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Will San Jose take a harder stance on homeless encampments?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

Kicking off a contentious debate early in his tenure, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is pushing for a stricter approach to homeless encampments that have cropped up below the city’s underpasses and along its rivers, describing them as a public safety and environmental hazard for all residents.The mayor’s proposal, while still in the early stages, would push for 1,000 interim housing units to be built by the end of the year to combat the city’s homelessness crisis, while simultaneously establishing a pilot program to prevent the expansion of encampments that pose heightened safety risks and require the greatest share of city resources.He claims the strategy will make a serious dent in sheltering the 5,000 San Jose residents who sleep on the streets every night, contending once an unhoused resident receives shelter through the city, an encampment should no longer be an option. The plans include the hiring of mental health workers and law enforcement to prevent expansion o...

Hong Kong theaters pull ‘Winnie the Pooh’ horror film

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

By Kanis Leung | Associated PressHONG KONG — Public screenings of a slasher film that features Winnie the Pooh were scrapped abruptly in Hong Kong on Tuesday, sparking discussions over increasing censorship in the city.Film distributor VII Pillars Entertainment announced on Facebook that the release of “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” on Thursday had been canceled with “great regret” in Hong Kong and neighboring Macao.In an email reply to The Associated Press, the distributor said it was notified by cinemas that they could not show the film as scheduled, but it didn’t know why. The cinema chains involved did not immediately reply to a request for comment.For many residents, the Winnie the Pooh character is a playful taunt of China’s President Xi Jinping and Chinese censors in the past had briefly banned social media searches for the bear in the country. In 2018, the film “Christopher Robin,” also featuring Winnie the Pooh, was report...

US speeds up Abrams tank delivery to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

By Lolita C. Baldor | Associated PressWASHINGTON — The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone by the fall, the Pentagon said Tuesday.The original plan was to send Ukraine 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight the invading Russian forces.“This is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.The Biden administration announced in January that it would send the tanks to Ukraine — after insisting for months that they were too complicated an...

Man who attacked police on Jan. 6 gets 4 years in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

By Alanna Durkin Richer | Associated PressA Virginia man who assaulted police with a stolen baton and used a flashing strobe light to disorient officers trying to defend the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison.Geoffrey Sills of Mechanicsville, Virginia, was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of Congress and robbery for his role in the violence at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace tunnel, where police were beaten and crushed as as they tried to beat back the angry mob of President Donald Trump supporters.The 31-year-old has already served a year and a half behind bars since his June 2021 arrest.In a separate case on Tuesday, a judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach an agreement on whether a man described as the Oath Keepers “operations leader” for Jan. 6 was guilty of obstruction. Michael Greene was acquitted of all other felony charges on Monday, but convicted of a misdemeanor of...

Chart: Where the wind gusts exceeded 70 mph in the Bay Area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

Gusts above 80 mph were recorded in the Bay Area on Tuesday afternoon as a storm blew through.The highest speeds in the National Weather Service data as of 4 p.m. were 82 on Mount Umunhum and on Blackberry Hill Road, above Los Gatos.Most of the peak gusts came between 1:30 and 2 p.m., although the Blackberry Hill reading was at 3:30 p.m., as was San Francisco International Airport’s 62 mph.Power outages were reported across the Bay Area, and a tree that fell on a truck in Portola Valley killed the driver.The top numbers didn’t exceed those of the previous Tuesday, March 14, when 97 was recorded at Umunhum — but some sites saw higher winds this time, including Oakland’s airport and several weather stations in the Santa Cruz area.LocationMPHMt. Umunhum82Los Gatos Blackberry Hill82Mt. Alison (Mission Peak park)81Los Gatos Soda Springs76Oakland airport74San Bruno74Richmond Point Potrero72Sierra Azul71Mines Tower68Palo Alto Page Mill/Skyline68Mt. Diablo67Lexington...

Another storm hits Bay Area: 4 lanes blocked on Bay Bridge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- Tuesday's storm is unleashing fierce winds and pounding rain across the San Francisco Bay Area. Evening commuters are facing a hazardous journey home with many roads slick, flooded, and blocked by toppled trees. One driver was killed in Portola Valley near Highway 280 when trees fell on Alpine Road. After 14 atmospheric rivers, how full are California’s reservoirs? Follow along for the latest Bay Area storm updates:Tuesday, March 214:50 p.m. -- 3 people critically injured by fallen trees in SFThe San Francisco Fire Department confirmed to KRON4 that three people were critically injured by two fallen trees. A tree falling on Post Street and Polk Street seriously injured two people, and one person was critically injured by a fallen tree on 23rd Avenue and Lincoln Way. Both scenes are active.4:46 p.m. -- Golden Gate Ferry service suspended due to weatherAfter the SF Bay Ferry announced that it was suspending service due to the weather, the Golden...

Window glass falls from another SF high-rise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Pieces of glass have fallen off a San Francisco high-rise located at 50 California, KRON4 has learned. The glass pieces fell on the Sacramento Street side of the building. Another storm hits Bay Area: Highway 17 reopens in both directions Sacramento Street and Davis Street are currently blocked off. The San Francisco Fire Department is on the scene. The glass was first described as spandrel glass by the building's owner. However later reports confirmed the glass as having come from a blown-out window.Clay and California are also closed due to the falling window glass. Winds downtown are extremely intense with people struggling to walk against them. According to a tweet from the San Francisco Fire Department, the window that broke was located on the building's 21st floor.Glass fell from a busted window in another downtown SF building. This time it happened at 50 California. I’m working on getting more details. pic.twitter.com/uln6S19GtB— Sara Stinson (...

Officials: Deputy Tased video-recording man, took cell phone

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A South Florida deputy accused of using a Taser stun gun on a man and taking his cell phone while the man was trying to video-record a family member’s arrest was booked Tuesday on misdemeanor charges.Broward County Deputy Carlos Ferrufino, 34, turned himself in Tuesday morning at the county’s main jail, a sheriff’s office news release said. He faces two counts of misdemeanor battery, one count of tampering with evidence and one count of petit theft. He has also been suspended without pay.“As law enforcement officers, our oath to uphold the law does not exempt us from following the law. There are consequences for breaking the law, even if it means bringing charges against one of our own,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement. “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and I expect the highest level of professionalism from all BSO personnel.”According to internal affairs investigators, Ferrufino responded to a traffic ...

Cam Newton throws at Auburn’s pro day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — After not playing at all during the 2022 season, Cam Newton got to show what he can still do. Newton threw in front of scouts at a pro day event on Tuesday at Auburn, where he won a Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the 2010 season. The 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player was invited to throw at Auburn by his younger brother, Caylin — a former quarterback at Howard who finished his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Auburn and William & Mary.“This was him showing love to me,” Caylin Newton said of his older brother. “He doesn’t owe anybody anything. He has had an amazing journey, an amazing career in the NFL. He has nothing to prove to anybody. … He came to show his ability, show he still has it. “I think, for him, this was a selfless act. But it was also to show and prove to everybody he’s not sitting around. He’s still got it. Whatever organization wants to get a winning quarterback, his number’s still open and available.”Cam Newton decline...

NASCAR suspends Williams for parking at start-finish line

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:14 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Williams was given a one-race suspension on Tuesday as punishment for parking his car at the start-finish line at Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.Williams accepted his punishment but said he doesn’t regret his actions which led to the penalty. He will miss this Saturday’s Xfinity race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. NASCAR announced Williams was suspended for disobeying a NASCAR request during the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NASCAR ordered Williams to park his car in the garage after debris came off his car during the race, forcing a caution. Williams instead parked his car on the checkered start-finish line, climbed out and walked toward his pit crew with a wave to the fans.Williams complained to his crew on his radio before exiting the car. He said it was “apparently” NASCAR regulations to park your vehicle following a wreck “of any kind.” Added Williams: “This is some bull you know what. I’ve never he...