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California shows an electric-car uprising headed for the U.S.

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

By Tom Randall | BloombergIf you want to know how quickly electric vehicles might spread across the US, just look at California. In the past five years, EVs have gone from 2% of new-car sales in the state to 22%.The pace of adoption in California picked up significantly once EVs reached 5% of new-car sales, a threshold at which preferences start to flip for mainstream car buyers, according to a Bloomberg Green analysis of EV adoption curves around the world. California was one of the first major car markets to reach that tipping point, in 2018, and so far 23 countries have been added to the list.If California were itself a country, it would now rank fourth in terms of overall EV sales; only China, the US and Germany sell more. The pace of adoption in the state shows no signs of slowing, either, with second-quarter EV sales rising 70% over the same period in 2022. The US as a whole is just three years behind California, and currently tracing its path. If the trend continues, a quarte...

80-year-old California woman swindled out of house awarded nearly $4 million in elder abuse case

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

A Long Beach woman who unwittingly signed over her house of 48 years to a real estate investor while confined to a nursing home has been awarded nearly $4 million in an elder abuse and fraud case.Jurors awarded 80-year-old Suzanne Yorgason $939,669 in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages after finding Ken Allen Lamphear committed elder abuse, fraud and fraud in the inducement. Additionally, the jury found that Lamphear acted with malice, oppression or fraud at the conclusion of the 10-day trial at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach.“We are extremely gratified by the jury’s verdict and punitive award,” Yorgason’s Aliso Viejo attorney, William D. Chapman, said in a statement. “A sophisticated real estate investor, Ken Lamphear, knew exactly what he was doing when he persuaded Ms. Yorgason to transfer her home to him without any documentation — no promissory note, no deed, no escrow and no payment of any kind.”Yorgason lived at her home in the Al...

Murder defendant attacks his attorney at San Jose trial opening

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

SAN JOSE — A man on trial for murder violently brought the proceedings to a halt Thursday when he attacked his own attorney in court moments before opening statements were set to be heard, according to authorities and multiple sources.Ronnell Spencer is shown in a 2022 booking photo taken at Cook County jail in Chicago, where Spencer was a resident. (Photo courtesy of Cook County Sheriff’s Office) Ronnell Spencer, charged in a deadly 2022 San Jose shooting, was scheduled to face jurors for the first time in a San Jose courtroom Thursday morning when, without warning, he started punching a Santa Clara County deputy public defender who was representing him, sources familiar with the incident told this news organization.Court bailiffs — who are county sheriff’s deputies — as well as a prosecutor soon intervened to subdue Spencer and pull the attorney away from the fray, sources said.The attorney who was attacked was not seriously injured, sources said...

Stanford-USC history: No shortage of great moments in the century-long rivalry

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

For more than 100 years, the Stanford-USC football rivalry has had it all.Legendary players. Fantastic finishes. Fiery coaches. Passionate fan bases.So it’s somewhat appropriate that one of the longest-running – and most colorful – soap operas in college football is the first conference game of the Pac-12’s farewell season.When the teams will play again after Saturday night at the L.A. Coliseum is anyone’s guess.Next season Stanford jumps to the Atlantic Coast Conference and the No. 6 ranked Trojans join the Big Ten, and, at least publicly, there are no plans for the teams to meet again anytime soon.This is a series that began in 1905. Since the end of World War II, the teams have met at least once every season except 2020, because of COVID-19 restrictions.Running back Keaontay Ingram #28 of the USC Trojans is upededend against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half of a NCAA football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 11, 2021. (P...

Nancy Pelosi says she’ll run for reelection in 2024 as Democrats try to win back House majority

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

By LISA MASCARO | AP Congressional CorrespondentWASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she will run for reelection to another term in Congress as Democrats work to win back the majority in 2024.Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years.“Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Pelosi said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”First elected to Congress in 1987, the Democratic leader made history becoming the first female speaker in 2007, and in 2019 she regained the speaker’s gavel.Pelosi led the party through substantial legislative achievements, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as turbulent times with two impeachments of former President Don...

Pelosi says she'll run for reelection in 2024 as Democrats try to win back House majority

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she will run for reelection to another term in Congress as Democrats work to win back the majority in 2024. Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years.“Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Pelosi said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”First elected to Congress in 1987, the Democratic leader made history becoming the first female speaker in 2007, and in 2019 she regained the speaker's gavel. Pelosi led the party through substantial legislative achievements, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as turbulent times with two impeachments of former President Donald Trump. The announcement quells any ta...

Person dies at hospital after shooting in Oakland's Melrose neighborhood

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

(KRON) -- A person is dead following a shooting Thursday night in the Melrose neighborhood, according to the Oakland Police Department. Just after 11:45 p.m., officers responded to the 5100 block of East 8th Street and located a victim with at least one gunshot wound. Paramedics provided the victim with medical attention before transporting them to a local hospital, OPD said. Pelosi will run for reelection The victim was listed in critical condition at the time.On Friday morning around 5:30 a.m., the victim died from their injuries. Their identity is being withheld until next of kin is notified.This investigation remains open and active. Anyone with information is asked to contact OPD's Homicide Section at 510-238-3821.

Con Fire honors 9/11 first responders with memorial

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

CLAYTON, Calif. (KRON) -- The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District is honoring 9/11 first responders with a memorial at Fire Station 11.American flags, each holding the name of a 9/11 first responder, have been placed across the front lawn of the fire station. It has been nearly 22 years since the devastating attacks that shocked the nation. This memorial is in remembrance of the 343 New York City firefighters and 72 others, including New York City police officers and fire patrol, and 8 private EMTs, who all lost their lives while saving others on September 11, 2001.The memorial will be on display until Sept. 12.

Koons Automotive, DC’s largest dealership, being acquired by Fortune 500 company

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

Koons dealership in Tysons, Virginia. (Courtesy Google Street View)Jim Koons Automotive will be acquired by Ashbury Automotive Group for an undisclosed sum, though the deal is one of the most sizeable combinations in auto retail history, according to the companies.Jim Koons Automotive is the largest auto dealership in the Baltimore and D.C. region, with 20 dealerships, 29 franchises, six collision centers and 2,500 employees. Koons had $3 billion in revenue last year.Duluth, Georgia-based Ashbury Automotive, a Fortune 500 company, operates 138 dealerships and 32 collision centers. It had $15.4 billion in 2022 revenue.Koons Ford was founded in Falls Church, Virginia, in 1964 by John Koons. Son Jim Koons took over the company in 1973.Koons is among top dealerships in the nation for volume sales of Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, Ford, Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Stellantis and General Motors. In 2022, its dealerships sold 61,000 new and used vehicles.Source

Japan does homework to predict what’s coming from Rugby World Cup debutant Chile

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:00:31 GMT

Chile makes its Rugby World Cup debut on Sunday and Japan believes it knows what’s coming in Toulouse.“A very gritty side,” Japan defense coach John Mitchell said. “They have showed determination to get entry into the World Cup, and in all their warmup games they have demonstrated real cohesiveness and ability to fight for each other.”Back-rower Jack Cornelsen said, “A big, physical side, good with the ball in hand. Once they get momentum, they’re a tough team to stop.”Captain Kazuki Himeno warned, “They will be strong mentally. The collisions are tough, it is their strength.”Head coach Jamie Joseph added, “They’re motivated to have a very good performance and put us under pressure. Rightfully so, they should have confidence and they will look to put the pressure on in the first 20 minutes. So we’ll be focusing on ensuring that doesn’t happen.”Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than, say, 20 years ago to do homework on an opponent that’s ne...