Riverside County’s scandal-plagued sheriff’s department needs serious reform

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Riverside County’s scandal-plagued sheriff’s department needs serious reform While many Republican and conservative Californians are big fans of Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, no one should forget that Bianco is fundamentally a tool of the county’s most powerful public employee union, the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association.The union put him up to run in 2018, spent lavishly to get him elected and now essentially controls the department. The results have been catastrophic for Riverside County.The California Department of Justice has already launched a civil rights investigation into the sheriff’s department to determine if the department “has engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing amid deeply concerning allegations relating to conditions of confinement in its jail facilities, excessive force, and other misconduct.”The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has already settled a federal lawsuit prompted by deputies barging into the homes of an elderly couple without a warrant.And now, families of some of the many jail inmates wh...

2 catalytic converter thieves arrested in Milpitas

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

2 catalytic converter thieves arrested in Milpitas (KRON) -- The Milpitas Police Department arrested two men who allegedly tried to steal a catalytic converter from a car, according to officials. Police said officers saw the suspects trying to cut a catalytic converter off a vehicle.Officers found the suspects in a shopping center parking lot where police said there had been recent thefts. Police said the suspects were armed with a ghost gun and had burglary tools. Executive Director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association charged with importing fentanyl One of the suspects is a San Jose resident and the other is a San Pablo resident.Both suspects were arrested and booked into jail for attempted theft, gun charges, possession of burglary tools and warrants.

Lanes reopen after Palo Alto apartment fire disrupts traffic

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Lanes reopen after Palo Alto apartment fire disrupts traffic (KRON) -- Northbound Alma Street in Palo Alto between East Meadow Drive and El Verano Avenue was disrupted Thursday due to a fire, according to Palo Alto PD. The situation has been resolved, Palo Alto PD said. 2 catalytic converter thieves arrested in Milpitas The Palo Alto Fire Department responded to a fire at the Stanford Villa Apartment Homes in the 3300 block of Alma Street. The number one lane of northbound Alma Street has re-opened while the number two lane will remain closed until Palo Alto FD vehicles clear the area.

Joint Base Andrews on lockdown following report of active shooter

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Joint Base Andrews on lockdown following report of active shooter Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is on lockdown after an armed person has been reported near base housing.The base posted on its Facebook page to stay away from base housing and said lockdown procedures have been initiated.The person carrying an AR-15 style rifle with no orange tip is described as a male wearing a purple sweatshirt and black shorts.This story is developing. Check back with WTOP News for updates.Source

Cubs’ Marcus Stroman commits MLB’s 1st pitch-clock violation

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Cubs’ Marcus Stroman commits MLB’s 1st pitch-clock violation CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman committed Major League Baseball’s first pitch-clock violation in the third inning of Thursday’s opening day game against the Milwaukee Brewers.With no outs, rookie Brice Turang on second base and Christian Yelich at the plate, plate umpire Ron Kulpa called the violation on Stroman at Wrigley Field. Kulpa pointed to his wrist in announcing the call, and the automatic ball made it a 2-2 count against Yelich.Cubs-Brewers was the fourth of 15 opening day games to begin Thursday. Early tilts pitting Giants vs. Yankees and Braves vs. Nationals made it into the late innings without any violations.MLB introduced the pitch clock this season to speed the pace of play. Players have 30 seconds to resume play between batters. Between pitches, pitchers have 15 seconds with nobody on and 20 seconds if there is a baserunner. Batters must be in the box and alert to the pitcher with at least eight seconds on the clock.When a pitcher fails ...

Mets place Verlander on IL with muscle strain on opening day

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Mets place Verlander on IL with muscle strain on opening day MIAMI (AP) — The New York Mets placed Justin Verlander on the injured list with a strained upper back muscle on opening day, sidelining the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner before his first appearance with the team.The Mets announced that Verlander has a low-grade teres major strain a few hours before beginning the season against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Verlander will continue throwing at moderate intensity and will undergo more scans in a week.“Not the way I wanted my Mets tenure to start. That’s for sure,” Verlander said. “I’ve put in a ton of work to not have things like this happen.”Verlander said he had been dealing with some discomfort in his upper arm and armpit area throughout spring training.“I think looking back it’s something that was kind of lingering but it was spring training and it’s very normal to have to work through some stuff,” he said. “I didn’t give it much credence.”He said the biggest warning sign was a drop in his velocity by “one or...

Atlanta pitcher Max Fried leaves with left hamstring issue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Atlanta pitcher Max Fried leaves with left hamstring issue WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried left his opening day start against the Washington Nationals with left hamstring discomfort after 3 1/3 innings Thursday.Fried exited the game after wincing as he ran to cover first base to retire the first Washington batter in the fourth inning.Braves manager Brian Snitker and a team trainer went out to the mound to check on the left-hander, who threw one pitch to test his leg before heading toward the visiting dugout at Nationals Park.Fried allowed four hits and one run in the game, his third consecutive start on opening day for the reigning NL East champions.Last season, he was the runner-up in voting for the NL Cy Young Award behind Miami’s Sandy Alcantara after going 14-7 with a 2.48 ERA.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Royals make Salvador Perez 4th captain in franchise history

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Royals make Salvador Perez 4th captain in franchise history KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals made seven-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez the fourth captain in franchise history before their opener against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, rewarding one of the club’s most popular players with the rare title.Unlike football or basketball, the captain title is bestowed upon players that have either achieved a tremendous amount or displayed exemplary leadership over a lengthy period of time. Perez fits both of those categories. Along with his near-annual trips to the All-Star game, the affable catcher has won four Silver Slugger awards, five Gold Glove awards and was the MVP of the 2015 World Series, when the Royals beat the Mets for their second championship.He is also among the most popular players in the Royals clubhouse. Perez’s gregarious nature immediately puts young players at ease, which is a good thing for a club in the midst of a major youth movement, and he’s always willing to sign autographs and tak...

Egypt raises interest rates to curb surging inflation

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Egypt raises interest rates to curb surging inflation CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s Central Bank said it raised interest rates on Thursday as the embattled Middle Eastern country continues to battle surging inflation and a depreciating currency. In an online statement, the bank’s monetary policy committee said the most basic lending rate, the overnight deposit rate, has increased from 16.25% to 18.25%. The hike aims to ease spiraling inflation, with the annual figure reaching 32.9% in February, up from 26.5% in January. Nearly a third of Egyptians live in poverty, according to official figures, and are struggling to keep up with rising prices, which have soared since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. The prices of basic items such as grains, meat, poultry, fish and fruit, have risen drastically over recent months.Since the outbreak of the war in Europe, the Egyptian pound has lost more than 50% of its value against the dollar. The currency slide accelerated after Egypt first announced it had reached a $3 billion bailout agreement with the Inter...

Arizona Dairy Queen on the hunt for missing red spoon statue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:06:18 GMT

Arizona Dairy Queen on the hunt for missing red spoon statue PHOENIX (AP) — The owners of a Dairy Queen in Phoenix remain perplexed — and slightly amused — as to why someone would steal the giant red spoon that adorned their restaurant.“We were kind of upset but then more puzzled,” Puja Kalra said Wednesday. “What are they going to do with a spoon?”She and her husband, Raman Kalra, say the spoon-snatching occurred sometime between late Friday and early Saturday. The 15-foot-tall (4.5 meter) spoon stood against the side of the building with the handle nestled in an opening of a roof parapet. Their surveillance camera caught two people appearing to manipulate the screws that held the spoon to a base and then taking off on a “small motorbike.”“They were so precise about it like they had done it before,” Raman Kalra said. “They just wiggled their way through and made sure the spoon was not damaged.”The couple reported the theft to Phoenix police. Sgt. Brian Bower confirmed officers were called and are investigating. No suspects have been identifi...