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Death Valley marijuana grow: 10,000 plants and deadly pesticide

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

Ten thousand marijuana plants and a highly toxic pesticide were found at an illegal growing site in Death Valley, park officials said.The site was discovered last month during a flyover of Jail Canyon, at the park’s lightly traveled west edge, a National Park Service release said.The growers, realizing they had been discovered, abandoned the site. The plants were eradicated, and 35 cubic yards of trash was removed, park officials said.Among the pesticides and other chemicals found at the site was carbofuran, which can kill humans and other large mammals as well as birds and fish.More than 20 illegal marijuana growing sites have been found in Death Valley National Park in the past decade, the officials said — including a 40-acre site found two years ago at Jail Canyon.The canyon, 5 miles west of Telescope Peak, can be reached only by footpaths and a rugged route used by off-road vehicles.People visiting remote areas of the park are advised to inform rangers of “unus...

Pride flag that was ripped down at Palo Alto church being investigated as hate crime

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

(KRON) -- An incident in which a pride flag was ripped down from the exterior of a Palo Alto church is being investigated as a hate crime, according to the Palo Alto Police Department. Police received a call just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday on a report of vandalism at the First Lutheran Church at 600 Homer Avenue. The report was called in by a church employee, police said. Zip codes donating the most money to Donald Trump in California Officers investigated and determined that at some point between May 7 and May 11, an unknown party had ripped a pride flag and its mounting bracket off the front of the church and left it on the ground. The church wall was also damaged.There is no suspect information at this time, according to police. Nor is there any known connection between this case and previous cases.Anyone with any information related to this case is asked to contact the Palo Alto PD 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.

Grand jury indicts Bryan Kohberger in 4 University of Idaho stabbing deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A grand jury has indicted a man who was already charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, allowing prosecutors to skip a planned week-long preliminary hearing that was set for late June.Bryan Kohberger was arrested late last year and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 13, 2022, killings of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near the University of Idaho campus. At the time, Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at nearby Washington State University, and the killings left the close-knit communities of Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman, Washington, reeling.A preliminary hearing — where prosecutors must show a judge that there is enough evidence to justify moving forward with felony charges — was scheduled to begin June 26. But on Tuesday, a grand jury indicted Kohberger on the same charges, effectively rerouting the case directly to...

Zip codes donating the most money to Donald Trump in California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

In November of last year, former President Donald Trump announced his plans to run for president again in 2024. Despite potential complications presented by his indictment over falsifying business records in March and a jury finding him liable for defamation and sexual abuse in civil court in May, Trump has not announced any changes to his re-election bid; in fact, the Trump campaign announced an influx of donations after his grand jury indictment, signaling continued support from his base. Alameda County DA Price requests $300K for onboarding expenses, blames previous administration for lack of support However, Trump's broader appeal in the context of the 2024 presidential race remains unclear. The 2022 midterm elections put his political influence, both within the Republican party and among the voting public, to the test. Trump endorsed more than two dozen Republican candidates. While the GOP expected a "red wave" to deliver overwhelming control of both houses of Congress, the r...

Shooting near Fruitvale BART Station injures 1 in leg, chest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

A person was shot in the chest and leg Tuesday afternoon in East Oakland, police said Wednesday. The shooting occurred just after 4:45 p.m. in the 3300 block of East 12th Street near the Fruitvale BART station. Alameda County DA Price requests $300K for onboarding expenses, blames previous administration for lack of support Officers responded and located the victim. Firefighters and paramedics also responded and provided aid before they took the person to a hospital. Police did not know the condition of the victim Wednesday morning. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Police Department's felony assault unit at (510) 238-3426. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Renowned chef returns to DC in partnership with Salamander Washington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

 Salamander Washington D.C. hotel in Southwest. (Courtesy Salamander Washington DC)Kwame Onwuachi, a former chef at the Kith/Kin restaurant at The Wharf, is returning to D.C. in a partnership with the Salamander Collection, and its Salamander Washington D.C. hotel in Southwest.Salamander Resorts & Spa took over the location of the former Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and a new restaurant is among several changes it plans to make. The original high-end resort is located in Middleburg, Virginia, and is owned by businesswoman Sheila Johnson.Onwuachi currently owns Tatiana in New York City and has written several books, including the bestselling cookbook “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef.”In 2019, he was named Rising Star Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.“The time is right to return to D.C., and I can’t think of a more appropriate location to open a new restaurant that speaks to the character and lineage of D.C. than at this storied S...

Border checks between Russia and Belarus are back for the first time in 28 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies, has partially restored controls on its border with its neighbor, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik said Wednesday.This is the first time in 28 years that there have been checks at the 1,239-kilometer (770-mile) border.According to Aleinik, the introduction of border controls aimed to avoid the entry of third-country nationals into Belarus, ahead of the implementation of an intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of visas. However, human rights activists think the border checks will target Russian men trying to avoid mobilization into the Russian army. Aleinik said that checks on people crossing the Belarusian-Russian border are carried out by Belarusian border guards in close cooperation with their Russian counterparts. “It’s not really control, it’s more like monitoring the situation on the border,” Aleinik told reporters in Moscow. In 1995, all border controls between Russia and Belarus w...

Native American former student sues Oklahoma school for removing feather at graduation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A Native American former student is suing an Oklahoma school district for the removal of an eagle feather from her graduation cap prior to her high school graduation ceremony.The lawsuit filed Monday in Tulsa County District Court against Broken Arrow Public Schools and two employees by Lena’ Black alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and violations to her state and federal constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of religion.District spokesperson Tara Thompson said Wednesday that the suburban Tulsa school had not been served with the lawsuit and declined comment on the action, but said all students are allowed to add items to their graduation regalia.“Not only do we make exceptions for the Native American tribes, we also allow other religious and ethnic heritages to be celebrated by the wearing of specific items,” Thompson said in a statement.The lawsuit says Black, who is Otoe-Missouria and Osage, was waiting to walk onto the...

‘Destroyed my life’: Families of 8 killed in NYC bike path attack share pain at sentencing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Relatives of eight people killed in a Halloween terror attack on a New York City bike path spoke sometimes through tears at a Wednesday sentencing hearing for an Islamic extremist, describing their lingering pain and sometimes directly addressing the man convicted in the deaths.Frank Decadt, father of victim Ann-Laure Decadt, told Sayfullo Saipov that he hoped that “one day you will understand the extent of horror you have inflicted on so many people.”Marion Van Reeth, who lost her legs in the attack, sat before Saipov in her wheelchair, telling him: “I will never be able to walk like you can.” As Saipov kept his head drooped and eyes lowered, listening to a translation of the proceedings through earphones, she said: “I have a question for you. After all this time in prison, are you still convinced that your criminal acts against innocent people was the right thing?”Like others, she expressed hope that someday Saipov would see that his terrorist act was wrong.Saipov&...

NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and royal couple, say there were no injuries, collisions or arrests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and royal couple, say there were no injuries, collisions or arrests.Source