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Letters: Prison vision | True reform | Smell test | Difficult incentives | Israel’s Libya gambit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Governor must widelyshare vision for prisonRe: “Gov. Newsom plans to transform San Quentin. Lawmakers and the public have had little input” (Aug. 31).Gov. Gavin Newsom has a vision for San Quentin State Prison. He is a visionary with a lot of love for the Bay Area. The vision he has for San Quentin is a great plan, with little to no details. This scares many inmates, advocacy groups and justice-reform activists.But from my perspective, as someone who has been in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for 28 years now, the vision is great, but the plans and program details must be shared with the public. Justice-reform activists, criminal-justice advocates and volunteer groups that offer the programs must be included in the folds of progress. This can’t be about politics if it’s truly about change.The main goal must be change, to get inmates ready for real rei...

Family urges arrest of officer after shooting video released

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

By Samantha Hendrickson | Associated Press/Report for AmericaCOLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio authorities on Friday released bodycam video showing a police officer fatally shooting Ta’Kiya Young in her car in what her family denounced as a “gross misuse of power and authority” against the pregnant Black mother.Sean Walton, an attorney representing Young’s family, said the video clearly shows that the Aug. 24 shooting of the 21-year-old woman was unjustified and he called for the officer to be fired and charged immediately. Walton also criticized police for not releasing the video footage for more than a week after the shooting.“Ta’Kiya’s family is heartbroken,” Walton said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The video did nothing but confirm their fears that Ta’Kiya was murdered unjustifiably … and it was just heartbreaking for them to see Ta’Kiya having her life taken away under such ridiculous circumstances.̶...

Stanford, Cal joining the ACC is ‘really thrilling,’ Tara VanDerveer says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

The pain of the Pac-12 breakup started to fade for Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer as soon as Stanford and Cal announced Friday that they would be joining the ACC next summer.VanDerveer has been leading the prestigious Stanford women’s basketball program since 1985, coaching in the Final Four 15 times since then, and has become the all-time leader in women’s basketball victories with 1,186.To see the Pac-12 fall apart over the last month was heartbreaking, she said Friday, but joining the ACC along with Dallas-based Southern Methodist will be more than just a consolation prize.“To see something you’ve been a part of for 40 years fall apart in 40 minutes was incredibly painful, sad, angry, everything you can imagine,” she said by phone. “It’s just really, really hard. But the people at Stanford … have worked really hard to have us as coaches and student-athletes be able to land in a great place.”ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said Friday that he expects the new align...

Sale of the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars to group led by MLB’s Cubs co-owner is finalized

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The National Women’s Soccer League formally approved the sale of the Chicago Red Stars to an ownership group led by Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts. The league’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the $60 million deal Friday. Ricketts and her family have owned the Cubs since 2009. She is also a minority owner of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. The new Red Stars ownership group also includes Debra Cafaro, chairman and CEO of Ventas and a partner in the Pittsburgh Penguins ownership group; Impact Engine CEO Jessica Droste Yagan; Laura Desmond, chair and CEO of smartly.io; Sidney Dillard, a partner at Chicago’s Loop Capital; and others. “Collectively, we are committed to empowering our great athletes, rewarding our loyal fans, and continuing to build on the NWSL’s exponential growth. We are in the early days of the work of building a championship organization on and off the pitch,” Ricketts said in an open letter to fans Friday. The Red Stars were put...

Dictan prisión preventiva a presuntos implicados en explosión de coches bomba en Quito, informa la Fiscalía del Ecuador

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

(CNN Español) –– Diez personas presuntamente involucradas en la explosión de dos vehículos esta semana en Quito, Ecuador, permanecerán en prisión preventiva, informó este viernes la Fiscalía General del país en un comunicado.Gobierno de Ecuador califica de “atentados terroristas” la explosión de dos coches bomba en QuitoLos sospechosos han sido acusados de terrorismo por los incidentes y, de ser encontrados culpables, podrían enfrentar una pena de entre 10 y 13 años en prisión, explicó la Fiscalía en un comunicado.CNN intenta averiguar si cuentan con representación legal y cómo se declaran ante las acusaciones.Seis de los detenidos deberán responder por la explosión de uno de los vehículos la noche de este miércoles en las calles Robles y Ulpiano Páez, ubicadas en el sector La Mariscal, en el norte de Quito.Según la Fiscalía, este grupo compró combustible cerca del lugar de la explosión, se trasladaron hasta el sitio y “rociaron la gasolina en un automóvil y una mo...

No spider bite or fainting spell at the US Open for Tommy Paul and his family. Just another win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — When Tommy Paul was a kid growing up in Greenville, North Carolina, his family would drive the 500 or so miles up to New York the week before the U.S. Open to watch qualifying matches — “It was free,” he notes — and catch a glimpse of some pros practicing.A couple of times, according to Paul, those treks involved a visit to an emergency room on the tournament grounds: his sister was bitten by a poisonous spider; his mother passed out and hit her head after seeing a player get badly injured. “Every year,” Paul said, “we always had something terrible happen.”This trip to Flushing Meadows is going far more smoothly so far for Paul — and other American men. The 26-year-old Paul, the No. 14 seed, earned a debut appearance in the fourth round at the U.S. Open by hitting 15 aces and getting broken just once during a 6-1, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 victory over No. 21 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday.“I was kind of, like, ‘Really, they’re putting me o...

Leonardo Bonucci joins Union Berlin while Bayern Munich left empty handed on final day of transfers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci joined Union Berlin on the last day of the transfer window in Germany while Bayern Munich’s deal for Portugal midfielder João Palhinha broke down at the final minute on Friday.German media reported English Premier League club Fulham called off Palhinha’s transfer even after the player underwent medical tests and posed for photos in Munich. Bayern was reportedly ready to pay 65 million euros ($70 million) for the defensive midfielder, a position coach Thomas Tuchel identified as a priority. But Fulham was unable to find a replacement.Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani finally got his move to Paris Saint-Germain for a club-record fee of 95 million euros ($102.5 million). The 24-year-old France player refused to train with Frankfurt. The German club was hoping to sign a replacement before allowing Kolo Muani to go but ultimately it accepted PSG’s increased offer.“Late in the evening we received an offer that we coul...

Celta Vigo beats Almeria with late Swedberg goal for its first Liga win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Williot Swedberg scored in the 87th minute as Celta Vigo defeated Almeria 3-2 for its first Spanish league victory of the season on Friday.The 19-year-old Swedish midfielder netted the winner with a late header after Unai Nuñez and Jorgen Strand Larsen gave Celta a 2-0 lead before halftime. Sergio Akieme and Sergio Arribas equalized for the hosts in the second half.Rafa Benítez’s Celta entered the fourth round coming off two losses and a draw.Almeria remained winless and picked up its third loss in four matches. It stayed second-to-last and in danger of dropping to the bottom of the standings at the weekend.Cadiz picked up its second win and moved closer to the top by coming from behind to defeat 10-man Villarreal 3-1 at home with a pair by Darwin Machís. The visitors took the lead through Alexander Sorloth in the 10th but Cadiz rallied thanks to Chris Ramos in the 18th and Machís in the 30th and 50th minutes.It was the third loss in four matches for Villarreal, ...

PSG signs forward Kolo Muani as transfer window closes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French champion Paris Saint-Germain finally confirmed the signing of Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of Friday’s final day of the transfer window.PSG confirmed it 30 minutes after the window shut at midnight, in a deal reportedly worth 90 million euros ($97 million).“It’s great to be back where it all began. I was attracted by the club’s project,” said Kolo Muani, who grew up in the Paris suburbs. “Now I can’t wait to get to work and finally play in these colors.”PSG and Eintracht reportedly agreed terms much earlier in the day, but the deal was frozen because PSG forward Hugo Ekitiké rejected three offers to join Eintracht as part of the deal.Kolo Muani will form an all-French attack alongside World Cup star Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé — who all played for Les Bleus at last year’s World Cup — and under-21 winger Bradley Barcola.Acquiring Kolo Muani is a big boost for new coach Luis Enrique, after losing Argentina’s World Cu...

Pettersen: 90% fentanyl comes into US through ports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:08 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — New data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows fentanyl seizures are starting to decrease as we head into fall.Back in April, authorities seized more than 3,100 pounds of fentanyl, but now the number is closer to 1,700 pounds. That is slightly less than the same time last year. Some Colorado Republicans on Capitol Hill, including U.S. Rep. Ken Buck and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, blame the influx of fentanyl on our streets to migrants crossing the border. Buck previously told Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, “When people die of fentanyl poisoning, it’s your fault.” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston responds to criticism over closing encampment U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen reacted to the data this week on "Colorado Point of View," months after her first bill was introduced to investigate cartels bringing fentanyl into the U.S. The Democrat said that what Buck addressed was stigma rhetoric and misinformation. She added, “We absolutely need security at t...