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Record snowpack, nearly full reservoirs: Here’s the state of California’s drought after an epic winter

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

By Rachel Ramirez and Brandon Miller | CNNCalifornia has faced an onslaught of powerful, atmospheric river storms this winter, which has led to record-breaking snowpack, nearly full reservoirs and overflowing watersheds.At this time last year, all of California was caught in a drought. But according to the latest US Drought Monitor released Thursday morning, just over a third of California remains in some level of drought — the lowest amount since the drought began — with severe drought only covering 8% of the state.For the last three years, the state has been in desperate need of some rain and snow. Just a month ago, more than 33 million people in California, including in the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, were facing an unrelenting drought. Years of unfavorable precipitation trends and more intense heat waves have fed directly to the state’s prolonged, historic megadrought that has triggered dire water shortages.Now, that nu...

California bill aims to ban sale of popular candies containing these ingredients

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

By Andi Babineau and Kristen Rogers | CNNSome chemicals linked to health issues have been banned in food products in the European Union, while the United States has allowed use at levels determined safe. A bill recently introduced in the California State Assembly could start to change that.Assembly Bill 418, or AB 418, seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of food products in California containing red dye No. 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil or propylparaben, according to a news release from the Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel’s office, who introduced the bill with fellow Democratic East Bay lawmaker Buffy Wicks. If passed, the bill would go into effect January 1, 2025.Titanium dioxide is a powder used as a white colorant or to give a smooth texture in candies and other processed foods. Potassium bromate is added to baked goods to help dough strengthen and rise higher. In some beverages, brominated vegetable oil keeps citrus flavo...

Preview: ‘Redfall’ beautifully meshes Arkane’s hallmark gameplay with an open world

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

It’s been a minute since vampires were explosively popular. The heyday for bloodsuckers has come and gone when the likes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “True Blood” wrapped up and zombie epics such as “The Walking Dead” took off in the public’s imagination.That could all change, and one of the first projects that could make vampires popular again is “Redfall.” Arkane Austin’s latest game has been in the works for five years and takes the studio’s hallmark gameplay and adds a fresh twist to it.“All Arkane games, there’s two things we try to do,” co-director Ricardo Bare said. “One is to invest in the world building and build a sense of place and the second is to invest in gameplay mechanics that let you be creative.”That paid dividends in games such as “Prey,” “Dishonored” and most recently “Deathloop.” With “Redfall,” Bare said the ...

Where does the money from FasTrak deposits go?: Roadshow

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

Q: FasTrak requires a $30 minimum transponder deposit and automatically refills this fund. What do they do with all the interest this money generates? Surely these millions of dollars generate a large amount of income.Daniel Martinez, San LeandroA: The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) uses the money to offset fees charged by banks for the credit card transactions used to replenish customers’ prepaid toll accounts. These fees run into the millions of dollars each year. As a result, the interest income from FasTrak totaled about $50,000 in 2022.Q: When the pandemic started, I bought an e-bike. It is, in most ways, a regular bike with a battery pack and larger back hub. I usually don’t use the electric assist part, unless I’m on a grade or biking into a stiff headwind.I’m 78 years old and don’t go fast. I usually bike on Bay Area trails and am now concerned because an article in your paper said some cities are banning e-bikes. What are the rules? If I turn off the...

Mother of twin 6-year-olds killed by suspect fleeing police in stolen car

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

(KRON) -- A mother of twin 6-year-old boys was killed Thursday evening by a suspect fleeing police in a stolen car, according to the Hercules Police Department. The suspect has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.Just before 7:30 p.m., officers with the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office told police with the Hercules Police Department that the suspect, 20-year-old Vallejo resident Ralph Ellsworth White, III, was allegedly driving a stolen Mazda SUV toward Hercules on eastbound I-80. A Hercules police officer spotted the car exiting I-80 onto Willow Avenue and began to pursue it, officials said. Body of radio host JV found in San Francisco Bay by Pier 39 White, III, allegedly began to speed up as the officer caught up to him, leading police on a short car chase north on Willow Avenue before crashing into a Nissan traveling south on Willow Avenue trying to make a turn onto 4th Avenue. White, III, immediately got out of the Mazda and began fleeing on foot but was found in a liquor st...

Oakland teachers to protest contract negotiations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

(KRON) -- Teachers in Oakland will hold a strike Friday over what they call bad faith bargaining by the Oakland School District. It's being called the "Wildcat Strike" by teachers and is not union approved. But teachers say it's happening because, for months, the Oakland Unified School District has been canceling contract negotiation meetings and holding up the conversation of better pay and learning conditions.Teachers in the strike plan to call out sick Friday and say it's because they're opposed to school mergers and workers that are being cut in other unions across the district. According to a news release, the school board eliminated essential positions including support for students, academic systems, special education, language programs and case management. Mother of twin 6-year-olds killed by suspect fleeing police in stolen car “Such a surgical attack on kids' education. You are taking out the professional in the room with the kids who need the most help," Oakland teacher...

Bay Area storm cleanup: Roads closed for storm cleanup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The most recent in a seemingly never-ending series of atmospheric river storms tore through the Bay Area this week, leaving highway lane closures and power outages. High winds and heavy downpours uprooted trees, blew out windows in high-rises and took the lives of five people. Another storm coming to Bay Area to bring more rain Monday As the Bay Area braces for yet another storm next week, storm cleanup and repairs are underway across the region. Follow our blog for the latest.Bay Area storm cleanup updates:Friday, March 246 a.m. -- Crews close El Camino Real in Burlingame for storm cleanup Caltrains and San Mateo County crews are being proactive as opposed to reactive with cleanup efforts following Tuesday's storm. They are using this break in the weather to remove trees that could fall and clear out debris before the region gets hit again next week.For them to do that, they will be shutting down parts of El Camino Real in Burlingame in both di...

Sakamoto defends women’s title at figure skating worlds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Kaori Sakamoto fended off a challenge from South Korea’s Lee Hae-in on Friday to become the first Japanese woman to defend her title at the figure skating world championships.Sakamoto, who led after the short program, made only one mistake in Friday’s free skate at Saitama Super Arena when she singled a triple flip. She landed the rest of her jumps cleanly to finish with a total of 224.61 points.Skating to music from “Phantom of The Opera,” Lee finished first in the free skate with a spectacular performance that featured six triple jumps but came up just short in the overall standings with a total of 220.94 points.Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, the 2022 world silver medalist, was third with 210.42 points.Sakamoto, who won her first world title last year in Montpellier, France, recalled her performance at the 2019 world championships when she finished fifth at the same venue in Japan.“I wanted revenge from four years ago,” Sakamoto said. “Then I made the same mista...

US stocks open lower as bank worries still weigh on markets

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are falling as more worries about banks on both sides of the Atlantic tug markets lower. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% early Friday. The Dow and the Nasdaq also fell. Treasury yields dropped. Markets have been turbulent on worries that banks are weakening under pressure from higher interest rates. That’s led to rising concerns about a recession and uncertainty about what central banks will do with interest rates going forward. The stock of major German bank Deutsche Bank sank more than 10%. Earlier this month, depositors and investors fled Credit Suisse so swiftly that Swiss regulators brokered a takeover by its rival UBS.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Shares on Wall Street tumbled in premarket trading Friday as worries flared over turmoil in the banking sector and potentially worsening risks of recession. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1% before the bell and the benchmark S&P 500 fell 0.8%.Most U.S. bank st...

Scotland extends coach Clarke’s contract to 2026 World Cup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:53 GMT

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Steve Clarke extended his contract Friday with Scotland’s national soccer team through the 2026 World Cup, which would make him the Tartan Army’s longest-serving coach in more than 20 years.The Scottish Football Association announced the deal ahead of European Championship qualifying games against Cyprus and Spain.Clarke led Scotland to Euro 2020 for its first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.After Scotland lost to Ukraine in the playoffs for last year’s World Cup, the team won a Nations League group to advance to the top tier for the first time.Clarke, a former Chelsea defender, was hired in 2019 and is set to have the longest spell in the Scotland job since Craig Brown left in 2002 after nine years.“Steve has united the nation behind a successful men’s national team,” SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said in a statement.Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifying group also includes Norway and Georgia.The top two teams in the group will advance to ...