Brad Matthews

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano resumes eruptions, letting loose lava and volcanic smog

After a pause in activity that began in early December, the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's big island began erupting once again on Thursday, sending forth bursts of lava and volcanic smog.

January 6, 2023

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX seeks to terminate naming rights to Miami Heat arena

The bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX is seeking to terminate its $135 million, 19-year deal for the naming rights to the arena of the NBA's Miami Heat. The arena is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida.

January 6, 2023

New York reaped $48 million from unused gift cards in 2022

The New York State Office of Unclaimed Funds took in a record $48 million from unused gift card balances in 2022. A settlement with Apple netted authorities almost $3 million, while another with H&M brought in around $18 million.

January 6, 2023

Delta Air Lines to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi to members of free miles program

Delta Air Lines is making airplane mode a thing of the past. Starting Feb. 1, U.S. domestic passengers who are members of Delta's SkyMiles program will receive free in-flight Wi-Fi provided by a partnership with mobile carrier T-Mobile.

January 6, 2023

Technology contractor sentenced for stealing, reselling government electronics

Dennis Gamarra, 53, was sentenced to one year of probation including six months of home confinement.

January 5, 2023

Government contractor pleads guilty to bribery, visa fraud committed while in Afghanistan

A Georgia man pleaded guilty to taking bribes as a government contractor in Afghanistan, after which he funneled reconstruction contracts to Afghan companies and falsified letters of recommendation for translators' visa applications, the Justice Department announced.

January 5, 2023

Hey, suit up! Texas A&M basketball team hit with pregame technical foul for leaving jerseys in hotel

Texas A&M entered its men's basketball game down 1-0 Wednesday after being assessed a technical foul and a resulting free throw by Florida. The Aggies had forgotten their jerseys in a hotel room near the arena in Gainesville, Florida.

January 5, 2023

Bodies of 5 children, 3 adults with gunshot wounds found in Utah

A welfare check on a family in Enoch, Utah, Wednesday led police to discover the bodies of eight dead family members having gunshot wounds.

January 5, 2023

Blue Line Metrorail operator arrested on suspicion of driving a train while drunk

A Metrorail operator on the Blue Line was arrested on Dec. 23 on suspicion of operating a train while intoxicated.

January 5, 2023

Economic spy who gave General Electric secrets to Chinese govt. sentenced to 24 months in prison

From 2008 to 2018, Xiaoqing Zheng of Niskayuna, New York, worked for GE Power as an engineer specializing in the sealing of turbines. In that role, Zheng accessed and stole information on turbine production, which was to be used by the Chinese state and affiliated entities in order to reproduce the turbines themselves.

January 4, 2023

Men charged with Christmas vandalism of 4 electrical substations in Washington state

Authorities have charged two suspects in the vandalism of four electrical substations in Washington state on Christmas Day, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.

January 4, 2023

Watching online pornography in Louisiana now requires verifying one’s age with state ID

A new Louisiana state law is putting teeth into the 18-and-up requirement for pornographic sites. As of the new year starting Sunday, users trying to access such sites in the state will have to verify their age with a state-issued ID.

January 4, 2023

Icy taxiway causes Delta plane landing in Minneapolis to slide off pavement into snow

A Delta Air Lines plane arriving at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Tuesday night slid off the icy taxiway and into snow.

January 4, 2023

One teenager dead, another injured after shooting at Congress Heights Metrorail station

A 17-year-old was killed and a 14-year-old was injured in a shooting late Monday night at the Congress Heights Metrorail station on the Green Line.

January 3, 2023

Plane crash after takeoff in Provo, Utah leaves one dead, one in critical condition

A small four-passenger plane crashed just after taking off from Provo Municipal Airport in Provo, Utah on Monday, leaving one dead and another in critical condition.

January 3, 2023

Florida Keys inundated with migrants over New Year’s weekend, forcing closure of national park

After 300 migrants arrived over the New Year's holiday weekend, the Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys closed to visitors Monday.

January 3, 2023

2 adults, 2 children survive Tesla’s 250-foot crash off Devil’s Slide cliff in California

A Tesla veered off the road Monday on Northern California's treacherous Devil's Slide promontory, falling 250 feet off a cliff to the rocks below.

January 3, 2023

Grubhub agrees to pay D.C. and customers $3.5 million over fees and transparency

Grubhub reached a $3.5 million settlement with D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine Friday over a city lawsuit alleging the food delivery app was not transparent with its application of fees, which the city considered deceptive marketing.

January 3, 2023

Silver Spring rapper arrested in Maryland and extradited to Florida on human trafficking charges

Silver Spring, Maryland rapper Monriko Clements, who goes by the artist name "King Swuice," was arrested in Maryland and extradited to southern Florida this week on charges of human trafficking.

December 30, 2022

Buccaneers backup QB Gabbert saves passengers from downed helicopter while riding jet ski

Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert became a "citizen hero" Thursday when, while out on jet skis with his brothers, he helped rescue a family of three and a pilot from a downed helicopter.

December 30, 2022