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‘I felt much less safe at 70 mph here than going nearly twice that in Germany’: Roadshow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

Q: Thanks for printing letters from German autobahn drivers. From my 2,000-mile road trip in Germany in 2018, I completely agree that high-speed driving is safe there, and not here. They have better roads, better laws and better (more attentive) drivers. I often drove 200 kph (120 mph) with no problems, passing lots of slower cars, and being passed by lots of faster cars.Recently I drove 140 miles on Interstate 880 and other highways with their jarring potholes, no sight of slow traffic keeping right, several double-white crossings and two crazy slalom speeders. I only saw two CHP cars. I felt much less safe at 70 mph here than going nearly twice that in Germany.Doug McKenzie, BerkeleyA: Many people wrote to say they enjoyed the autobahn stories.Q: A reader referred to Germans’ “polite attitude.” I’m half German and lived there most of my childhood. “Polite” is not the word that springs to mind. “Orderly” is more like it, and if you don’t follow the rules, people around you get in y...

Map: Highway Fire evacuation in the Sierra Nevada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

Evacuation orders have been issued for a wildfire that started Wednesday in the Tahoe National Forest near Emigrant Gap.The Highway Fire was reported by Nevada County emergency officials around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, and within an hour evacuation orders were in place. As of Thursday morning, the order covered 17 square miles between Highway 20 and the South Fork Yuba River, including the community of Washington.The map above shows the mandatory evacuation order in red.On Thursday, the forest service’s fire officials estimated the burned area at 31 acres.For updates and more details, including evacuation warning areas, see:The Genasys Protect emergency map app or website (formerly Zonehaven)Nevada County sheriff’s FacebookReady Nevada CountyTahoe National Forest FacebookRelated ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Paradise deploys warning sirens as 5-year anniversary of deadly fire approaches Crashes and Disasters | 5 lightning fires contained in North...

Catholic Archdiocese sues Colorado over right to exclude LGBTQ people from universal preschool

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

The Denver Catholic Archdiocese along with two of its parishes is suing the state alleging their First Amendment rights are violated because their desire to exclude LGBTQ parents, staff and kids from Archdiocesan preschools keeps them from participating in Colorado’s new universal preschool program.The program is intended to provide every child 15 hours per week of state-funded preschool in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. To be eligible, though, schools must meet the state’s non-discrimination requirements.The Denver Archdiocese, St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton and St. Bernadette Catholic Parish in Lakewood filed suit against Lisa Roy, executive director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, and Dawn Odean, director of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program, on Wednesday.RELATED: Facing more than 500 abuse lawsuits, San Francisco Archdiocese says bankruptcy ‘very likely’The Denver Archdiocese and the Colorado Department of Early Childhood could not...

Covid-19 levels are rising but still relatively low in the US, surveillance data shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

By Deidre McPhillips | CNNFederal surveillance data suggests that Covid-19 levels are trending up in the United States, but key metrics remain well below most other points in the pandemic.Covid-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise since early July, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the first week of August, more than 10,000 people were hospitalized with Covid-19. That’s a 60% increase over the course of a month, including a 14% bump in the most recent week.REALTED: COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surgeRates are now at levels last seen in April. But weekly Covid-19 hospitalizations are still about a quarter of what they were at this time last year and lower than they were for about 90% of the pandemic.The hospitalization rate is still significantly higher for seniors than for other age groups, and the share of hospitalized patients who require time in the intensi...

High school football 2023 preview: PAL Bay Division

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

PENINSULA ATHLETIC LEAGUE BAY DIVISION(Predicted order of finish)No. 1 LOS GATOSCoach: Mark KrailRecord in 2022: 8-3What to expect: It’s a new league for Los Gatos this season as the Wildcats and longtime league mates Wilcox and Mountain View merge with Menlo-Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep and Burlingame to form a more competitive division. But just like old times, Los Gatos is the favorite to finish on top. Coach Mark Krail, now in his 11th season leading the storied program and 26th overall, has another talented roster, led by standout WR/DB Jaylen Thomas. The De Anza Division MVP last season helped the Wildcats capture the league title and receive a home game in the CCS Division I playoffs. “Very versatile player,” Krail said. “Rarely comes off the field.” Ryan Vernale is also back to lead the way in the trenches. The OL/DL, now a senior, was the De Anza lineman of the year in 2022. Another senior, LB/FB Spencer Burg, is a three-year starter on defense who received all-league honors...

Oakland city attorney won't seek reelection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

(KRON) -- The first Black woman to hold a citywide elected office in Oakland is stepping down at the end of her term.Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker announced she will not run for reelection in 2024. "I am proud of the work that I have done using the law as a powerful tool to improve our community," she said. 71-acre South Bay brush fire impacts traffic on US-101 Parker was the city's top legal advisor for the past 12 years.

Walmart’s hot sellers? Hand mixers and kitchen tools. In an era of high prices, basic is king

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart racked up another strong quarterly sales gain as its low-prices continue to attract budget conscious consumers looking for deals in a tough economic environment. The nation’s largest retailer boosted its annual outlook Thursday after reporting better-than expected second-quarter results sending shares, already up 13% this year, slightly higher at the opening bell. Walmart is among the first batch of major retailers to report results for the three-month period ended July and is considered a crucial barometer of spending, given its size and the breadth of its customer base. And the performance at the low-cost store compared with many of its peers, where sales are flagging under the weight of inflation, reveals a lot about a massive swath of U.S. consumers right now. A strong job market, rising wages and pockets of easing inflation have juiced spending by Americans. But rising energy prices, the recent resumption of student loan payments put on hold during...

A Mississippi judge declares a mistrial for 2 white men charged in an attack on a Black FedEx worker making a delivery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi judge declares a mistrial for 2 white men charged in an attack on a Black FedEx worker making a delivery.Source

After taking spending spree to $1B, Chelsea heads to West Ham ready to kick on under Pochettino

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

So, after a change of ownership, two managerial firings, three wild transfer windows and the arrival of 23 players — and counting — at a staggering cost of around $1 billion, is new-look Chelsea ready to compete for the English Premier League title again?Not yet, most would say.However, there are signs that good things might be around the corner for a club which, for the past two years, has been consumed by chaos on and off the field and rarely out of the spotlight because of its outrageously expensive squad overhaul.The record signing of Moises Caicedo and the imminent arrival of another highly rated defensive midfielder, Romeo Lavia, are likely to put the seal on another busy transfer window for Chelsea that was as interesting because of the names leaving the club as it was for those joining.Out has gone Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kai Havertz and Pier...

Stretch of Clara Barton Parkway to close for several hours Thursday for continued storm clean-up

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:04 GMT

Heads up drivers: A stretch of the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland, leading into the District will be closed for several hours Thursday.The parkway is closed from the Glen Echo turnaround to the Chain Bridge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday for debris clean-up from recent storms, the WTOP Traffic Center reported.The D.C. area has been hit with several rounds of powerful thunderstorms over the past week that have downed trees and knocked out power for many residents.A spokesperson for the National Park Service, which maintains the parkway, said crews have been clearing storm debris all week. Thursday’s closure is to clear tree debris that pose a potential hazard.Below is a map showing the general location of the closure: WTOP’s Grace Newton contributed to this report. Source