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Cinequest off to a strong start after opening night in downtown San Jose

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

Cinequest leaned into this year’s theme, “Energized,” with Tuesday’s opening night festivities, which included a party at a surprising venue — City View Plaza in downtown San Jose.It was there you could hear plenty of chatter and discussion about the opening night film, “Fresh Kills.” The film was written and directed by Jennifer Esposito, who also stars in the movie about the women — wives, daughters and sisters — who suffer the collateral damage of being part of a mob family. The audience at the nearly-packed California Theatre were enthusiastic about the compelling drama.“You don’t get this sitting on your couch watching Netflix,” Cinequest co-founder and festival director Halfdan Hussey said. “The human connection is so vital.”In a discussion after the movie, Esposito said she was thrilled with the audience reaction to the movie, the making of which she described as “brutal.” She agre...

Defendant in Richmond homicide case gets 16 years behind bars

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

RICHMOND — A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in a plea deal with Contra Costa prosecutors, over a 2020 fatal shooting here, court records show.Manuel Booker pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the shooting death of 25-year-old T’Shawn Richard, who was killed on Nov. 5, 2020 on the 700 block of Barrett Avenue in Richmond. The shooting occurred at 3 p.m. and dozens of shots were fired, but no one else was struck by gunfire, police said at the time.Authorities say the two were arguing about a piece of jewelry when Booker pulled out a gun and shot Richard.In exchange for Booker’s plea, prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him, court records show. Booker has not yet been transferred to the state prison system.Richmond police didn’t arrest Booker until last year. He gets credit for the time he spent in jail while the case was pending, records show.

SF Giants haunted by familiar issues in final game of homestand

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO – Giants right-hander Ross Stripling threw a 90-mph fastball in the fourth inning that was located right in the heart of the strike zone — so much so that Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe was upset with himself for fouling it off.Stripling again missed with his location just three pitches later, and this time, Lowe drove the four-seamer 430 feet over the right-center field wall.Stripling would continue to struggle, giving the run-challenged Giants almost no chance to come back in what became a 6-1 loss to the Rays on Wednesday before an announced crowd of 27,510 at Oracle Park.Lowe’s home run was one of three allowed by Striping, who also gave up a two-run homer to Brandon Lowe in the fifth inning and an inside-the-park one to Luke Raley in the sixth. Raley’s shot went off the brick wall in right field, then bounced off the top of the wall in right-center and past centerfielder Wade Meckler, allowing Raley to trot home.Stripling has now allowed 19 earned runs ...

Clinic Fire Deals Blow to Abortion Access on California-Arizona Border

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

Members of a Southern California community are grappling with a devastating blow to critical abortion access after a major fire engulfed a Planned Parenthood clinic in the early morning hours of August 15. Located in El Centro, Planned Parenthood’s Imperial Valley Homan Center is the only abortion provider in greater Imperial County. While the facility had been a staple for care in the region since it opened in 2015, it became a safe haven for out-of-state abortion patients following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson ruling in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade.“It’s a drastically medically underserved area already, so our services really were essential to the community here,” Sandra Duran, director of communications for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, told The Intercept. “We had patients coming to this health center from Arizona, from neighboring states, and it really became such a beacon of hope for so many.”Bordering Mexico to the south and Arizona to the east, Im...

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan plans quarterback rotation switch in second exhibition game

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Coach Kyle Shanahan plans to shake up his quarterback rotation in the second exhibition game for the San Francisco 49ers.Shanahan said Wednesday that the Niners are planning to give Sam Darnold most of the first half snaps on Saturday night at home against Denver and let Trey Lance come in after that in a reversal of the rotation from last week’s exhibition game at Las Vegas.Shanahan said he wouldn’t make the final decision on the rotation until after the end of the practice week, when he will also decide whether Brock Purdy and the other starters will get any time.Purdy is working his way back from offseason elbow surgery and is set to practice three straight days this week for the first time since the operation in March.Purdy’s arm strength has looked back to normal in training camp but he has struggled with interceptions in practice, including throwing two more during team drills Wednesday.Purdy threw just two interceptions in eight st...

Los puntos débiles y fuertes del caso contra Trump y sus aliados en Georgia por interferencia electoral

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

(CNN) — Si hay algo que puede decirse de la extensa acusación del jurado investigador sobre 41 cargos presentados contra el expresidente Donald Trump y 18 de sus partidarios, es que la fiscal de distrito del condado de Fulton, Fani Willis, está yendo a fondo.El caso se construye alrededor de un cargo relacionado con la ley llamada RICO, que es una herramienta que ha sido utilizada cada vez con más audacia por los fiscales locales en todo el país, especialmente en el condado de Fulton. La versión de Georgia de la ley, debido a que está escrita de manera amplia, hace que sea un cargo particularmente potente.“Es un tipo de responsabilidad penal que te puede meter en problemas por cosas que hacen otras personas”, dijo Ashleigh Merchant, un abogado de defensa criminal de Georgia con experiencia en casos RICO.Fiscal pide que el juicio contra Trump en Georgia por interferencia electoral empiece en marzo de 2024Willis ha dicho que planea juzgar a los 19 acusados a la vez, ...

Man City wins UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla in a penalty shootout

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Manchester City marked its first appearance in the UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Wednesday to add another piece of silverware to its vast haul under manager Pep Guardiola.After a 1-1 draw in regulation time and then nine successful spot kicks in the shootout, Nemanja Gudelj struck his attempt against the crossbar to hand City victory inside Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis.It was a 15th trophy won by City in Guardiola’s reign that started in 2016 and made up for the loss to Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the Community Shield 10 days ago.“The manager made it so clear to us before the game how much he wants to win this trophy,” City midfielder Jack Grealish said about the annual match between last season’s winners of the Champions League (City) and Europa League (Sevilla). “You want to win everything anyway but that gave us more of an urge. This club has never won it. It’s a brilliant feeling.”Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering heade...

North Carolina legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill limiting LGBTQ+ instruction in early grades, making it law

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill limiting LGBTQ+ instruction in early grades, making it law.Source

Brazil court gives Robinho 15 days to challenge arrest request from Italy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — A high court in Brazil ruled on Wednesday that former soccer star Robinho has 15 days to challenge Italy’s request to arrest and imprison him for rape.The deadline was set after Brazil’s superior court of justice unanimously rejected a request from the 39-year-old’s lawyers for the court to analyze a full translation of the proceedings and the sentence against Robinho from Italian into Portuguese.Italian authorities want the former Brazil, Real Madrid and AC Milan striker to serve his nine-year sentence in Brazil, but the court is yet to agree. Brazil doesn’t extradite nationals.Robinho was convicted in Italy in 2017 for his part in the group sexual assault in Milan that took place four years previously, when he was playing for Serie A team AC Milan. Italy’s top court upheld the Brazilian’s sentence in 2022, after which Italian prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant.The Brazilian court will decide whether to execute the arrest warrant a...

Dominican investigation of Rays’ Wander Franco is being led by gender violence and minors division

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:12:11 GMT

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A prosecutor in the Dominican Republic says the investigation into Tampa Bay Rays All-Star shortstop Wander Franco’s alleged relationship with a minor is being handled by a division specializing in minors and gender violence in the province of Peravia.Ángel Darío Tejeda Fabal, a prosecutor in Peravia, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the investigation into Franco is open under The National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents and Family and Gender Violence Unit. He said the probe is in its early stages and will be chaired by Judge Olga Diná Llaverías, a specialist on child abuse cases.“This is a very delicate topic because there is a minor involved,” Fabal said. “We are working together (with Judge Llaverías).” Fabal said prosecutors are gathering evidence and testimonies but did not provide details. “Next week, we might be able to give some of the necessary information without hurting the investigation,” he said. The prosecut...