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Editorial: Fact checking the dubious Proposition HH claims

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

Sneaky mailers that imitate an official notice from the government opposing Proposition HH arrived in mailboxes last week, claiming that the ballot question, if voters say yes, would take away TABOR refunds, forever.The truth is tax refunds from the state — required under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — are likely to continue indefinitely as long as the state’s economy keeps pace with inflation and population growth plus the 1% increase in authorized state spending under Proposition HH. State economists are predicting growth in the state’s revenue with a stable economy and hefty TABOR refunds getting paid out for a decade to come, even with Proposition HH.Americans for Prosperity sent out a duplicitous letter intended to replicate the TABOR refund checks that come in the mail, but it was just a campaign ad intended to drive home the point that Proposition HH will reduce TABOR refunds. The check was for $0. The big problem, however, is that even if Propo...

Live Updates | Investigators find note to son at a home associated with Maine mass shooting suspect

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

By The Associated PressAt least 18 people were killed in shootings at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday night, sparking a massive search for the suspect. Late Thursday, heavily armed law enforcement backed by a police helicopter had surrounded a home and told anyone who might be inside to surrender, but authorities eventually left without indicating anyone had been taken into custody. On Friday, investigators continue to work at the two shooting scenes and divers are expected to join the effort along the Androscoggin River, near where the suspect’s car was found. Follow for live updates.— Here’s what we know about the suspect and where the shooting happened.— Family members confirmed the deaths of the shooting victims. — Social media posts spread an incorrect photo of the Maine suspect.— Maine passed a law to try to prevent mass shootings, but some say more is needed.— The shooting is the 36th mass killing in ...

Cruise suspends all driverless operations nationwide after California revokes license

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit owned by General Motors, is suspending driverless operations nationwide days after regulators in California found that its driverless cars posed a danger to public safety. The California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the license for Cruise, which recently began transporting passengers throughout San Francisco, this week.Cruise is also being investigated by U.S. regulators after receiving reports of potential risks to pedestrians and passengers. GM’s Cruise autonomous vehicle unit agrees to cut fleet in half after 2 crashes in San Francisco “We have decided to proactively pause driverless operations across all of our fleets while we take time to examine our processes, systems, and tools and reflect on how we can better operate in a way that will earn public trust,” Cruise wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday night.The choice to suspend its driverless services isn't related to any new on-road incidents, Cruise add...

1 dead, 1 wounded after Sun Valley shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying and finding the shooters who killed a 45-year-old man in Sun Valley Thursday afternoon and wounded another person.The attack in the 11100 block of Arminta Street occurred at about 5:15 p.m., when two apparently armed people exited a light-colored SUV and opened fire on a group of people standing in a driveway, police said in a news release.Two people were struck and taken to a local hospital, where the 45-year-old was declared dead. The other victim, whose identity has not been released, is in stable condition.Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 818-374-9550. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 310-726-7700 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or go directly to lacrimestoppers.org.

Redlands man arrested 5 days after fatal shooting in Highland

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

A Redlands man has been arrested in a fatal shooting in Highland earlier this week.Roberto Delgado, 35, was arrested Thursday afternoon at his Redlands home in connection with the Sunday killing of Highland resident Gabriel Torres Jimenez, 47, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.Jimenez was shot a few minutes after midnight on Sunday at a business at 25496 Baseline St., authorities said. He was declared dead at the scene.Detectives identified Delgado as the killer "through continued investigation," though they did not reveal what evidence led them to connect Delgado to the crime.Delgado faces charges of murder, as well as trespassing and being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to jail records.He's due to appear in San Bernardino Superior Court on Monday.Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Shawn Thurman at 909-890-4904. Callers can remain anonymous and contact WeTip at 800-78CRIME or wetip.com.

From Deadcrow to the Living Tombstone — the New LA Weekly Playlist is Live

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

From Deadcrow to the Living Tombstone: The 180th LA Weekly playlist, reviewing the musicians that we’ve been writing about all week, is live now. There’s electronic music from Deadcrow, hip-hop from Flo Milli and Maiya the Don, pop from Kim Petras, punk from Inger Lorre and My Chemical Romance, and so much more.Find us on Spotify here,or on Soundcloud here.Don’t forget to “Like” the playlists and “Follow” the profiles.Inger Lorre (Yuko Ishii)From Deadcrow to the Living TombstoneAlso this week:Print star Inger Lorre told us that, “Everything has gone so insane. Suicide is the number one cause of death for people under the age of 54. This record was a hard birth. Transcendental Medication came very easily. This one was like, forceps, you had to have a caesarean and oxygen, it was very hard getting it out because it was completely stripped down, completely raw. All these songs were either written on just a regular piano or an acoustic guitar, and I felt like the world needed some hope....

This new East Bay restaurant is inspired by memories of a childhood in India

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

For decades, Vikas Bajaj has dreamed of opening his own restaurant, one that would evoke the same joy and surprise he experienced as a child when dined with his father at the Maurya hotel in New Delhi.The hotel is popular among visiting dignitaries, and the restaurant, he says, set a standard  he has had trouble finding in the decades since, working and living in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.Taj Mahal, a new Indian restaurant in Livermore, has a full bar with a signature cocktail menu. (Courtesy Chinar Desai) His dream, though, is finally coming true. He and his wife, Priya, recently opened an Indian fine-dining restaurant, Taj Mahal, in Livermore’s Republic Square complex. A grand opening is set for 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 with Bollywood performers and a full buffet ($70 for adults, $45 for children).“I did not want to let life pass by,” he says. “I just gathered the courage to say ‘Hey, we’re going to do it, no matter what comes...

Chipotle says it may need to tick its food prices up to pay California wages

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

By Danielle Wiener-Bronner | CNNNew York — Chipotle, which just announced price hikes, said it will likely charge even more at its California restaurants, blaming a new law that raises minimum wages for fast food (and fast casual) workers in the state.“We haven’t made a decision on exactly what level of pricing we’re going to take,” said John Hartung, Chipotle’s chief financial officer, during an analyst call discussing the company’s third quarter results Thursday, adding that “we’ve been studying” the situation.“But to take care of the dollar cost of that and/or the margin part of that … it’s going to be a mid- to high single-digit price increase,” he said. “We are definitely going to pass this on.”A company spokesperson later told CNN that Chipotle hadn’t yet decided whether it will raise prices in California.California Gov. Gavin Newsom in September signed legislation that raises the minimum wage to $20 an hour for fast food workers, and creates a council that can approve further...

How spooked is California’s housing market? 12 factors to watch

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

A witches’ brew of economic forces is stirring unnerving thoughts about what’s next for California’s homebuying market.One particularly ghoulish factor in these spooky times is that most Californians can’t afford to buy a home in the state – whether they are a first-time house hunter or an owner looking for a new place.That’s largely due to a scary reversal of mortgage rates, which have risen to 23-year highs, less than three years since we saw record lows.Yes, prices have not cracked and remain near record highs.Still, these gut-twisting gyrations walloped the pace of statewide home sales, which are eerily slow and run 35% below average this year.Forecasting California’s homebuying future requires a peek into a spine-chilling concoction of market forces that may not mix well.Remember, housing’s history is filled with painful memories of the Great Recession and the very gloomy days of the early 1990s.But any California outlook means pondering a potentially haunted house with a dozen...

Oakland PD launches auto theft pilot program

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:06 GMT

(KRON) – The Oakland Police Department has launched a pilot program. In a pilot program, the Oakland Police Department will begin to utilize viral videos of auto-burglaries in an attempt to catch criminals in real-time.Beginning Friday, Oakland residents who witness someone breaking into a car will be able to direct message photos, videos, and other information to Oakland police directly, using the social media handle @oakland-auto-burg on both Instagram and X, formally known as Twitter. Oakland could have new police chief by end of year, mayor says With the information the police will receive, the surveillance team will be able to catch the criminals and be able to see what areas are being targeted the most, according to Oakland PD.The ideal direct message will have details with photos or videos of the individuals, the vehicles involved, and the crime location.The Oakland Police Department wants to remind people not to get involved and to stay as far away as possible. If you are ...