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Laphonza Butler: At 44, California’s newly appointed senator is less than half Dianne Feinstein’s age, but can she make close to half the impact?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Laphonza Butler, the former head of California’s largest workers’ union who leads the powerful EMILY’s List and is a confidante to Vice President Kamala Harris, is being praised by supporters as a “smart and savvy” progressive activist and respectable choice by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the remaining term of the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.Butler, 44, will become the first Black Lesbian to hold a seat in Congress. But she remains largely unknown to most Californians and is already coming under scrutiny for her limited Golden State credentials. A Mississippi native, she spent little more than a decade here before moving to Washington, D.C., two years ago to lead the non-profit that works to elect women to political office.She will be sworn in by Harris on Tuesday in Washington. In an online post Monday morning, Butler said she was honored to accept the role.“No one will ever measure up to the legacy of Sen. Dianne Feinstein,&...

‘Long overdue’: Large indoor sports complex breaks ground in the East Bay

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

Basketball and volleyball enthusiasts will likely be happy to know that Pittsburg has broken ground on what is being billed as the largest indoor recreational gymnasium in the region.The city, in partnership with Discovery Homes, marked the event with a celebration last week at John Henry Johnson Park on West Leland Road where the new 45,000-square-foot multi-court sports complex will be constructed. Dubbed “Dream Courts,” it’s the first public facility of its kind to be built in many decades in the city.“I am thrilled to see the construction of the Dream Courts begin,” said Pittsburg Mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston. “This project headlines the immense efforts of my colleagues on the City Council and I to bring new opportunities to the youth and young adults in our Pittsburg community.”The mayor said the center will be “capable of serving the recreation needs of all of Pittsburg, with the ability to host basketball leagues and tournaments, volleyball, dance, cheer, pickleball, camps, ...

California governor chooses labor leader and Democratic insider to fill Feinstein's Senate seat

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — When California Gov. Gavin Newsom needed to fill the U.S. Senate seat of his late mentor Dianne Feinstein, he could have turned to a big-city mayor, a member of Congress or a powerful legislator.Instead, he chose Laphonza Butler, a former union leader and Democratic insider who heads a national organization that raises money for women candidates who support abortion rights. She offered a familiar face who shares his vision for a progressive California. In choosing Butler, he also elevated someone who could become an important ally for a potential national campaign that many see in his future.Once she is sworn in, Butler will be the only Black woman in the Senate and the first openly LGBTQ+ California senator. That, alongside her background in the labor and women's rights movements, helps harden Newsom’s ties to important national Democratic constituencies.Speaking to reporters Monday in San Francisco, Newsom praised Butler's “deep knowledge” of the legislative pro...

Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency as NBA scenery changes with big trades

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic couldn’t take his gaze off the NBA championship trophy sitting next to his arm.The Denver Nuggets big man stared and stared at the list of teams engraved on the shiny gold prize, before something suddenly hit him.“They didn’t put our name on here,” he said Monday at media day.Actually, it was — on the very front, where Jokic couldn’t quite see.What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets can see quite clearly is a path toward repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency. That’s provided, of course, they can guard against one thing — complacency.“No one cares what you did last season,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, whose team beat Miami in five games to win the NBA title. “We had success in that moment. But that moment is gone. We have a new opportunity and challenge in front of us.”The Nuggets certainly enjoyed the summer after winning the franchise’s first NBA crown. There were parades and parties before...

Warriors star Klay Thompson is open to playing for the Bahamas in the Paris Olympics

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors star Klay Thompson would seriously consider playing for his father’s native country of the Bahamas in the Paris Olympics next year.“That’d be cool,” Thompson, 33, said at Monday’s media day, “because my dad never got the opportunity.”The Golden State guard won a gold medal with the U.S. team at the 2016 Rio Games and would have to go through several steps to become eligible to play for another country — such as having a passport from the Bahamas, being released by the Americans and receiving approval from the International Basketball Federation. Thompson’s father was born in Nassau.Veteran Suns guard Eric Gordon, whose mother is from the Caribbean country, joined the Bahamas national team as it tries to qualify for Paris.A five-time All-Star who has helped the Warriors to four championships, Thompson finally feels like he will be his dominant self again after missing more than 2 1/2 years after the 2019 Finals recovering from sur...

The Australian Open will start on Sunday and last 15 days. The hope is to reduce late nights.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

The Australian Open will begin on a Sunday next year, expanding the Grand Slam tennis tournament to a 15-day event for the first time, with the intention of decreasing the likelihood of late-night finishes.Tennis Australia announced the change Monday, saying it hopes to make things better for the athletes and spectators by avoiding matches that stretch well past midnight. The change for next January’s tournament at Melbourne Park comes after this year’s Australian Open included a second-round match between Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis that concluded after 4 a.m.“It’s not beneficial for the umpires, the officials. I don’t think it’s amazing for the fans. It’s not good for the players,” Murray, a three-time major champion, said after that five-set win that lasted 5 hours, 45 minutes. “So, yeah, we talk about it all the time. It’s been spoken about for years. When you start the night matches late, and have conditions like that, these things are going to happen.”“Tennis afte...

NL champion Philadelphia Phillies look to make quick work of upstart Marlins in Wild Card Series

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Rob Thomson gripped a bottle of bubbly in the exhilarating moments after the Philadelphia Phillies clinched a second straight postseason berth and called Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott & crew “the most resilient team I’ve ever been around.”The second-year manager then pointed his bottle toward catcher J.T. Realmuto and asked, “How many more playoff wins … ”Realmuto cut him off and shouted “we’ve got 13 more wins left!” before he showered Thomson in alcohol.The countdowns after each clinch started last season — from the Wild Card Series through the National League Championship Series — but stalled in the World Series. The Phillies won 11 postseason games, two shy of the ultimate goal and their first World Series title since 2008.A year later, the Phillies are back and determined to finish the job, their confidence boosted by the so-close effort in a loss to Houston in the World Series and a lineup and pitching staff they believe are deeper than the ones from...

Texas RB Jonathon Brooks honors father’s memory with every touchdown for No. 3 Longhorns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — When Texas running back Jonathan Brooks gets to the end zone, he celebrates with a tap of his right forearm. It is a quick and subtle gesture that can be easy to miss, but it’s a powerful one for Brooks. His arm is tattooed with the Roman numerals for 3-28-2022, the date his father James “Skip” Brooks died at age 49 after long struggles with kidney failure.“I really just miss, whenever I have success, the smile on his face,” Jonathon Brooks said. “I think about that every time I score.”Jonathon Brooks has been the breakout player for No. 3 Texas through the first five games of 2023. He leads the league in rushing with 597 yards and has scored five touchdowns for the Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) heading into Saturday’s showdown with No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0). He has three scores of 37 yards or longer. In an offense full of big-play potential, coach Steve Sarkisian calls Brooks a “home run hitter” for the Longhorns. And that says a lot for a third-year...

Indocumentados podrán solicitar licencias de ciudado de salud en Maryland. Mira cómo

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

Una nueva ley en Maryland permite a los residentes conseguir licencias o certificaciones para ser trabajadores de la salud, sin importar su estatus migratorio. Lesley López, una delegada de Maryland explicó que hay un par de grupos que se beneficiarán de la ley. “El primero son los Dreamers, o aquellas personas que podían ser elegibles para el Dream Act de Maryland, y que aún no tienen un número de seguro social. Y también hay muchas personas que han llegado de otros países y son graduados en carreras vinculadas a la salud y aquí ya pueden obtener su licencia”, dijo.  “Primordialmente significa una oportunidad para los profesionales que estamos acá, que nuestros países estudiamos de corazón, que en algún momento tuvimos que salir de nuestro país y llegar a este maravilloso. Y se nos abre la oportunidad de poder servir lo que para que en un día nacimos, y para lo que nos preparamos, y por supuesto, para que haya una mejor atención en salud para los residentes en M...

Exhibit showcases Indigenous artists ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:55:50 GMT

An art show featuring the work of local artists has been set up in Stauffer Library on Queen’s University campus leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.“Never Gone, Always Remembered”, by Kaiya Mongrain on display at Stauffer Library. Photo by Christena Lawrie.There are now over 20 pieces on display in the Fireplace Reading Room on the second floor of the library, including traditional paintings, jewelry, sculptures, and beadwork designs. This exhibit is an expression of work being done towards reconciliation in the Queen’s community, featuring works from 10 local artists, including Jaylene Cardinal, Kingston based Indigenous artisan and designer of the 2023 Queen’s University Orange shirt.This is the second year Queen’s has hosted an Indigenous art exhibit for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The showcase was first proposed by an Indigenous medical student at Queen’s in 2022.In a release from the University regarding t...