Montana trans lawmaker Zephyr faces censure or expulsion

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

By Amy Beth Hanson, Sam Metz and Matthew Brown | Associated PressHELENA, Mont. — Republican leaders in Montana will vote Wednesday on censuring or expelling transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr for saying her colleagues would “see the blood on your hands” over votes to ban gender-affirming medical care for children.For the past week, Zephyr has been forbidden from speaking on the House floor. A protest against lawmakers silencing Zephyr disrupted Monday’s House session. Authorities arrested seven people in a confrontation that Republicans claim Zephyr had encouraged. The first-term Democrat received notice from House leaders Tuesday night informing her of the plan to consider disciplinary action against her, according to a letter she posted on social media.“I’ve also been told I’ll get a chance to speak,” Zephyr tweeted. “I will do as I have always done — rise on behalf of my constituents, in defense of my community and for democracy itse...

San Jose airport passenger activity soars, COVID recovery strengthens

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

SAN JOSE — San Jose airport’s passenger activity has begun to soar back to its pre-coronavirus altitude, although the Silicon Valley aviation hub has yet to fully recover from its COVID-linked maladies.The air travel complex reported that it accommodated slightly more than 964,900 passengers during March, according to new activity statistics released by San Jose International Airport.The March totals were up 16.7% from the same month the year before, the new report shows.“Compared to this time last year, San Jose International Airport is seeing nearly 17% growth in our passenger traffic and just over 30% added parking revenues,” said Keonnis Taylor, an airport spokesperson.Over the 12 months that ended in March, San Jose airport handled 11.99 million passengers, this news organization’s analysis of the airport statistics shows.“We see this as a good sign that the airport is on a positive growth trajectory,” Taylor said.The current reports sh...

Sensational rock act Modest Mouse brings concert tour to NorCal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

Modest Mouse has put together one of the best discographies in all of indie-rock over the last 25-plus years.The group actually showcased one of its finest albums on its last trip through Northern California, playing 1997’s “The Lonesome Crowded West” in its entirety during a terrific sold-out show at the Fox Theater in Oakland in late November.Yet, that leaves so many other epic albums to explore — such as 2000’s “The Moon & Antarctica” and 2015’s “Strangers to Ourselves” — when singer-songwriter-guitarist Isaac Brock brings the band back to the area for two shows.These will be the Mouse’s first NorCal gigs since drummer and founding member Jeremiah Green died late last year at the age of 45 after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Green was a tremendous talent and his presence will surely be missed on this current tour — as well as for many to come.Brock and his bandmates — guitarist Simon O...

Review: ‘Natasha, Pierre’ soars to life at San Jose Playhouse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

When observing the optics of San Jose Playhouse’s new production of “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” it’s clear as day that the company housed in downtown San Jose’s 3Below Theaters has pulled out all the stops.What is revealed are the most impressive visuals put out by the Playhouse in recent memory, a manifestation of scintillating set work from scenic and lighting designer Jon Gourdine. Throw in a live, 12-piece orchestra stewarded by band leader Tom Tomasello, and it’s clear a desire for spectacle was high on the list of priorities. Even standing outside the theater on 2nd and San Carlos offers up a massive promotion, urging potential customers to spend a few hours within the 70 pages of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” where the musical bases its story.The production is not simply all swank, no substance. Individually and collectively, the telling of the story of Pierre (Stephen Guggenheim), the unhappily married bag of melancholy, is richly crafted via Scott Evan...

Police investigate body found in Oakland Wednesday morning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

(KRON) -- The Oakland Police Department is investigating a death that occurred early Wednesday morning in the 300 block of 10th Street, officials said. Officers responded to the incident around 7:30 a.m.At the scene, officers said they found a victim unresponsive with injuries. The nature of the injuries were not specified. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Ex-San Francisco fire commissioner attacked homeless people with bear spray, attorneys say The name of the victim has not been released. The Oakland Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division is overseeing the investigation.The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPD Criminal Investigation Division at (510)238-3821.

First Spare the Air alert of the year issued for Thursday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The first Spare the Air Alert of the year has been issued for Thursday by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Bay Area air quality is forecast to be unhealthy on Thursday with light winds, hot temperatures and exhaust expected to create elevated conditions for smog and ozone, the BAAQMD said. Spring heatwave could lead to increased flood risk “As temperatures heat up and our roadways become increasingly crowded, air quality is expected to be unhealthy,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District in a news release. “This Spare the Air Alert highlights the need to reduce cars on our roadways and find alternatives to driving alone such as taking transit, working remotely, walking or biking.”The Bay Area is currently in the midst of the year's first heatwave which is expected to bring widespread temperatures in the 80s to 90s Wednesday and Thursday.The BAAQMD issues Spare the Air Alerts when ozone pollution is forecast to reach unheal...

Future of Pride event in Massachusetts town still uncertain

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

The future of a Pride event that included a drag show in a small Massachusetts town remains up in the air after town officials held another vote on whether to allow the event, then said that their permission is not actually required.The North Brookfield select board voted Tuesday night to rescind a previous vote to deny a permit for the Rural Justice Network’s “Small Town Pride Day” on the town common in June because it included a drag show, which two members of the three-member board said violated restrictions on “adult entertainment.”The board then immediately took another vote, with one member approving the event and two abstaining, meaning the motion failed.But according to board Chair Jason Petraitis, one of the two members who abstained and who has in the past expressed opposition to a drag show, the organizers of the event don’t need town permission.“It’s a public common, and we can’t deny them access. But we disagreed with them having the drag s...

Man sentenced to life in death of NYC ambulance driver

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A 31-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Wednesday for killing a New York City emergency medical technician by running her over with her own ambulance.Jose Gonzalez was convicted of first-degree murder last month in the March 2017 murder of Yadira Arroyo, a 14-year Fire Department veteran and mother of five, in the Bronx.Prosecutors said the fatal encounter started when Gonzalez grabbed the back of Arroyo’s ambulance and rode on it, then jumped off and stole a man’s backpack.The robbery victim flagged down the ambulance and Arroyo got out and spoke briefly to Gonzalez, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.Gonzalez then jumped into the driver’s seat of the ambulance, backed up over Arroyo and drove forward, dragging her across an intersection, Clark said. Arroyo was pronounced dead at a hospital.The case against Gonzalez was delayed by psychiatric evaluations to determine his fitness to stand trial. He was convicted on...

Fox to hand over documents for 2nd voting machine lawsuit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:49:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News agreed Wednesday to hand over thousands of documents to voting machine company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for defamation in a case similar to Dominion Voting Machines’ just-settled lawsuit.Smartmatic says Fox bears financial responsibility for airing false allegations that the company rigged the 2020 presidential election against former President Donald Trump. Last week, Fox agreed to pay Dominion nearly $800 million to avert a trial, although the ultimate cost to the media company is likely to be much lower. Smartmatic wants a $2.7 billion judgment, which far exceeds the $1.6 billion Dominion sought in its suit. No date has been set and the case might not go to court for a couple of years. Smartmatic said in court filings that Fox “slow-rolled its production” of transcripts and other material that were created during the Dominion suit, and that Smartmatic had received just a small fraction of the more than 52,000 documents it requested as ...