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Walters: California partially walks back decision to muzzle researchers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

As noted in this space recently, there’s been a recent trend in California’s state government toward secrecy — restricting the flow of information to media and the public about what officialdom is doing.A prime example of that trend was a harsh warning from the Department of Education to education researchers that they could be punished if they testified in any lawsuit against the department.A clause in research contracts banned such testimony, even if the researcher was not using data obtained from the department. The warning, which officials partly walked back, was issued because the state was being sued by students whose schooling was interrupted and damaged by shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.Attorneys for the plaintiffs sought expert testimony from academic researchers about the effects of the shutdown and the evidently haphazard efforts to instruct students online, known colloquially as “zoom school.”Several studies have demonstrated that not only did academic achi...

Elias: Contrary to some claims, California friendly to certain businesses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

In a time of massive criticism of its business climate from inside and outside the state, California steadily continues its many policies of corporate largesse — big handouts to private companies.Related ArticlesLocal News | Simitian: Santa Clara County families should take advantage of transitional kindergarten Local News | Elias: Newsom’s gun control amendment may open Pandora’s box Local News | Saratoga’s State of the City will be family friendly Local News | Opinion: EPA funding will help Valley Water better serve community Local News | Elias: California’s rebellion against housing density mandates has begun Which outfits get the money depends a lot on what a particular company does and who owns it. That makes these gifts political, designed to push the agenda of whomever is governor at any moment.This is nothing unique. Other states do it all the time; in fact, government handouts ...

Opinion: California Medical Board reform would save patient lives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

My little brother Jose was always at the center of my life — despite and because of his serious developmental disability.In winter 2021, we had just bought him a home where my father planned to live and care for him but had not yet moved him in. He was temporarily living at a long-term care facility the night he was admitted to the emergency room because he was having trouble breathing.With his disability, Jose required constant monitoring. Yet, shortly after he was admitted, Jose was left alone in a room. By the time the nurses returned he had wandered off. Jose was found on the bathroom floor, unconscious, not breathing and with no pulse. He was later pronounced dead.How did the situation take such a rapid turn that I lost my dear brother in a day? I wanted answers and accountability.Soon after reviewing his medical records, I filed a complaint with the Medical Board of California, the state agency charged with doctor oversight. Records indicated that the hospital knew Jose ...

Car crashes into Wells Fargo Bank in Orinda

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

(KRON) -- A car crashed through a Wells Fargo building early Friday morning in Orinda.The crash occurred just after midnight at Moraga Way and Camino Pablo near the Orinda Theatre Square shopping center. Video above, taken by KRON4 Sports Reporter Kate Rooney, shows several first responders at the scene. The cause of the crash is currently unknown.This is developing news. Stick with us for updates.

San Francisco to upgrade public warning system

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) -- San Francisco is planning to upgrade an abandoned siren system for emergencies or disasters, days after Maui failed to sound a wildfire warning with tragic results. Mayor London Breed and Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin announced plans Thursday to prioritize upgrading the city's Outdoor Public Warning System. The siren system's tests every Tuesday at noon were a familiar part of San Francisco life until 2019, when they were shut off because of fears the system could be hacked and manipulated. Man found dead in car in Los Altos "The recent devastation in Maui was a tragic example of how important emergency notifications to residents, businesses and tourists are," Breed said in a statement. The first phase of the upgrade and implementation is expected to begin within six months and cost about $5 million, according to the mayor's office. In addition to the outdoor warning system, the city can send emergency messages to any cell phone wi...

Belgian cyclist Tijl De Decker dies after crash during training

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — A 22-year-old Belgian cyclist died Friday following a crash in training earlier this week, the Lotto Dstny team said.“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our rider Tijl De Decker,” the Belgian team said. “Today Tijl has lost his battle to recover from the severe injuries he sustained after his crash on training last Wednesday.”De Decker, a winner of Paris-Roubaix in the Espoirs category this year, had been brought to the hospital for surgery in the Belgian town of Lier after he collided with a car. He was then transported to Antwerp University Hospital and placed in an induced coma.“Despite the best efforts of the staff at the hospital, Tijl couldn’t make it through and this morning he lost his battle,” his team said.De Decker had joined the Lotto Dstny development team this year.“We are devastated by the loss of our cyclist,” team CEO Stéphane Heulot said. “Tijl showed big progression this year and we believed in his growth margin. Stepp...

Billie Jean King’s push for equal prize money in 1973 will be celebrated at US Open

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — When Billie Jean King won the U.S. Open in 1972, she didn’t make the usual remarks about hoping to win again. Instead, she threatened to not play at all the next year — and added that no other women would, either.That’s because she earned $10,000 for her championship, $15,000 less than what Ilie Năstase won for his.“I said: ‘This really stinks,’” King recalled Thursday. “And, of course, deep down in my heart of hearts, in my brain, I’m going, ‘I haven’t talked to them yet. You sure you’re doing the right thing here?’ This is the other voice in my head: ‘What if they don’t agree with you on this? I think they do, because we talk about it all the time, but we didn’t talk about this move.’ And so I said, ‘The heck with it. I don’t think we’ll be back.’”That led the U.S. Tennis Association to make the 1973 U.S. Open the first sporting event to offer equal prize money to female and male competitors. The 50th anniversary of that achievement will be celebrated this year dur...

Akebia Therapeutics: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Akebia Therapeutics Inc. (AKBA) on Friday reported a second-quarter loss of $11.2 million, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said it had a loss of 6 cents per share.The kidney disease treatment developer posted revenue of $56.4 million in the period.The company’s shares closed at $1.25. A year ago, they were trading at 39 cents._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AKBA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AKBASource

In wild week for Spain soccer World Cup winners Carmona, Bonmatí and coach Vilda up for UEFA awards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — In a wild week for women’s soccer in Spain, World Cup winners Olga Carmona and Aitana Bonmatí were nominated Friday for the UEFA best player award and Jorge Vilda was shortlisted for women’s coach of the year.Carmona scored in Spain’s title-winning 1-0 victory over England on Sunday in Australia unaware her father had died ahead of the game. Her family, which traveled to Sydney for the final, decided to protect her from the news.Bonmatí also was named player of the tournament by FIFA having returned to the team after being part of a 15-player rebellion last year against Vilda’s coaching style.The Spain coach stayed to oversee a first Women’s World Cup title for the nation because he was backed by the Spanish soccer federation. On the same day that UEFA announced the shortlists, the Spanish federation had an emergency meeting where its president Luis Rubiales refused to resign — one day after FIFA opened a disciplinary case into his conduct at the final.Rubiales, who is...

Just a foot of water can move your car

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:33 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Flooding can occur on highways, back roads and underpasses. While it may seem like an easy thing to drive through, it only takes the length of a Subway sandwich for your car to get stuck in standing water. On Friday's Pinpoint Weather Alert Day, Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Travis Michels warns that it doesn't take much for your car to stall out. What to expect from Friday’s rainstorm in Denver "Be attuned to where you are and never drive through a flooded roadway. Six inches. Just six inches can knock you off your feet," said Michels. "Twelve inches of water can move your car, and 18 inches will move a truck down the road, so you don't want to deal with that."Water that rises above you can knock you off your feet. That's about the length of a dollar bill. Water that's around your shin to knee height could carry your car away.Anything above that, from your knees to your waist, could carry away an entire truck, which is about 4,000 to 7,000 lbs. Worst floods in...