Los Angeles

Local nonprofit pediatric dental center hosting plant sale Saturday

A local nonprofit pediatric dental center is gearing up for a big sale Saturday. Tolosa Children’s Dental Center is hosting what it calls a giant plant sale tomorrow in Arroyo Grande. Organizers said all plants will be between 50% to 80% off and that visitors can expect to see over 600 plants available. “We are so fortunate to have been the recipient of Diamond Orange, the international flower plant grower and beautiful Center of Effort [Winery],” said Alexandra Chamberlain, the executive director of the dental center. “And one day only, they allow us to sell all of the plants that are from their trade show at a deep, deep discount.” Orgaziners said the event runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Center of Effort Winery in Arroyo Grande. Tolosa Children’s Dental Center has been providing dental care for underserved and underinsured children in the county for over 20 years. General admission is free. “You do not want to miss this opportunity to spring into spring with the amazing flowers that are here,” Chamberlain continued.

Los Angeles

Santa Barbara-based nonprofit sending aid to Southeast Asia earthquake victims

Relief efforts are underway in Southeast Asia following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, and among those helping is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit. “Shelter Box has deployed our emergency response team,” said Kerri Murray, the president of ShelterBox. “This is our first step. They are en route to the region. They are going to be staging and coordinating out of Bangkok, and they will start to look at numbers on how many people have been affected and where and how we can get aid to the most vulnerable people.” The organization sends supplies for emergency shelter all over the world during a disaster, as well as basic household supplies. Murray said these emergency shelters can house families for long periods as the rebuilding gets underway. “This is a double-walled relief tent,” said Murray. “This is made for humanitarian purposes, meant to withstand high rain and wind situations. So this will be a place, probably for months, that a family would typically use as an emergency shelter. But there is actually space inside the shelter to create rooms and collect family areas for light and ventilation.” To donate to

Sacramento

10 apps that will help you save money on food

By Courtney Frazer, Bankrate.com High food prices have American families feeling the pinch — grocery trips cost around 20% more than they did four years ago. Not only are outright costs higher, but shoppers are also dealing with “shrinkflation,” where products shrink in size while maintaining their price point. There are ways to save other than opting for generic brands or skipping meat. Smartphone apps can help you save on your monthly grocery bill with loyalty programs, cash-back rewards, digital coupons and app-only savings. Top food savings apps 1. Ibotta Ibotta is one of the most popular cash-back apps available. It’s known for offering cash-back rewards on everyday purchases at major retailers like Walmart, Costco, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. The app is simple to use, but you have to plan ahead: Users select offers before shopping and earn rewards by scanning receipts afterward. Its browser extension enables cash back on online grocery purchases, and partnerships with retailers provide exclusive deals on essential household items. Pros •User-friendly interface •Multiple redemption options, including PayPal and gift cards •Wide acceptance at major retailers •Bonus rewards for reaching

Sacramento

Federal cuts squeeze already-struggling food banks, school lunch programs

By Kevin Hardy, Stateline.org For the Day Eagle Hope Project, federal money has helped volunteers deliver fresh produce and meat to families in need across the remote Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in northern Montana — while putting cash into the hands of farmers, ranchers and meat processors. The nonprofit generally has less than $300,000 to spend per year. So the $200,000 from a U.S. Department of Agriculture local food buying program drastically raised both the quantity and quality of the food it could distribute. “They were a major, major contributor to our food,” said Tescha Hawley, who directs the organization, which aims to improve physical, mental and spiritual health. The USDA recently nixed more than $1 billion from two programs that helped food banks and school meal programs buy local foods, including $660 million for schoolchildren. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recently described the programs as “nonessential.” But the move has left hundreds of school systems and food banks reeling. They already face rising food prices and are struggling to help community members with growing food insecurity. Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the

Sacramento

One Tech Tip: Don’t give your email to strangers, use a decoy address instead

By KELVIN CHAN, Associated Press Business Writer LONDON (AP) — You’ve heard of burner phones. What about burner email? So much of the internet now requires that you hand over your email address before you’re able to use any services — from an app you’ve downloaded to signing up for a newsletter or redeeming a special offer online. But who says you have to give your real email address? Next time you’re asked, consider using an email mask. There are a growing number of services that give out disguised email addresses and relay any messages to your actual address. Experts say this can be a powerful tool to safeguard privacy and security. Here are some pointers on the whys and hows of email masking: Mask on The idea behind email masking is simple. The masking service gives you a randomized address you can use as a decoy instead of your actual email. It can be a series of unrelated words, or a string of letters and numbers. When someone sends a message to the burner email, it will be automatically routed to your address without

Sacramento

Time to shut up about ‘Signalgate’ | Making Sense

Watergate 2.0 it ain’t. But no one denies that the texting leak in a group chat about an air attack on the Houthi terrorists was an embarrassing screw-up for the Trump administration. No one seems to know yet exactly how Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg ended up being included in a secret Defense Department discussion about the pending military strike in Yemen. Eighteen government officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and VP JD Vance were in on the group conversation, which was being held on Signal, an encrypted Internet communications network that government and media people rely on all the time. The president was not on the chat, so he can’t be blamed by the liberal media for inadvertently adding the name of a prominent Trump-hating journalist to the list of participants. Secretary Hegseth didn’t make the mistake, either. But national security adviser Mike Waltz did, and though he said he doesn’t know how it happened, he has taken responsibility for the goof up. But owning up to the mistake was not good enough for the desperate Democrats in Congress and their pals in the media.

Los Angeles

Gang-related shooting leaves man dead inside RV; 3 suspects sought 

A gang-related shooting in East L.A. claimed the life of a man early Saturday morning, and now authorities are searching for a trio of suspects.  According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to calls of a shooting near Williams Place and Valley Boulevard in the El Sereno neighborhood at 2:15 a.m., and upon arriving, they located a man who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.   The victim, only identified as a 39-year-old Hispanic man, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.   A gang-related shooting in East L.A. claimed the life of a man early Saturday, Mar. 29, 2025. (KTLA) “Further investigation [revealed] that three males approached the victim in his RV,” an LAPD spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “One of them produced a handgun and fired at the victim.”  Parents outraged after 11-year-old Pasadena student forced to duct tape her own mouth The suspects then fled in an unknown direction, the spokesperson added. No descriptions were immediately available, and the shooting was confirmed to be gang related.   Alexis Lewis contributed to this report.

Los Angeles

Myanmar’s earthquake death toll jumps to more than 1,000 as more bodies recovered from the rubble

The death toll from a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar jumped to more than 1,000 on Saturday as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country’s second-largest city. The country’s military-led government said in a statement that 1,002 people have now been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing. The statement suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected.” Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the throes of a prolonged and bloody civil war, which is already responsible for a massive humanitarian crisis. It makes movement around the country both difficult and dangerous, complicating relief efforts and raising fears that the death toll could still rise precipitously. In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, locals gather near a collapsed building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar on Saturday, March 29, 2025 (Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua via AP) The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks including one measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude.

Los Angeles

No longer sick, Dodgers’ Mookie Betts hits a pair of ‘160-pound homers’ as he works to gain weight

Mookie Betts is no longer ailing, finally able to keep food down and eating up a storm to pack on the weight he dropped while battling a stomach virus during the first two weeks of the season. And, as the eight-time All-Star reminded everyone, “I’m still good at baseball.” He surely is. The Los Angeles Dodgers star hit two home runs, including a three-run blast in the 10th inning that gave the defending World Series champions a come-from-behind 8-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. “That was not on my bingo card,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He just does some special things.” The Dodgers are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1981, a year they won the World Series. Betts had his third career walk-off homer. In the eighth, his first homer of the season put the Dodgers in front for the first time. “Right now I’m just having fun hitting 160-pound homers,” he said, smiling. CEO who owned rights to Pablo Escobar’s name arrested for fraud, money laundering Betts went 3 for 5 with three runs and four

Bay Area

Opinion: The real reasons behind Trump’s constantly bouncing tariffs

Since resuming office, President Donald Trump has not for one minute parted from his promise to leverage tariffs to ignite a new “golden age.” At times, he seems to be working continually to stimulate major trading partners into arrangements that make America great again. However, anyone attempting to follow the bouncing tariff proposals may get dizzy. What is the president trying to do, and why does it seem so hard to make final decisions? To whatever degree the tariffs are about controlling access to America’s economy and securing something in return, a fluid situation will result. Trump’s expensive bargaining chip may also require him to navigate a strange political alliance — one that frequently forms when the government puts its thumb on the scale of business matters. In February, Trump announced 25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada and a 10% added tariff on China. Days later, after outcries, the tariffs were delayed and coverage modified. More recently, we were told that tariffs would be expanded to more nations — perhaps all nations — with each border tax charged equal to what they charge America. A “sauce

Bay Area

Jarvis: What we’re getting right fighting the overdose epidemic

Last fall, when initial data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed a surprising drop in drug overdose deaths, the universal response was relief. We were finally getting something right in addressing the opioid epidemic, which accounted for most of the decrease and has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. That progress has been hard-won and should be celebrated. Addiction specialists are hopeful we can push the still-too-high numbers of opioid deaths even lower in 2025. But we also shouldn’t miss the trees for the forest. So much more work is needed to understand what’s behind the decline and how to ensure everyone who needs help gets it. And the Trump administration, which made tackling the opioid crisis a priority during the president’s first term, should more carefully consider how some of its proposed policy and funding changes could upend all of this. Let’s start with the general themes that appear to be responsible for the improvement on a national level. People working on the ground and studying interventions all agree that making naloxone (Narcan), which can reverse an overdose, widely available and increasing access

Bay Area

Horoscopes March 29, 2025: Lucy Lawless, set your sights on self-improvement

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Megan Hilty, 44; Lucy Lawless, 57; Amy Sedaris, 64; Eric Idle, 82. Happy Birthday: Set your sights on self-improvement, personal progress and lifestyle changes centered around activities, people and projects that make you feel good about yourself and your contributions. Look for openings that help you segue into positions that allow you to make a difference and overcome pitfalls standing between you and the life you want to live. Let your mind wander, and encourage your creativity to lead the way. Your numbers are 8, 13, 21, 24, 27, 34, 45. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Share your thoughts and feelings. You must do the legwork to achieve something new or make positive lifestyle changes. Reach out to people in the know and pick their brains. The information you gather will help you fine-tune your plans, giving you the best chance to achieve your goals. 3 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Position yourself strategically, and revise your plans to ensure you can reach your objective with time to compensate for last-minute changes. Handle matters personally. Pay attention, and you’ll recognize when

Bay Area

Word Game: March 29, 2025

TODAY’S WORD — EPARCHY (EPARCHY: EP-ar-kee: A diocese of an Eastern church.) Average mark 35 words Time limit 50 minutes Can you find 45 or more words in EPARCHY? The list will be published Monday. YESTERDAY’S WORD — MONOCLES: melon mole mono monocle moon moose oleo omen once noel noes noose nose clone close cole colon come cone console cool lemon lens lone loom loon loose loosen lose scone sloe sole solemn solo solon some sone soon To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Bay Area

Asking Eric: I was uncomfortable even before the drunk guy arrived with the weed

Dear Eric: My husband’s best friend of 18 years is married to “Martha,” who is bipolar. She self-medicates with THC. I’ve become uncomfortable being around her. My husband is supportive of my feelings, to a point. He doesn’t want to lose John’s friendship, which I totally understand. Two weeks ago, Martha had asked me to come over. The minute John was out the door, Martha told me that her son was coming over and that it was not for John to know. Red flags! Minutes later, here came her son, drunk, with a bag full of pot for Martha. I was really uncomfortable because her drunk, stoned son scared me. I left my ex for this exact behavior. Unfortunately for Martha, John came back early and saw Martha’s son leaving. When we had lunch with John and Martha yesterday, my husband was sure something would be said to clear the air. Nothing was said. I can beg off only so often from the four of us getting together. Martha will tell John to ask my husband why I’m not answering the phone. I don’t want

Sacramento

The Uplift: A lion’s pride

A young high school football player proves his worth by being a small but mighty force on his team. David Begnaud shares how that little lion became the pride of his school. A teacher gets what she calls a message from God, delivered by a former student who offered to be her surrogate. Plus, more heartwarming news.

Sacramento

The Uplift: Stories that pop

A man gets on one knee to pop the question and a photographer snaps the milestone moment. The only problem is she doesn’t know the couple and goes to great lengths to find the newly engaged pair. A Texas artist shows off his unique medium: Popcorn. Plus, three heartwarming stories from David Begnaud.

Los Angeles

Eye on America: Retirement planning in your 40s, and booming business of women’s sports

Eye on America: Retirement planning in your 40s, and booming business of women’s sports – CBS News Watch CBS News In New York, we learn what workers in their 40s can do to still contribute to their retirement plans, even when life starts getting in the way. And in Missouri and Oregon, we see how the rising popularity of women’s pro sports is having a halo effect on other business ventures. Watch these stories and more on “Eye on America” with host Michelle Miller. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Sacramento

Tehama County unemployment jumps to 7 percent in January

RED BLUFF—Tehama County’s unemployment rate in January increased to 7 percent, up from 6.3 percent in December and the steady 6 percent from September to November. According to preliminary numbers released by the California Employment Development Department on March 16, Tehama County ranked 36th among the other California counties. In December, it was 38th, and was 40th in November. In October and September, it ranked 42nd and 44th, respectively. In January, mining and logging decreased by 15.4  percent month over month, while durable goods jobs saw the most significant positive change, increasing by 0.7 percent. The second most significant drop was mining, logging, and construction jobs by 10.3 percent, followed by a decrease in federal jobs by 10 percent. Manufacturing, information and state government jobs remained unchanged from month to month. Total farm jobs decreased significantly from January 2024 to 2025, down 11.9  percent. In contrast, the number of other state jobs increased by 21.6 percent. Butte County ranked 29th in the state with an unemployment rate of 6.3  percent. Shasta County’s unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, ranking it 26th. Glenn County ranked 44th with

Sacramento

More Junior Rodeo action coming our way

The District 1 Junior High Rodeo Finals will be April 4-6 at the Tehama District Fairgrounds, with free admission. The California Junior High School Rodeo Association Finals will be held in Red Bluff on May 15-17 with the National Junior High Finals in Des Moines, Iowa in June. Following are results of the District 1 Junior High California High School Rodeo Association rodeo #12 on March 23 in Red Bluff: JR Tie Down Roping, 5 entries. 1st-Jack Kerr, Red Bluff  12.45;  2nd  Colby Knoll, Klamath Falls, OR; 3rd Max Cohn, Tehama 21.54;  4th Tucker Martson, Biggs, 21.65. JR Boys Breakaway Roping: 10 entries. 1st  Trenton McGrew, Vacaville 4.69;  2nd Jeffrey Tucker, Anderson 5.53;  3rd Carson Cash, Yreka 5.77;  4th Grady Owens, Corning 6.23; 5th Colt Bray, Montague 12.47;  6th Clint Earley, Oroville 12.92;  7th L.J. Kanakis, Corning 20.42. JR Chute Dogging, 11 entries. 1st Jack Kerr, Red Bluff 3.64;  2nd Colt Bray, Montague 4.39;  3rd Max Cohn, Tehama 4.97;  4th Cole Hannah, Likely 5.13;  5th Royce Ginochio, Canby, OR 5.48; 6th Trenton McGrew, Vacaville 12.68;  7th  Jake McGrew, Vacaville 13.47;  8th Tucker Martson, Biggs 15.31;  9th Carson Cash, Yreka 15.50;  10th Clint Earley, Oroville 22.35. JR Boys

San Diego

Homeowners in ‘very high fire hazard’ zones brace for higher insurance premiums

SAN ELIJO HILLS, Calif. — After more than a decade, Cal Fire released a new fire hazard severity zones map. For the first time, some San Diego county residents may find themselves living in one of these hazardous zones, raising concerns about higher insurance premiums. The lush green hills and canyons make San Elijo Hills a desirable place to live for its beauty. “That’s why we all live here,” Ed Philbrick said about the neighborhood he’s lived in for more than 20 years. But, it’s also a hazard during fire season. “It has some chaparral and potential burnable fuel,” he said, looking over the canyon near his home. For the first time, Philbrick says his neighborhood falls into the very high fire hazard severity zone. “When people look at the maps and they may be comparing from previous to now. It looks a lot different. It looks like there’s a lot more people in it because there are,” Cal Fire Deputy Director Frank Bigelow said. These San Diego areas now considered ‘very high fire hazard’ zones by Cal Fire The fire maps include the moderate