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Newsom: California cities, counties plan to reduce homelessness 15% by 2025

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

California’s cities and counties have set new goals of reducing homelessness 15% statewide by 2025, making them eligible for a new round of $1 billion in funding, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Thursday.To help speed along their efforts, Newsom also unveiled a new statewide strategy aimed at moving people out of the massive homeless encampments that have become common sights in many California cities. His office will deploy 1,200 “small homes” as temporary homeless housing throughout the state — including 200 in San Jose.Los Angeles will receive 500 of Newsom’s small homes, San Diego County will receive 150 and Sacramento will receive 250. None will go to San Francisco or Oakland, both of which are grappling with large homeless populations.The state will cover the full cost of the homes — including installation — and the National Guard will help deliver them. But local governments will be responsible for providing the services pe...

‘Where was Tom Cruise?’ David Letterman asks Jimmy Kimmel

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show Wednesday, David Letterman had nothing but praise for the way Kimmel hosted the Academy Awards ceremony Sunday night, saying the show has “never been more successful.”But Letterman asked a question that’s been on many people’s minds since the Oscars. “Here’s something that may be a little sensitive,” Letterman said to Kimmel.  “Where was Tom Cruise?”Letterman also said Tom Cruise — “Mr. Big Shot” — “should have been there.”David Letterman grilling Jimmy Kimmel on why Tom Cruise want at The Oscar’s pic.twitter.com/k7h4NUdl6f— Navy (@TomCruiseNavy) March 16, 2023As Kimmel noted during his opening monologue at the Oscars, Cruise wasn’t going to make it to the show, even though he was nominated for a best-picture award, as a producer for “Top Gun: Maverick.” By shepherding “Top Gun” into a $1.48 billion worldwide theatrical bl...

San Francisco no longer in drought according to latest data

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

Drought conditions continue to ease across California thanks to the relentless battering of rain and snowstorms dating back to early in the season.Data released by the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday shows 44% of the Golden State is completely clear of any drought classification - an improvement from 27% just a week ago. Maps showing conditions on March 14 (left) and March 7, 2023. (U.S. Drought Monitor)Roughly 36% of California is still experiencing “moderate drought” conditions while 8%, mostly the southeastern desert regions and the northeastern corner of the state, is still in a “severe drought,” the data shows. The remaining 10% is experiencing “abnormally dry” conditions. When will it stop raining in California? Here’s what meteorologists are saying This also appears to be the first time in three years that Los Angeles and San Francisco have been free of any drought classification.A series of atmospheric rivers since December have pushed snowpack levels well above seas...

What’s the next step for Black reparations in San Francisco?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco supervisors have backed the idea of paying reparations to Black people, but whether members will agree to lump-sum payments of $5 million to every eligible person or to any of the more than 100 other recommendations made by an advisory committee won't be known until later this year.The idea of Black reparations is not new, but the federal government's promise of granting 40 acres and a mule to newly freed slaves was never realized. It wasn't until George Floyd, a Black man, was killed in police custody in 2020 that reparations movements began spreading in earnest across the country. Stanford employee arrested after allegedly lying about being raped twice on campus The state of California and the cities of Boston and San Francisco are among jurisdictions trying to atone not just for chattel slavery, but for decades of racist policies and laws that systemically denied Black Americans access to property, education and the ability to build ...

Ready for Love: Rodgers’ exit would mean new era for Packers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst valued Jordan Love’s potential enough three years ago to trade up in the draft and select him in the first round, catching the Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback already on Green Bay’s roster by surprise.Love finally has a chance to show he was worth the gamble.Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and SiriusXM that he intends to play for the New York Jets in the 2023 season and is waiting for the Packers to trade him. Assuming that move is made, Love will take over as Green Bay’s starting quarterback.“We’re excited about him,” Gutekunst said Feb. 28 during the NFL scouting combine. “I think I’ve expressed to a lot of people that he needs to play. That’s the next step in his progression.”Love’s two predecessors set quite the standard.The Packers have had three decades of Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback production from Brett Favre and Rodgers, who won a combined seven MVP awards during their time in G...

Metallica buys vinyl record factory in Alexandria

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

Eric Astor, president and founder of Furnace Record Pressing, says 1,700 units is considered an average run for his presses. (WTOP/Tiffany Arnold)The iconic heavy metal band Metallica has purchased the Furnace Record Pressing factory in Alexandria, Virginia, according to a statement from shop founder and CEO Eric Astor.With purchases of vinyl well surpassing CDs over the past few years, Metallica had already drafted the pressing company to provide thousands of vinyls. Since 2014, Furnace has produced more than 5 million vinyl LPs for the Grammy Award-winning band.See WTOP’s photo gallery of the Furnace Record Pressing factory in Alexandria, Va.The announcement came as the Metallica shared plans to release their new album, “72 Seasons,” this April.According to Billboard magazine, Metallica sold over 900,000 vinyl records in 2022 alone. Roughly half of those sales were in the United States.Astor, who has run the shop for over 26 years, said the new ownership wouldn&#...

Michigan RB Blake Corum says he’ll be back by fall camp

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan All-America running back Blake Corum said his surgically repaired left knee has gotten strong enough that he’s been cleared to run on an anti-gravity treadmill next week.Corum said Thursday that he is “100%” sure he will play in the season-opening game on Sept. 2 against East CarolinaCorum tore a meniscus and sprained a ligament in his left knee against Illinois on Nov. 19. After playing sparingly against Ohio State, he sat out when the Wolverines won the Big Ten title and advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals.Instead of entering the NFL draft, Corum decided to stay in school for his senior year.“Feeling great all-around mentally, physically spiritually,” Corum told The Associated Press on Thursday.The 5-foot-8, 210-pound Corum ran for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and had 952 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021.“I’ll be back definitely by fall camp,” he said. “I plan on doing everything in the summe...

Kansas’ Self, recovering from heart procedure, to miss game

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the defending national champion Jayhawks’ NCAA Tournament first-round game against Howard on Thursday, the school announced two hours before tipoff.Assistant coach Norm Roberts will serve as acting head coach while Self continues to recover from a heart procedure performed last week.Self traveled to Des Moines with the Jayhawks and led the team’s practice on Wednesday. He did not attend the team’s media availability. Roberts said Self had returned to the hotel to rest.Self’s status for a possible second-round game Saturday was unknown.Self went to the emergency room the night of March 8, shortly after watching the Jayhawks hold a final shootaround ahead of their Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal. He was complaining of chest tightness and concerns with his balance.Dr. Mark Wiley, the chief of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Kansas Health System, said the 60-year-old Self underwent a standard heart ca...

Uber launches new safety feature in Denver metro

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A ride-sharing company is now offering an added safety feature for riders and drivers in the Denver metro area.Uber announced its implementation of the audio recording option in the app. Denver is one of several new cities the company launched the new feature. Riders and drivers can add the safety feature in the app's Safety Toolkit section. After it's enabled, the option to "record audio" can be initiated by hitting "start." Both parties can begin or end a recording at any time during a trip. The feature automatically shuts off after a trip is completed.“We’re committed to investing in innovative technology to enhance safety on the platform. We hope that by expanding this tool, we can continue to help give riders and drivers peace of mind and encourage more comfortable interactions while on trips,” Andi Pimentel Dunn, product manager at Uber, said in a release. ‘Just cause’ eviction bill passes Colorado House The company said the technology protects both parties...

Police arrest 18-year-old homicide suspect, find guns, cash

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:24:00 GMT

ARVADA, Colo. (KDVR) — Northglenn and Arvada police arrested an 18-year-old in connection to a deadly shooting and discovered multiple weapons and a large amount of cash. According to the Northglenn Police Department, on Tuesday, with the assistance of the Arvada Police Department, 18-year-old Camron Enrique Acosta was taken into custody for first-degree murder in connection to a deadly shooting.Camron Enrique Acosta was arrested on charges of first-degree murder following a deadly shooting back in January. (Northglenn Police Department) NPD said the shooting happened on Jan. 7 at 11: 20 p.m. in the 1300 block of Regina Lane. When officers arrived on scene, they located 21-year-old Leon Lorenzo Dean Guerra with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. Wheelchair amputee left in the cold by hospital security guards NPD and APD located Acosta at around 1:54 p.m. Tuesday after they attempted a traffic stop at 50th Avenue and Kipling Street. Officers said Ac...