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Michigan community bans Pride flags on city property

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

Associated PressHAMTRAMCK, Mich. — A Detroit-area community has banned LGBTQ+ flags from publicly owned poles after a tense hourslong meeting that raised questions about discrimination, religion and the city’s reputation for welcoming newcomers.In protest, a woman speaking during the public comment portion of the Hamtramck City Council meeting kissed a woman standing next to her Tuesday night.“You guys are welcome,” council member Nayeem Choudhury said. “(But) why do you have to have the flag shown on government property to be represented? You’re already represented. We already know who you are.”Some members of the all-Muslim council said the Pride flag clashes with the beliefs of some members of their faith. Businesses and residents aren’t prohibited from displaying a Pride flag on their own property.“We want to respect the religious rights of our citizens,” Choudhury said.Hamtramck, population 27,000, is an enclave surrounded b...

Tesla Devil’s Slide crash: California regulators bar accused doctor from practicing medicine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

California medical regulators aren’t taking any chances on a Southern California radiologist accused of driving his Tesla sedan off a cliff near Pacifica in a desperate bid to kill his family.The Medical Board of California moved this week to bar Dharmesh Patel from practicing medicine — especially if he were released on bail — while he faces numerous attempted murder charges related to the Jan. 2 crash. The move was necessary, regulators argued in court filings this week, because Patel represented “an alarming danger to the public” in light of an “impairment of cognitive abilities needed to safely practice medicine.”The request, which was made with the help of an attorney with the California Attorney General’s office, was approved by San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Rachel Holt at a hearing Monday.Patel, 41, remains held without bail in the San Mateo County jail since his arrest.Investigators suspect Patel drove his family off a cliff on Jan...

Lawmakers try to keep kids from social media, porn, but skeptics doubt legislators’ ability to thwart tech-savvy teens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

Elaine S. Povich | Stateline.org (TNS)To address the harmful effects of pornography and social media on children, states are passing laws meant to keep kids off certain sites and to block them from adult content.But the efforts face major hurdles — and real questions about whether the proposed solutions would even work.Some of the measures would require parental permission for minors to access certain websites. Others call for tech companies to install obscenity filters on devices sold to minors. Lawmakers have passed legislation in both blue and red states, from California to Texas.Two of the most stringent laws already face legal challenges over free speech and privacy considerations.Critics also say the laws go too far in undermining parental rights – ceding control to the state. And there are the practical concerns that kids, being generally more technologically savvy than their parents, will find ways to circumvent even the most tightly drawn laws.“It’s something more like, ‘I’...

Man arrested on suspicion of 1996 child sexual abuse in Sunnyvale; authorities say there may be more victims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

SUNNYVALE — A 59-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in Sunnyvale nearly 30 years ago, and authorities said they’ve identified two additional victims.Richard Jeffery Martinez, a current resident of San Jose, was arrested Monday. In a news release, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said the 1996 assault of a 7-year-old took place in the Cherry Orchard neighborhood, near Highway 82.Authorities said Martinez, who was in his early 30s at the time of the alleged assault, was identified through forensic genealogy and an extensive investigation. They did not provide additional details.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | East Bay task force arrests 7 accused sexual predators Crime and Public Safety | Bay Area man gets 10 years in federal prison for distributing film of himself sexually abusing a boy Crime and Public Safety | East Bay couple charged with murdering 11-year-old girl who w...

AAA: Electric vehicles’ range falls when carrying heavy loads

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

Charles E. Ramirez | (TNS) The Detroit NewsElectric vehicles lose a significant amount of range when loaded with heavy cargo, according to a new AAA study released Tuesday.An electric pickup truck can lose nearly 25% of its range when hauling loads about 100 pounds less than its maximum capacity, the study said.“Range anxiety remains a top reason consumers are hesitant to switch from gasoline-powered vehicles to EVs,” Adrienne Woodland, a AAA spokeswoman, said in a statement. “While this study may heighten concerns, it’s worth remembering that excess weight reduces fuel economy in gas-powered vehicles too.”In the study, the auto club’s researchers drove a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck with a 1,400-pound load of sandbags. The load was 110 pounds less than the truck’s maximum capacity.Ford Motor Co.’s F-150 Lightning is one of its most popular vehicles. Last week, the company said it’s on track to reach its 150,00...

Police searching for Fremont girl who went missing 9 days ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

(KRON) -- A 16-year-old Fremont girl went missing on June 5, and as of Wednesday, her whereabouts were still unknown. Arely Curiel could be in the East Bay's tri-city area (Fremont, Newark, and Union City), or Hayward, investigators said. The Fremont Police Department issued an alert Wednesday morning asking community members to be on the lookout. Arely Curiel is missing. (Image courtesy FPD) Curiel is described as Hispanic, 5-feet 1-inch tall, weighs 165 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information regarding the girl's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Fremont Police Department at 510-790-6800, extension 3.

Contra Costa County DA: Officers' use of deadly force on Discovery Bay resident was 'lawful'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

(KRON) -- The Contra Costa County District Attorney has released a report on the use of deadly force for a Discovery Bay resident, Robert Steven Jones, who was shot by police last year.On March 22, 2022, Jones's wife called police to report that her husband had been drinking and pushed her. As officers entered the residence, Jones brandished a large knife and officers drew their firearms, ordering Jones to drop his knife, officials said. 2 teens shot, 1 dead in San Leandro Jones grabbed what appeared to be a rifle. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the officers safely exited the residence and waited for backup to arrive.Jones walked outside of the residence pointing the suspected rifle at the officers and began walking towards them. After ignoring several commands to drop his weapon, the officers shot at him. After determining the area was safe to approach, officers began life-saving measures while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Jones was taken to a local hospital w...

The Special Counsel Who Indicted Trump Is No Democrat. They Never Are.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

Ben Shapiro, conservative commentator and lead singer of an Alvin and the Chipmunks tribute band, has some thoughts about former President Donald Trump’s arraignment yesterday on federal charges in Florida. “When the Justice Department gets reduced to pure politics, you have a problem,” said Shapiro on his eponymous show. He continued:Now I hear people screaming, ‘But you just said that Trump may have committed criminal activity here, the allegations against him are very strong.’ That’s true [but] the only way that you actually restore the credibility of the justice system is to have Republicans prosecute Republicans and Democrats prosecute Democrats. … If the basic line here is the Republicans are just supposed to accept that Republicans who are guilty of crimes get indicted, and Democrats who are guilty of crimes get slots on CNN and MSNBC, that is not a workable solution for anyone. … The double standard is what is going to destroy the credibility of the institut...

Pausa para los pagos de deudas estudiantiles expira pronto: todo lo que debes saber

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

NUEVA YORK  — Después de tres años, el congelamiento ordenado por las autoridades de Estados Unidos a los pagos de los préstamos estudiantiles de la era de la pandemia terminará a finales de agosto.Puede parecer tentador seguir adelante sin hacer pagos, pero las consecuencias pueden ser graves, como un impacto en el puntaje de crédito y la exclusión de ayuda y prestaciones sociales futuras.Más de 40 millones de estadounidenses tendrán que comenzar a pagar sus préstamos estudiantiles federales nuevamente al final del verano bajo los términos de un acuerdo de techo de deuda aprobado por el Congreso. Biden veta proyecto de ley que habría anulado el plan de cancelación de la deuda estudiantil Cómo pagar tus préstamos estudiantiles cuando finalice la pausa por la pandemia este verano Millones también esperan saber si la Corte Suprema permitirá que siga adelante el plan de condonación de préstamos estudiantiles del presidente Joe B...

Falcons plan expansion, renovation of training center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:16:14 GMT

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — After scoring poorly on a players’ union survey, the Atlanta Falcons announced a major renovation of their suburban training facility Wednesday.Construction will begin early next month — just weeks before the start of training camp — on a two-story strength and conditioning center on the south side of the existing main facility in Flowery Branch. The expansion, which will allow for a seamless open-air transition from the workout areas to the outside practice fields, will include a second-floor mezzanine with a focus on cardio equipment. In addition, the dining area will be renovated and expanded.The Falcons ranked 23rd out of 32 teams in a facilities’ survey conducted by the NFL Players Association. “Many player respondents expressed a consistent complaint about not having enough room in multiple parts of their facility as they go through their workday,” the union said in its report. “This feedback of players being too ‘crammed’ foc...