Top 10 U.S. vacation destinations from Men’s Journal

Looking for vacation inspiration? Men’s Journal recently ranked the best vacation destinations in the country, including everything from beach towns to gastronomic treasures and adventure-packed gems. It’s a coast-to-coast, border-to-border array of 50 tempting spots, complete with tips on when to go, where to stay and what to do — and eat — while you’re there. The top spot goes to Ouray, a Colorado mountain town the magazine editors say feels “like you’ve stepped foot in a live-action REI commercial.” But California gets several sensational shout-outs, starting with the coastal town of SLO — San Luis Obispo — at No. 3, thanks to its balmy temperatures, small town vibe and proximity to surfer-friendly beaches, rolling vineyards and winery tasting rooms. San Francisco comes in at No. 14, with a must-see list that hits all the biggies — the Golden Gate Bridge, the California Academy of Sciences, Alcatraz and all the other places tourists congregate, snap photos and chatter about “San Fran,” the SoCal sobriquet that makes locals shudder. (Hmm, do the denizens of Los Angeles — No. 11, by the way — roll their eyes

Kurtenbach: Here are my favorite NFL Draft prospects for the 49ers’ defense

I, a 35-year-old man, have neglected my family and other responsibilities over the last few months to spend time with guys in college. Few things in sports are as interesting or as engrossing to me as the NFL Draft, so night after night (starting well before the Niners’ run to the Super Bowl), I’ve popped on some college football and gone to work, evaluating the class of 2024. Unlike past classes, it’s a great crop that proved well worth the time. Now, I could give you all a list of every prospect, but there are enough of those lists. How about I send you the CliffNotes instead? Here are my favorite prospects on defense for the 49ers in this upcoming draft, broken down into early (top 50), middle (top 150), and late picks: Defensive End Early: Darius Robinson – Missouri The Niners need someone who can play at 5-technique (lined up off the tackle’s outside shoulder) if their Wide-Nine defensive front is going to work. That’s what Arik Armstead (and paid as) before the Niners moved him to defensive tackle, and the team’s run defense

Best tower fans to keep you cool

As a participant in multiple affiliate marketing programs, Localish will earn a commission for certain purchases. See full disclaimer below* Tower fans can help keep your space cool on those hot, summer days and can easily be transported around your home, depending on where you need some extra cooling. They’re slim so they don’t take up too much space, and are far more energy efficient than running your air conditioner all day long. Below, find the best tower fans to buy right now, plus a shopping guide for tower fans in case you want to select your own. Tower fan shopping guide Noise level: You’ll want a tower fan that has a night mode so it won’t disturb you overnight. Every option we recommend is fairly quiet and has multiple fan speed levels, including an option designed to be specifically used at night – usually setting your fan to the lowest speed setting and dimming any console lights. CFM: CFM stands for cubic feet for minute and measures how much air a fan can move in a minute. A higher CFM rating means a fan

US agrees to $138.7M deal with Larry Nassar victims over FBI’s bungling of sex assault allegations

By ED WHITE Tuesday, April 23, 2024 8:28PM The U.S. Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016. DETROIT — The U.S. Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest. When combined with other settlements, roughly $1 billion now has been set aside by various organizations to compensate hundreds of women who said Nassar assaulted them under the guise of treatment for sports injuries. Nassar worked at Michigan State University and also served as a team doctor at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics. He’s now serving decades in prison for assaulting female athletes, including medal-winning Olympic gymnasts. The Justice Department has acknowledged that it failed to step in. For more than a year, FBI agents in Indianapolis and Los Angeles had knowledge of

Proposed bill could ban security line skipping services from California airports

The bill would ban companies like CLEAR from operating at California airports unless they utilize their own security lines Tuesday, April 23, 2024 7:29PM A proposed a bill that would ban third-party companies like CLEAR from California airports unless they utilize their own security lines. SAN FRANCISCO — Is it OK for people to pay to skip security lines at the airport? Two state lawmakers say no, and they’re proposing a bill to change the way third-party security screening companies like CLEAR work. CLEAR allows people to pay to verify their identity at a kiosk then be escorted past people waiting in the TSA security lines. If the new bill passes, it would ban companies like CLEAR from operating at California airports unless they utilize their own security lines. Some air travel experts say the change could mean added work for the TSA. This bill is still a long way from becoming law. It goes before the state Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday. If it passes, there it would have to go through several more steps before making it to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. If you’re

Senate inches closer to approval of $95B foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

The Senate on Tuesday cleared a hurdle toward the passage of a package to deliver $95 billion in foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. In clearing a series of test votes, the Senate inched closer to the passage of the legislation, which includes four bills that passed in the House over the weekend with bipartisan support. The package provides roughly $26 billion for Israel, currently at war with Hamas in Gaza; as well as $61 billion for Ukraine and $8 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific. A fourth bill would force a U.S. ban of TikTok if its Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it; impose sanctions on Russia, China and Iran; and seize Russian assets to help Ukraine rebuild from the war’s damage. EXPLAINED | Congress seems poised to pass potential TikTok ban in US. How would it work? The measure would hault access to the app if the China-based owner does not sell its stakes in TikTok in a year. With the procedural votes’ passing, the Senate is closer to helping provide aid to ally countries — including Ukraine, which can’t win its

California Garlic Festival moving to Los Banos

This year’s festival will run from August 30 to September 1 from 12 pm to 10 pm each day. Tuesday, April 23, 2024 7:17PM The California Garlic Festival is making its way to the Valley! The festival will be moving to the Merced County Spring Fairgrounds in Los Banos. MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — The California Garlic Festival is making its way to the Central Valley! The festival will be moving to the Merced County Spring Fairgrounds in Los Banos starting this year. Visitors can get their hands on all things garlic while watching monster truck shows, playing carnival games or listening to live music. This year’s festival will run from August 30 to September 1, from 12 pm to 10 pm each day. Tickets will be $15 for adults, $10 for ages 6-17 and free admission for children five and under. Veterans and those 65 and older will get free admission. The California Garlic Festival has been held at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds since the Gilroy Garlic Festival shut down in 2022. Organizers say the event in Los Banos will include a “Cali

US agrees to $138 million settlement with Larry Nassar assault victims

By Ed White | Associated Press DETROIT — The U.S. Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest. When combined with other settlements, $1 billion now has been set aside by various organizations to compensate hundreds of women who said Nassar assaulted them under the guise of treatment for sports injuries. Nassar worked at Michigan State University and also served as a team doctor at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics. He’s now serving decades in prison for assaulting female athletes, including medal-winning Olympic gymnasts. Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said Nassar betrayed the trust of those in his care for decades, and that the “allegations should have been taken seriously from the outset.” “While these settlements won’t undo the harm Nassar inflicted, our hope is that they will help give the victims of his crimes some of the critical support they need to continue healing,”

How couples can share the mental load of money management

By Sara Rathner | NerdWallet A lot of work goes into making a household run smoothly, and the thread that runs through all the labor is money. It’s money that makes it possible to fix a broken appliance, enroll the kids in summer camp and save up to replace the aging car. The mental load of money can be heavy. It’s made up of those endless invisible tasks we engage in, and the future tasks we lie awake at night thinking about. “I think it is important to mention the emotional weight that comes with worrying about money. Do we have enough for rent next month? Are we saving enough for college?” Kate Mangino, author of “Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home,” said in an email. “Those kinds of worries tend to chip away at our emotional health, especially if we think our partner doesn’t share this worry, and we’re alone in carrying that weight.” When it comes to the mental load of managing financial responsibilities, couples can fall into unproductive patterns that can lead to conflict, resentment and even willful ignorance. If money

Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned drug before medaling at Tokyo Olympics

The organization that’s supposed to keep performance-enhancing drugs out of the Olympics denied Monday that it is soft on China’s athletes. But U.S. anti-doping officials don’t buy that, especially after an investigation revealed that Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned drug were allowed to compete in the Tokyo games in 2021. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams has more.

What to know in the Supreme Court case about immunity for former President Trump

By MARK SHERMAN (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has scheduled a special session to hear arguments over whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted over his efforts to undo his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden. The case, to be argued Thursday, stems from Trump’s attempts to have charges against him dismissed. Lower courts have found he cannot claim for actions that, prosecutors say, illegally sought to interfere with the election results. The Republican ex-president has been charged in federal court in Washington with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, one of four criminal cases he is facing. A trial has begun in New York over hush money payments to a porn star to cover up an alleged sexual encounter. The Supreme Court is moving faster than usual in taking up the case, though not as quickly as special counsel Jack Smith wanted, raising questions about whether there will be time to hold a trial before the November election, if the justices agree with lower courts that Trump can be prosecuted. The justices ruled earlier this term in another case