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Dear Gov. Newsom: People are dying in the Rehab Riviera. Do something

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Hey, Gov. Newsom! Hope you’re doing well up there.For us? Down here, you know, not so much.I can’t believe it but it has been six years since the Southern California News Group began chronicling the tragic cycle of fraud, death, abuse and abject failure in California’s startlingly unregulated addiction treatment industry. In that time, not much has changed.You have kids, Gov. Newsom. Can you imagine taking a lost, troubled child to a fancy seaside treatment center — licensed by our state — promising medical supervision and group therapy and a new lease on life, only to learn that the kid died in his sleep because there’s no doctor for miles and no one was checking as he detoxed?Or because he got hold of drugs packed with fentanyl and overdosed in his room?Or because he was tossed out for being high and staggered alone to a nearby parking lot and swallowed the rest of the pills in his pocket, dying behind a gas station garbage bin?I’m a parent, too, Gov. Newsom. If I speak to one mor...

Dear Gov. Newsom: Their daughter’s been swallowed by California’s rehab monster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Second in a regular series. See the first letter to Newsom here.Dear Gov. Newsom:Today I’d like you to meet the Jersey couple who parachute into L.A. every few months to figure out if their daughter is still alive.That’s them, near Skid Row, doggedly tacking up “missing person” posters and showing her photo to whoever will listen. She’s movie star material, truly: Early 20s, long dark hair, sky high cheekbones, Brooke Shields eyebrows. “PLEASE,” the posters implore; “Contact your family. They love you.”Dad sort of looks like a cop, but users smoke dope right in front of him and try to sell to him anyway. “I can bring back a shopping bag full of stuff,” he says. “There’s a school nearby, and little kids walk right past these guys with torches heating up these little glass vials. I took pictures.“I’ve been in Camden and Newark, and I can’t believe how bad California is,” he adds. “You don’t see anything like this in New Jersey.”Back in the car, Mom and Dad drive slowly, searching. So ...

Man hired to remove gang graffiti killed, 3 other men injured in California shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Four men were shot — one fatally — after two of them volunteered to paint over graffiti on the wall of a neighborhood ice cream shop in Northridge, authorities said.The gunfire erupted Saturday afternoon on Vanalden Avenue just north of Parthenia Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.Shortly before the shooting, two of the men walked into Northridge Ice Cream, the shop’s owner, Victor Santoyo, told ABC 7.“They said, ‘There is graffiti on the wall. Do you want me to paint the graffiti for you, for free,’” Santoyo said. “I found them a little bit of paint and gave it to them, and then a few minutes later, we hear the gunshots.”A few minutes later, the four men are seen on surveillance video ducking from gunshots, the news station reported.“One guy came in, asking for help. He got shot in the stomach,” Santoyo said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | California police officer shoots, injures suspect possibly involved in 3 other shootings Crime and...

Coachella 2023: Photos of artist-inspired outfits and fashion during Weekend 1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

The perfect fit is a big deal every year at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which took over the Empire Polo Club in Indio April 14-16 and returns for its second weekend, April 21-23.Southern California News Group photographers roamed the sprawling grassy venue to find outfits that stood out during Weekend 1. Some of the trends this year included silver, mirror ball and metallic looks, black and brown leather accessories, lots of ruffles, couples and friends color coordinating with wild patterns and a sea of black and pink attire inspired by Saturday headliner, K-pop group Blackpink.Aiyana Rodriguez, Marissa Campoy, and Alyka Lozano pose during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)Tay Diggs sits on Paul Feyisetan’s shoulders in front of the “Spectra” art installation on the first day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ...

Horoscopes April 17, 2023: Rooney Mara, make a difference in your community

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rooney Mara, 38; Jennifer Garner, 51; Liz Phair, 56; Sean Bean, 64.Jennifer Garner (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) Happy Birthday: Pay more attention to what’s happening around you. Don’t buy into someone else’s dream when you have your own. Look for opportunities that touch your heart and encourage you to make a difference in your community. Focus on home, family and raising your standard of living. An intelligent move or lifestyle change will help lower your overhead and ease stress. Your numbers are 4, 7, 18, 23, 27, 39, 46.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look at the big picture and consider your options. Staying within budget is crucial if you plan to finish what you start. When in doubt, let your intuition take over. Get along with others, but make your objective clear to anyone questioning you. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): It’s OK to change your mind. Utilize your time to ensure you meet your demands, and you’...

Bridge: April 17, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Players can succumb to the “euphoria effect.” If something good happens early in the play, they respond emotionally and forget that the deal isn’t over.The raise to 3NT by today’s North was bold: Seven of his points lay in a short suit, he lacked aces, and a heart lead was likely. When West led a low heart, South correctly and hopefully put up dummy’s queen — and it won!South must have been euphoric. He next unblocked the A-K of clubs, led a diamond to his ace and took the queen of clubs. When he led a second diamond to dummy’s king, expecting five diamond tricks and nine in all, East discarded. Down two.LAPSEEuphoria is not one of the Nine Muses of Greek myth; South was so ecstatic at winning Trick One that he lost focus. After he takes dummy’s high clubs, he must cash the king of diamonds, following with his ten, and lead to his ace.When East shows out, South takes the queen of clubs and leads a diamond to the nine. He can run the di...

Nationals Notebook: Power outage threatens to short-circuit season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

The Washington Nationals avoided a sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians by rallying past on Sunday 7-6, thanks to a late-inning surge.The Nats also hit a pair of home runs in the victory. Both the rally and the power are notable because they’ve been isolated incidents this year.For a while, the pitching has been porous at times (21st in MLB in team earned run average); what’s been a disaster is an offense that ranks 28th in the majors in scoring and is tied for last with 8 home runs. Sunday’s win aside, they’re also fading in the late innings, hitting just .184 (29th in MLB) with a big-league worst 13 runs after the sixth. It’s still April, but it’s getting late early in the 2023 season.WASHINGTON, DC — APRIL 16: Jeimer Candelario #9 of the Washington Nationals hits an RBI single against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Nationals Park on April 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)Digesting the...

Unity Bancorp: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

CLINTON, N.J. (AP) — CLINTON, N.J. (AP) — Unity Bancorp Inc. (UNTY) on Monday reported net income of $10.3 million in its first quarter.The bank, based in Clinton, New Jersey, said it had earnings of 96 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $34.8 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $25.3 million, beating Street forecasts._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on UNTY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/UNTYSource

Elon Musk establece bajas expectativas antes del primer lanzamiento de SpaceX del Starship, el cohete más poderoso jamás construido

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

(CNN) — Apenas unos meses después de que la NASA presentara al mundo el cohete más poderoso jamás puesto en órbita, SpaceX de Elon Musk está preparado para lanzar su propia creación, que podría contener casi el doble de la potencia de cualquier objeto que haya volado anteriormente.– El vehículo de SpaceX, llamado Starship, se encuentra actualmente en una plataforma de lanzamiento en las instalaciones de la compañía en la costa sur de Texas. La compañía tiene como objetivo el despegue a las 8 a.m., hora local, (9 a.m., ET) de este lunes, aunque tiene la capacidad de despegar en cualquier momento entre las 8 a.m. hora local (9 a.m. ET) y las 9:30 a.m. hora local (10:30 a.m. ET).“Supongo que me gustaría simplemente establecer expectativas bajas”, dijo el CEO de SpaceX, Elon Musk, durante un evento de Twitter “Spaces” para sus suscriptores este domingo por la noche. “Si nos alejamos lo suficiente de la plataforma de lanzamiento antes de que algo salga mal, creo que lo consid...

‘We’re watching’: Md. Attorney General warns landlords against using discriminatory practices

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:27 GMT

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown wants to protect renters from discriminatory landlords in the Old Line State, but so far, the law has tied his hands.“Up until now, the Office of the Attorney General in Maryland had a very small role in enforcing federal and state civil rights laws,” Brown told WTOP after 100 days in office.That’s because for 53 years, the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights has been the only state entity allowed to fight discrimination.But that’s expected to change once Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs the Civil Rights Enforcement bill (SB 540). The bill gives Maryland’s top prosecutor the power to protect residents from civil rights violations.“I’ll have a new tool to enforce federal and state civil rights laws to protect all Marylanders, much like I have in consumer protection,” Brown said.A report in 2022 found that more than 400 housing discrimination complaints were investigated by the Maryland Commission on ...