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How did the Maui fire spread so quickly? Overgrown gully may be key to the investigation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Melted remains of an old car tire. Heavily burned trees. A charred stump of an abandoned utility pole.Investigators are examining these and other pieces of evidence as they seek to solve the mystery of last month’s deadly Maui wildfire: How did a small, wind-whipped fire sparked by downed power lines and declared extinguished flare up again hours later into a devastating inferno? The answer may lie in an overgrown gully beneath Hawaiian Electric Co. power lines and something that harbored smoldering embers from the initial fire before rekindling in high winds into a wall of flame that quickly overtook the town of Lahaina, destroying thousands of structures and killing at least 97 people.But as investigators sift through blackened debris to explain the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, one fact has become clear: Hawaiian Electric’s right-of-way was untrimmed and unkempt for years, despite being in an area classified as being at high risk for wildfires.Aerial and s...

Black Americans express concerns about racist depictions in news media, lack of coverage efforts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — In a new study, Black Americans expressed broad concerns about how they are depicted in the news media, with majorities saying they see racist or negative depictions and a lack of effort to cover broad segments of their community.Four in five Black adults say they see racist or racially insensitive depictions of their race in the news either often or sometimes, according to the Pew Research Center.Three years after George Floyd’s killing triggered a racial reckoning in the news media, Pew took its first broad-based look at Black attitudes toward the media with a survey of nearly 5,000 Black adults this past winter and follow-up focus groups.The survey found 63% of respondents saying news about Black people is often more negative than it is toward other racial or ethnic groups, with 28% saying it is about equal.“It’s not surprising at all,” said Charles Whitaker, dean of the Medill journalism school at Northwestern University. “We’ve known both...

China accuses Taiwan’s government of using economic and trade issues to seek independence

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government on Wednesday accused Taiwan’s ruling party of seeking independence, a day after the self-governing island’s president lobbied for Australia’s support in joining a regional trade pact. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, also said the recent Chinese military drills around Taiwan were held to combat “the arrogance of Taiwan independence separatist forces.”China claims Taiwan, an island about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off its east coast, as its territory. The two split during the civil war that brought the Communists to power in China in 1949, with the losing Nationalists setting up their own government in Taiwan.Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, meeting with six visiting Australian lawmakers on Tuesday, sought their country’s support for Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, an 11-nation free trade agreement.The Australian parliame...

Russia or the West: How does Iran think?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Whenever there is a slight thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran, it sparks the age-old question about how Iran handles its interactions with the rival powers vying for control and influence in the 21st century. Does Iran lean towards maintaining its close ties and new partnerships with China and Russia, or does it lean towards the West if there is a significant breakthrough achieved through a revived Iranian nuclear agreement, writes Salem AlKetbi, UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate.Answering these questions involves numerous factors, some aligning and others conflicting, all of which influence the decisions made by the Iranian government concerning their relations with global powers.At the core of these considerations lies the very nature of the Iranian government itself. When it comes to dealing with the world, whether it is in the East or the West, Iranian leaders do not always see eye to eye, and their approaches vary.Indeed, there is...

Thousands of dollars in equipment lost after arsonist torches Santa Monica pickleball court

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

A suspect remains at large after a pickleball storage shed in Santa Monica was set on fire, destroying thousands of dollars worth of equipment.The fire erupted Monday night at Memorial Park around 1 a.m. The storage shed housed pickleball equipment including nets, paddles, balls and more. A nearby fence was also damaged from the blaze.Boasting over 1,800 members, the Santa Monica Pickleball Club is a nonprofit organization created to allow the public to play the sport for free.City workers can transform an existing standard tennis court into four pickleball courts, allowing up to 16 people to play at one time.Community members are distraught over the targeted attack and want the arsonist to be caught before they strike again. Authorities are investigating the case as a suspected arson.“It’s still subject to an open investigation, but it would be a pretty far reach to call it anything but arson,” said Maryanne LaGuardia from the Santa Monica Recreation and Parks Commission.Police are...

Hollister man killed in crash near municipal airport

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

HOLLISTER – A 31-year-old Hollister man was killed in a crash over the weekend near the Hollister Municipal Airport, authorities said.The two-car collision happened around 10:15 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of State Route 156 and San Felipe Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.The man was driving a 2016 Honda Civic southbound on San Felipe Road and did not stop for a red light, the CHP said. As he traveled through the intersection, he was hit by a 56-year-old Gonzales man driving a 2001 Kia Spectra westbound on the highway.The Honda driver died of his injuries at the scene, according to the CHP. The San Benito County Coroner’s Office will release his identity once it is confirmed and his next of kin is notified.The other driver suffered a cut to his left hand, the CHP said.As of Tuesday, the CHP did not know if alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash.Anyone with information related to the case can contact the CHP Hollister-Gilroy area office at 408-427-0700.Relate...

SF Giants eliminated from postseason after being shut out by Padres

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants have been mathematically eliminated from the postseason with a 4-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.Though the official MLB standings website have the Giants at one loss away from elimination, the team’s only shot to get close to a Wild Card berth would be to win out their final four games and reach a tie with the Chicago Cubs in which case the Cubs hold the head-to-head tiebreaker and all other tiebreaker scenarios don’t fall in their favor, according to MLB. The official standings website doesn’t account for tiebreakers.This is the fourth time the Giants have missed the playoffs since Farhan Zaidi took over as president of baseball operations — their 107-win division title in 2021 marks the only postseason berth. It’s a disappointing finish for a team that was 12 games over .500 in early August and that spiraled out of contention in the last two months having lost 14 of their last 17 road games. A 8-16 rec...

Deal close to bring WNBA team to Bay Area: report

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

(KRON) -- A deal that would bring a WNBA team to the Bay Area is close to being completed, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN Tuesday. The team would be owned by Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, the Athletic said. While Oakland, which is on the verge of losing its third professional sports team, has been seen as a potential landing spot for a WNBA team, The Athletic reported that this potential franchise would play its home games at San Francisco's Chase Center. The team headquarters and practice facility would be in Oakland. The deal is close but details need to be resolved before it is complete, according to The Athletic. Kaepernick pens letter to Jets asking to be signed to practice squad WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last year that she plans to expand the league. The Bay Area was on the short list of cities that could land a team. “Certainly Bay Area, generally, including Oakland or San Francisco, is certainly on our list, high on our list,” she tol...

CHP: Over $600K worth of drugs seized from Oakland residents in Fresno County

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Two Oakland residents were arrested after officers seized over $600,000 worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine during a traffic stop, the California Highway Patrol said on Tuesday.CHP says on Friday, around 6:00 p.m., CHP conducted an enforcement stop on a 2009 Toyota Camry for a traffic violation. The stop occurred on northbound I-5 at Nees Avenue in Fresno County. During the contact, the sergeant determined the driver and female passenger were unlicensed. While conducting a vehicle inventory prior to impounding the Toyota, the sergeant says to have located approximately 42 pounds of crystal methamphetamine in the trunk. The sergeant also located approximately two pounds of fentanyl powder while searching the interior of the vehicle. The drugs had an estimated street value of $601,360.Seidy LopezCristhofer GalvezCHP identified the driver as 23-year-old Christhofer Armando Galvez of Oakland and the passenger as 33-year-old Seidy Aleman Lopez of Oakland. ...

Wilson’s 30 points, 11 rebounds leads Aces to 91-84 win over Wings in Game 2 of WNBA semis

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — After saying it “hurt like hell” to just miss out on winning her third MVP, A’ja Wilson responded on Tuesday night with 30 points and 11 rebounds to help lift the Las Vegas Aces to a 91-84 victory over the Dallas Wings and 2-0 series lead in the WNBA semifinals.The top-seeded Aces can close out the best-of-five series when it shifts to Dallas on Friday.Las Vegas also received contributions from Chelsea Gray with 23 points and eight assists, Kelsey Plum with 18 points, and Jackie Young with 13 points and nine rebounds.Arike Ogunbowale led No. 4 Dallas with 24 points, Natasha Howard had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Teaira McCowan added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Satou Sabally scored 13 points.Wilson came out determined, scoring 10 points and collecting four rebounds in the first quarter. After driving by Howard for a transition layup and 3-point play late in the period, the crowded chanted “M-V-P!” when Wilson went to the free-throw line. That became a theme a...