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Douthat: Why Biden needs an immigration deal with Republicans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Over the last few months, the incredulous question — How can Donald Trump possibly be leading the polls; there must be some mistake — has given way to the clear reality: Something in American life would need to change for Joe Biden to be favored for reelection in November 2024.The good news for Biden is that it’s easy to imagine developments that would help his reelection bid. Notwithstanding a fashionable liberal despair about how bad vibes are deceiving Americans about the state of the economy, there’s plenty of room for improvements — in inflation-adjusted wages, interest rates, the stock market — that could sweeten the country’s economic mood. (Just sustaining the economic trajectory of the last few months through next summer would almost certainly boost Biden’s approval ratings.)The looming Trump trials, meanwhile, promise to refocus the country’s persuadable voters on what they dislike about the former president; that, too, has to be worth something in ...

Caltrans says Highway 1 to reopen at Paul’s Slide on Big Sur coast in late spring

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

BIG SUR – A full reopening of Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide is estimated to happen in late spring of 2024, according to Caltrans. That estimate makes allowances for some delays that could be caused by geology and winter storms.Caltrans District 5 spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said this is the first time Caltrans has been able to put out an estimated time for reopening.“We are at a point where we’re able to calculate the remaining tasks ahead,” said Drabinski. “We have multiple months of work left to do in an ideal situation and factored in the winter weather.”Highway 1 remains closed to vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic for 1.5 miles between Limekiln State Park to the south, and .6 miles south of the town of Lucia to the north.The rockslide at Mill Creek on Highway 1 in Big Sur, known as Paul’s Slide, has cutoff access to Pacific Valley School forcing students to attend school online only. Paul’s slide pictured on Feb. 16, 2023. (Photo courtesy of CA-DWR)Continued movement of the h...

Marin County woman accused of molesting child

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

San Rafael police arrested a woman on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor.Cecilia Beatriz Alvarado Ramos, 21, of San Rafael was arrested Saturday at a residence on Nova Albion Way in Terra Linda. She allegedly met the victim through a friend and continued their relationship online and in person, said police Lt. Scott Eberle.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Trial date reset for Bay Area attorney charged with child sex crimes Crime and Public Safety | San Jose: Man charged with sexually assaulting child of ex-fiancee, homicide victim Crime and Public Safety | Roblox of San Mateo fails to protect child gamers from predators, sexual content, lawsuit claims Crime and Public Safety | East Bay pastor charged with 16 counts in four-victim child molestation case Crime and Public Safety | East Bay pastor arrested in child sex abuse case The alleged relationship lasted for six months until a parent disco...

Are Disneyland candy canes worth $70 a pound?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Those five-ounce candy canes that Disneyland fans race to get before they sell out each Christmas season are among the most expensive foods you can buy at the Anaheim theme park.The 18-inch-long candy canes sold on select dates at the Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen in Disneyland and Trolley Treats in Disney California Adventure cost $21.95 plus tax.Candy makers shape fresh hand-pulled candy canes at Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, CA, on Monday, December 11, 2023. Disney makes candy canes on select days at DCA and Disneyland Park. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Candy makers shape fresh hand-pulled candy canes at Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, CA, on Monday, December 11, 2023. Disney makes candy canes on select days at DCA and Disneyland Park. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Fresh hand-pulled candy canes are delicately wrapped at Trolley Treats o...

Why Judd Apatow made a documentary short about Bob Newhart and Don Rickles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Judd Apatow has been a student and devotee of comedy since childhood. As a teen, he began performing stand-up and even cold-called comedians and managed to gain interviews with everyone from Steve Allen to Jerry Seinfeld and Steven Wright. In recent years, Apatow has directed documentaries about Garry Shandling and George Carlin. Now he has released a short documentary, co-directed with Michael Bonfiglio, about the long and close friendship between two dramatically different comedic minds, Bob Newhart and Don Rickles. The film features old performance clips and TV interviews of both men along with home movies, frequently taken on their joint vacations. Newhart, who is 94, also sat for fresh interviews, including some with his wife Ginny, who died in April after filming. Rickles died at 90 in 2017 and his widow Barbara died in 2021.Apatow, who is next co-directing a documentary about comedian Maria Bamford, spoke by phone recently about this documentary short. Q. How did this come ab...

Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex and what dog owners need to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Flu and cold season is upon us this year — and our canine companions aren’t exempt. You may have seen recent reports about a respiratory disease that is infecting dogs in parts of the United States.I asked our Chief Veterinarian and Animal Care Officer, Dr. Maria Pyrdek, to write a guest column this week to inform you about this sometimes-fatal disease. Dr. Pyrdek (who we affectionately call Dr. P) writes:This fall veterinarians in Oregon, Colorado and San Fernando Valley reported clusters of dogs with coughs and pneumonia that were not responsive to treatment. Some of these dogs became very ill very fast, and unfortunately, a few passed despite aggressive treatment.These outbreaks were all linked to dogs who had been in boarding facilities, doggie day cares and dog parks, where many dogs were interacting. Similar cases have been reported in LA County and Pasadena, and more cases are expected to be reported in the next few weeks.This disease is called Canine Infectious Respiratory D...

Elderly man on trial for killing 70-year-old woman with butcher knife at California boarding home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

An elderly man used a butcher knife to stab his 70-year-old housemate to death at the breakfast table of their Anaheim boarding home in order to “put her out of her misery,” a prosecutor told jurors on Monday morning.Michael Carl Hallgren (Photo courtesy Anaheim Police Department) Michael Hallgren is on trial for the unprovoked slaying of Lucinda Palms at their shared residence in the 1200 block of North Siesta Street in 2018, a killing that a prosecutor argued constitutes second-degree murder, but that a defense attorney countered should be considered a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.Around 9 a.m. on Nov. 20, 2018, Hallgren, then 64, picked up a butcher knife while Palms was sitting at a dining room table trying to eat breakfast and began stabbing her over and over in the throat, Deputy District Attorney Brian Orue told an Orange County Superior Court jury during his opening statements in a Santa Ana courtroom. He used enough force to break the handle of the knife a...

California police shoot, kill woman pointing gun at 3-year-old boy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

San Bernardino police officers faced a tense standoff on Sunday when a 35-year-old woman locked herself in a room of an apartment and held a 3-year-old boy at gunpoint, authorities said.When officers kicked down the door of one the apartment’s bedrooms, they came face-to-face with the woman who was standing on a bed pointing a handgun at the boy who was seated next to her, according to police and photos released from the scene. One officer then fired shots at the woman, according to San Bernardino Police Lt. Jennifer Kohrell.The woman kept the gun in her hand and, after the officer ordered her to drop it, pointed the firearm back at the child. The officer shot her again before additional police rushed in to get the child away from harm, Kohrell said.Officers were unable to negotiate with the woman as the child’s life was in “imminent danger,” Kohrell said.“The gun was pointed directly at the child’s head, and we couldn’t spend too much time negotiating and risk the safety of the chi...

2 dead after being found shot in Northeast DC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Two men have been found dead after being shot in the Brentwood neighborhood of D.C. late Monday night.D.C. police told WTOP that officers responded to the area of 4th Street near the intersection of Adams Street in Northeast just before midnight, where a pair of men were found dead.Both people had been shot.Shooting Investigation in the 2300 block of 4th Street NE. LOF a B/M wearing blue jeans, brown shoes and a black\white jacket. // 2399— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) December 12, 2023Police issued a lookout for a man wearing blue jeans, brown shoes and “a black/white jacket.”A map of the area where the shooting happened, east of The Glenwood Cemetery, is below. This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.Source

Choice Hotels launches hostile takeover bid for rival Wyndham after being repeatedly rebuffed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:50 GMT

Choice Hotels is launching a hostile takeover offer for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts after repeated attempts to reach a deal with the rival hotel chain were rebuffed.Choice Hotels said Tuesday that its exchange offer to shareholders of Wyndham remains the same as its last bid, which was $49.50 in cash and 0.324 shares of Choice common stock per Wyndham share. The exchange offer gives Wyndham shareholders the chance to choose to receive all cash, all shares or a combination of the two. The offer puts the value of the deal at about $8 billion. The exchange offer is set to expire on March 8, 2024 unless extended or terminated. Choice said it currently holds about 1.5 million shares of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc. shares valued at more than $110 million. Source