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Diocese of Oakland considers bankruptcy filing amid anticipated crush of sex assault lawsuits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

Leaders of the Diocese of Oakland are giving “strong consideration” to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid an expected crush of lawsuits against the church alleging sexual abuse by its priests.In an announcement Thursday, Bishop Michael C. Barber said church leaders were mulling the bankruptcy filing after having recently been informed that the diocese could face about 330 sexual abuse-related lawsuits. The landslide of litigation comes after a recent California law gave victims of sexual abuse a three-year window to file new claims that — until recently — had expired or been barred.The number of potential lawsuits against the diocese — and the breadth of church’s potential legal exposure — only recently came into focus with the end of the special filing period on Dec. 31, Barber said.“After much prayer and thoughtful advice, I believe bankruptcy can provide a way to support all survivors in their journey toward healing in an equitab...

In Pajaro Gov. Gavin Newsom said $42 million was available for flood relief. The real amount is just over $300,000

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

PAJARO — In his pledge to aid the hundreds of families who have been evacuated from the farm town of Pajaro in Monterey County after recent floods, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that $42 million would be made available to help those impacted by flooding through the United Way — but the aid organization said the correct amount currently available is just over $300,000.United Way of Monterey County Director Katy Castagna said Gov. Newsom may have “conflated” the $42 million in the statewide United Ways of California COVID relief fund with the smaller, local allocation of $300,000 given to Monterey County out of that fund, inadvertently adding to the miscommunication and confusion many Pajaro residents are growing frustrated with.Governor’s office spokesman Alex Stack said in a statement that “while in Pajaro, the Governor highlighted economic relief for farm and food workers that is being distributed in real-time to storm-impacted communities, ra...

California to overhaul San Quentin prison, emphasizing rehab

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California to transform prison with death row legacyThe infamous state prison on San Francisco Bay that has been home to the largest death row population in the United States will be transformed into a lockup where less-dangerous prisoners will receive education, training and rehabilitation, California officials announced Thursday.The nearly 700 inmates serving death sentences at San Quentin State Prison will be moved elsewhere in the California penitentiary system, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced, and it will be renamed the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.“Today, we take the next step in our pursuit of true rehabilitation, justice, and safer communities through this evidenced-backed investment, creating a new model for safety and justice — the California Model — that will lead the nation,” Newsom said in a statement.The governor planned a visit Friday to San Quentin, which is also the California location where prisoners were once executed, tho...

Women’s National Invitation Tournament Glance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

All Times EDTFirst RoundWednesday, March 15At JMA Wireless DomeSyracuse, N.Y.Syracuse 84, Kent St. 56At Pinnacle Bank ArenaLincoln, Neb.Nebraska 74, Missouri St. 65Thursday, March 16At Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial ColiseumWinston-Salem, N.C.Wake Forest 75, Morgan St. 49At McLeod CenterCedar Falls, IowaN. Iowa (22-9) vs. Colorado St. (20-11), 7 p.m.At Lavietes PavilionAllston, Mass.Harvard (17-11) vs. Towson (21-11), 7 p.m.At Mizzou ArenaColumbia, Mo.Missouri (17-13) vs. Illinois St. (24-8), 8 p.m.At Walsh GymnasiumSouth Orange, N.J.Seton Hall (18-14) vs. Saint Joseph’s (20-10), 7 p.m.At Littlejohn ColiseumClemson, S.C.Clemson 66, High Point 46At William R. Johnson ColiseumNacogdoches, TexasStephen F. Austin (26-6) vs. Texas St. (23-9), 7:30 p.m.At Rose Hill GymnasiumBronx, N.Y.Fordham (18-12) vs. Drexel (21-9), 7 p.m.At Bud Walton ArenaFayetteville, Ark.Arkansas (21-12) vs. Louisiana Tech (19-12), 8 p.m.At Jenny Craig PavilionSan DiegoSan Diego (17-13) vs. Long Beach St. (2...

Arsenal loses in Europa League, Man United advances to QF

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

Arsenal’s hopes for a European title ended when the Premier League leader was eliminated from the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon on Thursday in a penalty shootout.Lisbon reached the quarterfinals by prevailing 5-3 in the shootout at the Emirates Stadium after a 1-1 draw in regulation in the second leg of their round-of-16 encounter. The first leg ended 2-2.Gabriel Martinelli failed to convert from the spot for Arsenal.“It’s a huge blow,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told BT Sport. “There were moments, especially during the first 75 minutes, when we weren’t at our level and gave every ball away.”Meanwhile, Manchester United cruised into the quarterfinals after a 1-0 victory at Real Betis.Arsenal dominated the extra time with playmaker Martin Ødegaard coming on as a substitute but Sporting goalkeeper Antonia Adán made some stunning saves to force the shootout.Manuel Ugarte was sent off two minutes before the end of extra time after picking his second yellow card.Granit X...

Alabama, Miller face renewed questions about fatal shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Brandon Miller sat in a folding chair in a corner of the locker room facing an assemblage of reporters and video cameras.Alabama’s freshman All-American fielded few questions about his worst game in crimson and white, not with all the off-the-court matters that have shadowed him and a team mounting a bid for the program’s first national championship.Amid myriad distractions, the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed dispatched 16th-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 96-75 on Thursday in the opening round even with its best player going scoreless for the first time.Miller, who politely but succinctly responded to questions about anything not related to the game, has been accompanied by a security guard provided by the university after facing threats since his presence at the scene of a fatal shooting was disclosed in court testimony.“It doesn’t bother me,” Miller said of the threats, which he forwards to university officials. “I send it to the ...

Slingsby’s Aussies hope to spoil Kiwis’ homecoming in SailGP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

SailGP brings its high-adrenaline racing to yachting-mad New Zealand for the first time and wouldn’t you know it, the crew from across the Tasman Sea would love to ruin the Kiwis’ party.The penultimate regatta of Season 3 of tech tycoon Larry Ellison’s global league will be sailed in Christchurch on Saturday and Sunday, New Zealand time. Skipper Peter Burling will be looking to get his Kiwi squad back on form to keep alive their chances of racing in the three-boat, $1 million, winner-take-all Grand Final at the season-ending regatta in San Francisco in early May.The Kiwis’ main rivals, skipper Tom Slingsby and two-time defending champion Team Australia, have all but clinched a spot in the Grand Final. About the only thing that could prevent them from going for a third straight $1 million check would be if they caused a collision in any race, which would draw a big points penalty. The Aussies lead the fleet of nine 50-foot foiling catamarans with 76 points, 12 ahead of New Zealand. J...

‘Operation Clean Sweep’ is a go in Md., collecting tons in highway trash and debris

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

Since Maryland kicked off its “Operation Clean Sweep,” the state’s Department of Transportation State Highway Administration collected more than 120 tons of trash.Charlie Gischlar, with the state highway administration, said the litter and debris collected in the past two weeks along roadsides had included sofas, tires, a variety of trash and small furniture.More Maryland NewsMore Local NewsThe trash is not only unsightly, Gischlar said, but it’s an environmental hazard and a safety issue.Mowers will soon be out to cut the grass and vegetation along roadsides and pathways.Debris struck by the mowing equipment cannot only damage equipment, but it can become a projectile, Gischlar said, and “it can be shot out into the roadway and injure a roadway user, a driver, a pedestrian” or a cyclist.There are things drivers can do when they spot trash on the roads or highways.Gischlar advises drivers to make a mental note of where they spotted the litter and then log onto the Maryland Departmen...

Polis targets oil and gas in 'ambitious' plan to cut ozone

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis unveiled what he called the "most ambitious action in Colorado history" to reduce oil and gas air pollution, specifically by targeting ozone-forming nitrogen oxides.In a Thursday announcement, Polis hailed it as the nation's "first comprehensive ozone emission reduction program" targeted at the oil and gas industry. Bill would reduce money agencies get from seized assets The plan's focus is on nitrogen oxides, or NOx, which are gases that form when fuel is burned at high temperatures and "play a major role" in ozone formation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. They often appear as brownish gas and are emitted by automobiles and other non-road vehicles, as well as by industrial sources.As Polis pointed out, NOx leads to so-called "bad air days," when poor air quality can lead to harmful health impacts, especially for high-risk groups. He pitched the plan as a way to save hundreds of millions in annual healthcare costs and reduce heal...

NAACP demands arrest of Miami Police sergeant cleared in fatal shooting of driver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

The NAACP is demanding the arrest of a Miami Police officer who was cleared in the shooting death of a driver.A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP and the attorney representing the family of the driver spoke with 7News about the matter on Thursday. They said they want the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office to reexamine their findings regarding the March 2022 incident that claimed the life of 34-year-old Antwon Cooper.“We were all surprised and disappointed in the way that this investigation was handled,” said Trelvis Randolph, General Counsel of the Miami-Dade Branch of NAACP.“If the elected Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office won’t do anything, where else do we go to obtain justice?” said Rawsi Williams, the attorney representing Cooper’s family.The NAACP has reached out to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office a week after Cooper’s family filed a wrongful death civil rights lawsuit against Miami Police Sgt. Constant ...