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California legislature passes bills removing roadblocks for new housing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

The California State Legislature on Monday passed two bills intended to streamline housing permitting, despite opposition from some communities arguing the bills will strip them of local control.The first, Senate Bill 423, would extend a 2017 state housing law set to expire in 2026 that allows developers to bypass certain parts of the permitting process in cities that are behind on meeting state-mandated housing goals. While the existing law only applies to subsidized affordable housing, SB 423 allows developers of mixed-income multifamily housing to take advantage of the streamlined process, too. A second bill, Senate Bill 4, would allow religious institutions and nonprofits to build affordable housing on their land, even if local zoning prevents it.“Enacting SB 4 and 423 will add powerful tools to our arsenal in combating the housing crisis,” said Sen. Scott Wiener, the bills’ sponsor, in a statement.Proponents of SB 423 — including the California Housing Consortium and Cali...

San Jose: Want to be among the first to eat at Rollati Ristorante? Reservations are now being accepted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

At long last, Rollati.The highly anticipated restaurant anchor for downtown San Jose’s highest towers, Miro, will open for business Friday, 19 months after Vine Hospitality leased the 6,800-square-foot space from Bayview Development Group.Reservations have filled up for the inaugural weekend, but are available via Open Table for the coming week and beyond. A limited number of walk-ins will be seated.The restaurant at Fourth and Santa Clara streets — with tableside views of City Hall and its striking dome — is the first all-Italian concept from Vine, which owns and operates the Bay Area’s largest chain of French restaurants, Left Bank, as well as two LB Steak houses, Meso Mediterranean and Camper. The group was founded by noted chef Roland Passot and is led by CEO Obadiah Ostergard.The inaugural menu emphasizes house-made pasta made in an exhibition kitchen, including Orecchiette di Salsiccia, Rigatoni alla Vodka and Spaghetti alla Limon (with crab and lobster...

Cal Fire battling vegetation fire northeast of Napa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

(BCN) -- Cal Fire is battling a vegetation fire northeast of the city of Napa, the agency said at 3:55 p.m. Tuesday. The fire is burning near the 1600 block of Wooden Valley Road and is between 10 and 15 acres, Cal Fire said. Westfield mall operators sued by American Eagle over ‘rampant criminal activity’ Dubbed the "Alta Fire," the blaze is in grass-oak woodlands and has a moderate rate of spread. Cal Fire is employing eight fire engines, four air tankers, two helicopters and bulldozers to put out the fire. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Oriental fruit flies trigger quarantines in Contra Costa, Santa Clara counties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

(BCN) -- Parts of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties are under quarantine for the oriental fruit fly after the discovery of multiple flies in each county, according to a statement Tuesday from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. In Contra Costa County, detections near Brentwood and Oakley resulted in a quarantine zone covering 99 square miles, bordering the San Joaquin River to the north, Marsh Creek State Park to the south; Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve to the west, and Old River to the east. Detections in Santa Clara County cities of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 112 square miles, bordering Coyote Creek to the north; Saratoga to the south; Mountain View to the west, and Alum Rock to the east. San Francisco tech company laying off 17% of its staff A link to the quarantine maps can be found at www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off/regulation.html. "Invasive fruit flies are serious pests for California's orchards an...

US says Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the former Twitter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

The U.S. government says the former Twitter’s request to end oversight of its data privacy and security practices is “meritless” and owner Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the company since he has “first-hand knowledge” of the conduct being investigated. This includes decisions he made since acquiring the company — including mass layoffs, hasty product launches and an overall “chaotic environment” — that could be in violation of a government order limiting its privacy and security practices. The company now called X Corp. had filed a motion in July for a protective order that would prevent Musk from having to testify about the company — and for relief from its 2022 consent order with the Federal Trade Commission. In a Monday filing on behalf of the FTC, the U.S. Department of Justice said that in seeking to end the FTC’s order, X merely “complains the FTC asked too many questions after Elon Musk acquired the company.” But the FTC was asking questi...

Cease leads White Sox to 6-2 win in doubleheader opener, sending Royals to 101st loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Dylan Cease won consecutive decisions for just the third time this season, and the White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 in a doubleheader opener on Tuesday to end a strange run of losses when Chicago pitchers struck out 14 or more.Cease (7-7) allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. Bryan Shaw struck out three over 1 2/3 innings, Lane Ramsey one and Gregory Santos two in a perfect ninth for his fifth save in nine chances.Chicago had been 0-11 this year when its pitchers struck out 14 or more.Cease’s only other consecutive winning decisions this year were April 5 and 10, and May 23 and July 16 — with eight no-decisions in between.Kansas City lost its fifth straight game and dropped to a major league-worst 44-101. The Royals have lost at least 100 games for the third time in six seasons and with 17 games left could break the team record of 106, set in 2005.Chicago took a 5-0 lead in the first against Brady Singer (8-1...

Cousins, Vikings aim to keep themselves protected vs. daunting Eagles defense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Kirk Cousins took the third down shotgun snap in the first quarter from the Minnesota 30-yard line and started his survey of the field.He patted the ball once, began his throwing motion and was toppled to the turf by blitzing Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield knocked the ball loose upon impact and fell on it at the 18, setting the Buccaneers up for a field goal that proved to be the winning margin in the season opener last week.As well as Cousins has typically performed on plays with an extra pass rusher, all it takes is one colossal whiff on a blitz such as Winfield’s and the whole game can go awry.“Voided zones as a passer, you always feel good about. I think the key is it being picked up,” Cousins said Tuesday with the Vikings in hastened preparation for their game Thursday at Philadelphia following that bitterly disappointing defeat to Tampa Bay. “It potentially gives an opportunity to take advantage, but there are pros and cons to just abo...

AP Sources: UAW may strike at small number of factories if it can’t reach deals with automakers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Leaders of the United Auto Workers union are considering targeted strikes at a small number of factories run by each of Detroit’s three automakers if they can’t reach contract agreements by a Thursday night deadline.The union’s leadership discussed smaller-scale strikes at a meeting on Friday, and local union leaders were told about the strategy on Tuesday afternoon, two people with knowledge of the moves said. The people didn’t want to be identified because they weren’t authorized to disclose details until President Shawn Fain updates workers Wednesday afternoon in a Facebook Live appearance.At the Tuesday meeting, Fain didn’t say whether the union would target vehicle assembly plants or component factories, one of the people said. Strikes at parts plants could force production halts at multiple assembly factories. He also didn’t say how many workers would walk off their jobs.The UAW wouldn’t comment Tuesday on its stra...

Manchester United announces Snapdragon as its new shirt sponsor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Snapdragon will be Manchester United’s shirt sponsor from the start of the 2024-25 season, the Premier League club said Tuesday.In a statement to investors, United did not specify the length of the deal or financial terms. Snapdragon will appear on the home, away and third kits of United’s men’s and women’s teams.The club’s current shirt sponsor is Team Viewer, which signed a five-year deal in 2021. Both sides had agreed last December on an option for the club to buy back the rights and look for a new long-term sponsorship deal.Snapdragon is part of Qualcomm Technologies, which is already a global partner of United. Its processors are used in products such as smartphones and gaming devices.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Child poverty jumped, income declined in 2022 as pandemic benefits ended

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:49:36 GMT

Child poverty in the United States more than doubled and median household income declined last year when coronavirus pandemic-era government benefits expired and inflation kept rising, according to figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.At the same time, the official poverty rate for Black Americans dropped to its lowest level on record, and income inequality declined for the first time since 2007, when looking at pre-tax income, due to income declines in the middle and top income brackets. Denver to spend nearly $49M on homeless housing plan: Here’s how it breaks down However, income inequality increased when using after-tax income, another result of the end of pandemic-era tax credits, according to Census Bureau reports on income, poverty and health insurance.The reports reflected the sometimes-conflicting factors last year buffeting U.S. households. Workers faced a robust jobs market, with the number of full-time employees increasing year over year, the share of wom...