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More California inflation relief payments being sent this month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

A few thousand Californians will be surprised this month when they receive a debit card loaded with hundreds of dollars in the mail. It's not a scam or a prize – it's the Middle Class Tax Refund arriving a bit behind schedule. The Middle Class Tax Refund, often referred to as an "inflation relief" payment, started going out to millions of eligible taxpayers nearly a year ago. Most people who qualify have already received a direct deposit or debit card. However, approximately 5,000 payments that never got sent out are still being processed through the end of September 2023, the Franchise Tax Board said. Some California inflation relief checks still haven’t been sent: Is yours missing? "FTB plans to finish processing all new payments (for people who had never been issued a payment before) by the end of this month," an agency spokesperson told Nexstar. After this month, there could be "occasional cases" where payments are reissued – for example, if someone reports a debit card as lo...

13 obvious and not-so-obvious ways to save money on gasoline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

As gas prices soar to over $6 per gallon in Southern California, many drivers are trying to either drive less or take other steps to save money at the pump.Modern vehicles track and display fuel efficiency, which allows you to easily track your progress in the short and long term.  The American Automobile Association offers the following gas-saving tips:Slow down and drive the speed limit.Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration.Avoid prolonged idling. If the car will be stopped for more than 60 seconds, shut off the engine to save fuel.Keep tires properly inflated.Minimize the use of air conditioning.When driving in town, adjust your speed to time the traffic lights and reduce repeated braking and acceleration.Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel (but not while on slippery roads).Remove unnecessary and bulky items from the car since it takes more fuel to accelerate a heavier car.Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open win...

Oakland firefighters battling residential structure blaze in Hoover-Foster neighborhood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

(BCN) -- Oakland firefighters are battling a residential structure fire in the city's Hoover-Foster neighborhood Tuesday morning, according to city fire officials. Ex-Oakland police chief Armstrong says he is ‘vindicated,’ deserves job back The fire occurred at a two-story residential building in the area of San Pablo and Mead avenues, Oakland firefighters said on social media around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday. Firefighters said the fire caused a partial collapse in the rear of the building. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Over 1,200 children have died in the past 5 months in conflict-wrecked Sudan, UN says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — More than 1,200 children under age 5 have died in nine camps in war-scarred Sudan in the past five months because of a deadly combination of measles and malnutrition, the U.N.’s refugee agency said Tuesday.The UNHCR said the deaths, between May 15 and Sept. 14, were documented by its teams in the While Nile province, where thousands of Sudanese have sheltered as fighting has raged for six months between rival generals, in the capital of Khartoum and elsewhere.“Dozens of children are dying every day — a result of this devastating conflict and a lack of global attention,” said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.Sudan plunged into chaos in mid-April, when simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open warfare.The conflict has turned the capital and other urban areas into battlefields. At least 5,000 people have been kil...

AUTO RACING: Hamlin declares himself the man to beat in NASCAR. Sainz end’s Verstappen’s win streak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

All Times EasternNASCAR CUP SERIESAutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400Site: Fort Worth, Texas.Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:35 p.m., and qualifying, 1:20 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3:30 p.m. (USA).Track: Texas Motor Speedway.Race distance: 267 laps, 400 miles.Last year: Tyler Reddick won after starting fourth.Last race: Denny Hamlin took the lead off pit road and led the final 135 laps at Bristol, beating Kyle Larson by 2.462 seconds in the first elimination race of the Cup Series playoffs.Fast facts: Defending series champion Joey Logano, retiring Kevin Harvick, Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell were eliminated from the playoffs. Logano is the first defending champ not to make it out of the first round the following year. … Bubba Wallace and Reddick, who drive for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan, also advanced in the playoffs. … Pole sitter Christopher Bell led a race-high 187 laps. … Hamlin led 142 laps in all, and T...

UAW gives Friday deadline for progress in talks and dismisses Trump plans to speak with auto workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

The leader of the United Auto Workers said that a limited strike targeting plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio may be expanded if “serious progress” toward an new contract agreement isn’t made by Friday at noon.The UAW for the first time in its history is striking at all three Detroit automakers, but the 13,000 workers on the picket lines for a fifth day Tuesday are hitting only three facilities, one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, in a novel strategy. The union can stretch the funds it maintains for striking autoworkers if it limits picketing, but the targeted strikes can still ripple through integrated production systems of automakers.The strikes are already having an economic impact beyond the three big automakers, and it’s also seeping into the upcoming U.S. presidential election campaign.U.S. Steel is temporarily idling a blast furnace at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois due to the strike, and the company said late Monday that the strike will impact its financi...

Rocky Mountain Showdown breaks ESPN viewing records

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — On Saturday, the University of Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams made ESPN history as millions of viewers tuned in to watch the Rocky Mountain Showdown.While the matchup is more of a local feud, the game, which kicked off after 10 p.m. on the East Coast, was ESPN's most-watched late prime-time college football game on record. CU Buffs fans are giving the Broncos a run for their money Last year, the two teams, both with losing records, totaled four wins combined. This season, both participated in a matchup that amounted to ESPN's most-streamed regular college football game of all time. The game registered 9.3 million viewers, according to ESPN. Just before halftime at 11 p.m. ET, viewership peaked at 11.1 million people watching the two Colorado teams battle for the win. Why is Deion Sanders called ‘Coach Prime?’ The game went into the early morning hours on Sunday as Coloradans stayed up past midnight to watch the end, while East Coasters watched th...

Prominent Miami real estate broker pleads not guilty in deadly 2022 boating accident

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

George Pino, a prominent figure in Miami’s real estate industry, was not physically present in court, but his defense attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf during a recent Zoom call. The charges stem from a fatal boating accident that occurred on Labor Day in 2022.Pino was at the helm of his 29-foot Robalo boat when it collided with a channel marker off Boca Chita. The impact threw Pino, his wife, and twelve teenage girls into the water. The accident resulted in the unfortunate death of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and left 18-year-old Katy Puig permanently disabled. Both girls were seniors at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Southwest Miami-Dade.In August, the State Attorney’s Office filed three misdemeanor charges against Pino. Fish and Wildlife officials discovered over 60 empty cans and bottles of alcohol on the boat, along with an empty champagne bottle and a partially empty bottle of alcohol. Pino refused to provide a blood sample, and responding officers...

Rescued lab Beagles begin new lives beyond laboratory walls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (WSVN) — A group of beagles that spent their entire lives within the confines of a laboratory are now taking their first steps toward forever homes. Canadian-based rescue organization ‘The Beagle Alliance’ stepped in to give these dogs a chance at a new life after they were rescued from a laboratory near Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Most animals are euthanized after study and they don’t have to be, as we know they can go on to live longer lives outside of the cage than inside of the cage,” said Lori Cohen, Executive Director of The Beagle Alliance.These beagles, unfamiliar with the outside world, are now on the verge of experiencing the simple joys of a grassy yard for the very first time.Life inside the laboratory walls was all they ever knew until The Beagle Alliance intervened.“I can’t tell you what laboratory they are from; that’s confidential,” said Cohen. “The nature of experiments conducted on th...

Man accused in deaths of 18 elderly women in Texas killed in prison by his cellmate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — A man accused of killing nearly two dozen older women and who was convicted last year in the slayings of two was killed Tuesday morning by his cellmate at a Texas prison, an official said.Billy Chemirmir, 50, was found dead in his cell, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Hannah Haney. She said that Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is serving a sentence for murder, was identified as the assailant, but said she couldn’t release the cellmate’s identity or how Chemirmir was killed.The first capital murder trial of Chemirmir for the slaying of Lu Thi Harris, 81, ended in mistrial in Dallas County. He was later convicted in a second trial for Harris’ death and convicted of a second killing in the death of Mary Brooks, 87.Authorities said Chemirmir preyed on older women, killing them and stealing their valuables. Chemirmir, who maintained his innocence, was serving two sentences of life without the possibility of parole.He was caught after a 91-y...