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Bay Area air-quality agency a discriminatory ‘old boys club’ hostile to minorities: lawsuit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

Racism, misogyny and anti-LGBTQ harassment permeated the public agency responsible for controlling pollution in the Bay Area, a pair of new, related lawsuits claims.Two former managers accuse the Bay Area Air Quality Management District of operating “a hostile and discriminatory ‘old boys club’ where heterosexual, White men are in charge, while others are deprived of equal opportunities and treatment.”Terri Levels and Stephen “Rex” Sanders contend in their lawsuits that the district fired them for pushing back against discrimination at the agency. Both lawsuits were filed this week in San Francisco County Superior Court by the same law firm, and contain many similar claims.In response, the district said the lawsuits contained misleading and false claims, though it did not respond to the specific allegations. “The Air District works to foster an inclusive culture and we view diversity as one of our greatest strengths,” the district said...

Will Lance or Darnold be 49ers’ QB2? We’re about to learn what Kyle Shanahan thinks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

SANTA CLARA — It turns out the three-way quarterback battle to lead the 49ers in 2023 is down to two.And that’s to determine if Kyle Shanahan’s backup to Brock Purdy is Trey Lance or Sam Darnold.Forget the fact that the 49ers once traded an obscene amount of draft capital to Miami just to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 and get Lance. Although they traded first-round picks in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and a third-round pick in 2022 for their supposed quarterback of the future, the NFL is a fast moving train.Circumstances derailed Lance’s seemingly inevitable ascension. Here we are in Year 3, with the 49ers still not exactly sure what they have in Lance to the point where they signed Darnold, a former No. 3 pick himself, as insurance.Just as they brought back Jimmy Garoppolo back as insurance a year ago because there was no way to know if Lance would thrive as an NFL starter.The 49ers have been hedging their bets with Lance ever since he joined the team.With five regul...

From trauma to triumph: What the Little League World Series means to this South Bay family

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

The tears were eight years in the making.Live on ESPN last weekend, Almaden Little League softball coach John Drake answered a simple question: What did it mean to watch his daughter, Jayda, throw the final pitch in the game that sent their team to the Little League World Series next week?Drake started to cry.“It’s everything,” he said. “It’s everything.”The interview has been viewed more than 10,000 times on the Little League’s social media pages. But the story behind those tears hasn’t been told.In 2016, Lottie Drake, John’s wife and Jayda’s mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needed a double mastectomy and heavy chemotherapy.“It came out of nowhere,” said John, 49, a special education teacher at a San Jose middle school. “It just rocked our family. The kids were so young.”Jayda was 4, Joelle was 8 and Jordyn was 13. Tommy was a newborn.There was so much to do every day. Taking the kids to school. Cooking dinner. Helping them with their homework. One of the girl...

Catholic archdiocese may declare bankruptcy over child abuse lawsuits in SF: archbishop

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

(BCN) -- The Catholic archbishop of San Francisco says the Archdiocese may seek bankruptcy protection because of claims for child sexual abuse filed against it. Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, in a letter to parishioners posted Friday on the archdiocese's website, said that a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization "is very likely." "Chapter 11 would allow the archdiocese to reorganize its financial affairs to continue its vital ministries to the faithful and to the communities that rely on our services and charity," Cordileone said. The archdiocese sold excess property and drew on insurance to pay about $68 million to about 100 plaintiffs to settle claims filed under a 2002 state law, the archbishop said. In 2019, the state lifted a statute of limitations allowing about 500 additional sexual abuse claims to be filed, he said. The bankruptcy move is coming now because "the judge assigned to us has set an imminent trial date for one of the initial cases," Cordileone said. The ...

1 dead in collision on Hwy 101 in San Jose

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

(BCN) -- The California Highway Patrol reported at least one death Friday night on U.S. Route 101 in San Jose. The state agency first reported 11:34 p.m. that a vehicle stopped on the left hand shoulder of the highway near Yerba Buena Road. Patrol officers said it was a white Hyundai Genesis. Death of Cash App founder Bob Lee ‘still stings,’ ex-wife says The southbound lane of U.S. 101 to Yerba Buena Road off-ramp was ordered closed, and a Sig-alert was issued at 11:57 p.m. A coroner has been called to the scene, the highway patrol said. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

‘Another act of senseless violence’: 2 dead, 1 injured in Northwest DC shooting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

Two men are dead and a third is injured after a shooting early Saturday morning in the Adams Morgan area, according to D.C. police.It happened in the 2500 block of Ontario Road Northwest around 1 a.m., according to Acting D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith. Both men died at the scene.“Another act of senseless violence has occurred in this area where two individuals have lost their lives and one has been transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries,” Smith said at a news conference early Saturday.A pair of vehicles, including a light blue Mercedes with tags reading “AC-666,” were seen speeding away from the scene, Smith said.Police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 202-727-9099 or text 50411.Here’s a map of the area where the shooting happened. This is a developing story. Stick with WTOP for the latest.Source

Conoce, pero no toques, el gusano invasivo tóxico que, según los expertos, se ha estado ocultando a simple vista

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

(CNN) — Son largos y delgados. Tienen cabeza de boomerang y están cubiertos de moco tóxico. Y se han estado escondiendo a simple vista en EE.UU. durante mucho tiempo.Los gusanos planos invasores cabeza de martillo tienen cabezas curvas distintivas, cuerpos rayados que varían en color desde el amarillo claro hasta el marrón oscuro, y pueden secretar tetrodotoxina, una neurotoxina que se encuentra en el pez globo y los pulpos de anillos azules.Algunas especies no miden más de una pulgada (2,5 centímetros) de largo, pero otras miden hasta 15 pulgadas (38 centímetros) de largo. Si los cortas en pedacitos, cada parte se regenerará en un gusano completo.Los gusanos son conocidos en todo el sureste de EE.UU., y con los recientes avistamientos de tiburones martillo en Washington, DC, los neoyorquinos y otros en el Corredor Noreste pueden preguntarse cuánto tiempo pasará antes de que los invasores tóxicos avancen hacia el norte.El problema es que los gusanos ya están en casa en el esta...

Denver weather: Severe storm chance with cool front

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s weather will see a cooling trend through the weekend sparking up some storms and showers.Weather today: 80s with chance of afternoon stormsDenver will stay in this pattern of morning sunshine, followed by increasing clouds in the afternoon ahead of the chance of storms in the afternoon and evening. Some could get to the severe side with strong winds and hail. Temperatures will only reach the mid-80s, which is 5 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. And continue to cool tomorrow. Looking ahead: Spotty showers, coolerSunday will be cooler in the 70s And with some showers around but not looking at a severe threat tomorrow. The week will start with more below-normal temperatures and the chance for a few showers Monday afternoon. By Tuesday, sunshine comes back in full force and will lead to a warming trend. Wednesday through Friday will reach the upper 80s, which is right in line with normal for this time of year.

France backs efforts to quash Niger coup ahead of Sunday deadline

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Saturday backed efforts to reverse a military coup in Niger, following a meeting in Paris with the African country’s Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and Niger’s Ambassador to France, Aïchatou Boulama Kané.France “firmly and resolutely supports the efforts of ECOWAS to thwart this attempted putsch,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement, referring to a group of 15 West African countries that has given the putschists in Niger until Sunday to step down or face a possible military intervention. “The future of Niger and the stability of the entire region are at stake,” the ministry said. ECOWAS issued its ultimatum after Niger’s top military officers announced on July 27 that they had overthrown the country’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021.Asked in an interview with Radio France Internationale on Saturday whether France would play a role i...

Spain thrashes Switzerland at Women’s World Cup despite bizarre own goal, while Japan beats Norway

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:07 GMT

(CNN) — Spain overcame a bizarre long-range own goal to thrash Switzerland 5-1 and advance to the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, while Japan continued to impress in a 3-1 victory over Norway.Spain defender Laia Codina’s back pass from close to the halfway line wrong-footed her goalkeeper to give Switzerland a surprise equalizer, but a brace from Aitana Bonmatí helped Spain recover and race to victory.Later on Saturday, a formidable Japan beat 1995 champion Norway in Wellington.Ingrid Syrstad Engen’s own goal gave Japan a well-deserved lead early on before Norway equalized soon after through Guro Reiten’s header.However, Japan regained the advantage thanks to Risa Shimizu’s deflected strike before Hinata Miyazawa, in the 81st minute, sealed her country’s place in the next round.Spain will next face either the Netherlands or South Africa in the quarterfinals, while Japan will take on either Sweden or the US, who play each other in Melbourne on Sunday.Overc...