattle on Monday night . DeFilippo’s first season on the job ended after just 13 games, amid a sharp decline in production by the offense over the past six weeks. “I went round and round and round and round about it because I feel like, ‘I hired him. It’s my job to try to help him to continue to get better,’” Zimmer said. “I obviously didn’t do a good enough job there. I’ve always felt like if you hire a guy, you should stick with him and try to help him and help him mature as a coach.” The Vikings (6-6-1) have been held to … [Read more...] about Vikings fire DeFilippo
Broncos Mailbag: Why won’t they fire Vance Joseph? (Version 4.0)
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season. You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here. Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter. What do you think the Broncos can do to make it to the playoffs? — Landon, Omaha, Neb. For starters, they have to win out to finish 9-7. Then they need all of the 7-6 teams (Baltimore, Tennessee, Miami and Indianapolis) to finish 9-7 or worse. Then it’s a matter of tie-breakers. The Broncos would lose the head-to-head to the Ravens because of their Week 3 loss. With the other teams, it would come down to conference record. The Titans and Colts play each other in Week 17 so that means at least one team won’t finish 10-6. Why does every week coach Vance Joseph says that we need a quick start? I don’t think he knows how to call plays that can help his team get a quick start. Case “Can’t quarterback” Keenum and VJ … [Read more...] about Broncos Mailbag: Why won’t they fire Vance Joseph? (Version 4.0)