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Settlement in power plant explosion is largest in the history of state energy commission

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

The city of Hayward will receive $1.25 million to fund clean energy projects as part of a $2.5 million settlement over an explosion at the Russell City Energy Company power plant two years ago.The settlement agreement comes just after the anniversary of an explosion that blasted dozens of pieces of metal up to a quarter-mile into the surrounding community on May 27, 2021. According to Hayward City Manager Kelly McAdoo, one 10-pound chunk of metal plummeted through the roof of the kitchen at a city homeless services center.“No one was in there because it was close to midnight, but if it fell into the sleeping quarters, someone probably would have died,” McAdoo said.Other pieces of metal ended up in the city’s wastewater treatment ponds and surrounding streets. The power plant, which has been in operation since 2013, was shut down for several months during a critical, energy-intensive period of the summer following the accident.The explosion quickly prompted an investigation by the Ca...

Column: A’s believe Las Vegas move is worth the gamble — but that’s what it is

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

BILL SHAIKIN | LOS ANGELES TIMESJohn Fisher has been thinking a lot about tourists lately.Las Vegas runs on tourists. Fisher, the owner of the presumptive Las Vegas Athletics, would like to cater to them. He has pondered whether his A’s should start home games at 4 p.m., the better for tourists to catch a game in the afternoon and a show at night.The legislation proposed to lure Fisher’s team from Oakland to Las Vegas runs 44 pages. The bill does not mention the A’s. The title of the bill: “The Southern Nevada Tourism Innovation Act.”The public-private partnership proposed between the A’s and Nevada, in which the team would get hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies toward a new stadium, does not involve much in the way of public input.The bill was introduced on the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, with public comment reserved for a hearing on Memorial Day. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo could sign the bill into law within a week or in a special legislative session soo...

Alameda County Superior Court judge robbed of his Rolex at gunpoint

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

OAKLAND — An Alameda County Superior Court judge was robbed of his Rolex watch at gunpoint Thursday morning while he was headed into a downtown Oakland courthouse.The robbery happened near a parking structure at 13th and Madison streets, mere blocks from the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, authorities told this news organization. The judge was not injured.Authorities had not announced any arrests as of Thursday afternoon and descriptions of the assailants and any associated vehicle were not immediately available.The Alameda County Sherriff’s Office, which provides security at the courthouse, is investigating the brazen holdup.Check back for updates

Salinas police kill heavily-armed suspect in 8-hour standoff

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

(KRON) -- Salinas police shot and killed a man who allegedly shot a Monterey County Sheriff's Deputy on Wednesday, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office said Thursday. Erin Howard Fischer, 67, was killed after an eight-hour standoff. Deputy Jesse Grant responded to 29 Sun Street, Apartment 201 at 7:49 a.m. Wednesday to serve a "court-authorized eviction notice," the DA's office said. Fischer did not answer the door, and two more deputies came to the scene at Grant's request. DA Price dismisses 2 murder charges against accused triple-murderer Per the DA's office, Fischer opened fire at 8:46 a.m. and struck Grant twice. A shelter-in-place order was issued 31 minutes later, as Fischer remained barricaded in his apartment. "He was heavily armed and continued discharging his numerous firearms at responding officers from his upstairs apartment location during an eight-hour standoff," the DA's office said. Fischer allegedly shot down seven drones.Law enforcement returned fire a...

Amsterdam-style coffee shop bill passes State Assembly

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

(KRON) -- A bill that would allow local governments across the State of California to license Amsterdam-style cannabis "coffee shops" has been passed in the State Assembly. The bill, AB 374, which was proposed by Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, passed with broad bipartisan support, receiving a 64 to 9 vote."Cannabis cafes in the Netherlands capitalize on the social experience of cannabis by offering coffee, food, and live music, all of those opportunities are currently illegal under California law," read a press release from Haney's office. "AB 374 will allow struggling cannabis businesses to diversity away from the marijuana-only 'dispensary' model and bring much needed tourist dollars into empty downtowns." Zendesk announces it’s laying off 8% of workforce “Lots of people want to enjoy legal cannabis in the company of others,” said Haney. “And many people want to do that while sipping coffee, eating a scone, or listening to music. There’s absolutely no good reason fr...

Millbrae man arrested for alleged sexual assault of 11-year-old family member

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

(KRON) -- A Millbrae man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old family member, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Di Li, 42, was identified as the suspect after a thorough investigation. Alameda County judge robbed at gunpoint in Oakland: sheriff San Mateo County Sheriff's detectives obtained a $2 million arrest warrant for Li. On May 31, he was located in San Francisco and placed under arrest, according to police. He was charged with 20 counts of sexual assault of a minor and booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility.

Sports on TV for Friday, June 2

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsFriday, June 2AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL5:30 a.m.FS2 — AFL: Carlton at Melbourne5 a.m. (Saturday)FS2 — AFL: Geelong at WesternAUTO RACING7:25 a.m.ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain10:55 a.m.ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain6 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Qualifying, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.7:30 p.m.FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, New England Dragway, Epping, N.H.6:25 a.m. (Saturday)ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, SpainCHL HOCKEY10 p.m.NHLN — Memorial Cup: TBD vs. Seattle, Semifinal, Kamloops, British ColumbiaCOLLEGE BASEBALL12 p.m.ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: Texas Tech vs. UConn, Regional, Gainesville, Fla.SECN — NCAA Tournament: Ball St. at Kentucky, Regional1 p.m.ACCN — NCAA Tournament: NC St. vs. Campbell, Regional, Columbia, S.C.3 p.m.ESPNU — NCAA Tournament: Tulane at LSU, ...

76ers coach Nick Nurse wants Harden back, can co-exist with Embiid

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Nick Nurse inherits a Philadelphia 76ers team in which Joel Embiid blossomed into an MVP, Tyrese Maxey developed into a rising star and James Harden flashed his old All-Star form in the playoffs.Yet for all that talent, the Sixers are home watching the NBA Finals.Nurse, officially named Philadelphia’s coach on Thursday weeks after he was fired by the Toronto Raptors, had loftier expectations for a franchise that instead suffered through a third straight second-round playoff exit. “This team could be playing tonight,” Nurse said.But they’re not, of course. The Denver Nuggets host the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Finals. Meanwhile, the Sixers introduced yet another new coach touting yet another new vision after yet another season without a championship.With the Sixers on the postseason sidelines, and weeks after they fired Doc Rivers, they turned to Nurse to try solve those second-round woes. Better yet, win them a title.Just don’t expect Nurse to dwell much on the ...

Mississippi hostage-taker killed after fatally shooting officer in 8-hour standoff

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

BRANDON, Miss. (AP) — An intruder who went into a Mississippi home armed with three guns and wearing a bulletproof vest took a woman hostage and later shot two police officers, killing one and wounding the other during an eight-hour standoff Thursday that ended in his death, police said.The violence took place in the Jackson suburb of Brandon, where officers had called in backup from several law enforcement agencies; among them was Madison Police Department officer Randy Tyler, who was shot twice in the chest with a rifle, said Brandon Police Chief Wayne Dearman.Tyler had worked for eight years as an officer in Madison, another Jackson suburb. The Madison department said he was a member of its special response team and directed the training of newly hired officers. Tyler previously retired as police chief in nearby Ridgeland.The shooter was identified as 22-year-old Gabriel Matthew Wilson of Pearl, Mississippi, said Dearman at a news conference.Brandon police received a call at 1:20...

Big-name Texas attorneys hired to present impeachment case against Ken Paxton

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Two prominent Texas attorneys with a long list of famous clients will present the case for impeachment against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and called for transparency Thursday once the trial gets underway this summer in the state Capitol. The hiring of Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin, announced by a state House committee that has accused Paxton of bribery and misuse of office, underlines how aggressively a Republican-led investigation is moving to oust the state’s top lawyer in the face of backlash from the GOP’s hard right.Over decades in Texas, DeGuerin and Hardin have become practically as recognizable in courtrooms as the politicians and famous figures they have represented. For DeGuerin, that includes former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay on charges of money laundering and Branch Davidian leader David Koresh. Both told reporters they were alarmed by the findings against Paxton and said they will present the case to the jury — in ...