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California bursts into wildflower 'super bloom' after relentless storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

After months of wintry weather battered the West Coast with torrential rains and snow, California’s hillsides are now bursting with orange, yellow and purple hues so vibrant that they are visible from space.Tourists are coming in droves to see these so-called “super blooms,” which occur when large amounts of precipitation in natural landscapes intersect with years of drought, according to California’s Department of Parks and Recreation.Prolonged drought conditions eliminated the grasses and weeds that would have otherwise consumed nutrients, enabling the growth of what the agency described as “spectacular blooms” — events that last occurred in 2019 and 2017.“The seeds hang out for years and years in the soil. And when you get a good rain, they're like, 'Oh, okay, great, time to come out,’” Valerie Eviner, a plant sciences professor at the University of California Davis, told The Hill.“So we do tend to see those big flushes,” she said, noting that “super bloom” is more of a popu...

Deal paves way for special state assembly hearing to address fentanyl epidemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

It was a busy week at the state capitol where Republican and Democratic lawmakers agreed to a behind-the-scenes deal to schedule a special hearing in the coming week to take up delayed fentanyl bills. Democrats and Republicans say they're pleased these bills will get a hearing, but some say the process it took to get to this point is unacceptable. "We have good ideas, but you won't even vet them," California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher said. "You won't even hold a hearing on them. That's the problem."Authors of these bills say the legislation seeks to target fentanyl dealers and increase penalties for them. However, Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Reggie Jones Sawyer argued some of the proposals, "were duplicative or provided no rational solutions at all." "The fentanyl epidemic is impacting every city and every community in our state...And so our response has to be about coming together with real solutions," San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney said. A behin...

Kawhi Leonard’s sister gets life in prison for fatal robbery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

The sister of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in a 2019 murder at a Temecula casino.Kimesha Williams, the elder sister of Leonard, and another woman named Candace Townsel were convicted in February of first-degree murder, robbery and elder abuse, ESPN reported. Townsel also received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Kawhi Leonard’s Sister Among 2 Charged in Fatal Robbery of 84-Year-Old Woman at Pechanga Casino In September 2019, the women followed 84-year-old Afaf Anis Assad of Long Beach into a Pechanga Resort Casino bathroom, robbed her and left her in the bathroom unconscious.Assad suffered a broken skull in the attack, according to ESPN, and she died five days later. Williams' relationship with Leonard was confirmed to The Press-Enterprise by relative Denise Woodard in 2019, though Woodard stressed that Leonard "didn’t have anything to do with this."

3.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Antioch

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

A 3.1 magnitude earthquake was reported in East Contra Costa County near Antioch on Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.The agency measured the earthquake at approximately 1:20 p.m. It struck roughly two miles from Antioch, to the south/southwest.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Magnitude 3.6 quake rattles East Bay Crashes and Disasters | ‘A house of cards’: When the Big One comes, will Alameda be ready? Crashes and Disasters | Magnitude 3.1 earthquake strikes outside Healdsburg Crashes and Disasters | Before an earthquake: How to set up a family plan and make your house safer Crashes and Disasters | Earthquake kits: What to put in a go-bag, plus what supplies to keep at home and in the car The same area also experienced a 2.5 magnitude event about half an hour earlier on Sunday, the USGS reported.

Man shot while driving in Oakland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

OAKLAND — A man was shot Sunday morning as he drove in the Allendale district in East Oakland, authorities said.The man, believed to be in his 30s, was in stable condition at a hospital with a wound to his lower back area, authorities said.The shooting happened about 11:11 a.m. Sunday as the man drove southbound in the 3300 block of High Street. The shooting prompted a ShotSpotter alert.The man was apparently shot by an occupant of another car, police said. The suspect’s vehicle was last seen driving toward nearby Interstate 580 and may have gotten onto the freeway.Despite his wound, the man was able to drive to the 4600 block of Foothill Boulevard, where police found him.High Street was shut down in both directions while police investigated. Several shell casings, possibly from a rifle, were recovered in the area, authorities said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Wrong-way crash on Oakland freeway leaves two hospitalized Crime and Public Safety ...

PHOTOS: Group of Canadian students targeted in smash and grab at San Leandro In-N-Out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

(KRON) -- A group of Canadian students in the Bay Area for technology internships were the victims of a smash and grab at a San Leandro In-N-Out Burger on Saturday afternoon, a student tells KRON4. Eleven months ago, a group of high school students were targeted in the same parking lot. Two dead, one child injured in Oakland shooting Michelle Wong, Chris Tan, Justin Lu and Joshua Lee are all part of a four-month software engineering internship with a local tech company. On Saturday, they made a pitstop at the In-N-Out at 15575 Hesperian Blvd. The four students each had their backpacks with their personal computers, company computers and other belongings. They covered them up in the back seat with a jacket and headed inside for a quick bite. When they returned to their car, they found the back and side windows smashed in, and all of their belongings were gone. The group panicked. They called 911, but were quickly placed on hold. When they eventually got in touch with someone, they...

3.1 magnitude earthquake hits Antioch

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

(KRON) -- A preliminary 3.1 magnitude earthquake struck in Antioch on Sunday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey. Group of students targeted in smash and grab at San Leandro In-N-Out The quake struck at 1:20 p.m. and was about 12 miles below the survey, according to initial data shared by USGS. This is a developing story. Please stick with KRON for updates.

Twins top Nationals 3-1 behind Polanco’s three hits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jorge Polanco homered and Bailey Ober pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Sunday.Michael A. Taylor also connected for Minnesota, which won for just the second time in eight games after a 10-4 start. Polanco had three hits, and Ryan Jeffers and Jose Miranda each had two.Washington finished with three hits after it had 15 in Saturday’s 10-4 win. Keibert Ruiz hit an RBI double in the first to account for the team’s only run.Polanco opened the fourth with a drive off the left-field foul pole for his first homer of the season. Taylor added a two-out shot to center for his fourth homer.Polanco, who missed the first 19 games because of left knee inflammation, made it 3-1 with an RBI single in the fifth.Caleb Thielbar and Jorge López combined for 2 1/3 hitless innings for Minnesota before Jhoan Duran had a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.Recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, Ober (1-0) made his fir...

Gausman, Guerrero, Varsho lead Jays to 5-1 win over Yanks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Gausman struck out 11 in seven shutout innings, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho hit back-to-back homers following an error by rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5-1 on Sunday.The Blue Jays won for the 12th time in 18 games and took two of three in the Bronx to hand New York its first series loss. The Yankees had won or split their first six series, their longest streak to start a season since 2003, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. New York had been 11-0 when facing a series loss and was the only major league team that hadn’t dropped a series this year.Gausman (2-2) bounced back nicely from allowing eight runs Monday in Houston and held the Yankees to three hits. He struck out every New York batter at least once except for DJ LeMahieu and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and got his second double-digit strikeout game this season.Guerrero hit a two-run drive in the sixth off Clarke Schmidt (0-2) for his seco...

Velasquez helps Pirates beat Reds 2-0 for 7th straight win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:38 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Vince Velasquez struck out 10 in seven innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Hunter Greene and the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Sunday for their seventh consecutive victory.It was the most strikeouts for Velasquez (3-2) since May 10, 2018, when he had 12 for the Phillies against the Giants. He allowed two hits and walked two.The Pirates improved to 16-7 for the franchise’s best start since its last division title in 1992. They allowed six runs in the four-game series against Cincinnati after outscoring the Rockies 33-9 across a three-game sweep in Colorado.It is Pittsburgh’s longest streak since winning 11 straight in 2018.David Bednar struck out two in the ninth for his eighth save, finishing a four-hitter.The Pirates jumped in front in the first against Greene (0-1). Ke’Bryan Hayes led off with a double to the gap in right-center. He moved to third on Tucupita Marcano’s single and scampered home when Andrew McCutchen grounded into a double play.Greene al...