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1 dead after head-on DUI crash in Palmdale, LASD says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

An allegedly drunk driver swerved into head-on traffic and caused a collision that killed a person in Palmdale Wednesday night, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.Just after 9 p.m., deputies responded to Palmdale Boulevard near 80th Street East, where a eastbound vehicle "swerved into oncoming traffic" and struck a westbound vehicle head-on, officials said in a news release. The passenger of the westbound vehicle was taken to a local hospital, where they were pronounced dead due to their injuries.The driver of the first vehicle faces a charge of DUI causing injury, as "alcohol appeared to be a factor in the collision," deputies said.Officials did not identify anyone involved in the crash.Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Knutson at 661-272-2596.To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Negotiations to resume between Kaiser Permanente, workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

Contract negotiations are expected to resume today between Kaiser Permanente and a coalition of unions representing thousands of its workers who staged a three-day strike last week, and who could walk out again next month if an agreement isn’t reached.Related ArticlesBusiness | Kaiser Permanente unions lay groundwork for another strike in November Business | Kaiser Permanente workers warn of potential second strike Business | Kaiser chops jobs in Bay Area and Southern California Business | Kaiser strike ends Saturday morning, talks to resume Business | Kaiser health care strike: Driven by and likely to boost a labor-action surge Roughly 75,000 workers represented by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions walked off the job from Wednesday through Friday last week in what the union billed as the largest health care strike of its kind in U.S. history. Workers walked picket lines across California and in ...

49ers’ Randy Gregory believes personal problems are in past, looks to put NFL on notice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

SANTA CLARA — The problem for Randy Gregory has never been playing on the edge in a football sense.Virtually everyone agrees he is an explosive, twitchy athlete who at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds was born to rush the passer.Living on the edge in an everyday sense has been more of a problem, although Gregory has worked to sort out myriad issues which have stalled his ascension to being the kind of player his skillset suggests.Acquired by the 49ers at virtually no risk from the Denver Broncos late last week, Gregory went through his first practice with his new team Wednesday and was asked if he was ready to be an immediate contributor Sunday against the host Cleveland Browns.“I don’t doubt it, but it’s not up to me,” Gregory said. “It’s practice, and the rest of the week will tell what I’m able to do out there.”Signed as the heir apparent to Von Miller by the Broncos before the 2022 season, Gregory wound up playing in 10 of 21 games be...

Gov. Newsom signs laws to fast-track housing on churches’ lands, streamline housing permitting process

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

By TRÂN NGUYỄN | Associated PressSACRAMENTO  — Religious institutions and nonprofit colleges in California will be allowed to turn their parking lots and other properties into low-income housing under a new law aimed at combating the ongoing homeless crisis.The law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Wednesday, rezones land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. Starting in 2024, they can bypass most local permitting and environmental review rules that can be costly and lengthy. The law is set to sunset in 2036.California is home to nearly a third of all homeless people in the U.S. The crisis has sparked a movement among religious institutions, dubbed “yes in God’s backyard,” or “YIGBY,” in cities across the state, with a number of projects already in the works.But churches and colleges often face big hurdles trying to convert their surplus land and underutilized parking lots into housing because t...

San Francisco bar to open drag queen school

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- San Francisco will soon be home to California’s first drag queen school. The school will be opened by Stud Collective, a non-profit formed by The Stud, which is one of San Francisco’s most iconic and long-serving LGBTQ+ bars.The Stud School of Drag will teach the fundamentals of drag performance. According to the announcement, evening classes will gather on a weekly basis and will be taught by drag queen subject experts. The curriculum includes topics such as the history of drag, makeup 101, creating character through costuming, lip-synching and marketing fundamentals. Banana Republic opens new flagship store in Downtown SF Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party Honey Mahogany will serve as its inaugural headmistress. “I thought drag was just about being campy and female impersonation -- which is cool -- but the Stud taught me that drag can be political, dark, scary, weird, emotional and so much more,” Mahogany said in a statement. ...

NATO will hold a major nuclear exercise next week as Russia plans to pull out of a test ban treaty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO will hold a major nuclear exercise next week, the alliance’s chief said Thursday, in an announcement that came after Russia warned it would pull out of a global nuclear test ban agreement.NATO’s “Steadfast Noon” exercise is held annually and runs for about a week. It involves fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads but does not involve any live bombs. Conventional jets and surveillance and refueling aircraft also routinely take part.“This is a routine training event that happens every October,” Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. “This year the training will take place over Italy, Croatia and the Mediterranean Sea.”He said the exercise will help ensure the “credibility, effectiveness and security of our nuclear deterrent, and it sends a clear message that NATO will protect and defend all allies.”Stoltenberg said that Russia’s war on Ukraine is a reminder of the important role that NATO’s nuclear weapons play in deterring aggressi...

UNC’s Maye, NC State’s Wilson and Louisville’s Brohm headline the AP’s ACC midyear honorees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson and Louisville coach Jeff Brohm headline the honorees in The Associated Press’ midseason report for the Atlantic Coast Conference.Maye was picked as the top offensive player through the season’s first half in voting by AP writers covering league teams, while Wilson was picked as top defensive player. Brohm was the choice as top coach after the 14th-ranked Cardinals’ fast start, which also made Louisville the pick as the most surprising team so far.Maye, a third-year passer and top NFL prospect, edged out quarterback Jordan Travis of fourth-ranked Florida State after helping the No. 12 Tar Heels (5-0, 2-0) post their best start since 1997. He entered the season facing massive expectations and got off to a slow start with TD throws as the team leaned more on the running game under new coordinator Chip Lindsey, but he ranks among the Bowl Subdivision leaders in passing yardage (fourth...

Jessica Pegula reaches quarterfinals at Korea Open. Ons Jabeur wins opener at Zhengzhou Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

SEOUL (AP) — Jessica Pegula advanced to her 12th quarterfinal match of the season by beating Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-1 Thursday at the Korea Open.Pegula will play another American, Claire Liu, in the quarterfinals on Friday.Back Da-yeon, the 569th-ranked wild-card who eliminated second-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round, lost to Kimberly Birrell 6-0, 6-1.Also, fourth-seeded Marie Bouzkova advanced when Eva Lys retired from the match after losing the first set 6-1, and Emina Bektas defeated Jang Su-jeong 6-3, 6-4 to advance to her second tour-level quarterfinal match.Zhengzhou OpenOns Jabeur won her opening match at the Zhengzhou Open and advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 7-6 (5).The seventh-ranked Jabeur will next play eighth-seeded Daria Kasatkina, who beat wild card Bai Zhuoxuan 6-2, 6-4.Also, Laura Siegemund rallied to beat Liudmila Samsonova 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. The 133rd-ranked Siegemund will play Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals.Hong Kong Op...

Robert Wickens on cusp of winning a championship 5 years after he was paralyzed in IndyCar crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

Robert Wickens was determined from the very first days after his life-changing 2018 IndyCar accident not to let it define — or end — his racing career.The Canadian was 29 years old at the time, engaged to be married, and a breakout rookie star in a United States-based racing series after a successful career in Europe. Wickens nearly won his IndyCar debut, scored four podiums, and was sixth in the championship race when he sailed into the fence at Pocono Raceway with three races remaining in the season.He was paralyzed from the waist down.Wickens moved to a rehabilitation facility in Colorado, at first as an in-patient, before he moved into an extended stay motel to continue the work. Six hours a day, six days a week.“In the months and years that I spent rehabbing my body, trying to get the best quality of life possible for myself and for my family, always in the back of my mind I was wanting to return to racing,” Wickens told The Associated Press. “I wanted my own closure on m...

Thai and Filipino workers filling labor gap in Israel get caught up in war between Israel and Hamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:10 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — The first group of Thai workers evacuated from Israel after the past few days’ bloody events in southern Israel and Gaza arrived Thursday in the Thai capital of Bangkok, greeted by anxious relatives and senior officials.Hamas militants stormed through a border fence Saturday and killed hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival. The Israelis have responded with punishing airstrikes and preparations for a possible ground invasion. The conflict has claimed at least 2,600 lives on both sides, including some Southeast Asian workers living in Israel.The 41 Thais who returned home on a commercial flight of the Israeli airline El Al included two men wounded in the violence who had to use wheelchairs to exit the aircraft.Farm laborers from Thailand seek work in more developed countries where there is a shortage of semi-skilled labor — at wages considerably higher than they can earn at home.Tens of thousands of workers in Israel from n...