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Barabak: Feinstein won’t ever quit the Senate. Just ask her biographer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

Other than family and close friends, few people have a longer history with Dianne Feinstein or a better understanding of California’s ailing U.S. senator than Jerry Roberts.The former political writer and newspaper editor — now host of Santa Barbara’s singular broadcast “Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts” — first covered Feinstein nearly 50 years ago.She was on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors; Roberts was a reporter for the city’s alternative paper, the Bay Guardian.In 1994, he published the biography “Dianne Feinstein: Never Let Them See You Cry.” It remains a must-read for students of the 89-year-old lawmaker, who faces intense pressure to quit amid doubts about her mental and physical health and capacity to do her job in the Senate.Our conversation about Feinstein, past and present, has been edited for length and clarity.Start with a few words to describe the senator.Tough. Independent. Persistent. Courageous. Driven.She’s had a remarkable career. But her life hasn’t always be...

Would you make a ‘good’ lottery winner?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

“If I won the lottery, I’d…fill in the blank.”Many of you immediately can fill that blank quickly, as this is often a fun topic of conversation. And each time I overhear the discussion, it starts with, “Well, I think I could manage differently than those horror stories of lottery winners you hear about!”The confidence is optimistic. In fact, the dark underbelly of sudden winnings can be disastrous.Three of the biggest tragedies people report after receiving significant windfalls are the demise of previously good relationships, the sudden occurrence of frivolous lawsuits on the part of others and the rise of scams presented to them disguised as great investments. Add to this the dilemma of not being familiar with handling larger sums of money, and the dream of winning the lottery pales.So, if you do win the lottery or come into an unexpected windfall, how should you approach things so that you don’t become another casualty?In three previous columns, you’ve read about ways to safeguar...

Opinion: State funding is crucial for helping foster children thrive

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

Children enter foster care due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. This can be a severely traumatic event having a lasting negative impact. Children are being removed from their family through no fault of their own. Sadly, many families are not reunified, leaving children who enter foster care with few alternatives including remaining in the system until they age out. In California, 40% of youth in foster care experience homelessness within 18 months of leaving the system, and 40% are unemployed by age 24. This is alarming but not surprising given the level of trauma these youth have endured.In Santa Clara County, the number of children entering foster care has decreased as a result of the policy to offer prevention services that focus on keeping children safely with their families to avoid the trauma that results when children are removed. With measures in place to keep families together, children who now enter foster care have undoubtedly suffered severe trauma.Although the number o...

Castro Theater holds memorial for drag icon Heklina

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Friends, family and fans are set to gather Tuesday afternoon for a massive public memorial service to honor drag icon Heklina at the Castro Theater in San Francisco. Heklina unexpectedly passed away in April in London.The 1,400-seat theater is expected to be bursting with mourners during the service set to begin around noon and end around midnight. The celebration is expected to spill out of the theater onto the streets causing some road closures.Market Street and 18th Street will be closed from around noon to midnight. Muni Bus lines 24 and 25 will also adjust to go around the area for the celebration.The theater will still be open to those who previously purchased tickets starting at around 7 p.m.Heklina was in London performing "Mommie Queerest." Her death shocked not only San Francisco but the U.S., as she was one of the pioneers in drag performance. She was a mainstay in the local drag community and a frequent guest on KRON4’s “Live In the Bay."

How a big mass timber structure in DC is drawing budding entrepreneurs

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

The Retail Village at Sycamore & Oak for Black business owners and entrepreneurs will open next month in D.C.’s Congress Heights and its first participants have moved in. (Courtesy Congress Heights Community Training & Development Corporation)A unique incubator for Black business owners and entrepreneurs will open next month in D.C.’s Congress Heights neighborhood and its first participants have moved in.The Retail Village at Sycamore & Oak (named for its location) is set up to mentor, train and grow Black-owned retail and food concepts that originate in the community with low-cost space and rent abatement, business coaching, marketing support and financing assistance.It will also create about 100 local jobs.The building itself is unique. It’s a 23,000-square foot structure constructed of mass timber, and it’s the largest free-standing building of its kind in the District. It was designed by David Adjaye, the architect who designed the National Mu...

Tips for growing herbs (you don’t even need a garden)

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

Culinary herbs are among the easiest plants you can grow. They only need sunlight, water, and well-draining soil with a neutral pH.You don’t even need a garden. Many herbs, such as rosemary, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, oregano and mint will grow well in containers. In fact, mints should only be grown in containers, unless you don’t mind a garden takeover. To get started, test your soil. Buy a pH test kit online or at your local garden center and follow the instructions. A reading of 7.0 is ideal, but anything between 6.0 and 7.5 is generally acceptable for growing herbs. If the soil tests lower, add garden lime to raise it. If it’s too high, add elemental sulfur to lower it. Follow package directions for dosages and instructions.If growing herbs in containers, use a potting mix intended for edibles. The package label should include information about its pH level.Select a site that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. If your garden has sandy or heavy clay soil, inc...

Germany shuts out France 5-0 to clinch spot in quarterfinals at ice hockey world championships

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — Germany shut out France 5-0 in its final group game on Tuesday to clinch a place in the quarterfinals at the ice hockey world championship. John Peterka a goal and an assist and goaltender Mathias Nederberger stopped 13 shots for the shutout as Germany finished fourth in Group A with 12 points.The Germans will next face Group B winner Switzerland.Slovakia kept its quarterfinal hopes alive by beating Norway 4-1 in Riga, Latvia. Slovakia is tied for fourth in Group B with co-host Latvia, which takes on Switzerland later Tuesday. The United States and Sweden face off later for the top spot in Group A and co-host Finland plays Denmark. In Group B, Canada takes on the Czech Republic. __More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Eagle Point: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) — GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) — Eagle Point Credit Co. (ECC) on Tuesday reported profit of $20.1 million in its first quarter.On a per-share basis, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based company said it had profit of 35 cents. Earnings, adjusted for investment gains, were 32 cents per share.The management investment company posted revenue of $31.9 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ECC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ECCSource

Arrojan a un niño de cuatro años sobre la barrera fronteriza en San Diego, California

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

(CNN) — Un video de vigilancia captó el momento en que un niño de cuatro años fue arrojado desde la barrera fronteriza en San Diego el lunes 15 de mayo alrededor de las 9:05 p.m. hora local, por alguien que entraba ilegalmente al país, según un comunicado de prensa de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés).El incidente ocurrió a unos 800 metros al este del puerto de entrada de San Ysidro, y los primeros socorristas que se encontraban en el lugar prestando ayuda al niño herido de 4 años recibieron disparos, según la CBP.Niña migrante que falleció bajo custodia de las autoridades fronterizas fue diagnosticada con influenzaA 4-year-old was dropped from the border barrier by an unknown subject in San Diego, Monday. Responding Agents and EMS providing first aid to the child also reported gunshots near their position while tending to the child. Remarkably, the child is ok! Do not trust smugglers! pic.twitter.com/MlOp2qka72— Chief Raul Ortiz...

Denver ranks in top 10 places people looking to leave

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- People are continuing to look to exit Colorado and Denver more than they are looking to move here.The most recent report from national real estate brokerage Redfin is the second in a row that records Denver among the nation's top 10 areas people are looking to move away from. Redfin calculates this by comparing the number of people searching to for homes inside Denver from somewhere else to the number looking for homes outside of Denver from within it. When will the hazy skies get clearer? There were 3,900 more people looking to leave Denver than enter it between February and April this year. Between January and March this year, there were 4,200 more looking to leave than enter. Denver's would-be population loss is the nation's eighth-highest. San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. together have nearly 100,000 more people looking to move than enter. The trend is also continuing for Colorado itself, not just its capital. There were over 3,0...