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LA’s Newest Equity Pot Shop Opens After 5-Year Battle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

Off The Charts x Cadre had a soft opening in late July, with its official Grand Opening a few weeks ago, but getting to those milestones was a long drawn-out fight.Founder Madison Shockley III started the fight five years ago. At the time, his partners at Off The Charts only had one other shop. With Shockley finally getting his new spot on E. 61st Street open, the company now has 14 dispensaries dotted around the state. And the menus look solid with names like Fig Farms, Alien Labs, and Connected anchoring the top shelf above a bunch of good deals.But this tale is more about what Shockley had to go through so he could stock that fire after first learning about the equity program in 2018.“I had a different location back in 2019 when I applied originally, and then the first-come first-served process was mismanaged, so I actually led the lawsuit against the city of L.A., on account of the first round of social equity permitting,” Shockley told L.A. Weekly.Shockley and the other plainti...

Peninsula man convicted of murdering workplace crush’s boyfriend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

REDWOOD CITY — A jury on Friday convicted a 37-year-old South San Francisco man of gunning down a co-worker’s boyfriend after she rejected his romantic advances, prosecutors said.Kevin B. Prasad was found guilty of charges including first-degree murder and shooting at an occupied vehicle, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.“Justice was delayed for five years in this case but finally achieved today when the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder while lying in wait,” District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. “His sentence of life in prison without parole is richly deserved.”Prasad tried to kindle a romantic relationship with the victim’s girlfriend while the two were working together at San Francisco International Airport in 2018. He urged her to break up with her boyfriend, 31-year-old Mark Mangaccat, but she refused, prosecutors said.On April 25 of that year, Prasad and an accomplice followed Mangaccat and his girlfriend to their Abbott Avenue home in ...

San Leandro police chief placed on leave for investigation into 'policy violations'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

(BCN) -- San Leandro's police chief was placed on administrative leave earlier this week pending an investigation into "allegations regarding department policy violations," city officials said Friday. Chief Abdul Pridgen was put on leave effective this past Monday, according to the city manager's office, which did not specify the nature of the allegations. Thao will take over search for new Oakland police chief if commission fails to deliver Pridgen was appointed to be San Leandro's police chief in 2021 after previously leading the Seaside Police Department in Monterey County. Before that, he served for more than 25 years with the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas, ultimately becoming the city's first and only Black assistant police chief. During the investigation, Kevin Hart -- a former police chief with two other police agencies who has more than 35 years of law enforcement experience -- will serve as interim chief. "His extensive background and proven leadersh...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Russian airbase where he was shown nuclear-capable bombers, Russian media reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Russian airbase where he was shown nuclear-capable bombers, Russian media reports.Source

Lucas Giolito strikes out a season-high 12 for Cleveland in a 12-3 win over playoff hopeful Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lucas Giolito struck out a season-high 12 over seven scoreless innings, Josh Naylor and Andrés Giménez each drove in three runs, and the Cleveland Guardians routed the Texas Rangers 12-3 on Friday night.Texas, which had its six-game winning streak halted, currently holds the second AL wild-card berth. The Rangers also are second in the West, where first-place Houston and third-place Seattle are separated by 1 1/2 games.Giolito (8-13), claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 31, allowed two hits and one walk. The right-hander had lost his previous five starts, and was 1-8 with a 6.99 ERA in 12 combined outings with the White Sox, Angels and Guardians since July 4.“I had the type of start that I like to have every fifth day,” said Giolito, who threw 100 pitches. “Being here in this environment with these guys, it’s been very nice after a very hectic month-plus.”Naylor matched his career high with four hits and Giménez hit a two-run homer off right-hand...

Army starts fast, holds off UTSA 37-29

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Hayden Reed and Jakobi Buchanan had first-quarter touchdown runs and Army never trailed in a 37-29 victory over UTSA on Friday night.Reed scored from a yard out midway through the quarter and Buchanan punched it in from the 10 with 1:15 left to give the Black Knights (2-1) a 14-0 lead.Robert Henry had a 19-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to get the Roadrunners (1-2) on the scoreboard. Quinn Maretzki followed with 23- and 45-yard field goals to push Army’s lead to 20-7. Eddie Lee Marburger connected with Tykee Ogle-Kellogg for a 46-yard touchdown on the final play of the quarter to pull UTSA within 20-14 at halftime.Maretzki added a third field goal, but Marburger hooked up with Joshua Cephus for a 44-yard score and the Roadrunners trailed 23-21 with 7:04 left in the third quarter. It took the Black Knights just two plays — a 55-yard completion from running back Markel Johnson to Isaiah Alston and a 25-yard scoring strike from Bryson Daily to N...

Royce Lewis sets Twins season record for grand slams with 4th in 10-2 win over White Sox

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Royce Lewis set a franchise record with his fourth grand slam of the season in the Minnesota Twins’ 10-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.Matt Wallner, Max Kepler, Willi Castro and Ryan Jeffers added RBI singles to help the Twins (78-70) maintain their eight-game lead in the AL Central over the Cleveland Guardians. Minnesota got to Chicago early with help from Lewis in the second inning. The Twins loaded the bases with two outs before the rookie followed with a homer to left field for a 4-0 lead.Lewis, who entered Friday hitting .323 over his last 45 games, has five grand slams in 66 career games. Bailey Ober (7-6) was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday and made his first start since Aug. 27. He went five innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He shut down the White Sox (56-92) until Elvis Andrus drove in Gavin Sheets with a two-run blast in the fifth. Ober won for the first time since July 18 when he pitched six innings against th...

Zach Eflin and the Rays limit the Orioles to 2 hits, win 7-1 to pull even in AL East

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Zach Eflin and two relievers combined on a two-hitter, Brandon Lowe and Harold Ramírez homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 on Friday night to pull into a virtual tie atop the AL East.Tampa Bay, which has won nine of 11 and 18 of 24, has erased a season-high four-game deficit in a span of six days thanks in part to winning the first two of a four-game series against Baltimore.Heston Kjerstad homered leading off the sixth — his first major league hit — for the Orioles, who have dropped four in a row to match their longest skid of the season. Baltimore (91-56) still leads the Rays (92-57) by percentage points in the division race.Kjerstad’s homer was the only hit Eflin (15-8) surrendered in seven innings.“He was pretty outstanding,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s come up big for us all season long. To date, you can probably make the case this is the biggest game of the year for us. He certainly had the right mentality, the approach,...

Infertility treatments in DC will soon be covered by insurance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

There’s now some relief for those looking to get in vitro fertilization treatments in D.C., as health insurers now have to cover the often costly treatment.Congress recently passed the Expanding Access to Fertility Treatment Amendment Act and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed it last week.“Infertility is a medical issue, and therefore your medical insurance should cover the ability for you to seek treatment,” Council member Christina Henderson, who co-sponsored the law, told NBC Washington.Now, in the District, it can be covered as a medical diagnosis. Henderson said that this will help to relieve a major burden and expand access for those wanting to go through IVF treatments.“When folks learn that it could cost upward of $100,000, $150,000 in order for you to even be able to begin the process to try to start a family, it’s just out of reach for a lot of people,” Henderson said.Starting next year, those who use DC Healthcare Alliance and Medicaid will be ...

Slaight Music Video Program expects biggest year yet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:22 GMT

The Slaight Music Video Program will be revealing this year’s pairings at a launch event next week and expects 2023 to be its biggest year to date.For the past three years, the Slaight Music Video Program has acted as a bridge between the film and music industries in Kingston, pairing up local production companies and filmmakers with emerging musicians to create music videos which are premiered at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival. This project is a collaboration between Tourism Kingston and the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF).While artists have always been able to benefit from the contest via a music video free of charge and a premiere at the KCFF, new to the contest this year, the program is now able to provide artists $1,000 in compensation. Developments like this and the success of the program in the last two years has led to more bands than ever before applying for the 2023-24 edition.Musicians submitted their applications over the summer and the selection process took...