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Opinion: Speaker Rendon made California Assembly more democratic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

Anthony Rendon stepped aside as Assembly speaker on Friday after more than six years on the job.Just two people have held the position longer in the modern full-time Legislature — Jesse “Big Daddy” Unruh, who ruled the Assembly for more than seven years in the 1960s, and Willie Brown, who earned the nickname “Ayatollah of the Assembly” for his nearly 15 years at the helm.But unlike those two larger-than-life figures with nicknames to back it up, Rendon leaves behind a legacy that isn’t centered on a singular cult of personality. Instead, he’s done something you rarely see from politicians: He relinquished his own authority and put it into the hands of his colleagues.For those who know Rendon, this leadership style isn’t too surprising. Unlike many politicians, he has a general disdain for glad-handing lobbyists and donors at evening receptions, instead opting to spend his limited free time with his wife and young daughter, reading or watching an obscure European soccer match.B...

Fire crews respond to nearly 60 fires in Contra Costa County during July 4 celebrations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

(KRON) – The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District responded to 58 fires overnight on July 4. Fifty of those fires are suspected to be caused by fireworks, officials said.In the 11 p.m. hour, Con Fire responded to 10 fires with all likely being caused by fireworks. One person had a serious injury to their hand due to fireworks, officials said.(Photo: Con Fire)In the 10 p.m. hour, firefighters responded to 19 grass and exterior fires along with two structure fires. Officials said three of the fires are known to have been caused by fireworks with the other 16 fires being suspected as firework-starters. (Photo: Con Fire)At 10:53 p.m., Con Fire responded to a two-story house on fire in the 1500 block of Fieldcrest Drive in Pleasant Hill. Fire crews reported a heavy fire involvement. According to the neighbors in the area, there was an explosion followed by the fire. Con Fire contained a one-acre vegetation fire on Holub Lane in Antioch at 10:28 p.m. In the 9 p.m. h...

Five shot in Hayward on 4th of July

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

(KRON) -- Multiple people were shot in Hayward on Tuesday night, the Hayward Police Department confirmed to KRON4.Hayward police responded to the 400 block of Ranker Place and found five people who were shot. The victims were rushed to the hospital. Police could not confirm the severity of each of the victim's injuries. Dozens of people were outside at the time of the shooting. As of Wednesday morning, there were no fatalities and no suspects in custody. This is a developing story. Stick with KRON4 for updates.

2 dead, 1 hurt after three-vehicle crash on I-95; northbound lanes closed in Stafford Co.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

Listen to WTOP Traffic on the 8s for the latest on the roads.Northbound lanes on Interstate 95 are closed in Stafford County, Virginia, after a three-vehicle crash left two people dead and another person injured Wednesday morning.The crash, which involved a tractor-trailer, happened at the 136-mile marker at around 4:45 a.m., according to Virginia State Police.All northbound lanes have been closed for hours as police investigate. Traffic is being moved off the interstate near the Centreport Parkway.The closure is causing significant delays from Stafford County to Fredericksburg, and WTOP Traffic is recommending drivers avoid the area.Police didn’t say the condition of the person who was injured or offer details about what caused the collision.This is a developing story. Stick with WTOP for the latest.Source

English men’s soccer has its first female head coach as Hannah Dingley takes over at Forest Green

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — While women’s soccer is growing in popularity in the U.K., opportunities for women in the men’s game remain few and far between. That changed this week when Forest Green Rovers became the first professional soccer team in England to appoint a female head coach.Hannah Dingley, who was already in charge of the fourth division club’s academy, has been made caretaker head coach following the departure of Duncan Ferguson on Tuesday. “It’s perhaps telling for the men’s game that in making this appointment on merit, we’ll break new ground – and Hannah will be the first female head coach in English (men’s) football,” Forest Green chairman Dale Vince said. Dingley was already the only woman in charge of a men’s English Football League academy. And while no timeframe has been put on her interim appointment, it is a chance for her to make her mark as a manager. “I’m really excited for this next step of my career,” she said. “Pre-se...

Do you really need ‘morning coffee?’ It may be a placebo, researchers say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

New research is trying to determine whether the effects of a first cup of coffee are dependent on caffeine, or if the experience of sipping coffee is what makes drinkers ready to tackle the day.While many people say they’re not able to function until they’ve had the caffeine in their morning coffee, Portuguese scientists set out to learn whether the wakefulness comes from the caffeine itself, or the physical action of drinking coffee.“There is a common expectation that coffee increases alertness and psychomotor functioning,” said Professor Nuno Sousa of the University of Minho, corresponding author of the study in “Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.”According to the research, based on MRI scans, participants who drank a cup of coffee and those who ingested caffeine in other methods, were equally alert.However, the portions of the brain that control “feeling motivated” — including working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed behavior — w...

Storm Poly lashes the Netherlands and parts of Germany, causing 2 deaths and canceled flights

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A powerful summer storm lashed the Netherlands and parts of Germany on Wednesday, killing at least two people, blowing trees onto houses and forcing one of Europe’s busiest airports to cancel or delay hundreds of flights.The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute issued its highest-level alert in three provinces as Storm Poly hit the country with heavy rain and powerful winds. One gust, on the coast west of Amsterdam, was recorded at just over 145 kilometers per hour (90 mph), the institute said. The alert level was scaled back early in the afternoon as the storm headed northeast and weakened.Dutch media showed pictures of uprooted trees and wind-blown debris littering streets in Amsterdam, The Hague and the city of Haarlem as the storm barreled through during the normally busy morning rush hour.A woman was killed in Haarlem when a tree fell on a car, police spokesperson Nina Moers said. In Amsterdam, a tree fell on a houseboat moored in one o...

The unsung pawpaw is a delicious, low-maintenance, native N. American fruit tree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

Looking to plant something unusual, easy to grow and exotically delicious? Let me introduce you to Asimina triloba, the pawpaw tree. Also known as Hoosier banana, poor man’s banana and false banana, the sadly underused fruit tree will transport you to the tropics, its 12-by-5-inch, droopy, dark green leaves swaying in the breeze. Except it isn’t tropical at all. The pawpaw is a North American native.Found growing wild from southern Ontario and Michigan east to western New York and south to Texas and Florida, pawpaws are hardy in horticultural zones 4-8 or 5-9, depending on the variety. The small, pyramid-shaped trees top out at about 25 feet tall, love humidity and are highly frost-tolerant.Odd-smelling maroon blossoms reminiscent of fermented grapes cover the branches in spring, followed by clusters of heavy, 3-to-5-inch-long fruits that look like mangoes. In autumn, the trees’ vibrant yellow or gold foliage will brighten your landscape. And deer tend to avoid them.The pawpaw is ab...

Person wanted for killing, dumping body of large bull elk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is working to identify a person connected to a poaching case. The suspect allegedly killed a bull elk and dumped the carcass in Park County.CPW said the large bull elk was shot sometime between June 24-26 in the area between Como and Hartsel. The small communities are south of Breckenridge and Keystone. Originally, CPW rangers were called about a bull elk carcass that had been dumped alongside Pike National Forest Road 146, which is east of the Buffalo subdivision. According to rangers, the elk had been shot with a high-power rifle. ‘Nuisance’ mountain lion relocated after multiple incidents in Pagosa Springs Only the meat along the spine had been removed from the elk before it was dumped. One of the elk's antlers was cut in half and left next to the body.CPW said the elk was killed outside of hunting season, and most of the meat was left to waste, both of which violated state hunting regulations. According to CPW's website, elk can be h...

Surveillance video captures man stealing, causing over $400 in damages at resident’s home in Opa-locka

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:19 GMT

Opa-locka homeowners took precautions by adding locks and covering the shed with their vehicles in order to stop robberies, but that wasn’t enough for a thief who was caught on surveillance video. The unidentified suspect took vital tools that helped neighbors in need, Tuesday morning. Jacqueline Perez said her husband woke up around 7 a.m. to check outside and they noticed the handle on one of their sheds was broken.“At 4:10 a.m. one guy riding a bicycle, passing by the house and he made a U-turn right at the corner and came back to our house and jumped the fence,” said Perez. Perez added that the thief hopped onto their property and headed straight to the sheds. “Every night he parks the car right next to the shed of the door so that nobody can get in,” said Perez. When the thief came back the second time, he had to work harder to get the shed open and he came prepared.“So he decided to get a bag that he had on his bicycle and bring like a big s...