Los Angeles police plan to boost security for possible protests at the Oscars

WATCH LIVE Welcome, Manage MyDisney Account Log Out Social media posts reportedly suggest at least one group has plans to protest. By Michelle Fisher Saturday, March 9, 2024 3:03AM In anticipation of possible protests during the Oscars, the Los Angeles Police Department is already planning ahead, bolstering security to prevent any disruptions. HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Police Department is preparing for any possible protests at the Oscars on Sunday, bolstering security to prevent any disruptions. Social media posts reportedly suggest at least one group has plans to protest. Last month, a group of protesters rallied outside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A. during The Grammys as celebrities made their arrivals. What’s LAPD’s Oscars security plan? Police said their goal is to keep all potential demonstrations peaceful. “The LAPD plans to communicate with demonstrators to uphold their rights while emphasizing the importance of the ceremony’s success and public safety,” police said. Anticipating potential blockades near the Dolby Theatre, police said they’re prepared to manage such scenarios “effectively, ensuring minimal impact on the event.” Officers are also working closely with event organizers and security

Downtown Fresno restoration bringing new life and purpose to historic buildings

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Downtown Fresno is filled with historic buildings, many of which have sat empty for years, even decades. Bringing businesses and creating new living spaces is a goal of city leadership. Leadership said people come to the city and expect downtown to be the place to go. Right now, historic buildings like the Helm Building on Mariposa and Fulton Street and the Old Fresno Water Tower are undergoing renovations to give visitors and locals businesses to visit. For sale signs and plywood boards mark the fronts of historic buildings in Downtown Fresno, waiting for new life. “Downtown is certainly special in that respect. It’s the oldest part of Fresno, and it’s the place in the valley where you see the most density of historic buildings,” Elliot Balch, President of Downtown Fresno Partnership, says. So it’s a special part of our downtown heritage, and we’re excited to see some movement with some of our historic buildings.” The historic Helm Building is one such building that could be filled again soon. Three new tenants are set to move in within the next six months.

Fisher, Kaval address stadium progress as Oakland A’s visit Las Vegas for Big League Weekend

LAS VEGAS – The A’s are no strangers to spending a weekend during spring training in Las Vegas as part of Big League Weekend. But this is their first visit since the franchise announced its intention last year to relocate to the desert. For this weekend, they are giving a glimpse of their intended future by transforming into the Las Vegas A’s, playing a two-game spring training series at Las Vegas Ballpark, home of their Triple-A affiliate, the Aviators. Team owner John Fisher and president Dave Kaval have not been visible to Bay Area media in recent months, but they made themselves available in Las Vegas before the series opener Friday night and addressed the unveiling of new renderings of their stadium planned on Las Vegas Boulevard in a portion of the site currently occupied by the Tropicana hotel-casino. “This is the next era of baseball stadium,” said Kaval. “In the same way Camden Yards ushered in a whole new trend, we think our ballpark here on the Las Vegas Strip can do the same thing …. We’re at probably at the biggest intersection in

SF Giants rained out for second straight Cactus League game

PEORIA, Ariz. — A rainbow beyond the outfield wall quickly turned into dark clouds, then sheets of rain, and not much longer Friday evening the San Francisco Giants had their second consecutive Cactus League game spoiled by a strong desert storm. Unlike Thursday evening, they didn’t even get a pitch in. About 10 minutes before scheduled first pitch against the Padres, the teams optimistically took the field for the national anthem with a tarp over the infield as a backdrop. Twenty minutes later, with the warning track flooded, flashes of lightning overhead and no end to the downpour in sight, the game was officially called. Next up for the Giants is a matchup against a split-squad A’s team Saturday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium. They will have Jordan Hicks on the hill, scheduled to make his third start of the spring. Related Articles San Francisco Giants | After Giants debut, Matt Chapman says ‘just the first step of a long tenure’ in San Francisco San Francisco Giants | These two top pitching prospects shouldn’t be ruled out from SF Giants’ rotation San Francisco Giants | SF

Sharks’ Couture faces uncertain future with injury: ‘Nothing’s ever guaranteed’

SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture, recovering from a recurrence of a groin injury that’s kept him out almost all year, said Friday he will not play again this season and remains uncertain if he’ll be healthy enough to return this fall. “I hope (I can play next season). Nothing’s ever guaranteed, obviously,” Couture said Friday, just hours after Tomas Hertl was traded by the Sharks to the Vegas Golden Knights. “This injury has lingered for a long, long time already. So I’m going to try and be ready. I mean, I couldn’t imagine not playing hockey. So, we’ll see.” Couture missed all of training camp and the first 45 games of the regular season with an often painful and debilitating condition called osteitis pubis, described as inflammation in the joint between a person’s left and right pubic bones. After some setbacks earlier in the season, Couture began working with a San Francisco-based physiotherapist in December and started to see some improvement. He rejoined the Sharks’ lineup on Jan. 20, but his symptoms soon returned, and he was able to play just

Complete NFL Draft order: 49ers hold 11 picks after compensatory awards

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers now own 11 picks in next month’s NFL Draft, an abundance of assets should they choose to trade up on draft weekend. Friday brought five compensatory picks the 49ers’ way. The highest of that group – third round, No. 99 overall – is already ticketed for Washington via October’s trade acquisition of defensive end Chase Young. That pick originally came via the NFL’s minority hiring incentive, a reward for the departures of Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans general manager) and DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans coach). The 49ers own a first-round pick for the first time since 2021, when they selected Trey Lance at No. 3 overall for what essentially was a two-year tryout; Lance got dealt to Dallas last August for a fourth-round pick in next month’s draft, which will be held in Detroit. The compensatory picks also assured the 49ers of a spot in at least each round. General manager John Lynch has swung at least one trade in every of the past seven drafts except in 2022. Here are the 11 spots currently assigned to the 49ers (complete NFL

Microsoft says it hasn’t been able to shake Russian state hackers

By FRANK BAJAK (AP Technology Writer) BOSTON (AP) — Microsoft said Friday it’s still trying to evict the elite Russian government hackers who broke into the email accounts of senior company executives in November and who it said have been trying to breach customer networks with stolen access data. The hackers from Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service used data obtained in the intrusion, which it disclosed in mid-January, to compromise some source-code repositories and internal systems, the software giant said in a blog and a regulatory filing. A company spokesman would not characterize what source code was accessed and what capability the hackers gained to further compromise customer and Microsoft systems. Microsoft said Friday that the hackers stole “secrets” from email communications between the company and unspecified customers — cryptographic secrets such as passwords, certificates and authentication keys —and that it was reaching out to them “to assist in taking mitigating measures.” Cloud-computing company Hewlett Packard Enterprise disclosed on Jan. 24 that it, too, was an SVR hacking victim and that it had been informed of the breach — by whom it would not say

10-year-old dies after accident near Sanger park, police say

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) — A 10-year-old boy died after an accident in Sanger on Thursday. He has been identified as Jameson Doyle. The crash happened at about 7 pm outside Rotary Ball Park on Bethel and Cherry avenues, where baseball practice was taking place. A growing memorial sits near the park, remembering Doyle. He was at baseball practice on Thursday evening when he walked into the street and collided with a truck. Sanger police say he fell and was unresponsive but still breathing. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where he later died. “It was a tremendous tragedy that we had,” said Sanger Police Chief Garner. “It’s tremendously impactful on our officers as well as the paramedics that responded from our fire department, but our impact on us pales in comparison to the impact on the family.” The impact is being felt across the entire community, including Sanger Unified School District, where Jameson went to school. He was a fifth grader at Quail Lakes Environmental Elementary School and was one month shy of his 11th birthday. The district shares Jameson was

Mark Ruffalo in a pimple ad? Emma Stone in a rock band? Oscar nominees before they were stars

Sunday, March 10, 2024 5:30AM Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best actor in a supporting role, got his start in a 1989 commercial for Clearasil — long before he was a four-time Oscar nominee. Years before walking the red carpet on Oscar Sunday, Academy Award nominees all started from humble beginnings in the entertainment industry. MORE | Oscars 2024: Acting nominees represent hometowns across the country As long as there have been movies, people have come from all over, hoping to make it in Hollywood. This year’s Oscar nominees are representing hometowns from coast to coast. MARK RUFFALO Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best actor in a supporting role, got his start in a 1989 commercial for Clearasil — long before he was a four-time Oscar nominee. Mark Ruffalo arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello EMMA STONE Ruffalo’s “Poor Things” co-star Emma Stone made her screen debut as a teenage contestant on the VH1 competition series, “In Search of the Partridge Family.” Stone won the part of Laurie Partridge in a Partridge Family

Rescued farm animals at Big Heart Ranch help humans cope with grief and trauma

By Jose Mayorquin Saturday, March 9, 2024 12:30AM Big Heart Ranch nurtures a connection between rescued farm animals and humans to help them cope with grief and trauma. MALIBU, Calif. — Something special happens when groups and individuals coping with trauma visit Big Heart Ranch, a rescued farm animal sanctuary and nature-based wellness center. “When you’re with these beautiful animals, your guard is let down,” said Karen Russell, co-founder of Soul Mamas, a support group created to help grieving mothers experiencing loss. The group visits the ranch as part of their healing practices. “I think that Big Heart Ranch and animals ground us to a place that is a very safe, comforting soul sanctuary,” said Soul Mamas co-founder Lori Carhart. “There’s just no judgement. They’re just here for us. They’re just present.” For information on Big Heart Ranch, go to: https://bigheartranch.org/ To learn more about Soul Mamas, go to: https://www.soulmamas.us/

Visalia’s first indoor golf club keeping nostalgia of Main Street Theater

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) — If you’ve ever dreamed of a tee time at the Old Course in St. Andrews, a new business in Visalia is getting you on the fairway without having to hop on a plane. “You can play Torrey Pines, you can play Pebble Beach, you can play Augusta, you can play Saint Andrews in Scotland,” says Mulligans Co-Owner Shane Moss. Mulligans in Visalia is the city’s first indoor golf club, where you’ll be able to play more than 90 courses, hit the driving range or “take a swing” at golf games. “aboutGolf is one of the premier simulators,” Moss said. “They’re located in the PGA headquarters.” Moss is still bringing the vision to life but has big plans for what he calls the golf club for everyone. “We’ve got seven high-end golf simulators from wide screens to curve screens,” he said. “We’ve got a full bar.” Whether you want to learn the sport or perfect your swing, two teaching bays are available with pressure plates and cameras. “The technology and the fun that is behind all of this really opens up all

Central Valley Showdown wrestling happening in Merced this weekend

Saturday, March 9, 2024 12:25AM Pro wrestling is coming to the North Valley! Fans are gearing up for the “Central Valley Showdown” this weekend. MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) — Pro wrestling is coming to the North Valley! Fans are gearing up for the “Central Valley Showdown” this weekend. We sat down with Jason Hastings, the current Blacklist Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, to discuss the event. For news updates, follow Vanessa Vasconcelos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Copyright © 2024 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.

After Giants debut, Matt Chapman says ‘just the first step of a long tenure’ in San Francisco

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When the Giants announced their agreement with Matt Chapman, they classified it as a one-year deal. A series of player and team options will determine whether he stays in San Francisco over the ensuing three seasons, or if he returns to the free-agent market. According to Chapman, whose spring debut was cut short by rain Thursday, that’s all semantics. “I think this is just the first step of a long tenure with the Giants,” the 30-year-old third baseman said, standing at his locker Friday morning. Expected back in the lineup Saturday, Chapman’s primary task for the remainder of camp is ensuring he’s properly prepared to take that first step when it arrives at the end of this month, the beginning of the regular season March 27 in San Diego. That date is closer to today than the day position players reported for camp. Despite the time crunch from holding out halfway into spring training, neither Chapman nor manager Bob Melvin — who knows him well from six seasons together in Oakland — have any concern about his readiness for Opening Day. “He

Warriors: Curry’s ankle injury won’t be long-term, per report

The Warriors are not expected to deliver an official update Friday on star guard Steph Curry’s ankle injury, but an early report suggests they believe he avoided serious harm. Those around Curry and the Warriors have “optimism his absence will not be lengthy,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweeted Friday afternoon, noting that he will miss at least a game and possibly more. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said an MRI on Curry’s ankle “returned clean.” As of 1 p.m. Friday, the Warriors had not yet submitted an injury report ahead of Saturday’s game against the Spurs. Curry rolled his right ankle in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ loss Thursday night to the Bulls as he collected a pass and looked to move the ball while cutting toward the Chicago basket. He left the game with just under four minutes remaining and did not return. Curry, 35, struggled with ongoing ankle issues early in his career but gained enough traction to become a two-time MVP and the offensive catalyst for the Warriors’ four championship teams over the last decade.   He has played in 59 of the

Sharks, Devils swap goalies; San Jose adds Los Gatos native in separate deal

SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks are trading another one of their pending unrestricted free agents, sending Kaapo Kahkonen to the New Jersey Devils for Vitek Vanecek in a swap of goalies. The Sharks are also getting a 2025 seventh-round draft in the trade. In another deal, the Sharks also acquired goalie Devin Cooley from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2025 seventh-round pick originally owned by the Washington Capitals. Cooley, 26, is a Los Gatos native and a former Jr. Shark who has spent all of his pro career in the minor leagues. Vanecek, 28, is signed for one more season with a cap hit of $3.4 million and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. He is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He is 17-9-3 this season with a .890 save percentage in 32 games. Kahkonen sat on the Sharks’ bench Thursday night as Magnus Chrona got the start in net and made 26 saves in a 7-2 loss to the New York Islanders. Quinn said he wanted to reward Chrona after he made 36 saves in the

Biden calls out ‘shrinkflation’ as part of a broader strategy to reframe how voters view the economy

By JOSH BOAK (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is going all-in on calling out “shrinkflation.” The term applies to a seemingly covert way for companies to raise prices by ever so slightly reducing the size of their products. There’s suddenly fewer pretzels in the bag, less toothpaste in the tube and shorter candy bars. “It’s called shrinkflation,” Biden said in his State of the Union speech on Thursday night. “You get charged the same amount and you got about, I don’t know, 10% fewer Snickers in it.” The president’s focus on shrinkflation is part of a broader strategy to reframe how voters think about the economy before the November election. Biden is trying to deflect criticism about high prices and instead pin the blame on big business. He also is attempting to show everyday people that he’s fighting for them as he struggles to convince the public that the economy has strengthened under his leadership. He talked about the shrinkflation issue in a video released on Super Bowl Sunday and highlighted a social media post by the “Sesame Street” character Cookie Monster that complained about smaller cookies.

Biden in a hot mic moment shows his growing frustration with Netanyahu over Gaza humanitarian crisis

By AAMER MADHANI (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ‘s growing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to mount, with the Democrat captured on a hot mic saying that he and the Israeli leader will need to have a “come to Jesus meeting.” The comments by Biden came as he spoke with Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., on the floor of the House chamber following Thursday night’s State of the Union address. In the exchange, Bennet congratulates Biden on his speech and urges the president to keep pressing Netanyahu on growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were also part of the brief conversation. Biden then responds using Netanyahu’s nickname, saying, “I told him, Bibi, and don’t repeat this, but you and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting.” An aide to the president standing nearby then speaks quietly into the president’s ear, appearing to alert Biden that microphones remained on as he worked the room. “I’m on a hot mic here,” Biden says after being alerted. “Good. That’s good.” The president on Friday acknowledged the comments, lightheartedly poking

Planning an international trip is complicated. These are the elements to consider

Gita Sitaramiah | (TNS) Star Tribune MINNEAPOLIS — Declan Halloran’s family considered traveling to popular Algarve region spots Albufeira or Lagos in Portugal last summer, but he knew those cities would be hot and packed with British and Irish tourists. Instead, he planned a trip to nearby Costa Vicentina, a wind-swept coastal area that’s less touristy. “We were the only Americans there,” he said. While exciting, international travel involves many considerations. Do you want to see Machu Picchu or the Great Wall of China or go on an African safari? Do you want to avoid other tourists? What can you fit in without rushing? And can you even afford your grand plans? To help plan an ideal trip while keeping all of your priorities in mind, here is some expert advice to consider: Plan early Travel agents said the majority of Minnesotans they help go to Europe for a week to two weeks. While information about those countries is widely available, and there are several nonstops from MSP airport, the agents are still busier than ever. Linda Snyder, vice president of travel and retail services