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UN nuclear chief backs Japan’s Fukushima water release plans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

By Mari Yamaguchi | Associated PressFUTABA, Japan — The head of the U.N. atomic agency toured Japan’s tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Wednesday and said he is satisfied with still-contentious plans to release treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi observed where the treated water will be sent through a pipeline to a coastal facility, where it will be highly diluted with seawater and receive a final test sampling. It will then be released 1 kilometer (1,000 yards) offshore through an undersea tunnel.“I was satisfied with what I saw,” Grossi said after his tour of equipment at the plant for the planned discharge, which Japan hopes to begin this summer. “I don’t see any pending issues.”The wastewater release still faces opposition in and outside Japan.Earlier Wednesday, Grossi met with local mayors and fishing association leaders and stressed that the IAEA ...

Obon Festival back in San Jose’s Japantown this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

The Obon festival in San Jose’s Japantown is always a cause for celebration, with two days of food, music and dance surrounding the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin in the historic district.But this year is even more special. First, it’s the 50th anniversary of San Jose Taiko, and its drummers will be performing both Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. (and there’ll be college taiko groups performing both days, too).Of course, if you’ve been to Obon before, you probably know that each evening closes out with the Bon Odori dance. But this year, there’s a new dance being added to Bon Odori called “Arigato” — Japanese for “thank you.” It was choreographed by Reiko Iwanaga and is being performed to honor her retirement as Head Bon Instructor after 25 years. She’s using it as a thank you to all the supporters of the festival and San Jose Taiko, but she deserves the thanks just as much for her dedication to keepin...

Concord: Driver killed in Highway 242 crash is identified

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

Authorities on Wednesday identified a man who died in a one-car crash on a Concord highway Sunday.The crash on southbound Highway 242 killed 38-year-old Felix Vasquez, of Concord, and also badly injured his passenger, according to authorities. Authorities did not have an update on that passenger’s condition Wednesday.The California Highway Patrol said a Nissan Sentra with two people inside was going south when it hit the guardrail on the Concord Avenue off-ramp about 1:55 a.m.The crash ejected the right front passenger and left that person with major injuries, the CHP said. The driver, later identified as Vasquez, died at the crash site.The CHP is still investigating and asked any witnesses to call them at 925-646-4980 or to email [email protected] ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Two who died on Highway 4 crash in Pittsburg are identified Crashes and Disasters | Man doing maintenance work in Walnut Creek dies after vehicle hits him...

Dog poops on bed, leading to Oakland shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

OAKLAND — Two women have been charged with shooting at two family members during an argument about a dog that defecated on their bed, court records show.The women, aged 36 and 35, were charged June 21 with negligent discharge of a firearm, a felony. The 35-year-old woman was also hit with a gun enhancement and an allegation that she has a prior conviction, which will add time to her sentence if she’s convicted.The charges stem from a dispute involving four family members in Oakland on April 19. A Bay Area man and his girlfriend went to visit the women at their home on 62nd Avenue, and brought their canine along for the ride. The visit was going just fine until dog feces were discovered in a bed, according to police.From there, a heated argument arose. The male victim would later tell authorities that he and his girlfriend were attempting to enter their car and drive away to de-escalate the situation when a bullet whizzed past his head, according to authorities.Police bel...

Woman injured in drive-by shooting in SF’s Visitacion Valley late Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

(BCN) -- A 23-year-old woman was injured in a drive-by shooting in San Francisco's Visitacion Valley neighborhood late Tuesday night, police said. The shooting was reported in the 1900 block of Sunnydale Avenue, where the victim was sitting in a vehicle when shots were fired from a car passing by, according to San Francisco police.The woman was treated at a hospital for her injuries, which are not considered life-threatening. No arrest has been made in the case and no suspect details were immediately available.Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Police Department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to send a tip by text message to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the start of the message.KRON On is streaming live news.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Copyri...

3 SF pizza spots named top 50 best in US, according to new ranking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Do you have a favorite go-to pizza spot in San Francisco? If you do, chances are it might be one of the 50 best in the United States, according to a new ranking released in June.Three San Francisco pizza spots are listed in a 2023 ranking for the 50 best pizzerias in the country. The ranking was done by 50 Top Pizza, an Italy-based website that conducts pizzeria rankings across the globe. See the three SF pizzerias that made the list (below). Study: 2 Bay Area cities among most expensive in US for a slice of pizza 4. Tony's Pizza Napoletana Located at 1570 Stockton St.This pizzeria in North Beach is run by Tony Gemignani. He is also one of the brains behind Pizza Rock in Las Vegas, which ranked 18th on the list. Gemignani received 50 Top Pizza's Performance of the Year 2023 honor because it is "the only business with two pizzerias present in this year's guide."Tony’s Pizza Napoletana is open from noon to 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. It is open from ...

Why a complaint about your neighbor smoking marijuana is no longer a police matter in Maryland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

Now that recreational marijuana use is legal in Maryland, Montgomery County Chief of Police Marcus Jones said complaints about people smoking marijuana in places such as apartment buildings or condos is “not a police matter.”Officials in the police department and with the office of State’s Attorney John McCarthy are having an ongoing conversation about Montgomery County’s approach to dealing with “the issue surrounding cannabis, the legalization of it, as well as what will we be doing in response to calls for service surrounding it,” Jones said.On July 1, recreational marijuana became legal in Maryland. It’s also legal in D.C. and Virginia.Even though the public can now legally purchase marijuana, Jones said members of the public can’t sell it.“They can gift it, but not sell it,” Jones said.Police, he said, haven’t focused on “strong enforcement efforts around that,” but it may eventually become something ...

Norfolk Southern says other companies should share blame in fiery Ohio derailment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Norfolk Southern says the owner of the rail car that caused the fiery Ohio derailment in February failed to properly maintain it in the years before the crash, and the railroad wants to make sure that company and the owners of the other cars involved help pay for the costs. The railroad filed a complaint Friday against all the car owners and shippers connected to the hazardous chemicals that spilled in the Feb. 3 derailment. As part of that, Norfolk Southern said GATX didn’t follow the car manufacturer’s recommendations for taking care of the plastic pellet car that has been blamed for the derailment. The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report that the likely cause of the crash was a bearing on that car overheated. Its final report detailing everything that contributed won’t be done until at least next year. The derailment forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and sent a toweri...

DC officials respond after July 4 violence; 9 shot in Northeast during holiday gathering

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

The scene of a shooting where nine people were shot, including two children, during a Fourth of July celebration in Northeast early Wednesday, D.C. police said.(WTOP/Luke Lukert) The scene of a shooting where nine people were shot, including two children, during a Fourth of July celebration in Northeast early Wednesday, D.C. police said.(WTOP/Luke Lukert) A wave of gun violence marred Fourth of July celebrations across the nation’s capital from late Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, including a mass shooting during a Northeast D.C. block party.Around 1 a.m. Wednesday, D.C. police reported that nine people were shot during an outdoor celebration on the 4700 block of Meade Street NE. Leslie Parsons, assi...

California hotel workers back on the job after strike. But union warns more walkouts are possible

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:10:13 GMT

Workers who picketed 19 major Southern California hotels over the long holiday weekend were back on the job Wednesday. But their union warned that more walkouts could come at any time. No progress was reported in negotiations between employers and Unite Here Local 11, which represents bellhops, front desk agents, room attendants, cooks, servers and dishwashers. Union members voted last month to strike at 60 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties. They are demanding better wages, improved health care benefits, higher pension contributions and less strenuous workloads.The soaring cost of living in greater Los Angeles is a significant problem for hotel workers, according to the union.Unite Here Local 11 spokeswoman Maria Hernandez described this week’s walkouts as the “first wave” in an ongoing labor action that could soon bring picket lines to 41 other hotels. “We went on strike to show these companies what we were willing to do to win a fair contract,” said Joy Johnson...