Category: Sacramento

By GENE JOHNSON SEATTLE (AP) — The world’s largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to slaughter a honey bee hive in a matter of hours, has been declared eradicated in the U.S., five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border. The Washington and U.S. Departments of Agriculture announced the eradication Wednesday, saying there had been no detections of the northern giant hornet in Washington since 2021. The news represented an enormous success that included residents agreeing to place traps on their properties and reporting sightings, as well as researchers capturing a live hornet, attaching a tiny radio tracking tag to it with dental floss, and following it through a forest to a nest in an alder tree. Scientists destroyed the nest just as a number of queens were just beginning to emerge, officials said. “I’ve gotta tell you, as an entomologist — I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now, and it is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects,”

The Supreme Court said Wednesday it will hear an appeal from TikTok over a federal law that would ban the social media giant if it is not sold by its Chinese parent company. Jan Crawford has more.

We are learning more about the background of a 15-year-old girl who authorities said opened fire Monday at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, killing two people and wounding six others. Ian Lee reports from Madison.

Luigi Mangione, the man indicted on murder charges in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to waive extradition back to New York, his lawyer said Wednesday. Mangione is currently in custody in Pennsylvania.

By GEOFF MULVIHILL Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is calling for legislators to repeal the state law that requires an annual abortion report, saying that it infringes on patients’ privacy, which echoes other Democratic officials’ push to reduce or eliminate such requirements. “The government has no place in surveilling Arizonans’ medical decision-making or tracking their health history,” Hobbs, a Democrat in a state where Republicans control the Legislature, said in a statement Wednesday as the state released its report covering 2023. “Starting a family is a sensitive and personal experience for a woman and her loved ones; there should be no room for government surveillance and publication of that decision.” Hobbs is not the only one concerned about the collection of abortion data, especially as Donald Trump prepares to take over as president again, when he could implement policies that are hostile, or at least less favorable, to abortion rights. “It’s really worth thinking carefully about the risk and the benefit of collecting data in this new environment,” said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a researcher at the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights and does

SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek is out indefinitely after he was struck in the face by a puck that was unexpectedly redirected into the team’s bench in the second period of Tuesday night’s game with the Winnipeg Jets. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Wednesday that Vanecek, who is in a contract year and is a pending unrestricted free agent, was being further evaluated by a doctor after the frightening stroke of misfortune. Warsofsky would not say where exactly Vanecek was struck. Related Articles San Jose Sharks | San Jose Sharks goalie struck in face by redirected puck San Jose Sharks | Sharks cough up another third-period lead in latest loss San Jose Sharks | NHL fines Sharks coach $25,000 for ‘inappropriate conduct’ San Jose Sharks | Photos of the Week: The Bay Area aglow in holiday cheer, emotional moments in sports, crazy weather and more San Jose Sharks | Sharks look to improve portfolio in NHL ‘stock market’ as league-leading Jets visit San Jose “Terrible, awful luck. I feel for him and his family. There’s a lot in play here for

By JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors are using a 9/11-era anti-terrorism law in their case against the man charged with gunning down UnitedHealthcare’s CEO outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. Luigi Mangione was indicted on charges of murder as an act of terrorism, under a state law that allows for stiffer sentences when a killing is aimed at terrifying civilians or influencing government. If it sounds like an unusual application of a terrorism law, it’s not the first time the statute has been applied to a case that wasn’t about cross-border extremism or a plot to kill masses of people. Here are some things to know about the law and the case surrounding the death of Brian Thompson. What does the law say? Mangione is charged with first-degree and second-degree murder counts that specifically refer to a New York law that addresses terrorism. Essentially an add-on to existing criminal statutes, it says that an underlying offense constitutes “a crime of terrorism” if it’s done “with intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a unit of government by

MONTREAL (AP) — A synagogue in a Montreal suburb was targeted in what police suspect was an arson attack early Wednesday, the second time the building in this Canadian city was hit by an incendiary device in little more than a year. Police said a nearby Jewish office building was apparently also targeted Wednesday, though it was unclear if the two attacks were linked. Montreal police received a 911 call shortly before 3 a.m. about a fire at the Congregation Beth Tikvah on the island suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and found an incendiary device at the scene, she said. A window of the synagogue was smashed and a door was damaged. “Witnesses told us that they saw one suspect that was leaving rapidly shortly after the fire started,” she said, adding that the building was damaged by smoke but the overall consequences of the fire were minor. No injuries were reported and there have been no arrests in the case, Dubuc said, adding that police have not yet determined whether the fire was a hate crime. A

By LARRY NEUMEISTER NEW YORK (AP) — Jay-Z’s lawyers asked a judge Wednesday to speedily extract the rapper from a lawsuit in which a woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs when she was 13. The unidentified woman recently added Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, to her lawsuit against Combs in Manhattan federal court, alleging that she was attacked by the singers in 2000 after Combs’ limo driver offered her a ride to an MTV Video Music Awards after-party. In their court filing Wednesday, Jay-Z’s lawyers cited a recent television interview in which the woman acknowledged inconsistencies in her story. The filing came before Combs appeared for a pretrial hearing in his criminal case. After lawyers discussed evidentiary deadlines, prosecutors told Judge Arun Subramanian that any new charges against the hip-hop mogul before a May trial would require minimal new evidence to be shared among lawyers. In the criminal case, Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges that the Bad Boy Records founder coerced and abused women for years with help from associates and employees. Combs, who has

By Bob Slovak Wednesday, December 18, 2024 11:15PM Christmas decorations at every step! At Riva’s Italian Restaurant, customers are filling up on pasta and the Christmas spirit. HOUSTON, Texas — The festive holiday decorations in Riva’s Italian Restaurant start going up the week before Thanksgiving. “The phone starts ringing, and they want to know if the decorations are up,” Co-Owner Michael Siboyeh says excitedly. “I do it because everyone who walks in, I see the smile on their face, and it’s beautiful.” That motivates Michael to make it bigger and brighter every year. Michael and his brother Joseph have owned Riva’s for nearly 50 years in the Houston area and the last 27 years in Montrose. Riva’s holiday spirit really took off in the neighborhood near downtown. The holiday haven is about as close as you can get to a North Pole dining experience. Michael loves it as much as his customers, “A lot of the regulars come here this time every year it’s amazing.” Joseph, Riva’s chef, adds, “With these decorations and the kind of food that we serve, people really feel comfort coming

MADISON, Wis. — More details are being learned about the teenager who allegedly opened fire at a Christian school in Wisconsin on Monday. Natalie Rupnow went by Samantha. Now, new details are being revealed about her parents’ relationship. Police in Madison, Wisconsin Wednesday afternoon are still focusing investigative attention on the family home where alleged 15-year-old school shooter Rupnow lived with her father. And authorities are examining her home life. Her parents divorced twice. And they are still attempting to determine whether an online declaration in her name was actually written by her. “It would surprise me if she got the gun from anywhere but the home,” said Steve Moore, a former FBI supervisory special agent. RELATED: What to know about Wisconsin’s gun laws after school shooting With electronics and other potential evidence collected at the family home, police Wednesday afternoon continue to say that the shooter’s parents are fully cooperative. But, so far, they have not announced a motive, only suggesting there could be a blend of motives. A six-page proclamation that has been circulating on social media since immediately after the deadly attack

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 10:50PM Sean Combs in court today; his trial scheduled for May. NEW YORK — Sean “Diddy” Combs wished spectators a “Happy Holidays” as he left court following a brief hearing Wednesday, during which prosecutors said they were on pace to turn over more evidence to Combs’ defense attorneys by the end of the year. “Happy holidays, y’all,” Combs was heard saying on his way out of court. He had turned to leave and stepped back to acknowledge his lawyers when the marshals stopped him. “I just want to say goodbye,” Combs said. His lawyers moved toward him to give him hugs before he left the courtroom. Combs appeared in a beige smock and pants. He glanced toward the audience upon entry but did not appear to recognize anyone. Members of his family arrived late and Combs turned in his chair to greet them. Combs appeared to mouth “You OK?” One of his sons responded with a nod and a fist over his heart. Federal prosecutors said they were on track to disclose all of the available evidence to the defense by

California has the greatest number of human cases overall with 34 of the national 61, according to the CDC. Wednesday, December 18, 2024 10:13PM California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in order to “streamline and expedite the state’s response” to bird flu. SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday “to streamline and expedite the state’s response” to bird flu. The declaration is a result of more cases being detected in Southern California dairy farm cows. The Governor’s Office says the emergency proclamation will give state and local agencies additional flexibility in areas such as staffing and contracting. There has been no confirmed person-to-person spread of the virus as almost all cases in California involve individuals who’ve come into contact with infected cattle. Bird flu in the U.S. Bird flu was first detected in the U.S. in the wild bird population in South Carolina in January 2022 then in California six months later. In March, an outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows was first reported in Texas and Kansas. Since then, there have been 61 total

President-elect Donald Trump, alongside several Republican lawmakers and other conservative leaders, are defiant in their opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s spending bill that would keep the government open through mid-March. Congress has until midnight Friday to prevent a shutdown. CBS News’ Taurean Small, Fin Gómez and Caitlin Huey-Burns have the latest.

NASA has delayed the return date for Boeing’s Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. CBS News’ Manuel Bojorquez reports on the decision to keep the two in space.

By Sono Motoyama, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) If you’re a traditional carnivore, you may treat vegetables as an afterthought, throwing some steamed green beans or broccoli on your plate just to add color. But if you have kids, they can turn up their noses at this fare fast enough to give them whiplash. Even Aeros Lillstrom, who runs Who Cooks for You Farm in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Chris Brittenburg, is familiar with the scenario. The couple has two kids, and even though they’re exposed to the finest organic vegetables, their children are less than enthusiastic about steamed carrots. But Lillstrom knows the solution to this common problem: sugar, or more specifically, caramelization. No marshmallow topping necessary. “For kids, and even adults, the roasting of many roots brings out their sweetness, so it’s really a nice way to introduce people to roots,” she said. “Beets blow people out of the water. It’s just a wonderful flavor.” You can prepare many kinds of vegetables this way, but fall root vegetables are especially good for roasting, and for roasting together. They have similar densities and therefore

Shalina Chatlani | (TNS) Stateline.org Andrea Deutsch, the mayor of Narberth, Pennsylvania, and the owner of a pet store in town, doesn’t get health care coverage through either of her jobs. Instead, she is enrolled in a plan she purchased on Pennie, Pennsylvania’s health insurance exchange. Related Articles Health | Health officials say Louisiana patient is first severe bird flu case in US Health | What’s behind rising autism rates: A broader definition of autism and better screening Health | Most US teens are abstaining from drinking, smoking and marijuana, survey says Health | An Alabama woman is doing well after the latest experimental pig kidney transplant Health | Walking in a rhythmic wonderland with holiday songs that could help save lives Deutsch, who has been mayor since 2018, is paid $1 per year for the job. Her annual income, from Spot’s – The Place for Paws and her investments, is about $50,000. The 57-year-old, who is diabetic, pays $638.38 per month for health care coverage — about half of the $1,272.38 she’d owe without the enhanced federal subsidies Congress and the Biden administration put

By Funto Omojola, NerdWallet Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. OK, but let’s start with bonus rewards From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge who presided over the seditious conspiracy case against Oath Keepers members said Wednesday that it would be “frightening” if the anti-government group’s founder, Stewart Rhodes, is pardoned for orchestrating a violent plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 presidential election. President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly has vowed to pardon rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago. Rhodes is serving an 18-year prison sentence after a jury convicted him and other Oath Keepers members of seditious conspiracy, the most serious charge stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by a mob of Trump supporters. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta alluded to the prospect of Rhodes receiving a presidential pardon as he sentenced William Todd Wilson, a former Oath Keepers member from North Carolina who pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. “The notion that Stewart Rhodes could be absolved of his actions is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country,” Mehta said. Mehta isn’t the first judge at the federal courthouse in

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has transferred two Malaysian detainees at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. military prison to their home country, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to deadly 2002 bombings in Bali and agreed to testify against the alleged ringleader of that and other attacks, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Prosecutors say Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep worked for years with Encep Nurjaman, known as Hambali, an Indonesian leader of al-Qaida affiliate Jemaah Islamiya. That includes helping Nurjaman escape capture after Oct. 12, 2002 bombings that killed 202 people at two night spots in Bali, U.S. officials said. The two men entered guilty pleas to conspiracy and other charges in January. Their transfer comes after they provided testimony that prosecutors plan to use in the future against Nurjaman, the alleged mastermind, the Pentagon said in a statement. Nurjaman is in custody in Guantanamo awaiting resumption of pre-trial hearings in January involving the Bali bombings and other attacks. The two Malaysian men’s transfers leave 27 detainees in custody at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay. President George

Migrants in the U.S. under what’s known as Temporary Protection Status are worried that Trump will revoke the program upon taking office.