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Trailblazer Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest serving U.S. senator, dies at 90

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest-serving U.S. senator who led San Francisco through its darkest and most violent days as mayor in the 1970s and later authored a federal ban on assault weapons that lasted a decade, died Thursday night, according to multiple reports.At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress and the longest-serving female in the chamber’s history. During a lingering bout of shingles earlier this year and ongoing reports of her mental decline, she resisted pressure from her own party to resign her seat.Her death will force Gov. Gavin Newsom to make a crucial decision he said recently he hoped he wouldn’t have to do: appoint a replacement to serve the rest of Feinstein’s term with the hotly contested race to succeed her in full swing.At the start of her career, Feinstein was a trailblazer for women and gay rights, and after the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, she emerged as a reassuring lead...

Travel Troubleshooter: Can I get the fare difference refunded after I was downgraded?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: Last year, my family and I had first-class tickets on American Airlines to fly from Boston to Phoenix. American delayed that flight, rebooked us and then downgraded us to coach class on another flight.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter A few days later, I received an email from American that it had refunded the fare difference between first class and economy class, and advised me to contact my travel agent.When I returned from our vacation, I contacted the travel agent at AAA, who had arranged our tour through Pleasant Holidays. The AAA travel agent contacted Pleasant Holidays, which had no record of a refund from American.Over the course of a few months, I followed up with AAA and Pleasant Holidays on the status of this credit to no avail. Finally, I reached out to one of the American executives who you list on your consumer advocacy site. The airline contacted me a day later and referred me to a website to check the status of the refund...

San Jose promised a blight strike force — but not a single inspection has occurred

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

It was sold this summer as a crackdown on businesses and residents who’ve let trash, weeds and graffiti fester in San Jose’s commercial districts — a new pilot program spurred by years of frustration over public safety and disheveled buildings in the city’s downtown and beyond.Instead of the current model, in which citations are issued mainly after resident complaints, a devoted team of code enforcement officers would proactively seek out blight and ding those responsible.“This is really about accountability,” proclaimed San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan at a news conference about the Focus Area Service Team, or FAST, shortly before the council approved the program in June. “We’ve talked a lot about getting back to the basics. Creating a city that is safer, that is cleaner and (where) everyone is housed. And to get there, we got to hold everyone accountable.”Including, it turns out, the city itself.The launch of the coveted pilot program has b...

Webster tube to close overnight next week for maintenance: Roadshow

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

Q: When Caltrans sent information about overnight maintenance closures for the Webster tube, I searched for Alameda residents’ comments about the tubes. Here’s one from 2019:“The tubes are the lifeline, along with our four bridges, to get out of Alameda in a disaster, or for emergency responders to come to Alameda.”Roger EckerA: Caltrans will close the Webster tube for maintenance work overnight each night on Oct. 2, 3 and 4. The tube will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4:30 a.m. the following morning. It will remain open during the dayDuring the overnight closures, detours will be in effect at the Posey Tube and CHP officers will be in place to assist motorists.Q: I read too much about speeders on Highway 17 and thought it would not affect me. Pretty much every Monday, I drive from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz for pleasure. I set my cruise control at the speed limit and have a comfortable ride.About a month ago, we returned after having dinner at the pier. It was...

The Sharks felt Filip Zadina was hurt on a ‘dirty’ play. What happened next pleased David Quinn

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

SAN JOSE – The losses are expected to mount for the San Jose Sharks this season, with oddsmakers picking the team to finish with the NHL’s worst record.But regardless of how few and far between the victories might be for the Sharks in 2023-2024, one thing that absolutely must happen from coach David Quinn’s perspective is for his team to stick together.To that end, Quinn was encouraged by what he saw during the Sharks’ preseason game Wednesday with the Anaheim Ducks, even though the result was a 4-2 loss.“When we went to every scrum, it was all five guys, and there were scrums because we were playing hard,” Quinn said Thursday. “I thought we had an edge to us offensively. There was no (b.s.) to our game. And when you play hard, you’re going to piss people off and there are going to be scrums.”Wednesday’s game got particularly chippy in the final two minutes of the third period, with the Sharks taking exception to Ducks forward Alex Killorn’s hit to Filip Zadina’s numbers...

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, SF native, has died at 90

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a centrist Democrat who served as California’s senior senator since 1992, has died. She was 90.The senator's office confirmed Feinstein passed away Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C.The longtime California senator was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 after winning a special election and was serving her sixth term at the time of her passing. Feinstein was California’s first woman senator.Earlier this year, Feinstein announced that she would not seek reelection in 2024. She faced calls to resign as she battled health issues in recent months and was the oldest sitting senator.In a statement from the senator's office, Chief of Staff James Sauls said, "Her passing is a great loss for so many, from those who loved and cared for her to the people of California that she dedicated her life to serving." Continuing, "There are few women who can be called senator, chairman, mayor, wife, mom and grandmother. Senator Feinstein w...

Dianne Feinstein, a centrist Democrat who served as California’s senior senator since 1992, dies at 90, AP sources say

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

FILE - The Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. returns on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 22, 2017, to hear testimony from Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)(AP/Susan Walsh) FILE - The Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. returns on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 22, 2017, to hear testimony from Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)(AP/Susan Walsh) WASHINGTON (AP) — Dianne Feinstein, a centrist Democrat who served as California’s senior senator since 1992, dies at 90, AP sources say.This is developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest. Source

Live updates | The Americans finally lead in a Ryder Cup match. It only lasted about 10 minutes

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Mark this down: The Ryder Cup officially began Friday at 7:35 a.m. Six hours and 25 minutes later, at 2 p.m. local time, the Americans had their first lead in any match.Europe dominated the morning foursomes so thoroughly that no match made it 18 holes and the United States never led in any of them. It was shaping up the same way in the afternoon fourballs as Europe had early leads.And then it happened! Jordan Spieth chipped in on the par-3 fourth hole to square the match, and Justin Thomas holed an 8-foot birdie putt at No. 6 for a 1-up lead.And then Viktor Hovland made birdie on the next hole, and the match was all square again. For the Americans, it was nice while it lasted.Europe is ahead in two fourballs matched, the other two are tied.The star of the afternoon is Matt Fitzpatrick, who is making everything. Fitzpatrick and McIlroy are 4-up after five over Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele. It’s worth noting that while this is Fitzpatr...

Savo Milošević hired by Bosnia-Herzegovina as team’s third different coach in Euro 2024 qualifying

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Former Serbia forward Savo Milošević was hired to coach the Bosnia-Herzegovina national team on Friday, its third different coach during qualifying for the 2024 European Championship.Bosnia has struggled in its qualifying group this year under previous coaches Faruk Hadzibegic and Meho Kodro though it already has a guaranteed place in the playoffs in March.The national soccer federation said Milošević was elected unanimously by its executive board. He last worked as a coach two years ago with Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana.Milošević was born in Yugoslavia in what is now the independent state of Bosnia-Herzegovina and started his career in Belgrade with Partizan. He left to join Aston Villa and later played for clubs in Spain, Italy and Russia.In his international career, Milošević played more than 100 times for the national team that was called FR Yugoslavia at Euro 2000 then Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 World Cup.Milošević’s first games a...

Shane Lowry releases emotions and silences critics in win with Sepp Straka at the Ryder Cup

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:49:09 GMT

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Shane Lowry was punching the air in celebration before he’d even taken his first shot at the Ryder Cup.Standing beside the first tee with partner Sepp Straka, Lowry watched on the big screen as Viktor Hovland — playing in the match ahead — chipped in for birdie from the fringe to get the Europeans rolling in what wound up being a record-breaking morning foursomes on Friday.Lowry threw his right arm into the air and whipped up the European fans who were cheering in the giant grandstand around him.This was always going to be an emotional day for the big Irishman, who was reduced to tears this week in a European team room bedecked in blue and gold with images of the late Seve Ballesteros everywhere.Lowry, the British Open champion in 2019, was not only carrying the baggage of a disappointing Ryder Cup debut in the Americans’ 19-9 thrashing in Whistling Straits two years ago. He also was out to prove a point following criticism in some quarters of his s...