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Fourth of July weekend brings unusual risks for outdoor fun-seekers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

Hordes of Bay Area residents will head to mountains, beaches, lakes and rivers this long Fourth of July weekend. A few might not come back.Tragedies in recent years and the drownings and disappearances of more than a dozen people in California rivers since mid-April highlight the risks inherent in many popular outdoor activities — risks that are running higher than normal in this unusual weather year.Emergency officials say high temperatures expected to persist at least through July 4 pose a major hazard for those venturing out for fun in the sun and will also rapidly accelerate snowmelt and boost the already severe danger from fast-flowing rivers swollen by frigid runoff from the past winter’s near-record snowpack.“What is usually one of the traditionally busiest times of the year for search-and-rescue is going to be significantly more dangerous this year,” said Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Antic...

Editorial: Kill the Delta tunnel boondoggle before it’s too late

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision Monday to concede defeat in fast-tracking the Delta tunnel raised hopes that the $16 billion boondoggle was, at long last, dead.Californians should be so lucky.This a project that has never penciled out, wouldn’t add a drop of new water to California’s supply and would be an environmental disaster for the largest estuary west of the Mississippi. Yet Newsom, like former governors Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger before him, keeps seeking ways to keep it alive. It’s the zombie water project that state officials won’t let die. Be very afraid.Newsom’s latest effort was part of an 11-bill legislative package that the governor waited until May 19 to unveil, knowing that it would move through the Legislature without the sort of scrutiny major projects such as the Delta tunnel deserve. Newsom sought to limit the timelines for environmental litigation and simplify the permitting process for the Delta tunnel, along with oth...

Opinion: Welcome end to youth prisons creates challenges for counties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

California passes a huge public policy milestone this week: the end of abusive and expensive state-run youth prisons. What comes after holds huge potential but will require sustained effort to achieve.Under Senate Bill 823 of 2020, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations’ Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is dissolved. Youth convicted of serious crimes, some up to age 25 and serving long sentences, will be sent to local county facilities. The overwhelming majority of these facilities were designed for children and teens in short-term stays.This change in policy reflects a long-term goal for advocates: to get youth out of dangerous and damaging state facilities where abuse was flagrant, rehabilitative services were few, education was failing, and costs were exorbitant (more than $400,000 per youth per year). Now many local juvenile probation departments are scrambling to assemble services, housing that is appropriate, and adequate staffing.The phrase that is app...

Dutch teenager Dilano van ’t Hoff dies after a crash at race in Belgium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Dutch teenage driver Dilano van ’t Hoff died after a crash at the Formula Regional European Championship in Belgium, organizers said Saturday.The 18-year-old MP Motorsport driver was competing in a morning race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. It was held prior to the 24 Hours of Spa race later Saturday.“Everyone associated with the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is devastated by the news that Formula Regional EU by Alpine driver Dilano van ’t Hoff lost his life in an accident during this morning’s race,” the race organizers said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and MP Motorsport.”The FREC expressed its “ sincere condolences to the family, team and friends.”A minute’s silence was held before the start of the main 24 Hours of Spa race.Motorsport’s governing body FIA also expressed its sorrow.The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is where French driver Anthoine Hubert was killed following a multi...

England takes 3 wickets but Australia leads by 313 on fourth morning at Lord’s

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

LONDON (AP) — England repaid Australia with short-ball bowling and snared three wickets to rein in the visitors on the fourth morning of the second Ashes test at Lord’s on Saturday.Overnight batters Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith, followed by Travis Head, were dismissed in a half-hour period after drinks. By lunch, Australia was 222-5 in its second innings and leading by a solid 313 runs.But England hopes were revived. The bowlers resorted to the short ball to try and break up Khawaja and Smith, who were cruising and unconcerned. They took Australia from 130-2 overnight to 187.England set the trap with six fielders behind square.The batters resisted the temptation to pull and hook until the first over after drinks, also Stuart Broad’s first over of the day.Khawaja top-edged Broad to substitute fielder Matthew Potts at fine leg. Khawaja’s 188-ball stay ended with him on 77.Head came in and was dropped, first ball, by James Anderson at gully. Anderson dropped a catch ...

French President Emmanuel Macron postpones state visit to Germany because of unrest in France, German authorities say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron postpones state visit to Germany because of unrest in France, German authorities say.Source

Fairfax Co. school employee charged with possession of child sexual abuse material

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

An employee of the public school system in Fairfax County, Virginia, was arrested on Friday and charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.Aaron Matthew Bett’s arrest comes months after an anonymous tip was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in March alleging a video with abusive content had been uploaded online, Fairfax County police said.The 32-year-old has been with Fairfax County Public Schools since September 2021, according to a Fairfax County Police Department news release. Police did not disclose Betts’ current employment status.“[He] served in roles to include working with the intramural sports program,” the department said.Officials believe the material came from the internet and that no FCPS students were involved in the incident. However, the department said it would continue investigating Betts to ensure the community’s safety.Police are asking anyone with information on this case to contact the ...

El último aviso meteorológico de las autoridades mexicanas muestra a Beatriz como tormenta tropical

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

(CNN Español) — El último aviso meteorológico de las autoridades mexicanas de Medio Ambiente en coordinación con el Servicio Meteorológico, muestra a Beatriz como tormenta tropical, desde las 3am hora local.El boletín adiverte de lluvias intensas en Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán y Nayarit.También establece que las autoridades de México, “en coordinación con el Centro Nacional de Huracanes de Miami, mantiene zona de prevención por efecto de tormenta tropical desde Manzanillo, Colima, hasta Punta Mita, Nayarit, y zona de vigilancia por efectos de tormenta tropical desde Punta Mita hasta San Blas, ambos en Nayarit, así como las Islas Marías”.¿Qué estados de México están amenazados por el huracán Beatriz y cuándo llegaría?Reitera a la ciudadanía el llamado de alerta ante la posibilidad de tormentas eléctricas, deslaves e inundaciones.Beatriz es el segundo sistema tropical que se registra en el Pacífico en la actual temporada, tras el huracán Adrián.Para esta temporada de ...

Japan crushes New Zealand to set up Asia Cup final against China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Five-time defending champion Japan produced another commanding performance at the women’s basketball Asia Cup with a heavy 88-52 defeat of New Zealand in the semifinals on Saturday.After beating Australia by 25 points in pool play earlier in the week to top the standings — and earn qualification for the Paris Olympics next year — Japan started fast and never gave New Zealand a foothold in the game.China beat Australia 74-60 in the other semifinal game with Han Xu scoring 17 points. China had narrowly led 43-41 toward the end of the third quarter.Japan and China met in the 2019 and 2021 title games. Japan won every quarter of Saturday’s match with forward Stephanie Mawuli top scoring with 17 points and six rebounds from just over 19 minutes on court, while Monica Okoye scored 16 points with five rebounds in the lopsided contest. Charlisse Leger-Walker led New Zealand with 14 points. The eight-team regional tournament doubles as qualifying for next year’s Olympics,...

Capital Caring Health provides robotic pets to veterans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:40 GMT

Capital Caring Health is leading the way in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia by providing free companion robotic pets to veterans with dementia.(Courtesy Capital Caring Facebook) Capital Caring Health is leading the way in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia by providing free companion robotic pets to veterans with dementia.(Courtesy Capital Caring Facebook) This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.It may look like a dog and it may bark like a dog, but it’s not what you would expect. One organization’s approach to mental health is taking “man’s best friend” to a n...