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California city wants to declare itself a ‘no mask and no vaccine mandate’ community

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

Huntington Beach is moving ahead to likely declare itself a “no mask and no vaccine mandate” city, preemptively taking a stand ahead of any future orders from health agencies.Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark created the proposal. After a 4-3 approval vote from the City Council, the city manager will return with a resolution at the next council meeting for formal adoption.“This is all about individual liberty and standing against government intrusion,” Van Der Mark said.Due to the spread of a new COVID-19 variant, the proposal aims to get ahead of “additional discussion of possible new broad (universal) mask-wearing mandates and pushes for vaccination boosters.”Councilmember Dan Kalmick spoke at length against the proposal, questioning why the city was making public health determinations. He added that Huntington Beach allows people to do as they please with masks and vaccines already.“There are no rumblings of mask or vaccine mandates,” Kalmick said.Related ArticlesCalifornia Polit...

Opinion: Character counts. Just ask Georgia governor Brian Kemp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

“The bottom line in the state of Georgia, as long as I’m governor, we’re going to follow the law and the constitution regardless of who it helps or harms politically,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said at a news conference Thursday.Kemp’s statement of fidelity to the law and state constitution was noteworthy, of course, for only one reason: Kemp is a Republican. The frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president is eager for fellow Republicans to break laws and shatter constitutions to shield him and his minions from the consequences of criminality, and to wreak vengeance on the forces of law and order that seek to constrain him.It was precisely such an attack on the law that inspired Kemp’s statement. MAGA legislators in the state have been searching for extra-legal means of releasing Donald Trump from a criminal indictment stemming from his efforts to overthrow the republic. Seemingly lacking faith in Trump’s claims of innocence, they have called instead for the removal of...

Kroger, Albertsons in talks to sell hundreds of stores, some in California, to supply giant C&S

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

By Crystal Tse, Michelle F. Davis and Liana Baker | BloombergC&S Wholesale Grocers — with backing from SoftBank Group Corp. — is in talks to buy grocery stores that Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. are selling to win regulatory approval for their $25 billion merger, according to people familiar with the matter.C&S, which has partnered with SoftBank for the transaction, could announce a deal as soon as this week to acquire most or all of the stores they are unloading for antitrust reasons.Kroger, which owns Ralphs in Southern California, and Albertsons said in October that they would spin off 100 to 375 stores if they couldn’t find buyers for them.It’s not clear how many stores C&S is acquiring or how much it is paying for them. A story by Reuters indicated the transition would include 400 stores in a deal worth about $2 billion. Most of the stores to be shed are in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Reuters reported, with “some” in California.SoftBank, the Japanese...

MLB places Dodgers’ Julio Urías on administrative leave ‘until further notice’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

MIAMI — Major League Baseball has placed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías on administrative leave while it investigates the incident that led to his arrest over the weekend.Urías, 27, was arrested Sunday night after leaving the MLS game between LAFC and Inter Miami CF at BMO Stadium and was booked for felony domestic violence.Urías’ administrative leave is “until further notice,” according to MLB’s statement. Administrative leave is limited to seven days unless the players’ union agrees to a longer term.“Per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, Julio Urías has been placed on Administrative Leave until further notice as MLB continues its ongoing investigation,” the statement said. “The administrative leave, which is effective immediately, is not disciplinary under the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.  We will refrain from further comment until the appropriate time.”The same process played out while MLB investigated former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer. Bau...

Former California girls basketball coach sentenced to 150 years for molesting underage athletes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

A former Orange County girls basketball coach was sentenced to 150 years to life in prison on Wednesday for sexually assaulting four female athletes between the ages of 11 and 17 years old.The former coach, Carlos Francisco Juarez, 48 and from Costa Mesa, primarily coached for club basketball teams, including the So Cal Swoosh and O.C. Mustangs. Prosecutors said he also worked at Aliso Niguel, Costa Mesa, Mater Dei and Tustin high schools.On July 18, a jury found Juarez guilty of 21 felony counts, including 10 counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14. Juarez is accused of coaching each of his four victims between 2005 and 2010, the Orange County District Attorney’s office said in a statement.Jurors also heard evidence related to two other alleged victims who testified to bolster the prosecution’s claim of a pattern of targeting, grooming and attacking girls.“This coach was in a position of trust and authority over these young girls and he took advantage of them. Youth sports should...

California Target evacuated after fire in children’s department

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

Employees and customers at a Target in Buena Park were evacuated on Tuesday evening after a fire broke out in the store.At around 7:15 p.m., firefighters with the Orange County Fire Authority and Anaheim Fire & Rescue responded to the Target on 7530 Orangethorpe Ave. Upon arriving, first responders found a light haze of smoke from the fire, which had been extinguished by the sprinkler system inside, OCFA Battalion Chief Erik  Miranda told OnScene TV news in an interview.Video footage from OnScene.TV shows flames bursting towards the ceiling from a rack of clothing inside the children’s section, where several pieces of merchandise were later found burnt. The video also shows an individual attempting to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation Wednesday and the store remained closed after the fire.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Former California girls basketball coach sentenced to 150...

Man wanted in nationwide jewelry thefts arrested after California heist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

A man wanted in a series of nationwide jewelry thefts was arrested this month after the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said he ran off with a $30,000 item from a Temecula store on Aug. 28.Jason Adam Warren, a 29-year-old Florida resident, had warrants out for his arrest after he was linked to thefts totaling $250,000 outside of California, a sheriff’s news release said.“It is believed Warren is responsible for several other jewelry thefts in Southern California,” the release added.The Temecula theft happened around 10:10 a.m. at a business in the 40800 block of Winchester Road near the Promenade Mall. The Sheriff’s Department did not identify the store. Investigators said a man entered and asked to see an expensive piece of jewelry. When an employee handed it to the man, he fled, the release said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Flash mob summer: How can retail theft stampedes be stopped? Crime and Public Safety | San Mateo: Theft suspects ...

3 charged with murder in botched robbery at Southern Californian scenic overlook

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed murder charges against three men who allegedly robbed and killed a driver parked at a scenic overlook along the Angeles Crest Highway in late July.The men, Luis Ventura, 24, Marco Antonio Hernandez, 18, and Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez, 21, were each charged with two counts of robbery and one count of murder for the July 22 slaying of Jessie Munoz, 32, during a botched robbery.Prosecutors have asked for $2.1 million in bail for each.“The heinous actions that led to the robbery and murder of Mr. Jessie Enrique Munoz is an appalling and reprehensible display of disregard for human life,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to Mr. Munoz’s family and friends who are coping with the pain of this senseless act, including his female companion who also was a victim of robbery at the time of this crime. We will work tirelessly to hold these three individuals accountable for their actions.”Alva...

Inmate ‘crab-walked’ up a wall topped with razor wire to escape Philadelphia prison, official says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA and BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI | Associated PressA murderer made a brazen escape from a suburban Philadelphia jail yard by scaling a wall, climbing over razor wire and jumping from a roof in a breakout that wasn’t detected by guards for a full hour, authorities said Wednesday as the killer eluded a widening manhunt for a seventh day.The timeline and details of Danelo Cavalcante’s escape — including that he got out using the same route another prisoner took in May — were released as police from various agencies flooded a search zone of increasingly worried residents. A tower guard on duty during the breakout was put on leave as part of the escape investigation.The escape and search have attracted international attention and became big news in Cavalcante’s native Brazil. The main newspaper in Rio de Janeiro ran a lengthy story Wednesday with the headline “Dangerous hide-and-seek.”Howard Holland, the acting warden of the Chester County Prison, played a security video at a n...

Sexton back from suspension and Van der Flier benched for Ireland’s Rugby World Cup opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:07:44 GMT

BORDEAUX, France (AP) — Top-ranked Ireland begins its bid to win the Rugby World Cup for the first time with flyhalf Jonathan Sexton back from suspension and flanker Josh van der Flier, the reigning world player of the year, given a rest for the team’s opening pool match against Romania on Saturday.Sexton has served a three-match suspension for aggressive behavior toward match officials at Leinster’s loss to La Rochelle in the European Cup final in May and comes straight back into Andy Farrell’s team as captain.Van der Flier will start among the reserves for what should be the easiest of the four Pool B matches for the Irish while there was no Mack Hansen in the matchday squad, with Keith Earls starting instead on the wing.Ireland is missing three forwards because of injury — hooker Dan Sheehan and back rower Jack Conan (both foot) and prop Dave Kilcoyne (hamstring).Joe McCarthy is one of six in the team making a World Cup debut and slots in the second row, with Ta...