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Millions of California children will receive free books thanks to Dolly Parton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

A statewide expansion of a free book program was announced Tuesday, providing millions of children in California with free literature thanks to Dolly Parton.The bill, SB 1183, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in Oct. 2022 to provide funding for Parton’s “Imagination Library”, providing free books to children from birth to 5 years old.The nationwide program is active across 30 counties in California, with the expansion to fully cover the state's 58 counties and around 2.4 million eligible children by 2028.Free books will be mailed directly to the child’s home at no cost to their family and regardless of household income.Parents or legal guardians can register for the program online. Children will receive one free book per month until their 5th birthday. If a household has more than one child under 5 years old, each child can be registered to receive their own set of books.California will be the first state to offer a fully bilingual English/Spanish book option under the Imagi...

SF Giants beef up batting order ahead of Coors Field visit: ‘It does feel a little bit different’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

DENVER — On a whiteboard in his office, Giants manager Gabe Kapler maps out his team’s lineups for the coming week. It’s typically pretty routine, but for a few days, he couldn’t take his eyes off the order unveiled Tuesday night for their series opener against the Colorado Rockies.“The lineup just looks especially deep today,” Kapler said pregame.It was a day to look forward to as soon as it became clear that Thairo Estrada and Joc Pederson would be ready to be activated from the injured list. Both players were back in there as expected, in slots that signify their importance to San Francisco’s lineup: Estrada second, Pederson third. Michael Conforto’s presence in the five spot was an added bonus, after sitting out their weekend series with a bruised heel.It was enough to make a stoic skipper smile.“Estrada’s back, Joc’s back, Michael’s back at full strength,” Kapler said, noting that Conforto was still dealing with some discomf...

49ers quarterback update: Brock Purdy now throwing three times a week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy has ramped up his throwing program and is now throwing three times a week, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday.“Brock’s been great on his rehab,” Shanahan said after the first day of the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp. “He’s as obsessive about it as you can be. That’s why he’s ahead of schedule.”There’s been a steady flow of positive news regarding Purdy since the sophomore quarterback underwent surgery on March 10 to repair an ulnar collateral ligament injury in his throwing elbow.Purdy did not throw on the field during minicamp on Tuesday, but was seen on the sidelines and has been an active participant in meetings.Shanahan said he hasn’t directly watched Purdy participate in his throwing program, but said he has a set schedule of when he throws, how many times he throws and how far he throws.“It’s part of his process of getting back and he’s continuing right on the track he’s always been on,” Shanahan said. “No setbacks and it’s been very good so ...

OBIT: Francoise Gilot, acclaimed painter, Picasso lover, dies at 101

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

By Jocelyn Noveck | Associated PressNEW YORK — Françoise Gilot, a prolific and acclaimed painter who produced art for well more than a half-century but was nonetheless more famous for her turbulent relationship with Pablo Picasso — and for leaving him — died Tuesday in New York City, where she had lived for decades. She was 101.Gilot’s daughter, Aurelia Engel, told The Associated Press her mother had died at Mount Sinai West hospital after suffering both lung and heart problems. “She was an extremely talented artist, and we will be working on her legacy and the incredible paintings and works she is leaving us with,” Engel said.The French-born Gilot had long made her frustration clear that despite acclaim for her art, which she produced from her teenage years until five years ago, she would still be best known for her relationship with the older and more famous Picasso, whom she met in 1943 at age 21, his junior by four decades. The union produced two children — Cla...

Another FCI Dublin correctional officer convicted of sexually abusing inmates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

Another correctional officer at the Bay Area’s only federal prison for women has been convicted of sexually abusing inmates at the troubled institution, where a group of guards and staff were known as the “rape club” because of widespread allegations of sexual misconduct.John Bellhouse, who worked as a safety administrator at Federal Correctional Institution Dublin, was found guilty of two counts of sexual abuse and three counts of abusive sexual contact, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August and faces up to 15 years in prison for each sexual abuse charge, and up to two years in prison for each sexual contact count.Bellhouse’s conviction comes amid a scandal embroiling the East Bay prison, where at least six current or former employees have been charged with sexual abuse in recent years. They include the prison’s former warden, Ray J. Garcia, who was sentenced in March to nearly six years in federal ...

Frank Somerville arrested twice overnight, cited for DUI

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

(KRON) -- Former Bay Area news anchor Frank Somerville was arrested twice in the East Bay overnight for alcohol-related charges, the Berkeley Police Department has confirmed to KRON4. Somerville bailed out of jail at about 4 p.m. Tuesday, Alameda County confirmed. He was also cited and released with a notice to appear in court for driving under the influence. Gunman opens fire on Oakland carjackers The first arrest came after police were called to respond to a family altercation on Indian Rock Avenue. The home is owned by Somerville's brother, BPD said. Police were told that a man at the residence was being detained after a fight. The man being detained was later identified as Somerville, and police determined he was intoxicated at the time. Police said the family asked Somerville to leave and he refused, and that's when he allegedly threatened a victim at the scene, which then led to the fight. Both parties suffered non-life threatening injuries, and the victim had a contusion o...

Novato police searching for bank robbery suspect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

(KRON) -- The Novato Police Department is searching for a man who allegedly robbed a bank on Friday. NPD provided images of the suspect in a Nixle alert Tuesday. Police said the robbery happened at Chase Bank, located at 402 Ignacio Boulevard at about 2 p.m. The man allegedly entered the bank and handed a teller a note demanding cash. Harrowing details of San Jose and Milpitas killing rampage released The teller provided the man with an undisclosed amount of cash, and the suspect left the bank. Police said nobody was injured and there was no sign of a gun.The suspect was described as a man in his 30s with a muscular build. He is believed to be about 6 feet fall and 225 pounds. He was last seen going westbound in Pacheco Plaza, which is the shopping center where the bank is located.View surveillance images of the suspect below.Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call (415) 897-4361 or email [email protected] and reference Case NP23-2056. 

Nueva York tiene el aire más contaminado del mundo por el humo de los incendios forestales en Canadá

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

(CNN) — La ciudad de Nueva York encabezó la lista de los lugares con la mayor contaminación del aire del mundo en la mañana de este martes cuando el humo proveniente de más de 100 incendios forestales en Quebec se trasladó hacia el sur.El humo de los incendios de Canadá cubrió periódicamente el noreste y el Atlántico medio durante más de una semana, lo que genera preocupación acerca de los efectos de la persistente mala calidad del aire. El índice de calidad del aire de la ciudad de Nueva York superó los 150 el martes, según IQair, un nivel de contaminación que es “poco saludable” para grupos sensibles como los ancianos, los niños y las personas con problemas respiratorios.La ciudad de Nueva York seguía estando entre las cinco con el aire más contaminado del mundo en la tarde de este martes, informó IQair, junto con Dhaka, en Bangladesh; Yakarta, en Indonesia; y Nueva Delhi, la capital de la India.Activistas contra el cambio climático pegaron sus manos a cuadros de...

Confirman que restos humanos hallados dentro de bolsas en México corresponden a trabajadores de call center desaparecidos

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

(CNN Español) — Los cuerpos hallados en al menos 45 bolsas el pasado 31 de mayo en un barranco del municipio de Zapopan, zona metropolitana de Guadalajara, en México, corresponden a los empleados de un centro de llamadas telefónicas que fueron reportados como desaparecidos, según un comunicado del Instituto Jalisciense de Ciencias Forenses.Pruebas realizadas por la entidad confirmaron que los restos humanos pertenecían a los trabajadores, indicó el comunicado.Hallan 45 bolsas con restos humanos en Jalisco, México: podrían ser de los trabajadores de un call center desaparecidos“(La información) fue hecha del conocimiento de los familiares y se integró a la carpeta de investigación para esclarecer los hechos”, añadió el pronunciamiento. También indicó que las autoridades mantienen en la zona un operativo de búsqueda y recuperación de indicios.El pasado viernes, la Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco dijo que el 31 de mayo se habían descubierto 45 bolsas que contenían rest...

‘Shopping cart killer’ suspect’s first trial delayed, awaiting sanity evaluation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:54:10 GMT

A shopping cart was found near the bodies of two women in Fairfax County. (Courtesy Fairfax County Police Department ) A shopping cart was found near the bodies of two women in Fairfax County. (Courtesy Fairfax County Police Department ) The first trial for “shopping cart killer” suspect Anthony Eugene Robinson, which was scheduled to begin this August in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will be delayed, as his attorney has yet to receive a mental health evaluation to determine whether Robinson was insane when he allegedly killed two women  in 2021.Defense attorney Louis Nagy is considering an insanity defense in the deaths of 54-year-old Beth Redmon, of Harrisonburg, and 39-year-old Tonita Smith, of Charlottes...