Category: Sacramento

Saturday, May 11, 2024 3:33AM Disney has donated millions of books to First Book, an organization that helps get books and other resources to educators. BROOKLYN, New York — A special delivery was made Friday, bringing boxes of books to Brooklyn. The Walt Disney Company’s Magic of Storytelling campaign was at the Brooklyn Book Bodega on Flushing Avenue. They were opening up boxes and getting ready to hand out the books. Disney has donated millions of books to First Book, an organization that helps get books and other resources to educators. The goal is to inspire today’s youth to dream big about their future and become who they imagine they can be. You can visit the Magic of Storytelling website to learn more about Disney and First Book, and how you can help. Disney is the parent company of ABC OTV stations. Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California has a budget deficit of $27.6 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday – a gap so wide that he’s proposing cutting 10,000 vacant state jobs and suspending some widely used business tax deductions. The Democratic governor outlined the deficit Friday as part of his proposed $288 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. It’s the largest of any state. “These are programs, propositions that I’ve long advanced — many of them,” Newsom said. “But you’ve got to do it. We have to be responsible. We have to be accountable.” Newsom also is proposing to cut funding for 260 different state programs. One-time cuts would include $2 billion for broadband that would have expanded broadband connections, $500 million that would have improved “water storage” in the drought-plagued state, and $272 million for employment services for the state’s welfare program. Continuing cuts would save another $81 million by deactivating housing units with 4,600 beds across 13 state prisons, and remove $300 million in pandemic-related help for state and local public health departments. Ongoing spending for a scholarship program for

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Two Valley rabbis are preparing to travel to the Middle East on a mission aimed at helping and healing. Rabbi Rick Winer and his wife, Rabbi Laura Novak Winer, have taken many trips to Israel in their lifetime and say since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October. In a few weeks, they will be leading a group with the mission of helping as many people as possible. October 7th, the start of the Israel-Hamas War in the Middle East, is a date hard to forget for many throughout the world, including Rick and Laura, who say Israel is like their second home. “This land is so important to so many different people, and those roots are ancient and historic for everybody, and we should be able to live together as neighbors with respect and peace,” Laura said. In mid-February, Laura traveled to Israel for 5 days with a group of Jewish educators from around the country. Their mission was to bear witness, hear stories, volunteer, and support those in need. “I was in the marketplaces and talking with the

Saturday, May 11, 2024 1:17AM The City of Visalia is working on rebranding and released a new logo this week. VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) — The City of Visalia is working on rebranding and released a new logo this week. The city says the new look is intended to mark a new beginning while honoring the past. However, some community members say it is just too simple and they prefer the old one. “We are called the ‘Gateway to the Sequoias.’ We have a history, a long-term history since the 1800s. That logo had all of Visalia’s resources in it. It told a story, and it was voted on 20 years ago by the people,” said Efrain Becerra, who has lived in Visalia for 15 years. The total price tag for the rebrand was $150,000. Half of that money was used for the new logo, or a brand portfolio. That included interviews with locals and feedback. The other half includes a recruitment and hiring portfolio, which is an effort to get more employers and employees in the city. “Places in general are having issues with, you

Associated Press WICHITA, Kan. — A 45-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas. Ricky Alderete entered the plea during his arraignment Thursday. A judge signed off on it Friday. Authorities arrested him in February, with court records alleging he entered a Wichita home with the intent to kidnap someone as part of an effort to interfere with law enforcement. He then was charged later that month with felony theft and aggravated criminal damage to property in the statue theft, along with two other counts. Police said there was no evidence it was a hate-motivated crime. Rather, the intent was to sell the metal for scrap, police said. The bronze statue was cut from its base in January at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Only the statue’s feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42. It is named after Robinson’ s uniform number with the Brooklyn

SAN FRANCISCO — An ill-timed shave meant Casey Schmitt arrived in the heavily mustachioed home clubhouse at Oracle Park lacking the facial hair to match most of his teammates. It was another recent addition to his face that could be more meaningful. “The prescription is, like, minus-7.5, I think it is,” Schmitt said, turning to his locker and grabbing a packet of disposable contact lenses. “It’s not very significant. Just enough to kind of (help) at night. It was getting a little chippy.” Getting the start at shortstop Friday night with Nick Ahmed (wrist) placed on the 10-day injured list, the change for Schmitt should be invisible to the viewing public but could make all the difference at the plate, where he struggled to keep up with major-league pitching toward the tail end of his rookie year. “I wasn’t really seeing spin,” Schmitt said. “Now, I’m able to see it a lot better.” Schmitt’s teammate, Blake Sabol, plays with eyeglasses and the 25-year-old infielder said he considered taking measures to correct his vision but it wasn’t until about two weeks into the season that he

Different colleges have taken different approaches to handling campus protests, with very different outcomes. Sacramento State’s response stands out. Elise Preston had an exclusive interview with the university’s president, one of the first to sit down to talk about the protests.

By Alayna Treene | CNN As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sustains his support in public polls and makes steady progress on gaining ballot access in states across the country, his independent presidential bid is confounding the campaign of former President Donald Trump and its Republican allies. In recent weeks, Kennedy has gone from a perceived nuisance to a political problem that the Trump campaign is eager to swiftly extinguish, according to conversations with multiple people close to the former president. Trump himself has noticeably escalated his attacks on Kennedy in recent weeks, including posting a lengthy video to social media on Thursday that labeled him as a “Democrat plant” who will pull votes away from his campaign to help President Joe Biden, and urged Republicans not to cast a “wasted protest vote.” The shift comes as recent polls show that Kennedy could cut into Trump’s support just as much as he could draw votes away from Biden, with the results serving as an apparent warning for Republicans who have dismissed the independent candidate thus far, the sources say. The consensus held by Trump’s top advisers and allies

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee | Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Friday that Israel’s use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes. The finding of “reasonable” evidence to conclude that the U.S. ally had breached international law in its conduct of the war in Gaza was released in a summary of a report being delivered to Congress on Friday. It is the strongest statement that the Biden administration has made yet. But the caveat that the U.S. was unable immediately to link specific U.S. weapons to individual strikes by Israeli forces in Gaza could give the administration leeway in any future decision on whether to restrict provisions of offensive weapons to Israel. The first-of-its-kind assessment, which was compelled by President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats in Congress, comes after seven months of airstrikes, ground fighting and aid restrictions that have claimed the lives of nearly 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. While U.S. officials were unable to gather all the information they needed

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 45-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas. Ricky Alderete entered the plea during his arraignment Thursday. A judge signed off on it Friday. Authorities arrested him in February, with court records alleging he entered a Wichita home with the intent to kidnap someone as part of an effort to interfere with law enforcement. He then was charged later that month with felony theft and aggravated criminal damage to property in the statue theft, along with two other counts. Police said there was no evidence it was a hate-motivated crime. Rather, the intent was to sell the metal for scrap, police said. The bronze statue was cut from its base in January at a park in Wichita, Kansas. Only the statue’s feet were left at McAdams Park, where about 600 children play in a youth baseball league called League 42. It is named after Robinson’ s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers

RED BLUFF —  After crashing into the Red Bluff Inn and fleeing, the Red Bluff Police Department arrested one man on Thursday. Law enforcement said that at 3:27 p.m., the  Red Bluff Police Dispatch Center received multiple 911 calls reporting a collision on 99 Main Street. Additional information provided to dispatch indicated the suspect, Ryker Kay, 25, of Hood River, Oregon, fled on foot after the collision. Red Bluff police arrived in the area and found  Kay several blocks north of the collision. Police say as officers stopped Kay and attempted to detain him, he significantly resisted officers and kicked at least one officer in the process. RBPDRBPD K9 Max. (Contributed by RBPD) According to police, K-9 Max was deployed to assist in taking Kay into custody due to his level of resistance and to avoid potential injury to officers, K-9 Max. They say Max was effective, and officers placed Kay into handcuffs. He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment of injuries sustained in the collision to be medically cleared and evaluated. A victim from the Red Bluff Inn was also

Authorities in Russia say seven people were killed when a bus swerved through traffic, veered off a bridge in St. Petersburg and plunged into the river below.

Geomagnetic storms can affect infrastructure, but may also bring an expanded viewing of the aurora borealis.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has delivered to Congress a highly-anticipated report on Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The State Department investigation found no humanitarian law violations by Israel, but determined that “it is reasonable to assess” that some U.S. weapons may have been used in manners “inconsistent” with those laws. Ramy Inocencio reports.

Russian officials are investigating a terrifying commuter bus crash Friday on a bridge in St. Petersburg which killed at least seven people and injured several more. Chris Livesay has details.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Giants acquired minor league outfielder Rodolfo Nolasco from the Pirates on Friday in a trade that sent right-hander Daulton Jefferies to Pittsburgh. San Francisco also dealt right-hander Mitch White, a San Jose native and former Santa Clara pitcher, to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash. The 28-year-old Jefferies, who played collegiately at Cal and later made 10 starts for the A’s between 2020 and 2022, worked back from a second Tommy John surgery this season and was 0-2 with a 17.36 ERA over two appearances with one start, allowing nine earned runs on 14 hits with a pair of home runs over 4 2/3 innings. He missed all of last season following his second elbow reconstruction surgery on Sept. 9, 2022, and the process had Jefferies contemplating quitting baseball altogether. He was 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA in four outings with Triple-A Sacramento. Nolasco was playing for Pittsburgh’s High-A Greensboro affiliate, batting .173 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 21 games. This marks the second time this season that White has changed teams. He is 1-0 with a 7.63 ERA

Friday, May 10, 2024 10:05PM A bus plunged off of a bridge Friday in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, killing at least seven people, officials said. ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — A bus veered off a bridge and plunged into a river on Friday in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, killing seven people, officials said. The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top criminal investigations body, reported the death toll. It did not state how many others were injured, but the emergencies ministry earlier said that six people removed from the bus were in critical or serious condition. Russian news reports said there were 15 people on the city bus when it broke through a barrier and plunged into the Moika River in central St. Petersburg. Six of those who were onboard climbed out of the water on their own. A surveillance video released by the Russian media showed the bus driving fast, making a sharp turn onto the bridge and colliding with another vehicle before breaking through the barrier and falling into the water. Authorities in St. Petersburg said that the owner of the bus had been

By Jose Mayorquin Friday, May 10, 2024 9:58PM Exhibition takes a nostalgic look back at the iconic Olympic Auditorium which showcased boxing, wrestling and roller derby for generations. LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Olympic Auditorium was built to host boxing, weight lifting, and wrestling events during the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The venue ultimately became a mecca for boxing fans for generations. “The exhibition and the documentary, both tell the story of the Olympic, and how it fits within LA history,” said Stephen DeBro, director of the documentary “18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story” which became an exhibition at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a museum featuring Latino and Mexican American history in the US. DeBro co-curated the exhibition. “It was a place where people from all over the city came,” said DeBro. “It was sort of the beating heart in the center of the city. For more information about the exhibition go to: https://lapca.org/ For details on the documentary visit: https://www.18thandgrand.com/

Friday, May 10, 2024 9:45PM Step inside! Families have a chance to view century-old homes in Galveston that are often closed to the public. GALVESTON, Texas — Visitors have a chance to explore Galveston’s rich history through its architecture. “People love to come down and walk through the houses,” Will Wright of Galveston Historical Foundation said. The foundation runs Historic Homes Tour, which is held annually during the first two weekends of May. The tour gives people an opportunity to step inside these private residencies that are often closed to the public. A few of the homes were built in the 19th century and work has been done to preserve its history. “It’s great to always look back at the past and keep things as they were so we can go back and see it, and enjoy the details,” Homeowner Julie Lee said. This year marks the tour’s 50th anniversary. Tickets are available online. Click on the video above to see the story.

By Jose Mayorquin Friday, May 10, 2024 9:44PM Art Deco-inspired Coco Club brings Miami Beach vibe with amazing views to a rooftop in Southern California. SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Beautiful ocean views and delicious cocktails are staples of The Coco Club, the new Art Deco style bar and lounge in Southern California. “As soon as you step outside in the outdoor part of the venue you get a sense of escapism,” said Coco Club partner Spencer Kushner. “The Coco Club is meant to play off of the building’s Art Deco bones, and be a fun place for locals, tourists and everyone else.” For more information, go to: https://www.cocorooftop.com/

By Joe Maxfield Friday, May 10, 2024 9:39PM “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is now playing in theaters everywhere, and On The Red Carpet is celebrating its release with a special episode featuring interviews with the cast and crew. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is now playing in theaters everywhere, and On The Red Carpet is celebrating its release with a special episode featuring interviews with the cast and crew and a visit to the film’s world premiere in Hollywood. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” takes place many generations after the previous films in the franchise, with humans now pushed into the shadows and the apes firmly in charge. The story centers around Noa, a young ape who sets out on a daring adventure, facing off with a powerful enemy and growing to question everything he knows about apes and humans. Freya Allen co-stars as Nova (aka Mae), a human who forms an unlikely alliance with Noa. “She goes to places she didn’t even know she would go to,” Allen told On The Red Carpet. “And that’s survival kicking