Thomas fire sets record for duration
LOSANGELES — As crews battling the deadly Thomas fire girded for a difficult weekend of firefighting, Los Angeles and Ventura counties ended their 12th consecutive day of red flag fire warnings Friday — the longest sustained period of fire weather warnings on record.
“We put out plenty of red flag warnings, but we haven’t seen them out 12 days in a row. That’s unusual,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Curt Kaplan.
“This has been the longest duration event that we have had a red flag warning out without any breaks.”
Red flag warnings were instituted by the weather service in 2004 .
Kihuen probe opened
WASHINGTON— The House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it has opened an investigation into Rep. Ruben Kihuen. Two women have accused the Nevada Democrat of sexual harassment.
Mr. Kihuen has welcomed an investigation, saying in a statement earlier this week, “I believe in transparency. If Ethics wants to look at it, I welcome an opportunity to clear my name.”
Two weeks ago, BuzzFeed News reported that a former Kihuen campaign staffer had rebuffed multiple advances and said he touched her without her consent.
On Wednesday night, the Nevada Independent reported that a female lobbyist had received persistent and unwanted advances from Kihuen, through hundreds of text messages, and also was touched without her consent.
Top congressional leaders, including House Minority Leader Nancy P el os ia nd Democratic Congressional Campaign Chairman Ben RayLujan, have called on Mr.Kihuen to resign.
Sex harassment claim
WASHINGTON— A former fellow with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation on Friday accused Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott of sexually harassing her.
M. Reese Everson worked in Mr. Scott’s office during her fellowship in 2013 and said she was inappropriately touched and said Mr. Scott, a Democrat, asked her to flirt with him on a trip to California.
Before that, she said she had ignored two instances where Mr. Scott had inappropriately touched her.
“I realized I had to get the heck out of there,” she said. “I tried to run to another office headed up by a female member with a female staff.”
Candidate dropping out
WASHINGTON— Andrea Ramsey, a Democratic candidate for Congress, will drop out of the race after The Kansas City Star asked her about accusations in a 2005 lawsuit that she sexually harassed and retaliated against a male subordinate who said he had rejected her advances.
Ms. Ramsey, a 56-yearold retired business executive from Leawood, was one of the Democratic candidates vying to challenge Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder in 2018 in Kansas’ 3rd District.