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Antioch officers claimed to be too injured to testify about racist texts, but were actually at ‘pool parties,’ ‘driving tractors,’ attorney claims

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

ANTIOCH — Five police officers linked to the Antioch Police Department’s racist texting scandal appear to be dodging subpoenas by falsely claiming that they are too injured to testify about the incendiary messages, an attorney claimed in court Friday.The officers appear to be living it up — attending “pool parties” and “driving tractors” — despite their assertions in sworn documents that they could not appear in court due to “industrial injuries,” attorney Carmela Caramagno told a Contra Costa County judge on Friday.The allegations came during the first in-depth court airing of the racist text messages — one of a series of scandals plaguing Antioch law enforcement. The contents of the text messages — and the officers’ habit of sending and receiving them with apparent impunity — rests at the core of a challenge the attorneys are making to charges against four men charged with multiple gang-related crimes — two of whom ...

Letters: Not targeting kids | Common crisis | Xfinity glitch | Bad food | Kindness shines

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Tasty, colorful productsaren’t targeting childrenRe: “Stop cannabis industry’s efforts to target children” (Page A6, July 7).Have you ever noticed that adults like sugary and fruity flavors, mint, chocolate, gummies, etc.? Adults enjoy cartoon characters, animals, and artsy and fun images, too. Just because a company is selling these items doesn’t mean they are “targeting” children. Do we need to make everything intended for adults bland and unappealing to protect children?It is totally unfair to accuse cannabis companies of targeting children if they sell flavored vape pens or edibles with fun packaging, like this paper’s editorial did.Licensed cannabis dispensaries strictly ID their customers as their items are not intended for minors. Adults need to be responsible and keep their pot away from kids. Packaging requirements make it nearly impossible to easily open cannabis product...

Ala. legislature spurns court order with congressional map

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

By Dianne Gallagher | CNNAlabama’s Republican-controlled legislature gave final passage Friday to a new congressional map with just one majority-Black district, despite a court order calling for the redrawn lines to create two majority-Black districts or “something quite close to it.”It now heads to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for her signature. Though Friday was the court-imposed deadline for the legislature to finalize a remedial map, it still must be approved by a federal court. That is set for mid-August.With no Democrats voting in favor, the legislature passed a remedial map that includes one congressional district that has around 50% Black voting age population and a second district with roughly 40%.The “Livingston 3” map came as the result of a Friday afternoon conference committee, called a “compromise” by Republican leadership though no Democrats supported it, after the two chambers had only approved their own, different versions.District 7, currently represented by Dem...

Indonesia market has reportedly ended trade in dogs, cats

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

By Mohammad Taufan | Associated PressTOMOHON, Indonesia — Authorities on Friday announced the end of the “brutally cruel” dog and cat meat slaughter at a notorious animal market on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi following a years-long campaign by local activists and world celebrities.The Tomohon Extreme Market will become the first such market in Indonesia to go dog and cat meat-free, according to the anti-animal cruelty group Humane Society International, or HSI. Images of dogs and cats being bludgeoned and blow-torched while still alive had sparked outrage.The permanent end of the slaughter and trade was announced on Friday by the Regional Secretary of the city of Tomohon, Edwin Roring. HSI said they will be rescuing all the remaining live dogs and cats from the slaughterhouse suppliers and taking them to sanctuaries.“We hope that Tomohon will be totally free from dog and cat meat trades,” Roring said in his remarks. “We believe the way to reduce p...

Letters: Brown Act | Personal choice | Small changes | Help Trump | Hurting freedom

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Exempt advisory boardsfrom the Brown ActRe: “Meetings must remain open to public viewing” (Page A6, July 11).While I agree with the editorial on July 11 that “meetings must remain open to public viewing,” advisory boards need an exemption from the Brown Act.Advisory boards allow the public to communicate the issues and successes of programs to legislators. Videoconferencing allows the public easier access to express their opinions. Without an exemption to the Brown Act, we lose the views of the individuals who cannot easily travel, our disabled.Let’s make sure all of the public can participate in advising our legislators.Mathew LubinskyCupertinoMany choices alreadymade for all of usRe: “Addicts must accept some responsibility” (Page A6, July 19).Life is a matter of personal responsibility and that includes addiction says John Worthing in a letter.Yes, I would agree to a point. But...

Driver stuck on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge plays tennis to pass time

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

(KRON) -- The eastbound lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge are shut down Friday afternoon, KRON4 reported. Police activity has caused delays for at least two hours -- leaving lots of cars stuck in traffic.How did travelers pass the time? Well, one decided to play tennis on the bridge. Car crashes into Round Table Pizza in Hayward after road rage incident: police A man decided to hop out of his vehicle and bring out the tennis racket, a video sent in from a KRON4 viewer shows. The man is seen playing tennis on the far right lane of the bridge with the San Francisco Bay seen in the background.One family took their child out of the car and put the kid in a stroller, the viewer tells KRON4. The child was pushed around in the stroller around the sea of cars, which were not moving for at least two hours. As of 3:30 p.m., all eastbound lanes on I-580 at the bridge remain closed. Watch the man playing tennis on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in the video player above.

BART running trains at reduced speeds due to heat

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Bay Area Rapid Transit is running trains at reduced speeds due to warm weather, the transit system announced Friday. BART trains between the Orinda and Pittsburg/Bay Point stations are running slower from between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.Riders are advised to add 20 minutes to planned travel times to factor in delays. Eastbound traffic on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge blocked Trains between Hayward and Fremont, and Castro Valley and Dublin/Pleasanton stations are also running slower due to hot temperatures. Riders on those lines are being advised to add 10 minutes to planned travel time to factor in delays.Friday's planned slow down follows an incident in June of 2021 when a Yellow Line BART train derailed between Pleasant Hill and Concord stations. BART later blamed high temperatures for the derailment. Temperatures in Concord that day were around 100 degrees.

Kershaw throwing to hitters next while moving closer to return for Dodgers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-Star left-hander Clayton Kershaw is expected to face hitters in a simulated game Monday and could return for the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers as early as next weekend.The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, who hasn’t pitched since June 27 because of left shoulder soreness, threw a bullpen session Friday before the Dodgers opened a three-game series at the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. “It was upwards of 40 pitches, really good, competitive ‘pen,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Roberts said Kershaw (10-4, MLB-best 2.55 ERA) won’t make a rehab start before returning to the active roster. “I think for me, I think for all of us, it’s either going to be two sim games and kind of add another inning, or after that sim game (Monday) then he’s activated,” the manager said. The latest bullpen came three days after Kershaw had a session of more than 30 pitches in Baltimore. Roberts said he was happy with the progress, and said “everyo...

Pac-12 could be the Conference of Quarterbacks this season

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Pac-12 likes to bill itself as the “Conference of Champions,” and this season, it might be the Conference of Quarterbacks as well.USC’s Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. made the preseason all-conference second team after throwing for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. Oregon’s Bo Nix was an honorable mention after also posting outstanding numbers.Not making any of the teams were such notable QBs as Utah’s Cam Rising, who comes off back-to-back Pac-12 championships.Underscoring the depth at the position, seven quarterbacks attended Pac-12 media day on Friday.“I can’t remember a year that it’s this high level of quarterbacks,” Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith said. “I think we’re going to be a part of that. I just go back to you get that many quarterbacks that good, you got to score enough points to win games.”Nix knows something about competing against other high-level quarterback...

The feds team up with law enforcement to disconnect illegal robocalls

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:49 GMT

Are you one of the many people dealing with annoying robocalls?Tremyl Proctor of Silver Springs, who was a telemarketer years ago, finds herself on the other end of those dreadful calls.“I just let it ring. It’s just too much. I can’t manage those calls and work at the same time. It’s really very bothersome,” Proctor said.This week, the Federal Trade Commission and other law enforcement partners nationwide — including attorneys general from all 50 states and D.C. — announced a new crackdown on illegal telemarketing targeting operations responsible for billions of calls to consumers.The joint state and federal “Operation Stop Scam Calls” builds on the efforts of Maryland and other state and federal partners to combat the scourge of illegal telemarketing, including robocalls.The initiative targets telemarketers and the companies that hire them, as well as lead generators who deceptively collect and provide consumers’ telephone numbers to...