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East Bay Asian-themed shopping center lands buyer from San Diego

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

PLEASANTON — An Asian-themed shopping center in Pleasanton has been bought in a deal that shows some retail categories remain popular despite post-coronavirus economic uncertainties.Pacific Pearl, a retail complex whose anchors include 99 Ranch Market, the nation’s largest Asian supermarket chain, was bought by a group headed up by San Diego-based Tourmaline Capital and its president, Jonathan Cheng, according to documents filed on Sept. 20 with the Alameda County Recorder’s Office.The buyer group paid about $48.2 million for the retail center, located at 2733 Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton, the county real estate records show. Tourmaline Capital is a real estate firm that buys and operates retail and mixed-use properties on the West Coast.“A regional drawing, grocery-anchored, Asian-themed and food-centric center” is how a marketing brochure prepared by Lockehouse Real Estate Group describes the retail complex.The Pacific Pearl center totals about 110,...

California sues Bay Area crisis pregnancy centers for offering ‘unproven’ abortion-pill reversal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

California sued Bay Area crisis pregnancy centers Thursday for offering an abortion pill reversal procedure that Attorney General Rob Bonta said is unproven and largely experimental.The lawsuit against Heartbeat International, a national anti-abortion group, and RealOptions Obria, which operates pregnancy centers in San Jose, Oakland, Redwood City and Union City, accuses them of deceptive and fraudulent advertising of the abortion pill reversal procedure in violation of California’s false advertising and unfair competition laws.“Those who are struggling with the complex decision to get an abortion deserve support and trustworthy guidance — not lies and misinformation,” Bonta said. “We are launching today’s lawsuit to put a stop to their predatory and unlawful behavior.”Heartbeat International and RealOptions Obria representatives were not immediately available for comment.Abortion pills have become a central front in the nation’s battl...

Police on scene of 'critical incident' near Toyota Center in Albany

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

ALBANY, Calif. (KRON) -- The Albany Police Department and Berkeley Police Department are responding to a "critical incident" in the area of Interstate 80 between Buchanan and Harrison streets, according to an alert from Berkeley PD.KRON4 is at the scene where there is a heavy police presence at the Toyota Service Center.Police are asking the public to avoid the area.(Photo: Gayle Ong)This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Wildfire smoke still hanging over San Francisco Bay Area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is extending a Spare the Air Alert through Friday due to continued wildfire smoke impacts across the region."These wildfires continue to generate a large amount of smoke which is being transported into the Bay Area," air district officials wrote.After a very smoky Wednesday, air quality is still in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" range on the U.S. EPA’s Air Quality Index throughout the Bay Area Thursday.KRON4 Meteorologist John Shrable said current conditions are "comparatively better than yesterday." Shrable said, "Smoke and haze will continue today."The smoke plumes are being generated by wildfires burning near the California-Oregon border, including: Deep Fire, South Fork Complex, SRF Lightning Complex, Happy Camp Complex, and Smith River Complex.Newly-generated smoke billowing from these wildfires will be blown north toward Oregon as wind directions shift on Friday, Shrable said. In the Bay Area, skie...

Vivek Ramaswamy accuses Trump of making a ‘false promise’ in not repealing Obamacare

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy swiped at former President Donald Trump on Thursday for failing to repeal and replace the health care overhaul championed by his predecessor, President Barack Obama. “I am never somebody who will make a false promise,” Ramaswamy said at an event in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. “My friend Donald Trump promised us: repeal and replace Obamacare. Eight years later, did it happen? No, it did not. It is a false promise if it is contingent on Congress.”It was a rare dig at Trump by Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old businessman who is a fierce defender of the former president even while running against him for the 2024 Republican nomination. Ramaswamy has referred to Trump as the best president of the 21st century and at times has drawn criticism from other campaigns for his praise of Trump. Ramaswamy is among a pack of candidates trailing Trump and generally falling behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in national polls. Some polls suggest that he is perfo...

GoFundMe refunds donations to poker player who admits to lying about cancer for tournament buy-in

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The fundraising platform GoFundMe said Thursday it has refunded money to donors after a poker player admitted to lying about a terminal cancer diagnosis and accepted thousands of dollars in donations so he could play in a World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas.GoFundMe said it has also banned Rob Mercer from the platform and removed the poker player’s fundraising campaign from its website.“GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform and takes swift action against those who exploit the generosity of our community,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.Mercer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he made up a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis for his GoFundMe page in June, the newspaper reported Wednesday. The California resident was trying to raise enough funds to meet the $10,000 buy-in for the No-limit Hold’em World Championship. He received contributions worth between $30,000 and $50,000, including a stay at a...

Novels from US, UK, Canada and Ireland are finalists for the Booker Prize for fiction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Novels from Ireland, the United States, Canada and Britain that explore families, communities and a world in crisis make up the six finalists for the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction.The shortlist announced Thursday for the 50,000 pound ($61,000) award includes Canadian author Sarah Bernstein’s absurdist allegory “Study for Obedience”; U.S. writer Jonathan Escoffery’s “If I Survive You,” a set of interlinked stories about a Jamaican family in Miami, and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Paul Harding’s historical novel “This Other Eden,” based on a real interracial island community in the 19th century.Two Irish writers are on the shortlist: Paul Lynch, for post-democratic dystopia “Prophet Song,” and Paul Murray, for tragicomic family saga “The Bee Sting.” The finalists are rounded out by British writer Chetna Maroo’s “Western Lane,” the story of a young athlete grappling with a family tragedy.Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, who chairs the judging panel, said th...

No. 6 Ohio State gets a chance for a big statement in Saturday night showdown at No. 9 Notre Dame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — No. 6 Ohio State has been dogged at times this season by doubts about its firepower. Two lackluster wins to open the season didn’t help even though the Buckeyes have beaten all three of their opponents by at least 20 points and never given up more than 10.They have a chance to silence some of the doubters Saturday night at No. 9 Notre Dame (4-0), a showcase game with potential implications for the College Football Playoff. “You build up in these first few games to figure out where you are going into this game and you go from there,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “I think we got some confidence going into this game. We’ve got a rhythm.”The Buckeyes rank third in total defense, giving up 223.7 yards per game. After struggling early, the offense found its footing last weekend in a 63-10 rout of Western Kentucky. The Fighting Irish also own one of the nation’s top defenses, limiting opponents to 234.3 yards per game, right behind Ohio State. With Wake For...

In a first, Massachusetts to ban purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday that she says will make Massachusetts the first state to ban the purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies.Massachusetts buys about 100,000 of the plastic water bottles each year.The order bars all executive offices and agencies in Massachusetts from purchasing any single-use plastic bottles under 21 fluid ounces except in cases of emergency. Healey, a Democrat, said the executive order takes effect immediately.Healey also signed a second executive order that she said will set state biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050 — and develop strategies to meet those targets. She said protections will be among the first to extend to coastal and marine habitats.“Massachusetts has a long history of being first in the nation, and we’re proud to be the first to set long-term targets for biodiversity and to ban state agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles,” Healey said Thursday.She sa...

Hot dog! The Wienermobile is back after short-lived name change

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:15:34 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Some names are just the wurst.Just four months after announcing that the hot dog-shaped Wienermobile was changing its name to the Frankmobile, the one-of-a-kind wiener on wheels is reverting to the original.Oscar Mayer announced Wednesday on Instagram that the Frankmobile is toast. The Wienermobile rides again.The name change announced by The Kraft Heinz Company in May was meant to pay homage to the brand’s 100% beef franks and their new recipe. For fans of the original name, the change was, frankly, ridiculous.“It’s been a franktastic summer!” the Instagram post said. “But like you, we missed this BUNderful icon. Help us welcome back the Wienermobile!”Oscar Mayer was headquartered in the Wisconsin capital, Madison, for nearly 100 years before it moved to Chicago in 2015. The first Weinermobile was created in 1936, and it has gone through several iterations since then.Those who drive the Wienermobile around to promotional events are known as Hotdoggers. Pe...