Health Inland Empire

Big Hearts for Little Hearts Desert Guild Gifts Teddy Bears to Children’s Hospital

The Big Hearts for Little Hearts Desert Guild teamed up with Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital to host the “Hugs Help Healing Teddy Bear Event” on Tuesday, April 16th. During the event, young patients were able to pick out their own Build-A-Bear and customize them with different outfits. Child Life Specialists and members of the Desert Guild worked together to put together boxes containing teddy bears and outfits for patients who couldn’t leave their rooms, ensuring that every child could participate in the event. Over the years, the Desert Guild has provided more than 3,500 teddy bears from Build-A-Bear Workshop to critically ill children at the hospital. These bears have become important companions for the children during their hospital stays, representing the healing power of comfort and care. The Desert Guild received a grant from Helping Hands to fund the teddy bears. This ongoing effort demonstrates the community’s commitment to supporting the well-being of children facing health challenges, with additional support from the Big Horn Cares committee. Continue Reading

Sacramento

Warriors coach Steve Kerr on Draymond Green: “If we decided he wasn’t worth it … we would have moved off of him years ago”

Despite his many flaws — two suspensions this season, punching teammate Jordan Poole last season — Warriors star Draymond Green will go into the summer knowing that his longtime coach still has his back. In his season-ending news conference Thursday, coach Steve Kerr called the team’s relationship with the volatile Green “complex” but added that he’s one of the most loyal, smartest and competitive players he has been around. Kerr was asked if Green will be a changed person moving forward or if the team accepts that the veteran’s unpredictable behavior could lead to another suspension – like the ones he served this season for grabbing the neck of Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and striking Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkić. What followed was a 738-word response from Kerr. Here are the highlights: “I have so much faith in Draymond because I know him so well as a human being,” Kerr said. “He’s flawed. We’re all flawed. But he would be the first to tell you he’s probably more flawed than the rest of us, right. I mean, he’s the one who has had these transgressions, not the other guys

Sacramento

Mike Dunleavy says ‘everything is on the table’ for Warriors’ offseason. It needs to be.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors have an aging roster that just finished a middling season. They just paid a ludicrously large luxury tax bill with a team icon hitting free agency. They have a responsibility to compete for titles as long as Steph Curry remains great and a moral obligation to keep their dynastic core intact — possibly contradicting needs. That sounds like a summer of migraines for Mike Dunleavy Jr. The Warriors’ general manager was disappointed to be sitting at a podium on April 18 rather than, say, June 18 for his end-of-season debrief. After a quick opening statement, Dunleavy reiterated Steve Kerr, Curry and Draymond Green’s public desire to bring Klay Thompson back. He said he didn’t have any regrets from a quiet trade deadline. He said he believes the Warriors were closer to the top of the Western Conference than the bottom — even though they actually finished 10th. The anticlimactic end to Golden State’s season is still fresh. But the real work for Dunleavy will begin soon. The twilight of a dynasty is in his hands. “I think I probably operate

Sacramento

Judge in Trump case orders media not to report where potential jurors work

By DAVID BAUDER and LARRY NEUMEISTER (Associated Press Writers) NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial ordered the media on Thursday not to report on where potential jurors have worked and to be careful about revealing information about those who will sit in judgment of the former president. Judge Juan Merchan acted after one juror was dismissed when she expressed concerns about being “outed” for her role in the case after details about her became publicly known. The actions pointed to the difficulties involved in trying to maintain anonymity for jurors in a case that has sparked wide interest and heated opinions, while lawyers need to sift through as much information as possible in a public courtroom to determine who to choose. Despite the setback, 12 jurors were seated by the end of Thursday for the historic trial over a $130,000 hush money payment shortly before the 2016 election to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her from making public her claims of a sexual meeting with Trump years earlier. Trump has denied the encounter. The dismissed juror told Merchan

Sacramento

US vetoes widely supported UN resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

By EDITH M. LEDERER (Associated Press) UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine, a goal the Palestinians have long sought. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions, from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. U.S. allies France, Japan and South Korea supported the resolution. The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized Palestine, so its admission would have been approved, likely by a much higher number of countries. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the council the U.S. veto “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.” Before the vote, U.S. deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the

Los Angeles

Chargers ready to trade No. 5 pick in NFL draft if the price is right

Former USC quarterback Caleb Williams going first to Chicago next week is the greatest certainty entering the 2024 NFL draft. And the next surest thing? The Chargers trading out of the No. 5 spot, at least if the overwhelming outside speculation is correct. In an endeavor that can defy logic and prediction, the public consensus has reached a point where new general manager Joe Hortiz dealing his first career selection in order to add draft capital seems to be a foregone conclusion. “If we’re going to trade away from great players,” Hortiz said Thursday, “there’s got to be a reason in terms of value for us.” In transitioning to becoming a tougher, line-of-scrimmage-focused team under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers are in the midst of a clear roster rebuild. They need players at multiple spots but don’t need a quarterback entering a draft in which four of them could be taken at the top. That potentially puts the Chargers in position to trade the fifth selection to a quarterback-needy team. The most popular possibility among those teams is Minnesota, which holds two first-round picks

Los Angeles

Body discovered in the back of stolen U-Haul truck in Mid City

Police are investigating Thursday’s discovery of a body inside a stolen U-Haul truck in Los Angeles’ Mid-City neighborhood. (KTLA) April 18, 2024 3:31 PM PT A foul odor emanating from a moving van parked in a Mid-City neighborhood Thursday led authorities to a dead body in the back of a U-Haul truck, police said. Los Angeles Police were called to the 2400 block of South Redondo Boulevard just before 11 a.m., said Officer Charles Miller. A passerby told police they saw what they thought was a body under a tarp in the rear of the truck. The passerby also reported a foul odor coming from the truck. When officers arrived, they discovered that the truck had been reported stolen, Miller said. Police were not immediately disclosing any information about the deceased, he said. More to Read Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Salvador Hernandez is a reporter on the Fast Break Desk, the Los Angeles Times’ breaking

Los Angeles

Cup Noodles unveils another peculiar instant ramen flavor

Cup Noodles, the cheap, quick — and now microwaveable — instant ramen makers are again diving into parts unknown with a limited-time noodle cup with an unexpected flavor profile. Earlier this month, Cup Noodles launched the new Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese-flavored noodles in sauce. You read that right: noodles flavored like an everything bagel, swimming around in cream cheese. Nissin Foods USA, Cup Noodles’ parent company, said the new product offers an “unmatched bagel experience” in the form of a savory tasting instant ramen seasoned with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, dried onion and caraway seeds. Cup Noodles unveiled a new instant ramen flavor inspired by an American breakfast staple: the bagel with cream cheese. The product was released in Walmart stores across the country in April 2024. (Nissin Foods) Everything Bagel instant ramen was born out of the two food items’ commonalities as on-the-go quick-fix meals, Nissin says, adding that consumers have already been adding the beloved spice blend into their noodles for years. “We know noodle fans and foodies are constantly finding ways to elevate their instant ramen with different sauces, seasonings

Los Angeles

2 more insurance companies announce plans to leave California

Two more insurance companies have announced plans to withdraw from the insurance market in California. According to filings from the state’s Department of Insurance, Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. said they would both withdraw from the homeowners and personal umbrella insurance markets in the Golden State. Both entities are subsidiaries of Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., a Japanese company. California Rep. Adam Schiff introduces bill to help stabilize home insurance market Together, the two companies provide 12,556 homeowner insurance policies with $11.3 million in premiums. According to document filings, Tokio Marine also has 2,732 personal umbrella policies for liability worth about $400,000. Those impacted will receive nonrenewal notices beginning on July 1. The proposed effective date for these filings will take place on Aug. 1, 2025. Neither company disclosed the reason behind their withdrawal in the documents. KTLA reached out to Tokio Marine but didn’t receive a response in time for publication. Tokio Marine America Insurance Co. and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. join a growing list of insurance companies announcing plans to withdraw or limit business in the Golden State, making

Los Angeles

Caltrans offers discouraging update on Topanga Canyon

A large section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard will likely remain closed until the fall as Caltrans works to clear a massive landslide that buried the scenic road and continues to pose a safety risk, officials acknowledged on Thursday. The slide occurred on March 9 during an intense rainstorm that caused flooding and mudslides in many areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles County. State Road 27 was immediately closed from Grand View Drive to Pacific Coast Highway. Caltrans estimates that 9.2 million pounds of earth, or 4,600 tons, gave way just south of the town of Topanga, sending a wall of dirt, rocks and debris onto the road. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. An aerial view of the landslide covering Topanga Canyon Boulevard on April 18, 2024. (KTLA) An aerial view of the landslide covering Topanga Canyon Boulevard on April 18, 2024. (KTLA) An aerial view of the landslide covering Topanga Canyon Boulevard on April 18, 2024. (KTLA) As of Thursday, no progress had been made in clearing the slide, and Caltrans admits that crews are facing several major hurdles. “Water continues to seep out

Los Angeles

Arizona Republicans split on effort to repeal 1864 abortion ban

Arizona Republicans split on effort to repeal 1864 abortion ban – CBS News Watch CBS News Arizona House Republicans blocked an effort to repeal the state’s 1864 near-total abortion ban for a second time on Wednesday. But some Republicans in the state Senate are now siding with Democrats. CBS News campaign reporter Shawna Mizelle 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

What to know about Trump’s meeting with Polish President Duda

What to know about Trump’s meeting with Polish President Duda – CBS News Watch CBS News On Wednesday night, Poland’s President Duda became the latest world leader to meet with former President Donald Trump. CBS News “Face the Nation” moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan explains what came out of the meeting. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Bay Area

Maine, Iowa: Two mass shootings, two different responses

By David A. Lieb | Associated Press Six months after a deadly mass shooting by an Army reservist, Maine lawmakers this week passed a wide-ranging package of new gun restrictions. Three months after a fatal school shooting, Iowa lawmakers this week passed legislation allowing trained teachers and staff to carry guns on school property. Two states. Two tragedies. Two different approaches to improving public safety. “We live in two different Americas, in essence,” said Daniel Webster, a health policy professor affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “We see terrible acts of gun violence; no one wants them, of course,” Webster said. “But we see this through different lenses.” Legislatures in about 20 states already have passed measures this year to expand gun rights or restrict access to firearms. Dozens more proposals are pending. The divide continues a trend seen last year, when more than half the states enacted firearms legislation, with Democrats generally favoring more limits and Republicans more freedoms for gun owners. LIMITS ON GUNS IN MAINE Maine has a tradition of hunting and gun ownership. But after an Army

Bay Area

Former Fremont city manager sentenced to jail in fraud case, must pay $317,000 in restitution

OAKLAND — A former Fremont city manager — who drew the ire of prosecutors last year for embarking on an Italian cooking trip while facing felony fraud charges here — was sentenced Thursday to jail time and a six-figure restitution bill. Mark Danaj, 54, was told to report to Santa Rita Jail on June 4 to serve a 90-day jail sentence after having pled guilty last month to obtaining money under false pretenses, a felony. He also was ordered to pay nearly $317,000 to the city of Fremont, largely to reimburse the city for a severance check he received while leaving his job in 2021 under a thick legal cloud. Danaj did not speak during the brief hearing before Alameda County Judge Kimberly Colwell, who also forbid him from ever holding public office again. She offered few remarks from the bench while imposing the sentence, saying only that the law “applies to us all.” Authorities alleged that from December 2019 to March 2021, Danaj illegally used his city credit card to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses, including travel, medical services, food delivery and Apple

Bay Area

Ahead of bail hearing, attorneys assert former San Jose youth pastor’s innocence from sex abuse claims

SAN JOSE — A well-known nonprofit director charged with sexually abusing a girl during his previous career as a youth pastor is arguing his innocence ahead of a bail hearing that will decide whether he will have to litigate his case from behind bars. Brett Bymaster, 47, of San Jose, was arrested April 11, 2024 in connection with sexual abuse charges filed against him based on allegations that he abused a girl under his supervision when he was a youth pastor at The River church in San Jose between 2014 and 2019, authorities say. (San Jose Police Dept.)  Brett Bymaster was being held Thursday without bail in the Elmwood men’s jail after being charged last week with six felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor between 2014 and 2019, beginning when the reported victim was 8 years old through when she was 14 years old. Bymaster is scheduled to return to court Friday, when his attorneys are expected to request reduced bail and supervised release conditions. His bail was initially set at $400,000 before being revoked at his arraignment last week. Prosecutors

Bay Area

Viva CalleSJ returns with Earth Day edition this weekend

The latest edition of Viva CalleSJ — the event that welcomes cyclists, skaters, strollers and joggers onto six miles of San Jose streets — is this Sunday, and it looks like the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds will be a key destination no matter where you start your journey. The “SoFA to the Streets” route has endpoints at downtown San Jose’s arty SoFA district and Martial Cottle Park in South San Jose, with Monterey Road and a few other streets between them closed to vehicle traffic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fairgrounds, centrally located on the route, will be one of the big activity hubs for this first of three Viva CalleSJ events this year. There’ll be BMX stunt riders flying through the air, a petting zoo for kids, live music, a taste of the upcoming Silicon Valley Mariachi Festival, a few dinosaurs from the Jurassic Quest experience, food trucks and a beer-and-wine garden. And you’ll get to see the big tent for Cirque du Soleil, which opened its show “Kooza” there Thursday. Other activity hubs will have plenty to do at the endpoints

Bay Area

US vetoes resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

By Edith M. Lederer | Associated Press UNITED NATIONS — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions. The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized the state of Palestine, so its admission would have been approved. This is the second Palestinian attempt to become a full member of the United Nations, and it comes as the war in Gaza, now in its seventh month, has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage. Before the vote, U.S. deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the best intentions — will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people.” Palestinian membership “needs to be the outcome of the