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Sacramento

Red Bluff firefighters to host bowling fundraiser Tuesday

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

The Red Bluff Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter Memorial Bowl-a-thon is set to take place 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Lariat Bowl, 365 S. Main St. Tickets are $15 per person, which includes shoe rental and two games. There will be an opportunity drawing with tickets being $1 each or six for $5. Prize drawing will take place 7:30-8 p.m. All proceeds go to the Red Bluff Volunteer Firefighters Memorial Scholarship, which is given out annually to outstanding individuals who seek further education with an interest in the medical field. For more information, call the Red Bluff Volunteer Fire Department at 527-1126.

Sacramento

New California cases raise growing U.S. coronavirus infections

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

Health officials Friday confirmed two new cases of the deadly novel coronavirus in California as the number of infections being treated the U.S. climbed sharply with the repatriation of American evacuees from a cruise ship anchored in Japan. The newest California cases involved a person in Sacramento County and a person in Humboldt county. Sacramento County Public Health Friday confirmed the first travel-related case in an adult county resident who returned from traveling in China on Feb. 2. “The individual took precautionary measures during travel and has self-quarantined since returning,” Sacramento County’s Department of Health Services said in a statement Friday. “During the quarantine period, the individual began exhibiting mild symptoms.” The person, whose age and gender they would not reveal, is currently “asymptomatic, but will remain home for mandatory isolation until cleared,” the Sacramento department added. And Humboldt County officials also confirmed an infection in a recent traveler to China, and added that a “close contact” of that person also has symptoms of the respiratory disease being called COVID-19 and is being tested for the virus. “Presently, the ill individuals are doing well and self-isolating…

Sacramento

Will NFL players accept 17-game season, expanded playoffs?

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

The NFL’s proposed changes, including a 17-game regular season and expanded playoff system, could be voted on by NFL player representatives on Tuesday. But if the player reps listen to the 49ers’ Richard Sherman, they’ll just say no to the league’s new CBA offer. Leadership! I am with you! Please communicate with your team rep. https://t.co/JucZbwqoa2 — Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) February 21, 2020 Sherman is among the 11 players on the NFL Players Association’s executive council who have rejected the changes in the owners’ offer in a 6-5 vote, with the addition of a 17th game being one of the major sticking points. However, that council’s vote serves only as a recommendation to the players and their reps. There was hope the player reps would hold their vote on Friday, but after a long day of discussions that was tabled. The reps are holding out hope for further negotiations with owners, but the owners reportedly aren’t interested. After the NFLPA’s player reps vote, the proposal will go to the association’s full body of roughly 2,100 players for a simple majority vote, according to ESPN. Sherman…

Sacramento

Five things we learned at Giants HQ: Bruce Bochy arrives in camp, the first lineup and more

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With 72 players, 13 major league coaches and a handful of executives walking around the fields at Scottsdale Stadium every day, it’s relatively easy for a visitor to Giants camp to blend into the background. Bruce Bochy will never know that luxury. After 13 seasons managing the Giants and leading the club to three World Series titles, Bochy is one of the most beloved figures in the organization’s history. Bochy is humble, but he knows his presence can create more than a slight distraction. That’s why in his new role as a special advisor to the Giants, Bochy elected to wait until new manager Gabe Kapler became comfortable with his surroundings before visiting his old stomping grounds. “I think that’s why he is where he is today, because he’s so thoughtful,” Kapler said. “He thinks about things on a deeper level and there’s a lot of awareness and sensitivity to that statement and obviously being on my end of it, I’m super grateful for that awareness.” Kapler said he used Bochy as a resource during his interview process and immediately after he…

Sacramento

Former A’s pitcher says dilapidated Coliseum wouldn’t allow team to cheat

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

Good news! A’s fans have nothing to worry about on the sign-stealing front. One of their favorite sons is guaranteeing it. Left-handed starting pitcher Brett Anderson went 43-43 in two stints with the A’s — 2009-13, and 2018-19. In December he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, but he’s still there for A’s fans who might be concerned that their favorite team might have been playing fast and loose with the rules like the Houston Astros. Related Articles A’s pitcher Mike Fiers, who blew the whistle on Astros, has received death threats A’s Cactus League opener moved from day to night game Five things we learned from A’s HQ: Mike Fiers speaks on Astros, Jonah Heim learns the ropes and situational hitting Former A’s catcher Lucroy on Astros: ‘Every single pitch, we were changing signs’ Will A’s be target of Astros’ beanballs after Fiers outed Houston’s cheating? “I know the A’s weren’t cheating,” Anderson told The Athletic. “Because, one, I don’t know if they could afford it. And to relay from (expletive) 300 yards away in the video room? What were we going to do, get…

Sacramento

Turlock State Of The City Highlights

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

In her first State of the City address, Turlock Mayor Amy Bublak highlighted successes over the past year while touching on key issues impacting the City including financial stability, water, roads, economic development, homelessness, public safety and volunteerism. February 20, 2020 at Stanislaus State.

Inland Empire

Amie Harwick was strangled before she was thrown over balcony, autopsy finds

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

(CNN) — Former sex therapist Amie Harwick appears to have been strangled before she was thrown from a third-floor balcony at her Hollywood Hills apartment, officials said Thursday. Autopsy results show the primary cause of death as blunt force injuries to the head and torso from a fall after an altercation, said Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Evidence of “manual strangulation” also was found, Ardalani told CNN. An ex-boyfriend of Harwick was charged Wednesday in her death. Gareth Pursehouse, 41, was charged with one count of murder and one count of first-degree residential burglary, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The special circumstance allegation of lying in wait means he is eligible for the death penalty. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. Harwick, the 38-year-old who was previously engaged to comedian Drew Carey, was found unresponsive beneath a third-story balcony in her home with injuries consistent with a fall early Saturday, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department. She was transported to a hospital, where she died. The therapist, who…

Inland Empire

‘Hungry lion’ Tyson Fury promises to knock out Deontay Wilder in their much-anticipated rematch

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

(CNN) — It’s almost time for the talking to stop as Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder make their final preparations ahead of Saturday’s hotly anticipated rematch. The pair will lock horns in Las Vegas for the WBC heavyweight title after their controversial fight in 2018 ended in a draw. Fury, the self-proclaimed “Gypsy King,” is confident the result will be different this weekend and promises to knock out his unbeaten opponent. “I’m going to punch him in the face, multiple times until he falls to the floor in a heap,” the Briton told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell via video link Thursday. “There he will lay and I will stand over the top of him gazing down onto him on the floor.” ‘Training like a Trojan’ Fury has been his typical outrageous self in the build-up to the fight which promises to be one of the most compelling heavyweight bouts in modern history. He has criticized Wilder’s résumé, calling his previous opponents “tomato cans” and describing their previous meeting as an “easy fight”. Fury was knocked down twice by Wilder in their first meeting but made a miraculous recovery from the canvas in the…

Inland Empire

Seven-day reduction in violence in Afghanistan to begin, US announces

By CaliNews 15 mins ago

(CNN) — A seven-day reduction in violence in Afghanistan, negotiated by the US and the Taliban, is set to begin Friday night local time, the US State Department announced. “After decades of conflict, we have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant reduction in violence across Afghanistan. This is an important step on a long road to peace, and I call on all Afghans to seize this opportunity,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted Friday morning. The US is aiming for a peace deal to help execute President Donald Trump’s desire to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan. The first step is expected to reduce the current level of troops from 12-13,000 to 8,600. Officials have stressed that such a reduction would be “conditions-based.” Pompeo said Friday that the US is preparing for the signing of a US-Taliban agreement on February 29, contingent on the “successful implementation” of the reduction in violence. “Intra-Afghan negotiations will start soon thereafter, and will build on this fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for Afghanistan,” he said. Two Afghan officials also confirmed…

Los Angeles

California Tells 7,000 People Who Returned From China to Stay Home Because of Coronavirus

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

California health officials said Friday that 7,600 people who returned to the state after visiting China during the outbreak of the new virus have been asked to quarantine themselves at home this month as health officials try to stop the spread of the virus. The people returned to the U.S. on or after Feb. 2 and are being asked to monitor their health, stay home and limit interactions with others, the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. The department said that number excludes those who visited China’s Hubei province, where the disease known as COVID-19 originated. Americans who spent time there and in Hubei’s provincial capital of Wuhan have been flown home on U.S.-chartered flights and quarantined on military bases. The U.S. is funneling travelers from China to 11 airports, including San Francisco International Airport, to ensure they get medical screening and medical care. At least 34 people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus, including 18 who returned home from a quarantined cruise ship in Japan, the Centers for Disease Control said during a conference call with reporters Friday.…

Los Angeles

Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial: Officials Release Info on Closures Around Staples Center Monday

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

Officials have released information on closures in downtown Los Angeles that will be in place for Monday’s public memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant at Staples Center as they encouraged those without tickets to stay away from the area. Fans continue to pay their respect to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, 13, at a memorial set up outside of Staples Center on January 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) The celebration of life event, slated to begin at 10 a.m., will take place nearly a month after the legendary Lakers player, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. Two minor road closures will be in place ahead of and during the event: Chick Hearn Court at Georgia Street, and Chick Hearn Court at Figueroa Street, according to Lee Zeidman, the president of Staples Center and L.A. Live. Checkpoints will be set up at both locations, and those looking to get into either area will need to show a ticket to the event or a parking pass to get into the area, Zeidman said…

Los Angeles

U.S. Women’s Soccer Players Seek Over $66 Million in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

Players on the U.S. women’s national team are seeking more than $66 million in damages as part of their gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The damages were included in slew of papers filed Thursday night in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles ahead of a trial scheduled to start May 5. Among the documents filed were the separate collective bargaining agreements of the U.S. men’s and women’s teams, which had not previously been made public. Players on the women’s national team sued the federation last March alleging institutionalized gender discrimination that includes inequitable compensation between the men’s and women’s teams. Each side in the class-action lawsuit asked for a summary judgment in their favor. The estimate of damages, including interest, was provided by Finnie Bevin Cook, an economist from Deiter Consulting Group, which was retained by the suing players. The collective bargaining agreements showed a disparity in bonuses but also highlighted the different pay structures between the two teams. “Women’s national team players are paid differently because they specifically asked for and negotiated a completely different contract than the men’s national team, despite being offered, and…

Los Angeles

Jurors in Weinstein Rape Case Say They’re Deadlocked on Most Serious Charges

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

The jury in Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial indicated Friday that it is deadlocked on the most serious charges, but the judge told the panel it must keep working. In a note to the judge late in the fourth day of deliberations, jurors asked if it was permissible for them to be hung on one or both counts of predatory sexual assault while reaching a unanimous verdict on the other charges on their complicated verdict sheet. Weinstein’s lawyers said they would accept a partial verdict, but prosecutors said no and Judge James Burke refused to allow it. He sent jurors back to deliberate for a few more minutes before letting them go home for the weekend. They’ll resume Monday morning. “Just remember you are in a critical stage, you are in the process of deliberations and you are not sequestered,” Burke told the panel of seven men and five women. The jury has been particularly focused on the key aspect of the predatory sexual assault counts that Weinstein is facing: “Sopranos” actress Annabella Sciorra’s allegations that Weinstein raped and forcibly performed oral sex on her in…

Bay Area

Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No. 1 pick

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

SAN FRANCISCO — While the Warriors have dealt with their fair share of criticism over the years, the constant critique that comes with being a No. 1 overall pick is something no individual Warriors player has had to deal with. Yes, Stephen Curry is a former No. 7 pick, Marquese Chriss a former No. 8 pick and Klay Thompson a former No. 11 pick, but the expectations heaped onto a top overall pick are unlike those for a player selected in the late lottery. This is something Andrew Wiggins is well aware of, but his teammates and coaches have been steadfast in dismissing that criticism. “One thing I don’t like is people automatically think he wasn’t good. He averaged 20 points a game. The kid’s good, he’s really good,” Eric Paschall said following the Warriors’ 135-105 loss to the Rockets on Thursday night. “He’s been playing well for the past few years. He was Rookie of the Year. It’s his sixth year and he’s averaged 20 for his whole career, so no surprise over here.”Related Articles Warriors longtime foil Russell Westbrook goes all alpha male…

Bay Area

US fines Wells Fargo $3B for fake accounts scandal

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

By Matt Egan | CNN Wells Fargo was hit with a $3 billion fine Friday by federal authorities outraged by the millions of fake accounts created at the troubled bank over many years. The settlement with the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission, years in the making, resolves Wells Fargo’s criminal and civil liabilities for the fake-accounts scandal that erupted nearly four years ago. The deal does not, however, remove the threat of prosecution against current and former Wells Fargo employees. Prosecutors slammed Wells Fargo for the “staggering size, scope and duration” of the unlawful conduct uncovered at one of America’s largest and most powerful banks. As part of the deal, Wells Fargo admitted that between 2002 and 2016, it falsified bank records, harmed the credit ratings of customers, unlawfully misused their personal information and wrongfully collected millions of dollars in fees and interest. “Today’s announcement should serve as a stark reminder that no institution is too big, too powerful, or too well-known to be held accountable and face enforcement action for its wrongdoings,” US Attorney Andrew Murray for the Western District of North…

Bay Area

Study: low-nutrition diet results in low sperm count, testosterone

By CaliNews 16 mins ago

By Sandee LaMotte | CNN If sperm was an animal, science might worry that it’s heading toward extinction in Western nations. Total sperm count in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand dropped by up to 60% in the 38 years between 1973 and 2011, research found — an acceleration of a trend that began in the 1940s. More recent studies show the trend is continuing. At the same time, studies show a concurrent decline in testosterone levels — the hormone needed to build a man’s muscle and bone mass and boost his sex drive. Why? No one knows for sure. Debate rages about the role of radiation, air pollution and chemicals in our food, clothes and water. Smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity likely all play a role. So could the lower nutritional quality of the typical Western diet, according to a new study published Friday in JAMA Urology. “This study is the largest study to date to examine the diet pattern with men’s testicular function,” said study author Feiby Nassan, a research fellow at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study found…