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Los Angeles

Analysis: ‘I think we owe them.’ Kings eager to flip the script with the Oilers

As rites of spring go, it’s not as celebrated as the swallows returning to Capistrano. But the Kings’ returning to Edmonton for the NHL playoffs is seemingly becoming just as common. And after a wild conclusion to the NHL season Thursday, that’s just where they’re headed for a third straight year. Know what else has become almost as predictable? The Kings ending their season against the Oilers, a script the team hopes to flip this spring. When the teams meet Monday in their playoff opener, it will mark the 10th postseason meeting between the two rivals; neither have faced a single postseason opponent more often. However the series has been anything but even with Edmonton winning seven of the nine previous series. In fact, the Kings haven’t beaten Edmonton in the postseason since 1989, Wayne Gretzky’s first season in Los Angeles. “There’s no question we’ve got a history with them,” Jim Hiller, the Kings’ interim coach said. “We definitely want to beat them now,” added forward Quinton Byfield, who scored his 20th goal of the season in a 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks

Los Angeles

Topanga Canyon could remain closed into the fall after massive landslide

A massive landslide covering a large section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard still poses a safety risk and may not be cleared until fall, the California Department of Transportation said. Recent storms further saturated the unstable hillside, CalTrans officials said. Water has been seeping beneath the dirt, mud and rocks, an indication that the land may move again. That is especially concerning, officials said, because a large boulder sitting about 10 feet high has developed a crack that is 5 to 10 feet wide. The unstable hillside pose a challenge as well as a safety risk for crews who must bring material from the top of the hillside to the ground. The roadway is closed from Grand View Drive in the community of Topanga to Pacific Coast Highway. The landslide was one of several that occurred last month after a series of winter rainstorms drenched Southern California, dumping more than a typical year’s worth of rain on the region in a matter of weeks. CalTrans officials estimate the landslide is about 8,000 cubic yards and weighs about 9.2 million pounds. “That is enough material to fill

Los Angeles

CDs vs. high-yield savings accounts: What to consider before the Fed cuts rates

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. By Aly Yale Edited By Angelica Leicht Updated on: April 19, 2024 / 10:11 AM EDT / CBS News The Federal Reserve could cut rates at some point later this year, and if it does, it could have a hefty impact on CD and high-yield savings account rates.  Getty Images With the economy improving and inflation down quite a bit since its peak a few years ago, some experts think that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates later on this year. Should that happen, rates on high-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs) are likely to fall, too. Opinions on rate cuts in 2024 are mixed, however, as the inflation rate has ticked back up over the last couple of months.  Still, if rate cuts do occur, they could have a big impact on these types of deposit accounts. Right now, the average regular savings account offers just 0.46%, but it’s easy to find high-yield savings accounts offering rates that are 10 to

Los Angeles

Olympic sports bodies criticize track and field prize money pledge

April 19, 2024 / 10:04 AM EDT / CBS/AP Olympics flame lit ahead of Paris games Paris Olympics flame lit as athletes prepare for Summer Games 03:50 The decision to give track and field gold medalists $50,000 at the Paris Olympics is being criticized by Olympic sports bodies who said the move “undermines the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the games.” Last week, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe broke with tradition when it announced that starting this summer, gold medalists across the 48 events on the track and field program would split $2.4 million from the sport’s share of the International Olympic Committee’s multi-billion dollar income.  World Athletics got about $39.5 million from the IOC for the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021. “The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medalists is a pivotal commitment to empowering the athletes and recognizing the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games,” Coe said in a statement during the announcement. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe Gregorio Borgia / AP Coe, a two-time Olympic champion in the men’s 1,5000 meters and former lawmaker

Bay Area

How 4/20 grew from humble roots in the Bay Area to marijuana’s high holiday

By GENE JOHNSON | Associated Press SEATTLE – Saturday marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, 4/20, when college students gather — at 4:20 p.m. — in clouds of smoke on campus quads and pot shops in legal-weed states thank their customers with discounts. This year’s edition provides an occasion for activists to reflect on how far their movement has come, with recreational pot now allowed in nearly half the states and the nation’s capital. Many states have instituted “social equity” measures to help communities of color, harmed the most by the drug war, reap financial benefits from legalization. And the White House has shown an openness to marijuana reform. Here’s a look at 4/20’s history: WHY 4/20? The origins of the date, and the term “420” generally, were long murky. Some claimed it referred to a police code for marijuana possession or that it derived from Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35,” with its refrain of “Everybody must get stoned” — 420 being the product of 12 times 35. But the prevailing explanation is that it started in the 1970s with a group

Bay Area

Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Isabella Flores, Piedmont Hills

Piedmont Hills softball player Isabella Flores is the Bay Area News Group’s girls high school athlete of the week for April 8-13. In online voting that ended at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Flores finished with 27.42% of the vote to edge Dougherty Valley lacrosse player Caitlin Osmond, who took second at 24.49%. Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition. Flores had a dominant pitching performance in her team’s 7-0 victory over Santa Clara. The sophomore struck out 20 and allowed just one walk in a complete game.  To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com by Monday at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration. Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.

Bay Area

San Francisco mayor announces the city will receive pandas from China

BEIJING — San Francisco is the latest U.S. city preparing to receive a pair of pandas from China, in a continuation of Beijing’s famed “panda diplomacy.” San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the panda loan in Beijing on Friday, alongside officials from China Wildlife Conservation Association, or CWCA. It will be San Francisco’s first time hosting the beloved animals long-term — the result of a yearlong advocacy campaign, Breed said. San Diego previously announced it was receiving two pandas back in February. China is home to the only natural habitat for pandas and owns most of the black-and-white bears in the world. Beijing loans the animals to other countries as a tool for diplomacy and wildlife conservation. “San Francisco is absolutely thrilled to be welcoming giant pandas to the San Francisco Zoo,” Breed said after signing a letter of intent for international cooperation on giant panda conservation. Breed said the city had been working with its Chinese and Asian communities to advocate for the pandas for almost a year leading up to an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in San Francisco last November, during which

Bay Area

Mother’s Day inspiration: 3 elevated brunch cocktails for spring

Ernest Hemingway once wrote that “Paris is a moveable feast.” I think he might have meant “transportable,” because a moveable feast changes dates but not location, whereas a transportable feast goes wherever you do. But what do I know? Holidays, like Easter or Passover, that move around the calendar are known as “moveable feasts.” But I would argue that any occasion that kicks off brunch season — whether it’s Mother’s Day or the first sunny Sunday after months of rain — is the ultimate moveable feast. Adding a whole egg adds richness to a Ramos Fizz. (Ross Taylor/The Virginian-Pilot)  And brunch is really just a fancy way of saying, “I want an alcoholic drink with my breakfast.” (We are not here to judge!) So with that idea in mind, we’re offering up the trinity of brunch cocktails — the Bloody Mary, the Mimosa and the Ramos Fizz — all localized and elevated by the addition of one or two new-ish ingredients. It is the beginning of spring after all, and spring is all about new beginnings and new things. Hemingway also wrote: “When spring came

Bay Area

No D’s and F’s? No extra credit? Will Bay Area schools’ switch to equity grading help or harm students?

Hrihaan Bhutani is already thinking about college. The Dublin High freshman is taking four Advanced Placement classes next year and has crammed his schedule with extracurricular activities to better his chances of getting into an Ivy League school. But a change at the high school designed to get students less focused on grades has done the opposite. Suddenly, in some classes, A’s are almost unachievable, unless you score 100%. And F’s don’t exist. For high-achieving students like Bhutani, the pressure to be perfect is even more of a burden. “I feel more stressed … now with this new system,” said Bhutani, who is especially sweating his biology class, one of dozens trying a variety of new grading scales under a two-year experiment. “Even if you’re at a 99, you would get moved down to an 85,” he explained, which translates to a world-ending B. Dublin High School freshmen Hrihaan Bhutani, right, in a campus classroom on Thursday, April 11, 20124, in Dublin, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)  Dublin Unified’s new grading policy will go into effect for all 6th through 12th grade classes next

Los Angeles

Topanga Canyon still closed by landslide, won’t be cleared till fall

A massive landslide covering a large section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard still poses a safety risk and may not be cleared until fall, the California Department of Transportation said. Recent storms further saturated the unstable hillside, CalTrans officials said. Water has been seeping beneath the dirt, mud and rocks, an indication that the land may move again. That is especially concerning, officials said, because a large boulder sitting about 10 feet high has developed a crack that is 5 to 10 feet wide. The unstable hillside pose a challenge as well as a safety risk for crews who must bring material from the top of the hillside to the ground. The roadway is closed from Grand View Drive in the community of Topanga to Pacific Coast Highway. The landslide was one of several that occurred last month after a series of winter rainstorms drenched Southern California, dumping more than a typical year’s worth of rain on the region in a matter of weeks. CalTrans officials estimate the landslide is about 8,000 cubic yards and weighs about 9.2 million pounds. “That is enough material to fill

Los Angeles

Driver critically injures 3 pedestrians in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood

Three pedestrians were critically injured after being struck by a sedan while walking in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood Thursday night.  The crash occurred around 11 p.m. in the 500 block of South Alvarado Street across from MacArthur Park. Emergency personnel found three patients at the scene who were transported to a hospital for further treatment. Emergency personnel respond to a crash involving three pedestrians in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles on April 18, 2024. (KTLA) All three were in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news alert. The ages and identities of the victims were not released. Details around the crash were unclear including whether the pedestrians were in a crosswalk when they were struck. Bouncer at West Hollywood nightclub arrested after violent altercation The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Zoo shares video of bighorn baby sheep lambs

The Los Angeles Zoo shared a recent video of two baby bighorn sheep lambs born last month.  The video posted to the L.A. Zoo’s Facebook page Thursday shows the newborns jumping and bonding with the rest of the herd. “Baby alert, times two! 🐑🐑 Say hello to our two boisterous bighorn sheep lambs,” the L.A. Zoo announced in the post. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen with an older member of the herd in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April

Los Angeles

Two planes nearly collided at Washington’s Reagan National Airport

Two planes nearly collided at Washington’s Reagan National Airport – CBS News Watch CBS News A JetBlue flight from Washington to Boston began to take off at the same time a Southwest jet was crossing the same runway. Both planes stopped moments before a potential collision. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

U.S. officials on conflict between Israel, Iran

U.S. officials on conflict between Israel, Iran – CBS News Watch CBS News President Biden warned about risking a wider war in the Middle East, and while the White House is monitoring the situation, there has been no official response. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met virtually Thursday with Israeli leaders, but it is unclear if Israel told U.S. leaders about the planned strike on Iran. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Paris police reportedly detain man behind bomb threat at Iran consulate

By Elaine Cobbe Updated on: April 19, 2024 / 8:59 AM EDT / CBS News Police set up a security cordon in Paris’ wealthy 16th arrondissement Friday amid reports that a man was threatening to detonate an alleged explosive belt at an Iranian consulate. The Paris police would say only that an intervention was underway on the street where the consulate is located, but French media soon reported that the suspect had been taken into custody. The Reuters news agency said the man was not found to have any explosives. Le Parisien newspaper quoted police sources as saying an eyewitness had seen a man present himself at the door of the consulate before opening his coat to reveal what looked like a homemade explosive belt. French police, including special forces, secure the area near an Iranian consulate in Paris, where a man was reportedly threatening to blow himself up, April 19, 2024. Benoit Tessier/REUTERS The newspaper cited several eyewitnesses who saw the man place flags on the floor of the consulate. They recounted that he said he wanted to avenge the death of his brother.

Los Angeles

Rock ‘n Roll guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80

Rock ‘n Roll guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80 – CBS News Watch CBS News Legendary guitarist Dickey Betts died Thursday at his home in Florida after battling cancer. The Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Famer was 80 years old. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Editorial: Google’s hardball tactics against California news outlets show why it should be regulated

Whatever happened to Google’s “Don’t be evil” motto? That corporate maxim is apparently gone, and the Internet behemoth has decided to display its super villain side. The latest example is a campaign in California to demonstrate just how easily the company could crush news outlets if state lawmakers dare to pass a law requiring that tech companies, such as Google, share advertising revenue with the journalists who produce much of the content on their platforms. Google announced last week that it would remove links to California news websites from search results. The company portrayed the move as a “test” to prepare for the possible implications if the California Journalism Preservation Act passes. The company has not said how long or how widespread the test will be. We’re not fooled and neither should anyone else be who cares about the survival of independent news reporting. The California Journalism Preservation Act is supported by the California News Publishers Assn. and the News/Media Alliance, of which The Times is a member. Google’s announcement was clearly intended as a threat to news organizations and state lawmakers to stand down

Los Angeles

L.A. Affairs: I was new to Los Angeles. Was driving 70 miles one way for love a problem?

I begrudgingly met my husband. I had been in L.A. for a short time and was keeping busy with the California lifestyle I had always dreamed of. With my doctorate in audiology, I had my first real job in the profession I had studied for many years. I also had my own apartment, complete with a complex pool surrounded by palm trees. I even bought a convertible that I could cruise top down year-round. Having come from Canada, where winter is the most prominent season, being in Southern California felt more like a vacation than real life. My weekdays were about work, so I decided to settle close to my office in Santa Clarita. I had the dream commute. I was two songs on the radio from my doorstep to the office. Also, Santa Clarita provided the perfect springboard for exploring SoCal on weekends. It was a quick jaunt to the beach on the 126. Or I could go north to the wine country or over to the desert or mountains depending on my mood or the weather. I was single and excited to take