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Google apologizes for sending SoCal-bound drivers on road to nowhere

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

Google has issued an apology after sending some drivers using Google Maps to travel between Los Angeles and Las Vegas on dangerous desert road detours, at least one of which turned out to be a road to nowhere that left people stranded.  The I-15 corridor between Southern California and Vegas is a popular one, especially during the Thanksgiving holidays, which is why Shelby Easler and her family took that route to watch the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, Nov. 18.  Everything went great, according to Easler, until they used a Google Maps detour on their way back to L.A. to avoid a dust storm that shut down portions of the 15 Freeway on Sunday, Nov. 19. “We thought it would be safer to avoid the dust storm,” she told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “So, it was like a dust storm warning on this side, then an alternative route that would save you 50 minutes.”  Skipping a high wind event in the Mojave Desert seemed like a good idea, so Easler’s brother opted for the app’s alternate rou...

A $16 McDonald’s meal is going viral again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

A $16 McDonald’s order that drew mixed reactions from people on TikTok last year is going viral again, this time reportedly reaching White House officials.  The resurfaced video, originally posted in December 2022, shows a man named Topher Olive venting about the cost of his meal.“So, I get there’s a labor shortage. I get there’s wage increases and a number of other things,” he said in the clip. “But $16? $16 for a burger, a large fry and a drink? It’s just crazy!”An itemized receipt from the McDonald’s in Post Falls, Idaho, shows Olive purchased a Smoky Double Quarter Pounder BLT, a large fry and a large Sprite. The order totaled $16.10 with tax. Raunchy, alcohol-fueled Taco Bell party included open sex, lawsuit claims “Bro ordered the most expensive meal they have and acted surprised,” one user quipped.The video, now at more than 670,000 views, began recirculating online shortly after McDonald’s released its quarterly revenue report earlier this month.Several outlets picked up t...

Pac-12 MBB power ratings: Arizona remains on top after conference sustains barrage of holiday weekend losses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

The final Thanksgiving holiday for Pac-12 basketball was one of the worst on record. The conference recorded five wins and 12 losses from Wednesday through Sunday, with much of the damage sustained by the usual suspects: Stanford, Cal and Oregon State.The Cardinal was winless in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has followed that event over the years.Care to guess the Pac-12’s record in The Bahamas over the past decade? That’s 27 total games, with nine teams playing three each year. (There was no tournament in 2020.)If you guessed a 14-13 record, barely above .500, well, that would be dead wrong.The Pac-12 is 7-20 … yes, 7-20 … on Paradise Island dating back to the 2013 event.Stanford’s awful showing last week, which included a 22-point loss to Northern Iowa, was simply more of the same.All in all, the Pac-12 has a 46-26 record in non-conference games with one month remaining before league play ramp...

California added 125,715 foreign immigrants in 2022, up 14% from pre-pandemic pace

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

“Why don’t you write about foreign immigration?”Let’s say that’s not an uncommon response to my frequent analysis of California’s interstate migration puzzle.Readers, your wish is my command. But let’s remember what the Census Bureau tracks when it comes to immigrants.The math analyzing the factors behind population swings doesn’t give any hint as to whether new residents from other lands entered legally or not. These figures combine “U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born populations” from other nations, plus Puerto Rico. The stats are tracked as “net” moves – arrivals minus departures. The counts also includes relocations of military personnel.Caveats noted, what does my trusty spreadsheet tell us about this measurement of population flow from outside the US – looking at the year ended July 2022 vs. the pre-pandemic pace of 2010-2019?Well, California added 125,715 foreign immigrants last year. How big is that?It’s roughly the population of cities like Simi Valley or Clovis. And the inflow is...

The price of the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ just hit a record high

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

By Alicia Wallace | CNNMinneapolis (CNN) — Your True Love’s lavish — and stunningly bird-laden — holiday gift-giving ritual is more expensive than ever before.But at least this time around, inflation’s not as piping hot.The cost of the dozen gifts outlined in the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song rang in at an all-time high of $46,729.86 this year, according to PNC Financial Services’ 2023 Christmas Price Index, which measures the average change in prices for the solo partridge, two turtle doves, seven swans, 12 drummers and other presents in the classic Christmas carol.That price tag is up 2.7% from a year ago, representing a far more palatable increase than the eye-popping 10.5% leap seen last year.The holiday index also is running a touch cooler than its traditional counterpart, the Consumer Price Index, which was up 3.2% for the 12 months ended in October and 7.7% this time last year.Something to feel (turtle) dovish about: Even festive and unofficial inflation gauges appear to be...

This trick from Jacques Pepin’s mother makes souffles weeknight easy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

By Meredith Deeds, Star Tribune (TNS)Yes, sometimes necessity is the mother of invention, and sometimes mothers are the mother of invention. Such is the case with this Easy Cheddar, Bacon and Scallion Soufflé, a recipe inspired by French chef Jacques Pépin’s mother, who accidentally streamlined one of France’s most iconic dishes.As a young bride who was an inexperienced cook, but fearless in the kitchen, she wanted to make her new husband his favorite dish. And while she didn’t know exactly how a cheese soufflé came together, she did know its basic components were béchamel, cheese and eggs.The traditional version, painstakingly labored over by French chefs in fancy kitchens for a couple hundred years or so, starts with the béchamel, the famous French white sauce made by cooking flour and butter together, before whisking in milk. A copious amount of cheese (usually Gruyère) is added to the sauce, along with egg yolks, before the mixture is gently folded into perfect...

Santa Clara County moves forward with 100% affordable downtown San Jose development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

As the region struggles to meet the demand for affordable housing, Santa Clara County is one step closer to putting shovels in the ground at a site in downtown San Jose to benefit residents who now are priced out of the Bay Area’s hot housing market.The county-owned site at 675 E. Santa Clara St is being developed by the Core Companies and Eden Housing and includes 64 units of senior affordable housing, 113 units of multi-family affordable housing and 36 for-sale, below-market-rate townhomes.But some local housing advocates say the project isn’t ideal, citing height concerns and a reduction in the scope of the project.Over the last five years, the county has worked to create a vision for the site, which originally called for two four-story buildings and one 13-to-16 story building. The most recent plans, though, have been downsized to an eight-story building, a five-story building and a three-story building.Consuleo Hernandez, the director for the county’s office of supp...

Contra Costa County Health offering mental health help 24/7

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

(BCN) -- People in Contra Costa County can get support during a behavioral health crisis 24/7, beginning Friday.Contra Costa Health said Tuesday that its A3 program will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People facing a behavioral health, mental health or substance use crisis can call the A3 Miles Hall Crisis Call Center 24/7 at (844) 844-5544 for care over the phone and have an in-person team dispatched to them if needed."Using our new Measure X sales tax funds to make immediate mental health crisis response available anytime to all Contra Costans will improve quality of life and reduce the harm caused by mental health challenges," John Gioia, chairperson of the county Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. "Having round-the-clock mental health services available throughout Contra Costa has been a long-time need and we are proud that we can now provide these vital services at any time."The county said the need for A3's robust, immediate response is evident, with behavi...

Berkeley father arrested after allegedly abducting child

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

(BCN) -- A 35-year-old Berkeley man was arrested this week after he allegedly abducted his child from the mother, police said.Around 10 p.m. Monday, Berkeley police advised Hercules officers that a Berkeley resident who has ties to an address in Hercules had abducted his 3-year-old child. According to Hercules police, the biological mother has been granted sole custody of the child and has a custody order in place.Hercules police said they were requested to conduct a welfare check for the child and to detain the father if he was contacted at a specified address. San Leandro barbershop murder suspect arrested after Maserati chase in Oakland Following contact, the father was arrested without incident, while the child was located safe and uninjured, Hercules police said.Berkeley police then took custody of the father while Hercules officers remained on the scene until the mother arrived to take custody of her child, Hercules police said.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Comunidad indígena en Ecuador gana batalla legal para reclamar tierras ancestrales después de más de 80 años

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:32 GMT

(CNN) — Una comunidad indígena ganó una batalla judicial para recuperar la propiedad de su tierra ancestral en la Amazonia ecuatoriana, más de 80 años después de que fueron desplazados debido a la guerra.Un tribunal de apelaciones ecuatoriano respaldó el reclamo de la nación Siekopai sobre Pë’këya, un territorio biodiverso en el noreste de Ecuador a lo largo de la frontera con Perú, según un fallo judicial proporcionado a CNN por Amazon Frontline, una organización sin fines de lucro que trabaja con pueblos indígenas para defender sus derechos territoriales.Los Siekopai fueron desplazados durante la guerra Perú-Ecuador en la década de 1940.En septiembre pasado, la comunidad, que tiene unos 800 miembros, presentó una demanda contra el Estado ecuatoriano, alegando violaba su derecho a la propiedad ancestral, dijo Amazon Frontline.En su fallo del viernes, la Corte Provincial de Sucumbíos dio al Ministerio de Medio Ambiente de Ecuador 45 días para entregar un título de propie...