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Letters: Electrification incentives | Utility tax | Change at top | Wannabe king | Tainting science

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Federal act haselectrification incentivesThere are fantastic home electrification incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).These incentives can save consumers thousands of dollars in tax credits for residential electrification upgrades and will soon provide billions in rebates for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households.Getting fossil gas out of homes delivers tremendous health benefits and is a key part of our national strategy to reduce emissions.It’s an exciting opportunity and we need to get the word out. Rewiring America has a simple tool (https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator) to help citizens understand how much money they’re eligible to receive for these upgrades.Matt CaronaOaklandA utility tax forinconsistent serviceRe: “PG&E’s wildfire strategy needs careful scrutiny” (Page A6, August 9).The Aug. 9 editorial discusses PG&E’s wildfire prev...

At least 5 killed in Michigan after series of tornadoes topple trees and power lines

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

By Corey Williams and Mike Householder | Associated PressCANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — At least six tornadoes touched down in Michigan as part of severe storms powered by strong winds that killed five people, while downing trees, tearing roofs off buildings and leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without power, officials said.The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with winds of 90 mph (145 kph) crossed from Ingham County into the western edge of adjacent Livingston County on Thursday night.Four other EF-1 tornadoes were reported in Bellville and Gibraltar in Wayne County, and in South Rockwood and near Newport in Monroe County.A weaker EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 80 mph (128 kph) was on the ground for less than two miles in Wayne County’s Canton Township, west of Detroit, the weather service said. That tornado caused a tree to fall into a house, said meteorologist Sara Schultz.The weather service office in Grand Rapids, in western Michigan, said ...

Appeals court revives bribery charge for Apple security exec in Santa Clara County concealed-gun permit scandal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

SAN JOSE — A state appellate court on Friday reversed a Santa Clara County judge’s 2021 decision to drop a bribery charge against an Apple security executive who was accused of offering a large iPad donation to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to get concealed-gun licenses for his security agents.That means for the time being, Thomas Moyer — who runs global security operations for the tech titan — will head back toward trial in the South Bay for charges that were part of a massive scandal involving former Sheriff Laurie Smith that accused her administration of leveraging the sought-after weapons permits for political donations and other in-kind favors.Two sets of criminal grand jury indictments are making their way through the court system, with Smith’s former undersheriff and a top commander and advisor still facing criminal charges, and several co-conspirators facing prison sentences after becoming prosecution witnesses.Smith was never cr...

Letters: Better recruits | Definition of liberty | Reform permitting | New standard bearer | Climate destroyers | Poking holes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Better recruits wouldimprove policingRe: “Antioch and Pittsburg cops charged in vast conspiracy” (Page A1, Aug. 18).The recent exposé by the Bay Area News Group of arrests of violent cops in our area raises a bigger question. How are pre-rookies screened for such tendencies?A former police chief in my town proudly told me they are given an MMPI. I consulted with a psychology professor friend, the test actually measures similarity to others already in the profession, not degree of suitability for the task.It also seems that recruits are given extra consideration for military experience. In other words, having been trained to respond to potential conflict with violence.Wouldn’t it make more sense to prefer those trained in sociology and psychology? Favoring nonviolent resolutions would obviously be preferable, if only because of less financial liability for the employers of the police officers....

Brentwood extends moratorium on new smoke shops

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

Brentwood’s ban on new tobacco smoke shops will continue for at least another year.The City Council unanimously agreed to the extension this week after hearing a number of students, health advocates and parents request it, as well as tougher rules regarding tobacco sales.Isabelle Kirske, senior health educator with the advocacy group Contra Costa Tobacco Prevention Program, told the council that “unless tobacco use rates decline, an estimated 441,000 of all California youth who are alive today (more than 9,240,000) will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases.”“Our goal is to change that,” she said.Moreover, Kirske said there are 44 tobacco retailers in this city of 65,000, 37 of which are within a two-block radius of places where young people frequent, such as schools, parks and playgrounds. Of those, she counted 12 “significant retailers” – 10 tobacco smoke shops and two hookah lounges, all within 1,000 feet of areas where youth congregate.According to a 2021 to 2022 Califor...

49ers to trade QB Trey Lance to Cowboys: reports

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

(KRON) -- 49ers quarterback Trey Lance is going to the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports from multiple NFL insiders. San Francisco is giving away Lance, 23, in exchange for a fourth-round pick, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.The trade is not fully finalized as the teams are "in the process of completing (the) trade," according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. Lance, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, lost the backup quarterback spot to Sam Darnold earlier this week. Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy was announced to be the 49ers' Week 1 starter. 49ers GM John Lynch said the decision to move Darnold into the backup spot was a “gut punch” to Lance. Lance was not at Wednesday's practice after the team decided Darnold would be the backup instead. In order to select Lance, the 49ers moved up nine spots in the 2021 NFL Draft -- from No. 12 to No. 3. San Francisco traded away three first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins. SF prep bask...

SFMTA makes safety improvements at intersection where 4-year-old was killed

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority has made changes to an intersection near the entrance to Interstate 280 where a 4-year-old girl in a stroller was killed in the crosswalk last week. The transit authority posted on Friday that it had reduced the two right turn lanes from 4th Street onto King Street down to a single lane. Cruise car crashes into vehicle after attempting to make turn: SFPD The change is intended to slow traffic and reduce the conflict between turning cars and pedestrians in the crosswalk.SFMTASFMTAThe move was made "in response to last week's tragedy," SFMTA said.The death of the 4-year-old girl, whose father also suffered life-threatening injuries, led to widespread outcry from the community, city leaders and safety advocates. On Monday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed called for immediate safety improvements to the South of Market intersection.The driver in the fatal crash, a 71-year-old woman, was arrested and charged with thr...

49ers trade quarterback Trey Lance to Cowboys, AP source says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have traded quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys less than three years after trading three first-round picks to draft him.A person familiar with the situation said the Cowboys will send a fourth-round pick to San Francisco for a player drafted third overall in 2021. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.ESPN first reported the trade.Lance had lost the competition to San Darnold to be the backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco earlier in the week, setting the stage for his departure.The move is a remarkable backtrack following the hefty investment the Niners made in hopes of Lance becoming a franchise quarterback.San Francisco traded three first-round picks and a third-rounder to Miami in 2021 to move up from No. 12 and draft the untested Lance third overall.Lance started only 17 games at FCS-level North Dakota State before the Niners drafted him, and he never got much of a ch...

Bronny James has a congenital heart defect that caused his cardiac arrest, a spokesperson says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bronny James went into cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California last month because of a congenital heart defect, according to a family spokeswoman.The 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was stricken on July 24. He was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and later was seen by doctors at the Mayo Clinic and Atlantic Health-Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey.A statement issued Friday by Stephanie Rosa of the LeBron James Family Foundation said the probable cause of James’ sudden cardiac arrest has been identified.“It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated,” the statement said. “We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future.”The younger James was released from Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles three days after the incident at USC’s Galen Center. The following night he d...

Dos trabajadoras sexuales hablaron de encuentros “violentos” con el presunto asesino de Gilgo Beach, dice una funcionaria

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:03 GMT

(CNN) — Dos mujeres detenidas en la cárcel del condado de Suffolk dicen que tuvieron encuentros con el sospechoso de los asesinatos de Gilgo Beach, Rex Heuermann, y describieron los encuentros con él como “violentos” y “agresivos”, dijo este jueves la portavoz del departamento del sheriff, Vicki DiStefano.Se cree que los supuestos encuentros con las dos trabajadoras sexuales ocurrieron hace más de una década, dijo DiStefano, señalando que las mujeres expresaron preocupación por su seguridad durante el tiempo que dijeron que estuvieron con Heuermann.La información fue descubierta en medio de las entrevistas en curso realizadas por la unidad de trata de personas del Departamento del Sheriff del condado de Suffolk, que fue creada para ayudar a los encarcelados a tener acceso a los servicios y el apoyo que necesitan para recuperarse.Desde el arresto de Heuermann el 13 de julio, la unidad ha entrevistado a trabajadoras sexuales, además de mostrar una fotogra...