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California uses gift cards to help fight meth addiction

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

Among the most difficult addictions to witness at San Francisco general hospital’s drug clinic is methamphetamine, which leaves users tearing at their skin and unable to eat, sleep or sign up for help.The worst part: The clinic workers largely are powerless because unlike with opioid addiction, for which doctors prescribe medications such as methadone, there is no medicine for stimulant use disorder.“We live day in and day out watching people suffer in a way that’s hard to imagine,” said Dr. Brad Shapiro, medical director of the Opiate Treatment Outpatient Program at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. “They’re just dying in front of us.”Faced with that immense suffering, California will try a new approach to stimulant addiction: Paying people with gift cards to reward them for staying sober.This model, known as “contingency management,” rewards people with financial incentives each time their drug tests are negative for stimulants. It’s been shown to have success in clinical...

Recently restored Black Lives Matter mural damaged in Santa Cruz

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — Just over a month after the community gathered to restore a street art project with the help of the vandals convicted of damaging it, the downtown Black Lives Matter mural was defaced once again.Blue paint tire marks now cover the BLM mural on Center Street. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel) Santa Cruz city officials were alerted to new damage to the block-long painting in front of City Hall on Center Street around 6 p.m. Saturday. According to a city media release, blue paint was found covering the letters “A” and “C.” On Sunday morning, the paint appeared as long blue tire tread marks across the artwork.The Santa Cruz Police Department has opened an investigation into the new damage, according to the city release, and officials are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact police at 831-420-5995.“We will not tolerate any actions aimed at undermining the fabric of our diverse community,” Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante was quot...

Gang robbed cars along scenic California highway at least twice before murders, police say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

A street gang robbed multiple drivers parked along the Angeles Crest Highway in the days before the group allegedly killed a 32-year-old man who had stopped off with his passenger to enjoy a scenic overlook, according to authorities.Detectives from the Pasadena Police Department are now confident they can tie that same gang to “murders and other violent crimes that have occurred in Los Angeles County over the last week.” The department announced the arrest of six members of the gang on Wednesday, July 26, but ended up only bringing robbery charges against three of them. The others were released Friday.The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleges Luis Ventura, 23, of Los Angeles used a firearm to rob Jessie Munoz, the man killed in the Angeles National Forest, and a female passenger, who was uninjured during the attack.Two other suspects — Wendy Cerritos, 20, and Rossel Josue Hernandez, 21, both of Los Angeles — were charged with four and two counts of robbery, respectiv...

Katie Ledecky breaks Michael Phelps’ record for most individual world golds

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

FUKUOKA, Japan — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport. She’s never quite satisfied.The 26-year-old American won the 800-freestyle on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at the worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with legendary Michael Phelps for the most golds at the worlds.She’s also a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.But that winning time — 8 minutes, 08.87 seconds, which is the seventh quickest she’d even swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found th...

Man arrested after California sheriff’s department receives 7,000 spam calls

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

A Rialto man has been arrested after the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department received around 7,000 non-emergency spam calls from an unknown number, authorities announced Friday.Between April and July 2023, SBSD personnel were prevented from attending to legitimate emergency calls due to the harassing spam calls, the agency said.An investigation into the identity of the caller led to the caller being identified as Luke Edwards Dumas, a 48-year-old man from Rialto, deputies said.On July 22, Dumas was taken into custody on suspicion of Annoying and Harassing Calls to Emergency Lines and Interfering with Emergency Services. Dumas was booked at West Valley Detention Center, SBSD said.Authorities believe Dumas may be connected to additional harassing calls to emergency services throughout the Inland Empire.Anyone with information about the investigation can contact Detective A. Hylin at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Headquarters, at 909-387-3727.Related ArticlesCri...

Worker shot inside California PF Chang’s; man in custody

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

A man was arrested in Chino Hills on Saturday, July 29 after shooting an employee in a PF Chang’s restaurant, authorities said.Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Chino Hills station responded to 3445 Grand Avenue, at The Shoppes at Chino Hills,  at around 3 p.m. on Saturday after a report of a shooting.They found that 32-year-old Norwalk resident Lauro Rangel had entered the kitchen of the PF Chang’s and shot an employee. Another employee intervened and restrained Rangel until deputies arrived and arrested him, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.The motive for the shooting was not clear Saturday. On social media around 4:43 p.m., the Sheriff’s Department reported a suspect was apprehended and said “This is not an active shooter incident.”The victim, a 40-year-old man, was transported to a hospital.Rangel was booked on suspicion of attempted murder.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Two women shot while driving in East Oakland ...

3 dead after plane crashes into hangar at Southern California airport

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

A pilot and two passengers were killed Sunday morning after their plane crashed into a hangar at Cable Airport and caught on fire.The Federal Aviation Administration said the single-engine Beechcraft P35 crashed into the hangar during its departure around 6:30 a.m. at the west end of the runway of the airport at 1749 W 13th St. in Upland.San Bernardino County firefighters put out the fire and pronounced the three victims dead at the scene, Upland Police said in a statement.The hangar, which housed three helicopters used by the Ontario Police Department, had moderate exterior damage, and no one else was injured. Firefighters were able to save the helicopters, which are expected to return to normal operations once the hangar is accessible, said Fire Engineer Eric Sherwin.The circumstances of the crash are being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.The fatal plane crash marks the third one in the Inland area this month, following two fatal crashes involv...

AerCap: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

DUBLIN (AP) — DUBLIN (AP) — AerCap Holdings NV (AER) on Monday reported second-quarter net income of $492.9 million.On a per-share basis, the Dublin-based company said it had profit of $2.12. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $2.56 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.12 per share.The airplane leasing company posted revenue of $1.92 billion in the period.AerCap expects full-year earnings in the range of $8.50 to $9 per share.AerCap shares have climbed 13% since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen 47% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AER at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AERSource

Kimberly Palmer: How to stay safe from financial scams

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to protecting yourself from financial scams is thinking you’re too smart to be duped by one.“We’re all vulnerable — we can all fall for a scam given the right set of circumstances,” says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that provides advice and assistance related to identity theft. Keeping yourself safe starts with accepting that fact, she adds.“You look at the profiles of victims who filed complaints and it runs the gamut from highly educated, high-income people all the way down to the most vulnerable people in our population,” says John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, a nonprofit advocacy group that speaks out about consumer concerns.While there isn’t a “foolproof solution to stay safe from all scams,” as Breyault puts it, there are strategies you can employ to reduce your risk. Here are fou...

Community Bank: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:01:46 GMT

DEWITT, N.Y. (AP) — DEWITT, N.Y. (AP) — Community Bank System Inc. (CBU) on Monday reported second-quarter earnings of $48.3 million.The Dewitt, New York-based bank said it had earnings of 89 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 91 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 85 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $197.6 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $176.3 million, which did not meet Street forecasts.Community Bank shares have dropped 16% since the beginning of the year. The stock has decreased 22% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CBU at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CBUSource