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Fire at Louisiana oil refinery sends tower of black smoke into the air, but no injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

GARYVILLE, La. (AP) — Residents within two miles of a south Louisiana refinery were ordered to evacuate Friday after a fire broke out, sending a tower of thick black smoke into the sky.No injuries were reported and emergency responders said the fire was contained to the sprawling Marathon Petroleum facility in Garyville, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans. Air quality monitoring was also taking place, officials said.Photos from above showed orange flames leaping into the air beneath the dark cloud of smoke as emergency crews sprayed long arcs of water onto the inferno. The fire was burning in an section of the refinery surrounded by wide cylindrical storage tanks, and at least one tank appeared to be destroyed. St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard said she had ordered the mandatory evacuation of those living near the refinery as a precaution “even though we have been assured that all impacts are contained to the facility.”“...

FBI investigating LAPD over alleged failure to use body cameras during traffic stops

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

A Los Angeles Police Department unit is under investigation by the FBI after officers allegedly made a practice of turning off their body cameras during traffic stops.The officers, who are members of the Mission Division Gang Enforcement Detail, first came under scrutiny after two officers allegedly searched a man's vehicle without his consent or probable cause, an interaction that was not captured on the officers' bodycams, the Los Angeles Times reports. An LAPD investigation sustained that man's allegations and also "identified similar undocumented incidents and suspected failures to activate their body-worn video cameras involving other members of the same unit," the LAPD said in a Thursday news release.The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is working "in consultation" with the LAPD, the release said, and they're not the only agencies looking into the allegations."This investigation has been referred to the Public Corruption Civil Rights Section of the United States ...

Danny Trejo celebrates 55 years sober

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

Danny Trejo is celebrating a major milestone. The Los Angeles native revealed he's been clean and sober for 55 years. The "Machete" actor marked the anniversary with a post on Instagram Thursday. In the photo, Trejo is seen decked out in Los Angeles Rams gear with his arms open wide and a bright smile on his face."I’m 55 years clean and sober today by the grace of God!" his caption read. "I’ve done this one day at a time, and for anyone out there struggling YOU CAN TOO!"The 79-year-old decided to get sober when he was 24 while serving time inside San Quentin State Prison in Northern California. Popular actor and local restaurateur Danny Trejo appears at the 134th Rose Parade on Jan. 2, 2023. (KTLA)He told Variety in 2019 that he was sent to prison for attempting to sell heroin to an undercover police officer. Prior to his time there, Trejo had been in and out of jail during his late teens and early 20s. He told the outlet that he smoked weed for the first time at 8 years old with a...

Pilot killed in San Diego combat jet crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

A pilot was killed in a jet crash near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Thursday night.Officials from the base confirmed a F/A-18 Hornet went down around 11:54 p.m. in a remote area east of Interstate 15. The crash site is reported to be on government property.The aircraft is not part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing but was operating out of MCAS Miramar, according to a news release. Officials have now confirmed it belonged to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron.San Diego Fire-Rescue crews responded to the crash and worked the downed plane fire until around 6 a.m. Friday, said Mónica Muñoz, media services manager for SDFD. A helicopter also participated in search-and-rescue efforts.The pilot, a U.S. Marine, was pronounced dead at the crash site, officials cofirmed. The servicemember's identity has not been released."With a heavy heart, our condolences go to the Marine's family during this time," a spokesperson for the U.S. Marine Corps state...

How film world’s critical darling wound up being shot in Fremont

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

“Fremont” filmmaker Babak Jalali admits he knew nothing about the titular East Bay city until he be traveled to Berkeley in 2016 while making another acclaimed indie movie “Radio Dreams.”“I mean, to be honest, I had never heard about the city of Fremont,” said the acclaimed Iranian-born director, whose fourth film is the low-key B&W Sundance Film Festival breakout.The quirky Jim Jarmusch-like dramedy opens Friday in the Bay Area and relates in deadpan manner the journey of Donya (newcomer Anaita Wali Zada), a 22-year-old Afghan immigrant and former interpreter for the U.S. military who is seeking meaningful connections in her life that venture beyond a rote job at a San Francisco fortune cookie factory.It didn’t take long, though, for Jalali to start hearing about Fremont, a city that’s sandwiched between San Jose and Oakland and includes a district rich in film history, Niles, considered by many the first Hollywood.What originally piqued Jalai’s interest in Fremont was how it’s...

Single-family home in Milpitas sells for $1.6 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

A 1,828-square-foot house built in 1983 has changed hands. The property located in the 900 block of Pacheco Drive in Milpitas was sold on Aug. 7, 2023. The $1,600,000 purchase price works out to $875 per square foot. This single-story house provides a generous living space with its four bedrooms and two baths. On the exterior, the home features tiles on the roof. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage, providing ample room for vehicles and storage needs.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:In March 2023, a 1,522-square-foot home on Moretti Lane in Milpitas sold for $1,130,000, a price per square foot of $742. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Moretti Lane, Milpitas, in April 2023, a 1,550-square-foot home was sold for $1,350,000, a price per square foot of $871. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 2,217-square-foot home on the 800 block of Canada Drive in Milpitas sold in September 2022, for $1,800...

San Jose: Relative arrested in stabbing deaths of child and great-grandmother

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

SAN JOSE — A family member has been arrested in the shocking double slaying of a young boy and his great-grandmother whose bodies were discovered in their apartment earlier this month, authorities said.Nathan Addison, 27, of San Jose, has been arrested in connection with the stabbing deaths of his grandmother and his 6-year-old nephew on Aug. 4, 2023 at the victims’ San Jose apartment. (San Jose Police Dept.) Nathan Addison, 27, of San Jose, was arrested Wednesday. He is the uncle of Jordan Cam Walker, 6, and is the grandson of 71-year-old Delphina Turner, according to San Jose police.Addison was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Thursday and was being held without bail. He was scheduled to be arraigned on charges for the killings Friday afternoon.Jordan and Turner were found stabbed to death the morning of Aug. 4 in their unit at the Vista apartment complex on Parkmoor Avenue after police officers were called to perform a welfare check on them.Until n...

Ariana Grande couldn’t get Scooter Braun’s help with Ethan Slater crisis: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

As reports have piled up over the last week that Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato and Idina Menzel were dumping Scooter Braun as their manager, Ariana Grande’s name also popped up.Puck founder Matthew Belloni broke the news  Monday that Grande was joining the exodus of talent from Braun’s elite management stable. While sources close to the manager have denied that he and Grande are parting ways,  Belloni published a followup story Friday that explains one of the reasons that the “Thank U, Next” singer would be looking for representation elsewhere, and it has to do with his failure to attend to her needs during a recent high-profile personal crisis.NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 27: Scooter Braun and Singer Justin Bieber attend the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival at the NYU Paulson Auditorium on April 27, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images) Last month, Grande became the topic of feverish tabloid s...

What to play: Action games dominate the weekend in video games

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

If you’re a fan of action games, this is the week for you. Three titles will be jockeying for your attention with a flurry of explosions and tense moments. On top of that, an old favorite will be marking a big celebration around parks and tourist spots in the Bay Area.The flurry of activity shows that though there’s a Hollywood strike, gamers don’t have to worry about a shortage of content. What’s even more impressive is that they’ll have more blockbusters soon. A little game called “Starfield” is on the horizon and “The Crew Motorfest” is right around the corner. But right now, here are the games that should be on your radar:“Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon” — FromSoftware has created another masterpiece, and if you have the resources for just one game, this is it. But there’s a caveat to all this. “Armored Core VI” is difficult, and if you’re one who’s easily discouraged by titl...

Powell: Economy’s growth could require more Fed hikes to fight inflation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:19 GMT

By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated PressThe continued strength of the U.S. economy could require further interest rate increases, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday in a closely watched speech that also highlighted the uncertain nature of the economic outlook.Powell noted that the economy has been growing faster than expected and that consumers have kept spending briskly — trends that could keep inflation pressures high. He reiterated the Fed’s determination to keep its benchmark rate elevated until inflation is reduced to its 2% target.See more: Home sales slumped in July as rising rates and prices discouraged buyers“We are attentive to signs that the economy may not be cooling as expected,” Powell said. “We are prepared to raise rates further if appropriate and intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective.”“Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development ...