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Rupert Murdoch’s fiancee: Death of rich Modesto husband led to nasty court fight

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

The news that 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch is engaged to be married for the fifth time hasn’t just sparked the predictable jokes, it has raised questions about his future bride, a 66-year-old former dental hygienist-turned San Francisco socialite and model and radio personality from California’s Central Valley.Up until Murdoch’s announcement, Ann Lesley Smith was relatively unknown outside of Modesto or of Christian and conservative broadcasting circles. Her claim to fame in those circles was as the widow of Chester Smith, a wealthy Modesto-based TV mogul and former country singer who died in 2008.“We’re both looking forward to spending the second half of our lives together,” says the 92 year old…..clearly planning to live to 184. https://t.co/Sva7oBln0G— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) March 20, 2023In interviews, Smith liked to say that her life was a “rags to riches” story. “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, rich and then poor,” Smith said in a 2017 inte...

Louvre workers block entrance as part of pension protest

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

Associated PressPARIS — The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed to the public on Monday when its workers took part in the wave of French protest strikes against the government’s unpopular pension reform plans.Dozens of Louvre employees blocked the entrance, prompting the museum to announce it would be temporarily closed.The demonstrators toted banners and flags in front of the Louvre’s famed pyramid, where President Emmanuel Macron had celebrated his presidential victory in 2017. They demanded the repeal of the new pension law that raises the retirement age from 62 to 64.The showbusiness, broadcasting and culture branch of the CGT union tweeted an image of the Mona Lisa with an aged and wrinkled face, with the words: “64 it’s a No!”The action comes on the eve of another nationwide protest planned for Tuesday against the bill — and as Macron holds a meeting with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to discuss the way forward. The Louvre is always closed on Tuesd...

Sale closed in Los Gatos: $3.7 million for a four-bedroom home

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

16560 Shannon Road – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 16500 block of Shannon Road in Los Gatos has a new owner. The 2,612-square-foot property, built in 2015, was sold on March 13, 2023. The $3,725,000 purchase price works out to $1,426 per square foot. The property features four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces. The backyard also has a pool. The unit sits on an 8,011-square-foot lot.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:A 972-square-foot home on the 16300 block of West La Chiquita Avenue in Los Gatos sold in January 2023, for $2,205,000, a price per square foot of $2,269. The home has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms.On Magneson Loop, Los Gatos, in September 2022, a 1,386-square-foot home was sold for $2,000,000, a price per square foot of $1,443. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms.In October 2022, a 1,499-square-foot home on Robie Lane in Los Gatos sold for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,668. The h...

California nears approval of nation’s first Big Oil watchdog. Here’s how it would work.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

California lawmakers are working at breakneck speed on Monday to pass legislation that would create the country’s first watchdog body tasked with investigating the oil industry in a bid to tamp down the Golden State’s high gas prices.The bill, SBX 1-2, which is expected to pass the State Assembly as early as Monday, is the culmination of a bitter battle between Gov. Gavin Newsom and some of the country’s largest oil companies after the state saw gas prices topping $6.40 a gallon twice last year. After a large dip over the winter, California gas prices have slowly ticked higher to an average of $4.82 on Monday.Newsom slammed the industry for “price gouging,” an accusation that gained political traction after oil giants reported historic profits. But industry representatives said the state’s environmental regulations, high taxes, and the transition away from fossil fuels are the cause of high prices and an increasingly volatile gas market.“The...

King Charles honors aristocrat at center of William cheating rumors

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

A recent decision by King Charles III doesn’t just highlight the head-scratching traditions behind British royal titles, it is likely to revive talk about the persistent but unsubstantiated rumor that Prince William became too friendly — or even had an affair — with a glamorous neighbor whose aristocratic husband has a family estate near William and Kate Middleton’s country home in Norfolk.The glamorous neighbor is the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, a 39-year-old former “bohemian” model better known as Rose Hanbury. She’s married to 62-year-old David Rocksavage, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.Last week, the Daily Mail reported that Charles had named Rocksavage his “Lord-in-Waiting,” a prestigious position that means that the British peer — and presumably his wife — will attend important state and royal events, likely including Charles’ May 6 coronation. The couple also will be called upon to represent the king o...

San Jose family held hostage during deadly standoff

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- San Jose police released more details about a man who allegedly armed himself with machetes, broke into a family's home, and held three victims hostage during a deadly standoff last week. Police fatally shot the man. San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata held a news conference Monday to talk about what led up to the home invasion, standoff, and police shooting.The dramatic chain of events began at 8:30 p.m. on March 22 when Eliobert Gonzalez-Rocha broke into an apartment on Boynton Avenue and threatened to kill the family inside, according to Mata. A crime scene is blocked off following a standoff and police shooting in San Jose. (KRON4 / Will Tran) Mata described the incident as a "terrifying home invasion, involving an armed intruder that took a mother and her two children hostage ... creating a very volatile and high risk situation.""The suspect was not known to the family, but he had recently been evicted from his apartment in that same complex. The ...

Woman, dog killed in San Jose hit-and-run

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- A pedestrian and a dog died after a hit-and-run Sunday evening, the San Jose Police Department announced on Twitter. The hit-and-run also involved a child who was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. It happened near Blossom Hill Road and Leigh Avenue around 6:50 p.m.Police originally said the incident involved a bicyclist but later clarified that it was a pedestrian. 1 person with ‘life-threatening’ injuries after stabbing in San Jose Police said a 2000 Honda sedan possibly driven by a female was traveling west on Blossom Hill Road when it hit the woman, her daughter and their dog, who were crossing the street. The woman died at the scene -- despite officers attempting life-saving measures to save the individual, SJPD said. The child was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The dog was also killed.KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflo...

Suspect identified after hours-long standoff in Gilroy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

GILROY, Calif. (KRON) -- A welfare check on Sunday morning in unincorporated Gilroy turned into an hours-long standoff with multiple law enforcement agencies. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and Campbell Police Department released new details about the incident on Monday. Here we go again: another storm poised to hit the Bay Area Tuesday Around 8 a.m. on Sunday, sheriff's deputies were called in for a welfare check at a residence on the 3000 block of Dryden Avenue. Deputies tried to communicate with a man inside who was later identified as 35-year-old Vincent Martinez. The sheriff's office says that's when Martinez used a gun to shoot multiple rounds in the direction of deputies. Deputies retreated back from the residence and called for more assistance. The Sheriff's Emergency Response Team and Crisis Negotiation teams both arrived and attempted further deescalation. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. S...

What can Google’s AI-powered Bard do? We tested it for you

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

To use, or not to use, Bard? That is the Shakespearean question an Associated Press reporter sought to answer while testing out Google’s artificially intelligent chatbot. The recently rolled-out bot dubbed Bard is the internet search giant’s answer to the ChatGPT tool that Microsoft has been melding into its Bing search engine and other software.During several hours of interaction, the AP learned Bard is quite forthcoming about its unreliability and other shortcomings, including its potential for mischief in next year’s U.S. presidential election. Even as it occasionally warned of the problems it could unleash, Bard repeatedly emphasized its belief that it will blossom into a force for good. At one point in its recurring soliloquies about its potential upsides, Bard dreamed about living up to the legacy of the English playwright that inspired its name. Bard explained that its creators at Google “thought Shakespeare would be a good role model for me, as he was a master of...

Villanova All-American Siegrist declares for WNBA draft

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:32 GMT

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Villanova star and AP All-American Maddy Siegrist will not return for a fifth season and has declared for the WNBA draft.Siegrist led Villanova to a 30-7 overall record and the Sweet 16 for the second time ever this season. She led the country in scoring at 29.2 points per game and averaged 9.2 rebounds. She’s the two-time Big East Player of the Year.Siegrist played four seasons and is the career leading scorer in Villanova basketball history for both men and women with 2,896 points. She also became the career leading scorer in Big East history for men and women with 1,693 points, in regular-season conference games only.“I can’t thank Villanova enough for welcoming me into the greatest community on Earth,” Siegrist said. “From the first day I stepped on campus, I knew this would be my forever home. My college basketball career was everything that I dreamed of and more. However, when I look back on my career it is the people at Villanova and th...