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Janice Dean was told New York Senate Majority ‘uncomfortable’ with her testifying on nursing home deaths

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “fails to take any responsibility” for coronavirus-related nursing home deaths in the state, Fox News senior meteorologist Janice Dean, who recently lost her elderly in-laws to COVID-19, told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.

Dean made the comment days after she found out that she was taken off the list to testify at a hearing geared toward understanding why and how the pandemic took root in New York nursing homes.

“I filled out all the paperwork, I wrote the letter to all the lawmakers that needed to be written to and I got a confirmation that the chair was going to allow me to speak,” she said on Tuesday, adding that she was expecting to testify at the second hearing, which took place on Monday.

“I was supposed to hear back on the weekend. I never heard word and I heard during the hearings yesterday that they couldn’t accommodate me,” she continued.

She said New York State Sen. Thomas O’Mara, a Republican, had admitted to her “that they [the Senate Majority] were uncomfortable having [her] as a witness,” so they took her off the list.

Speaking on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” the day before, Dean said she believed Cuomo or his administration were behind the decision.

Dean said she had correspondence with New York Assemblyman Kevin Byrne and that he was the one who was emailing her “back-and-forth and was saying that he was talking to the chair [Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried] and that the chair said absolutely she’ll get her day on August the 10.”

Kilmeade asked Dean “why” she was taken off the list.

“I can only guess at this point,” she responded. “I think it went higher than the chair. I think that it was Andrew Cuomo or his administration that decided that they didn’t want my voice to be heard and that’s really unfortunate.”

In a statement sent to Fox News, Rich Azzopardi, senior advisor to Gov. Cuomo, said that the legislature is “a separate branch of government and they run their hearings how they see fit.”

Fox News spoke with Byrne, who provided some context as to what happened.

CUOMO DOWNPLAYS CALLS FOR FEDERAL PROBE INTO NURSING HOME CORONAVIRUS DEATHS: ‘ASK PRESIDENT TRUMP’

Byrne said that on Friday he got an email from Gottfried in which the Assembly Health Committee chair wrote, “I have been told that ‘The Senate is not comfortable including her on the witness list, so we will not be including her to testify.’”

Fox News reached out to Gottfried’s office for comment and was told Gottfried had no comment on the matter other than to recommend Fox News “contact the Senate Majority for comment.”

When Fox News asked the Senate Majority why they were “not comfortable” including Dean on the witness list, Senate Majority Communications Director Mike Murphy said, “That assessment is not accurate.”

In a statement sent to Fox News Murphy said, “There are so many families that suffered because of this awful pandemic.,

“We had so many brave families that wanted to share their heartbreaking stories including the ones that testified today and at last week’s hearing,” he continued. “As was made clear if you couldn’t testify in person we will accept all written testimony to be part of the written record.”

On Tuesday, host Steve Doocy told Dean, “They may have taken you off the list, but they did not take you off television and nobody has been more vocal or brutally honest about what has happened in the New York nursing homes than you Janice.”

He then asked her what she would say in her testimony.

In response, Dean said she wanted to tell the story of her in-laws and how they were “New York tough.”

The couple was “born and bred in New York” and raised three children.

“They got sick and they couldn’t take care of themselves or each other and they were in separate assisted living facilities, hoping that we were going to get them together,” she continued. “Then COVID-19 came in play and took the lives of both of them. I want answers. I want accountability.”

She pointed out that her mother-in-law was transported to a hospital and died there.

“She got coronavirus in her assisted living facility, but her number does not count,” she continued.

Dean said “the governor is hiding,” noting that on Monday Cuomo he “wouldn’t do an investigation” into the nursing home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic in New York.

“There is something wrong with that because if he wasn’t guilty of something, why wouldn’t he welcome any and all investigations into his government?” Dean asked.

Cuomo has received scathing criticism for his early order requiring that nursing homes accept COVID-19 patients who had been released from hospitals, effectively placing them in the same facilities housing the demographic most vulnerable to the virus.

Cuomo has insisted that New York’s original nursing home policy was in line with a March 13 directive from the Trump administration’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that went out to all states on how to control nursing homes.

New York, among other states, said at the time that nursing homes cannot refuse to take patients from hospitals solely because they have the coronavirus. After mounting criticism that the policy put the most vulnerable people at risk and contributed to a high number of fatalities, New York reversed course on May 10. Now hospitals can only send patients who have tested negative for COVID-19 to nursing homes.

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Cuomo and his administration have been tight-lipped about the extent of deaths and infections at the state’s more than 600 nursing homes since March and Cuomo declined to admit any missteps.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DC Circuit Court grills lawyers in Flynn case over whether case should be dropped

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn‘s attorney adamantly argued before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday that District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan overstepped his authority by pushing for further arguments rather than grant prosecutors’ motion to dismiss Flynn’s case.

A three-judge panel previously sided with Flynn and issued a writ of mandamus ordering Sullivan to dismiss the case, but Sullivan appealed to have the court’s full roster review the case.

ANDREW MCCARTHY: SHOULD JUDGE SULLIVAN BE DISQUALIFIED FROM MICHAEL FLYNN CASE?

“Gen. Flynn is a defendant without a prosecutor,” Flynn’s attorney Sidney Powell said during oral arguments, claiming that it is the Justice Department’s role to determine whether or not to prosecute a case.

Powell was grilled by the judges over whether mandamus is appropriate at this point in the case, given that Sullivan has yet to rule on the DOJ’s motion to dismiss. Mandamus, Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan noted, is for when there are no adequate alternative means of dealing with an issue, noting that a ruling from Sullivan could provide such means if it is in Flynn’s favor.

Powell cited the case of U.S. v. Fokker as D.C. Circuit Court precedent where mandamus was used in a similar situation, but Judge Judith Rogers pointed out that in Fokker the judge had already ruled.

Powell argued the drastic measure of mandamus was necessary because the process Sullivan has created is “way beyond the pale.” Sullivan had appointed retired Judge John Gleeson as an amicus curiae — friend of the court — to file a brief arguing against dismissing Flynn’s case and called for a hearing on the issues involved.

Powell referenced Gleeson’s “blistering op-ed in the Washington Post” as evidence that his “bias demands his disqualification.”

YATES: COMEY WENT ‘ROGUE’ WITH FLYNN INTERVIEW

Despite Powell’s arguments, Judge Merrick Garland questioned whether waiting for a ruling and then appealing would be the proper process in this situation. Garland pointed out that even in a case where the Supreme Court rules on an issue in a case and a lower court goes against it, an appeal, not a petition for mandamus, is the proper response,

Powell said she generally agrees with Garland but not in a situation where prosecutors have essentially quit the case.

“The court can’t continue a prosecution on its own,” Powell said, arguing that this is what Sullivan is doing here.

Judge Thomas Griffith focused on the part of the federal rule governing motions to dismiss, which states such motions may be granted “with leave of court.” Griffith asked if this is merely a “ministerial” provision.

“It almost is ministerial,” Powell said, but Griffith said that either it is or it is not, and in reality it is not. Griffith said that means Sullivan has the right to consider his decision and educate himself before doing so.

“The judge is not a rubber stamp,” Griffith said, stating that the real question is what can he do to educate himself.

Powell again pointed to the lack of a prosecutor willing to continue the case, arguing that in pressing forward, Sullivan has created a process that “tramples all over” the authority of the executive branch over federal prosecutions.

Acting Solicitor General Jeff Wall supported Flynn, telling the court that when prosecutors move to dismiss a case and the defendant agrees, “the criminal case should be at an end.”

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Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss Flynn’s case — in which he had previously pleaded guilty to providing false statements to the FBI — after FBI records called into question the circumstances surrounding Flynn’s interview with investigators. The DOJ was criticized by Democrats for giving Flynn unusual and improperly kind treatment due to his connection to President Trump.

Ten out of the 11 active judges on the court’s roster were present for the arguments. Judge Gregory Katsas, who was appointed by Trump and once served in the White House counsel’s office, recused himself.

Cleveland BASE jumper slams into building on his way down, video shows

A Cleveland woman says she and her cousin were astonished when they noticed what they describe as a BASE jumper parachuting off of a building in downtown Cleveland early Sunday morning.

Lexi Sepulveda says her cousin, Christopher Colon, pulled out his cell phone and began recording as more BASE jumpers began parachuting off the building.

“By the time he landed, I was like, ‘Is that a parachute? Did he really just parachute off of the building?’ and a couple more came after that.”

Four of the jumpers landed safely, but witnesses were stunned as the fifth jumper slammed into the Reserve Square Building complex on the way down and his parachute caught on the edge of the building, leaving him dangling 40 feet above the pavement.

OHIO GOVERNOR SEEKS TO CALM CORONAVIRUS TESTING FEARS AFTER CONFLICTING RESULTS

“We saw him go down really, really fast and then it was smack, just bad,” said Lexi Sepulveda. “My reaction was kind of closed my eyes. I was actually genuinely scared at first, but then once I saw him moving, it kind of, a sigh of relief for a second.”

Witnesses were astounded that the parachutist had only suffered a leg injury, but he was still hanging by his parachute in a precarious position, 40 feet above the ground. “It seemed kind of lucky that he got stuck on the building like that, instead of kind of hitting it and dropping down; I mean, that would have really been unfortunate,” said Patrick O’Shea.

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Cleveland firefighters summoned to the scene realized that the victim was still in danger of falling, so they decided the fastest and safest way to rescue him was with a ladder truck.

After he was freed from the parachute and loaded into a basket, the 35-year-old man was lowered to the ground and then taken to MetroHealth Medical Center for treatment of a broken bone.

Click for more from Fox 8.

State Dept. hits NBC News’ Wuhan lab article as ‘regurgitated Chinese Communist Party propaganda’

The State Department on Monday took aim at an NBC News article about the Wuhan Institute of Virology, accusing the outlet of failing to press for facts and of having had “regurgitated Chinese Communist Party propaganda.”

“@NBCnews was granted the first independent media access to the Wuhan lab, and what do they have to show for it? They just regurgitated  Chinese Communist Party propaganda and didn’t press for facts,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Monday in a series of tweets.

WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST ROGIN CALLS OUT NBC NEWS OVER ‘SEVERAL ERRORS’ IN REPORT ON WUHAN LAB

The article, ”Inside the Chinese lab central to the search for the coronavirus’ origin,” was the first look into the lab, which U.S. officials have eyed as central to the outbreak and cover-up of the virus by the Chinese government. It was written by Janis Mackey Frayer and Denise Chow.

Officials have said that the virus likely originated in the lab, not as a bioweapon but as part of China’s attempt to demonstrate that its efforts to identify and combat viruses are equal to or greater than the capabilities of the United States.

The article describes how the lab’s director feels “unfairly targeted” by what she called “unwarranted or malicious accusations while carrying out research and related work in the fight against the virus.”

It also says that the White House has not shown “credible proof” of the lab’s role while at the same time Trump “continues to fuel the blame, often through racist rhetoric” by blaming China and the lab.

Ortagus questioned if NBC asked Chinese officials “why they failed to share info about the virus, censored their own scientists, and delayed access by the international community seeking answers?”

“We don’t know what happened because the CCP preferred saving face over saving lives,” she said.

“Eight months later, mystery still surrounds the Wuhan lab, indeed. It’s high time the media ask hard questions and demand answers that go beyond CCP propaganda,” she said.

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Ortagus isn’t the only critical voice to take aim at the article. The Washington Post’s Josh Rogin, who laid out “several errors” he saw in the report, also criticized NBC for reporting the director’s claims “without any pushback,” before questioning why NBC’s reporters bothered touring the lab at all.

“What did they expect to find, a piece of paper they forgot to throw out that says ‘Coronavirus Origin Evidence’?” he asked.

Athletics’ Ramon Laureano says remark about his mom triggered Astros brawl

Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano was involved in a massive brawl on Sunday against the Houston Astros that he said was triggered by a comment made about his mother.

Laureano told ESPN that Astros bench coach Alex Cintron allegedly uttered a remark in Spanish about his mother. Cintron was in the dugout while Laureano was on first base after getting hit with a pitch. The back-and-forth began and eventually boiled over.

ASTROS AND A’S FACING HEFTY FINES AFTER OAKLAND STAR LAUREANO CHARGES THE DUGOUT

The 26-year-old said he owes his parents for his career, which is why he was seeing red when Cintron made the alleged remark.

“Every day I wake up with the motivation to be with them,” he said. “They sacrificed their life for me. They made the tough decision to let their own kid go to the States by himself and follow his own dreams. I’ve been away from my family for 10 years. It’s tough to be away from them. Any chance I have to be with them, I feel like I’m in heaven. So for him to say that to me about my mom, it doesn’t sit well. I’ve got a fire inside me right away in that second.”

METS’ MARCUS STROMAN OPTS OUT OF SEASON OVER VIRUS CONCERNS

Despite the beaning and the fight, Laureano said he has no ill will toward the Astros. He said the only regret he has was charging at Cintron.

“I regret charging him because he’s a loser,” he said. “[A suspension] is understandable, but I hope it’s not that many games.”

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Cintron, a former major leaguer himself, denied to ESPN he said anything about Laureano’s mother but didn’t reveal what he said to him.

Trump says relationship with China’s Xi changed, two haven’t spoken in a ‘long time’

President Trump said Tuesday that his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping has grown strained as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“I used to have a very good relationship with him,” Trump told OutKick host Clay Travis in an interview. “I like him, but I don’t feel the same way now.”

CORONAVIRUS HAS INFECTED MORE THAN 20 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE

He said his relationship with Xi began to fray amid the outbreak of the virus, and in his latest remarks Trump revealed he hasn’t spoken to Xi in a “long time.”

“We have a much different relationship with China now,” he told OutKick. ” I still have a good relationship but once the plague — I call it the plague — came in from China, the relationship changed.”

Trump, who is seeking reelection this November, said that the situation surrounding the progression of COVID-19 is worse than the conflict between the countries over trade.

TRUMP FIRES BACK AGAINST CHINA’S ‘MASSIVE DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN’ ABOUT CORONAVIRUS

“I didn’t like what took place,” he said. “This is a thousand times the trade deal what happened with all of the death … the world had to shut down, it’s a disgrace what happened.”

The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has been linked to a wholesale food market where wild animals were sold. Scientists think it likely jumped from a wild animal such as a bat to humans via an intermediary species, possibly the anteater-like pangolin.

More than 20 million people worldwide have been infected, and about 163,500 in the U.S. have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Meghan Markle received a ‘master class’ from Queen Elizabeth before leaving royal family, book claims

Queen Elizabeth II was determined to help newcomer Meghan Markle settle into royal life before the former American actress stepped back with Prince Harry.

The claim is being made in the bombshell book “Finding Freedom,” written by royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand. Numerous palace insiders came forward to the two journalists and detailed what led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure as senior members of the British royal family.

The couple currently resides in Markle’s native Los Angeles with their son, Archie.

On Tuesday, the U.K.’s DailyMail reported the reigning monarch, 94, originally had confidence in the 39-year-old when they embarked on their first engagement together on June 14, 2018.

PRINCE HARRY’S LONGTIME FRIEND ‘HAD DOUBTS’ ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE RELATIONSHIP, NEW BOOK CLAIMS

In this Tuesday, July 10, 2018, file photo Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry watch a flypast of Royal Air Force aircraft pass over Buckingham Palace in London. As part of a surprise announcement distancing themselves from the British royal family, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan declared they will “work to become financially independent.”
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

PRINCE HARRY SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA HAS FUELED A ‘CRISIS OF HATE’

“The queen was wonderful, warm and generous towards the new duchess,” Durand wrote, as quoted by the outlet. “She made sure Meghan knew what was going on and made her feel very much at home because it was her first trip.”

Elizabeth even gifted Markle a pair of pearl and diamond earrings before they stepped off the train in Chester together.

As for Markle, she was reportedly eager to learn the ins and outs of royal life to impress her husband’s grandmother.

“Meghan, an avid learner studying all she could on royal protocol, was often seen carrying binders full of research so she didn’t put a foot wrong,” Durand wrote. “She took her new role incredibly seriously. That day was different though; she was getting a royal master class in training from the queen herself.”

MEGHAN MARKLE’S FRIENDS TO STAY ANONYMOUS IN PRIVACY LAWSUIT, JUDGE RULES

Meghan Markle was a Hollywood actress before she became a member of the British royal family.
(Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty Images)

MEGHAN MARKLE BIRTHDAY PLANS REVEALED AS ROYAL FAMILY SENDS WELL-WISHES FROM ABROAD: SOURCE

Harry’s father, Prince Charles, also reportedly welcomed Markle with open arms. A friend of the Prince of Wales said the 71-year-old had “taken a real shine to Meghan.”

“She’s a sassy, confident, beautiful American,” said the pal. “[Charles] likes very strong, confident women. She’s bright, and she’s self-aware, and I can see why they’ve struck up a very quick friendship… Meghan ticks the boxes. Most of all she’s married to his beloved.”

A trusted confidant also revealed Markle “found such a supportive and loving father in Charles, which has really changed her life for the better.”

According to the book, Markle even underwent SAS training after being sent “absolutely terrifying and stomach-churning” threats when she joined the British royal family. The Duchess of Sussex reportedly participated in a mock kidnapping and was taught how to establish a relationship with her abductors as well as being “saved” from a hostage situation, which involved officers firing fake guns.

AUSTRALIAN MODEL DISHES ON WORKING WITH MEGHAN MARKLE AS A ‘BRIEFCASE BEAUTY’ ON ‘DEAL OR NO DEAL’

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey on April 25, 2018, in London, England.
(Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

PRINCE HARRY ‘FELT LIKE A SPARE WHEEL’ WITH PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON AND ‘WANTED OUT,’ ROYAL EXPERT SAYS

A source told the authors that Markle found the experience “extremely intense and scary.” But senior members of the royal family, including Charles and Prince William, have undergone the training.

While it was initially reported that Harry and Markle cooperated with the authors, reps for the couple confirmed to Fox News on Saturday that they played no part in the upcoming tell-all.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to ‘Finding Freedom,’” said the statement. “This book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and heir own independent reporting.”

According to the book’s description, “Finding Freedom” aims to set the record straight about the royal couple.

“For the very first time, ‘Finding Freedom’ goes beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan’s life together, dispelling the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond,” read the book’s description. “As members of the select group of reporters that cover the British Royal Family and their engagements, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand have witnessed the young couple’s lives as few outsiders can.”

MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY HID THIS MASSIVE SECRET DURING THEIR FIRST PUBLIC OUTING TOGETHER, NEW BOOK CLAIMS

Queen Elizabeth II (left) has reportedly banned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from banking on the “Sussex Royal” brand.
(Getty)

MEGHAN MARKLE WAS ‘EMOTIONAL’ AFTER GETTING IN TROUBLE FOR WEARING NECKLACE WITH PRINCE HARRY’S INITIAL: BOOK

“With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, ‘Finding Freedom’ is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicate to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world,” the description added.

In a statement sent to Fox News, the book publisher said Scobie is a London-based writer, royal editor for Harper’s Bazaar, an ABC News contributor, “Good Morning America” regular and host of ABC’s popular royal podcast, “The Heir Pod.” Durand is an Emmy Award-winning producer and writer who has spent nearly two decades working in London covering Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Clarence House and other major international events. During that time, she produced multiple interviews with members of the royal family including Harry. She contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle magazine and other American and British news outlets.

“The aim of this book is to portray the real Harry and Meghan, a couple who continue to inspire many around the world through their humanitarian and charitable work but are often inaccurately portrayed,” they wrote in a statement. “Our mission has been motivated by a desire to tell an accurate version of their journey and finally present the truth of misreported stories that have become gospel simply because of the amount of times they have been repeated. It is thanks to our sources that we have been able to share the definitive story of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

“Finding Freedom” is available in bookstores and online.

Democratic convention speaker schedule revealed: What to know

The Democratic National Committee revealed more details Tuesday about the lineup of events and speakers at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

In addition to former Vice President Joe Biden’s official nomination and acceptance as the Democratic nominee, several notable political figures are expected to participate in the programming — and not just Democrats.

AOC TO MAKE PRIME-TIME APPEARANCE AT DNC CONVENTION

The convention, which will be largely virtual, will be anchored in Milwaukee, and is slated to run Monday, Aug. 17 through 20.

Here is a list of politicians expected to speak:

Monday, Aug. 17

The DNC Convention will kick off Monday with speeches by some of Biden’s primary opponents, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., plus addressed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former first lady Michelle Obama and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Kasich, a Republican, is a frequent critic of President Trump, and ran against him in the Republican presidential primary in 2016.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

On Tuesday, former President Bill Clinton is expected to speak, as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; former acting Attorney General Sally Yates; and former Secretary of State John Kerry.

Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is also expected to deliver a prime-time address Tuesday night, even after distancing herself from Biden earlier this year, saying “in any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party, but in America, we are.”

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED AS BIDEN VP DECISION LOOMS

Wednesday, Aug. 19

On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will speak, as well as former Secretary of State and former 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are on the schedule, too.

Former President Barack Obama will also present on Wednesday, followed by Biden’s soon-to-be-named vice presidential pick.

Thursday, Aug. 20

On Thursday, the final night of the convention, former Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who ran against Biden in the primary, and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who also ran in the primary against Biden, will speak, among others.

Biden will formally accept the nomination and deliver his acceptance speech on Thursday night to conclude the week-long event.

Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer, Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Colorado park ranger posts message warning guests not to feed pizza to moose

Sorry, moose. No pizzas for you.

While it isn’t uncommon to see messages warning guests not to feed the animals at national parks or other public areas, one ranger in Colorado recently got very specific: Apparently, it’s not a good idea to feed pizza to the local moose population.

IDAHO FISHERMAN SETS STATE RECORD FOR BLACK CRAPPIE

Ben, a Jefferson County Open Space Ranger, tweeted out an image of a moose along with a message about a report he responded to on Sunday, during which a group of visitors at Clear Creek Canyon were caught trying to feed pizza to the animal.

The guests were reportedly also trying to pet the moose, which is frowned upon, too.

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“Took a report of visitors trying to pet and feed a moose pizza in Clear Creek Canyon on Sunday,” wrote Jefferson County Open Space Ranger Ben. “Please don’t approach wildlife for any reason, moose can be extremely dangerous. Save the pizza for the Rangers.”

The official Jefferson County Open Space Rangers‘ Twitter account retweeted the message as well.

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Even though we’re not supposed to feed them pizza, wild animals do seem to enjoy the popular dish. Fox News recently reported that a delivery driver in Alaska awoke to the sounds of a bear wrecking his car, presumably enticed by the vehicle’s lingering scent of pizza. While there were no injuries reported in the incident, the bear did extensive damage to the inside of the vehicle. Fortunately for the driver, no one was injured, and his local auto insurer covers bear-related incidents.

Utah teen dies after rescuing girl, 2, from upside-down car crash into canal

A teenager in Utah died from his injuries at the hospital on Monday after diving back into a canal to try to save a 2-year-old left trapped when their car plunged into the water this weekend.

Justin Bates, a 15-year-old from West Valley City, was among five people riding in a car that lost control and careened off the road near Indiana Avenue and Delong Street in Salt Lake City on Saturday. The vehicle landed upside down in the Jordan River Canal.

A 20-year-old woman who was driving and two juveniles, aged 16 and 17, managed to escape from the vehicle. Family members said Bates also made it out safely but turned around to attempt to rescue the 2-year-old girl left inside the submerged car, Fox 13 Salt Lake City reported. It was not immediately clear how the party knew each other.

WASHINGTON DC POLICE OFFICER ‘FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE’ AFTER SHOOTING KILLS TEEN, INJURES 20

Two officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department arrived at the scene and quickly stripped off their heavy gear and dove in to try to rescue the children. The Salt Lake City Fire Department arrived soon after and jumped into the water while bystanders also helped.

One officer dove into the water multiple times, unable to get into the car, the police department said. A firefighter used a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to rescue the toddler.

Bates and the 2-year-old were transported to Primary Children’s Hospital in critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries Monday morning while the girl remained on life support, KUTV reported.

Police on Monday released tense officer-worn body camera footage showing the rescue effort.

“With no thought to personal safety, officers immediately stripped their gear and attempted a daring rescue of these two children,” Chief Mike Brown said in a statement. “It was dark. The water was cold. But these officers did not hesitate to come to the aid and work to save lives. I am proud of them.”

“Sadly, one of the children succumbed to their injuries. Our hearts go out to the family at this time [Blue heart] and we mourn with you,” the police department tweeted in an update.

Investigators believe speed played a role in the crash and did not expect charges to be brought against the driver. The speed limit at the intersection next to the crash site is 30 mph, Fox 13 reported. Bates’ family set up a memorial fund at the America First Credit Union and a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs.

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