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N. Carolina lawmakers reinstate bans on LGBTQ+ instruction

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

By Hannah Schoenbaum | Associated Press/Report for AmericaRALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s Senate and House voted minutes apart Wednesday to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill limiting LGBTQ+ instruction in the early grades, immediately making it law.The law, which is expected to face a legal challenge, requires public school teachers in most circumstances to alert parents before they call a student by a different name or pronoun. It also bans instruction about gender identity and sexuality in K-4 classrooms, which critics have previously likened to a Florida law opponents call “Don’t Say Gay.”The Senate voted 27-18 for the override, followed swiftly by a 72-47 decisive House vote. That came on an afternoon of intense activity in the state’s General Assembly.Both chambers also voted to override Cooper’s veto of another bill banning transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams from middle and high school through college....

Maui Fire fundraisers: Restaurants, grocery stores, livestream concert

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

The entertainment, grocery and restaurant/hospitality industries are stepping up with fundraisers to benefit victims of the Lahaina wildfire disaster. Here’s a running list of ways to help.(Know of others? Use the coupon at the bottom to email us, and we’ll add to the list.)ALL-STAR BENEFIT CONCERT: Wiwoʻole Maui Benefit, a three-hour concert featuring popular Hawaiian music by Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winners, will be livestreamed from the Grand Wailea Waldorf Astoria Resort on Maui this Saturday, Aug. 19. The event will start at 3:30 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) and run till 6:30. The show is being presented by the Grand Wailea, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, KITV4 News and Pacific Media Group. Contributions will be distributed through the nonprofit Aina Momona and the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. To stream the concert, go to www.kaainamomona.org.HAWAIIAN BBQ: With its “Love for Lahaina” effort, the L&L Hawaiian Barbecue r...

Even if Alec Baldwin lied about trigger, case isn’t a ‘slam dunk’: expert

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

The new firearms report in the deadly “Rust” shooting does more than cast doubt on Alec Baldwin’s account of the tragedy. It makes it look like the actor’s memory is either extremely faulty or that he’s been lying all along as he insisted that he didn’t pull the trigger on the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.“It makes him look bad,” said Los Angles-based personal injury attorney Miguel Custodio, “Now, does it look like he’s lying? Yeah, it kind of does.”Even still, the new report by a firearms expert may not be the “slam dunk” New Mexico prosecutors need to prove that Baldwin was criminally negligent when he handled a prop Colt .45 revolver during a scene rehearsal on the set of the Western film “Rust,” said Custodio.“I just don’t think it’s enough to recharge Baldwin yet,” Custodio said, who has been following the legal fall-out from the shooting that killed Hutchins.Earl...

Cinequest off to a strong start after opening night in downtown San Jose

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

Cinequest leaned into this year’s theme, “Energized,” with Tuesday’s opening night festivities, which included a party at a surprising venue — City View Plaza in downtown San Jose.It was there you could hear plenty of chatter and discussion about the opening night film, “Fresh Kills.” The film was written and directed by Jennifer Esposito, who also stars in the movie about the women — wives, daughters and sisters — who suffer the collateral damage of being part of a mob family. The audience at the nearly-packed California Theatre were enthusiastic about the compelling drama.“You don’t get this sitting on your couch watching Netflix,” Cinequest co-founder and festival director Halfdan Hussey said. “The human connection is so vital.”In a discussion after the movie, Esposito said she was thrilled with the audience reaction to the movie, the making of which she described as “brutal.” She agre...

Defendant in Richmond homicide case gets 16 years behind bars

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

RICHMOND — A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in a plea deal with Contra Costa prosecutors, over a 2020 fatal shooting here, court records show.Manuel Booker pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the shooting death of 25-year-old T’Shawn Richard, who was killed on Nov. 5, 2020 on the 700 block of Barrett Avenue in Richmond. The shooting occurred at 3 p.m. and dozens of shots were fired, but no one else was struck by gunfire, police said at the time.Authorities say the two were arguing about a piece of jewelry when Booker pulled out a gun and shot Richard.In exchange for Booker’s plea, prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him, court records show. Booker has not yet been transferred to the state prison system.Richmond police didn’t arrest Booker until last year. He gets credit for the time he spent in jail while the case was pending, records show.

SF Giants haunted by familiar issues in final game of homestand

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO – Giants right-hander Ross Stripling threw a 90-mph fastball in the fourth inning that was located right in the heart of the strike zone — so much so that Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe was upset with himself for fouling it off.Stripling again missed with his location just three pitches later, and this time, Lowe drove the four-seamer 430 feet over the right-center field wall.Stripling would continue to struggle, giving the run-challenged Giants almost no chance to come back in what became a 6-1 loss to the Rays on Wednesday before an announced crowd of 27,510 at Oracle Park.Lowe’s home run was one of three allowed by Striping, who also gave up a two-run homer to Brandon Lowe in the fifth inning and an inside-the-park one to Luke Raley in the sixth. Raley’s shot went off the brick wall in right field, then bounced off the top of the wall in right-center and past centerfielder Wade Meckler, allowing Raley to trot home.Stripling has now allowed 19 earned runs ...

Clinic Fire Deals Blow to Abortion Access on California-Arizona Border

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

Members of a Southern California community are grappling with a devastating blow to critical abortion access after a major fire engulfed a Planned Parenthood clinic in the early morning hours of August 15. Located in El Centro, Planned Parenthood’s Imperial Valley Homan Center is the only abortion provider in greater Imperial County. While the facility had been a staple for care in the region since it opened in 2015, it became a safe haven for out-of-state abortion patients following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson ruling in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade.“It’s a drastically medically underserved area already, so our services really were essential to the community here,” Sandra Duran, director of communications for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, told The Intercept. “We had patients coming to this health center from Arizona, from neighboring states, and it really became such a beacon of hope for so many.”Bordering Mexico to the south and Arizona to the east, Im...

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan plans quarterback rotation switch in second exhibition game

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Coach Kyle Shanahan plans to shake up his quarterback rotation in the second exhibition game for the San Francisco 49ers.Shanahan said Wednesday that the Niners are planning to give Sam Darnold most of the first half snaps on Saturday night at home against Denver and let Trey Lance come in after that in a reversal of the rotation from last week’s exhibition game at Las Vegas.Shanahan said he wouldn’t make the final decision on the rotation until after the end of the practice week, when he will also decide whether Brock Purdy and the other starters will get any time.Purdy is working his way back from offseason elbow surgery and is set to practice three straight days this week for the first time since the operation in March.Purdy’s arm strength has looked back to normal in training camp but he has struggled with interceptions in practice, including throwing two more during team drills Wednesday.Purdy threw just two interceptions in eight st...

Los puntos débiles y fuertes del caso contra Trump y sus aliados en Georgia por interferencia electoral

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

(CNN) — Si hay algo que puede decirse de la extensa acusación del jurado investigador sobre 41 cargos presentados contra el expresidente Donald Trump y 18 de sus partidarios, es que la fiscal de distrito del condado de Fulton, Fani Willis, está yendo a fondo.El caso se construye alrededor de un cargo relacionado con la ley llamada RICO, que es una herramienta que ha sido utilizada cada vez con más audacia por los fiscales locales en todo el país, especialmente en el condado de Fulton. La versión de Georgia de la ley, debido a que está escrita de manera amplia, hace que sea un cargo particularmente potente.“Es un tipo de responsabilidad penal que te puede meter en problemas por cosas que hacen otras personas”, dijo Ashleigh Merchant, un abogado de defensa criminal de Georgia con experiencia en casos RICO.Fiscal pide que el juicio contra Trump en Georgia por interferencia electoral empiece en marzo de 2024Willis ha dicho que planea juzgar a los 19 acusados a la vez, ...

Man City wins UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla in a penalty shootout

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:11 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Manchester City marked its first appearance in the UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Wednesday to add another piece of silverware to its vast haul under manager Pep Guardiola.After a 1-1 draw in regulation time and then nine successful spot kicks in the shootout, Nemanja Gudelj struck his attempt against the crossbar to hand City victory inside Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis.It was a 15th trophy won by City in Guardiola’s reign that started in 2016 and made up for the loss to Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the Community Shield 10 days ago.“The manager made it so clear to us before the game how much he wants to win this trophy,” City midfielder Jack Grealish said about the annual match between last season’s winners of the Champions League (City) and Europa League (Sevilla). “You want to win everything anyway but that gave us more of an urge. This club has never won it. It’s a brilliant feeling.”Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering heade...