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Monterey County man pleads guilty to human trafficking of a minor, other exploitive crimes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

SALINAS – A Salinas man had pleaded guilty to multiple counts of exploitive crimes after engaging in an unlawful relationship with a minor for more than five months between 2021 and 2022, Monterey County District Attorney Office Jeannine Pacioni announced Thursday.Kevin Michael Chappell, 29, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to: three counts of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sex purposes; nine counts of using a minor to create sexual abuse material and two counts of dissuading a victim from reporting a crime. Chappell also pleaded guilty to multiple additional counts, including oral copulation of a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, penetration for a foreign object and child abuse.These convictions constitute two strikes under California’s Three Strikes Law.According to investigators, for just over five months – between Oct. 25, 2021 and April 1, 2022 – Chappell engaged in an unlawful relationship with a 16-year-old Jane Doe. Investigators said that during the r...

It’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season already. Guess who’s first this year?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

It’s August, and thermometer readings are rising to 90-something degrees in many parts of the country.In Irving, Texas, the headquarters of 7-Eleven, the weather forecasters are predicting another 105-degree day today, warming to 107 by Thursday.Nevertheless, the convenience store juggernaut is boldly rolling out its version of the autumn favorite — the Pumpkin Spice Latte.“We know our customers wait all year long for their favorite fall flavors … so we decided to break out the pumpkin a little bit early this year,” said Dennis Phelps, a 7-Eleven senior vice president, in announcing the calendar-busting move. “It may not quite feel like fall outside yet, but it sure can taste like fall as we enjoy the first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season.”Related ArticlesRestaurants, Food and Drink | Mike’s Diner Bar in Palo Alto faces eviction after owner paid rent one day late Restaurants, Food and Drink | Castro Valley:...

What’s behind the disappearance of squirrels from a San Jose neighborhood?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

DEAR JOAN: This is the first time I can remember that our neighborhood hasn’t been overrun with squirrels.Normally, the nuisance-y critters are busy right now running around the trees and fences and stripping the fruit trees. But I noticed today that a bumper crop of untouched nectarines is ripening on the branches of our neighbor’s tree, and their fig tree is loaded with figs.I found the mummified remains of a dead squirrel in the backyard recently, and I can’t recall the last time I saw a live squirrel.Is this happening everywhere in the area, maybe due to the cold spring we had? I’m not sorry to share some of the nectarines for once, but the disappearance of the squirrels feels odd.— Mattie, San JoseDEAR MATTIE: I can’t be certain about what happened to your neighborhood’s squirrels, but I can offer some likely possibilities.The first, and worst, is that someone in the neighborhood is trapping or poisoning the squirrels, which could be illegal. The n...

Wish You Were Here: Tokyo adventures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

After three years of staycationing, readers are taking off for vacations near and far, hiking Kauai’s Napali Coast, discovering spectacular ruins in Guatemala and exploring the islands of the Azores. And they’ve been sharing their adventures with us along the way:Wish You Were HereA trip to Japan brought Tami Brennan, left to right, Emiko Kawamoto, Kara Kolte, Nick Donaldson, Alexa Miller and Miranda Donaldson to Tokyo Tower. (Courtesy Kris Donaldson) JAPAN: Livermore residents Tami Brennan, Emiko Kawamoto, Kara Kolte, Nick Donaldson, Alexa Miller and Miranda Donaldson (left to right) are just back from an 11-day trip to Japan. The 1,092-foot Tokyo Tower “is one of many must-see sights that we visited, says Kris Donaldson.TRAVEL TIPS: “Wear comfortable shoes — most stops require lots of walking. Vending machines are a convenient way to fuel up. They offer everything from snacks to delicious meals!!”Share your travels with us! Send a photo of ...

TasteFood: Cooling off with spicy mussels

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

Looking for a simple and inexpensive summer dinner? Mussels are healthy, easy to prepare and ideal for outdoor dining. They cook in minutes, which is convenient when the weather is hot and you prefer to keep your kitchen time to a minimum.The simplest method for cooking mussels is to steam them in a broth. Use a flavorful liquid, such as white wine — or in the case of this recipe, coconut milk — to infuse the mussels with flavor while they steam. As the mollusks cook, their shells will open, releasing their sweet and briny juices into the liquid and creating a flavorful soup.This Thai-inspired recipe relies on a heady concoction of coconut milk whisked with a slurry of green curry paste and aromatics for the steaming liquid. The resulting dish is a fiery, roll-up-your-sleeves dinner — perfect for an outdoor meal where you can make a glorious finger-licking mess, with dribbles, splashes and wayward shells contributing to the table decor. Add to that, the spice in th...

Has Alameda’s new deal hacked the opposition to Bay Area housing construction?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

On the city of Alameda’s north shore, an abandoned former shipping terminal sits behind a long chain link fence. Home to a dilapidated dock, a few deteriorating buildings and a large pile of dirt, the 32-acre lot has sat empty for a decade–a small piece of forgotten local history.Known as Encinal Terminals, the empty industrial site is an anomaly in an otherwise dense and bustling community. There’s a neighborhood park just blocks away. Grocery stores and shops are found within a few miles. A protected bike lane leads right up to the fence.In a Bay Area desperate for housing and open space, it might seem odd that such prime waterfront real estate could sit empty for so long. Now, as a result of a deal brokered between the state of California and Alameda, which was just last week signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the property will finally be developed. The plan includes 589 housing units, about 15% of which will be affordable.Alameda’s housing goals require it to buil...

Voting ends for potential worker strike in San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

(KRON) -- The voting is done and 4,500 San Jose workers will let the city know if they plan to go on strike Monday morning. Angus Cloud's death not a suicide, mother says The workers are looking for a pay raise. The city is offering a five percent raise for the first year but the workers say that's not hardly enoughThe workers including 911 dispatchers, librarians, airport workers and city inspectors Right now the two sides are about 20 million dollars apart. The announcement on whether they will go on strike will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

Man arrested on suspicion of DUI after Petaluma crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

(BCN) -- Petaluma police arrested a man suspected of driving under the influence after getting involved in a four-vehicle crash and trying to evade officers in a foot chase through a residential neighborhood Sunday afternoon. Angus Cloud's death not a suicide, mother says At 5:50 p.m. Sunday, police responded to reports of a hit-and-run collision in the area of Lakeville Highway and S. McDowell Boulevard, where an SUV driven by 58-year-old Petaluma resident Charles Piezzi had reportedly rear-ended one vehicle and caused a chain reaction collision involving a total of four vehicles. As a result of the crash, one adult female was taken to the hospital because of her injuries, while a 12-year-old child was treated on the scene for minor injuries. Following the collision, the suspect reportedly drove his vehicle over a curb, parked it in a nearby parking lot and fled on foot into a nearby neighborhood, where police tracked him to the backyard of a home in the 1500 block of R...

Tyson Foods closing 4 chicken processing plants in cost-cutting move

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

Tyson Foods Inc. is closing four chicken processing plants as it looks to lower costs.The company said Monday that the plants being closed are located in North Little Rock, Arkansas; Corydon, Indiana; Dexter, Missouri and Noel, Missouri.Tyson said that it will shift production to other facilities and halt operations at the four plants in the first two quarters of fiscal 2024. The company currently estimates having $300 million to $400 million in total charges, based on a preliminary analysis. Tyson launched a plan in fiscal 2022 where it targeted $1 billion in productivity savings by the end of fiscal 2024. The company said that it realized more than $700 million of savings in fiscal 2022, which partially offset the impacts of inflationary market conditions. Tyson topped its $1 billion target in the second quarter of fiscal 2023, more than a year ahead of its plan.In May Tyson posted a surprise loss in its second quarter and cut its sales forecast due to the cost of plant closures a...

In Champions League playoffs draw Faeroe Islands club KI sees unlikely path to face soccer’s elite

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:24 GMT

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — The unlikely path of KI Klaksvík from the Faeroe Islands toward the Champions League group stage will go through Galatasaray or Olimpija Ljubljana in the playoff round which was drawn on Monday.KI has eliminated Hungary’s Ferencváros and Sweden’s Hacken to ensure it will play in one of the three men’s club competition group stages that start next month – a first for a club from the Faeroes, an isolated archipelago of islands in the Atlantic Ocean with a total population of around 50,000.On Tuesday, KI returns to action by hosting Norwegian champion Molde in the first leg of the third qualifying round, which starts after the playoff round pairings were drawn.KI or Molde will be at home in the first leg on Aug. 22 or 23 against Turkey’s Galatasaray or Slovenia’s Olimpija. The return game is on Aug. 29 or 30.At this stage of the qualifying rounds, losing teams move to the next tier down ensuring KI will eventually enter the group stage of eith...