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The Fentanyl Crisis in California: A Comprehensive Look at the Epidemic and Community Efforts to Combat It

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

IntroductionThe opioid epidemic, particularly the surge in fentanyl-related deaths, has become a pressing concern not just in the United States but globally. In California, the situation is especially dire. The state has witnessed a staggering 121% increase in opioid-related deaths between 2019 and 2021, with fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, being the primary culprit.The Fentanyl ThreatFentanyl’s potency is unparalleled. It’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. A minuscule amount can be lethal. The drug’s danger isn’t limited to those battling addiction. Counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl have flooded the market, posing a significant risk to unsuspecting individuals, including teenagers. The challenge is that it’s nearly impossible to determine if a drug contains fentanyl just by looking at it. This has led to a push for the wider distribution of fentanyl test strips in California, which ...

Missing girl, 9, found safe, suspect in custody in New York

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

By Michelle Watson, Artemis Moshtaghian and Lauren Mascarenhas | CNNCharlotte Sena, the 9-year-old girl who went missing while on a camping trip at a New York state park two days ago, has been found safe and a suspect has been detained, authorities said Monday evening.Police didn’t give specifics about where Charlotte was found, nor any additional details about the suspect.“Charlotte Sena has been located and in good health,” New York State Police said in a news release Monday. “A suspect is in custody. This is still an active investigation.”Charlotte, who was camping in Moreau Lake State Park with her family, went on a bike ride with close friends around dinner time and the girl never returned, officials said.Police on Monday canceled an Amber Alert that had been issued Sunday morning.When she disappeared, Charlotte was wearing an orange tie-dyed Pokémon shirt, dark blue pants, black Crocs and a gray bike helmet, according to a description provided by state police.The number of peo...

Draymond Green is ready to join forces with his oldest enemy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green did not like Chris Paul, Green has openly admitted.At Warriors media day on Monday, Green spent nearly six minutes explaining why the mutual hate they developed as rivals can only help them as teammates.“If you’ve ever watched Chris compete, he’s kind of an asshole,” Green said. “He may say the same thing about me, and that’s OK.”There’s a reason the visual of Paul suited up in Golden State colors has become a pinch-me moment in Warriors land. He has always been the marquee Warriors villain, popping up as the bad guy in every title run spanning from his Los Angeles Clippers days of the early 2010s to the Houston Rockets rivalry to his recent seasons with Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.Paul’s sarcastic laugh at coach Steve Kerr caught on camera in 2018 has become a viral meme while Curry and Green’s behind-the-scenes mockery of Paul kicking them off a practice court in Houston is well-...

Kaiser workers set for massive strike with picketers around the Bay Area: What to know

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

Kaiser Permanente is warning patients of potential disruptions to medical care ahead of a massive three-day strike planned to start Wednesday morning if a new contract deal can’t be reached with its workforce.A coalition of unions is planning picket lines for 6 a.m. outside more than a dozen Bay Area medical centers, including Kaiser’s major facilities in San Jose and Oakland, in a bid to obtain higher wages and more job protections. Some 23,000 Bay Area Kaiser workers are ready to stop work.The labor action by 75,000 Kaiser workers across the country comes amid a surge in strikes in the U.S. A months-long strike by Hollywood writers ended late last month after a deal between their union and movie and TV producers. Film and TV actors remain on strike against Hollywood studios. In mid-September, thousands of unionized auto workers went on strike over wages at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-owned Stellantis. Southern California hotel workers have been striking on and of...

49ers’ goal was to get off to a fast start — mission accomplished with Dallas up next

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

Let the good times roll.That’s life on the San Francisco 49ers with the season nearly a quarter over. Winning means fun, and the 49ers are loving life with their first 4-0 record since 2019 and the fifth time in franchise history after a 35-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday what is taking place is a carryover from last season, when the 49ers won their last 10 regular season games and two playoff games before coming to a crashing halt against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game.But the big difference is there has been no waiting around to get into gear. The 49ers hit the ground running, as well as passing and on defense.“I think through our experiences we came in a little bit more ready to go to tell you the truth,” Shanahan said in his weekly conference call with local writers. “They know how last year ended and have been very excited to get this year started and you could kind of feel it ri...

Vegetation fire threatens homes in East Oakland

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

Oakland firefighters battled a vegetation fire Monday afternoon that quickly threatened homes in East Oakland.The two-alarm blaze, which began at about 4 p.m. and grew to about an acre after less than a half hour, was located near the 7800 block of Outlook Avenue, according to Michael Hunt, an Oakland Fire Department spokesman. Multiple houses were threatened, but none of them been damaged, as of 4:20 p.m., he said.The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.Check back for updates as this story develops.

Rep. Gaetz files resolution to oust McCarthy as House speaker

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

By Farnoush Amiri and Kevin Freking | Associated PressWASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a resolution late Monday to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, setting up a likely showdown vote in the House in the days ahead.The far-right Republican from Florida has for months threatened to use a procedural tool — called a motion to vacate — to try to strip McCarthy of his office. Those threats escalated over the weekend after McCarthy relied on Democrats to provide the necessary votes to fund the government.A motion to vacate is a rare and strong procedural tool that has only been used twice in the past century against Republican speakers. But in recent years, conservatives have wielded the motion as a weapon against their leaders.In January, McCarthy, hoping to appease some on the hard right like Gaetz as he fought to gain their vote for speaker, agreed to give as few as five Republican members the ability to initiate a vote to remove him. But when that wasn’t good enough fo...

Letters: Bad move | Kindness on BART | Honor agreement | Past wrongs | Fashion news | Sharp contrast

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Paying back moneybad move for copsRe: “Cops on leave earned $1.8 million” (Page A1, Sept. 26).No matter where you stand on the charges, the Antioch mayor’s call for the officers involved to reimburse the city for the salary they earned while under investigation on paid leave is just about the dumbest suggestion I ever heard.These officers didn’t take leave voluntarily, and they are not responsible for the rules that require the city to pay them. Furthermore, reimbursing the city could be viewed as tantamount to an admission of guilt.Alan WaldSan FranciscoKindness foundon a BART trainOn Sept. 28 my wife and I were returning from vacation. We landed at the Oakland Airport and caught BART to go to Concord.Upon transferring at the 19th Street station the train was crowded — it was 4 p.m. on a work day. We had several suitcases. Promptly a gentleman offered us his seat. We are both sen...

Four-bedroom home sells in Alameda for $1.7 million

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

1100 Post Street – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 1100 block of Post Street in Alameda has new owners. The 2,022-square-foot property, built in 1942, was sold on Aug. 10, 2023. The $1,665,000 purchase price works out to $823 per square foot. This single-story house offers a capacious living environment with its four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In addition, the house comes with a one-car garage. The property’s backyard also includes a pool.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:In January 2023, a 1,124-square-foot home on Peach Street in Alameda sold for $1,200,000, a price per square foot of $1,068. The home has 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom.On Washington Court, Alameda, in May 2023, a 2,552-square-foot home was sold for $2,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,019. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 2,619-square-foot home on the 3300 block of Washington Court in Alameda sold in July 2023, for $2,410,000, a price per square foot of $920....

Judge sets Sen. Menendez trial date for May 6, 2024

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:50:30 GMT

By Nicki Brown and Holmes Lybrand | CNNThe federal judge overseeing the case against Sen. Bob Menendez, his wife and three others set a trial date for May 6 – less than a month before the New Jersey senate primary.During a hearing on Monday, prosecutors said the investigation that resulted in the charges against Menendez was ongoing and mentioned there could be a superseding indictment in the case.Judge Sidney Stein said he was “reluctant” to wait to set a trial date until all discovery in the case has been handed over to defense teams. Prosecutors noted that process is expected to take several months. Depending on pre-trial proceedings, the trial date could move back.Menendez faces three counts in connection to an alleged bribery scheme. Prosecutors accuse the New Jersey Democrat of using his political power to aid the government of Egypt and pressure state and federal prosecutors investigating New Jersey businessmen. He was not in the courtroom Monday.All five people charged have ...