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Feds seize $18 million in illegal e-cigarettes at LAX

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

Federal agents have seized more than $18 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarettes from a cargo examination site at Los Angeles International Airport, two agencies announced on Thursday.The seizures took place over three days and involved roughly 1.4 million units of e-cigarette products, many of them flavored products that are popular among youth, the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a joint statement.As part of the joint operation, agents examined incoming shipment invoices for several months at LAX. A total of 41 shipments were seized over the three-day crackdown. You can’t trash or recycle them. So how do you safely get rid of disposable e-cigarettes? “In an attempt to evade duties and detection, many of these unauthorized e-cigarettes were intentionally mis-declared as various items such as toys or shoes and listed with incorrect values,” officials said.The seized brands included Elf Bar, Lost Mary, Funky Republic, RELX Pod and IPLA...

Chargers blown out by Raiders 63-21 on Thursday Night Football

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

Los Angeles Chargers defensive leader Khalil Mack said he didn’t have his unit ready after Thursday’s historic 63-21 loss to their AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders.In an even bigger statement, he made it clear the team still believes in coach Brandon Staley.“Of course we believe in him,” Mack said. “And he believes in us. This can’t be a disconnect, when you love this (expletive) the way that I do.”Now it’s a matter of whether or not team owner Dean Spanos believes in the guy who is well on his way to his worst record since taking over in 2021 after the Chargers allowed more than 57 points for the first time in franchise history.“I don’t know,” Staley answered when asked if he expected to still be coach of the Chargers on Friday.“Yes,” he added, when asked if he thought he should be. “I know that what I’ve done here for three years and I know what I put into this. ... I believe in myself. But again, this isn’t about me This is about a group that’s hurting in there.”On the contrary, ...

Free parking erased from downtown L.A.'s Arts District

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

Friday morning brought a big change to the parking situation in downtown Los Angeles' Arts District.Flyers were placed on cars a few days ago announcing the change, which "is being implemented to increase the availability of parking spaces," the Los Angeles Department of Transportation said.More than 250 spots between 1st Street and 4th Street from Alameda Street to Santa Fe Avenue are now paid spaces, LADOT said on Facebook.To pay for parking, drivers can "enjoy flexible, contactless payment options," LADOT said."Choose from pay by text or QR code, and explore the convenience of the Park Smarter or ParkMobile app," officials added. "Drivers will also have the option to pay with cash or credit card at the nearest pay station."Five kiosks have been added to the area to accept payment, LAist reports.

Oakland entrepreneur’s app empowers people to save the environment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

Catastrophic climate change is looming. The Earth just endured its 12 hottest months in 125,000 years, and scientists say humans can only avert ecological disaster, if we cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 70% by 2050.That may sound daunting, but Oakland entrepreneur Sanchali Pal said it is within people’s power to make meaningful choices in their own lives. Her free new app, Commons, helps people track and reduce their carbon footprint — the total amount of carbon dioxide and other emissions they generate — by tracking how they spend money on food, utilities, clothes, furniture or travel.“Basically, I wanted to make it easier for people to make sustainable choices,” Pal said. “I knew, as a consumer myself, how hard it was, how much work it took to get the information required to actually make progress and measurably lower emissions.”The Boston-reared Pal was first inspired to track her own carbon footprint during college at Princeton. She subs...

Shohei Ohtani reveals dog’s name at Dodgers’ introduction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

By BETH HARRIS | AP Sports WriterLOS ANGELES — Nearly all the mystery around Shohei Ohtani’s unprecedented free agency was revealed over the last week, yet baseball fans kept sniffing around on a most fuzzy question.Just who was the pup sitting on Ohtani’s lap when he was voted AL MVP for the second time last month?Fans speculated the dog’s name could have been a hint at his intentions — What if the pooch was named Dodger? Or Giant? Or Blue Jay?All a Decoy, turns out.Introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday after agreeing to a $700 million, 10-year deal, Ohtani revealed that the brown and white dog who joined him on television last month is named Dekopin or Decopin in Japanese, depending on the transliteration — but he suggests Americans call him Decoy.Related ArticlesSports | SF Giants officially announce six-year, $113 million deal with Jung-Hoo Lee Sports | New-look SF Giants Fan Fest includes stop in San Jose Sports | Why SF Gi...

Suspect charged with hate crime at Saratoga Bottle Shop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

Dec. 4Residential burglary: At 8:21 a.m., someone entered a residence in the 12000 block of Country Squire Lane by breaking a rear glass door and stole cameras, checkbooks and jewelry of an unknown value.Petty theft: At 2:12 p.m., two suspects stole three surveillance cameras from the exterior of a residence in the 14000 block of Saratoga Avenue for a total loss estimated at $750.Loitering, assault, hate crime, resisting a peace officer: At 5:27 p.m., deputies responded to a disturbance at the Saratoga Bottle Shop on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. An investigation revealed the suspect was loitering, was asked to leave by the business owner and then became confrontational, made derogatory comments and chased the owner around the store. The suspect fled the scene but was located a short time later. The suspect resisted detention, spitting at deputies and attempting to headbutt them, but was ultimately arrested.Grand theft: At 7:06 p.m., deputies responded to a theft call at a residence in t...

SF Giants sign Jung Hoo Lee: How have past Korean stars fared with MLB leap?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

There are 5,611 miles separating Seoul, South Korea from San Francisco, and possibly an even bigger gulf in competition between Major League Baseball and the Korean Baseball Organization for Jung Hoo Lee to navigate.Lee, 25, is the Giants’ new center fielder after officially signing Thursday. The Giants have signed the former KBO Most Valuable Player to a six-year, $113 million deal — with an opt-out after four seasons — making him the franchise’s biggest free agent signing since Barry Zito in 2006.The Giants made the massive financial commitment, which dwarfed industry projections, knowing there could be a learning curve for Lee. Their bet is that Lee’s athleticism at a premium position and bat-to-ball skills, which allowed him to strike out at a minuscule rate, will translate stateside.While the KBO is one of the most competitive baseball leagues in the world, there’s little precedent of Korean players thriving in MLB. Just 28 Koreans have played in MLB, the majority of whom are p...

Google will stop telling law enforcement which users were near a crime

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

By Davey Alba | BloombergAlphabet Inc.’s Google is changing its Maps tool so that the company no longer has access to users’ individual location histories, cutting off its ability to respond to law enforcement warrants that ask for data on everyone who was in the vicinity of a crime.Google is changing its Location History feature on Google Maps, according to a blog post this week. The feature, which Google says is off by default, helps users remember where they’ve been. The company said Thursday that for users who have it enabled, location data will soon be saved directly on users’ devices, blocking Google from being able to see it, and, by extension, blocking law enforcement from being able to demand that information from Google.“Your location information is personal,” said Marlo McGriff, director of product for Google Maps, in the blog post. “We’re committed to keeping it safe, private and in your control.”The change comes three months after a Bloomberg Businessweek investigation ...

After Draymond Green suspension, the clock has started on this Warriors season (and beyond)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The clock on this Warriors season, and perhaps the dynasty, started before the Warriors’ loss to the Clippers on Thursday.Specifically at around 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday — when news broke of Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension. The seismic decision shook the NBA world, prompting pundits and talking heads to declare the Steph Curry era dead and bid good riddance to Green.Inside Warrior Land, the suspension was just another domino to fall. Add it to an ever-growing list of ways the Warriors’ season hasn’t gone at all by their own book. The team isn’t pinning this 10-14 start on Green alone, but seems to have pinned it as an evaluation starting point.What happens in the next month could determine whether this roster can get it together for a realistic playoff run, or if general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will be taking advantage of the expiring contracts around the Feb. 9 trade deadline. Is there enough good to retool, t...

Five popular fast food restaurants you won't find in California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:51 GMT

(KRON) -- There is no doubt California is home to many unique and delicious restaurants, but there are a few popular fast-food joints you just won't find unless you cross state lines. Below are five popular fast food restaurants you'll have to leave the Golden State to try and how far you'll have to road trip to give them a taste. WHATABURGERHeadquarters: San Antonio, TXLocations: 1,000+On the menu you’ll find the signature Whataburger that comes with a 5-inch beef patty, 1 tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions and mustard.Whataburger is located in 15 states, but not California. Out of its approximately 1,000 locations, 733 are in Texas. Earlier this year, the company announced it would open a Las Vegas restaurant on the Strip, although the Whataburger website still shows that location as "temporarily closed." The next closest location to San Francisco listed on the company's website is in Surprise, Arizona, which is about 750 miles or 13 hours away.A quick Google search reveals th...