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'Weird Al' Yankovic's wife, Suzanne, spots potential safety hazard

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

Santa Monica officials are preparing to have a crumbling portion of the bluffs above Pacific Coast Highway removed.The crack in the cliff was noticed by passersby, including Suzanne Yankovic, wife of musician "Weird Al" Yankovic.Yankovic posted a video of the bluff, which was then seen by Los Angeles County supervisors who decided to alert the City of Santa Monica. A portion of the Santa Monica bluffs that appears to be in danger of collapsing is seen on July 25, 2023. (KTLA)If the cliffside were to collapse, it would be catastrophic to those driving on the freeway below. It is unclear whether a collapse could occur within days or years, so officials have decided to take action right away. A crane will be brought in to break apart the top portion of the unstable bluff with debris being hauled away in dump trucks. That will require the closure of PCH and a portion of the 10 Freeway approaching the coast. The road closures are expected to begin around 11:30 p.m. and continue until abo...

West Nile-positive mosquitoes found in Palo Alto, Stanford

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

PALO ALTO – The Santa Clara County Vector Control District is set to spray parts of Palo Alto and Stanford after mosquitoes there tested positive for West Nile Virus.The infected insects were collected in the 94301, 94304, 94305 and 94306 ZIP codes, the district said in a news release.The area to be treated is centered at Page Mill Road and Hanover Street, and is bounded by Alma Street, Emerson Street, Ramona Street, South Ramona Street and Bryant Street to the north; Wilton Avenue, Military Way, La Para Way, Ilima Way and Matadero Creek to the east; Foothill Expressway and Junipero Serra Boulevard to the south; and Santa Maria Avenue, Dolores Street, Santa Ynez Street, Campus Drive, Arguello Way, Bonair Siding Road and Churchill Avenue to the west.An operation to eradicate West Nile-positive mosquitoes is scheduled to take place in parts of Palo Alto and Stanford on Thursday, July 27, 2023, according to the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. (Santa Clara County Vector Cont...

Despite another dud, SF Giants squeak by MLB-worst A’s to snap losing streak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — All it took, apparently, to snap the Giants’ season-long losing streak was to keep going down the list of MLB’s biggest losers.They lost two of three to the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates. Swept by the woeful Washington Nationals. Couldn’t beat the dreadful Detroit Tigers.The Giants must have been thrilled to return home to meet the one roster constructed to drive fans away, not win ballgames. Still, it took a heroic effort from Alex Cobb and, at long last, a piece of timely hitting from Mike Yastrzemski to snap their six-game losing streak, squeaking by the MLB-worst A’s, 2-1, on Tuesday in the first game of the Bay Bridge series.And those Oakland diehards? Not dead yet. Many of the 40,014 fans in attendance broke out in “Sell-the-team!” chants throughout the fifth inning.But rejoice, for the Giants’ losing streak is.With two outs in the eighth inning, Yastrzemski did something no Giants hitter had done in nearly week: He delive...

Red Sox overcome triple play in 7-1 victory over major league-leading Braves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Nick Pivetta pitched five scoreless innings of relief, Masataka Yoshida hit a two-run homer and the Boston Red Sox overcame a triple play to beat the Atlanta Braves 7-1 on Tuesday night in a game delayed 1 hour, 40 minutes by rain and lightning.Yoshida’s two-run shot to right in the eighth was his third hit of the night, and eight Boston hitters finished with at least a hit in the Red Sox’s third straight win. Rafael Devers had a pair of singles and drove in his 75th run of the season for the Red Sox, who took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first and never trailed the major league-leading Braves the rest of the way. Pivetta (7-5) took over for opener John Schreiber in the second and allowed only three hits in five innings, striking out five. Atlanta was 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base. Sean Murphy drove in Atlanta’s only run with an RBI single in the first. The 7:10 p.m. start time was pushed back to 8:50 p.m. because of ...

A Fed still wary of inflation is set to raise rates to a 22-year peak. Will it be the last hike?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even after inflation has steadily eased this year, the Federal Reserve’s policymakers still think prices are rising too fast and are almost certain to lift their key interest rate by a quarter-point on Wednesday. A rate increase, the 11th in 17 months, would raise the Fed’s short-term rate to roughly 5.3%, the highest level since 2001. As with its previous rate hikes, Wednesday’s increase would likely further elevate the costs of mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and business borrowing.Another hike is widely expected despite a run of encouraging news that has sent stock prices steadily higher, boosted consumer confidence and brightened hopes that the Fed can pull off a difficult “soft landing,” in which inflation would continue to slow toward the Fed’s 2% target without sending the economy tumbling into a recession.Inflation amounted to just 3% in June compared with a year earlier, down drastically from a peak of 9.1% in June of last year. Consu...

Today in History: July 26, Hillary Clinton is nominated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

Today in History Today is Wednesday, July 26, the 207th day of 2023. There are 158 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. On this date: In 1775, the Continental Congress established a Post Office and appointed Benjamin Franklin its Postmaster-General.In 1847, the western African country of Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, declared its independence. In 1863, Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70. In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain’s prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. Clement Attlee succeeded him. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which reorganized America’s armed forces as the National Military Establishment and created the Central Intelligence Agency.In 1...

Woman rescues hawk in Denver, sets up fundraiser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A hawk is now recovering thanks to the quick thinking of a Denver woman.  Kitty Elkins said the young hawk was thrown from its nest at Chaffee Park in Denver during a storm on Sunday. “My friends and family say I get myself into nutty situations now and then, but I definitely didn’t think I was going to be riding in the carpool lane with a hawk,” Elkins said. She said Animal Protection Services came out, assessed the hawk and helped it back into the tree, but the next day she spotted it on the ground, again.  Search still underway for 5th orphaned bobcat in Louisville "The next day when I was driving back into my neighborhood, I saw dogs swarming something and I kind of knew in my gut that it was probably the hawk from the day before, and it was,” Elkins said. With the help of a stranger, Elkins said they loaded the injured hawk into her minivan and brought the hawk, who she named Cooper, to the Birds of Prey Foundation in Broomfield....

Iconic Arvada rental shop targeted by thieves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

ARVADA, Colo. (KDVR) -- A long-standing Arvada business was the victim of brazen bandits, and the entire theft was caught on camera.Arvada Rent-Alls has been a part of the Ralston Road landscape since 1963.The president and chief executive officer said the family-run business was hit Monday morning, at about 4:20. The total estimated loss was about $15,000. Colorado businessman gets over 5 years in prison for ‘We Build The Wall’ fundraiser fraud “Anytime someone thinks they’re entitled or owed, or anything like that," owner Andrew Heesacker said. “To take advantage of a small business, um, really brings a lot of frustration, and, a little bit of hostility, as well.”Arvada Police are investigating the burglary and ask anyone who may recognize the suspects to call 720-898-6900.

Israel’s crisis is just beginning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

JERUSALEM — It’s a strange experience to observe the place you live in slide from controlled crisis into utter chaos in just under 24 hours.Crisis is a fairly common situation in Israel. There is always something going on. Hamas launches rockets; Israelis enjoy brunch. Hezbollah threatens to annihilate the country; Israelis know their air force will chortle.This may be one of the reasons Israelis developed a “there he goes again” indulgence toward Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister, and an eternal bad boy of local politics. Last November, he managed to pull off reelection, barely, while on trial for corruption.Yet this time — with skunk water cannons turned on peaceful protesters, army reservists resigning and global banks and credit ratings agencies downgrading Israel — Israel’s seven-month crisis is past and chaos has taken over. It feels as if the country’s DNA has been transformed. As always, it’s been a long time coming, but the change feels b...

Spain election: Feijóo’s numbers don’t add up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:02 GMT

MADRID — Alberto Núñez Feijóo may not want to admit it but his hope of being Spain’s next prime minister may have to be lowered. On Monday night, the leader of the center-right Popular Party, which won the most votes in last Sunday’s national election in Spain but fell short of securing a governing majority, was left without options to form a government after two key regional parties rejected his overtures.To become Spain’s prime minister, a candidate whose party has not secured a governing majority needs to either get the backing of 176 of the total 350 MPs in an initial vote in parliament or wait for a second round of voting to secure a simple majority. MPs can also abstain, which means it can be difficult to determine the exact number of seats needed for a successful bid to form a government.In a speech after a meeting of the Popular Party’s executive committee, Feijóo reaffirmed his determination to gather the support needed to advance with his candidacy,...