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Who deserves a levee? The fight to save California communities from flooding

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

The tiny town of Hamilton City sits in the direct path of the mighty Sacramento River, muddy and swollen by this week’s storms.But a new $125 million levee system – the product of the community’s 35-year-long fight to make something big from something broken — is protecting its 1,900 farmworkers and their families.This week, as a levee failure drowned the town of Pajaro, Hamilton City’s river also overflowed. But then it gently spread across a landscaped floodplain, losing its fury. The levee held firm. The system, the first of its type in the state, offers a new paradigm for how to respond to flood risk in an era of dangerous climate change.“It’s doing what it’s supposed to do,” said former fire chief Jose Puente, who proudly watched the project excel in its big test.There are 1,758 levee systems throughout California listed in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers database, built to hold back rivers and protect towns, homes, businesses and crops from flooding. S...

Opinion: Mayor urges San Jose to put budget focus on the basics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

When times get tough, San Jose families sit around the kitchen table and make tough budget choices.What comes first? The mortgage or rent certainly. Food for the family. Paying off bills that could turn into burdens.You make tough, smart choices.Your government should, too.In the weeks ahead, our City Council will debate our most important task of any year — our city budget. Amid tech lay-offs, failure of a vitally important local bank, and inflation eating away at our buying power,  this is the moment for focus.There are many things we want to do — but there are a few basics that we must do.Making our city safe. Making it clean. Making progress on ending unsheltered homelessness. Making sure our economy works so we are creating more middle-class jobs.As mayor, I have been holding town halls asking residents what they want. And the same answers come back again and again. The people want us to deliver on the basics — safety, cleanliness, a realistic plan for ensurin...

Pache making his case to remain in Oakland A’s outfield mix

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

MESA, Ariz. — When Cristian Pache entered his second spring training with the Oakland A’s last month, his preseason tasks appeared to expand far beyond just preparing for another season.He isn’t just positioning himself for what he hopes to be a breakout 2023 season. His job — and a spot on the A’s Opening Day roster — is on the line.OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 19: Oakland Athletics’ Cristian Pache (20) stands in the dugout during their game against the Kansas City Royals after the top of the seventh inning at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, June 19, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Out of minor-league options, and looking to improve after a woeful 2022 season, the 24-year-old Pache is fighting to maintain his role as Oakland’s primary center fielder, a position for which he is being challenged by speedy newcomer Esteury Ruiz. It’s an intriguing quandary facing the A’s and manager Mark Kotsay, who have to make a decision before the team opens the...

Me & My Car: San Ramon owner loves his ’34 Ford pickup truck

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

Ford Motor Co. built thousands of cars before it built any trucks. Today, Ford is selling more trucks than cars.Related ArticlesLocal News | Me & My Car: New home may be sought for ’69 Mercedes in Contra Costa Local News | Me & My Car: Danville owner doesn’t baby his ’87 BMW 325i at all Local News | Me & My Car: ’68 Dart in Walnut Creek in same family since it was new The first Model T Ford car was built in 1908. It was easy to drive, had a unique two-speed floor-operated forward transmission, a reverse pedal and a brake pedal. The reverse pedal could also be used quite effectively as a brake.“I will build a car for the great multitude,” Henry Ford said, and he did, selling more than 15 million Model T cars with each featuring a four-cylinder, 20-horsepower engine, 30-inch-high wood spoke wheels for high road clearance and a brass radiator.In the auto industry’s early days, durability and depen...

Macron pays high price in popularity over pension reform, surveys shows

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

Emmanuel Macron is paying a high price for his push on pension reform as a survey on Sunday showed the French president is facing a new low in popularity — as low as during the protests of the so-called Yellow Jackets.As the French take to the streets to protest against Macron’s pension reform, 70 percent of respondents said they are dissatisfied with the president, according to the Ifop barometer published by Le Journal du Dimanche. Macron’s popularity rating fell by 4 points in one month, it showed.Since December, Macron has suffered a substantial drop of 8 points, and he now sees only 28 percent satisfied and 70 percent dissatisfied, according to the poll carried out, Le Figaro emphasized, between March 9 and 16.  That is the same period as the negotiations that finally led the Elysée to shun parliament and impose the unpopular pension reforms via a special constitutional power, the so-called Article 49.3, which provides that the government can pas...

Police investigating stabbing in Nubian Square in Roxbury

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

A police investigation is underway after a stabbing in Boston’s Nubian Square early Sunday morning. Officers could be seen scouring a taped-off area near the intersection of Warren and Dudley streets, where a series of evidence markers had been left on the sidewalk. The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.No additional information was immediately released.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Cold and windy Sunday before a nice spring start

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

7Weather- Wow, what a difference a day makes in Southern New England! Check out what it feels like outside this morning. The cold air has moved in and a gusty westerly wind is making it feel much colder. Not much will change today, we’ll gain some clouds and keep temperatures locked in the 30s. Although, the wind will gust 30-40 mph this afternoon, making it feel like the 20s. You’ll want a thick, green coat and green layers for any St. Patrick’s Day parade you attend today. Overnight, we’ll clear out and start tomorrow cold. Tomorrow marks the start of spring! Plenty of sunshine and a southwest breeze will help boost temperatures to the upper 40s/near 50°, making for a nice feel to kick off the season.Spring starts off nice! A lot of days in the 50s. It’ll be cooler at the coast and Cape at times throughout the week. The forecast turns unsettled toward the end of the week into the start of next weekend.Have a good time at the St. Patrick’s Day pa...

GOP donor faces trial on charges of sex trafficking minors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A formerly well-connected Republican donor, accused of plying petite, vulnerable teenage girls with cash, liquor and gifts, goes on trial Tuesday on federal charges of sex trafficking minors.Anton “Tony” Lazzaro is charged with seven counts involving “commercial sex acts” with five minors ages 15 and 16 in 2020, when he was 30 years old. His indictment touched off a political firestorm that led to the downfall of Jennifer Carnahan as chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota. His co-defendant, Gisela Castro Medina, who formerly led the College Republicans chapter at the University of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty to two counts last year. She is cooperating with prosecutors and will testify against him. She faces sentencing in August.Lazzaro denies the sex-trafficking allegations. He says the government targeted him for political reasons and because of his wealth.Prosecutors say it’s simply a sex-trafficking case. They have not signaled any intent to call...

Serbian president criticizes ICC arrest warrant for Putin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Issuing an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin will have negative consequences and will only prolong the war in Ukraine, Serbia’s president said Sunday.The International Criminal Court issued the warrant for the Russian leader on Friday, accusing him of war crimes. The ICC accused him of bearing personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor that started almost 13 months ago.But Serbian populist President Aleksandar Vucic, who had in the past boasted about his personal relation with the Russian leader, criticized the court’s decision.“I think issuing an arrest warrant for Putin, not to go into legal matters, will have bad political consequences and it says that there is a great reluctance to talk about peace (and) about truce” in Ukraine, Vucic told reporters in Belgrade.“My question is now that you have accused him of the biggest war crimes, who are you goi...

Pakistani police file terrorism charges against ex-PM Khan

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:16:16 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Police in the Pakistani capital filed charges Sunday against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, 17 of his aides and scores of supporters, accusing them of terrorism and several other offenses after the ousted premier’s followers clashed with security forces in Islamabad the previous day. For hours on Saturday, Khan’s followers clashed with police outside a court where the former prime minister was to appear in a graft case. Riot police wielded batons and fired tear gas while Khan’s supporters threw fire bombs and hurled rocks at the officers. More than 50 officers were injured and a police checkpoint, several cars and motorcycles were torched. Police said 59 of Khan’s supporters were arrested during the violence. Khan never actually appeared inside the court to face charges that he had sold state gifts received while in office and concealed assets. Besides Khan, the case filed Sunday also accuses former and current lawmakers, former ministers,...