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The search for California’s rare wolverine

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

Eight weeks after last being seen, a rare wolverine might live on in the Sierra Nevada wilderness. Or not.Hopes were buoyed by many separate sightings this spring along a 200-mile expanse of deep snow in the mountains between Truckee and Big Pine. The state’s second confirmed specimen in a century, the animal created great jubilation among conservationists with its arrival.Then the creature – the size of a small bear, with dense brown fur and small rounded ears – suddenly vanished.“It’s disappeared off our map,” said Julia Lawson, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Bishop.Wolverines are widely seen in Canada and Alaska, with smaller populations in the Rocky and Cascade mountains. But in California, they were long ago extinguished by hunters and trappers.The animal has a ferocious reputation, eating almost anything it can find or kill. Its common name derives from the word “wolver,” or “wolf-like.” Its scientific name, Gulo gulo, is Lati...

Police shortage in one Bay Area city may be declared ‘emergency’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

City staff members are recommending that Vallejo declare a state of emergency because so few police officers remain in the city.The recommendation, according to city documents, comes as the Vallejo Police Department “has now reached a critical stage in staffing,” with just 43 sworn officers to patrol the entire city. Declaring a state of emergency would broaden City Manager Mike Malone’s responsibilities and obligate him to “take all reasonable and legal steps to ensure that all available resources are provided to the police department.”Officials will vote Tuesday on whether to accept the staff’s request, which is included in the agenda packet for a regularly scheduled Vallejo City Council meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Vallejo City Hall.‘A circumstance of extreme peril’The Vallejo Police Department has lost five officers since March, according to city documents – leaving just nine supervisors and 34 officers available for patrol as of Saturday. Staffing has gotten so problematic, the...

Skelton: It’s simple — peddling children for sex in California is serious

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

A classic line from a baseball movie aptly characterizes a bonehead play committed by some Democratic state legislators.What happened in the California state Assembly truly was a bush-league error.In the 1988 film “Bull Durham” — arguably the best baseball movie ever made — an exasperated minor league manager heatedly lectures his inept team: “Baseball is a simple game. You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball.“You got it?”Similarly, the hardball game of lawmaking can be simple. Not always, but sometimes.For example: If a pimp is peddling children for sex — supplying kids for pedophiles — it’s a serious crime.No “ifs” or “buts.”You got it, Democrats?And “simple” doesn’t necessarily mean simplistic. Often it’s synonymous with common sense.It’s real world truth and practicality, even if it doesn’t fit snugly into someone’s handbook of abstract ideology.Fortunately for Democrats, Gov. Gavin Newsom and new Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas of rural Hollister in San Benito Co...

Inman: Purdy’s recovery, Bosa’s deal top questions for 49ers training camp

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Losing back-to-back NFC Championship games should have the 49ers incensed when they report today to training camp. They certainly were irate six months ago, when they helplessly bowed out at Philadelphia after Brock Purdy’s elbow injury on their opening possession.Arriving at camp intensely focused paid off for their 1984 team, which felt robbed of its own comeback bid in the previous season’s NFC title bout on the East Coast.“When we reported to training camp in July ’84, I picked up certain indicators that the team meant serious business. We had something to prove,” Joe Montana wrote in his 1986 autobiography, “Audibles.” “Man for man, we knew we were cheated out of the (1983) NFC Championship against Washington.“But thinking about something and actually going out and doing it are two different things. There was a certain kind of intensity that I spotted immediately, a no-nonsense attitude.”Wide receiv...

Police report sighting of bear with 2 cubs at Marin County park

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

The Novato Police Department issued a warning Sunday about bears at Miwok Park on Novato Boulevard.Police said the animals were described as two cubs with their mother. Officers found bear feces on the San Miguel Way side of the park’s playground.RELATED: Marin County neighborhood gets rare visit from a black bearRelated ArticlesEnvironment | Authorities search for grizzly bear that killed woman near Yellowstone National Park Environment | Where California lands on list of world’s most shark-filled waters Environment | Fruit trees in Sunnyvale, Walnut Creek under siege by rats Environment | Surfboard-hopping sea otter continues to give authorities the slip Environment | Boy bitten by rattlesnake in Napa County airlifted to East Bay hospital The incident is latest in a spate of recent bear sightings in Marin. One occurred last month in Terra Linda, another happened in May in Larkspur, and another happened...

Bay Area woman accused of carjacking in fast food drive-thru fracas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

A San Rafael woman was arrested on carjacking and assault allegations after an incident at a fast-food drive-thru.The crimes occurred at about 5 a.m. Thursday at the Jack in the Box at 1814 Second St., according to San Rafael police Sgt. Justin Graham. The alleged victim was in the drive-thru when a woman in the vehicle behind him started yelling at him.“After getting his food, the victim parked, exited his running vehicle and raised his arms at the other vehicle,” Graham said. The woman approached the victim and allegedly slashed at his head with a knife, missing him.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Police shortage in one Bay Area city may be declared ‘emergency’ Crime and Public Safety | CHP: Safety concerns necessitated the 17 hour Richmond-San Rafael Bridge closure Crime and Public Safety | Expert: SJSU head trainer’s touching of breasts ‘completely inappropriate’ Crime and Public Safety | Man ...

Elias: GOP hopeful’s entry changes race for Feinstein’s seat considerably

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

The results of recent polling in the ongoing race for the U.S. Senate seat now occupied by veteran Democrat Dianne Feinstein were startling — but eminently predictable.Related ArticlesLocal Opinion | Active citizens are the cornerstone of the Saratoga community Local Opinion | Simitian: Let’s make Santa Clara County a more accessible place for all Local Opinion | Elias: Pause AI’s development until its regulation is assured Local Opinion | Elias: Judge-shopping a harmful American practice that should stop Local Opinion | Elias: Solution to some of California’s housing problems at hand As early as mid-May, this column forecast that the entry of even one Republican into the contest would throw Democratic thinking about the race into a trash can. It has. Yes, UC Berkeley Institute of Government Studies surveys often deviate somewhat from actual election results, but they provide a general idea of what...

Study: Increased ‘marine heat waves’ in Pacific Ocean threaten seabirds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

Marine heat waves — such as the notorious “blob” that wreaked havoc on the Pacific Ocean’s ecosystems — are becoming more frequent and intense, resulting in the deaths of millions of seabirds along the Pacific coast, according to a new study.While seabird populations have been able to recover from past die-offs from marine heat waves that historically occurred about once every decade, the University of Washington study released this month states that climate change is triggering back-to-back warming events.From 2014 to 2019, five major die-offs of 250,000 or more seabirds occurred during the Pacific heat wave and subsequent El Niño, according to the study. In Alaska, an estimated 1.5 million seabirds died during the time, which University of Washington professor and study co-author Julia Parrish said is believed to be the largest seabird mortality event ever recorded.“This paper pretty clearly shows that in a warmer world, we’re going to have room for fewer birds,” Parrish said. “It...

Gatx: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — CHICAGO (AP) — Gatx Corp. (GATX) on Tuesday reported profit of $63.3 million in its second quarter.The Chicago-based company said it had net income of $1.74 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were $1.73 per share.The equipment finance company posted revenue of $343.2 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on GATX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GATXSource

Metro rolls out new, higher fare gates in attempt to curb gate jumpers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:56:15 GMT

Metro will begin to rollout new fare gates designed to stop fare evaders who jump over and pull up gate bars.The new L-shaped polycarbonate gates are higher and stronger than the orange crescents you’re used to seeing.The new 55-inch tall doors were installed overnight at the Fort Totten Metro station on the Red Line in Northeast D.C., greeting riders on their commute Tuesday. The fare gates will also be installed at the Pentagon City station.The main goal for the new installations is to deter gate jumpers and other fare evaders.“Over the past several months, our team has been testing different prototypes to get to this final design. We have already seen a reduction in fare evasion and expect the higher gates will be more of a deterrent,” Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke said in a news release.“The bottom line is fare evasion is not okay, and we will continue our efforts to ensure everyone is respecting the community’s system and each other.&#...