url
stringlengths 47
169
| text
stringlengths 631
362k
| in_y0
bool 1
class | in_y1
bool 2
classes | category
stringclasses 2
values | publisher
stringclasses 1
value | crawl_date
stringclasses 156
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://www.kcra.com/article/alpine-meadows-avalanche-1982-livecopter-3-rescue/39603073
|
The Alpine Meadows avalanche of 1982: How LiveCopter 3 was used to jump-start rescue efforts
Retired KCRA pilot Dann Shively recounts the hours and days following the infamous avalanche from his perspective in LiveCopter 3.
Retired KCRA pilot Dann Shively recounts the hours and days following the infamous avalanche from his perspective in LiveCopter 3.
Retired KCRA pilot Dann Shively recounts the hours and days following the infamous avalanche from his perspective in LiveCopter 3.
March 1982 was an epic month for snow in the Sierra. More than 15 feet of it piled up in one week near Donner Summit — that was on top of a base that was already 90 inches deep.
"All the skiers loved it and then all of sudden it became too much," said Dann Shively, a retired KCRA 3 pilot. "And the businesses up there were suffering too because people couldn't get up there."
By March 30, the snow was so unmanageable that even the ski resorts had to close to the public.
The next day, around 4 p.m., a loud boom rang out at the Alpine Meadows ski area and a huge slab of snow went barreling down the harsh terrain.
Shively remembers when the reports first started coming into the KCRA 3 newsroom.
"I think initially it was just another snow slide. And then all of a sudden the severity came into focus very quickly," Shively said.
The avalanche had swallowed the resort's main ski lodge and parking lot. More than a dozen people were trapped and the weather was only getting worse.
"When (the newsroom) said, 'Go up there,' I said, 'I don't think we can make it but I'll give it a try,'" Shively said.
Shively launched with LiveCopter 3 shortly after and managed to get into the valley near Alpine Meadows. But what he saw below surprised him.
"Nobody was down there. No rescue crews. It was virtually empty," Shively said.
The threat of more avalanches had rescue efforts on hold. Crews had gathered at the resort's entrance along Highway 89 but because of the weather, California Highway Patrol was unable to access the area to start avalanche control.
That's when Shively looked below and noticed that he was being signaled to land.
"As soon as we were on the ground, the ski patrol said we need to use your helicopter to dynamite the cornices," Shively said. "And so we popped the doors off, three ski patrol got in with a big bag of charges and we flew around the resort chucking out dynamite!"
Shively and LiveCopter 3 had been involved in some pretty unique situations before, but this one was definitely a first.
"I must have looked a little worried because at one point one of the ski patrol members said, 'It's OK. We've got a minute delay on the charges,'" Shively said.
After confirming that conditions were safe enough for rescuers, Shively landed LiveCopter 3 in Truckee. He and photographer Will Heryford were stuck there for several days as the snow and wind kept coming.
But LiveCopter 3 had already played its role. Eight people were recovered from the sea of snow, including Anna Conrad who miraculously survived after being buried for five days.
Another seven people died that day.
Tonight, exactly 40 years since the avalanche, a film highlighting the stories of members of the Alpine Meadows community is being shown at the resort. Proceeds from showings of the film are being donated to the American Avalanche Association to support education and research.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/deadly-school-shooting-south-carolina/39603272
|
12-year-old dies after being shot at South Carolina middle school, suspect in custody
A 12-year-old has died after being shot at a middle school in Greenville, South Carolina, on Thursday.
Community activist Bruce Wilson said Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson, 12, died at the hospital.
Wilson released the following statement on behalf of the family:
"We are all devastated by today’s tragedy. We love Jamari dearly and we would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time."
Greenville County deputies said a school resource officer at Tanglewood Middle School requested backup just before 12:30 p.m.
More than 200 law enforcement officers arrived at the school.
A suspect, who is also 12 years old, was taken into custody near the school, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said.
He is is being charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a firearm on school property and unlawful possession of a weapon by a person under the age of 18, Lewis said.
Because of his age, the suspect's name was not released.
"Unfortunately, these are two young men who attended school here," Lewis said. "We don't really know the specifics of why it occurred and why so many people resort to violence, especially with firearms."
Greenville County School Superintendent Burke Royster also spoke outside the school after the shooting.
"I’m not sure after a full and thorough law enforcement investigation anyone will really know what was going through the mind of that young person who took this rash act," Royster said.
Students from the school were taken to Brookwood Church by bus to be reunited with their families.
One mother told sister station WYFF that she was in the school parking lot when she saw police begin arriving.
"I was getting out and the police told me, ‘Get back, get back. You can’t come in,’ and I was like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s wrong?’" Angela said. "They wouldn’t tell me, he said, 'Get back in your car.’ When I was getting in my car, all the police came. Every police in Greenville County was there and ambulance. They were running in with guns, not handguns, rifles."
Angela’s daughter, Prentasia, said they were changing classes when the shooting happened.
"We heard a gunshot, and this boy had a gun and he shot at one boy in his side," Prentasia said. "We all pretty much went into a classroom and some people went outside. We were just in the classroom ‘til it was over."
Another mother spoke to WYFF shortly after she arrived at the school to pick up her son.
"But I was speechless," she said. "My stomach is still upset. I just want to see my son and hug him and just make sure he's fine."
That mother said she wishes there were metal detectors in school.
"So, I would love for Greenville County to do something and put metal detectors. They all come through the same door. They go to the cafeteria they do that. Why don't they put a metal detector and then at least detect there's something there," the mother said.
Greenville County School District spokesman Tim Waller said Tanglewood Middle will have an optional day on Friday. Teachers, students and staff can come and talk to each other and counselors but are not required to attend school on Friday.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/first-lawsuit-florida-law-lgbtq-topics-classroom/39600782
|
First lawsuit filed over Florida law restricting certain LGBTQ topics in the classroom
Two LGBTQ rights advocacy groups, as well as students, parents and a teacher in Florida, filed a federal lawsuit Thursday, challenging the state's new law banning certain instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.
It's the first legal challenge seeking to block implementation and enforcement of the law, which Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed on Monday. The controversial law, dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by its opponents, is set to take effect in July.
DeSantis told reporters Thursday that he will defend the law "vigorously."
The lawsuit calls the Florida law an "unlawful attempt to stigmatize, silence and erase LGBTQ people in Florida's public schools."
"It seeks to do so by imposing a sweeping, vague ban covering any instruction on 'sexual orientation and gender identity,' and by constructing a diffuse enforcement scheme designed to maximize the chilling effect of this prohibition," the complaint reads.
According to the new "Parental Rights in Education" law in Florida, "classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."
Parents would be able to bring civil suits against a school district for any potential rule violation, under the new law.
During the bill signing Monday, DeSantis said that Florida recognizes that "parents have a fundamental role in the education, health care and well-being of their children."
The plaintiffs in Thursday's lawsuit include Equality Florida, an LGBTQ advocacy organization; Family Equality, a New York-based nonprofit; a 17-year-old sophomore in Palmetto, Florida, who identifies as gay; an 18-year-old senior in Osprey, Florida, who identifies as gay; the parent of a transgender fifth-grader in Florida; three same-sex couples living in Florida with young children; and a middle-school public teacher in Grand Ridge, Florida. The complaint was filed by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
The plaintiffs say the new law violates the First and 14th Amendments, and Title IX protections.
"This effort to control young minds through state censorship -- and to demean LGBTQ lives by denying their reality -- is a grave abuse of power. The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that LGBTQ people and families are at home in our constitutional order. The State of Florida has no right to declare them outcasts, or to treat their allies as outlaws, by punishing schools where someone dares to affirm their identity and dignity," according to the complaint.
Weighing in on the lawsuit Thursday, DeSantis said he doesn't think that "any of the legal claims have merit."
"These are policy decisions. I don't think it's anything that's invoking First Amendment because schools, states and localities have the ability to set curriculum in public schools. We do that all the time. This is not new," he said, also arguing that the law "does not regulate student speech."
DeSantis' communications director Taryn Fenske told CNN in a statement that "this calculated, politically motivated, virtue-signaling lawsuit is meritless, and we will defend the legality of parents to protect their young children from sexual content in Florida public schools."
Proponents of the new law say it gives parents more oversight over what their children learn and discuss at school and argue that LGBTQ-related topics should be left for families to discuss in private. Opponents say the law will negatively affect an already marginalized community and also argue it would open educators up to an endless barrage of litigation.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/ikea-old-furniture-buyback/39603108
|
you are not alone if assembling IKEA furniture causes you to feel frustrated and inadequate. The wordless pictograms instructions for the flat pack furniture that deems an easy feat even causes veteran D wires to stump over the confusing parts. Apparently named. Alan household quotes confirm your home decor is delicately mapped to your emotional identity and a recent study concluded 50% of 50,000 tweets included signs of frustration, particularly when it comes to assembling sofas. Store these handy hacks away for the next time you've got no idea or perhaps we should say no. IKEA your IQ tips begin before you've even left the store. The spruce says if it's dented don't get it. The use of minimal packaging doesn't protect your item as well as you might think this could lead to an honest case of it's not you. It's the item popular Mechanics says to make space and take inventory. Although Insider reports to skip their tools and use your own instead. Level up by using an actual level or the site also recommends opting for wood glue. Yes, you heard me glue when in doubt phone a friend or better still a professional. This will help you remain as emotionally stable as your IKEA table
IKEA will pay you to get its old furniture back
Updated: 3:34 PM PDT Mar 31, 2022
Can't stand that old bookcase and dining table with the mismatched chairs you once thought looked so cool? If you bought them at IKEA, the retailer will pay you to get them back.The Swedish furniture and home goods chain said Thursday it is making its Buy Back & Resell program permanent across its 37 U.S. stores on April 1 after piloting the offer last summer.The company said the service applies only to personally-used Ikea furniture that is fully assembled and fully functional. Ikea won't accept items that have been modified, or altered in any way.Here is what's included on the list of returnable items: office drawer cabinets, sideboards, bookcases, small tables, multimedia furniture, cabinets, dining tables, desks and chairs and stools without upholstery.The program doesn't extend to non-IKEA-branded products or beds, sofas, mattresses, home furnishing accessories, leather products, lighting fixtures or chests of drawers. Any recalled IKEA products also are excluded.IKEA said it will inspect each item for its condition, age and functionality at participating stores, and if it passes muster, customers will get a store credit. The company said all "gently used" items approved for resale will be available in a designated "as is" section in stores at discounted prices.The furniture seller already offers a buyback service in the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of its sustainability push. Customers there can trade in gently used Ikea products in excellent condition and get a store credit worth up to 50% of the original sale price. Items in "very good" condition earn a 40% credit, and "well used" goods get 30% of the original price.Ikea has 465 stores worldwide, and said the initiative is part of its effort to become a "circular" business by 2030. The goal, it said, is to eventually produce products that are 100% made with materials that are recycled, remanufactured, refurbished or reused.
Can't stand that old bookcase and dining table with the mismatched chairs you once thought looked so cool? If you bought them at IKEA, the retailer will pay you to get them back.
The Swedish furniture and home goods chain said Thursday it is making its Buy Back & Resell program permanent across its 37 U.S. stores on April 1 after piloting the offer last summer.
The company said the service applies only to personally-used Ikea furniture that is fully assembled and fully functional. Ikea won't accept items that have been modified, or altered in any way.
Here is what's included on the list of returnable items: office drawer cabinets, sideboards, bookcases, small tables, multimedia furniture, cabinets, dining tables, desks and chairs and stools without upholstery.
The program doesn't extend to non-IKEA-branded products or beds, sofas, mattresses, home furnishing accessories, leather products, lighting fixtures or chests of drawers. Any recalled IKEA products also are excluded.
IKEA said it will inspect each item for its condition, age and functionality at participating stores, and if it passes muster, customers will get a store credit. The company said all "gently used" items approved for resale will be available in a designated "as is" section in stores at discounted prices.
The furniture seller already offers a buyback service in the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of its sustainability push. Customers there can trade in gently used Ikea products in excellent condition and get a store credit worth up to 50% of the original sale price. Items in "very good" condition earn a 40% credit, and "well used" goods get 30% of the original price.
Ikea has 465 stores worldwide, and said the initiative is part of its effort to become a "circular" business by 2030. The goal, it said, is to eventually produce products that are 100% made with materials that are recycled, remanufactured, refurbished or reused.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/prosecutor-seeks-end-to-khashoggi-murder-trial/39603067
|
Prosecutor seeks end to Khashoggi murder trial in Turkey, requests transfer to Saudi Arabia
The Turkish prosecutor in the case against 26 Saudi nationals charged in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi made a surprise request Thursday that their trial in absentia be suspended and the case transferred to Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a possible coverup.
The panel of judges made no ruling on the prosecutor’s request but said a letter would be sent to Turkey’s Justice Ministry seeking its opinion on the possible transfer of the file to Saudi judicial authorities, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The trial was adjourned until April 7.
The development comes as Turkey has been trying to normalize its relationship with Saudi Arabia, which hit an all-time low following Khashoggi’s grisly October 2018 killing. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview on Thursday that Saudi authorities were more cooperative on judicial issues with Turkey, but did not elaborate.
In arguing for the transfer, the prosecutor told the court that the Saudi chief public prosecutor’s office requested the Turkish proceedings be transferred to the kingdom in a letter dated March 13, and that international warrants issued by Ankara against the defendants be lifted, according to the private DHA news agency.
The prosecutor said that because the arrest warrants cannot be executed and defense statements cannot be taken, the case would remain inconclusive in Turkey.
Amnesty International urged Turkey to press ahead with the trial, saying if it is transferred to Saudi Arabia, Turkey will be “knowingly and willingly sending the case to a place where it will be covered up.”
Moving Khashoggi’s trial to Saudi Arabia would provide a diplomatic resolution to a dispute that represented the wider troubles between Ankara and the kingdom since the 2011 Arab Spring.
Turkey under Erdogan supported Islamists as the uprisings took hold, while Saudi Arabia and its ally the United Arab Emirates sought to suppress such movements for fear of facing challenges to their autocratic governments. Meanwhile, Turkey sided with Qatar in a diplomatic dispute that saw Doha boycotted by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Since then-President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, the Gulf Arab states have set aside — but not fully resolved — the Qatar dispute. Meanwhile, Turkey under Erdogan has faced a rapid devaluation of its lira currency over his refusal to hike interest rates. Bilateral trade to the kingdom and the UAE, a major transshipment point for the world economy, also collapsed.
Since the start of 2022, Erdogan has sought to improve those ties, including making his first visit to the UAE in nearly a decade. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, after fighting through the coronavirus pandemic’s economic effects, facing a grinding war in Yemen and struggling with renewed tensions with Iran, also want to resolve the outstanding feud.
Khashoggi disappeared on Oct. 2, 2018, after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, seeking documents that would allow him to marry Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish national who was waiting outside the building. He never emerged.
Turkish officials allege that the Saudi national, who was a United States resident, was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw inside the consulate. His body has not been found. Prior to his killing, Khashoggi had written critically of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince in columns for the Washington Post.
Turkish authorities said he was killed by a team of Saudi agents. Those on trial in absentia include two former aides of the prince.
Saudi officials initially offered conflicting accounts concerning the killing, including claims that Khashoggi had left the consulate building unharmed. But amid mounting international pressure, they stated that Khashoggi’s death was a tragic accident, with the meeting unexpectedly turning violent.
Turkey decided to try the defendants in absentia after Saudi Arabia rejected Turkish demands for their extradition.
The slaying had sparked international condemnation and cast a cloud of suspicion over Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Western intelligence agencies, as well as the U.S. Congress, have said that an operation of this magnitude could not have happened without his knowledge.
In urging Turkey to proceed with the trial, Amnesty International said Ankara would be complicit in a coverup if it grants the Saudi request for a transfer.
“If the prosecutor’s request is granted, then instead of prosecuting and shedding light on a murder that was committed on its territory ... Turkey will be knowingly and willingly sending the case to a place where it will be covered up,” said Tarik Beyhan, Amnesty’s campaign director for Turkey.
Beyhan said he didn’t want to “think about the possibility” that the prosecutor’s request may be related to the improving ties between Riyadh and Ankara.
“Basic human rights ... should not be made the subject of political negotiations,” he said. “A murder cannot be covered up to fix relations.”
Some of the men were put on trial in Riyadh behind closed doors. A Saudi court issued a final verdict in 2020 that sentenced five mid-level officials and operatives to 20-year jail terms. The court had originally ordered the death penalty, but reduced the punishment after Khashoggi’s son Salah, who lives in Saudi Arabia, announced that he forgave the defendants. Three others were sentenced to lesser jail terms.
On Thursday, Khashoggi's fiancee, Cengiz, appeared to criticize the prosecutor’s request in a tweet in English. “It is an exemplary situation in terms of showing the dilemma facing humanity in the modern era,” she wrote. “Which of the two will we choose? To want to live like a virtuous human being or to build a life by holding material interests above all kinds of values.”
She did not respond to a request for comment.
—
Associated Press Writer Jon Gambrell contributed from Dubai.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/rent-relief-prevent-million-evictions/39602016
|
Rent relief helped prevent more than 1 million evictions in 2021
The federal government's emergency rental assistance program helped prevent more than one million evictions last year.
An estimated 1.36 million renters avoided an eviction filing in 2021 as a result of the government's unprecedented $46.5 billion rent relief program and other protections, according to a recent analysis by Princeton University's Eviction Lab published earlier this month.
Treasury officials reported Wednesday that $30 billion in emergency rent relief was spent or obligated by the end of February. Despite a slow and confusing initial roll out of the program last spring, more than 4.7 million payments were made to households since January 2021.
Treasury expects the remainder of the funds to be exhausted by the middle of this year.
Impact of the assistance
A national eviction ban was put in place in September 2020. While it did not stop all evictions, it significantly slowed the tide of eviction filings until the emergency aid could reach struggling renters and their landlords, White House and Department of Treasury officials said.
"We knew from the start that we faced a race with time to get the emergency rental assistance flowing to a significant degree by the time the national eviction moratorium was lifted," said Gene Sperling, the White House American Rescue Plan coordinator. "We largely won that race."
In the six states and 31 cities tracked by the Eviction Lab researchers, eviction filings fell sharply at the onset of the pandemic, but then increased in the later months of 2020 even with the ban in place. Given the increased number of renters experiencing economic hardship as the pandemic continued into 2021, experts worried about a "tsunami" of evictions and anticipated the number of filings to skyrocket above levels seen in 2019.
But the opposite happened. In a typical year, roughly 865,000 eviction cases were filed in the areas the Eviction Lab tracks. In 2021, roughly half as many evictions were filed, with 434,304 cases.
Evictions fell in all but one of the 31 cities tracked in 2021. The outlier was Las Vegas, where jobs in tourism evaporated, adversely impacting the large number of renters in the city's service sector, according to the report. New York City had the biggest reduction in eviction filings from typical levels, with the report estimating nearly 184,000 eviction cases were avoided in New York City.
Video below: NY struggles to get rent relief to hurting tenants
The emergency rental assistance was found to have a strong impact on the low-income and majority-Black neighborhoods that see a disproportionate share of eviction cases. Those areas experienced the largest absolute reduction in eviction filings last year, the Eviction Lab report found.
The report found that in 2021 the most disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the biggest gains in terms of rental housing stability. But it also found that, among the eviction cases filed, women of color were disproportionately affected.
More than 80% of emergency rental assistance reached the lowest income households, according to the Treasury, with about 40% of all applicants who received assistance self-identifying as Black, and about 20% self-identifying as Latino.
Moving remaining money
The federal emergency rent relief was approved in two rounds of funding. The first, which included $25 billion under the Consolidated Appropriations Act at the end of 2020, and $21.55 billion under the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021.
Some state and local governments have exhausted allotted funds while others have not distributed everything they have received. As a result, Treasury has been reallocating money to ensure it gets to renters most in need.
Of the $25 billion in the first batch of money, Treasury has already moved $2 billion in underused funds. Beginning in April, funds from the second batch will be reallocated.
This process has "allowed dollars to flow to places with high need," said Noel Poyo, Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Economic Development. "Generally reallocated funds went to higher need areas with more diverse communities."
He said he expects that trend to continue with the available funds from the second batch of money.
But it is a challenging balance to strike, Poyo said, between getting dollars to places where they are running out of funds and making sure that money is still available in places where assistance may have gotten started more slowly and people remain in need.
Treasury is encouraging state and local governments to use the additional funding to assist more renters and make continued investments in housing stability.
"In just one year, the Emergency Rental Assistance program built a national infrastructure for eviction prevention that never existed before and has helped keep eviction rates well below historic averages throughout the pandemic," said Poyo.
He also suggested state and local governments build on the network for support they have established and provide services like housing counselors, "that will help families avoid economic scarring long after COVID-19 is in the rearview mirror," he said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/scientists-finally-finish-decoding-entire-human-genome/39601005
|
Scientists finally finish decoding entire human genome
Scientists say they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago.
Related video above: How Your DNA Data Can Be Used Against You
An international team described the first-ever sequencing of a complete human genome – the set of instructions to build and sustain a human being – in research published Thursday in the journal Science. The previous effort, celebrated across the world, was incomplete because DNA sequencing technologies of the day weren't able to read certain parts of it. Even after updates, it was missing about 8% of the genome.
“Some of the genes that make us uniquely human were actually in this ‘dark matter of the genome’ and they were totally missed,” said Evan Eichler, a University of Washington researcher who participated in the current effort and the original Human Genome Project. “It took 20-plus years, but we finally got it done.”
Many — including Eichler's own students — thought it had been finished already. “I was teaching them, and they said, 'Wait a minute. Isn’t this like the sixth time you guys have declared victory? I said, ’No, this time we really, really did it!”
Scientists said this full picture of the genome will give humanity a greater understanding of our evolution and biology while also opening the door to medical discoveries in areas like aging, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and heart disease.
“We’re just broadening our opportunities to understand human disease,” said Karen Miga, an author of one of the six studies published Thursday.
The research caps off decades of work. The first draft of the human genome was announced in a White House ceremony in 2000 by leaders of two competing entities: an international publicly funded project led by an agency of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and a private company, Maryland-based Celera Genomics.
The human genome is made up of about 3.1 billion DNA subunits, pairs of chemical bases known by the letters A, C, G and T. Genes are strings of these lettered pairs that contain instructions for making proteins, the building blocks of life. Humans have about 30,000 genes, organized in 23 groups called chromosomes that are found in the nucleus of every cell.
Before now, there were "large and persistent gaps that have been in our map, and these gaps fall in pretty important regions,” Miga said.
Miga, a genomics researcher at the University of California-Santa Cruz, worked with Adam Phillippy of the National Human Genome Research Institute to organize the team of scientists to start from scratch with a new genome with the aim of sequencing all of it, including previously missing pieces. The group, named after the sections at the very ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, is known as the Telomere-to-Telomere, or T2T, consortium.
Their work adds new genetic information to the human genome, corrects previous errors and reveals long stretches of DNA known to play important roles in both evolution and disease. A version of the research was published last year before being reviewed by scientific peers.
“This is a major improvement, I would say, of the Human Genome Project,” doubling its impact, said geneticist Ting Wang of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the research.
Eichler said some scientists used to think unknown areas contained “junk." Not him. "Some of us always believed there was gold in those hills," he said. Eichler is paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press's health and science department.
Turns out that gold includes many important genes, he said, such as ones integral to making a person's brain bigger than a chimp's, with more neurons and connections.
To find such genes, scientists needed new ways to read life's cryptic genetic language.
Reading genes requires cutting the strands of DNA into pieces hundreds to thousands of letters long. Sequencing machines read the letters in each piece and scientists try to put the pieces in the right order. That's especially tough in areas where letters repeat.
Scientists said some areas were illegible before improvements in gene sequencing machines that now allow them to, for example, accurately read a million letters of DNA at a time. That allows scientists to see genes with repeated areas as longer strings instead of snippets that they had to later piece together.
Researchers also had to overcome another challenge: Most cells contain genomes from both mother and father, confusing attempts to assemble the pieces correctly. T2T researchers got around this by using a cell line from one “complete hydatidiform mole," an abnormal fertilized egg containing no fetal tissue that has two copies of the father’s DNA and none of the mother’s.
The next step? Mapping more genomes, including ones that include collections of genes from both parents. This effort did not map one of the 23 chromosomes that is found in males, called the Y chromosome, because the mole contained only an X.
Wang said he’s working with the T2T group on the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, which is trying to generate “reference," or template, genomes for 350 people representing the breadth of human diversity.
“Now we’ve gotten one genome right and we have to do many, many more,” Eichler said. “This is the beginning of something really fantastic for the field of human genetics.”
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/americans-health-care-concerns/39593902
|
Costs top Americans' health care concerns, new poll finds
Americans' biggest health care priorities revolve largely around affordability, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll, with most wanting to see Congress tackle drug prices. More broadly, inflation and rising costs dominate the public's concerns.
The findings, released Thursday, show that 55% of Americans call inflation and rising prices the biggest problem facing the U.S., far ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (18%), climate change (6%), the COVID-19 pandemic (6%) or crime (6%).
That's true across party lines, although the sentiment is most pronounced within the GOP: About 70% of Republicans call inflation the country's biggest issue, compared with 53% of independents and 46% of Democrats.
Similarly, other recent polls have found the rising cost of living dominating Americans' minds. In a new Quinnipiac poll, 30% of Americans picked inflation as the most urgent issue facing the U.S., with the Russia/Ukraine crisis following at just 14%. NBC polling also found Americans more focused on economic concerns than foreign policy or other issues. And a new Gallup survey said 17% of Americans cited inflation as the nation's top problem, the highest level in its polling since 1985.
The focus on costs remains even when Americans are asked specifically about their priorities for possible health care legislation, the KFF poll finds. Most U.S. adults (61%) say it should be a priority for Congress to limit how much drug companies can raise prescription drug prices each year to no more than the rate of inflation. About half (53%) say Congress should make it a priority to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 monthly and to place a limit on out-of-pocket health care costs for seniors (52%).
Fewer, 42%, call it a priority to expand government-provided health insurance in states that have not expanded Medicaid access or to increase funding for access to mental health services and training for mental health providers. Only 25% say that providing more COVID-19 pandemic response funding should be a priority.
"The public's priorities in health reflect deep concern about prices of everything right now, including drug prices," KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said in a news release. "That doesn't mean other things that have long been popular do not have public support too; they do. It just means prices are the preeminent concern."
In their personal finances, most Americans express at least some worry about being able to afford gasoline or other transportation costs (71%) and unexpected medical bills (58%), with many concerned about paying for monthly utility bills (50%) and food (47%). In February 2020, just 40% worried about paying for gas, 38% about monthly utilities and 34% about food, KFF found.
Concerns are magnified for lower-income Americans. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans in households making less than $40,000 a year say they worry about affording as or transportation costs, with more than 6 in 10 also concerned about affording unexpected medical bills (66%), monthly utilities (65%), rent or mortgage payments (63%) and food (62%).
About half of Americans, 51%, say they've put off or gone without some form of medical service in the past year because of its costs.
Twelve years after its passage, the Affordable Care Act remains popular, the KFF poll finds, with 55% of the public viewing it favorably. About one-quarter, 24%, say the law has directly helped them and their family, with 20% saying it hurt them and the rest that it's had no direct effect.
Of those who say they've seen a positive personal impact, about half say the ACA mainly helped by letting someone in their family get or keep health coverage, with 30% saying the ACA mainly made it easier to get needed health care and 20% that it mainly lowered health care or health insurance costs.
Views of both the ACA and its effects are also sharply divided along partisan lines, with 43% of Democrats and just 7% of Republicans saying the ACA has helped them.
Among Americans under 65 who have private health insurance, 56% say they know nothing about the No Surprises Act, a law taking effect this year that protects people with private health insurance from getting large medical bills when they accidentally receive out-of-network health care. Only about 21% say they know even something about the legislation.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/explore-outdoors-death-valley-national-park/39602942
|
Explore Outdoors: Don't let the name scare you
Explore Outdoors: Don't let the name scare you
Advertisement
Explore Outdoors: Don't let the name scare you
Along the border of California and Nevada is a spot that often evokes images of only two things: sand dunes and heat.But stretching across more than 3,000,000 acres, Death Valley National Park is the state's largest national park.It is also home to a landscape so diverse that it stretches from below sea level to heights above where snow falls.To see why the scenery may be so much more inviting that the history of how this landscape got its name, click on the video above.
INYO COUNTY, Calif. —
Along the border of California and Nevada is a spot that often evokes images of only two things: sand dunes and heat.
But stretching across more than 3,000,000 acres, Death Valley National Park is the state's largest national park.
Advertisement
It is also home to a landscape so diverse that it stretches from below sea level to heights above where snow falls.
To see why the scenery may be so much more inviting that the history of how this landscape got its name, click on the video above.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/oscars-producer-police-offered-arrest-will-smith/39603725
|
Oscars producer says police offered to arrest Will Smith
Oscars producer Will Packer said Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage.
Related video above: Chris Rock gets warm welcome from Boston crowd during first show post-Oscars slap
"They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment," Packer said in a clip released by ABC News Thursday night of an interview he gave to "Good Morning America." "They said 'we will go get him. We are prepared. We're prepared to get him right now. You can press charges, we can arrest him.' They were laying out the options."
But Packer said Rock was "very dismissive" of the idea.
"He was like, 'No, no, no, I'm fine,'" Packer said. "And even to the point where I said, 'Rock, let them finish.' The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were and they said, 'Would you like us to take any action?' And he said no."
The LAPD said in a statement after Sunday night's ceremony that they were aware of the incident, and that Rock had declined to file a police report. The department declined to comment Thursday on Packer's interview, a longer version of which will air on Friday morning.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group's standards of conduct. Smith could be suspended, expelled or otherwise sanctioned.
The academy said in a statement that "Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television."
Without giving specifics, the academy said Smith was asked to leave the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, but refused to do so.
Smith strode from his front row seat on to the stage and slapped Rock after a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when he was on stage to present the Oscar for best documentary.
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying "I was out of line and I was wrong."
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18.
Rock publicly addressed the incident for the first time, but only briefly, at the beginning of a standup show Wednesday night in Boston, where he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. He said "I'm still kind of processing what happened."
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-lgbt-community-centers-alexis-sanchez-on-transgender-day-of-visibility/39603741
|
'A really important day’: Sacramento LGBT Community Center’s Alexis Sanchez on Transgender Day of Visibility
Communities in Sacramento and across the world are marking International Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday.
The day is meant to celebrate transgender people and raise awareness about discrimination. The Biden administration also said Thursday that Americans will be allowed to choose an “X” for gender on their passport applications beginning on April 11 and the federal government will make it easier for people to change their gender information on their Social Security cards. The Transportation Security Administration said it will also become more inclusive by setting new gender-neutral screening standards at checkpoints.
In Sacramento, the LGBT Community Center has been recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility with several events. Alexis Sanchez, the director of advocacy and training with the center, joined KCRA 3 to talk about what the day means for Sacramento’s transgender community.
| VIDEO BELOW | Alexis Sanchez talks about Biden administration's announcements on Transgender Visibility Day
“Today is a really important day that’s meant to celebrate trans identities and raise awareness of some of the challenges that our community faces,” Sanchez said.
Transgender and gender non-conforming people are often misunderstood due to negative portrayals in the media, she said.
“Oftentimes, we see trans people represented as villains or worse, in ways that perpetuate stereotypes,” Sanchez said.
They also face higher rates of unemployment and housing insecurity. Of nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills that have been filed in state legislatures across the country this year, the bulk of them target transgender people, she said.
In Sacramento, the LGBT Community Center operates shelters for LGBTQ youth who are experiencing homelessness. The center also helps with jobs resources.
“We really try to meet people where they are at,” Sanchez said.
Asked about the biggest misconception about transgender people, Sanchez talked about her experiences growing up.
“The way that I saw transgender people portrayed was kind of as the butt of a joke,” she said. “You see a man in a dress in a sitcom and that’s supposed to be something that we laugh at.”
Those depictions, as well as portrayals as sex workers, perpetuate stereotypes “that people carry with them.”
“We’re just like everybody else and are a pretty vibrant and wonderful community,” Sanchez said.
Events at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center on Thursday include an open mic from 5 to 6 p.m. and later a film screening and discussion.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/serving-sacramento-community-champion-brings-free-books-kids/39601956
|
Serving Sacramento: CommUNITY Champion brings free books to kids
A Sacramento woman is making sure more children have access to their own books at home.
Colette Charles is the executive director of Serve Sacramento. She’s also our KCRA 3 CommUNITY Champion, honoring people who have made a difference in our community.
“If you have a parent and a child sitting and reading together exchanging what they just read, now we have communication,” Charles said. “We cut off the TV, we put down those computer games, you know, we put the phone down.”
Charles delivers the free books to more than a dozen locations in Sacramento. That includes schools, community centers and women’s shelters. Some of the children receiving the books have a background of trauma in their family.
“If a child can take that book into their room and have a safe place and read and they're not listening to that trauma or feeling that trauma for that brief moment and they’re able to explore, that’s safety," she said.
One of the locations where the books are distributed is the Roberts Family Development Center. The center’s co-founder said it helps broaden the imagination of kids who come there for after-school programs.
“A book gives kids access. Access to ideas, places they may have not been yet, places to go, things to do,” said Derrell Roberts, co-founder of Roberts Family Development Center.
Serve Sacramento also has a summer program. Charles said it helps keep kids out of trouble and on the right track at school.
High school senior Maya Lee participated in the math summer program for five years.
“It’s a fun way to interact with kids while keeping your brain learning during the summer so you don’t come back to school confused,” Lee said.
The organization relies on volunteers, donations and a big dose of dedication from Charles.
“I’m praying that these children go to college or receive some formal type of education that will foster a healthy lifestyle for these children. That’s my goal," Charles said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/250-000-settlement-texas-son-3-dies-after-brain-eating-amoeba/39603663
|
Texas parents reach $250,000 settlement after 3-year-old son dies from brain-eating amoeba
The parents of a 3-year-old boy who died last year after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba at a splash pad in Arlington, Texas, have reached a $250,000 settlement with the city.
Related video above: Doctors Say Tap Water in Neti Pot Caused Fatal Brain-Eating Amoeba
Bakari Williams died last September after spending five days in the hospital with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and often fatal infection caused by an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, according to previous reporting from CNN and affiliate KTVT.
Williams contracted the infection from a splash pad that officials later determined was improperly tested and maintained.
At a news conference, attorneys for Williams' parents said the child's death was preventable.
Family attorney Brian Hargrove said the $250,000 is the maximum economic recovery allowed against a city under the Texas Tort Claims Act, according to KTVT.
Arlington, in a statement, said the settlement will include a "significant investment in the installation of health and safety equipment and other improvements for our public pools and splash pads."
The city will distribute a new policy manual, the Bakari Williams Protocol, that will guide staff on water treatment, according to Hargrove and the city. "We plan to share this information with other agencies in the aquatics industry so they can learn from our hard lessons," the city said.
New technology will automatically shut off any splash pads where water readings are not in the acceptable ranges and the addition of QR codes will allow visitors to see real-time information about water quality, the statement, obtained by KTVT, said.
"We want you to know that Bakari was a sweet, beautiful and innocent child who did not deserve to die in the manner that he did. For us, this case has been about public awareness," Williams' mother, Kayla Mitchell, said at the news conference, according to the affiliate.
"We want to make certain that nothing like this ever happens again. We want to make certain that what happened to our son, what happened to our family, does not happen to anybody else," said Mitchell.
Naegleria fowleri is commonly found in soil and in fresh warm water such as lakes, rivers and hot springs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also be found in poorly maintained or unchlorinated pools.
The organism infects people when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose, according to the CDC. The Naegleria fowleri amoeba then travels up the nose to the brain, where it destroys the brain tissue, the CDC says.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/cesar-chavez-day-farmworkers-announce-will-retrace-historic-march/39604004
|
César Chávez Day: Farmworkers announce they will retrace historic 1966 march
Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed March 31, 2022, as César Chávez Day on what would have been the activist's 95th birthday.
On Thursday, many remember Chávez's work and legacy, and they're also taking time to remind Californians that farmworkers deserve equal rights.
"I don't want to continue seeing people treat farmworkers as if they were inferior. If other workers have those rights, farmworkers deserve those rights, too," said Teresa Romero, president of United Farm Workers.
Farmworkers gathered throughout 13 locations including Sacramento and Modesto, to announce that they'll be retracing a march from Delano to Sacramento – the historic trek that Chávez led in 1966 and where the movement for social justice was founded.
Farmworkers are pressing Newsom to support AB 2183 – the Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act – which would provide more options in how agricultural workers can vote in their union elections. A similar measure was passed by the state legislature last year, but it stopped at Newsom's desk when it was vetoed in Sept. 2021.
One of the advocates present at the Sacramento rally, Marc Grossman knew and worked with Chávez for more than 20 years, says that his vision for better opportunities for Latinos – including better social and economic status, and political influence – is now a reality.
He adds that the dreams that Chávez had, brought an awakening that no one can take away – as their fight for social justice and a brighter future for these workers, continues.
"Once social change begins it can not be undone. You can not uneducate the person who has learned to read, you can not humiliate the person who feels pride, you can not oppress the people who are not afraid anymore," Grossman said.
The pilgrimage from Delano to Sacramento will be happening this summer although no other details have been made available.
| VIDEO BELOW | Hundreds of families march ahead of Cesar Chavez Day
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/february-frost-hurting-san-joaquin-county-crops/39603345
|
February frost hurting San Joaquin County crops leads to request for state assistance
San Joaquin County files for emergency declaration from state
San Joaquin County files for emergency declaration from state
San Joaquin County files for emergency declaration from state
February’s frost has led to the pits for some San Joaquin County cherry growers. As a result, the county has filed for an emergency declaration with the state of California, which the San Joaquin Farm Bureau hopes will help farmers financially.
Growers such as James Chinchiolo now have some cherry trees that experienced frost damage. What should be a fruitful sight is almost tough to bare.
“This is the first freeze I've been through. It's a lesson learned — big one. And certainly, we'll adapt and go from there,” Chinchiolo, the owner of Lodi Blooms, told KCRA 3. “We're just in a situation here again of needing to adjust to a really light crop."
Chinchiolo added that he might take steps to prepare for the next freeze by buying devices such as wind machines and machines that blow warm air onto the orchards to prevent frost.
The fourth-generation cherry grower stressed that Lodi Blooms is still tabulating just how much fruit they will harvest, and they are ever optimistic.
“There's also this bit of, 'OK, hunker down, become a warrior, and get through these challenging times,'” Chinchiolo said.
Bruce Blodgett, executive director of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau, said these are challenging times for many growers in the county, as some growers have lost half their crop.
“What that means in pure dollars rather than a $200 million crop, about a $100 million crop, so, a lot of impact to that industry,” Blodgett said. "Those that were just starting to bloom, getting in and really just trying to get that crop set — that freeze just came in and just wiped them out."
Blodgett added that this is the third year in a row that cherry growers have had to contend with factors leading to a lighter harvest. In 2021, Blodgett explained growers had to cope with drought. He also said that the freeze impact varied from orchard to orchard, crop to crop.
“Another person actually has a pretty good crop, who was actually doing some thinning, so we see some real differences based on where they're at in the county,” Blodgett said. “At least those that are going to get a crop are going to get a decent price for a change, so that’s a positive thing, but it is going to drive prices up at the store.”
Blodgett said the county should know in the coming weeks if the disaster declaration has been approved by the state. The declaration should make funding available to impacted growers.
Chinchiolo said his cherry orchards are expected to be in season from May through June, while the entire cherry season lasts until April to June. While Lodi Blooms is still calculating, if the harvest is lighter, at the very least Chinchiolo said, the cherry may be sweeter.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/oldest-park-ranger-retires/39604059
|
The nation's oldest active park ranger is hanging up her Smokey hat at the age of 100.Betty Reid Soskin retired Thursday after more than 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, the National Park Service announced.Soskin "spent her last day providing an interpretive program to the public and visiting with coworkers," a Park Service statement said.She led tours at the park and museum honoring the women who worked in factories during wartime and shared her own experience as a Black woman during the conflict. She worked for the U.S. Air Force in 1942 but quit after learning that "she was employed only because her superiors believed she was white," according to a Park Service biography."Being a primary source in the sharing of that history – my history – and giving shape to a new national park has been exciting and fulfilling," Soskin said in the Park Service statement. "It has proven to bring meaning to my final years."Soskin won a temporary Park Service position at the age of 84 and became a permanent Park Service employee in 2011. She celebrated her 100th birthday last September."Betty has made a profound impact on the National Park Service and the way we carry out our mission," Director Chuck Sams said. "Her efforts remind us that we must seek out and give space for all perspectives so that we can tell a more full and inclusive history of our nation."Soskin was born Betty Charbonnet in Detroit in 1921 but recalled surviving the devastating Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 while living with her Creole family in New Orleans, according to the Park Service biography. Her family then moved to Oakland, California, and Soskin remained in the San Francisco Bay Area, where in 1945 she and her first husband founded one of the first Black-owned record stores in the area, the biography said.She also was a civil rights activist and took part in meetings to develop a general management plan for the Home Front park. She has received several honors.She was named California Woman of the Year in 1995.In 2015, Soskin received a presidential coin from President Barack Obama after she lit the National Christmas tree at the White House. In June 2016, she was awakened in her home by a robber who punched her repeatedly in the face, dragged her out of her bedroom and beat her before making off with the coin and other items. Soskin, then 94, recovered and returned to work just weeks after the attack. The coin was replaced.Soskin also was honored with entry into the Congressional Record. Glamour Magazine named her woman of the year in 2018.
RICHMOND, Calif. — The nation's oldest active park ranger is hanging up her Smokey hat at the age of 100.
Betty Reid Soskin retired Thursday after more than 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California, the National Park Service announced.
Soskin "spent her last day providing an interpretive program to the public and visiting with coworkers," a Park Service statement said.
She led tours at the park and museum honoring the women who worked in factories during wartime and shared her own experience as a Black woman during the conflict. She worked for the U.S. Air Force in 1942 but quit after learning that "she was employed only because her superiors believed she was white," according to a Park Service biography.
"Being a primary source in the sharing of that history – my history – and giving shape to a new national park has been exciting and fulfilling," Soskin said in the Park Service statement. "It has proven to bring meaning to my final years."
Ben Margot
National Park Service Ranger Betty Reid Soskin smiles during an interview at Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif., July 12, 2016.
Soskin won a temporary Park Service position at the age of 84 and became a permanent Park Service employee in 2011. She celebrated her 100th birthday last September.
"Betty has made a profound impact on the National Park Service and the way we carry out our mission," Director Chuck Sams said. "Her efforts remind us that we must seek out and give space for all perspectives so that we can tell a more full and inclusive history of our nation."
Soskin was born Betty Charbonnet in Detroit in 1921 but recalled surviving the devastating Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 while living with her Creole family in New Orleans, according to the Park Service biography.
Ben Margot
Betty Reid Soskin, a 94-year-old National Park Service Ranger, is pictured at the visitors center of Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park where she works in Richmond, Calif., July 26, 2016.
Her family then moved to Oakland, California, and Soskin remained in the San Francisco Bay Area, where in 1945 she and her first husband founded one of the first Black-owned record stores in the area, the biography said.
She also was a civil rights activist and took part in meetings to develop a general management plan for the Home Front park. She has received several honors.
She was named California Woman of the Year in 1995.
In 2015, Soskin received a presidential coin from President Barack Obama after she lit the National Christmas tree at the White House.
In June 2016, she was awakened in her home by a robber who punched her repeatedly in the face, dragged her out of her bedroom and beat her before making off with the coin and other items. Soskin, then 94, recovered and returned to work just weeks after the attack. The coin was replaced.
Soskin also was honored with entry into the Congressional Record. Glamour Magazine named her woman of the year in 2018.
Ben Margot
Betty Reid Soskin, a 94-year-old National Park Service Ranger, is pictured at the visitors center of Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park where she works in Richmond, Calif., July 26, 2016.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/future-kohl-s-about-to-be-decided/39603652
|
The future of Kohl's is about to be decided
Kohl's is pushing back against intense pressure from Wall Street to make changes or sell the company.
The retailer sent a sharply worded letter to shareholders Thursday ahead of its annual meeting in May, urging them to reject an activist investor's efforts to gain control of the company and install its own board of directors.
Hedge fund Macellum has criticized Kohl's in recent months, arguing the chain has underperformed competitors and lacks a compelling strategy. It wants Kohl's to consider selling its real estate assets, spin off its e-commerce business or find a buyer for the whole company.
Macellum last month nominated 10 new directors to Kohl's 13-member board, which would give it more than enough votes to approve a takeover.
In its letter Thursday, Kohl's called on shareholders to "reject Macellum's empty agenda" and vote against its "inexperienced, unqualified" board nominees.
Macellum is pushing for "a hasty sale at any price" and its nominees are "not truly independent," Kohl's said, because of their ties to the fund's founder, Jonathan Duskin. Duskin is also one of the board nominees.
"The choice is clear: Re-elect the Kohl's Board ... or elect Jonathan Duskin and his associates to destroy value," Kohl's said in the letter.
Macellum did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kohl's is also considering a sale of the company.
The retailer said earlier this month that it has engaged with more than 20 potential buyers, a sign of wide interest. Hudson's Bay Co., the owner of Saks Fifth Avenue, is also reportedly considering a bid.
There are also some broader concerns about the pressure from Wall Street and any potential sale of the company.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/kyiv-ukraine-yevhenia-khomenko/39604301
|
it's emotional for me. I have to my brothers but their families and I helped my mom. She was born in 1943 and they're staying there through every morning and every night I have to start, I'm starting my day by calling them checking you there live my brothers and their families. They yes, they will come. Yeah. Yeah. They in their age they can actually be benefited with society here too. After the fall of the soviet union, a lot of Ukrainians and individuals from former soviet union countries came to sacramento. So there's an incredibly strong community based here. You know, something like 20,000 Ukrainians in the Greater Sacramento area and a really strong network of churches and businesses and connections. So when people come, they feel Part of the community. The reason people come to places like Sacramento is because there's a high population of people that know them and and because it's relational, there's this feeling of, Hey, we gotta help. We've got to do something. So we're talking about launching 15 more vehicles that over the next probably couple of weeks that will be rescuing more women and Children. We set up a system of host families who can take in refugees that are coming here. Most of them are coming illegally crossing the border into California and then just spreading out. My brother still lives in Ukraine and he lives almost on a shelter bomb shelter. You wanna cry and you don't understand how it's happened on the 21st century. It's so scared and you're here and you you can do nothing for this only you can do it. Just work and help like some money for food, do everything what you can do.
She helped rebuild Kyiv after World War II. Now, the 94-year-old had to flee it
Updated: 8:06 PM PDT Mar 31, 2022
Even as the bombs began to fall, Yevhenia Khomenko didn't want to leave her home in Kyiv, Ukraine."I would rather die there," the 94-year-old said. But eventually, it became too much, and her daughter convinced her to leave the home she had known her entire life.Related video above: Ukrainian Americans prepare for 100,000 refugeesWhen Khomenko was a child, she lived through the Great Famine of Ukraine — one that killed millions, driven by Josef Stalin. Years later, she fled her home during World War II as her country was targeted by Adolf Hitler. She's now had to flee once more over an invasion prompted by Vladimir Putin.The Russian attacks have reminded Khomenko of the bombing, shooting and violence during World War II, she told CNN. The bombs then, as they are now, were unpredictable, and she recalled running anywhere to escape them. Khomenko returned to Kyiv after World War II to help rebuild the city's main square, she said. Now, she's worried the city may never be the same — and that, given her age, she may never return.Her 73-year-old daughter, Raisa Makhnovets, is also worried about that fate. Through tears, she told CNN how difficult it was to persuade her mother to leave Kyiv, and how their attempts to do so quickly became a "horror movie."They had no other family in the city, and first spent two days in a bomb shelter before trying to flee the country by train. The station was overrun with others trying to do the same."I just couldn't believe it was actually happening. The train station was scary," Makhnovets said, speaking in Russian, as many Ukrainians do, and translated by CNN. "So many people with their kids and things, just really terrifying. The first train left without us, then the second. It was so cold waiting there overnight. There were even newborn babies."Makhnovets said it took roughly 20 hours to get from Kyiv to Lviv, in the western part of Ukraine, and then out of the country altogether. She and her mother were then able to fly to the United States on a visa they had obtained years ago. They reunited in Sacramento with five generations of their family, as a great great grandmother and a great grandmother.In Sacramento, Khomenko noted the peace in the California air."It hurts in my soul, for my home, where I lived. But here it's quiet, I don't hear anything. I have a home, and I want to go home. I want to be in my own home. But the circumstances forced us to come here. Just go wherever necessary not to have to see the war," she said, in Russian.Her feelings now are familiar to those from a lifetime ago, Khomenko said, but in her youth, she didn't really understand war in the way she does now.She then told CNN, "I wish you a good life and to not have to endure what we've had to. I hope for friendship between us and all peoples."Seeking refuge in the United StatesAs of late March, there are more than 3.5 million Ukrainians who have been forced to abandon the lives they once knew in search of new ones, but only a fraction of them have ended up in the United States.The Biden administration recently committed to welcoming up to 100,000 Ukrainians, but so far, it has been difficult for them to get into the U.S. The few who have, have had success through the Mexican border — in some cases being granted entry through what's known as humanitarian parole, which allows temporary admission for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.It is "far more complicated and different than you ever imagined," said Julia Bikbova, an immigration and litigation attorney who was born and raised in Ukraine and recently visited the Mexican border. She told CNN nearly every Ukrainian she spoke to told her, "Your President announced you're accepting refugees, this is where we are."From October 2021 through February, there were just over 1,300 Ukrainians along the southern U.S. border, according to border patrol data. Data on Ukrainians entering the U.S. in the last month will be released in April, the Department of Homeland Security earlier told CNN.While a timeline on Biden's commitment is still unclear, the current framework for attaining refugee status can take years. So, many have opted to go through Mexico, where a visa is not required for Ukrainians, though they may have to "convince officials in Cancun they're there for vacation," said Bikbova. "No one is flying from Frankfurt or Warsaw to Tijuana," she added.Those that make it into the United States, through humanitarian parole or otherwise, either find family members or people like Vadym Dashkevych: a Ukrainian-born senior pastor at the Spring of Life Ukrainian Church in Sacramento.Dashkevych, and other volunteers around the U.S. like him, pick up Ukrainian families once they're through immigration and help them settle into various cities. For Dashkevych, it's Sacramento.In one week this month, Dashkevych told CNN, he helped seven families find at least a temporary home in the area. But, he emphasized, "family" can include multiple kids, which can add to upwards of 30 people a week."The best way to treat them it's to take them inside our families and inside to American families," Dashkevych said."They need help not only to be on their own, but to help, like, take a cup of tea in the evening, talk, asking questions," he said, adding they've put a call out through their church for people to become host families.He also works with lawyers and other support services to help these families with their long-term future: starting new lives under quiet skies, far away from the war that has uprooted them so suddenly."As of today, that's not only war, there's more. They're just killing people. Regular people. The schools, the kindergarten, the hospitals, and everything," Dashkevych told CNN. "It's gonna be painful. It's gonna take years and years to go through."
Even as the bombs began to fall, Yevhenia Khomenko didn't want to leave her home in Kyiv, Ukraine.
"I would rather die there," the 94-year-old said. But eventually, it became too much, and her daughter convinced her to leave the home she had known her entire life.
Related video above: Ukrainian Americans prepare for 100,000 refugees
When Khomenko was a child, she lived through the Great Famine of Ukraine — one that killed millions, driven by Josef Stalin. Years later, she fled her home during World War II as her country was targeted by Adolf Hitler. She's now had to flee once more over an invasion prompted by Vladimir Putin.
The Russian attacks have reminded Khomenko of the bombing, shooting and violence during World War II, she told CNN. The bombs then, as they are now, were unpredictable, and she recalled running anywhere to escape them. Khomenko returned to Kyiv after World War II to help rebuild the city's main square, she said. Now, she's worried the city may never be the same — and that, given her age, she may never return.
Courtesy Yuliya Kyrylyuk
Yevhenia Khomenko (right) in Kyiv in 1959.
Her 73-year-old daughter, Raisa Makhnovets, is also worried about that fate. Through tears, she told CNN how difficult it was to persuade her mother to leave Kyiv, and how their attempts to do so quickly became a "horror movie."
They had no other family in the city, and first spent two days in a bomb shelter before trying to flee the country by train. The station was overrun with others trying to do the same.
"I just couldn't believe it was actually happening. The train station was scary," Makhnovets said, speaking in Russian, as many Ukrainians do, and translated by CNN. "So many people with their kids and things, just really terrifying. The first train left without us, then the second. It was so cold waiting there overnight. There were even newborn babies."
Makhnovets said it took roughly 20 hours to get from Kyiv to Lviv, in the western part of Ukraine, and then out of the country altogether. She and her mother were then able to fly to the United States on a visa they had obtained years ago. They reunited in Sacramento with five generations of their family, as a great great grandmother and a great grandmother.
Omar Jimenez / CNN
Raisa Makhnovets (L), and her mother Yevhenia Khomenko are seen here in their Sacramento family’s home. Khomenko returned to Kyiv after World War II to help rebuild the city’s main square, now, she’s worried the city may never be the same.
In Sacramento, Khomenko noted the peace in the California air.
"It hurts in my soul, for my home, where I lived. But here it's quiet, I don't hear anything. I have a home, and I want to go home. I want to be in my own home. But the circumstances forced us to come here. Just go wherever necessary not to have to see the war," she said, in Russian.
Her feelings now are familiar to those from a lifetime ago, Khomenko said, but in her youth, she didn't really understand war in the way she does now.
She then told CNN, "I wish you a good life and to not have to endure what we've had to. I hope for friendship between us and all peoples."
Courtesy Yuliya Kyrylyuk
Yevhenia Khomenko in Kyiv in 1959.
Seeking refuge in the United States
As of late March, there are more than 3.5 million Ukrainians who have been forced to abandon the lives they once knew in search of new ones, but only a fraction of them have ended up in the United States.
The Biden administration recently committed to welcoming up to 100,000 Ukrainians, but so far, it has been difficult for them to get into the U.S. The few who have, have had success through the Mexican border — in some cases being granted entry through what's known as humanitarian parole, which allows temporary admission for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.
It is "far more complicated and different than you ever imagined," said Julia Bikbova, an immigration and litigation attorney who was born and raised in Ukraine and recently visited the Mexican border. She told CNN nearly every Ukrainian she spoke to told her, "Your President announced you're accepting refugees, this is where we are."
From October 2021 through February, there were just over 1,300 Ukrainians along the southern U.S. border, according to border patrol data. Data on Ukrainians entering the U.S. in the last month will be released in April, the Department of Homeland Security earlier told CNN.
While a timeline on Biden's commitment is still unclear, the current framework for attaining refugee status can take years. So, many have opted to go through Mexico, where a visa is not required for Ukrainians, though they may have to "convince officials in Cancun they're there for vacation," said Bikbova. "No one is flying from Frankfurt or Warsaw to Tijuana," she added.
Those that make it into the United States, through humanitarian parole or otherwise, either find family members or people like Vadym Dashkevych: a Ukrainian-born senior pastor at the Spring of Life Ukrainian Church in Sacramento.
Dashkevych, and other volunteers around the U.S. like him, pick up Ukrainian families once they're through immigration and help them settle into various cities. For Dashkevych, it's Sacramento.
Omar Jimenez / CNN
Senior Pastor Vadym Dashkevych taking a call in Sacramento on his watch from a contact at the Mexican border.
In one week this month, Dashkevych told CNN, he helped seven families find at least a temporary home in the area. But, he emphasized, "family" can include multiple kids, which can add to upwards of 30 people a week.
"The best way to treat them it's to take them inside our families and inside to American families," Dashkevych said.
"They need help not only to be on their own, but to help, like, take a cup of tea in the evening, talk, asking questions," he said, adding they've put a call out through their church for people to become host families.
He also works with lawyers and other support services to help these families with their long-term future: starting new lives under quiet skies, far away from the war that has uprooted them so suddenly.
"As of today, that's not only war, there's more. They're just killing people. Regular people. The schools, the kindergarten, the hospitals, and everything," Dashkevych told CNN. "It's gonna be painful. It's gonna take years and years to go through."
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/ruth-bader-ginsburg-us-navy-ship/39604591
|
me. So there anything on the it is and I can't remember Simpson, she's caring, we choose people who have made an exemplary difference in their careers in their fields and in particular those who have given back when the idea of Justice Ginsburg becoming a great american medal winner came to us all. It seemed so obvious she had made way for conversations and case precedent around gender equity around what we as women and men could do and to live equal lives. She had become a course of pop sensation and even made her way into the world of hip hop with her notorious RBG mimicking the notorious B. I. G. And she was also such a dedicated, incredible, passionate advocate for the constitution and for the rights of all. one of the reasons a side of the sure. So because there were so few women jurists and of course there were none on this High Court of the United States until Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, what women would wear was somewhat in question. Many of them I think issued neckties, let's just say that for starters. And so they looked to historic precedents, the beautiful lace collars of the barristers of old and then increasingly as a sign of self expression. The only thing you really could modify in your official judicial. Where was the caller? As Justice Ginsburg time on the high court progress. People sent her callers. She was known like Queen Elizabeth for picking the color to express another layer of communication about a case. One of the more special objects to me that dr jane Ginsburg and mr James Ginsburg gave us was their mothers briefcase, but soft leather, soft sided with her very simple, elegant black with RBG emblazoned in gold. And I think that her hand carried that bag into the court out of the court. And it resonated with me that my professional career, it was made possible by women like her right who braved those paths, who were told that they didn't belong. And yet she carried that in her hand. Every day she walked into court.
US Navy will name a ship after Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Updated: 8:38 PM PDT Mar 31, 2022
The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served more than two decades on the U.S. Supreme Court, developed a rock star status and drew standing ovations when she spoke in public. Now the late "Notorious R.B.G." will add another entry to her long list of accomplishments.The Navy will name a ship after her.Related video above: Smithsonian's National Museum of American History honors the late Justice Ruth Bader GinsburgOn the final day of women's history month, the Navy announced that the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be a John Lewis-class replenishment oiler ship, designated T-AO 212."It is my absolute honor to name the next after the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg," said Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in a statement. "She is a historic figure who vigorously advocated for women's rights and gender equality."Ginsburg, who died in September 2020 at the age of 87 due to complications from metastatic pancreas cancer, had served as the senior member of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, delivering progressive votes on some of the most polarizing social issues of the day, including abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, health care and affirmative action.She was the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court behind Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.The John Lewis-class replenishment oiler ships, used to refuel carrier strike groups at sea, are traditionally named after those who fought for civil and human rights. Rep. John Lewis, who died in July 2020 at the age of 80, was a towering figure in the civil rights movement, challenging segregation and leading the march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama. The second ship in the class is named for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, became a leader in the fight against anti-gay initiatives.Other ships in the class are named for Earl Warren, Robert F. Kennedy, Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth and Thurgood Marshall."She is instrumental to why we now have women of all backgrounds, experiences and talents serving within our ranks, side by side with their male Sailor and Marine counterparts," said Del Toro.Del Toro also named Ginsburg's daughter, Jane Ginsburg, as the ship's sponsor. The daughter of the famous jurist will participate in the milestones for the ship, such as its keel laying ceremony, christening and commissioning.
The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served more than two decades on the U.S. Supreme Court, developed a rock star status and drew standing ovations when she spoke in public. Now the late "Notorious R.B.G." will add another entry to her long list of accomplishments.
The Navy will name a ship after her.
Related video above: Smithsonian's National Museum of American History honors the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
On the final day of women's history month, the Navy announced that the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be a John Lewis-class replenishment oiler ship, designated T-AO 212.
"It is my absolute honor to name the next [replenishment oiler] after the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg," said Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in a statement. "She is a historic figure who vigorously advocated for women's rights and gender equality."
Ginsburg, who died in September 2020 at the age of 87 due to complications from metastatic pancreas cancer, had served as the senior member of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, delivering progressive votes on some of the most polarizing social issues of the day, including abortion rights, same-sex marriage, voting rights, immigration, health care and affirmative action.
She was the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court behind Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrating her 20th anniversary on the bench, is photographed in the West conference room at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Aug. 30, 2013.
The John Lewis-class replenishment oiler ships, used to refuel carrier strike groups at sea, are traditionally named after those who fought for civil and human rights. Rep. John Lewis, who died in July 2020 at the age of 80, was a towering figure in the civil rights movement, challenging segregation and leading the march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama. The second ship in the class is named for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, became a leader in the fight against anti-gay initiatives.
Other ships in the class are named for Earl Warren, Robert F. Kennedy, Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth and Thurgood Marshall.
"She is instrumental to why we now have women of all backgrounds, experiences and talents serving within our ranks, side by side with their male Sailor and Marine counterparts," said Del Toro.
Del Toro also named Ginsburg's daughter, Jane Ginsburg, as the ship's sponsor. The daughter of the famous jurist will participate in the milestones for the ship, such as its keel laying ceremony, christening and commissioning.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/2-hurt-stockton-shooting-police/39605008
|
GULSN:TA BREAKING NEWS OUT OF STOCKTON WERE POLICE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING A DOUBLE SHOOTING. THERE WERE TWO VICTIMS INSI.DE THIS IS HAPPENING BEFORE 8:00 TONIGHT. WE DO KNOW THAT BHOT OF THOSE VICTIMS ARE LISTED AS CRITICAL CONDITION. THEY LATER TRACKED IT DNOW. PO
Man, teen seriously hurt after shot multiple times in Stockton, police say
Updated: 10:39 PM PDT Mar 31, 2022
Two people were sent to a hospital Thursday evening after a shooting in Stockton, police said. Both are in critical condition.Officers found two victims, one a 20-year-old man and the other a 17-year-old boy, inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds near Montauban Avenue and Gillimer Drive around 7:45 p.m., according to the Stockton Police Department.Police said both victims were shot multiple times.Officers found what they believe might be a shooting scene in the 6900 block of Ector Way, a few blocks away from where the victims were found. People are asked to avoid the area while they investigate.There is no suspect information.This shooting happened a day after a Mass was held in Stockton for people impacted by violence. In attendance was Mayor Kevin Lincoln.Last week, shootings in the city killed an 18-year-old man and a 32-year-old man. As of last Tuesday, there were 16 homicides in Stockton so far in 2022, compared to seven in 2021.
STOCKTON, Calif. — Two people were sent to a hospital Thursday evening after a shooting in Stockton, police said. Both are in critical condition.
Officers found two victims, one a 20-year-old man and the other a 17-year-old boy, inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds near Montauban Avenue and Gillimer Drive around 7:45 p.m., according to the Stockton Police Department.
Police said both victims were shot multiple times.
Officers found what they believe might be a shooting scene in the 6900 block of Ector Way, a few blocks away from where the victims were found. People are asked to avoid the area while they investigate.
There is no suspect information.
This shooting happened a day after a Mass was held in Stockton for people impacted by violence. In attendance was Mayor Kevin Lincoln.
Last week, shootings in the city killed an 18-year-old man and a 32-year-old man. As of last Tuesday, there were 16 homicides in Stockton so far in 2022, compared to seven in 2021.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/eldorado-national-forest-reopens-caldor-fire-visitors/39604903
|
THE OFFICERS WERE BOOKED THIS WEEK. GULSTAN: IF U'Y’RE HEADING UP HIGHWAY 50 TOWARD TAHOE ANYTIME SOON, THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU’LL HIT SOME TEMPORARY ADRO CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC LIKE TH.IS AS KCRA 3’S KRISTEN SIMOES SHOWS US, THE WORK BEING DONE IS ALL PART OF AN EXTENSIVE CLEANUP ALONG THE HIGHWAY 50 CORRIR,DO AFTER THE CALDOR FE.IR KRISTEN:IX S MONTHS AFTER THE CALDOR FIRE TORCHED 220,000 ACRES OF THE ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST, CLEAN UP IS UNDERWAY TO CLEAR MASANY AS 5,000 TREES AND MAKE OTHER REPAIRS THAT RIGHT NOW POSE A DIRECT HAZARD TO DRIVERS ON HIGHWAY 50. >> THE BULK OF THE PROJECT IS HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVAL, BUT THERE’S DITCH CLEANING, CULVERT REPAIR, DRAPERY FOR EROSION CONTROL, SO THERE’S A LOT TO IT. A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THATAS W DAMAGED DURING THE FE.IR KRISN:TE A TOTAL OF 20 MILES OF HIGHWAY 50, FROM KYBURZ TO ECHO SUMMIT, WILL BE CLEARED IN A PROJECT THAT REQUIRED AN EMERGENCY CONTRACT AND METICULOUS PLAG.INNN A TEST AT TIMES OF DRIVERS’ PATIENCE, BECAUSE IT ALSO REQUIRES DAILY HIGHWAY CLOSURES AND A REDUCED SPEED LIT.MI CONTRACTORS SAY IT’S WORTH THE WAIT. >> IF WE DON’T DO THIS, THERE’S POTENTIAL FOR ROCKSLIDE, FLOODING, THE CULVERTS GET OVERWHELMEAND D WASH OUT THE ROAD. KRTEN:IS WHAT DRIVERS DON’T SEE IS THE RACE BEHIND THE ROAD CLOSURE TO DROP A TREE, CLEAR THE ROAD A LNDET THE NEXT BATCH OF CARS THROUGH. IT’S A RACE TO KEEP MOTORTSIS MOVING, BUT IT’S ALSO A RACE WITH MOTHER NATURE. >> THE WINTERS OTHISN HIGHWAY ARE PARTICULARLY BAD. THE ELEVATION AND HOW STEEP THE GROUND IS ON BOTH SIDES OFHE T HIGHWAY AND SNOWOAD. L KRISTEN: THIS IS ALREADY CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS STRETCHES OF HIGHWAY IN CALIFORNIA. BUADT D THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NOW DEAD TREES WEIGHTING THOUSANDS OF POUNDS HOVERING OVER THE HIGHWAY WHILE TRAFFIC IS GOING BY, THIS PROJECT PRESENTS A LOT OF ADDED CHALLENGES. >> YOU’RE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE SLOPE HERE, IT’S A NARROW CORRIDOR. KRISN: FARTHER DOWN 50, CABLE NETTING HANGS ON THE STEEPEST PART OF THE MOUNTAINSIDE. AN EFFORT TO KEEP ROCKS IN PLACE. CALFIRE S HAALSO ASSESSED THE DAMAGE AND RECOGNIZES THE URGENCY TO CLEAR THIS AREA BEFORE BAD WEATHER COM
Much of Eldorado National Forest to reopen months after Caldor Fire, but visitors are urged caution
Some parts of national forest where wildfire burned still pose hazards, U.S. Forest Service says
Updated: 9:52 PM PDT Mar 31, 2022
It has been months since a wildfire that burned through El Dorado County at a threatening pace, causing unprecedented evacuations and mostly leveling an entire community, has been extinguished. Now, much of the nearby federal forest land is reopening to the public.(Previous coverage in the video player above).The Eldorado National Forest section of the U.S. Forest Service said most of the area where the Caldor Fire burned will be open again for visitors starting April 1. However, officials are warning people to remain cautious as recently burned areas can still pose as hazards.The forest service is asking people to be wary of the following if visiting Eldorado National Forest:Dead or damaged trees that can fall over, blow down or drop limbs without warning. Visitors are urged not to picnic, camp or park a vehicle close to dead trees, and to stay clear of dead trees on windy days.Burned stumps that might have hollow root chambers from fire burning through it. The root chambers can collapse over time, but a person's body or vehicle weight on the root chambers can also lead to collapse and possible also open holes in the ground.Landslides. When plants die and their roots decompose, they can no longer bind soil in place, leading to a risk of soil and rock shifting and moving easier. Storms or wet weather can also trigger landslides and rockfall.Flash floods and debris flow at burn scars. The destruction a wildfire leaves behind include exposed soil from burnt vegetation and debris. Intense rainfall after fires can trigger flash floods. Visitors are asked to not recreate in areas where wildfires recently burned during wet weather. The forest service says to get to high ground and to not try to hike or drive through if caught in a storm, as entire roads or trail surface can be washed away.These are the areas that are still closed due to wildfire damage.Elkins Flat OHV Trail System 11N46 (Alder Creek Road) 10N40 (Plum Creek Road) 42 Milestone Day Use Area Caples Creek Trailhead Caples Equestrian Trailhead Capps Crossing Campground China Flat Campground and Day Use Area Eagle Rock Day Use Area Elkins Flat OHV Staging Area Gray Rock Campground Lyons Creek Trailhead Martin Meadows Campground Pyramid Creek Trailhead Silver Fork Campground The Caldor Fire, which started Aug. 14 east of Omo Ranch and south of the community of Grizzly Flats, burned 221,835 acres and actively burned for over two months, according to Cal Fire.It wouldn't be until Oct. 21 when firefighters fully contained the wildfire. With complete containment, that means crews established barriers around the fire's perimeter, whether by manmade means such as trenches and backburns or through natural means like rivers and terrain fire can't spread through.Even after a fire is fully contained, hotspots within the containment perimeter can continue to burn for days, weeks and months afterward the main threat is controlled. However, heavy rain and a late 2021 snowstorm in the Sierra helped dampen much of the area where the wildfire burned.While crews had managed to spare most communities from the path of the fire, the Caldor Fire managed to tear through most of the community of Grizzly Flats. Residents are rebuilding, but many have had to relocate after losing their homes.
EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — It has been months since a wildfire that burned through El Dorado County at a threatening pace, causing unprecedented evacuations and mostly leveling an entire community, has been extinguished. Now, much of the nearby federal forest land is reopening to the public.
(Previous coverage in the video player above).
The Eldorado National Forest section of the U.S. Forest Service said most of the area where the Caldor Fire burned will be open again for visitors starting April 1. However, officials are warning people to remain cautious as recently burned areas can still pose as hazards.
The forest service is asking people to be wary of the following if visiting Eldorado National Forest:
- Dead or damaged trees that can fall over, blow down or drop limbs without warning. Visitors are urged not to picnic, camp or park a vehicle close to dead trees, and to stay clear of dead trees on windy days.
- Burned stumps that might have hollow root chambers from fire burning through it. The root chambers can collapse over time, but a person's body or vehicle weight on the root chambers can also lead to collapse and possible also open holes in the ground.
- Landslides. When plants die and their roots decompose, they can no longer bind soil in place, leading to a risk of soil and rock shifting and moving easier. Storms or wet weather can also trigger landslides and rockfall.
- Flash floods and debris flow at burn scars. The destruction a wildfire leaves behind include exposed soil from burnt vegetation and debris. Intense rainfall after fires can trigger flash floods. Visitors are asked to not recreate in areas where wildfires recently burned during wet weather. The forest service says to get to high ground and to not try to hike or drive through if caught in a storm, as entire roads or trail surface can be washed away.
These are the areas that are still closed due to wildfire damage.
- Elkins Flat OHV Trail System
- 11N46 (Alder Creek Road)
- 10N40 (Plum Creek Road)
- 42 Milestone Day Use Area
- Caples Creek Trailhead
- Caples Equestrian Trailhead
- Capps Crossing Campground
- China Flat Campground and Day Use Area
- Eagle Rock Day Use Area
- Elkins Flat OHV Staging Area
- Gray Rock Campground
- Lyons Creek Trailhead
- Martin Meadows Campground
- Pyramid Creek Trailhead
- Silver Fork Campground
The Caldor Fire, which started Aug. 14 east of Omo Ranch and south of the community of Grizzly Flats, burned 221,835 acres and actively burned for over two months, according to Cal Fire.
It wouldn't be until Oct. 21 when firefighters fully contained the wildfire. With complete containment, that means crews established barriers around the fire's perimeter, whether by manmade means such as trenches and backburns or through natural means like rivers and terrain fire can't spread through.
Even after a fire is fully contained, hotspots within the containment perimeter can continue to burn for days, weeks and months afterward the main threat is controlled. However, heavy rain and a late 2021 snowstorm in the Sierra helped dampen much of the area where the wildfire burned.
While crews had managed to spare most communities from the path of the fire, the Caldor Fire managed to tear through most of the community of Grizzly Flats. Residents are rebuilding, but many have had to relocate after losing their homes.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/my58-superstars-sac-state-softball-ncaa-tournament/39602227
|
My58 Superstars: Sac State softball aims to win big at Big Sky
There’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Sacramento State softball team this season.
“There’s years that you coach, when you can feel something special in the air and this is one of those years,” head coach Lori Perez said.
Sac State is powered by their potent offense as they’ve parked 36 home runs this season, nine shy of the school record.
The Hornets are one of three programs in the country that have two players in the top 15 in home runs this season. Lexie Webb currently sits in fourth with 13 homers while Lewa Day stands in 15th with 11.
“It’s definitely the long ball. Our girls can hit home runs, which is nice to see,” Webb said.
“We can also do the small game too, we get runners on and then the big ball comes, so it’s a lot of fun,” Day said.
With the hitting combined with the pitching, they hope to get back to the NCAA tournament. Day's approach on aiming for a ring this season is by taking it one game at a time and one day at a time.
The Hornets currently sit at 18-14 overall and 2-1 in Big Sky play. They now get ready for Portland State starting with a doubleheader on Friday at noon.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/walmart-flash-picks-backyard-outdoor-furniture/39600636
|
Walmart is one of the most popular retail chains in the country and has been for quite some time. If you didn’t know, Walmart has daily deals on favorite items that are called “flash picks.”Walmart says on its website that flash picks offer up to 50% off limited-stock items that are top-rated and popular.For April 1, we thought we’d share with you some of the deals we found for you to take advantage of, perfect for your backyard and warmer weather.And if you’re not interested in those products, there are many offerings to choose from on Walmart’s Flash Picks page.SAVE HUNDREDS ON OUTDOOR SECTIONAL The Sophia & William 7 Pieces Outdoor Patio Rattan Sectional Sofa Set is marked down more than 50%, according to Walmart, with savings of more than $700.The wicker rattan patio furniture sofa chair set comes with a tea table and washable navy blue couch Cushions.Can't see the products below? Click here to view the deal.SAVE 50% ON HAMMOCKSRelax in your backyard on a new hand-braided hammock, priced down more than 50% of its initial retail price. ELEVATE YOUR GARDENSave on this elevated cedar garden bed, perfect for your green thumb. PLANNING AN EVENT?Grab a heavy-duty canopy tent for your next big event, priced down at $98.97 from its initial price of $279.99!STAY SHADEDQuictentis one of the top brands that sell high-quality patio umbrellas. Save more than $10 for this 7.5-foot design.LOVESEAT FURNITURE SETSpice up your yard with this four-piece loveseat set, and savings of more than $200.This 4-piece patio rattan wicker furniture set includes 2 single sofas, 1 loveseat, and 1 coffee table, which is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.KEEP 'EM COOLKeep your drinks cool in this Lifetime high-performance cooler, with savings of more than $40.This one comes with a 5-year limited warranty.
Walmart is one of the most popular retail chains in the country and has been for quite some time. If you didn’t know, Walmart has daily deals on favorite items that are called “flash picks.”
Walmart says on its website that flash picks offer up to 50% off limited-stock items that are top-rated and popular.
For April 1, we thought we’d share with you some of the deals we found for you to take advantage of, perfect for your backyard and warmer weather.
And if you’re not interested in those products, there are many offerings to choose from on Walmart’s Flash Picks page.
SAVE HUNDREDS ON OUTDOOR SECTIONAL
The Sophia & William 7 Pieces Outdoor Patio Rattan Sectional Sofa Set is marked down more than 50%, according to Walmart, with savings of more than $700.
The wicker rattan patio furniture sofa chair set comes with a tea table and washable navy blue couch Cushions.
Can't see the products below? Click here to view the deal.
7 Pieces Outdoor Sectional Sofa Set
Sophia & William
walmart.com
SAVE 50% ON HAMMOCKS
Relax in your backyard on a new hand-braided hammock, priced down more than 50% of its initial retail price.
Hand-Braided Hammock
Bliss Hammocks
walmart.com
$26.54
ELEVATE YOUR GARDEN
Save on this elevated cedar garden bed, perfect for your green thumb.
Cedar Elevated Garden Bed
Expert Gardener
walmart.com
PLANNING AN EVENT?
Grab a heavy-duty canopy tent for your next big event, priced down at $98.97 from its initial price of $279.99!
Party Wedding Tent Canopy
Costway
walmart.com
$139.99
STAY SHADED
Quictentis one of the top brands that sell high-quality patio umbrellas. Save more than $10 for this 7.5-foot design.
Patio Umbrella
Quictent
walmart.com
$54.99
LOVESEAT FURNITURE SET
Spice up your yard with this four-piece loveseat set, and savings of more than $200.
This 4-piece patio rattan wicker furniture set includes 2 single sofas, 1 loveseat, and 1 coffee table, which is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
Loveseat furniture set
Costway
walmart.com
$159.99
KEEP 'EM COOL
Keep your drinks cool in this Lifetime high-performance cooler, with savings of more than $40.
This one comes with a 5-year limited warranty.
High Performance Hard Sided Cooler
Lifetime
walmart.com
$107.00
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/crisis-in-ukraine-april-1-2022/39606610
|
The Latest: Ukraine braces for renewed attacks as Russian troops leave Chernobyl
Russian troops left the heavily contaminated Chernobyl nuclear site early Friday after returning control to the Ukrainians, authorities said, as residents in parts of eastern Ukraine braced for renewed attacks and awaited blocked supplies of food and other humanitarian relief.
Ukraine’s state power company, Energoatom, said the pullout at Chernobyl came after soldiers received “significant doses” of radiation from digging trenches in the forest in the exclusion zone around the closed plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it could not independently confirm the exposure claim.
Here's the latest on the Ukraine-Russia conflict as of 5:30 a.m. (Eastern):
- The European Union will seek China’s assurances that it won’t assist Russia in circumventing economic sanctions leveled over the invasion of Ukraine at an annual summit Friday.
- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia does not appear to be scaling back its military operations in Ukraine.
- Russian forces which were in control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant began leaving and have transferred control of the facility to Ukrainian personnel.
- The Ukrainian emergency services say the death toll after a Russian missile strike Tuesday on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolaiv has risen to 20.
- The U.N. refugee agency says more than 4 million people have now fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, a new milestone in the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
In what would be the first attack of its kind, if confirmed, the governor of Russia's Belgorod region accused Ukraine of flying helicopter gunships across the border on Friday morning and striking an oil depot.
The depot run by Russian energy giant Rosneft is located about 21 miles north of the Ukraine-Russia border. The helicopter attack set the facility ablaze, and two people were injured, according to a Telegram post by Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
“The fire at the oil depot occurred as a result of an airstrike from two helicopters of the armed forces of Ukraine, which entered the territory of Russia at a low altitude,” the governor wrote on the messaging app.
It was not immediately possible to verify the claim or images that were circulating on social media of the alleged attack. Russia has reported shelling from Ukraine before, including an incident last week that killed a military chaplain, but not an incursion of its airspace.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces have retaken the villages of Sloboda and Lukashivka, which are south of the besieged northern city of Chernihiv and located along one of the main supply routes between the city and Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, according to Britain's Defense Ministry.
Ukraine has also continued to make successful but limited counterattacks to the east and northeast of Kyiv, the ministry said.
Russian forces have subjected both Chernihiv and Kyiv to continued air and ground-launched missile strikes despite Moscow officials saying Tuesday they planned to reduce military activity in those areas.
Western officials said there were growing indications Russia was using its talk of de-escalation in Ukraine as cover to regroup, resupply its forces and redeploy them for a stepped-up offensive in the eastern part of the country.
Video: Russian tanks destroyed outside Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian withdrawals from the north and center of the country were just a military tactic to build up strength for new attacks in the southeast.
“We know their intentions,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. “We know that they are moving away from those areas where we hit them in order to focus on other, very important ones where it may be difficult for us.”
“There will be battles ahead,” he added.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators planned to resume talks via video on Friday, five weeks into a conflict that has left thousands dead and driven more than 4 million refugees from Ukraine. There seemed little faith that the two sides would find agreement on their respective demands any time soon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said conditions weren’t yet “ripe” for a cease-fire and he wasn’t ready for a meeting with Zelenskyy until the negotiators do more work, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said after a Thursday telephone conversation with the Russian leader.
Following a plea from Zelenskyy when he addressed Australian Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that his country would send mine-resistant armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.
He said Friday the four-wheel-drive Bushmaster vehicles, specifically requested by Zelenskyy, would be flown to Europe but did not say how many would be delivered or when.
“We’re not just sending our prayers, we are sending our guns, we’re sending our munitions, we’re sending our humanitarian aid, we’re sending all of this, our body armor, all of these things, and we’re going to be sending our armored vehicles, our Bushmasters, as well,” Morrison said.
Video: Kirby: Russian troops regrouping for redeployment
In the encircled strategic port city of Mariupol, Russian forces on Thursday blocked a convoy of 45 buses attempting to evacuate people after the Russian military agreed to a limited cease-fire in the area. Only 631 people were able to get out of the city in private cars, according to the Ukrainian government.
Russian forces also seized 14 tons of food and medical supplies in a dozen buses that were trying to make it to Mariupol, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
The city has been the scene of some of the worst suffering of the war. Tens of thousands of residents managed to get out in the past few weeks by way of humanitarian corridors, reducing the population from a prewar 430,000 to an estimated 100,000 by last week. But continued Russian attacks have repeatedly thwarted aid and evacuation convoys.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had been informed by Ukraine that the Russians forces at Chernobyl had transferred control of the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster to the Ukrainians in writing. The last Russian troops left Chernobyl early Friday, the Ukrainian government agency responsible for the exclusion zone said.
Energoatom gave no details on the condition of the soldiers it said were exposed to radiation and did not say how many were affected. There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin, and the IAEA said it was seeking more information.
Russian forces seized the Chernobyl site in the opening stages of the Feb. 24 invasion, raising fears that they would cause damage or disruption that could spread radiation. The workforce at the site oversees the safe storage of spent fuel rods and the concrete-entombed ruins of the reactor that exploded in 1986.
Edwin Lyman, a nuclear expert with the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said it “seems unlikely” a large number of troops would develop severe radiation illness, but it was impossible to know for sure without more details.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi was in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on Friday for talks with senior officials there about nuclear issues in Ukraine.
In addition to concerns about Chernobyl, nine of Ukraine's 15 operational reactors are currently in use, including two at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhya facility, the IAEA said.
Video: Kharkiv residents clean up debris from air strike
Early this week, the Russians said they would significantly scale back military operations in areas around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase trust between the two sides and help negotiations along.
But in the Kyiv suburbs, regional governor Oleksandr Palviuk said on social media Thursday that Russian forces shelled Irpin and Makariv and that there were battles around Hostomel. Pavliuk said there were Ukrainian counterattacks and some Russian withdrawals around the suburb of Brovary to the east.
At a Ukrainian military checkpoint outside Kyiv, soldiers and officers said they don’t believe Russian forces have given up on the capital.
“What does it mean, significantly scaling down combat actions in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas?” asked Brig. Gen. Valeriy Embakov. “Does it mean there will be 100 missiles instead of 200 missiles launched on Kyiv or something else?”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said intelligence indicates Russia is not scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead trying to regroup, resupply its forces and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas.
“Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” Stoltenberg said. At the same time, he said, pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities, and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
The Donbas is the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial region where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. In the past few days, the Kremlin, in a seeming shift in its war aims, said that its “main goal” now is gaining control of the Donbas, which consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including Mariupol.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/character-hugs-coming-back-to-disney-parks/39603351
|
Character hugs are coming back to Disney parks
Video above: Indoor mask mandates dropped at Walt Disney World, Disneyland
Of the many safety measures that Disney Parks had to set up to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring guests to keep a 6-foot distance from the costumed characters must have been one of the hardest. At least emotionally.
For kids (or kids at heart), running into the waiting arms of Mickey Mouse and other beloved characters had been such an impulsive and quintessential part of the experience. Hanging back can be tough.
But finally, hugs are back on the horizon at U.S. Disney properties.
As early as April 18, Disney "will start reintroducing traditional character greetings at Disneyland (in California) and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as aboard Disney Cruise Line and at Aulani Resort in Hawaii," according to a new post on Thursday on the official Disney Parks blog.
Up close and personal
Getting autographs, snapping photos close up and just sharing a laugh face-to-face with characters such as Mulan and Goofy will all be back on the table.
Disney has a new YouTube video celebrating the upcoming change, with plenty of embraces and high-fives being distributed.
It's all part of the unwinding of coronavirus restrictions — both at the Disney parks and in the United States at large.
"During the past two years, we've taken a very gradual, intentional approach to health and safety protocols," wrote Shawn Slater, senior communications manager for Disney Live Entertainment, in the blog.
"Recent trends and guidance have provided opportunities for us to bring back some of our most beloved magic, like character greetings and dining experiences. While not all locations will be available immediately, we anticipate reopening in phases throughout the spring and early summer."
What else is coming back
It's not just character interactions that will be returning later this spring.
At Disneyland in California, guests can look forward to the return of several nighttime spectaculars, including:
• "Disneyland Forever"
• "Fantasmic!"
• "Main Street Electrical Parade," celebrating its 50th anniversary
• "World of Color"
On Disney Cruise Line ships, fireworks at sea and Broadway-style shows will be coming back.
At Walt Disney World in Florida, shows such as "Mickey's Magical Friendship Faire" have already returned.
On-site hotels
On-site lodging is also bouncing back.
For the first time since March 2020, "all Disney Resort hotels that are part of the Disney Resorts Collection at Walt Disney World" in Florida are now open, according to another Disney Parks blog post on Thursday.
Disney's All-Star Sports Resort reopened on Thursday, the final resort there to do so.
Remaining safety measures
Disney still isn't 100% back to pre-pandemic operations. Take face masks, for instance.
They are optional for fully vaccinated guests in outdoor and indoor locations. Disney asks that visitors who are not fully vaccinated continue wearing face masks in all indoor locations.
And face coverings are still required by all visitors 2 years old and older on Disney buses and monorails. You can click here for their latest safety updates.
Shanghai Disneyland closed
While things are opening up more and more in the United States, Disney has theme parks around the world. And each one must respond to local conditions.
China, an area of the world that has had few spikes during the pandemic, has seen a big increase in cases as the BA.2 variant sweeps through the country.
As a result, Shanghai Disneyland has been closed since March 21.
It's a reminder that park patrons must be ready to adjust to changing conditions, even two years into the pandemic.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-republic-fc-image-downtown-stadium-railyards/39603770
|
Sacramento Republic FC reveals rendering of downtown stadium at Railyards
The Sacramento Republic FC are currently in the advanced planning stages to build an outdoor stadium at the Railyards. The plan is expected to double the overall size of downtown Sacramento.
The new vision for the 12,000-15,000 seat venue will initially be used as a USL-based stadium, but it could expand to 20,000 seats as needed, if Major League Soccer comes calling or if any FIFA requirements are imposed upon them.
The new stadium design comes from the architectural firm, Manica, which has developed projects like Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the Chase Center in San Francisco and even, Wembley Stadium in London. The concept can be constructed on an accelerated timeline.
The plans are to host not only just soccer events but Division 1 football, lacrosse, rugby, concerts, high school and college graduations, and any other community events.
A release from Sacramento Republic FC said the stadium is a nearly $1 billion investment, which includes bringing in new housing and mixed-use developments.
The project is almost entirely privately funded by Republic FC Chairman and CEO Kevin Nagle, and other investors.
"We want to build a world-class soccer stadium in The Railyards, and to begin the next decade of Republic FC," Nagle said in a release. "We're ready with a new vision that allows us to take our destiny into our own hands, and to create a community asset that will grow with the team and city."
“I’m grateful to Kevin Nagle for his partnership and his commitment to Sacramento. As a city, we are open to pursuing dual tracks,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg in a prepared statement. “We continue to identify and work with potential Major League Soccer investors, and at the same time we’re ready to work together on an adaptable stadium in the railyards. It’s not one or the other.”
There are still some contractual things that need to be worked out but their hope is to be wrapped up in the next 90-120 days thus moving the project forward.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/affordable-child-care-option-born-from-city-nonprofit-partnership/39606028
|
Affordable child care option born from city and nonprofit partnership
As many child care centers closed as a result of the pandemic, a new child care center that promises quality care and affordability is opening in north Sacramento.
A partnership between the city and a Sacramento-area nonprofit group made it possible.
“It's about really addressing children of single parents' needs in addition to that quality, early childhood education,” said Tara Taylor, founder and executive director of Single Mom Strong.
Taylor is the mind and heart behind EmpowerME Preschool and Childcare.
“We are about 30% lower than anywhere else in the region,” Taylor explained of her program’s cost. “So our pricing is the most affordable.”
The part-time rate is $165 per week, according to Taylor. The full-time rate is $195 per week and single parents can volunteer for an hour per week to save an additional $25.
Taylor described EmpowerME Childcare as a cornerstone program of the Single Mom Strong nonprofit organization.
“We always wanted to work to be within 10 to 15 minutes reach of every single parent in the region,” Taylor said.
Single Mom Strong opened a Citrus Heights EmpowerME site in 2019, with fast expansion being the plan.
“We were strategically working to locate in Sacramento, south Sacramento Rancho Cordova just trying to get closer to single moms,” Taylor explained. “Then COVID hit and that slowed that down.”
As the pandemic dragged on, Taylor’s determination to help meet the needs of single parents grew stronger.
“Through COVID, so many child care centers closed,” she said. “It became even more crucial… to get help to people.”
Taylor soon realized the city of Sacramento was on the same page.
“The city has recognized that there's definitely a child care crisis and they have prioritized quality, preschool and child care,” Taylor said.
The city is now allowing Taylor's organization to lease one of its less-often-used Woodlake Clubhouse community center, where the EmpowerME Childcare program runs by day, and others can use it at night and on weekends.
In a statement to KCRA 3 about the partnership between the city and Single Mom Strong, Jackie Beecham, Community Enrichment Division Manager for the city of Sacramento, writes:
“There is a significant demand for affordable quality childcare that has only become more prevalent since the Covid pandemic. The department of youth, parks and community enrichment looks forward to the partnership with Single Mom Strong to bring critical services to Sacramento families. This program will provide a safe space for children to learn and grow, and parents to return to work.”
The key idea is that it’s a preschool and child care option, that’s open to all, at rates that make it more affordable for parents – even in challenging economic times.
“We are a community and we serve a community and so we want to foster community and connection with our neighbors,” said Taylor.
Single Mom Strong is hosting an open house at the EmpowerME site Saturday.
It runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 500 Arden Way in Sacramento.
The center officially opens for business on Monday.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/house-passes-dollar35-a-month-insulin-cap-as-uphill-senate-battle-looms/39609695
|
House passes $35-a-month insulin cap as uphill Senate battle looms
The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients, part of an election-year push by Democrats for price curbs on prescription drugs at a time of rising inflation.
Video above: President Biden decries high prescription costs: 'shame on us'
Experts say the legislation, which passed 232-193 Thursday, would provide significant relief for privately insured patients with skimpier plans and for Medicare enrollees facing rising out-of-pocket costs for their insulin. Some could save hundreds of dollars annually, and all insured patients would get the benefit of predictable monthly costs for insulin. The bill would not help the uninsured.
But the Affordable Insulin Now Act will serve as a political vehicle to rally Democrats and force Republicans who oppose it into uncomfortable votes ahead of the midterms. For the legislation to pass Congress, 10 Republican senators would have to vote in favor. Democrats acknowledge they don't have an answer for how that's going to happen.
“If 10 Republicans stand between the American people being able to get access to affordable insulin, that's a good question for 10 Republicans to answer,” said Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., a cosponsor of the House bill. “Republicans get diabetes, too. Republicans die from diabetes.”
Public opinion polls have consistently shown support across party lines for congressional action to limit drug costs.
But Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., complained the legislation is only “a small piece of a larger package around government price controls for prescription drugs." Critics say the bill would raise premiums and fails to target pharmaceutical middlemen seen as contributing to high list prices for insulin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Democrats could have a deal on prescription drugs if they drop their bid to authorize Medicare to negotiate prices. “Do Democrats really want to help seniors, or would they rather have the campaign issue?" Grassley said.
The insulin bill, which would take effect in 2023, represents just one provision of a much broader prescription drug package in President Joe Biden's social and climate legislation.
In addition to a similar $35 cap on insulin, the Biden bill would authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for a range of drugs, including insulin. It would penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation and overhaul the Medicare prescription drug benefit to limit out-of-pocket costs for enrollees.
Biden's agenda passed the House only to stall in the Senate because Democrats could not reach consensus. Party leaders haven't abandoned hope of getting the legislation moving again, and preserving its drug pricing curbs largely intact.
The idea of a $35 monthly cost cap for insulin actually has a bipartisan pedigree. The Trump administration had created a voluntary option for Medicare enrollees to get insulin for $35, and the Biden administration continued it.
In the Senate, Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire are working on a bipartisan insulin bill. Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has introduced legislation similar to the House bill, with the support of Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Stung by criticism that Biden's economic policies spur inflation, Democrats are redoubling efforts to show how they'd help people cope with costs. On Thursday, the Commerce Department reported a key inflation gauge jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
But experts say the House bill would not help uninsured people, who face the highest out-of-pocket costs for insulin. Also, people with diabetes often take other medications as well as insulin. That's done to treat the diabetes itself, along with other serious health conditions often associated with the disease. The House legislation would not help with those costs, either. Collins says she's looking for a way to help uninsured people through her bill.
About 37 million Americans have diabetes, and an estimated 6 million to 7 million use insulin to keep their blood sugars under control. It’s an old drug, refined and improved over the years, that has seen relentless price increases.
Steep list prices don't reflect the rates insurance plans negotiate with manufacturers. But those list prices are used to calculate cost-sharing amounts that patients owe. Patients who can’t afford their insulin reduce or skip doses, a strategy born of desperation, which can lead to serious complications and even death.
Economist Sherry Glied of New York University said the market for insulin is a “total disaster” for many patients, particularly those with skimpy insurance plans or no insurance.
“This will make private insurance for people with diabetes a much more attractive proposition,” said Glied.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/northern-california-news-traffic-weather-morning-update-april-1-2022/39609302
|
KCRA Today: More details on future home of Sacramento Republic FC, March jobs report, eviction ban extended
KCRA 3 is rounding up all the information you need to know to get a head start on your day.
Here you'll find what you missed overnight, what's happening throughout the day, the forecast and how your commute is shaping up.
You can also watch our morning newscasts live from 4-9 a.m. here.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NORCAL
Sacramento Republic FC reveals rendering of downtown stadium at Railyards | The Sacramento Republic FC are currently in the advanced planning stages to build an outdoor stadium at the Railyards. The plan is expected to double the overall size of downtown Sacramento. Read more here.
California lawmakers extend eviction ban for some renters | Tens of thousands of Californians facing eviction on Friday for not paying their rent will get to stay in their homes for at least another three months after Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis signed a law to extend protections just hours before they were scheduled to expire. Read more here.
Much of Eldorado National Forest to reopen months after Caldor Fire, but visitors are urged caution | It has been months since a wildfire that burned through El Dorado County at a threatening pace, causing unprecedented evacuations and mostly leveling an entire community, has been extinguished. Now, much of the nearby federal forest land is reopening to the public. Read more here.
WHAT'S HAPPENING ELSEWHERE
US added 431,000 jobs in March in sign of economic health | America's employers extended a streak of robust hiring in March, adding 431,000 jobs in a sign of the economy's resilience in the face of a still-destructive pandemic and the highest inflation in 40 years. Read more here.
Ukraine braces for renewed attacks as Russian troops leave Chernobyl | Emergency relief and evacuation convoys for the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol remained in doubt Friday following reports of Russian interference, while Russian officials accused Ukraine of flying helicopter gunships across a border between the two countries and striking an oil depot. Read more here.
US Navy will name a ship after Ruth Bader Ginsburg | The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg served more than two decades on the U.S. Supreme Court, developed a rock star status and drew standing ovations when she spoke in public. Now the late "Notorious R.B.G." will add another entry to her long list of accomplishments. Read more here.
WHAT'S COMING UP TODAY
- Negotiations between the union representing teachers and the Sacramento City Unified School District will continue today at 1 p.m.
TODAY'S WEATHER OUTLOOK
Meteorologist Melanie Hunter says Northern California is waking up to a chilly start with several areas in the 40s. The morning is mainly clear, setting us up for a lot of sunshine throughout the afternoon with temperatures warming up above average. By the afternoon, we’re back in the upper 70s with a light wind. By the evening, temperatures will stay mild in the 60s.
(App users, click here to see Doppler radar).
REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAP
(App users, click here to see our interactive traffic map.)
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/pope-makes-historic-apology-to-indigenous-people-of-canada/39610201
|
Pope makes historic apology to indigenous people of Canada
Pope Francis on Friday made a historic apology to Indigenous Peoples for the “deplorable” abuses they suffered in Canada’s Catholic-run residential schools and said he hoped to visit Canada in late July to deliver the apology in person to survivors of the church's misguided missionary zeal.
Francis begged forgiveness during an audience with dozens of members of the Metis, Inuit and First Nations communities who came to Rome seeking a papal apology and a commitment from the Catholic Church to repair the damage. The first pope from the Americas said he hoped to visit Canada around the Feast of St. Anna, which falls on July 26.
Video above: More than 600 bodies found at Indigenous school in Canada
More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture. The aim was to Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior.
The Canadian government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant at the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages. That legacy of that abuse and isolation from family has been cited by Indigenous leaders as a root cause of the epidemic rates of alcohol and drug addiction now on Canadian reservations.
After hearing their stories all week, Francis told the Indigenous that the colonial project ripped children from their families, cutting off roots, traditions and culture and provoking inter-generational trauma that is still being felt today. He said it was a “counter-witness” to the same Gospel that the residential school system purported to uphold.
“For the deplorable conduct of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask forgiveness of the Lord,” Francis said. “And I want to tell you from my heart, that I am greatly pained. And I unite myself with the Canadian bishops in apologizing.”
The trip to Rome by the Indigenous was years in the making but gained momentum last year after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves outside some of the residential schools in Canada. The three groups of Indigenous met separately with Francis over several hours this week, telling him their stories, culminating with Friday's audience.
Francis spoke in Italian and the Indigenous read his remarks in English translations. The president of the Metis National Council, Cassidy Caron, said the Metis elder sitting next her burst into tears upon hearing what she said was a long-overdue apology.
“The pope's words today were historic, to be sure. They were necessary, and I appreciate them deeply,” Caron told reporters in St. Peter's Square. “And I now look forward to the pope's visit to Canada, where he can offer those sincere words of apology directly to our survivors and their families, whose acceptance and healing ultimately matters most.”
The spiritual adviser of the Assembly of First Nations' delegation, Elder Fred Kelley, echoed the sentiment.
“Today is a day that we’ve been waiting for. And certainly one that will be uplifted in our history," he said. “It’s a historical first step, however, only a first step.”
Video above: Tributes to kids buried at indigenous school site
He and other Indigenous leaders said there was far more for the church to do on the path of reconciliation, but that for now Indigenous leaders insisted on being involved in organizing the papal visit to make sure Francis stops in places that hold spiritual importance to their people.
Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, thanked Francis for addressing all the issues the Indigenous had brought to him. “And he did so in a way that really showed his empathy towards the indigenous people of Canada,” he said.
Nearly three-quarters of Canada’s 130 residential schools were run by Catholic missionary congregations.
Last May, the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Nation announced the discovery of 215 gravesites near Kamloops, British Columbia, that were found using ground-penetrating radar. It was Canada’s largest Indigenous residential school and the discovery of the graves was the first of numerous, similar grim sites across the country.
Even before the grave sites were discovered, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission specifically called for a papal apology to be delivered on Canadian soil for the church’s role in the abuses.
In addition, as part of a settlement of a lawsuit involving the Canadian government, churches and the approximately 90,000 surviving students, Canada paid reparations that amounted to billions of dollars being transferred to Indigenous communities. The Catholic Church, for its part, has paid over $50 million and now intends to add $30 million more over the next five years.
Francis said he felt shame for the role that Catholic educators had played in the harm, “in the abuse and disrespect for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values,” he said. “It is evident that the contents of the faith cannot be transmitted in a way that is extraneous to the faith itself.”
“It is chilling to think of determined efforts to instill a sense of inferiority, to rob people of their cultural identity, to sever their roots, and to consider all the personal and social effects that this continues to entail: unresolved traumas that have become inter-generational traumas,” he said.
After the papal apology, the audience continued with joyous performances of Indigenous prayers by drummers, dancers and fiddlers that Francis watched, applauded and gave a thumbs up to. The Indigenous then presented him with gifts, including snowshoes.
Francis' apology went far beyond what Pope Benedict XVI had offered in 2009 when an Assembly of First Nations delegation visited. At the time, Benedict only expressed his “sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the church.” But he did not apologize.
The Argentine pope is no stranger to offering apologies for his own errors and for what he himself has termed the “crimes” of the institutional church. Most significantly, during a 2015 visit to Bolivia, he apologized for the sins, crimes and offenses committed by the church against Indigenous Peoples during the colonial-era conquest of the Americas.
He made clear those same colonial crimes occurred far more recently in Canada at the Catholic-run residential schools.
“Your identity and culture has been wounded, many families separated, many children have become victims of this homogenization action, supported by the idea that progress occurs through ideological colonization, according to programs studied at the table rather than respecting the lives of peoples," he said.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/unidentified-man-found-dead-appalachian-trail/39609882
|
Authorities ask for help identifying man found dead on Appalachian Trail
The body was found Jan. 21
The body was found Jan. 21
Authorities are asking for help identifying a man found dead along the Appalachian Trail.
Officials say the man's body was found Jan. 21.
The man was wearing a small gray T-shirt, a gray fleece long sleeve shirt, tan Wrangler brand cargo pants size 30x32, gray wool boot socks, and Keen brand hiking boots size 10.5.
The man had a black Thermal-FR brand fleece quarter-zip pullover, a dark gray Champion brand quarter-zip fleece, a black Uline skull cap with rechargeable light attachment and a small black folding shovel.
They are asking anyone with information to contact The Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/april-snow-survey-reveals-third-drought-year-in-row/39609423
|
April snow survey reveals third drought year in a row
Statewide snowpack is 39% of average
Statewide snowpack is 39% of average
Statewide snowpack is 39% of average
A winter season that started off with the snowiest December on record will go down as a third drought year in a row.
On Friday, officials will trek into remote survey sites across the Sierra to record the snow depth, and more importantly, the water content of the Sierra snowpack.
The manual measurements taken Friday will verify the dismal statistics coming in from hundreds of automated snow sensors located across the Sierra.
Statewide, the snowpack and the water it holds is just 39% of average, according to the California Data Exchange.
The April 1 snow survey is considered to be the most important of the season as this is typically the time of year when the state's snowpack is at its deepest.
Water managers use the April 1 snow survey to gauge how much water will be available in the drier months ahead as that snow turns into runoff.
As California braces for the third drought year in a row, reservoirs are already well below average and will get little help from the snowpack to replenish their storage.
Shasta Lake, the state's largest reservoir, was at 38% of capacity and just 48% of the average for April 1.
Lake Oroville was sitting at 47% of capacity and 67% of average, according to the California Data Exchange.
As the wet season comes to a close, Gov. Gavin Newsom has already called upon water agencies statewide to implement water savings measures.
The California Water Project has notified its customers that it will only be able to deliver 5% of the requested water supplies.
In the Sacramento area, Folsom Lake was at 59% of capacity and 95% of average, according to state statistics.
Water managers are starting to capture more runoff as the threat of flooding fades with the chances for any more significant storms.
As of Friday morning, the surface elevation of Folsom Lake was 426.73 feet above sea level.
The California State Parks implement a 5 mph speed limit across the entire lake once the lake's surface elevation drops below 400 feet.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/covid-19-hospitalizations-have-hit-a-pandemic-low-in-the-us-data-shows/39609685
|
COVID-19 hospitalizations have hit a pandemic low in the US, data shows
Share
Updated: 9:21 AM PDT Apr 1, 2022
JESSICA: THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS HOSPITALEDIZ IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR COVID DOWN TO 210, MORE THAN HALF FULLY VACCINATED. HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS DR. TODD ELLERIN, CHIEF OF IN FECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. N:BE LET’S BREAK THAT DOWN. THIS IS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. THE NUMBER IS TWO HUNDRED 10, DOWN FROM 0033 PATIENTS AT THE HEIGHT OF THE OMICRON SURGEON JANUARY, BUT LOOKING AT THIS WEEK’S DATA, 120 FOUR WERE FULLY CCVAINATED WHEN INFECTED, SO ALMOST 60%. ARYOUE SURPRISED THAT HIGH OF A PERCENTAGE IS IN THE HOSPITAL? >> NOT AT ALL AND LET ME EXPLAIN. IMAGINE 100 PERCENT OF PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS WERE VACCINATED. ANY HOSPITALIZED PATIENT WITH COVID WOULD BE VACCINAD BUT MASSACHUSETTS HAS OVER 80% OF US FULLY VACCINATED, THOSE ELIGIBLE NOW. SO YOU EXPECT TO E SEVACCINATED PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED. HERE IS THE RUB, THOUGH. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO IS VACCINATED AND HOSPITALIZED, IT TENDS TO BE THE EXTREMES OF AGE, ELDERLY, LSOT OF CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED ARE OFTEN 15, 20 YES YOUNGER, SO YOUNGER UNVACCINATED PEOPLE ARE BEING VACCINATED. AND TO BRING HOME THE POINT, ONLY 18% OF PEOPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS ARE VACCINATED, YET IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR NUMBERS, 41% OF PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED NOW ARE UNVACCINATED, SO THE VACCINES ARE DOING WHAT WE EXPECT. JESSICA: WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WANTINPRG OTECTION FROM VACCINES AND PRIOR INFECTIONS. DO WE KNOW HOW LONG EACH ONE WILL LAST? DR. ELLERIN: TREHE WAS A RECENT STUDY IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL PUBLISHED TODAY, AND WTHA IT SHOWS,ND A WE KNOW THIS, IS THAT VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS DOES WANE OVER TIME, AND THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONWHY WE MAY HAVE TO CHANGE OUR SHIFT A LITTLE WITH GOALS. ATHE T VERY BEGINNING, WHEN VACCINES FIRST CAME OUT, WE WERE HEARING 95% EFFECTIVE AGAINST INFECTION. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE DECREASED .IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL, THE VARIANT OUT OF THE U.K., EFFECTIVENESS DROPPED TO SIX MONTHS, BUT I THINK THE KEY IS THE VACCINES ARE STILL WORKING SO WELL AT PREVENTING SEVERE INFECTION. I THINK THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WHERE WE ARE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE. BEN: A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INFECTED WITH COVID DURING THE OMICRON SURGEON AND MANY PEOPLE HAD MILD SYMPTOMS -- OMICRON SURGE AND MANY PEOPLE HAD MILD SYMPTOMS. IS IT SAFE FOR THESE PEOPLE TO SKIP THE BOOSTER SHOTS OR NOT? DRELLERI. ABSOLUTELY NOT. EVEN THOUGH WE LEARNED INFECTION DOES PROVIDE IMMUNITY, A STUDY THIS TIME FROM ISRAEL PUBLISHED INHE JOURNAL, 139,000 PEOPLE OMFR ISRLAE, AND ESSENTIALLY, MOST WERE COMPLETELY VACCINATED, HAD TWO DOSES OF VACCINE, AND WHAT TYHE SHOWED IS THAT THOSE WHO WERE VACCINATED ALONE, THERE WERE ABOUT54 WE 3 INFECTIONS, BUT THOSE WHO WERE VACCINATED AND VACCINATED AND ALSO INFECTED, THEY WERE LESS LIKELY TO GET INFECTED, SO WHAT DOES THAT SAY? INFECTION PLUS VACCINE PROTECTS GREATER THAN JUST VACCINE ALONE. AND AGAIN, ONE THING TO REMEMBER , WHAT YOU DO NOT WANTOT O IS GO AND GET INFECTED BECAUSE THESE STUDIES DON’T TELL ABOUT ETH MORBIDITY, COVID LONG-TERM, PROBLEMS, SEPARATION, ISOLATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, SO THAT, SO THE VACCINE IS STILL THE BEST WAY. JESSICA: ONE LAST QUESTION. I ALSO WANT TO ASK ABOUT SEASONAL ALLERGIES. TREE POLLEN IS A BIG PROBLEM NOW. THE FACE MASKS OFFER ANY SORT OF PROTECTION? DR. ELRILE THEY ACTUALLY DO BUT IT IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD -- THE MASKS PROTECT YOUR FACE FROM POLLEN BUT THE EYES ARE EXPOSED. THE OTHER ISSUE IS WHEN YOU BRING THE MASK BACK TOIN ITSELF, YOU CAN CAUSE MORE POLLEN RELEASE IN THE HOME, SO YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL OF THAT. JUST LIKE COVID, THESE RESPIRATORS ACTUALLY PROTECT BETTER THAN ETH REGULAR SURGICAL MASKS, SO MASKS DO PROTT AGAINST POLLEN, BUT BE CAREFUL DAN REALIZE IT WILL NOT
Advertisement
COVID-19 hospitalizations have hit a pandemic low in the US, data shows
Fewer people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States now than at any other point in the pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.As of Friday, there are 16,138 people in the hospital with COVID-19 — fewer than there have ever been since the HHS first started tracking in July 2020. Just 2% of hospital beds are currently in use for COVID-19 patients.The number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU is also at a low point, with less than 2,000 ICU beds in use for COVID-19 patients in the United States overall, HHS data shows.Previously, the lowest point was in late June 2021, just before delta became the dominant variant in the country. COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a peak in January 2022 amid the omicron surge, when more than 160,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time.While the strain on the U.S. hospital system directly related to treating COVID-19 patients has been significantly reduced, experts say that many hospitals are still burdened by staffing shortages and other patients who are coming in sicker after postponing care during the height of the pandemic.Overall, since August 2020, there have been about 4.6 million total hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a third of hospital admissions have been among seniors age 70 and older.Black and Hispanic people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 at more than twice the rate of white people, and American Indians have been more than three times as likely to be hospitalized.
Fewer people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States now than at any other point in the pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As of Friday, there are 16,138 people in the hospital with COVID-19 — fewer than there have ever been since the HHS first started tracking in July 2020. Just 2% of hospital beds are currently in use for COVID-19 patients.
Advertisement
The number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU is also at a low point, with less than 2,000 ICU beds in use for COVID-19 patients in the United States overall, HHS data shows.
Previously, the lowest point was in late June 2021, just before delta became the dominant variant in the country. COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a peak in January 2022 amid the omicron surge, when more than 160,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 at one time.
While the strain on the U.S. hospital system directly related to treating COVID-19 patients has been significantly reduced, experts say that many hospitals are still burdened by staffing shortages and other patients who are coming in sicker after postponing care during the height of the pandemic.
Overall, since August 2020, there have been about 4.6 million total hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a third of hospital admissions have been among seniors age 70 and older.
Black and Hispanic people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 at more than twice the rate of white people, and American Indians have been more than three times as likely to be hospitalized.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/michigan-gov-whitmer-kidnapping-trial-closing/39609761
|
Closing arguments begin in trial over Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot
A prosecutor urged jurors Friday to convict four men in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, saying they were antigovernment extremists “filled with rage” and intent on igniting a civil war.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler summed up the evidence on the 15th day of trial in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The case was built with informants, undercover agents, secret recordings and two star witnesses who pleaded guilty and cooperated.
Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy. Three of the men also face additional charges involving weapons.
“They were filled with rage,” Kessler told jurors. “They were paranoid because they knew what they were doing was wrong and they feared they could be caught.”
The four men deny any scheme to get Whitmer at her vacation home, though they were livid with the government as well as restrictions the governor imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kessler highlighted the testimony of Ty Garbin, who was arrested with the group but quickly agreed to cooperate and pleaded guilty.
“The boogaloo is this whole idea of kicking off a second civil war in the United States. That's what bound these defendants together,” the prosecutor said.
The men were arrested in October 2020 amid talk of raising $4,000 for an explosive that could blow up a bridge and stymie police after a kidnapping, according to trial evidence. Fox twice traveled to northern Michigan to scout the area.
Only one defendant, Harris, chose to testify in his own defense. But his denial of any crime Thursday was met by an aggressive cross-examination in which prosecutors used his own words to show his contempt for Whitmer and even suggestions about how to kill her.
Defense attorneys insist they were under the spell of informants and agents who got them to say and do violent, provocative things.
Harris repeatedly answered “absolutely not” when asked by his lawyer if he was part of a plot. His testimony was perilous because he exposed himself to numerous challenges by prosecutors who had been offering evidence against the group for days.
Harris and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Roth sometimes talked over each other. At one point, Harris snapped, “Next question.”
“Everyone can take it down a notch,” U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker said later.
Roth confronted Harris with his own chat messages about posing as a pizza deliveryman and killing Whitmer at her door. He reminded Harris, a former Marine, that he worked with explosives while training with the group, especially in Luther, Michigan, in September 2020, about a month before their arrest.
Roth played a conversation of Croft talking about militias overthrowing governments in various states and “breaking a few eggs” if necessary.
“When this man talks to you at a diner about killing people, you don’t stand up and walk out, do you sir?” Roth asked. “You don’t say, ‘This group is not for me,’ do you sir?”
“No,” Harris answered.
A “shoot house” that was intended to resemble Whitmer's second home was a key part of the Luther training weekend, according to the government. Harris admitted that he brought materials but said he didn’t build it with her house in mind.
He didn't participate in an evening ride to Elk Rapids, Michigan, to scout Whitmer’s home and a bridge during that same weekend. Harris said he had purchased $200 of cheap beer and cigarettes so he could return to the camp and “get wasted” with others.
Garbin and Kaleb Franks pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators. Garbin last week said the group acted willingly and hoped to strike before the election, cause national chaos and prevent Joe Biden from winning the presidency.
Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the kidnapping plot, though she referred to “surprises” during her term that seemed like “something out of fiction” when she filed for reelection on March 17.
She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/very-disappointed-parents-continue-sit-in-of-district-office-on-8th-day-of-sacramento-city-unified-teacher-strike/39611377
|
'Very disappointed’: Parents continue sit-in of district office on 8th day of Sacramento City Unified teacher strike
Sacramento City Unified students are out of the classroom again on Friday as the teacher strike runs into its eighth day.
On Wednesday, union negotiators marched into the Sac City Unified district building Serna Center, calling for a deal. A group of frustrated parents stayed all night at the Serna Center that night and again on Thursday.
Meanwhile, negotiations between the SCTA and the district will resume at 1 p.m. on Friday.
The teachers union said that late Thursday afternoon that the district asked them some clarifying questions about the teachers' latest proposal, and said it would put together some answers.
Teachers plan to picket at their school sites, then go back to the Serna Center for a rally at 11 a.m.
District parents feeling 'disappointed' and 'worried'
“We are feeling very tired and we are feeling very disappointed in the actions or lack of action of Superintendent [Jorge] Aguilar and the entire Sacramento City Unified School Board,” said parent Amber Verdugo, who is among a group that has been sitting in the Serna Center.
Verdugo said parents are planning for the long-term if a deal is not made soon.
“We are organizing to start working in shifts to make sure that there are always parents in this building so we can take a break, take a shower, go home, sleep on our own beds once in a while because the chairs in this lobby are not terribly comfortable for sleeping in. But we will stick it out until we can reach an equitable agreement for SEIU and SCTA,” Verdugo told KCRA 3.
Parent Russell Taylor said that his wife is a teacher in the district, and they have a son in the district, as well. He says they are afraid of the possibility of losing their current health care services.
“I'm terrified that, you know, the district's trying to make a lot of takebacks as far as our health care goes. And I'm terrified that we're going to lose the care that we have. What they're offering us doesn't offer a lot of services, a lot of families need,” Taylor said.
“There's teachers that are retired that are out of the area that wouldn't have access to the care that they're offering. And I'm just really worried about it,” he continued.
Latest negotiations between SCUSD and SCTA
No new progress has been made since Wednesday when the district increased its one-time stipend offer, HealthNet benefits and increased its bonus for new teachers.
SCUSD has said that its recent offer included increases in one-time stipends offered to teachers, up from 1% to 1.5% for 2019 to 2021 school years, and 3% for the 2021-22 school year, up from 2%.
In terms of health care, the district is now offering to pay 100% of an employee’s health plan for those who choose to stay with HealthNet for one year, while the district looks for an alternative plan to Kaiser. The district's offer would fund 100% of care through Kaiser.
They’ve also offered a $3,000 bonus for anyone switching to Kaiser from the more expensive HealthNet plan.
Another sticking point is staffing. The district has offered to increase the signing bonus for new teachers from $2,000 to $3,000.
In all, the district says its latest offer to the union would give a 9.65% increase in compensation via one-time stipends and an ongoing salary increase.
The teachers unions say the district is well-positioned to accommodate their wishes due to COVID-19-related funding, though the district explains those funds are "one-time funds" and are not sustainable to increase wages and salaries.
Related Coverage
- She's become the face behind the Sacramento schools' strike
- Fact Check: Sacramento City Unified teachers aren’t the highest paid, but health benefits top the list
- Sac City Unified strike: What the district offered the teachers' union and a history of strife
- Affected by the Sac City Unified strike? These 3 businesses are offering children activities
- Here is where Sacramento City Unified students can get meals during teacher strike
- Tell us: SCUSD families, what are you doing with your kids during the strike?
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/covid-19-aid-10-billion-dollar-package/39601210
|
Bipartisan deal struck 'in principle' on $10 billion COVID-19 aid package, Romney says
Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said Thursday that Republicans have struck an "agreement in principle" with Democrats on a $10 billion package to help U.S. efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a breakthrough that could pave the way for new funds to help the United States' response efforts amid growing fears that critical resources are being depleted.
Video above: Biden pushes Congress to pass urgent COVID-19 funding
Romney, the lead GOP negotiator, told reporters the plan is "entirely balanced by offsets." He said the bill text still needs to be drafted and there needs to be a cost estimate from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office before the Senate can vote on the matter.
The Senate, as a result, scrapped Thursday afternoon's procedural vote on the issue — in order to give time for the bill's text to be drafted and for an official CBO score.
In remarks from the Senate floor, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said negotiators are "close to a final agreement that would garner bipartisan" support.
"We are working diligently to finalize language of scoring and the final agreement on what should be funded in the final COVID package both domestic and international," Schumer said. "As a sign of good faith, and to encourage us to come to a final agreement, I will reschedule today's procedural vote to a later time."
The goal is to pass the bill next week, Romney said.
The $10 billion price tag overall is less than half of what the White House was seeking. It's also less than the $15.6 billion that had been included in the government funding bill earlier this month, but had to be scrapped after a number of House Democrats opposed the way the money had been offset.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, a member of GOP leadership, expressed skepticism that the package could be finished by next week.
"If there was a deal we would be voting on it ... People want to see scores and top lines and what's in it," Thune said.
Democrats also urged caution regarding progress of the talks. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin pushed back on Senate Republicans saying that there is a "deal in principle."
"I can't go that far," he told reporters. "Schumer's just said he's still working on it."
Romney said the bill would be paid for "almost exclusively" by redirecting money from the American Rescue Plan — the law that Democrats pushed through last year. As part of the offsets, he said that they are pulling money that would have gone to states to provide grants for local businesses.
Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, told reporters additional offsets would include taking money from a fund that had been intended to go to shuttered concert venues and theaters during the pandemic. He estimated there was still about $2.2 billion from that account Democrats and Republicans could re-purpose. He also said there was aviation manufacturing money from past legislation that totaled around $2 billion that could also be used.
The money is expected to go half toward therapeutics, Blunt said. He added the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services would then have "a lot of discretion" on how to best use the other half of the funding.
Romney said there "may be $1 billion" of money to deal with global COVID-19 response efforts, even as Democrats were pushing for $5 billion in global aid.
Romney and Blunt predicted there would be "a lot more than 10" Republicans who would back it.
"I believe we get more than 10 Republicans, maybe even significantly more," Blunt said.
The announcement comes after President Joe Biden made a desperate appeal Wednesday for Congress to pass additional funding and fast.
"Congress has to provide the funding America needs to continue to fight COVID-19. We're already seeing the consequences of congressional inaction," Biden said Wednesday, adding that the administration already did not have money to purchase monoclonal antibody therapies, vaccines, and more tests.
The White House has spent weeks warning lawmakers that if Congress didn't act soon they would expire money for vaccinations, to reimburse providers and insurers for out-of-network treatment, underwrite COVID-19 testing and supply personal protective equipment.
"Congress, we need to secure additional supply now, now. We can't wait until we find ourselves in the midst of another surge to act. It will be too late. And we also need this funding to continue our efforts to vaccinate the world," Biden said.
Asked about the tentative deal Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would only say: "We're working on it, we will get there."
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/covid-19-asylum-limits-us-mexico-border-to-end/39611918
|
COVID-19 asylum limits at US-Mexico border to end next month, CDC says
The Centers for Disease Control announced Friday that it is ending a policy that limited asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The use of public health powers had been widely criticized by Democrats and immigration advocates as an excuse for the United States to shirk its obligations to provide haven to people fleeing persecution. The policy went into effect under President Donald Trump in March 2020. Since then, migrants trying to enter the U.S. have been turned away more than 1.7 million times.
The policy, known as the Title 42 authority, named for a 1944 public health law to prevent communicable disease, will end on paper April 1, but it will not take effect until May 23, to allow border officials time to prepare.
"After considering current public health conditions and an increased availability of tools to fight COVID-19 (such as highly effective vaccines and therapeutics), the CDC director has determined that an order suspending the right to introduce migrants into the United States is no longer necessary," the CDC said in a statement.
The decision is expected to draw more migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Department of Homeland Security said this week that about 7,100 migrants were coming daily, compared with an average of about 5,900 a day in February — on pace to match or exceed highs from last year, 2019 and other peak periods. But border officials said they are planning for as many as 18,000 arrivals daily.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/house-passes-bill-federally-decriminalize-marijuana/39612341
|
House passes bill to federally decriminalize marijuana
The House has voted with a slim bipartisan majority to federally decriminalize marijuana.
The vote was 220 to 204. Republicans Tom McClintock of California, Brian Mast and Matt Gaetz, both of Florida, joined the majority of Democrats in supporting the bill, while Democrats Henry Cuellar of Texas and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire voted against.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, will prevent federal agencies from denying federal workers security clearances for cannabis use, and will allow the Veterans' Administration to recommend medical marijuana to veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder, plus gains revenue by authorizing a sales tax on marijuana sales.
The bill also expunges the record of people convicted of non-violent cannabis offenses, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, "can haunt people of color and impact the trajectory of their lives and career indefinitely."
"It can result in difficulty finding employment, difficulty finding housing, denial of access of federal benefits, denial of financial aid at colleges and universities, and denial of the right to vote," Hoyer said. "That's why we're dealing with this."
Senate Democrats have a similar legalization bill in the upper chamber, but neither that bill nor the House-passed MORE Act is expected to clear the 60-vote threshold for passage in the Senate.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised the legislation during her weekly news conference Thursday, telling reporters the legislation is "consistent with what is happening in many states across the country."
"It also addresses the injustices of it because of what penalties had been before some of these, this decriminalization took place," she added. "So I'm all for it."
A similar bill was passed in December 2020, and was championed in the House by the late Rep. Don Young of Alaska, who was a co-founder of the House Cannabis Caucus, but died last month before the bill made it to the floor for another vote.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/nyc-amazon-workers-vote-to-unionize-in-historic-labor-win/39612863
|
Amazon workers in NYC vote to unionize in historic labor win
Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize on Friday, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant’s history and handing an unexpected win to a nascent group that fueled the union drive.
Warehouse workers cast 2,654 votes — or about 55% — in favor of a union, giving the fledgling Amazon Labor Union enough support to pull off a victory. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which is overseeing the process, 2,131 workers — or 45% — rejected the union bid.
The 67 ballots that were challenged by either Amazon or the ALU were not enough to sway the outcome. Federal labor officials said the results of the count won’t be verified until they process any objections — due by April 8 — that both parties may file.
The victory was an uphill battle for the independent group, made up of former and current workers who lacked official backing from an established union and were out-gunned by the deep-pocketed retail giant. Despite obstacles, organizers believed their grassroots approach was more relatable to workers and could help them overcome where established unions have failed in the past. They were right.
Chris Smalls, a fired Amazon employee who has been leading the ALU in its fight on Staten Island, bounded out the NLRB building in Brooklyn on Friday with other union organizers, pumping their fists and jumping, chanting "ALU." They uncorked a bottle of Champagne, and Smalls hailed the victory as a call to arms for other Amazon workers across the sprawling company.
"I hope that everybody’s paying attention now because a lot of people doubted us," he said.
Smalls hopes the success in New York will embolden workers at other facilities to launch their own organizing campaigns. Even his group will soon shift their attention to a neighboring Amazon warehouse on Staten Island, where a separate union election is scheduled to be held in late April. Organizers believe Friday’s win is going to make it easier for them to win there, too.
Amazon posted a statement on its company website Friday saying that it was evaluating its options following the election and signaled it might not accept the results.
"We’re disappointed with the outcome of the election in Staten Island because we believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees," the post said. "We're evaluating our options, including filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence by the NLRB that we and others (including the National Retail Federation and U.S. Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election."
Amazon has long argued that workers don't need a union because the company already provides good wages as well as benefits such as health care, 401(k) plans and a prepaid college tuition program to help grow workers' careers.
The successful union effort on Staten Island stood in contrast to the one launched in Bessemer, Alabama by the more established Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Workers at the warehouse there appear to have rejected a union bid but outstanding challenged ballots could change the outcome. The votes were 993-to-875 against the union. A hearing to review 416 challenged ballots is expected to begin in the next few days.
The union campaigns come at a time of widespread labor unrest at many corporations. Workers at more than 140 Starbucks locations around the country, for instance, have requested union elections and several of them have already been successful.
But Amazon has long been considered a top prize for the labor movement given the company's massive size and impact.
"We are clearly in different moment after two years of the pandemic. Something has changed in the labor landscape," said John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University. "It is a potential tipping point. We knew that unions were having a moment, but this is much bigger. There is no bigger prize than organizing Amazon."
Logan said he didn’t believe either union — the national or the independent labor group — would stand a chance with Amazon but he's even more shocked that a small union would be victorious given its limited resources. The group had also filed for a union election after getting support from about 30% of the facility’s workforce, a much lower percentage than what unions usually seek.
Logan believes they won in part because Amazon workers saw the organizers as authentic. And it helped that they were in labor-friendly state, he said, adding the grassroots union's win defies traditional thinking that only national unions can take on big companies.
But the ALU might still have a fight ahead of it, according to Erin Hatton, a sociology professor at the University of Buffalo in New York.
"Getting Amazon to the bargaining table will be another feat altogether," Hatton said. "Oftentimes the union will fizzle out because the company doesn't come to the bargaining table in good faith as they're obliged to do."
Amazon has pushed back hard in the lead-up to both elections in Staten Island and Bessemer. The retail giant held mandatory meetings, where workers were told unions are a bad idea. The company also launched an anti-union website targeting workers and placed English and Spanish posters across the Staten Island facility urging them to reject the union. In Bessemer, Amazon has made some changes to but still kept a controversial U.S. Postal Service mailbox that was key in the NLRB's decision to invalidate last year's vote.
Both labor fights faced unique challenges. Alabama, for instance, is a right-to-work state that prohibits a company and a union from signing a contract that requires workers to pay dues to the union that represents them.
The union landscape in Alabama is also starkly different from New York. Last year, union members accounted for 22.2% of wage and salary workers in New York, ranked only behind Hawaii, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's more than double the national average of 10.3%. In Alabama, it's 5.9%.
The mostly Black workforce at the Amazon facility, which opened in 2020, mirrors the Bessemer population of more than 70% Black residents, according to the latest U.S. Census data.
Pro-union workers say they want better working conditions, longer breaks and higher wages. Regular full-time employees at the Bessemer facility earn at least $15.80 an hour, higher than the estimated $14.55 per hour on average in the city. That figure is based on an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual median household income for Bessemer of $30,284, which could include more than one worker.
The ALU said they don’t have a demographic breakdown of the warehouse workers on Staten Island and Amazon declined to provide the information to The Associated Press, citing the union vote. Internal records leaked to The New York Times from 2019 showed more than 60% of the hourly associates at the facility were Black or Latino, while most of the managers were white or Asian.
Amazon workers there are seeking longer breaks, paid time off for injured employees and an hourly wage of $30, up from a minimum of just over $18 per hour offered by the company. The estimated average wage for the borough is $41 per hour, according to a similar U.S. Census Bureau analysis of Staten Island’s $85,381 median household income.
—
Associated Press staff writers Mae Anderson and Bobby Caina Calvan in New York contributed to this report.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/california-drought-deepens/39613552
|
California is experiencing one of the driest starts to spring in decades, data showed Friday, and absent a heavy dose of April and May showers the state’s drought will deepen and that could lead to stricter rules on water use and another devastating wildfire season.New readings showed the water in California's mountain snowpack sat at 38% of average. That’s the lowest mark since the end of the last drought in 2015; only twice since 1988 has the level been lower.State officials highlighted the severity of the drought as they stood at a snow measuring station south of Lake Tahoe, where the landscape included more grass than snow. “You need no more evidence than standing here on this very dry landscape to understand some of the challenges we’re facing here in California,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. “All Californians need to do their part.”About a third of California’s water supply comes from the snow as it melts and trickles into rivers and reservoirs. April 1 is when the snowpack typically is at its peak and the date is used as a benchmark to predict the state's water supply in the drier, hotter spring and summer months.| STATS | California reservoirs well below averageThere's about 11 inches worth of water sitting in snow in the Sierra Nevada along California's eastern edge, according to the state Department of Water Resources. It's the lowest reading since the depth of the last drought seven years ago, when California ended winter with just 5% of the normal water levels in the mountains.The numbers mark a disappointing end to California's winter, which began with heavy December storms that put the snowpack at 160% of the average. But there has been little precipitation since Jan. 1.A storm that brought significant rain and snow to parts of the state earlier this week did little to change the course of the drought. And warmer than usual temperatures have led to the snow melting and evaporating faster than normal, state officials said.Nearly all of California and much of the U.S. West is in severe to extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Last July, California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked people to cut their water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels but so far consumption is down just 6%.The persistence of the drought has prompted state officials to call on cities and other local water suppliers to step up their conservation plans. Local governments may act by further restricting when people can water their lawns and wash cars, limit the use of water for decorative or ornamental purposes and step up enforcement against people who let sprinklers run onto sidewalks or engage in other wasteful behavior.Meanwhile, federal officials announced Friday that municipal and industrial users that rely on water from the Central Valley Project will get less than planned. The project is a 400-mile system of reservoirs, canals and dams that stores and delivers water in the central part of the state.About 70 of the project's 270 contractors receive water for household and business use in the agricultural region that includes the greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area. They had been told to expect 25% of their requested supply earlier this year, but the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation now says they will only get what's needed for critical activities such as drinking and bathing. A lot of urban water use goes to outdoor landscaping.Farmers who rely on water from the federal project were told earlier this year not to expect any water.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is experiencing one of the driest starts to spring in decades, data showed Friday, and absent a heavy dose of April and May showers the state’s drought will deepen and that could lead to stricter rules on water use and another devastating wildfire season.
New readings showed the water in California's mountain snowpack sat at 38% of average. That’s the lowest mark since the end of the last drought in 2015; only twice since 1988 has the level been lower.
State officials highlighted the severity of the drought as they stood at a snow measuring station south of Lake Tahoe, where the landscape included more grass than snow.
“You need no more evidence than standing here on this very dry landscape to understand some of the challenges we’re facing here in California,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. “All Californians need to do their part.”
About a third of California’s water supply comes from the snow as it melts and trickles into rivers and reservoirs. April 1 is when the snowpack typically is at its peak and the date is used as a benchmark to predict the state's water supply in the drier, hotter spring and summer months.
| STATS | California reservoirs well below average
There's about 11 inches worth of water sitting in snow in the Sierra Nevada along California's eastern edge, according to the state Department of Water Resources. It's the lowest reading since the depth of the last drought seven years ago, when California ended winter with just 5% of the normal water levels in the mountains.
The numbers mark a disappointing end to California's winter, which began with heavy December storms that put the snowpack at 160% of the average. But there has been little precipitation since Jan. 1.
This content is imported from Facebook.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
A storm that brought significant rain and snow to parts of the state earlier this week did little to change the course of the drought. And warmer than usual temperatures have led to the snow melting and evaporating faster than normal, state officials said.
Nearly all of California and much of the U.S. West is in severe to extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Last July, California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked people to cut their water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels but so far consumption is down just 6%.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The persistence of the drought has prompted state officials to call on cities and other local water suppliers to step up their conservation plans. Local governments may act by further restricting when people can water their lawns and wash cars, limit the use of water for decorative or ornamental purposes and step up enforcement against people who let sprinklers run onto sidewalks or engage in other wasteful behavior.
Meanwhile, federal officials announced Friday that municipal and industrial users that rely on water from the Central Valley Project will get less than planned. The project is a 400-mile system of reservoirs, canals and dams that stores and delivers water in the central part of the state.
About 70 of the project's 270 contractors receive water for household and business use in the agricultural region that includes the greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area. They had been told to expect 25% of their requested supply earlier this year, but the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation now says they will only get what's needed for critical activities such as drinking and bathing. A lot of urban water use goes to outdoor landscaping.
Farmers who rely on water from the federal project were told earlier this year not to expect any water.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-river-cats-season-opener-set-for-tuesday/39613962
|
WILL ALSO GO IN. >>T I ALSO TIME TO PLAY BALL. RIVERCATS OPENING NHTIG IS LESS THAN AEE WK AWAY. IN FIVE DAYS THE TEAM WILL HAVE THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON AGAINST THE SUGAR LAND SPACE COWB
Sacramento River Cats’ season opener set for Tuesday
It’s almost time to play ball!
Updated: 2:23 PM PDT Apr 1, 2022
It’s almost time to play ball! The Sacramento River Cats’ opening night is set for April 5. The River Cats, a Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, will take on the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento beginning at 6:35 p.m. This year the River Cats are expected to play at least 150 games, including 75 at home. The River Cats said this season there will be 25 nights that feature fireworks, and weekly promotions like “Toyota Family Value Tuesdays, Wet Nose Wednesdays, Thirsty Thursdays, Orange Fridays Presented by SMUD, Sutter Health Fireworks Saturdays, and Sunday Fundays.”Theme nights will include princess and pirate nights and a July 3 “Independence Eve Extravaganza.” Click here for more details on how to get tickets.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It’s almost time to play ball! The Sacramento River Cats’ opening night is set for April 5.
The River Cats, a Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, will take on the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento beginning at 6:35 p.m.
This year the River Cats are expected to play at least 150 games, including 75 at home.
The River Cats said this season there will be 25 nights that feature fireworks, and weekly promotions like “Toyota Family Value Tuesdays, Wet Nose Wednesdays, Thirsty Thursdays, Orange Fridays Presented by SMUD, Sutter Health Fireworks Saturdays, and Sunday Fundays.”
Theme nights will include princess and pirate nights and a July 3 “Independence Eve Extravaganza.”
Click here for more details on how to get tickets.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/weekend-train-rides-return-sacramento/39613298
|
Weekend train rides return this weekend in Sacramento
A popular attraction is back starting Saturday in Sacramento – the California State Railroad Museum is hosting weekend train rides again.
There are five trains a day, starting at 10 a.m. that run every 90 minutes until 4 p.m.
People can ride in open air gondolas with bench seating, or in cushioned enclosed coach cars.
It's a six mile, 50-minute trip.
Officials say people who go will get an authentic and historic train experience.
"Everything we operate and run is vintage from either the 20s or up through the 50s and is preserved as it would have been at that time period," said Tim Schroepfer, CEO of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation.
People can also check out the museum while they grab a railroad ride.
"Come to the museum you get to learn about the history, you get to look into the past and imagine your future and then come ride the railroad, have a wonderful time with your family and feel and hear and smell what it was like for passengers back in the 20s, 30s and 40s on a railroad," Schroepfer said.
Tickets for coach are $15 for adults, $8 for kids ages 6-17, and 5 and under ride free.
First class tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for kids.
You can buy tickets here.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/10-people-accused-taking-millions-california-edd-fraud-arkansas/39613794
|
10 people accused of taking millions in California EDD fraud — from Arkansas
Ten people have been indicted in Arkansas for filing $2.7 million in false claims with California’s Employment Development Department.
One person, identified as Madison Clark, worked for a contractor for Bank of America, Tele Tech, a company that helped process some of the accounts for the bank.
Clark answered consumer questions and claims for the company.
But from January through August 2021, according to a Department of Justice press release, Clark and nine others came up with a scheme to get the funds.
When a cardholder claimed a transaction was not authorized, Bank of America could give so-called provisional credit to the card in the dollar amount.
Clark allegedly accessed the bank’s systems to reissue debit cards, remove the fraud blocks, and add that provisional credit to the cards.
The cards were then used by Clark and others named in the indictment.
All ten are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, as Bank of America is named as the victim in the indictment.
If convicted, they could face up to 30 years in prison.
| WATCH | KCRA 3 Investigates EDD fraud documentary Easy Money
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/arabi-louisiana-tornado-maria-burke-death/39614352
|
22-year-old with muscular dystrophy dies a week after being injured in Louisiana tornado
Share
Updated: 3:33 PM PDT Apr 1, 2022
THIS IS WDSU NEWS AT 10. IT ISAY D THREE OF RECOVERY EFFORTS IN SAINT BERNARD OF FOLLOWING THE TORNADO THAT HIT TUESDAY NIGHT TONIGHT THE STORY OF A GIRL WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO IS INJURED WHEN THE TWISTER. RIPPED THROUGH THEIR HEOM WDSU NEWS REPORTER SHAY O’CONNOR JOINS US LIVE FROM A DONATION DRIVE TTHA WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW FOR RESIDENTS LIKE THE GIRLS’ FAMILYND A OTHER FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED SHAY. THAT’S WHY I SELL ENGINEER THAT STUFF THE TRUCK EVENT THAT YOU WERE WE WERE TELNGLI YOU ABOUT EARLIER ACTUAYLL MADE ITS WAY HERE TO CAMP. HOPE I’M TOLD STARTING ON TOMORROW CLOTHES FOOD SUPPLIES AND OTHER ITEMS WILL BE GIVEN OUT TO PEOPLE IN NEED INCLUDING THE FAMILY. I INTERVIEWED EARLIER THE SURVIVORS WHO TELL ME THAT THEY’LL BE HERE, TOO. THE HOUSE IS FLY. YOU KNOW THAT’S COMING FOR TTHA WAY AND I MAK ITE TURN IT TOO TIGHT IN AIR A FEW THE HOUSES HERE IN THE GROUND RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW BY THE TIME BECAUSE ME AND MY WIFE FLYLL A OVER AND THEY GO RUN IT IN A ROOM MY DAUGHTER BECAUSE I KNOW MY DAUGHTER’S TROUBLEUE TSDAY NIGHT JAMES BURKE AND HIS WIFE DAYA WERE IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THEIR HOME WATCHING TV WHENHE T EF3 TORNADO HIT LITERALLY LIFNGTI THE HOME UP FROM ITS FOUNDATION LEAVING IT ON THE THREE BURKE YSSA ONCE HE SAW HIS WIFE WAS OKAY. HIS ONLY THOUGHT WASO T CHECK ON HIS SPECIAL NEEDS DAUGHTER TOLD A LOT OF THISNG IN AROUND HER AND IT OVER HER AND THAT’S WHY I STARTED PICK HIM UP AND PULL IT UP, YOU KNOW THEIR DAUGHTER MARIA 22 YEARS OLD WASEV SERELY INJURED FROM THE TORNADO RIGHT NOW. SHE’S IN ICUT A A NEARBY HOSPITAL. MARIA HAS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY. SHE’S BEEN IN A WHEELCHRAI SINCE VEFI YEARS OLD AND USES A VENTILATOR AND TRACHAC MHINE 24/7 JUST EAT NOW IS A RESULT OF THE TORNADO. ETH FAMILY SSAY SHE NOW ALSO HAS INTERNAL BLEEDING AND THEY THINK IT’S FROM THINGS EITHER FALLING ON HER OR THE FALL THAT SHE TOOK WITHIN YOU KNOW, THE THE BEDROOM. THEY HAVEN’T YET FIGURED OUT WHY HER LEG IS HURTING HER FAMILY SAYS SHE’S ALREADY HAD TO HAVE SURGERY SINCE TUESDAY NIGHT SEVERE WEATHER AND HER LEFT LUNG WAS INJURED. THANKFULLY SHE’S ALERT ANDIT WH YOU KNOW HER CONDITION THAT SHE HAS IT’S VERY VERY DANROGEUS, IT’SOU Y KNOW, LIFE-THREATENING FRIDAY HER MOM AND DAD WERE OUT AT WHAT USEDO TE B THEIR HOME ALONG PROSPERITY ASSESSING THE DAMAGE AND SALVAGING THEIR CLOTHES. DESPITE IT. ALL JAMES SS,AY HE’S COUNTING HIS BLESSINGS. I BELIEVE THAT GOSH THEY WOULD ALWAYS YOU KNOW, IT JUST NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. I’M TOLD THAT MIAAR IS ON THE TRACK TO HEALING BUT EVEN BEFORE SHE CAN COME BACK HOME. SHE’LL NEED SOME MACHINES MACHINES THAT WERE ACTUALLY LOST DURING THE TORNADO LIKE A VENTILATOR SO TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP MARIA AND HER FAMILY, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE WDSU.COM REPORNGTI L
Advertisement
22-year-old with muscular dystrophy dies a week after being injured in Louisiana tornado
A woman with muscular dystrophy who was injured during a tornado in New Orleans last week has died, according to her family. Maria Burke and her parents were inside their home when it was lifted from its foundation and carried into the street. According to Maria's family, she was supposed to be discharged from the hospital Thursday, but her condition worsened on Wednesday. Maria died on Wednesday after dealing with issues with her lungs and internal bleeding since the tornado, according to the family. Maria had used a wheelchair since she was 5 years old and used a ventilator and trach machine to breathe.Maria's family spoke with New Orleans sister station WDSU about the night that she was hurt during the tornado. Maria's family said that due to her muscular dystrophy, the injuries she sustained during the storm were very dangerous.
NEW ORLEANS —
A woman with muscular dystrophy who was injured during a tornado in New Orleans last week has died, according to her family.
Maria Burke and her parents were inside their home when it was lifted from its foundation and carried into the street.
Advertisement
According to Maria's family, she was supposed to be discharged from the hospital Thursday, but her condition worsened on Wednesday.
Maria died on Wednesday after dealing with issues with her lungs and internal bleeding since the tornado, according to the family.
Maria had used a wheelchair since she was 5 years old and used a ventilator and trach machine to breathe.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
https://www.kcra.com/article/migrants-march-from-mexico-as-us-lifts-covid-ban/39612202
|
Migrants march from south Mexico during annual protest as US lifts COVID-19 restrictions
Some 500 migrants from Central America, Venezuela and elsewhere fought with Mexican police, National Guard and immigration officers in southern Mexico Friday in one of the first such marches this year.
The migrants described the march as a traditional annual protest related to Holy Week, and those at the front carried a white cross, as others have done in previous years.
However, this year the protest came two weeks early and some participants said they would go far beyond the usual short march and try to reach the U.S. border.
In a clash with National Guard officers and immigration agents, the migrants used the cross they were carrying as a battering ram to break through the Guard lines, shattering the wooden cross.
The officers, who had riot shields, batons and what appeared to be an irritant spray, detained some marchers. The two sides exchanged blows and many migrants left behind knapsacks in the melee.
Some managed to break through and disappear down dirt roads and paths, but many of the rest of the marchers took refuge in a church just a few miles outside of Tapachula.
The migrants set out from the southern Mexico city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala, early Friday. Migrants have complained they have been essentially confined to Tapachula by the slow processing of their asylum cases and that they are unable to find work in the border state of Chiapas that would allow them to support their families.
“They are practically holding us prisoners; they do not allow us to leave this state because we are not regularized here," said Venezuelan migrant Noreydi Chávez. "They require us to get a visa, but we never get any answers. We fill out paperwork, but they never process it."
Reynaldo Bello, a migrant from Peru, joined the march with his wife and baby because the family had been living in a park and going hungry while waiting for their immigration paperwork to be processed.
The march came as the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced it would end a policy that allows turning back asylum seekers on grounds of protecting the country against the coronavirus pandemic.
Migrants have been expelled more than 1.7 million times from the U.S. under the policy, known as Title 42 for a public health law, which was invoked in March 2020.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Friday it would end the authority effective May 23.
Near the height of the omicron variant in late January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had extended the order to this week.
Luis García Villagrán, an immigration activist with the Center for Human Dignification, said Mexican immigration authorities had largely shut off most visa processes in Tapachula and told migrants the only path to regularize their stay in Mexico was through the much lengthier procedure of applying for asylum or refugee status.
A migrant march in the same area was broken up in January, and similar efforts were dissolved by police and immigration agents in 2021 and 2020. The marches are significantly smaller than caravans in 2018 and 2019 that brought thousands of migrants to the U.S. border.
The caravans began several years ago as a way for migrants who did not have the money to pay smugglers to take advantage of safety in numbers as they moved toward the U.S. border. However, Guatemala and Mexico became more aggressive in breaking up the caravans.
The Mexican government has tried to appease the United States by stopping caravans of walking migrants and allowing reinstatement of the so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy.
But Mexico has been unable to stanch the flood of migrants stuffed by the hundreds into trucks operated by smugglers who charge thousands of dollars to take them to the U.S. border, trips that all too often turn deadly.
| true
| true
|
both
|
www.kcra
|
20220401
|
End of preview. Expand
in Data Studio
README.md exists but content is empty.
- Downloads last month
- 13