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Ninth Circuit overturns political fundraising ban for local government employees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

A federal appeals court Wednesday overturned a 1970s-era ban on local government employees seeking political donations from each other, a ruling spurred by a group of South Bay public defenders who sued the state while supporting a colleague’s run for Santa Clara County district attorney.At issue was a law signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 1976 that became Section 3205 and loosened rules on state employees turning to each other for political support, fundraising and otherwise, but preserved restrictions for public workers who worked at county and other municipal levels. Wednesday’s written decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which declared Section 3205 unconstitutional, recalled how Brown’s staff questioned the law’s soundness before he enacted it.Judge Martha Berzon, writing for the three-judge panel that reviewed the legal challenge, rejected arguments from state Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office that the two-tiered rules were necessary...

Tornado damages Pfizer plant in North Carolina

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

By Ben Finley and Hannah Schoenbaum | Associated PressRALEIGH, N.C. — A tornado heavily damaged a major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in North Carolina on Wednesday, while torrential rain flooded communities in Kentucky and an area from California to south Florida endured more scorching heat.Pfizer confirmed that the large manufacturing complex was damaged by a twister that touched down shortly after midday near Rocky Mount, but said in an email that it had no reports of serious injuries. A later company statement said all employees were safely evacuated and accounted for.Parts of roofs were ripped open atop its massive buildings. The Pfizer plant stores large quantities of medicine that were tossed about, said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone, adding, “I’ve got reports of 50,000 pallets of medicine that are strewn across the facility and damaged through the rain and the wind.”The plant produces anesthesia and other drugs as well as nearly 25 percent of all sterile in...

Amid sharing crackdown, Netflix added nearly 6M subscribers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

By Clare Duffy and Samantha Delouya | CNNNetflix’s crackdown on password sharing appears to be paying off.The streaming giant on Wednesday said it added nearly six million paid subscribers during the three months ending in June, bringing its total to more than 238 million globally.The company said it has now launched paid sharing — its effort to get users to stop sharing accounts with others for free — in more than 100 countries, after beginning its broad rollout earlier this year. Netflix said revenue in those regions is now higher than before the service launched, and that “sign-ups are already exceeding cancellations.”Netflix’s chief financial officer, Spencer Neumann, called the launch of paid sharing Netflix’s “primary revenue accelerator in the year” during the company’s second quarter earnings call.“Most of our revenue growth this year is from growth in volume from new paid memberships and that’s largely driven by our paid sharing rollout,” he said.The results come at a pivot...

Harry and Meghan asked for ride home on Air Force One after queen’s funeral: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were preparing to return to the United States after Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September, they tried but failed to get a ride back on Air Force One with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, a new report says.The Daily Mail, citing sources close to the decision, reported that representatives for the California-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex contacted the White House to ask if the couple could fly home on Air Force One with the first couple, who had come to the United Kingdom for the queen’s funeral on Sept. 19, 2022.But the White House immediately said no, sources  told the Daily Mail. The sources said there was barely any discussion on the request, just a general agreement that the issue was a “non-starter.”“It would have caused such a commotion,” a source told the Daily Mail. “It would have strained relations with the palace and the new king.”US First Lady Jill Biden and US Presiden...

A's deal righty fan-favorite Fujinami to Orioles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

(KRON) -- With the MLB trade deadline less than two weeks away, the Oakland A's began dealing on Wednesday. Oakland sent right-handed pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles, the team announced on Wednesday. Oakland received minor-league pitcher Easton Lucas in exchange for Fujinami. Devin Haney trolls Tom Holland after actor said this about boxer in viral tweet The A's brought Fujinami, 29, over from Japan before the 2023 season. He began the season as a starting pitcher but was moved to the bullpen after four starts. Fujinami struggled in Oakland, posting an 8.57 ERA in 49.1 innings. He is a hard thrower -- his average fastball was 98 miles per hour, good for 22nd best in MLB, according to MLB Statcast data. Fujinami had trouble finding the strike zone early in the season, walking 16 batters in 18 innings. However, he has not allowed a walk in his last 11 appearances. In Lucas, 26, Oakland is acquiring a pitcher that has posted a 2.73 ERA in 29.2 minor league innings...

Cancer survivors Liam Hendriks and Carlos Carrasco team up to host pediatric patients at Citi Field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Even though they’re in opposing dugouts this week, New York Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco and Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks are part of the same inspiring club.Fellow cancer survivors, they teamed up Wednesday to host pediatric cancer patients from Cohen Children’s Medical Center at Citi Field as part of Carrasco’s program called Cookie’s Kids.“It was really nice,” Carrasco told MLB.com. “He came over and he wanted to do this. There’s a lot of people who can see that (and realize) if we can make it, they can make it, too.”The kids were shown around the ballpark and given access to normally off-limits areas such as the dugout and bullpen. They met with Hendriks and Carrasco to hear their encouraging stories of beating cancer.The children also received lunch, giveaways and tickets to a future Mets game.“The one thing I always try and stress is, you’re not alone,” Hendriks said. “Reach out, talk to people. Don’t be worried about talking...

DC brewery treats fans to specialty drinks ahead of Barbie, Oppenheimer premier

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

The specialty beers at Hellbender Brewing Company (Courtesy Hellbender)Some of the summer’s most anticipated movies hit theaters this Friday, and a D.C. brewery is serving up something special to mark the occasion.Hellbender Brewing Company has come up with two new beers for fans of Barbie and Oppenheimer.The “Beerbie” features hints of orange peel and pomegranate in all its pink glory, while the “Hoppenheimer IPA” is dry-hopped and will feature some delicious fruit flavors.“It’s a lot of fun and it gets people in to try the beers,” says L.T. Goodluck, the brewer who worked alongside owner Ben Evans to make it happen.Goodluck said patrons can grab some to go, and he expects the drinks and movies to be a hit.“I even have a Barbie lunchbox and thermos reserved for myself. We’re here, and they should come up and see us,” said Goodluck.Source

Judge on possibility of Ohtani breaking his AL home run mark: ‘Records are meant to be broken’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — It took 61 years for Roger Maris’ American League season home run record to be broken. Aaron Judge’s hold on the mark could be ended by Shohei Ohtani after one year.“Records are meant to be broken, It would be exciting for the game if he we went out there and got 63-plus. So, we’ll see what happens,” Judge said on Wednesday before the Yankees faced the Los Angeles Angels.Ohtani went into Wednesday with 35 homers in 93 games, on pace to hit 60. Judge hit 62 last year, one more than Maris in 1961.Ohtani set an Angels record with 15 home runs in June and went deep three times in his first five games following the All-Star break. Judge said the biggest hurdle is more mental than physical.“Physically even like Shohei he can hit 100 home runs, 80 home runs. He’s got that type of talent just like so many other guys in this league, But it’s moments like that, it’s about just mentally being able to block out the noise or lack of noise in those moments...

Shane van Gisbergen to get another NASCAR Cup Series start after Chicago triumph

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Shane van Gisbergen will put his perfect NASCAR Cup Series mark on the line on the road course at Indianapolis.The three-time Supercars champion, who triumphed earlier this month in the inaugural Chicago street race in his first career start, will be back in the No. 91 car for Trackhouse Racing when the series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Aug. 13.Van Gisbergen will be joined in the field by Supercars star Brodie Kostecki, who will make his Cup Series debut with Richard Childress Racing, and sports car standout Kamui Kobayashi, who will make his debut with 23XI Racing.Van Gisbergen is part of Trackhouse’s Project91, which was designed to lure elite drivers from different backgrounds in one-off rides in NASCAR. But while the road-racing ace from New Zealand had nearly 80 wins during his career in Australia, few expected him to become the first driver since Johnny Rutherford in 1963 to win his first Cup Series start on July 2 in Chicago.Trackhouse ...

Life of LaVie: SoFlo singer talks about her musical influences, upcoming concert in Pompano Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:27:24 GMT

In French, “la vie” means “the life.” In South Florida, LaVie is one of the leading lights of the local music scene.Deco sat down with the songstress to talk about her upcoming gig and find out what’s up in the life of LaVie.LaVie is one of the queens of the SoFlo music scene. She’s put in her time to earn that title.LaVie: “My whole life in South Florida, I’ve been doing music and entertaining our Floridians.”She’s probably best known for her song “Queen.” It’s a message to men to treat her right — either be serious or be gone.The song gave her a chance to show off her island influences.LaVie: “I felt like I wanted to incorporate my Caribbean background into my music, and I decided to just go with a little bit of reggae and sprinkle some Creole in there.”She’s grateful for all the different musical styles she heard growing up down here.LaVie: “I would say South Florida has in...