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US, Canada close immigration border loophole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

By Wilson Ring | Associated PressST. JOHNSBURY, Vermont — U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement that has allowed thousands of asylum-seeking immigrants to move between the two countries along a back road linking New York state to the Canadian province of Quebec.So many migrants since early 2017 have walked into Canada on Roxham Road outside Champlain, New York, that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police staffed a reception center to process them, less than five miles from the official border crossing.Mounties have warned the migrants at the end of a narrow two-lane road bordered by forests and farm fields that they would be arrested if they crossed the border. But once on Canadian soil, they have been allowed to stay and pursue asylum cases that can take years to resolve.The new policy says that asylum seekers without U.S. or Canadian citizenship who are caught within 14 days of cros...

Letters: Protect oceans | Alternative plans | Permanent ban | Agriculture economy | SVB collapse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Marine protected areaswill preserve oceansCalifornia’s oceans are extremely important to the people of California on both an environmental and cultural basis.Our oceans still account for a majority of the oxygen that we breathe, our literal source of life. Our oceans also serve as a major food source for many people. They have sustained human life along its coasts for thousands of years, and while the state’s original inhabitants have been limited in their ability to continue their traditional ways of life, many indigenous communities continue to rely on the oceans for sustenance.The oil and fishing industries’ destructive practices are causing great harm to our oceans. Fortunately, a solution lies ahead in marine protected areas, which provide marine life with areas where they can live undisturbed by humans. If you support protecting our oceans, take action now and tell Gov. Newsom to triple marin...

Bay Area serial bank robber sentenced to federal prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

OAKLAND — A Bay Area man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for robbing four banks on the same day, just a few months after he was released from custody in a prior bank robbery case.As the defense sees it, the “genuinely sad and somewhat pathetic nature” of defendant Phillip Leblanc’s current situation came to a head on Aug. 30, 2022, when he robbed or attempted to rob banks in Dublin, Berkeley, and two in Walnut Creek, all within the span of a few hours. Leblanc was quickly identified, arrested and indicted in federal court.His attorney now argues his unaddressed mental illness is the root cause behind the “haphazard and seemingly nonsensical series of robberies.”“Prior to this second federal case, Mr. LeBlanc was willing to recognize that he had mental health challenges, but believed he could handle them on his own,” Assistant Federal Public Defender Elizabeth Falk said in a sentencing memo. “As a first-hand witness t...

Letters: Natural gas ban | Book miscue | Labor for shelter | Iraq tragedy | Aiding the living

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Gas appliance ban willcost customers dearlyUnless I’ve missed it, why haven’t you reported anything about the March 15 decision by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to only allow the sale/installation of electric water heaters (starting in 2027), and electric furnaces (2029).This will have huge implications and costs to existing homeowners who are now mandated to (eventually) retrofit their homes. You can’t just plug these appliances into regular wall outlets. You might need to upgrade an electrical panel and have in-home wiring work done to support these appliances. Then there’s the issue of whether you even have enough electricity coming into your house to support this additional load.And if you have to replace a gas water heater come 2027, you can’t wait until that happens to decide whether you need to retrofit your house. You will have to do this retr...

Cruise car appears to rear-end Muni bus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- An image posted to social media on Thursday appeared to show a Cruise car rear-ending a Muni bus in San Francisco. Cruise said no injuries were caused by the crash.Image taken by David Bauer. "This afternoon, one of our vehicles made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No injuries were reported, there were no passengers present in the Cruise AV, and it has been cleared from the scene," Cruise tweeted. The crash happened in front of San Franpsycho, which is located at 1439 Haight Street. The photo was taken by David Bauer. PHOTOS: Fallen tree crushes Marin County home There have been other incidents involving Cruise cars in San Francisco this week. Two self-driving cars apparently did not detect road closure tape and drove through a closed street at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Clay Street.The street was closed due to downed Muni wires. Cruise confirmed that cars briefly entered areas with downed trees or power lines during the storm.KRON ON ...

California communities with the best public schools in 2023: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — When it comes to buying a home, the quality of the area's public schools can play a major role in the planning decision — even if you don't have young children, proximity to quality districts can affect home values.Niche, a data site that specializes in education rankings, weighed a number of factors, including academic performance, diversity, parent/student surveys, sports, clubs and more to determine which communities in California have the best public schools in 2023. Chick-fil-A discontinuing longtime side dish to ‘help simplify’ menu When it comes to the top 20 places in California, the greater San Diego area swept the top three spots, Niche found:PlaceMetro areaState2023 ranking2022 ranking2021 rankingRancho Santa FeSan Diego AreaCalifornia111Fairbanks RanchSan Diego AreaCalifornia222Del MarSan Diego AreaCalifornia333Los Altos HillsSan Francisco Bay AreaCalifornia465Solana BeachSan Diego AreaCalifornia544La Cañada FlintridgeLos Angeles AreaCalifornia657Palos Ver...

Steph, Ayesha Curry join Biden fitness and nutrition council

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

(The Hill) – NBA superstar Steph Curry and his restaurateur wife, Ayesha Curry, are among the newest members of one of President Biden’s councils promoting fitness and nutrition.The White House announced on Friday that the famed couple is among the nearly 30 new members that Biden intends to appoint to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.The group “aims to promote healthy, accessible eating and physical activity for all Americans, regardless of background or ability” and going forward will include a focus on mental health “as it pertains to physical fitness and nutrition,” according to the White House.In addition to the Currys, the list of new members also includes celebrity chef Jose Garces, former Philadelphia Phillies baseball player Ryan Howard, WNBA champion Tamika Catchings, and Olympians Chloe Kim, Elana Meyers Taylor and Chaunté Lowe. Tina Flournoy, a former chief of staff to Vice President Harris, Food Lion President Meg Ham, Dance Institute of Washingt...

PHOTOS: Fallen tree crushes Marin County home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) -- A tree crushed a home in Marin County Thursday night. Photos (below) show the damage the tree made at a residence on Yolanda Drive near Center Boulevard and Saunders Avenue in San Anselmo. PHOTOS: Steeple blown off church in Richmond Around 5:20 a.m. Friday, neighbors saw the fallen tree and called 911. Police and fire crews responded to the scene shortly after.No injuries were reported, KRON4 confirmed. However, a part of the tree broke through and entered one of the house's bedrooms.Two people were inside the home at the time the tree fell: a mother and her 30-year-old son. The mother was able to safely exit the home while the son needed help from fire crews.Here's a photo gallery of the damage the fallen tree caused.KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: abso...

Biden, Trudeau say ‘inseparable’ nations won’t fail Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, “inseparable” U.S.-Canada relationship and vowed that the two nations remain committed to defending Ukraine as it tries to repel a Russian invasion that has no end in sight.Biden and Trudeau met just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks for the first time since the start of the war. The Chinese and Russian leader agreed to deepen economic bonds between their two countries. But Biden argued that Western resolve remains stronger and warned Russia that the U.S., Canada and their allies would defend “every inch of NATO territory.”The president also bristled at the notion that Russia has managed to expand a partnership with Beijing that is allowing Moscow to sustain its economy and war effort despite the U.S. lining up an international coalition to economically isolate Russia with a barrage of sanctions. China, however, thus...

Ohtani returns to Angels camp, fans 8 in minor league game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:50:15 GMT

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — It was back to business as usual for Shohei Ohtani on Friday.The two-way star returned to Los Angeles Angels camp after his MVP performance in the World Baseball Classic. Three days after striking out Mike Trout to clinch the WBC title for Japan against the United States in Miami, Ohtani was on the back fields in Tempe, pitching in a minor league game against some Arizona Diamondbacks farmhands.Friday’s outing was to keep Ohtani on schedule for his opening day start next Thursday in Oakland. He faced 19 batters while working into a fifth inning, walking one and striking out eight. He allowed four hits, including a home run to Gavin Conticello, an eighth-round draft pick for Arizona in 2021.Druw Jones, the Diamondbacks’ first-round pick last season and the son of 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones.“The game today was to get up to my pitch count, get used to the pitch clock again and using the PitchCom,” Ohtani said through an interpreter after throwing...