New therapy K9 raises paw, gets sworn into Ventura County Sheriff’s Office 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

New therapy K9 raises paw, gets sworn into Ventura County Sheriff’s Office  A four-legged “trendsetter” is the newest member of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. K9 Mellow raised his paw and was officially sworn in by VCSO Sheriff Fryhoff on Tuesday morning.  California Pizza Hut operators laying off all delivery drivers The Labrador Retriever is assigned to the Therapeutic Inmate Management Unit (TIMU), VCSO said on X, formerly Twitter. K9 Mellow raised his paw and was officially sworn in by VCSO Sheriff Fryhoff on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. (X/@VENTURASHERIFF)K9 Mellow raised his paw and was officially sworn in by VCSO Sheriff Fryhoff on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. (X/@VENTURASHERIFF)K9 Mellow raised his paw and was officially sworn in by VCSO Sheriff Fryhoff on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. (X/@VENTURASHERIFF)Mellow will be at the forefront of the sheriff's office’s new animal-assisted therapy program, which is focused on “supporting the emotional well-being of inmates struggling with mental illness.”  California rings in 2024 with new laws...

Post-Christmas travel rush is on in Southern California

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Post-Christmas travel rush is on in Southern California The day after Christmas marks one of the busiest days of the travel season as many Southern Californians make their way home from their holiday destinations.From Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, around 7.5 million travelers are projected to fly in the U.S. according to AAA. This number is up nearly 5 percent from the same time in 2022.Flight cancellations and delays at local airports have lowered since pre-Christmas Day travel with Los Angeles International Airport reporting zero flight cancellations and around 200 delays on the day after Christmas.The Transportation Security Administration expects Friday, Dec. 29 and Monday, Jan. 1 to be among the busiest airport travel days this year. However, the crowds have not deterred excited visitors, with many looking forward to visiting theme parks in Southern California. “We came from the Bay Area, from Oakland, and we’re doing a trip to Universal City,” said Carl Dhom, a visitor who landed at the Hollywood Burbank Airport. 2 California...

2024 Rose Parade: What to know if you want to go

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

2024 Rose Parade: What to know if you want to go As millions of people around the world enjoy the majesty of the 2024 Rose Parade Presented by Honda from the comfort of their homes on New Year’s Day, tens of thousands will get to attend in person.Rose Parade TicketsTickets range from $75 to $120 and are available through the Rose Parade’s official ticket vendor, Sharp Seating.Getting ThereParadegoers are strongly encouraged to use public transportation.Metro will operate 24-hour service on Metro Rail, also on the Silver and Orange Lines on the night of December 31 through the morning of Parade Day. In addition, Metro will offer enhanced service on the Metro Gold Line to accommodate large numbers of anticipated riders on Parade Day. Tap here to plan your trip.Metro will also provide regular bus service to areas near the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game and Post Parade areas. Buses will originate from locations throughout the county. For real-time info on Metro service, follow @metrolaalerts on Twitter. For more info, call 323-...

Sweden moves one step closer to NATO membership

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Sweden moves one step closer to NATO membership By Suzan Fraser | Associated PressANKARA, Turkey — The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Tuesday, drawing the previously nonaligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance.Sweden’s accession protocol will now need to be approved in the Turkish parliament’s general assembly for the last stage of the legislative process in Turkey. No date has been set.Turkey, a NATO member, has delayed ratification of Sweden’s membership for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as threats to its security, including Kurdish militants and members of a network that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016.The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee had begun discussing Sweden’s membership in NATO last month. But the meeting was adjourned after legislators from Erdogan’s ruling party submitted a motion for ...

Kanye posts apology in Hebrew to Jewish community

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Kanye posts apology in Hebrew to Jewish community By Andy Rose and Christina Maxouris | CNNKanye West, who has made repeated antisemitic remarks, posted an apology to the Jewish community for any “unintended outburst caused” by his “words or actions.”The recording artist, who has legally changed his name to Ye, shared the message, written in Hebrew, in a Tuesday Instagram post – just days ahead of his expected release of new music. The post had been liked more than one million times Tuesday morning.“It was never my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused,” his message read. Ye said he is committed to learning and ensuring “greater sensitivity and understanding” in the future, adding he is “dedicated to making amends and working toward promoting unity.”In a statement to CNN responding to the post, the Anti-Defamation League said, “After causing untold damage by using his vast influence and platform to poison countless minds with vicious antisemitism and hate, an apology in Hebrew may be the fi...

Experts warn of AI, deepfake impact on coming elections

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Experts warn of AI, deepfake impact on coming elections By Ali Swenson and Christine Fernando | Associated PressNEW YORK — Nearly three years after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the false election conspiracy theories that drove the violent attack remain prevalent on social media and cable news: suitcases filled with ballots, late-night ballot dumps, dead people voting.Experts warn it will likely be worse in the coming presidential election contest. The safeguards that attempted to counter the bogus claims the last time are eroding, while the tools and systems that create and spread them are only getting stronger.Many Americans, egged on by former President Donald Trump, have continued to push the unsupported idea that elections throughout the U.S. can’t be trusted. A majority of Republicans (57%) believe Democrat Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president.Meanwhile, generative artificial intelligence tools have made it far cheaper and easier to spread the kind of misinformation that can mislead voters and potentially infl...

Car fire blocking eastbound traffic at Caldecott Tunnel

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Car fire blocking eastbound traffic at Caldecott Tunnel (KRON) -- People driving eastbound through the Caldecott Tunnel Tuesday afternoon should expect delays, Caltrans said. The left tunnel is blocked due to a car fire. The fire was reported by California Highway Patrol at 4:45 p.m. According to CHP's traffic log, the car is fully engulfed. Freeway cameras showed eastbound traffic on CA-24 backed up in front of the tunnel. There is no estimated time for the roadway to reopen, and drivers are encouraged to find other routes. This is a developing story. Stick with KRON4 for updates.

Major BART delay at Embarcadero due to medical emergency

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Major BART delay at Embarcadero due to medical emergency SAN FRANSCISCO (KRON) -- There is a major BART delay at Embarcadero Station in the East Bay direction on the San Francisco Line due to a medical emergency, the transit agency tweeted Tuesday.No other information was provided, and no timetable was available for when the delay might be resolved. Calm before the storm: Officials urge storm prep as wet, unsettled weather returns In other commuter news, a car fire near the Caldecott Tunnel was snarling eastbound traffic. Drivers were advised to seek alternate routes.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

One person shot and killed in East Oakland, suspect in custody

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

One person shot and killed in East Oakland, suspect in custody (BCN) -- A person was shot and killed in Oakland on Tuesday and a suspect is in custody, the police department said. Police were alerted to a possible gunshot from the city's ShotSpotter system and they headed to the 1400 block of Sunshine Court just before 2:45 p.m.Officers located a person who had sustained at least one gunshot wound. Medical personnel attended to the victim but they were pronounced dead at the scene. Food truck stolen on Christmas Eve found at homeless encampment While investigating, police believed they identified a suspect and obtained a location for them. The suspect led police on a lengthy pursuit throughout the city, Oakland Police said, but with the assistance of a helicopter and other tools the person was eventually taken into custody. This is being investigated as a homicide and police have not released the name of the suspect or the victim at this time. Anyone who may have information helpful to this case is encouraged to contact the homicide section ...

Joe Flacco’s revival in Cleveland has the Browns on the verge of clinching a playoff spot

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:52:56 GMT

Joe Flacco’s revival in Cleveland has the Browns on the verge of clinching a playoff spot BEREA, Ohio (AP) — When they signed Joe Flacco in near desperation last month, the Browns hoped the veteran quarterback could keep them in the playoff mix. They needed someone to settle things down amid mounting injuries and uncertainty.Expectations were tempered when Flacco arrived.Four games later, they’re untethered.Flacco not only has Cleveland on the verge of its second postseason berth in 21 years, but the 38-year-old has many in this football-crazed city believing anything is possible with these Browns — and their top-ranked defense.In four games, he’s passed for 1,307 yards — more than any quarterback in that span — and 10 touchdowns, tying Flacco with Matthew Stafford of the Rams and Brock Purdy of the 49ers for the most during that period.Not bad for a guy who spent months watching games on TV at home in New Jersey while wondering if he had thrown his last pass.Clearly, Flacco’s got something left.“He’s played really well,” All-Pro left guard Joel B...