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California High-Speed Rail completes signature viaduct bridge in Fresno

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

One of the signature pieces of infrastructure along the hundreds of miles of California's planned high-speed rail project was officially completed this week.On Wednesday, officials with the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced the completion of the Cedar Viaduct in Fresno. The 3,700-foot viaduct bridge will take trains traveling 200-plus mph over Highway 99, Cedar, and North Avenues in the state's fifth-largest city. According to officials, highway travelers can see a dual span of cast-in-place arches that help support the weight of future high-speed trains traveling atop the deck of the structure. Each arch spans 179 feet and is nearly 40 feet tall. Each dual span of arches is staggered from either side of the bridge, so they can be seen from both sides of the highway. The Cedar Viaduct is one of several structures along the high-speed rail line with arches. Jjust a few miles away, drivers on Highway 99 can see similar arches for the 210-foot span of the San Joaquin River...

Surge in migrants expected in Southern California following end of Title 42

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

Border communities and federal agents in Southern California are bracing for a surge in migrants following the end of Title 42 on Thursday night.Title 42 is the pandemic-era public health order that was put in place in March 2020 that restricted migrants from claiming asylum at the border in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus between countries. The order will expire at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday.Local officials are concerned that resources for helping migrants will be stressed to their limits. The Galilee Center in Riverside County is preparing to help the influx of migrants with food, shelter and other basic needs.Many migrants traveling through the eastern Riverside County area hail from a variety of locations including Somalia, Ecuador, Peru and more.When they arrive at The Galilee Center in Mecca or Coachella, they can access shower and laundry facilities, a bed to sleep in, and health necessities such as toiletries, diapers and more.With a long, uncertain journey, Diana Yad...

Former Giants manager Bruce Bochy returns to the Bay Area with his first-place Texas Rangers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

OAKLAND — Former Giants manager Bruce Bochy is back in the Bay Area for the first time since he came out of a quasi-retirement to take the job as the manager of the Texas Rangers.The first-place Rangers (22-14) are in Oakland for a four-game series against the last-place A’s (8-30).“Great memories here,” said the 68-year-old, three-time World Series winner. “It’s always good to be back in the Bay Area.”Bochy said he drove across the Bay Bridge and swung by his home of 13 years while managing the Giants.“You go down memory lane,” he said. “I don’t know if that’ll ever go away because we had some tremendous time and memories here. A lot of good friends. That stays with you, as it should.”Following a nine-year big league career, Bochy began managing the Padres as a 39-year-old in 1995. He had a .494 winning percentage over 12 years with the Padres before he took over as the Giants skipper in 2007. He piloted the Giants to three World Series titles, but averaged just 77 wins...

Contra Costa DA: No charges filed in weekend Danville Costco fracas over parking spot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

MARTINEZ — The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday it would not file any charges in an altercation over a Danville Costco parking spot, referring to the conflict over a parking space between two men as “mutual combat” not rising to a standard worth bringing before a jury.Citing what she referred to as “a tremendous amount of interest from the public and press,” Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton held a press conference Thursday afternoon to address the filing decision, saying that many have “asked questions about how we reach our (decision)” after Danville police turned over its investigation of the fight.“We want to be transparent with you about that,” Becton said.Becton and Deputy District Attorney Adam Wilks presented footage from the Costco surveillance cameras overlooking the store’s parking lot on Fostoria Way that captured the altercation at 11:20 a.m. Saturday. Wilks called the foot...

Six things to know about SF Giants infield sensation Casey Schmitt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

Amid the San Francisco Giants’ long dry spell of homegrown talent, Casey Schmitt debuted this week carrying more excitement than just about any position player since Farhan Zaidi took over five years ago. A defensive whiz who figured out how to hit for power while climbing through three levels of the minor leagues last season, Schmitt made his long-awaited arrival Tuesday night.And, with a home run in his second at-bat and a pair of hits in each of his first two games, he’s lived up to the hype.So, with a nod to the No. 6 on his back, here are six things to know about the Giants’ 24-year-old rookie, rated the organization’s No. 3 prospect by Baseball America and No. 4 by MLB.com.1. Why he’s beloved by his teammates: This spring, Schmitt was voted the winner of the Barney Nugent Award, which like the regular-season Willie Mac Award holds its significance from the fact that it’s voted on by their teammates. In addition to putting in the work and per...

Warriors: Wiggins questionable for Game 6 with rib cartilage fracture

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

The Warriors’ path to forcing a Game 7 just got a whole lot more difficult.Andrew Wiggins was listed as questionable with rib cartilage fracture on Golden State’s injury report Thursday evening ahead of Friday’s Game 6 against the Lakers.Wiggins’ scoring was crucial to the Warriors’ Game 5 win on Wednesday. He scored 25 points as the beneficiary to Golden State’s strategy to force Anthony Davis out of the paint on ball-screen actions. He also has seven rebounds and five assists.He’s a linchpin of the defense as the Warriors’ primary defender on LeBron James.Wiggins may be able to play through the pain, but would certainly miss time if this injury occurred in the regular season. Kevin Durant missed two weeks with a similar injury in 2018.Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Column: Lakers’ Anthony Davis deserves more respect Golden State Warriors | Gary Payton II still isn’t 100% from offseason core surgery, but he’s swinging Warr...

Santos strikes a deal to avoid prosecution for Brazil crimes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

By Diane Jeantet and David Biller | Associated PressRIO DE JANEIRO — A day after New York Rep. George Santos pleaded not guilty to charges in the U.S., he signed an agreement Thursday with public prosecutors in Brazil to avoid prosecution for forging two stolen checks in 2008.“What would have been the start of a case was ended today,” Santos’ lawyer in Brazil, Jonymar Vasconcelos, told The Associated Press in a text message. “As such, my client is no longer the subject of any case in Brazil.”Asked about the details of the non-prosecution agreement, Vasconcelos demurred, citing the fact the case proceeded under seal. The public prosecutors’ office of Rio de Janeiro state also declined to comment when contacted by the AP.Court records in Brazil, first uncovered by The New York Times, show Santos was the subject of a criminal charge for using two stolen checks to buy items at a shop in the city of Niteroi, including a pair of sneakers that he gifted ...

Suspect in custody after SWAT team called to Fremont apartment complex

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

(KRON) -- A SWAT team was on the scene at a Fremont apartment complex Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred at the Briarwood Apartments located in the 40600 block of Grimmer Boulevard in the city's Irvington neighborhood. Police said that around 2:20 p.m. they received a 911 call about a possible home invasion, and the suspect was armed with a handgun. The suspect came out of the apartment after negotiations with police and was arrested at about 5 p.m. Enough explosive material to ‘level entire building’ found in San Jose facility There was a woman inside the apartment at the time. She is not injured. Police are still trying to determine whether there was a relationship between the man and the woman. The activity is centered on Bay Street between Grimmer Boulevard and Chapel Way. Police are asking people to avoid the area. Police say there is no indication of a public safety threat at this time.

Banning gun sales to young American adults under 21 is unconstitutional, judge rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a law banning licensed federal firearms dealers from selling handguns to young adults under 21 violates the Second Amendment and is unconstitutional.The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Payne in Richmond, if not overturned, would allow dealers to sell handguns to 18- to 20-year-olds.In his 71-page ruling, Payne wrote that many of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship are granted at the age of 18, including the right to vote, enlist in the military without parental permission and serve on a federal jury.“If the Court were to exclude 18-to-20-year-olds from the Second Amendment’s protection, it would impose limitations on the Second Amendment that do not exist with other constitutional guarantees,” Payne wrote. “Because the statutes and regulations in question are not consistent with our Nation’s history and tradition, they, therefore, cannot stand,” he wrote. Payne’s ruling ...

Does DC have the best parks of any city? A new report questions that claim

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:52 GMT

In recent years, the Trust for Public Land has consistently ranked D.C. as having one of, if not the best park systems of any city in the country. And some of the District’s parkland is world renowned, such as the National Mall and the White House grounds.But all told, the National Park Service controls hundreds of “parks,” totaling about 6,500 acres around the city — some as small as a street corner. And for all the love and attention some of the bigger parks get, a report out from the Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health found too many of those smaller, neighborhood parks aren’t getting enough attention.“That ranking is based on the fact that we have a lot of green space, that we devote a lot of financial resources toward that green space, and the vast majority of Washingtonians live within a 10 minute walk of a park,” said Rachel Clark, the policy director at the Redstone Center.But she arg...