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Editorial: California should exercise caution on self-driving trucks

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

The recent San Francisco experiment involving self-driving taxis shows the risk posed by putting self-driving trucks on California roads and highways. The thought of a fully loaded semi barreling down a busy highway without a driver on board raises legitimate concerns. But a bill passed by the state Legislature goes too far in slowing efforts to implement the new technology.Gov. Gavin Newsom should veto AB 316, which would ban self-driving trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds from operating on public roads without a human driver until 2029. The Legislature should instead designate the state Department of Motor Vehicles and other stage agencies with the necessary expertise to determine when self-driving trucks are safe to transport products in California.Under the legislation, the DMV would not be able to issue permits for self-driving trucks until after five years of testing or Jan. 2020, whichever comes later. That means the earliest California could allow autonomous trucks to o...

Opinion: Why support for reparations in California should be greater

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

An August poll by UC Berkeley found that most Californians oppose paying cash reparations to the descendants of the enslaved.As a supporter of reparations, I found the results disappointing. But not surprising. Most of the state’s 40 million people residents probably don’t know our dark history of enslavement. The poll didn’t provide that context, making it hard for people to feel responsible for something that happened long ago.I grew up thinking mistakenly there was no slavery in California.I got that impression in the fourth grade, the time when California students study our state’s history. My 1963 textbook, “California: Story of Our Past,” presented an idealized version of the conquest of California, with Indians delighted to meet the “kind and brave captain,” Juan Cabrillo, the first European to explore the coast. There was no mention of the deliberate killing of Native Americans or how they were forcibly kept at the 21 missions.Fortunately, students today learn a more nuanced...

Kingston Keanaaina’s big second half helps St. Francis pull away in WCAL opener

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

MOUNTAIN VIEW – The play was “96 Slant.” It may not have decided St. Francis High’s 42-20 football victory over visiting Archbishop Mitty on Friday night, but it all but ended it.Kingston Keanaaina’s 63-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage of the second half did two things: It changed the fortunes of a game and it reminded everyone at Brother Fisher Field of Keanaaina’s immense talent.After being held to 35 yards rushing in the first half, Keanaaina gained 132 in the second, finishing with 167 yards on 15 carries with four touchdowns as the Lancers (2-2 overall) collected a big victory on the West Catholic Athletic League’s opening weekend.“Tight end  James Jordan did a great job of sealing one of their best players,” Keanaaina said. “After that, I knew. And Perrion Williams blocking downfield was a big help right there. I think I’m getting him donuts tomorrow.”A year ago, the then-sophomore Keanaaina made his first varsity start against Mitty and rushed f...

Ask Amy: Why do they think I want to hear their annoying music in public?

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

Dear Amy: I live in Colorado and have young children at home, as well as a job where I am constantly bombarded by sound.I frequent outdoor spaces to seek peace, solitude and the quiet sounds of nature – for my mental health.I am dismayed at the proliferation of Bluetooth speakers, large and small. They seem to be everywhere! Hiking trails, lakes, on boats and paddleboards, at the pool, while camping, even strapped to people while they are biking and skiing! Few seem concerned about the noise pollution they are inflicting on others around them.Why do people seem not to notice or care that those around them may not wish to listen to their choice of music?What happens if we get multiple, conflicting speakers at the same time?I wish I could ask people to use headphones when they are alone, or at least turn down the sound so it is mostly heard by a group in a small vicinity, not everyone around them.In the case of running or biking, they should only wear one earbud and have the volume on...

Tropical Storm Ophelia moving inland over North Carolina as coastal areas lashed with wind and rain

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

Waves break along the jetty at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Va., on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 as Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches the area. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)(AP/Kendall Warner) Waves break along the jetty at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Va., on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 as Tropical Storm Ophelia approaches the area. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)(AP/Kendall Warner) ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Tropical Storm Ophelia was moving inland across North Carolina early Saturday, lashing coastal areas with rain, damaging winds and dangerous surges of water, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Life-threatening flooding was forecast for parts of eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virg...

Man sentenced to life in prison for ‘gruesome’ attack that left Dumfries woman blind

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.A Dumfries man has been sentenced to life in prison in a “gruesome” 2021 attack that left his victim permanently blind.Prince William County Circuit Court Judge James Willett handed down the sentence on Thursday. In April, a jury found Cody Dale Davis guilty of aggravated malicious wounding after a three-day trial.The attack happened on Feb. 2, 2021 while the victim and three children were asleep in their home.Police found the woman in pool of blood suffering from severe facial lacerations and blunt force trauma to her eyes, the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release.Davis was also found at the home.“Investigation revealed that the defendant attacked the victim while she was defenseless and unsuspecting,” the release said. “The defendant beat the vict...

Team World sweeps opening three matches against Team Europe at Laver Cup

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-3, helping Team World win the first three singles matches of the Laver Cup international tournament on Friday.Ben Shelton and Francisco Cerundolo also claimed wins for Team World, along with the doubles pairing of Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe.Monfils came to Auger-Aliassime’s side of the court twice to verbally spar with him during their match, and the Canadian ignored his taunts both times.“At the end of the day, the goal is to get through and win,” Auger-Aliassime said about the confrontation. “I take all matches seriously and want to compete and win and have fun doing it.”Monfils repeatedly played to the crowd, cupping his ear to hear cheers or sitting on advertising boardings along the edge of the black court at Rogers Arena and shrugging to the crowd when a call didn’t go his way. The French player was heard on mic telling Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg that he “was here to have fun” and appe...

Europe stays close after splitting foursome matches against United States in Solheim Cup

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

CASARES, Spain (AP) — Swedish rookies Maja Stark and Linn Grant kept it close for Europe at the Solheim Cup on Saturday, making crucial birdie putts on their final two holes to help the hosts split the morning foursome matches and stay only 7-5 down against the United States.Stark and Grant defeated Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee 1 up in the final group to secure a 2-2 split in the early session. Stark’s putt on the 17th put Europe ahead, then Grant clinched the win by sinking hers on the 18th.Stark and Grant, good friends off the course as well, had made their Solheim Cup debuts with a loss in the opening foursomes on Friday.The U.S. got off to its best-ever start to take a 4-0 lead on Friday morning. The Europeans rallied in the fourball matches in the afternoon to cut the lead to 5-3 going into the weekend.The Europeans, trying to win three Solheim Cups in a row for the first time, came in touted as the favorites after bringing an experienced squad to Spain. The Americans arrived w...

Insólito: el aterrador caimán sin nariz, y un astronauta hispano cultiva tomates en el espacio

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

EL ASTRONAUTA HISPANO QUE CULTIVA TOMATES EN EL ESPACIOUn hispano está a punto de romper el récord de permanencia de una persona en el espacio. Ningún astronauta de la NASA ha vivido más tiempo en la Estación Espacial Internacional (EEI) que Frank Rubio, de origen salvadoreño, quien completará 371 días orbitando en el espacio el próximo 27 de septiembre.Uno de sus principales proyectos es el cultivo de tomates en el espacio como parte de la Expedición 68. Los tomates se cultivaron sin tierra utilizando técnicas de nutrición hidropónica y aeropónica para crear métodos agrícolas espaciales que permitan sustentar a las tripulaciones en largos vuelos espaciales para futuras misiones a la Luna y Marte.Mientras sigue en el espacio, cuenta los días para reencontrarse con su mamá, quien vive en El Salvador y quien lo sacó adelante siendo madre soltera. RESCATAN A CAIMÁN SIN NARIZ EN FLORIDA Un pequeño caimán que provocó conmoción en Florida por no tener su mandíbula superior, encontró ...

Ukraine targets key Crimean city a day after striking Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:23 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine on Saturday morning launched another missile attack on Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, a Russian-installed official said, a day after an attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet left a serviceman missing and the main building smoldering.Sevastopol was put on air raid alert for about an hour after debris from intercepted missiles fell near a pier, Gov. Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on the messaging app Telegram. Ferry traffic in the area was also halted and later resumed. Loud blasts were also heard near Vilne in northern Crimea, followed by rising clouds of smoke, according to a pro-Ukrainian Telegram news channel that reports on developments on the peninsula. Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a frequent target for Ukrainian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of the neighboring country almost 19 months ago.Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, told Voice of America on Sat...