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New permanent water conservation rules are coming to California — see how your city will be affected

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

Dozens of California cities could be required to impose permanent water conservation measures starting in about a year — and keep them in place even when the state is not in a drought — under proposed new rules from state water regulators.The landmark rules are required by two laws that former Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 2018 after a severe 5-year drought. Environmentalists and some water districts support them, saying they are critical as the state grapples with climate change and more severe droughts. But some water agencies have been strongly opposed, saying Sacramento is beginning a new era of micro-managing how local communities use water.Under the new rules, roughly 400 of the California’s largest cities and water districts are required to come up with a water use budget every year beginning Jan. 1, 2025. They could eventually face fines of up to $1,000 a day — and $10,000 a day during drought emergencies — for failing to write a water use budget o...

The 10 most expensive homes reported sold in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton in the week of Aug. 21

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

A house in Danville that sold for $3.7 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton in the past week.In total, 28 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $2 million. The average price per square foot was $784.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Aug. 21 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $2 million, single-family home in the 500 block of Morning Glory CourtThe sale of the single family residence in the 500 block of Morning Glory Court in San Ramon has been finalized. The price was $2,005,000, and the new owners took over the house in August. The house was built in 1995 and has a living area of 2,513 square feet. The price per square foot was $798. The house features four bedrooms and two bathrooms.Morning Glory Court9. $2.1 million, detached house in the first block of...

Groups want to use insurrection clause to bar Trump from ballot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

By Nicholas Riccardi | Associated PressAs former President Donald Trump dominates the Republican presidential primary, some liberal groups and legal experts contend that a rarely used clause of the Constitution prevents him from being president after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.The 14th Amendment bars from office anyone who once took an oath to uphold the Constitution but then “engaged” in “insurrection or rebellion” against it. A growing number of legal scholars say the post-Civil War clause applies to Trump after his role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election and encouraging his backers to storm the U.S. Capitol.Two liberal nonprofits pledge court challenges should states’ election officers place Trump on the ballot despite those objections.The effort is likely to trigger a chain of lawsuits and appeals across several states that ultimately would lead to the U.S. Supreme Court, possibly in the midst of the 2024 primary ...

How Disneyland turned San Francisco into San Fransokyo Square

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

Disney California Adventure visitors crossing over the Shinto shrine-inspired Golden Gate Bridge into San Fransokyo Square will join an ongoing celebration of the “Big Hero 6” super heroes who saved the fictional wharf-side district from a villain’s evil wrath.“What you’re seeing the day you visit San Fransokyo Square is Big Hero 6 Day. It’s a big show of appreciation,” Walt Disney Imagineering Art Director Michael Dobrzycki said. “Of course, every day you visit is Big Hero 6 Day, so it doesn’t matter which day you go. If you come this time next year, it will still be Big Hero 6 Day.”San Fransokyo Square officially opened on Thursday, Aug. 31 with the full transformation of the former Pacific Wharf food court finally complete.The new San Fransokyo Square food court at Disney California Adventure. (Disney) SEE ALSO: Baymax is one of the biggest characters you’ll ever meet at DisneylandSan Fransokyo served as the central location in the 2014 Disney animated superhero movie drawin...

Santa Clara alum and USWNT stalwart Julie Ertz announces retirement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

Two-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and former Santa Clara star Julie Ertz has retired from soccer after a 10-year career that included back-to-back Women’s World Cup titles.Ertz, 31, had already hinted at her retirement at this summer’s World Cup after the United States fell to Sweden on penalties in the Round of 16, tearfully telling reporters it was likely her final match wearing the team crest. She made it official Thursday.“I gave everything I had to the sport that I love,” she said in a statement announcing her retirement. “With that I can walk away with no regrets because while I gave soccer every ounce of myself, soccer gave me even more, and for that I’ll always be thankful.”An Arizona native, Ertz went by her maiden name Julie Johnston when she starred at Santa Clara from 2010-2013, scoring 31 goals in 79 matches for the Broncos. She was Santa Clara’s leading goalscorer in two of her four years and had the most assists or tied for the most assists in three years....

Air-quality advisory in effect again for Bay Area, but cleaner skies expected by afternoon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

A haze of brown and gray hovered above the East Bay portion of the Bay Area on Thursday as the sun rose over polluted, sometimes smelly air.The good news was that by sundown, much of that haze and smoke was expected to dissipate, according to air quality officials.“We’re seeing a difference in the amount of wildfire smoke,” Bay Area Air Quality Management District spokesperson Tina Landis said. “We’re really expecting to see improvement as the day goes on.”An air quality advisory remained in effect through the end of Thursday. The had earlier issued alerts Monday and Tuesday before declaring a Spare the Air alert, which includes a ban on wood burning, for Wednesday.More clearing is on the horizon, according to Landis and weather forecasters. Northerly winds that helped funnel wildfire smoke from vegetation fires burning in southern Oregon and far Northern California into the region are expected to shift into a more normal Bay Area pattern.Air-qual...

After Blocking Lockheed Martin Acquisition, FTC Allows Another Defense Firm to Close the Deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

After the Federal Trade Commission blocked top defense contractor Lockheed Martin from acquiring a major rocket propulsion firm last year over monopoly concerns, the agency quietly allowed another defense firm that employs a former senior Pentagon official to secure the deal.Following months of scrutiny, the FTC gave final regulatory approval in July for L3Harris, one of the largest defense contractors in the country, to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.7 billion. L3Harris had announced that it would buy Aerojet Rocketdyne months after the FTC rejected Lockheed Martin’s bid in February 2022. Related Antitrust Makes a Comeback The FTC has repeatedly heralded the Lockheed Martin block as one of its major successes following the confirmation of reformist chair Lina Khan, who has reinvigorated the agency’s enforcement of antitrust laws. In a testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee last September, Khan called Lockheed Martin’s abandon...

New TV show: ‘God. Family. Football.’ Touchdown or fumble?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley reviews 'God. Family. Football' on Amazon Freevee (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); });  A cool breeze brushes across your helmet and shoulder pads, sending a chill down your spine.Fall leaves crunch under your cleats as you approach glowing Friday night lights in the distance.A marching band echoes across the bleachers as family and friends root for their community.There’...

Missouri judge rules 84-year-old man will stand trial for shooting Ralph Yarl, a Black teen who rang wrong doorbell

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri judge rules 84-year-old man will stand trial for shooting Ralph Yarl, a Black teen who rang wrong doorbell.Source

Aaron Rodgers’ football legacy could soar with the Jets if he wins in the Big Apple

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:41 GMT

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers was still a couple of months away from being wined and dined by the New York Jets when Joe Namath stepped up with an offer of his own.Wear my retired No. 12, Broadway Joe told him. If that helps get you to New York, take the handoff.It never came to that.After Rodgers brushed off thoughts of retirement and was traded in April to New York from Green Bay, where he spent his first 18 NFL seasons, the four-time NFL MVP called an audible — something at which he’s a master — and decided to wear his college No. 8.“There’s some iconic names that have played here, probably none more iconic than No. 12,” Rodgers said of Namath during his introductory news conference. “To me, 12 is Broadway Joe and I didn’t want to even go down that path.”Rodgers was ready to make his own way — as he did when he replaced Brett Favre in Green Bay — while leading a franchise that still has been to just one Super Bowl, back in Namath’s glory days of January 1969...