California

SACRAMENTO (AP) – California lawmakers could soon ban the declawing of cats solely for the convenience of humans, advancing a bill on Thursday to halt what animal rights activists say is a painful procedure used primarily to prevent torn furniture and scratched skin. Claws on cats grow from the bone, not skin. Removing them sometimes requires amputating bones, while other procedures sever tendons to prevent a cat from extending its claws. READ MORE: CHP: Woman Killed In South Sacramento Crash Was Broadsided By DUI Suspect Who Ran Red Light Animal rights activists have long said declawing is inhumane when done solely for the benefit of humans, arguing the procedure is painful, leaves the animal defenseless and can cause other health problems. The American Veterinary Medical Association “discourages declawing as an elective procedure,” saying it is not medically necessary in most cases. But the association says it is sometimes necessary “when a cat’s excessive or inappropriate … [Read more...] about California Lawmakers Consider Bill That Would Ban Declawing Of Cats In Most Cases

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers could soon ban the declawing of cats solely for the convenience of humans, advancing a bill on Thursday to halt what animal rights activists say is a painful procedure used primarily to prevent torn furniture and scratched skin. Claws on cats grow from the bone, not skin. Removing them sometimes requires amputating bones, while other procedures sever tendons to prevent a cat from extending its claws. Animal rights activists have long said declawing is inhumane when done solely for the benefit of humans, arguing the procedure is painful, leaves the animal defenseless and can cause other health problems. The American Veterinary Medical Association “discourages declawing as an elective procedure," saying it is not medically necessary in most cases. But the association says it is sometimes necessary “when a cat's excessive or … [Read more...] about California considers banning declawing of cats in most cases

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento County public health officials say they have confirmed a travel-related case of the monkeypox virus. The case – which is California’s first – was announced first by public health officials on Tuesday as a probable diagnosis. On Thursday, with the help of the CDC and the California Department of Public Health, the case was confirmed as monkeypox. READ MORE: CHP: Woman Killed In South Sacramento Crash Was Broadsided By DUI Suspect Who Ran Red Light “This case appears to be related to recent travel to Europe,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s Public Health Officer, in a statement on Tuesday. Dr. Kasirye noted that the risk to the general public is “extremely low.” California Department of Public Health officials say they started investigating the case back on Saturday. The person initially tested positive for the orthopox virus and is isolating. “Because the disease is rare, health care providers may not be familiar with the … [Read more...] about Sacramento County Has California’s First Confirmed Case Of Monkeypox Virus

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California parole panel recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel for the first time Thursday, more than five decades after she and other followers of cult leader Charles Manson terrorized the state and she wrote “Helter Skelter” on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night in what prosecutors say was an attempt by Manson to start a race war. The parole recommendation will be reviewed by the state parole board's legal division before likely going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a decision within five months. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a … [Read more...] about Parole recommended for California follower of Charles Manson

A light wind laden with the scent of the sea softened the stifling heat: The temperature had reached 108 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was only 10 a.m. Salma’s house was at the end of the main road in Punta Chueca, a small town on the mainland coast of the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, some 75 miles west of Hermosillo, Mexico. She was a young woman — 22 years old when I first met her in 2017 — with a serious face and few words. A member of the Seri people, also known as the Comcáac, she was the only woman who worked in the Indigenous group’s traditional guard, which had been protecting Seri territory for many decades. “I like to defend my people and my land,” she told me proudly, while holding the weapon she used while out on patrol. “If we don’t do it, no one else can.” “We are the ones who can support and defend our identity,” she said. In late 2016, I traveled to India to cover a story about a nongovernmental organization that was … [Read more...] about An Intimate Look at Mexico’s Indigenous Seri People

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 LOS ANGELES (AP) — To drive, or not to drive? This Memorial Day weekend, with surging gas prices that are redefining pain at the pump, that is the question for many Americans as a new COVID-19 surge also spreads across the country. For Marvin Harper, of Phoenix, his family’s weekend travel plans are a double punch to the wallet. His college-age son and daughter each have a soccer tournament in Southern California and Colorado, respectively. He and his daughter will fly to Denver, rather than drive, because of the cost of fuel, while his wife and son will go to California in her SUV. “My mother-in-law’s going with my wife and son to split that cost because it’s just too much on our household,” said Harper, as he filled up the tank of his truck at a Phoenix QuikTrip. “We can’t afford both of us to drive. That’s the bottom line ... Gas prices are killing our household.” For some, that's … [Read more...] about More Memorial Day travel expected, despite high gas prices

Twitter shareholders have filed a lawsuit accusing Elon Musk of engaged in “unlawful conduct” aimed at sowing doubt about his bid to buy the social media company. The lawsuit filed late Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California claims the billionaire Tesla CEO has sought to drive down Twitter’s stock price because he wants to walk away from the deal or negotiate a substantially lower purchase price. San Francisco-based Twitter is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which seeks class action status as well as compensation for damages. A representative for Musk did not immediately respond to a message for comment on Thursday. Twitter declined to comment. Musk last month offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion, but later said the deal can’t go forward until the company provides information about how many accounts on the platform are spam or bots. The lawsuit notes, however, that Musk waived due diligence for his “take it or leave it” … [Read more...] about Twitter shareholders sue Musk, say he ‘deflated’ stock price

The coming Memorial Day weekend may bring sweater weather to much of the Bay Area , with temperatures expected to drop off dramatically following a two-day heat wave that saw temperatures reach triple digits in some parts of the region. A low-pressure system moving into the Pacific Northwest and Northern California was expected to linger over the Bay Area through the holiday weekend, increasing onshore winds and bringing temperatures below normal, the National Weather Service said. “We’re not looking at any significant heat events happening this weekend. That means it’ll be more comfortable for people doing outdoor activities,” said Brooke Bingaman, a meteorologist with the weather agency. The cooling trend comes a day after a heat wave sent temperatures into the upper 90s and low 100s across the Bay Area and the Central Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday morning, residents woke up to cooler weather as temperatures dropped by nearly 20 degrees across the region. … [Read more...] about S.F. Bay Area weather: Temperatures are about to drop dramatically

Geoff McArthur sits in a hospital room inside USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. It’s Monday. He sounds tired. More tired than he ever sounded after any of the 51 games he played for the Cal football team between 2000 and 2003, after which he left the Golden Bears as their all-time leading receiver with 3,188 career receiving yards. McArthur — Aaron Rodgers’ top target during Rodgers’ two seasons in Berkeley — has non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a treatable cancer with a 64% chance of a 5-year relative survival rate (meaning 64% of people with this type of lymphoma live as long over the ensuing five years as people without cancer). The cancer has already spread to his neck, chest and abdomen, and doctors have been prodding, scanning and poking him with needles since May 20 — when he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed — to see if it’s spread to his brain and spine. McArthur already had his first round of chemotherapy and has more scheduled from now all … [Read more...] about Cal football legend Geoff McArthur, Aaron Rodgers’ top receiver, has cancer. He’s had to crowdfund medical bills.

New York (CNN Business) Russia has spent the past half-century attempting to build a reputation on the world stage as a reliable supplier of energy. It took Vladimir Putin mere months to cast serious doubt on that reputation. "I wouldn't trust them," US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told CNN in response to a question about whether Russia will ever again be considered a reliable energy supplier. "They have to prove they are a reliable partner and they're certainly not doing that." Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing sanctions from the West have sent oil prices skyrocketing, lifting gasoline and diesel prices in the United States to unprecedented levels. Natural gas prices also have climbed around the world. Biden is 'obsessed' with lowering 'outrageous' gas prices, but presidents don't control prices, says Energy Secretary After the West imposed tough penalties on Russia, Putin warned that "unfriendly" nations would … [Read more...] about ‘I wouldn’t trust them.’ Energy Secretary blasts Russia for ‘weaponizing’ energy