local officials

As crime dominates Brazil's election campaign, residents of Rio de Janeiro are taking matters into their own hands, finding local ways to confront the gangs that control parts of the city. With security a top voter concern, the story highlights the gap between official policy and life in communities where armed groups operate, fuelling debate over the candidates' competing approaches to public safety.

A Florida district is using robotic rabbits to help tackle the growing population of Burmese pythons, an invasive species that has devastated local wildlife. The robots mimic prey to lure the snakes into areas where they can be captured. The unusual approach has drawn wide attention as officials look for new ways to protect the Everglades ecosystem.

France is holding its senatorial elections today, with 178 of the 348 Senate seats being renewed. Voting is indirect: the grand electors, drawn from local elected officials, are choosing the new senators. The Rassemblement National is in a strong position in several areas, while the left expects little from the vote, as the chamber has long favoured conservative majorities given its electoral college.

Several Florida counties have declared a state of emergency in response to what health officials are calling a wildly unusual outbreak of dengue fever. The mosquito-borne illness, typically rare in the continental United States, has prompted local emergency measures as authorities work to control mosquito populations and curb further transmission. Coverage from national outlets is drawing attention to the outbreak's unusual scale and the implications for public health in the region.

ATC Manufacturing is expanding its facility in Post Falls, Idaho. The announcement was reported by the Coeur d'Alene Press as a regional business story. Details on the scale of the expansion, investment amount, or expected job creation were not included in the initial report, and reactions from local officials or residents have not yet been recorded.

Birmingham has recorded 81 measles cases as an outbreak continues to spread across the city, according to a map of confirmed infections published by the Birmingham Mail. Health officials are urging residents, particularly children and unvaccinated people, to check their MMR vaccination status as the highly contagious virus circulates in local communities.

Health officials in San Diego have issued a public warning after an E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheese spread to the region. Authorities are urging residents to avoid unpasteurized cheese products while investigators trace the source. Raw milk products can carry harmful bacteria, and officials are monitoring for further cases and advising anyone with symptoms to seek medical care.

Health officials are investigating a flea-borne typhus outbreak in the Wilshire Center neighborhood of Los Angeles. The bacterial illness, spread to humans by fleas that have fed on infected rodents, cats or opossums, can cause fever, headache and rash. Local news coverage has raised concerns about rodent populations and sanitation conditions in the area, and residents are being advised to take precautions against fleas and keep pets treated.

Officials in Palm Beach County, Florida, Donald Trump's home county, have voted to impose a temporary halt on new data center development. The pause reflects concerns about the environmental impact of the facilities and the strain they could place on local electricity supplies and residents' power bills. The decision highlights growing pushback across the United States against the rapid expansion of energy-hungry data centers.

A nor'easter is sweeping across Long Island, knocking out power to thousands of homes, toppling trees and causing coastal flooding. News 12 Long Island is providing live updates as utility crews work to restore electricity and local officials respond to flooded roads and storm damage across the region. Residents are being urged to stay off the roads and avoid downed power lines.

A coastal storm has flooded streets in Ocean City, Maryland, prompting local authorities to issue travel warnings for residents and visitors. Standing water is reported across low-lying roads, and officials are urging drivers to avoid flooded areas and delay unnecessary trips. The storm has become a leading regional story as conditions continue to affect the popular shore resort community.

Fire crews in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, are responding to an active structure fire on Ocean Drive, according to local officials. Details about injuries, the extent of the damage, or the cause have not yet been released as firefighters work at the scene. Residents are being kept updated through local news coverage as the situation develops.

Ocean City, Maryland has closed the ocean to swimmers as rough weather moves through the resort town. Officials shut down water activities ahead of hazardous surf conditions, a precaution beach towns commonly take when waves and currents become dangerous. The closure affects visitors along the popular summer destination's shoreline.

San Diego County health officials have issued a public warning about a recalled cheese product, urging residents to check whether they have it at home. Authorities are advising anyone who purchased the cheese not to eat it and to discard or return it. The warning follows a recall prompted by possible health risks.

Local health officials in Ashtabula County, Ohio, are recounting their handling of a cyclospora outbreak, a foodborne intestinal illness caused by a parasite typically linked to contaminated produce. The Star Beacon reports on their account of the response. No further details on case numbers or sources of infection were provided.

Ocean City, Maryland has closed the ocean to swimmers as rough weather moves through the resort town. Officials restricted access to the water because of hazardous surf conditions along the coast. The closures affect visitors during a busy stretch for the popular beach destination, and local outlets are reporting on the disruption as conditions continue.

A storm swept through Delaware County, causing damage to property and leaving many residents without electricity. Utility crews are working to restore power, and local officials are assessing the extent of the damage. Coverage from 6abc Philadelphia indicates the storm's impact was felt widely across the county, with cleanup efforts expected to continue.

Burlington County, New Jersey, has been selected to take part in a new climate change study. County officials announced the selection on the county's official website, and local outlet The Trentonian also reported the news. Details about the study's scope, funding and partners were not provided in the coverage available.

A politician or official reportedly received an eight-page cease-and-desist letter in connection with criticism of data centers, underlining how politically toxic data center projects have become. Communities increasingly push back against data centers over water and power use, noise, and strain on local grids, and politicians who support or oppose them face legal and electoral pressure. The letter suggests the industry or its allies are aggressively defending against criticism.

Emergency officials are responding to a diesel fuel spill at the Baltimore County Detention Center in Maryland. Responders are working to contain the spill and prevent environmental contamination on the facility's grounds. No details have been released on the amount of fuel involved, the cause of the spill, or any injuries, and it is not yet clear whether jail operations have been affected.

A city council candidate in Texas is facing a 'riot participation' charge linked to her protest of an ICE shooting. The charge against the aspiring local official has drawn attention to ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement and the treatment of protesters. Observers are weighing what the prosecution means for both her candidacy and demonstrations against ICE activity in the region.

Two homes in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, have been declared a total loss after a fire, according to local officials, who confirmed that no injuries were reported. The blaze caused significant property damage in the coastal town, and authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire.