Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Pinellas County commissioners have voted unanimously to end an annual agreement with Suncoast Center for sexual assault examinations, with the non-profit’s forensic services due to stop on 31 December 2026. The decision means hospitals across the Florida county are expected to take on responsibility for conducting the examinations from 1 January 2027. ([fox13news.com](https://www.fox13news.com/news/sexual-assault-exams-pinellas-county-ends-suncoast-center-agreement)) The county has paid Suncoast roughly $180,000 a year for the service, which it has provided to residents for the past 16 years. Suncoast said it had been using its own operating funds to cover a wider shortfall of about $610,000. The vote followed concerns raised during…

Melbourne lord mayor Nick Reece has criticised Victoria’s handling of major infrastructure decisions, telling the Melbourne Assembly that the state needs to strengthen its governance arrangements. His remarks focused on the Suburban Rail Loop and West Gate Tunnel, with Mr Reece calling for an upgrade to the way infrastructure decisions are governed.

A protester demanding the release of the Epstein files interrupted US Vice President JD Vance during a rally in North Carolina for Republican candidates in the midterm elections. The interruption came after Mr Vance claimed that illegal border crossings had fallen to zero. He then joked that the protester was one of those who had slipped through.

TikTok personality Dakota Harper has blamed his former girlfriend, Felicity Eatmon, for his arrest over an alleged arson attack on an abandoned home in Charleston, West Virginia. Harper, speaking from a West Virginia jail, told Los Angeles Magazine that he would not be behind bars if he had stayed away from Eatmon. “I need to stay away from Felicity. She’s the reason I’ve been in jail … if I stayed away from her, I would not be in any trouble,” he said. Harper and Eatmon were arrested late last month after allegedly setting fire to a vacant property. The allegation…

The San Francisco Symphony will bring The Ring to Davies Symphony Hall on Tuesday, October 20, with Hans Zimmer’s unsettling score performed live as Gore Verbinski’s horror film plays on the big screen. The performance, scheduled for 7.30pm, forms part of the orchestra’s film series and arrives shortly before Halloween. Jason Seber will make his San Francisco Symphony debut as guest conductor. Zimmer’s music, built around a restrained, string-led sound, will be performed in real time alongside the film. The arrangement demands precise coordination between the orchestra, the projected picture and the conductor’s cues. Seber said live film concerts can…

A 43-year-old man remains in police custody after the alleged targeting of Helen Haines, the Federal Member for Indi, in Victoria. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the man, identified as Brendan Nugent from Tarrawingee, could face both state and Commonwealth charges. The investigation is being led by the Victoria Police Security Investigation Unit, with support from the Victoria Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria Police, the AFP and ASIO. Potential charges include causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. “At this stage, it appears this is…

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is being sidelined and is likely to miss the rest of the season after testing revealed deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in his lungs. League sources said the findings led to Hurts being ruled out, with the Eagles quarterback’s absence expected to extend for the remainder of the campaign.

Anthony Albanese’s office circulated a document raising unsubstantiated questions about the integrity of independent MP Helen Haines after she criticised a $6 million government grant linked to the Prime Minister’s local golf club. The material was sent to selected members of Australia’s parliamentary press gallery about a month before Ms Haines was seriously injured in an alleged attack outside her office in Wangaratta. Ms Haines was airlifted to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital and remains in a critical condition after Brendan Nugent, 43, allegedly rammed her against her car with a Toyota LandCruiser, reversed and struck her a second time. Mr Albanese…

Selena Gomez has warned about the difficulty of quitting nicotine after saying her past vaping addiction may have permanently changed her voice. The singer and actress made the admission in an Instagram Story, saying she had used nicotine vapes heavily and believed the habit had affected the way she sounds. “I’m not gonna be able to change my voice. I vaped nicotine a lot and, just so everyone knows, nicotine is so hard to quit,” Gomez said. She urged people who vape, or are considering trying it, to avoid the habit. “It’s just not worth it,” she said. “It’s so…

A Milwaukee Brewers fan who paid $1,000 for a “Timeless Ticket” in 2015 has criticised the club after being offered only limited seating options for the team’s World Series return. Danny Fochesato had hoped to use the pass to secure prime seats at American Family Field for himself and his 76-year-old father. Instead, he said he was presented with mainly terrace-level seats and standing-room-only options before tickets went on general sale. Brewers Timeless Ticket seating limited for World Series The Brewers sold 1,000 of the brass tickets in 2015, promising holders admission to any future home game, including the World…