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After California watchdog finds no violation, civil grand jury says Alameda County prosecutors violated policies during 2018 election

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

OAKLAND — A month after an elections watchdog found no violation of the state’s political reform act, the Alameda County grand jury has concluded that several District Attorney employees, including prosecutors, violated local policies by using work emails to support of their boss in the 2018 election.The report, released last week, found that DA staff “violated county policies regarding the use of county computers and the use of county time” by coordinating efforts to help former DA Nancy O’Malley defeat Pamela Price in the 2018 election. Price lost the 2018 race against O’Malley — though the final tally was much closer than many expected — then went on to beat Terry Wiley in the 2022 election.“Despite knowing that District Attorney’s Office employees acted in violation of County policies, there were no immediate consequences for their behavior,” the report concluded.  “This unfortunate situation was driven by staff f...

The 10 best and worst US airports for flight disruptions this summer

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

By Lebawit Lily Girma | BloombergIf you’re excited about summer travel yet dreading the crowded airport experience, you’re right to be anxious. More than 24 million Americans will depart from US airports during the July 4 holiday period alone, according to travel booking app Hopper, nearly double the amount projected for the same period in 2022. The number of American travelers flying this summer is also predicted to surpass pre-pandemic levels.This means knowing how US airports rank on flight disruptions comes in handy, even if you’ve already chosen your destination. For starters: Las Vegas took the national crown for the most flight disruptions in May, according to new data from air passenger rights—and reimbursement—company AirHelp Inc.AirHelp looked at just more than 673,000 international and domestic flights from the 672 US airports servicing more than 5,000 flights in May.Harry Reid International Airport had 35% of its flights disrupted, the data shows. Closely following for d...

California's new budget includes $5 billion for transit funding

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democrats who control the state Legislature agreed late Monday on how to spend $310.8 billion over the next year, endorsing a plan that covers a nearly $32 billion budget deficit without raiding the state's savings account.The nation's most populous state has had combined budget surpluses of well over $100 billion in the past few years, using that money to greatly expand government.But this year, revenues slowed as inflation soared and the stock market struggled. California gets most of its revenue from taxes paid by the wealthy, making it more vulnerable to changes in the economy than other states. Last month, the Newsom administration estimated the state's spending would exceed revenues by over $30 billion. How median price for a 1-bedroom apartment in SF compares to national average The budget, which lawmakers are scheduled to vote on this week, covers that deficit by cutting some spending — abou...

One dead after North San Jose motorcycle crash

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

(KRON) -- A motorcycle rider who crashed in North San Jose on June 15 has died from injuries he suffered in the crash, according to the San Jose Police Department. How a median price for a 1-bedroom apartment in SF compares to the national average Police say that the man on the motorcycle was heading east on Montague Expressway from southbound Trimble Road when he reportedly lost control of the motorcycle. He crashed as he attempted to enter a a parking lot. The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office will release the identity of the man after notifying his next of kin. Anyone with more information about this crash is asked to reach out to Detective Aldinger #4183 of the SJPD Traffic Investigations Unit at [email protected] or 408-277-4654.The man was taken to a local hospital and stabilized. However, on June 24 he died of his injuries. SJPD says this is the 22nd fatal crash and the 23rd person to die in a traffic accident in the city so far this year.

Kazakhstan Is Abusing Former Guantánamo Detainees, U.N. Report Warns

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

The United Nation’s special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, published an exhaustive investigation this week into human rights abuses at Guantánamo Bay. Following a historic visit to the detention center and interviews with current and former detainees, victims of the 9/11 attacks, and human rights lawyers, the report details delayed justice for the victims of terrorist attacks and ongoing injustice for the victims of torture.At the core of the report is the problem of inexplicable indefinite detention. “Arbitrariness pervades the entirety of the Guantánamo detention infrastructure — rendering detainees vulnerable to human rights abuse and contributing to conditions, practices, or circumstances that lead to arbitrary detention,” the report says. Life beyond Guantánamo, for some men, is just another Guantánamo. Those who cannot be repatriated are instead sent to a “third” country like Kazakhstan, where former detainees have been met with more arbi...

More than $200 billion may have been stolen from two large COVID-19 pandemic-relief programs, new watchdog report says

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than $200 billion may have been stolen from two large COVID-19 pandemic-relief programs, new watchdog report says.Source

‘Like watching a whole movie’: Bacharach & David songs celebrated at Birchmere

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

In the early 1960s, pop radio and music charts were dominated by the British Invasion and Motown.“But every now and then, these great, catchy songs would sneak in there, and invariably, they were written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David,” said Ron Newmyer, who will host a concert paying tribute to two of America’s greatest songwriters this Friday.“Burt Bacharach and Hal David were songsmiths that worked out of the Brill Building — essentially a songwriting factory in New York City — alongside other great songwriters like Carole King and Gerry Goffin,” said Newmyer.His concert production company is presenting “The Songs of Burt Bacharach & Hal David,” Friday, at The Birchmere, in Alexandria, Virginia.With Bacharach’s music and David’s lyrics, “They managed to write these two-and-a-half or three-minute songs that felt like you’d watched a whole movie, with the emotion that coursed through every one of their songs,...

15 highest-rated museums in Colorado, according to Tripadvisor

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

DENVER (Stacker) -- The first public museum was founded in 1684 at the University of Oxford. The Ashmolean Museum was founded when Elias Ashmole donated his private collection to the university in 1677. Much of that original collection is still on display, including a crystal ball, several kidney stones, and preserved, exotic animals. By creating the museum, Ashmole sought to do what all museum curators have worked for since: to create a space where people could be inspired and educated by artifacts and art from around the world. Denver museum closing ‘problematic’ North American Indian exhibit Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Colorado on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.15. South Park City MuseumRating: 5.0 / 5 (307 reviews)Address: 100 4th St, Fairplay, CO 80440-9903Read more on Tripadvisor14. Museum of the Mountain WestRating: 4.5 / 5 (389 revi...

Man arraigned on charges in connection with Newton triple homicide

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

A 41-year-old Newton man charged in connection with the deaths of three elderly people in Newton over the weekend appeared in court via Zoom Tuesday.Christopher Ferguson was ordered held without bail and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan previously announced Monday afternoon that police had arrested Ferguson in connection with the apparently random triple homicide at a home on Broadway Street.Ferguson has been charged with at least one count of murder, among other charges.Gilda D’Amore and her husband Bruno D’Amore had been scheduled to renew their wedding vows on Sunday as part of celebrations for their 50th wedding anniversary. Ryan said a friend then found the D’Amores in their home with Lucia Arpino, Gilda’s mother, after the couple did not arrive at their church as planned. Inside the D’Amores’ home, Ryan said investigators found “obvious signs of struggle” and apparent knife injuries and blunt forc...

Healey Reflects On Irish Roots In Dublin Address

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:04:00 GMT

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday was welcomed as a “hero and a trailblazer” to Ireland, on her first foreign trip in her new role.An emotional Healey addressed the Irish Senate, almost exactly 60 years to the day since President John F. Kennedy did the same.The chair of the Irish Senate, Jerry Buttimer, welcomed the governor and hailed Healey as “a person of firsts,” noting her position in history as the first woman elected governor of Massachusetts, the first member of the LGBTQI+ community elected as governor, and the first governor of Massachusetts to address the Irish Senate.Buttimer, himself a member of the LGBTQI+ community, noted that legislation decriminalizing homosexuality was passed in Ireland 30 years ago this week.“I’m personally delighted that Governor Healey is here today to mark that historic occasion in our civil rights journey,” Buttimer said. “Your presence reminds us all and should remind every boy and gir...