Sacramento

Jung Hoo Lee, Bob Melvin share their experiences entering SF Giants-Dodgers rivalry

LOS ANGELES — Growing up in Korea, Jung Hoo Lee didn’t have a clue about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry. Decades earlier, Bob Melvin lived and breathed it while being raised in Palo Alto, then became a part of it as a player when he was traded to his hometown team. Of the handful of new entrants to the rivalry — the highest-profile, of course, being Shohei Ohtani on the other side — it would be hard to find two who came into it with more disparate history than the Giants manager and his increasingly impressive center fielder. “It’s something I’ve grown up with, so I know all about it,” Melvin said. “Everybody takes it individually. Some people just look at it as another series. Some may be a little more fired up for it.” Lee? “Probably not a lot,” Melvin said. “He’s got a lot going on right now. I’m sure he knows a lot of the rivalries in the big leagues – Yankees-Red Sox and so forth – but I think he’s got enough on his plate where he’s not too focused on that.” If

Sacramento

Jonathan Kuminga nearing return for Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — Jonathan Kuminga remained out for the Warriors’ Tuesday night game against the Mavericks, but the Warriors have set a plan in motion for him play on Thursday night in Houston. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr revealed the team’s course of action for Kuminga, who has missed four straight games with tendinitis in both knees. “He hadn’t done anything because of the knee for the last week,” Kerr said. “He’s feeling a lot better. Just got a really good 3-on-3 scrimmage in, the first work he’s done since he’s been out. So, we felt strongly that he needed to get a couple days’ work in before he’s ready to play.” The Rockets matchup could have substantial stakes for the Warriors at the bottom of the Western Conference. The Rockets won 11 straight to inch within striking distance of Golden State’s play-in spot, so the Warriors being at full-strength for the game in Houston is a big development. Kuminga, 21, has had a breakout season for the Warriors. He’s averaging 16.3 points per game while shooting 52.9% from the field. He’s at his best

Bay Area

Largest egg producer in the US reports bird flu outbreak

By Ken Miller | Associated Press The largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. said Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at poultry facility in Michigan. In Texas, Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at the facility in Parmer County, Texas. The plant is on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southwest of Amarillo and about 370 miles (595 kilometers) northwest of Dallas. “The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” according to the statement. “Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers,” the statement said. The company said there is no known bird flu risk associated with eggs that are

San Diego

A strong earthquake shakes Taiwan, damaging buildings and causing a tsunami

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A powerful earthquake rocked the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands. A five-story building in lightly populated Hualien appeared heavily damaged, collapsing its first floor and leaving the rest leaning at a 45-degree angle. In the capital, Taipei, tiles fell from older buildings and within some newer office complexes. Train service was suspended across the island of 23 million people, as was subway service in Taipei. But things quickly returned to normal in the capital, with children going to school and the morning commute appearing to be normal. The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami wave of 30 centimeters (about 1 feet) was detected on the coast of Yonaguni island about 15 minutes after the quake struck. JAMA said waves likely also hit the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama islands. Japan’s Self Defense Force sent aircraft to gather information about the tsunami impact around the Okinawa region and were preparing shelters for evacuees if necessary. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2

Far North

Records Document Another Eureka City Schools Brown Act Violation

Eureka City Schools appears to have violated more open meeting and public records laws in its handling of the former Jacobs middle school property exchange than previously known, the Journal has learned via a new batch of public records disclosed in response to the paper’s request. While the Journal already reported that the district erred in not listing on its meeting agenda the specific address of the property the district would be acquiring through the agreement — which has the district giving 8.3 acres of its long-shuttered middle school campus to AMG Communities-Jacobs LLC, a newly formed corporation, in exchange for two small residential units on I Street and $5.35 million in cash — recently released records document another violation of state sunshine laws. In putting together the agenda for the Dec. 14 ECS board meeting, district staff included two separate items regarding the property exchange. The first was a closed session discussion that listed negotiating parties as AMG and the California Highway Patrol, which had long sought the site and reportedly had a $4 million purchase offer on the table for the property. That

Far North

New Plan Could Help Humboldt Foster Kids Afford Extracurriculars

Foster kids often miss out on Little League or music lessons. That’s one of the consequences of changing homes, or living with a family on a tight budget. Now California has a new plan to give them opportunities for the kinds of extracurricular activities that can build character and community.  It’s included in a proposed revision to how the state pays for foster care that’s intended to make more money available to high-needs kids. Youth advocates are especially enthusiastic about the funding for extracurricular activities, which would come in the form of a monthly stipend of at least $500.  “These kids are always underfunded,” said Brian Blalock, senior directing attorney at the Youth Law Center. “And especially when the kids are with grandma and the kids are with relatives, often on fixed income. It’s where we most want these young people as a system, and as a consequence, grandma’s maxing out credit cards to keep the grandbaby in basketball and dance and tutoring.” The California Department of Social Services put forward the proposal last month, as part of a restructuring to the state’s foster care

Los Angeles

No California tsunami danger from huge Taiwan earthquake, officials say

(Los Angeles Times) Officials say there is no tsunami threat for California and the U.S. West Coast after a powerful earthquake rattled the coast of Taiwan on Tuesday evening. The U.S. Geological Survey registered the quake at 7.5 magnitude. Tsunami warnings were issued for parts of Taiwan and Japan. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said it had studied the quake and determined that the West Coast does not face a risk. Some areas, however, “may experience non-damaging sea level changes.” The agency did not specify which areas might see changes. Since 1800, California has been hit by more than 150 tsunamis, according to the California Geological Survey. Few to hit the coast have caused fatalities or damage. Two of the biggest were in March 2011, when a tsunami hit California’s shores 10 hours after the devastating 9.1 earthquake in Japan. A tsunami with 21-foot surges followed the 9.2 quake in Alaska in 1965. Ten people were killed when the tsunami crashed into Crescent City, Calif. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox

Los Angeles

Joe Flaherty will always remain dear to comedy fans, thanks to ‘SCTV’ and ‘Freaks and Geeks’

Though he worked steadily into the second decade of this century, Joe Flaherty, who died Monday at 82, will be remembered for two series: the Canadian sketch comedy “SCTV,” which sneaked onto American television by way of late-night syndication in the late 1970s, and “Freaks and Geeks,” the 1999 CBS comedy that would prove to be ground zero for American comedy in the 2000s. Neither were hugely successful in their time — “SCTV,” though it twice won Emmys for writing, shared by Flaherty, was overshadowed by “Saturday Night Live,” the other series to emerge from Second City, and “Freaks and Geeks” lasted only a single, 18-episode season. But both are dear to the heart of comedy fans, and the characters Flaherty created there live large in my mind, and I hope in yours. “SCTV,” which purported to represent the programming day of a small-town station — Melonville was the imaginary community — was a vehicle for television, commercial and movie parodies, but it also pulled back to focus on the business of the station itself, owned by Flaherty’s Guy Caballero. Wearing a white suit and

Los Angeles

Earthquake: 7.5 quake strikes near Hualien City, Taiwan

(Los Angeles Times) April 2, 2024 5:32 PM PT A magnitude 7.5 earthquake was reported Tuesday afternoon at 4:58 p.m. Pacific time 13 miles from Hualien City, Taiwan, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Tsunami Warning System. According to the USGS, the epicenter was farther than 100 miles from a city. In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 7.1 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS. Find out what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you by signing up for our Unshaken newsletter, which breaks down emergency preparedness into bite-sized steps over six weeks. Learn more about earthquake kits, which apps you need, Lucy Jones’ most important advice and more at latimes.com/Unshaken. This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.

Los Angeles

L.A. man admits to stealing jewelry from guests at luxury hotel, selling goods in Florida

A Los Angeles man has admitted to stealing jewelry from a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills and then selling the stolen items on the other side of the country. Jobson Marangoni De Castro, 38, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one felony count of interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the United States Department of Justice. On May 10, 2023, De Castro took an Uber to an unnamed hotel and convinced an employee to give him a key to a room that was not his. Once inside, he stole two suitcases from the victims while they were at dinner. A screenshot from a hotel security footage shows Jobson Marangoni De Castro in a hotel elevator suitcases he stole from a hotel room on May 10, 2023. (United States Department of Justice) The victims, authorities said, were residents of Brazil who were in town to attend a fashion event. The suitcases contained jewelry, clothing and other accessories with a value estimated around $1.8 million, according to prosecutors. De Castro then took the items with him to Miami, where, a week later, he messaged a buyer on Instagram

Los Angeles

Suspect arrested after woman found shot to death in South Los Angeles

A suspect was arrested after a woman was found shot to death in South Los Angeles. The suspect was identified as Bryan Blackmon, 29, from Hawthorne, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. On March 19, police responded to reports of a victim down in the 5800 block of South Hoover Street in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood at around 8:50 p.m. Arriving officers found the female victim, Gerardo Medina-Garcia, 24, also known as Meraxes, lying on the road with a gunshot wound. Authorities also found evidence that the woman had been struck by a vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect had fled the scene before officers could arrive. Loved ones remember victims killed in South L.A. DUI crash After identifying Blackmon as a suspect, he was arrested in Hawthorne on March 29. On April 2, murder charges were filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear and it’s unknown whether the suspect and victim knew each other.  Anyone with additional information on the case is urged to call LAPD’s South Bureau Homicide Division detectives

Sacramento

What we know about the Israeli airstrike that killed 7 aid workers

World leaders are condemning an Israeli airstrike in Gaza that killed at least seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen. The IDF says the strike should not have happened and that it was a “mistake that followed a misidentification.” Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, joins CBS News to assess the state of Israel’s operations in Gaza.

Los Angeles

New sonar images show sunken remains of Baltimore’s Key Bridge

New sonar images show sunken remains of Baltimore’s Key Bridge – CBS News Watch CBS News Crews in Baltimore opened a second, temporary channel Tuesday to help with wreckage removal and allow small boats to bypass the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave has the details. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Los Angeles

Tesla stock falls 5% as quarterly sales drop

Tesla stock falls 5% as quarterly sales drop – CBS News Watch CBS News Tesla has reclaimed the title of largest electric vehicle seller in the world, so why did its stock fall 5% on Tuesday? Rebecca Elliott, reporter for The Wall Street Journal, joins CBS News to discuss. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Inland Empire

Embarc opens doors as Fontana’s first cannabis retailer

A line wrapped around the building for the soft opening of Fontana’s first cannabis retailer, Embarc, earlier this week as customers checked out some of the 1,800 products carried in the shop. The store, part of a chain of neighborhood-style cannabis shops, is the first of three potential stores to receive permission from the city of Fontana to operate within city limits. Embarc Fontana cannabis dispensary employee Barbara Tamayo, left, assists customers on the opening day of the first cannabis retail storefront in Fontana, on Monday, April 1, 2024. The Fontana location, which carries approximately 1,800 different cannabis based products will give 1% of sales back to the Fontana community, which will be directed by a special Community Advisory Board made up of Fontana residents.(Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) A top shelf cannabis flower sits for sale at the newly opened Embarc Fontana dispensary, the first cannabis retail storefront in Fontana, on Monday, Apr. 1, 2024. The Fontana location, which carries approximately 1,800 different cannabis based products will give 1% of sales back to the Fontana community, which will be directed by a

Los Angeles

Man, 29, Arrested in Death of Trans Woman in LA

A 29-year-old man suspected of a murder in the Vermont-Slauson area of Los Angeles has been taken into custody, police said Tuesday. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Gang and Narcotics Division, with the assistance of the FBI Fugitive Task Force, located Los Angeles resident Bryan Blackmon in Hawthorne at around 1:30 p.m. Friday, the LAPD reported. He was being held on $3 million bail, according to inmate records. On March 19, officers responded to the 5800 block of South Hoover Street, where 24-year-old Gerardo Medina-Garcia was suffering from a gunshot wound. Upon further investigation, detectives discovered that Garcia, who identified as a trans woman by the name of Meraxes, was also struck by a vehicle, police said. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics arrived at the location, where they pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The LAPD South Bureau Homicide Division responded to the scene to conduct an investigation. As of Tuesday, a GoFundMe page for the victim had generated over $1,800 for memorial funds. Anyone with information about the death was asked to contact LAPD South Bureau Homicide Division detectives at 323-786-5100. Calls during

Los Angeles

Retired OC Judge Rebukes DA Spitzer for Criticizing Judges

A retired Orange County Superior Court judge criticized District Attorney Todd Spitzer Tuesday for recent public statements deriding the actions of judges who handled various cases against a 20-year-old man whose first brush with the law was the fatal stabbing of his mother when he was 13. Spitzer, however, defended his comments, calling the suspect in question a dangerous man who “keeps getting released.” The defendant, Ike Souzer, who was arrested last week in Rosarito, Mexico, appeared in a Santa Ana courtroom Tuesday for a probation violation hearing. Another hearing in the case was set for May 7. Souzer — who had already escaped from custody twice before — was convicted in October of making a shank while in the Central Men’s Jail in Santa Ana and sentenced to three years behind bars, but the sentence was structured so that he would be freed in a few months. However, Souzer ran afoul of the law again on Jan. 21 when he painted a mural on the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway underpass at 190 S. Yorba St. near Orange, his attorney, David Isaac Hammond of the

Sacramento

‘SCTV’ star and comedian Joe Flaherty has died at 82 after an illness, his daughter says

WATCH LIVE: Breaking news and other events from ABC WATCH LIVE Welcome, Manage MyDisney Account Log Out Wednesday, April 3, 2024 12:22AM Comedian Joe Flaherty, founding star of the sketch show “SCTV” and known for his memorable roles in “Happy Gilmore” and “Freaks and Geeks,” has died. He was 82. Comedian Joe Flaherty, a founding member of the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” has died. He was 82. His daughter Gudrun said Tuesday that Flaherty died Monday following a brief illness. Flaherty, who was born in Pittsburgh, spent seven years at The Second City in Chicago before moving north of the border to help establish the theater’s Toronto outpost. FILE – Comedian Joe Flaherty, October 26, 1982. Photo by Jim Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images He went on to star alongside John Candy and Catherine O’Hara in “SCTV, about a fictional TV station known as Second City Television that was stacked with buffoons in front of and behind the cameras. Flaherty’s characters included network boss Guy Caballero and the vampiric TV host Count Floyd. He won Emmys in 1982 and 1983 for his writing on “SCTV”