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California prisons have a drug problem. A strip search policy takes aim at visitors

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

By ANABEL SOSA | CalMattersRenee Espinoza thought her first strip search at the hands of a California correctional officer guard would be her last. It happened during a visit to Centinela State Prison to see her incarcerated husband.A few months later it happened again. And then again.“It was the same process each time. I sign a paper saying it’s ok to search me, they escort me to the same locker room,” Renee said.Before each search, she filled out the so-called Form 888, a requirement for each visitor who consents to an unclothed search. The first search felt procedural and normal, she recalled. On the second search, she noticed the female officers in the room had mirrors and used a flashlight.On the third search, the correctional officer was more aggressive. “She was asking me to spread my genitals wider. And I’m just like, ‘there’s nothing in there!’ How much wider do you need me to open? How much lower do you need me to bend? What else do you need me to do?”Espinoza shared her s...

Singer Ciara and Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson expecting another baby

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

Ciara and Russell Wilson’s team of little Denver Broncos fans is growing.The celebrity couple, who moved to the Mile High City in 2022, announced they are having a child, the family’s fourth. According to Entertainment Tonight, the Wilsons share a daughter Sienna, 6, and a son Win, 3. Ciara’s first child, 9-year-old Future Zhair, is with her ex, Future.R&B singer Ciara announced the news on social media Tuesday with a video set to her new song “How We Roll,” featuring Chris Brown. The video shows the singer dancing backlit in front of a pool, her profile silhouette marked by a baby bump. Her vocals over the video cooly croon, “You look at me like that again, we make another kid… You my heart I’m your rib.”Russell, the Broncos quarterback, also shared the video saying it was filmed by “Daddy.”“You look at me like that again, we make another kid… You my heart I’m your rib” @DangeRussWilson pic.twitter.com/9mRrp2B654— Ciara (@ciara) August 8, 2023Related ArticlesEntertainmen...

Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting rescue workers

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

By Hanna Arhirova | Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials on Tuesday accused the Kremlin’s forces of targeting rescue workers by hitting residential buildings with two consecutive missiles — the first one to draw crews to the scene and the second one to wound or kill them.The strikes Monday evening in the downtown district of the city of Pokrovsk killed at least seven people, including an emergency official, and wounded more than 80 others, most of them police officers, emergency workers and soldiers who rushed to assist residents, Ukrainian officials said.The Russian missiles slammed into the center of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, which is partially occupied by Russia. Emergency crews were still removing rubble on Tuesday. The Iskander missiles, which have an advanced guidance system that increases their accuracy, hit within 40 minutes of each other, according to Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.Since the start of the war, Russia has used artill...

Desperate for homes after the Pac-12 implosion, Stanford and Cal scramble for invitations from ACC, Big Ten

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

Stanford and Cal began playing college sports more than a century ago. For 99 percent of their athletic existence, membership in a conference based thousands of miles away was inconceivable. Now, it’s essential.The Cardinal and Bears are desperately seeking invitations to either the ACC or the Big Ten following the implosion of their longtime home, the Pac-12, which lost five schools late last week and has been reduced to a mere quartet.If neither of those leagues provides a lifeboat, the Bay Area schools seemingly have three options:— They could link arms with Washington State and Oregon State and attempt to rebuild the Pac-12 via expansion.— They could orchestrate a merger with the Mountain West.— They could compete as Independents in football and place their other teams in the Mountain West or West Coast Conference.For first-class academic institutions that have won hundreds of NCAA championships and produced iconic athletes across multiple sports, none of those...

Panthers hope addition of 4-time Pro Bowler Justin Houston frees up top pass rusher Brian Burns

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Brian Burns has developed into one of the NFL’s most dominant pass rushers despite not getting much help from the team’s other sack specialists the past four seasons.The Panthers hope they’ve resolved that issue.Carolina is banking on the addition of four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Justin Houston — who had 22 sacks in a season in 2014 — helping Burns maximize his potential as the Panthers transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme under new coordinator Ejiro Evero. Houston will be lined up opposite Burns at outside linebacker and serve as a situational pass rusher.Burns is coming off a 12 1/2-sack season last year despite seeing regular double teams and playing for a 7-10 team that rarely held the lead in games, thus greatly limiting his chances to get to the opposing quarterback on obvious passing downs.Regardless, Burns’ 38 sacks in four seasons are just off the pace set by Julius Peppers, Carolina’s c...

Sylvia Burwell announces last year as American University president

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

American University President Sylvia Burwell announced Tuesday that she will be stepping down after the 2023-24 academic year.Burwell has served as the university’s president since June 2017 — the first woman in the role. By the time she leaves her post, she will have held the job for seven years.In a video emailed to the AU community and posted on the university’s Instagram account, Burwell said there were three reasons behind her decision to step down as president: the “substantial progress” AU has made under her leadership, her feeling that the school has “the people and the infrastructure in place to accelerate our momentum,” and her desire to spend more time with her children and aging parents. View this post on Instagram A post shared by American University (@americanuniversity)Burwell, who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama, will continue to work as a lecturer in AU’s Sine Institute...

Colombia wakes up to momentous victory at Women’s World Cup

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — It was before sunrise in Colombia when the celebrations began.Catalina Usme’s goal at the Women’s World Cup in Melbourne — 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) away — helped Colombia beat Jamaica 1-0 on Tuesday and advance to the quarterfinals for the first time.“The dawn was worth it, we did not fail them,” said Linda Caicedo, Colombia’s 18-year-old sensation. “We made history today, but this is step by step.”Colombia moves to Sydney for a knockout match Saturday against European champion England, which advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with Nigeria on Monday.The 33-year-old Usme scored the only goal of the match in style. She controlled a center pass by Ana María Guzmán and took a powerful shot with her left foot to put Colombia a step away from the semifinals.“I have a lot of confidence in the penalty box, I am cold-blooded there,” Usme said. “This goal is for God, who makes me brave, and for my family who cried and dreamed with me.”...

Mike Rockenfeller to replace suspended Noah Gragson in next NASCAR Cup Series races

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Mike Rockenfeller, a two-time Le Mans winner, has been chosen to replace suspended driver Noah Gragson in the next two NASCAR Cup Series races.Legacy Motor Club CEO Cal Wells announced Tuesday that Rockenfeller will be in the No. 42 Chevrolet this week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and in the following race at Watkins Glen.Gragson has not been released, according to Wells.“Noah is suspended indefinitely by NASCAR so we will have to identify drivers to compete in the No. 42 in the interim,” Wells said. “NASCAR will determine the timeline when Noah can return to the sport. We are working with Noah and his representation through this process.”Gragson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on Saturday after liking an insensitive meme with a photo of George Floyd’s face. Floyd, who was Black, died in 2020 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes. NASCAR said Gragson violated the member conduct of its rule book, w...

Walker Buehler meets Jon Rahm — on the mound, not the golf course

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Walker Buehler is scheduled to throw to hitters Wednesday for the first time since he had a second Tommy John surgery two years ago.At least the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher has some experience throwing to someone standing in the box — Masters champion Jon Rahm, of all people.Both were nervous, even without Rahm holding a bat.“The first time I was about 6 feet from the plate because I was freaked out,” Rahm said Tuesday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. “Then I got as close as you can get. It seemed like the confidence I would have for making a 2-foot putt, he had for making sure he hit his spots.”For Buehler, his concern last Friday was more his footwear. He was wearing tennis shoes for what normally is a turf mound at the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, California. But with renovation at TPI, he was throwing off dirt.“All I could think was I could smoke this guy in the hand,” Buehler said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “If I slip ̷...

Mega Millions: How much of the $1.58 billion will you actually take home?

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:08:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The next Mega Millions drawing happens Tuesday night, and with a historic estimated jackpot of $1.58 billion, you might be wondering how much of that you'll see if you win.First, you should know that the estimated cash value is $783.3 million, not $1.58 billion. That's what you'd get if you chose the popular lump sum option.So, assuming you win, and assuming you take the lump sum, how much would you actually pocket after state and local taxes?How much taxes are taken out?The federal government automatically takes 24% in tax withholdings on all prizes over $5,000.So, at a cash value of $783.3 million, the federal taxes withheld from your prize before you even see a cent would be a little over $187.9 million. That leaves you with $595.3 million.And the tax withholdings don't end there, because Colorado takes 4% of your prize, which in this case works out to around $31.3 million. Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot largest in US history So, after that combined 28% in tax...