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A state assemblymember is questioning the Orange County Board of Supervisors‘ decision to strip elected Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich of her management of the county’s $17 billion investment pool. In a letter sent to board members Thursday, Feb. 20, Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, said he is considering whether to conduct a legislative hearing on their…
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Has California’s spate of recent laws to build more housing worked? A new report’s conclusion? Outlook not so good. YIMBY Law, a pro-housing development nonprofit, looked at five California laws. Those include one from 2021 allowing people to split their single-family homes into duplexes; and another from 2024 enabling churches and other places of worship…
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At the turn of the century, policy “elites” spoke of climate change, not global warming. But, as the debate evolved and became mainstream, the opinion elites again moved the goalposts. Now they talk about global warming “solutions” that mandate increased electrification.  Today, the air we breathe is dramatically cleaner. Among the many technological advances are…
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The one-bedroom cottage with a woodsy vibe reminded Heather McAlpine of the home she lost to the brutal Los Angeles-area wildfires. But only two hours after seeing the listing, the rental was snapped up. She is one of tens of thousands of people displaced by the fires who is now competing for housing in a…
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By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She was 88. She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said…
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By LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear a pair of cases from abortion opponents who say laws limiting anti-abortion demonstrations near clinics violate their First Amendment rights. The majority did not explain their reasoning for turning down the appeals, as is typical, but two conservative justices, Samuel…
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After spending a year mostly trapped inside his Tennessee home during the pandemic, Tommy Shaw needed to sharpen his guitar chops and do a little singing before Styx headed out on the road following the shutdown of touring. So, like thousands of aspiring guitarists, he was going to put on some music and play along.…
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By MATT SEDENSKY, AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — HIRING: Park ranger. SEEKING: Nuclear submarine engineer. WANTED: Sled dog musher. If they seem unlikely postings, they probably are. But a laid-off federal worker can dream. Axed from jobs not easily found outside government, thousands of federal workers caught in President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting efforts…
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After a long day’s work, William Shandling finds it very relaxing to return home and casually piece together a jigsaw puzzle.  Like many others, his love of puzzling blossomed during the pandemic lockdown.  “During COVID, my brother and I were able to spend lots of time at our parents’ house together on the weekends, and…
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By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis woke up and was continuing his therapies Monday after a quiet night, on the 10th day of his hospitalization for a complex lung infection that has provoked the early stages of kidney insufficiency, the Vatican said. “The night passed well, the pope slept and is…
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