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Letters: Bee-killing pesticide | DA’s reform | Antioch positives | PG&E rates | Israel lacks choices

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.State should end useof bee-killing pesticideEspecially in California, it can often be easy to take a bountiful agricultural sector for granted. However, with the decline of animal pollinators, the future we leave our children may not be so simple.Over the past year, commercial beekeepers nationally have lost about 39% of the colonies they manage. These bees are essential for regional and national food production. Locally, bee decline risks staples of Californian agriculture such as almonds and grapes.This cannot continue unabated. I’m calling for a ban on the needless use of neonicotinoid pesticides for lawns and landscaping. California nearly passed AB 2146 last year before Gov. Newsom vetoed the measure. The proposal isn’t radical — six other states have passed similar legislation — but would have a real impact on bee populations in California.Gov. Newsom must help keep California ecologica...

Denied an abortion, woman tells senators she ‘nearly died on their watch’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

By Jacqueline Howard and Tierney Sneed | CNNA woman who is suing the state of Texas after being denied an abortion told lawmakers Wednesday that not receiving abortion care harmed her mental health and might prevent her from having children in the future.Addressing her senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Amanda Zurawski said her “horrific” experience was a result of policies they support. “I nearly died on their watch,” she said.“We’ve heard a lot today about the mental trauma and the negative harmful effects on a person’s psychological well-being after they have an abortion, supposedly, and I’m curious why that’s not relevant for me as well,” Zurawski said in the hearing of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the impact of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.“Because I wasn’t permitted to have an abortion and the trauma and the PTSD and the depression that I have dealt with in the eight mo...

Santa Clara County looks to make Cupertino quarry’s decision to end cement production legally binding

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

In the wake of  Lehigh Hanson’s announcement last year that it was ending cement production at its quarry west of Cupertino, Santa Clara County is looking to make the decision to permanently end the nearly-century-old cement kiln’s operations legally binding.Lehigh, which has played a large role in construction projects across the Bay Area since 1939, has been a point of contention in recent years as residents and environmentalists have spoken out with concerns about the noise and pollution emitted from the plant.The Irving, Texas-based company announced last year that it wouldn’t be restarting cement production after not having operated the kiln since April 2020. However, the site would still be used as a distribution center.Last week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to hold the company to its word and asked the county’s attorneys to negotiate a legally enforceable agreement between the county and the cement company.Supervisor Joe Simitian,...

Letters: Transit funding | HSR cost | Israeli violence | New high court | Gun access

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Persistence, partnerspay off in transit fundingRe: “S.J. transit project gets $46M in funding” (Page A1, April 25).This week’s news from Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin that our state is investing $46 million toward our Eastside Light Rail extension culminates 25 years of passion, persistence and partnerships.In 2000, our “Measure A” provided $250 million and our 2018 “Regional Measure 3” also allocated funds. I had the pleasure and responsibility to lead both of those ballot campaigns, supported by our visionary voters to make this possible. Kudos to leaders like Rep. Zoe Lofgren, state Sen. Dave Cortese, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and my former organization the Silicon Valley Leadership Group for championing those campaigns with their reputations, resources and resolve. As vice chair of the California ...

Surveillance video captures moments after 15-month-old baby shot in Oakland

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

(KRON) -- After several deadly shootings were reported in Oakland over the weekend, a 15-month-old baby was shot in Oakland on Monday night. Attorney says ex-SF Fire Commission attacked homeless people with bear spray A family driving through Oakland was caught in the crossfire of a shooting on International Boulevard on Monday. Though their baby was crying after the shooting, the family did not initially know that she had been injured. After they returned home, the baby's father discovered she had been shot in the stomach. She was rushed to a fire station nearby and later taken to a children's hospital for surgery. Police say she is now in stable condition. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KRON4 Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Surveillance video obtained by KRON4 f...

Students disarm classmate with BB gun on Pittsburg elementary school playground

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

(KRON) -- After a student brought a BB gun to an East Bay elementary school on Wednesday, classmates disarmed the student on the playground, the Pittsburg Police Department confirmed to KRON4. Video captures moments after baby was shot in Oakland Parents of students at Highlands Elementary School in Pittsburg faced a parent's nightmare when they received word that a student had "what looked like a weapon" on campus Wednesday afternoon. Students on the playground reportedly saw their classmate with a BB gun, and they took it from them, according to PPD. The administration at Highlands Elementary School says teachers were informed by students that a child had a weapon after recess. The staff moved all students into classrooms with teachers for safety and contacted the Pittsburg Police Department, according to a note sent home to parents. KRON On is streaming now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-c...

2 narcotics arrests made in SF's Tenderloin after seizure of fentanyl, over $10K cash

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Two narcotic-related arrests were made in the Tenderloin on Tuesday, the San Francisco Police Department said on Twitter. Between the two arrests, fentanyl, methamphetamine, pills and over $10,000 in cash were recovered by police. Fentanyl Hotspots: This part of SF has a problem The earlier arrest announced on social media was made on the 700 block of Eddy Street. After executing a search warrant in Oakland, SFPD seized 4,997 grams of fentanyl, 81 grams of meth and $10,300 in cash.The second arrest was made after officers conducted a "spotting operation," leading to an arrest for possession of narcotics for sale. SFPD did not say where specifically this arrest was made. Police recovered 568.8 grams of suspected narcotics and 20.6 grams of suspected alprazolam pills. The drugs seized in the earlier arrest are pictured on the left. Items discovered from the second arrest are pictured on the right.(San Francisco Police Department)(San Francisco Police Departme...

Student was told to eat his own vomit with a spoon as staffers watched, police say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (WXIN) – Staffers at an elementary school in Brownsburg, Indiana are now facing criminal charges after investigators say they told a 7-year-old student to eat his own vomit and failed to report the incident.The Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office filed criminal charges against five staff members in connection with the incident in which a special education student was mistreated during lunch. Brownsburg Community School Police learned about the incident on April 12, although it occurred during a lunch period in February, according to the investigation.The prosecutor’s office identified the staff members and charges as:Brown Elementary Life Skills teacher Sara Seymour, 27; neglect of a dependent as a Level 6 felony, and failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.Brown Elementary Life Skills instructional aide Debra Kanipe, 63; neglect of a dependent as a Level 6 felony, and failure to report, a Class B misdemeanor.Brown Elementary Life Skills teacher Julie Taylor, 48; ...

Ex-UCLA gynecologist sentenced to 11 years in sex abuse case

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison for sexually abusing female patients, in a criminal trial that came after the university system made nearly $700 million in lawsuit payouts connected to the case.Dr. James Heaps, 66, has been in custody since a jury convicted him in October of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of two patients.After sentencing Heaps, Judge Michael D. Carter also ordered him to register as a sex offender, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.Heaps, a longtime UCLA campus gynecologist, had pleaded not guilty to 21 felony counts in the sexual assaults of seven women between 2009 and 2018. The jury found him not guilty of seven of the 21 counts and were deadlocked on the remaining charges.He was indicted in 2021 on multiple counts each of sexual battery by fraud, sexual exploitation of a patient and sexual pe...

Northfield: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:04:48 GMT

WOODBRIDGE, N.J. (AP) — WOODBRIDGE, N.J. (AP) — Northfield Bancorp Inc. (NFBK) on Wednesday reported profit of $11.7 million in its first quarter.The Woodbridge, New Jersey-based company said it had net income of 26 cents per share.The holding company for Northfield Bank posted revenue of $53.3 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $38.2 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NFBK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NFBKSource