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Rent control headed for the California ballot, again

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Voters in California will, once again, have the opportunity to decide if landlords should face new limitations on how much they can increase rent.Supporters of a statewide rent control measure have gathered enough signatures -- more than 600,000 -- to put the issue on the 2024 ballot, California’s Secretary of State announced this week.Voters overwhelmingly rejected similar measures in 2018 and 2020.The initiative seeks to repeal a nearly three-decades-old state law, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibits cities from placing rent control limits on certain types of residences, namely single-family homes and apartments built after 1995. 5 California cities ranked among the 10 least educated in the U.S. Groups endorsing the initiative include Veterans’ Voices, the California Nurses Association, Housing is a Human Right, and The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.At a virtual news conference on Thursday, Michael Weinstein, who bankrolled the signature drive, said he ...

Illegal medical lab discovered in Central California

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

An investigation at a Reedley, California warehouse uncovered a large-scale illegal medical lab with bioengineered mice and infectious agents, KTLA sister station KSEE/KGPE reports.The disturbing discovery was made in April and was prompted by a simple garden hose that was illegally attached to the back of the building, officials said.The city obtained several search warrants to enter the building.Officials said they found over 800 different chemicals - many of which couldn't be immediately identified."There was a special room that was built housing about 1000 white lab mice,” said Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba explained. 200 of the mice were already dead.'Health officials discovered nearly 1,000 lab mice, 200 of which were already dead. (KSEE)Also found were thousands of vials, many of which contained biohazardous materials including human blood and other unknown substances."[The suspects said] they were doing some testing on laboratory mice that would help them support, develo...

Gang member arrested in connection with 3 separate shootings on Ventura street 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Authorities have arrested a suspect allegedly involved in three separate shootings on a single street in the Montalvo area of Ventura. According to a release from the Ventura Police Department, the first shooting occurred at 11 p.m. in the 2300 block of Peacock Avenue on June 8, when the suspect fired several rounds into an unoccupied vehicle. Police said the second shooting took place over a month later on July 22 at 3:30 a.m. near the intersection of Peacock Avenue and Whippoorwill Street.“In this incident, a delivery driver was confronted by the suspect and as the victim was leaving the area, the suspect shot several times at the victim, striking his car as he left the location,” VPD said. A third shooting took place two days later at 8 a.m. at the intersection of Peacock Avenue and Bristol Road. The suspect fired several rounds at an occupied parked vehicle and fled on foot from the area, authorities said.  Cook fatally shot at Wilmington anti-gang violence event Upo...

Taylor Swift fans 'Shake it Off' in a major way during Eras Tour

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Taylor Swift fans shook it off a little too hard during the Eras Tour in Seattle last weekend. A scientist found that Swifties actually generated some seismic activity during the show at Lumen Field. Jackie Caplan-Auerbach is a geology professor at Western Washington University and measured the "Swift Quake" to equal a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her "Eras Tour" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 31, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images)The activity is being compared to the 2011 "Beast Quake" caused by former Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch. Hotel housekeepers ask Taylor Swift to postpone Los Angeles-area shows “The primary difference is the duration of shaking,” Caplan-Auerbach explained to CNN. “Cheering after a touchdown lasts for a couple seconds, but eventually it dies down. It’s much more random than a concert. For Taylor Swift, I collected a...

Woman Fatally Struck in Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident on Watt Avenue [Sacramento, CA]

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Female Pedestrian Pronounced Dead after Fatal Collision near Interstate 80SACRAMENTO, CA (July 28, 2023) – Wednesday night, a woman was fatally struck in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident on Watt Avenue.First responders arrived to the scene around 9:05 p.m., at the 400 block of just north of Interstate 80.Investigators say the driver of a speeding black 2011 Lexus sedan struck a woman who was attempting to cross the street. Upon impact, the driver immediately fled the scene without rendering aid or contacting police.Paramedics arrived and transported the severely injured woman to a nearby hospital where she eventually succumbed to her injuries. Although, authorities have not yet released her identity.Following preliminary duties, officers say the license plate of the involved vehicle is 9ELX700.Emergency crews closed off the surrounding area for a brief time during cleanup and preliminary duties. Once available, further details will be provided about the fatal pedestrian accid...

The Derby Dolls are Leading a Roller Revival in L.A.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Nestled within one of the smallest cities in the country, near a 5-mile stretch of primarily industrial buildings, lies an underground competition like no other. The nightlife in the city of Vernon is all but non-existent, so you’d never simply stumble upon it unless you got lost on your way to downtown L.A., but the Derby Dolls have given Angelenos a reason to descend on the uneven Vernon streets and run-down railroad crossings regularly. One Saturday a month, hundreds gather in an unassuming sports complex, aptly nicknamed “Dollhalla,” to watch 30 athletes whip around and jam each other on one of the few remaining banked-track roller derby leagues in the U.S.Born from punk rock feminist origins and an early culture of fishnet stockings and rebellious pseudonyms, the Derby Dolls have a 20-year history of not just national championships and raucous home crowds, but creating a unique competitive outlet for women of all ages and backgrounds. As the pastime of roller skating enjoys a r...

Containment nearing 100% for Wonder Fire near Shasta Lake

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

SHASTA COUNTY — The Wonder Fire, which burned across 162 acres just south of Shasta Lake for about five days, was nearing complete containment as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.The Friday morning update, which the Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit said would be the final one for the Wonder Fire, revealed that the blaze was 95% contained and that “no fire behavior” was observed within the perimeter of the area.The final update confirmed that the fire resulted in no injuries or damaged structures. About 100 personnel remained at the scene on Friday, down from 200 at the peak of the fire.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Three-alarm fire torches homes, trees in Bay Point on Thursday Crashes and Disasters | PG&E will buy downtown Oakland HQ tower in two years Crashes and Disasters | PG&E profits hop higher in latest quarter Crashes and Disasters | How many dead trees there are in California might...

Mega Millions jackpot now $910 million after months without big winner

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Lottery players will have another shot at a huge Mega Millions jackpot Friday night and a chance to break a stretch of more than three months without a big winner of the game.The estimated $910 million prize has been building since someone last matched all six numbers and won the jackpot April 18. Since then, there have been 28 straight drawings without a jackpot winner.The jackpot is now the eighth-largest ever in the U.S. It comes a little over a week after someone in Los Angeles won a $1.08 billion Powerball prize that ranked as the sixth-largest in U.S. history. It’s still a mystery who won that prize.Lottery jackpots grow so large because the odds of winning are so small. For Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million.Related ArticlesNational News | Mega Millions lottery jackpot nears $1 billion ahead of Friday drawing National News | $820 million Mega Millions jackpot is the 8th largest in the US National N...

Pac-12 survival: Time for commissioner George Kliavkoff and the presidents to take swift, bold action (i.e., the “Costanza plan”)

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff has experienced an astounding number of bad weeks since taking charge of the conference in the summer of 2021. This was one of his worst.It began last Friday at the Pac-12’s preseason showcase in Las Vegas, where he did not unveil a new media rights deal and instead uttered a few comments that were questionable in the moment and looked clueless few days later.His problems grew exponentially Thursday, when Colorado announced its departure for the Big 12, becoming the third school to exit under Kliavkoff’s watch.Granted, Kliavkoff inherited a difficult situation because of massive strategic mistakes made by his predecessor, Larry Scott. But Colorado’s defection was a clear vote of no confidence in the current leadership.The next month likely will determine whether the 108-year-old conference survives past the coming college sports season.Nobody asked, but the Hotline has a few strategic suggestions.1. Get a winKliavkoff has fewer victories in the p...

Ethan Slater’s wife regrets slamming Ariana Grande as ‘not a girl’s girl,’ happy to co-parent baby: report

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:54:53 GMT

In the latest fallout from Ariana Grande’s shock romance with her married “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, sources close to the Broadway actor have suggested that his soon-to-be-ex-wife Lilly Jay regrets making angry comments about the pop star and about her role in the end of her seemingly happy marriage.Of course, some would say that Jay has every right to be distressed and angry about the situation, including the possibility that Slater cheated on her with a globally famous pop star. But Jay has supposedly assured her estranged husband that she hasn’t been leaking comments to TMZ and to other outlets about how she’s “devastated that her family’s been torn apart” or that she feels the actor has “abandoned his family,” TMZ reported, citing sources close to Slater.LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: Ariana Grande is seen at the GRAMMY Charities Signings during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los A...