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Opinion: Shadowy land deals near Travis Air Force Base require scrutiny

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

When it comes to our state’s agricultural preservation and our nation’s security, knowing who owns and controls land is crucial.In just five short years, a mysterious corporation called Flannery Associates, based out of Delaware – where corporations don’t have to disclose their owners or officers – has spent nearly $1 billion acquiring 52,000 acres in Solano County, becoming the largest landowner in the county. This includes important agricultural land, open spaces and, most concerningly, land encircling Travis Air Force Base, the largest hub for our Air Mobility Command.Yet, despite the scale, strategic location and potential risk of these acquisitions, we know surprisingly little about Flannery Associates. Who are they? Do they represent foreign interests? What are their intentions for this land?We have some troubling clues. As a state water quality regulator, I helped put in place stringent monitoring and enforcement standards for the controversial application of biosolids – trea...

Judge resentences jailed Bay Area mother of newborn twins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

A Solano County Superior Court judge on Monday resentenced a 33-year-old Dixon mother of newborn twins to one year in jail, then suspended the punishment and ordered probation.Judge Carlos R. Gutierrez’s decision came after he denied bail for Patricia Anne McCleese on July 28 following her April conviction for fraud and a July 18 sentencing to two years and eight months.The judge, after hearing arguments from the prosecutor and defense attorney in Department 9, also accorded McCleese 61 days credit in custody but cautioned her, “If you violate probation, you’re going away for one year.”RELATED: ‘Heartless’ jail time for Bay Area mother of newborn twinsConditions for her probation, Gutierrez added, included not using illegal drugs, not possessing drug paraphernalia, submitting to drug testing and being subject to search and seizure at any time by a probation or law enforcement officer.Gutierrez also ordered McCleese, who was previously convicted of two felonies, not to possess firear...

Five-bedroom home in Oakland sells for $3.5 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

6219 Virgo Road – Google Street ViewA 5,359-square-foot house built in 1999 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 6200 block of Virgo Road in Oakland was sold on June 26, 2023, for $3,500,000, or $653 per square foot. This two-story house offers a spacious layout with five bedrooms and five bathrooms. In addition, the house features a two-car garage. The lot of the property is substantial, measuring 0.3-acre, and boasts a pool for relaxation and recreation.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:On Broadway Terrace, Oakland, in September 2022, a 2,004-square-foot home was sold for $1,500,000, a price per square foot of $749. The home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,970-square-foot home on the 6200 block of Swainland Road in Oakland sold in June 2022, for $2,245,000, a price per square foot of $756. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In March 2022, a 2,601-square-foot home on Broadway Terrace in Oakland sold for $2,040,000, a pri...

Elias: California’s rebellion against housing density mandates has begun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

If any California news media had actually covered these two strongly-related stories, it would have been difficult to avoid seeing the irony in them.Related ArticlesLocal News | Walters: Newsom intervened on banned textbooks. Why not school closures? Local News | Elias: Forcing appliance electrification may cause California backlash Local News | Elias: GOP hopeful’s entry changes race for Feinstein’s seat considerably Local News | Active citizens are the cornerstone of the Saratoga community Local News | Simitian: Let’s make Santa Clara County a more accessible place for all On the same July day that California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a stern warning to cities and counties around the state about alleged misuse of local “urgency” zoning rules designed to frustrate the increased housing density laws Bonta loves to push, the rebellion against those very laws formally began.This happene...

New athletic conference sets sights on Cal, Stanford

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

(AP) -- The four remaining Pac-12 schools still aboard for next season — California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State — have options if they are looking for another conference. Angus Cloud memorial grows in Oakland The Atlantic Coast Conference is exploring the possibility of adding the West Coast schools, with an emphasis on California and Stanford in the San Francisco Bay Area, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the ACC was not making its internal discussion public and the conversations were still in early stages. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KRON4 Breaking News SIGN UP NOW The person said the ACC’s presidents are expected to dig into the merits of e...

Swimmer Katie Ledecky says the thrill of winning a gold medal for Team USA never gets old

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

Katie Ledecky recently surpassed Michael Phelps' record of world swimming titles. Katie Ledecky recently surpassed Michael Phelps' record of world swimming titles. (CNN) — She might recently have surpassed the legendary Michael Phelps for the most career individual world swimming titles, but Katie Ledecky says the thrill of winning remains as powerful as ever.Ledecky eclipsed Phelps’ tally of 15 world swimming titles at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in July. The 26-year-old finished first in the 800-meter freestyle, an event she was won an incredible six times in a row.“It felt great. It was so much fun to represent Team USA at the international level again,” Ledecky told CNN’s The Source...

Madrigal: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (AP) — WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. (AP) — Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc. (MDGL) on Tuesday reported a loss of $85.8 million in its second quarter.On a per-share basis, the West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based company said it had a loss of $4.69.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of $4.47 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MDGL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MDGLSource

Core Molding Technologies: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Core Molding Technologies Inc. (CMT) on Tuesday reported net income of $7.9 million in its second quarter.The Columbus, Ohio-based company said it had net income of 91 cents per share.The maker of fiber reinforced plastics posted revenue of $97.7 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CMT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CMTSource

The right plants and some TLC can help your garden get through the heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

With record-breaking heat striking many places across the country and around the world, my social media feeds are filling up with gardeners’ laments – and photos of their fallen annuals and perennials.Although my tomatoes in suburban New York have been stalled at green for the past few weeks, my flower garden is thriving. This despite having to endure 100-degree temperatures, mainly without supplemental irrigation (I’ve watered my flower beds and borders just twice this summer, and even then, only as a precaution).But I’m not doing anything special to turn my plants into superheroes. All I did was select the right ones at planting time – and plant them with TLC.CHOOSING HEAT-TOLERANT PLANTSIn extreme heat, especially when that heat is dry, soil moisture evaporates quickly, and plants turn to their own limited moisture reserves to rehydrate. This requires them to direct their energy, which should be spent on growth, flowering, fruiting and reproducing, toward cooling and hydrating. T...

UPS lowers 2023 revenue outlook citing labor deal with 340,000 unionized workers, falling volume

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:08 GMT

Revenue declined at UPS in the second quarter and the package delivery company lowered its full-year revenue expectations by $4 billion as package volumes decline, and after reaching a tentative labor contract reached late last month with its 340,000 unionized workers.Package volume has been in decline for all shippers and fell significantly for UPS during the quarter. Shares for the Atlanta company slid about 5% before the opening bell Tuesday. Domestic revenue slid 6.9% during the quarter as average daily package volume fell 9.9%. The company offset that decline somewhat, however, booking a 3.3% increase in revenue per piece.UPS reached a tentative deal with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, potentially averting a strike that threatened to disrupt package deliveries for millions of businesses and households nationwide.Under the agreement, which still needs to be approved by union members, full- and part-time union workers will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 m...