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Santa Anita to install artificial training track as part of $31 million in renovations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

By BETH HARRIS (AP Racing Writer)ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Santa Anita will replace its dirt training track with a synthetic surface as part of nearly $32 million in improvements planned as the venerable racetrack absorbs an influx of horses, trainers and jockeys from Northern California’s Golden Gate Fields after it closes later this year.The Stronach Group, which owns Santa Anita in Arcadia and Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay area, said Friday it will spend over $1 million to support the relocation of horses and people from the north, with an additional $500,000 going to bolster the state’s breeding program.TSG has budgeted $4.5 million for installing a Tapeta training track, the same surface that is used on the main racing track at Golden Gate. The project is expected to begin after Santa Anita hosts the Breeders’ Cup in early November and be finished by the start of the winter-spring meet on Dec. 26.“We think this will be hugely beneficial ...

Public advised to stay out of these Los Angeles County beaches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

Officials are asking the public to stay out of these Los Angeles County beaches due to high levels of bacteria.People who enter the ocean water during this period could become ill, especially children, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised, said the L.A. County Department of Public Health.Although no specific cause for the warnings was given, excessive bacteria and debris can typically seep from nearby city streets and mountain areas, likely contaminating ocean waters around discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers, especially after rainstorms, officials said.The public is advised to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in these locations:-Avenue I Storm Drain at Redondo County Beach - 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.-Bluff Cove at Palos Verdes Beach - The entire swim area.-Hermosa Beach Pier at Hermosa Beach - 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.-Malaga Cove Creek at Palos Verdes Beach - The entire swim area.-Manhattan Beach Pier in Manha...

Single-family home sells in Piedmont for $1.9 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

21 York Drive – Google Street ViewA 1,907-square-foot house built in 1912 has changed hands. The historic property located in the first block of York Drive in Piedmont was sold on June 16, 2023, for $1,880,000, or $986 per square foot. The layout of this single-story home includes three bedrooms and two baths. The home’s exterior showcases roofing materials crafted from wood shake roofing / shingles. Inside, a fireplace enhances the ambiance of the living area. In addition, the home is equipped with a garage. The lot size of the property measures an impressive 6,300 square feet.Additional houses have recently been sold nearby:A 1,104-square-foot home on the first block of Monticello Avenue in Piedmont sold in September 2022, for $1,550,000, a price per square foot of $1,404. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In June 2022, a 2,254-square-foot home on Arroyo Avenue in Piedmont sold for $3,828,000, a price per square foot of $1,698. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Rose...

Bomb threat spurs evacuation of several downtown Palo Alto businesses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

PALO ALTO — A bomb threat spurred the evacuation of a restaurant and several other businesses Friday morning in downtown Palo Alto, police said.Around 11:40 a.m., the city’s 24-hour dispatch center received a call from a person claiming to have placed a bomb inside Sancho’s Taqueria at 491 Lytton Ave., the Palo Alto Police Department said in a news release.Officers searched the restaurant with the assistance of a bomb-sniffing dog, police said. No bomb was found and the scene was declared safe roughly an hour after the call.Streets in the area were closed and other businesses were also evacuated until they could be checked, police said.Detectives are investigating the case, police said. No arrests were announced Friday.Anyone with information related to the case can contact the police department at 650-329-2413. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text 650-383-8984 or email [email protected] ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Northern California man to ...

Oakland community leaders demand action from city, county on public safety

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- A letter calling to end what is being called a public safety crisis was sent to elected leaders in Oakland and Alameda County this week. The two community leaders who wrote the letter said they want a public safety state of emergency declared.Deadly shootings, home invasions, carjackings, illegal sideshows, businesses robbed at gunpoint, and a gun used to rob an 80-year-old ice cream vendor are just some of the crimes that have happened throughout the City of Oakland recently.Bishop Bob Jackson of the Acts Full Gospel Church spoke about what the church is hearing from families in East Oakland and elsewhere in the city. Charges dropped in San Francisco Sanchez Stairs crash "Help! When the police tell you to shore up your backdoor to make sure the ones who are committing home invasions will have a harder time kicking your front door down, you better know the city's in trouble," Bishop Jackson said.That call for help is the focus of an urgent letter from Oak...

Sam Kerr says she’ll be available for Australia’s must-win Women’s World Cup game against Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Star striker Sam Kerr expects to be available for Australia’s must-win Women’s World Cup game against Olympic champion Canada after missing the team’s first two group games because of a left calf muscle injury. Australia’s captain and all-time leading scorer has been the face of the promotional campaign for the World Cup being co-hosted in Australia and New Zealand but hasn’t yet started in the tournament. Kerr attended a news conference at the Matildas’ camp in Brisbane on Saturday to assure Australian supporters that she’s recovering.“I would love to tell you guys everything. It’s going to be down to the wire,” she said. “I’m definitely going to be available.”Asked again if she would be fit to play, Kerr responded “yes.”Kerr hurt her calf muscle in a practice session on the eve of Australia’s tournament-opening win over Ireland last week but it didn’t become public knowledge until an hour before kickoff when her name was missing from the team...

Tourist hotspot Rhodes burns as successive deadly heat waves ravage Greece

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

LINDOS, Greece (AP) — As tourists start to trickle back to the Greek island of Rhodes, some people are spending their vacation on empty beaches amongst charred trees and burnt land.The fires, spurred by a sweltering heat wave that blanketed the country, triggered a huge evacuation of residents and tourists on the island last weekend as forests burned for a week.As wildfires scorched the land, tourist and residents worked to extinguish fires by seaside resorts. By Friday, temperatures eased somewhat, and calmer winds helped firefighters contain the blazes.But the damage was already done.An inland nature reserve was damaged. The deserted island has been promised state support. Fires have been raging across Greece, including outside the capital Athens and in Rhodes, fueled by three consecutive heat waves. Five people have died in the fires, including two firefighter pilots. Temperatures pushed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).Climate change is making the world hotter and is ...

Ohtani homers in 3 straight at-bats over 2 games before being sidelined by cramps — again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run — for a streak of three homers in three at-bats over two games — before being sidelined due to cramping for a second consecutive game.Ohtani was replaced by pinch-hitter Michael Stefanic when his at-bat came up with the bases loaded in the ninth inning due to leg cramps. The Blue Jays beat the Angels 4-1 Friday.Los Angeles manager Phil Nevin said Ohtani was removed because of cramping in both of his calves.“We’ll evaluate it tomorrow when he gets up,” Nevin said. “It’s just cramping right now. It’s kind of in both legs. He’s done a lot of work the last two days and wasn’t able to go.”Ohtani homered twice in the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit on Thursday before leaving with cramps. He threw an eight-strikeout, one-hitter in the opener for his first career MLB shutout.The two-way superstar became the first player to throw a shutout in one game of a doubleheader and hit one homer — much less two — in the ...

Wisdom homers, Mancini has RBI single as Cubs beat Cardinals 3-2 for seventh straight win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Patrick Wisdom homered and Trey Mancini had a tiebreaking RBI single to help the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Friday night.Drew Smyly (8-7) allowed just two hits in 4 1/3 effective innings in relief as the Cubs won their seventh straight game. It is their longest win streak since also winning seven in a row last Sept. 25-Oct. 2.Reliever Adbert Alzolay got the last four outs for his 12th save in 13 opportunities. He retired pinch-hitter Alec Burleson on a fly ball to deep center with a runner on third to end the game as Mike Tauchman reached over the fence to take away a potential game-winning home run.Lars Nootbaar homered twice for St. Louis, which has lost three of five.Wisdom hit his team-high 18th home run off Jordan Montgomery (6-9) in the fifth. Montgomery, a free agent at the end of the season and the subject of trade rumors, allowed three runs and five hits over six innings. Nootbaar hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season just three p...

Sabally records 1st triple-double in the Wings’ history; Storm ends 10-game skid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:52:20 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Satou Sabally had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the first triple-double in Dallas franchise history and the Wings beat the short-handed Washington Mystics 90-62 Friday night.Arike Ogunbowale and Teaira McCowan each scored 18 points for Dallas (14-10) and Natasha Howard added 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Awak Kuier scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Maddy Siegrist scored 10.Shatori Walker-Kimbrough led the Mystics (13-11) with 14 points. Brittney Sykes scored 12 with five steals and Natasha Cloud added 11 points.STORM 83, SKY 74CHICAGO (AP) — Ezi Magbegor had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Gabby Williams added scored 17 points and Seattle snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak.Seattle (5-19) won for the first time in more than a month, dating to a 87-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on June 24. The Storm also ended their six-game road losing streak.Kahleah Copper led Chicago (10-14) with 17 poin...