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California’s budget deficit increases to $68 billion

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

California’s budget deficit has skyrocketed to $68 billion mainly due to months of unexpectly low tax revenues, according to a new analysis from the Legislative Analyst’s Office released on Thursday.The latest deficit figure far exceeds the $14.3 billion estimate from June, according to Politico. The shortfall could potentially lead “Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers to make spending cuts on a scale that few term-limited elected officials in Sacramento have faced” during the next legislative year, the report said. California to spend $300 million to clear homeless encampments near highways “California Faces a Serious Deficit,” the report from the Legislative Office said. “While addressing a deficit of this scope will be challenging, the Legislature has a number of options available to do so. In particular, the Legislature has reserves to withdraw, one‑time spending to pull back, and alternative approaches for school funding to consider.”The LAO report forecasts a $4 billion drop in ...

Desperation grows among Palestinians as Hamas, Israel battle

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

By Wafaa Shurafa, Kareen Chehayeb and Lee Keath | Associated PressDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Desperation grew Thursday among Palestinians largely cut off from supplies of food and water as Israeli forces engaged in fierce urban battles with Hamas militants. Strikes in the southern Gaza town of Rafah sowed fear in one of the last places where civilians could seek refuge.United Nations officials say there are no safe places in Gaza nearly a week after Israel widened its offensive into the southern half of the territory. Heavy fighting in and around the city of Khan Younis has displaced tens of thousands of people and cut most of Gaza off from aid deliveries. More than 80% of the territory’s population has already fled their homes.Two months into the war, the grinding offensive has triggered renewed international alarm. U.N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used a rarely exercised power to warn the Security Council of an impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza ...

‘Love Has Won’ documentary drew attention to Colorado cult. But does it make light of cult dangers?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

A documentary series on the Love Has Won cult, which was based in Colorado until its leader died in 2021, is bringing increased attention to its bizarre teachings about 5D ascensions, galactic communications from Robin Williams and the dangerous use of colloidal silver to cure diseases.But a group working to expose the cult’s falsehoods and rescue those trapped in it says the documentary fell short in debunking the myths and explaining how dangerous cults truly are.Amanda Ray, whose brother escaped Love Has Won after becoming entangled in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, said there were missed opportunities to show how abusive Amy Carlson, who led Love Has Won and called herself Mother God, was toward her followers.“It really was a documentary that shared the stories of the current followers just a few weeks after Amy passed,” Ray said. “They were victims of mind control. We felt there was a big missed opportunity.”“There were a lot of people whose lives were destroyed by Amy.”...

Two dead, another critically injured, after head-on crash in San Pablo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

SAN PABLO — Two people died and a third was critically injured early Thursday after a head-on crash on a major thoroughfare, authorities said.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Authorities identify driver who slammed into disabled pickup truck on I-680 Crashes and Disasters | Woman piloting speeding SUV dies after chain-reaction crash in Oakland city traffic Crashes and Disasters | One dead in East Bay crash on Interstate 680 Crashes and Disasters | Walmart employee arriving to work hits, kills woman in Mountain View store’s foggy parking lot Crashes and Disasters | Daly City woman pleads no contest to felony charges connected to fatal collision that killed her car’s passenger The crash happened about 12:40 a.m. on El Portal Drive near Glenlock Street.San Pablo police spokesperson Peggy Chou said the early investigation indicated that the man and woman were in a silver BMW that was...

Watch: Baby giraffe at Oakland Zoo struggles to drink from pond

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

We've all got to start somewhere! Kendi's learning how to position her long legs while getting a drink of water at ground level. While she wasn't successful this time, she's a quick learner pic.twitter.com/fkIyfqiI00— Oakland Zoo (@oakzoo) November 23, 2023Kendi, the first giraffe born at the Oakland Zoo in 11 years, is taking baby steps in learning how to drink water. Standing 6’5 tall on a motte, her long, shaky legs are not helping matters.The trick is to spread their front feet like a V, Amy Phelps, zoological manager, told CNN. And luckily the six-week-old is a quick learner.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies giraffes as critically endangered, and the Oakland Zoo is hoping to bring appreciation and awareness to the species.You can check out how Kendi’s doing on the zoo’s live giraffe cam.Kendi, a female baby giraffe born on Oct. 19, hangs out with her mom Kijiji in their habitat at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif....

In which Bay Area cities do most people speak a language other than English at home?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

As people sit down for dinner in Milpitas, two out of three of them are speaking something other than English when they ask for seconds.No other city in the Bay Area has such a high percentage of residents who come home and share the highlights and struggles of their day in another language.That’s according to a new round of data released Thursday from the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey on the country’s households.Perhaps, not surprisingly, California is the state with the largest proportion of people who speak a language other than English at home — 44% of all residents 5 and older. Texas comes in second with 35%.In the Bay Area, the percentage is 43%, twice the national rate. In eight Bay Area cities, more than half of the residents speak another language at home, according to the estimates, based on survey responses over five years from 2018 to 2022.Nowhere stood out more than the South Bay city of Milpitas, where 45% of residents 5 and olde...

Palisades Tahoe gets 15 inches of snow overnight

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

(KRON) -- They say when it rains in the Bay Area this time of year, it snows in Tahoe, and this week was no exception. Over 15 inches of new snow fell on the upper mountain of Palisades Tahoe over the past 24 hours, according to a resort spokesperson.The resort said it is expecting more, but at the moment, its terrain offerings remain the same. Alameda County supervisors ask Oakland A’s to pay for Coliseum "The new snow will definitely help us as we aim to expand and get more of the mountain open," the spokesperson said.(Photo: Palisades Tahoe)(Photo: Palisades Tahoe)(Photo: Palisades Tahoe)(Photo: Palisades Tahoe)As a result of this week's snow, chain control is in effect on Interstate 80 over the Donner Summit, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP also said that more snow is on the way."Don't let the blue skies fool you as we are expecting another fast-moving storm this afternoon with more snow on its way," the CHP posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Ex-pilot Joseph Emerson released from jail, allowed to return home to Bay Area

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- It's been a long, dramatic journey home for pilot Joseph Emerson. On Thursday, the 44-year-old Pleasant Hill man was granted freedom from custody in Oregon. A federal judge and a Multnomah County judge allowed the pilot to return home to the Bay Area, KOIN reported.The judges' rulings were made with several pre-trial release conditions, including: Do not fly home and do not use "magic mushrooms." Emerson's wife, Sarah, agreed to drive him home to Pleasant Hill."We’re so excited. My kids are really happy. We want to have dad back. He’s happy to be able to come home. And yes, he’s doing well," Sarah told KPTV in Oregon. "I married him because he was sensitive and caring and kind."On October 22, the former Alaska Airlines pilot boarded a flight in Washington to travel home to his family in the Bay Area. He was sitting in one of the cockpit's extra seats when he tried to cut off the jet's engine fuel mid-flight, prosecutors said. Horizon Air Flight AS 2059 was "s...

San Francisco police looking for missing 14-year-old girl

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The San Francisco Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating a missing 14-year-old girl. Audrey Nguyen was last seen on Monday, Dec. 4 in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood.She is 14 years of age, five feet tall and weighs 115 pounds, according to SFPD. She is described as multi-racial (Asian, white) with dark brown eyes and hair. Ex-pilot Joseph Emerson released from jail, allowed to return home to Bay Area She was last see wearing a white Essentials hoodie, pajama pants and Ugg boots. Other identifying characteristics include braces, a slit in her left eyebrow and a faded "50" tattoo on her index finger.Photo: SFPDAnyone with any information related to Audrey's whereabouts is asked to contact SFPD at (415) 378-0420.

Petaluma Starbucks becomes 31st California location to unionize 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:00 GMT

(KRON) – The downtown Petaluma Starbucks location is now the 31st Starbucks to join Starbucks Workers United with a unanimous vote (12-0). "We're so grateful to our partners and community for supporting us through this journey and victory,” said Sol Helm, who has worked at the downtown Petaluma Starbucks for six years. “To us, unionizing is bigger than our store alone – it sends a message of support to every Starbucks partner, our local communities, and all fellow workers. Billion-dollar companies need to show up for the people who work for the money in their pockets. I'm excited to be a part of that movement.” What’s the difference between coffee and espresso? The Starbucks Workers United is a union group of Starbucks baristas with the purpose of "organizing together for justice, fighting for improvements on core issues including respect, living wages, racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling." According to the federal administrative law judges, Starbucks has committed more ...