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Cordell: Allow judges to reconsider life without parole sentences

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

California has long recognized rehabilitation as an important goal of our prison system. And yet, there are incarcerated individuals who are completely rehabilitated but continue to be warehoused in our prisons for decades and counting. Why? Because they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Senate Bill (SB) 94, pending before the state Legislature, would give some of those individuals the opportunity to be released. Authored by Sen. Dave Cortese, this bill embodies the belief of many Californians that our prison system can truly rehabilitate some of those confined behind bars. I am one of those believers.For nearly 20 years, from 1982-2001, I was a trial court judge in Santa Clara County. As someone who has sentenced thousands of criminal defendants, some of them to life sentences, I strongly support the passage of SB 94 that would allow those sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, before June 5, 1990, and who have served at least 25 year...

5 takeaways from the Georgia indictment of Donald Trump and 18 others

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

By Jeremy Herb and Tierney Sneed | CNNFormer President Donald Trump on Monday was criminally charged for the fourth time this year in a sweeping Georgia indictment accusing him of being the head of a “criminal enterprise” to overturn the 2020 election.The indictment from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis included 18 defendants in addition to Trump, 41 charges in total and 30 unindicted co-conspirators. It marks a key departure from special counsel Jack Smith’s charges against Trump for election subversion. Smith had only charged the former president in his indictment earlier this month, even as he listed six co-conspirators.RELATED: Read the Georgia grand jury indictments against Donald Trump and othersWillis’ indictment also went well beyond what transpired in Georgia as she used racketeering violations to charge a broad criminal conspiracy.The 19 defendants have until next Friday, August 25, to voluntarily surrender, Willis told reporters late Monday night. Even as Willi...

San Mateo reduces speeds limits around 13 schools

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

SAN MATEO, Calif. (KRON) -- The City of San Mateo has reduced speed limits around 13 public elementary and middle schools in an effort to improve safety.According to the city, the speed limits have been reduced to 15 or 25 miles per hour. The city council approved the new speed zones earlier this year which will be completed in phases. The first phase covers public elementary and middle schools with the second phase covering private elementary and middle schools. The third phase covers local high schools spanning to 38 roadways segments, the city said. Trump indicted by Georgia grand jury in 2020 election interference case “As my children and yours return to school this week, I’m excited to share our City’s progress to reduce speed limits near schools. We all play a part in keeping our streets safe whether we walk, bike, or drive in San Mateo,” said San Mateo City Mayor Amourence Lee. “This effort is part of a comprehensive approach to achieve Vision Zero and eliminate road fatal...

Verisante: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Verisante Technology Inc. (VRSEF) on Tuesday reported a loss of $23,000 in its second quarter.The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company said it had a loss of less than 1 cent on a per-share basis._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VRSEF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VRSEFSource

Jaguars’ Travon Walker plans to use his ‘superpower’ in Year 2 as he eyes gold jacket

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Travon Walker heard the whispers during his rookie year: He’s a project. He’s a bust. He’s an interior defensive lineman, not an edge rusher. He’s hardly the answer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And he’s certainly not Aidan Hutchinson.He insists none has bothered him. Nonetheless, he used them as motivation.Now, Walker is hellbent on proving he was worthy of the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He’s so confident that he’ll end up being the best of the class that he’s openly talking about a gold jacket — the one reserved for Pro Football Hall of Famers.It doesn’t sound like hyperbole, either. Walker and the Jaguars believe the former Georgia standout has made huge strides since last season and will be a near-impossible-to-block defender in 2023.“You can see the growth,” defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said. “Last year was a learning year for him. He learned how to pass rush. Now he’s to the point where he understands what he likes to do.“I c...

Spain hoping for one more win at Women’s World Cup to set off historic celebrations back home

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Not long after Spain secured its spot in the Women’s World Cup final on Tuesday, coach Jorge Vilda gathered with his players and staff in a huddle near midfield and sent them a brief message.“We’ve put an entire country on its feet, now we want all of us to be on the streets celebrating together after winning this final,” he said before leading everyone into a loud celebration.Spaniards were also celebrating back home as the national team made it to a Women’s World Cup final for the first time with a 2-1 win over Sweden in New Zealand. Olga Carmona scored the winning goal with a shot from the edge of the area in the 89th minute.“Spain in ecstasy and into the final,” said the main headline on the website of the sports daily As.Spain will play the final against either England or co-host Australia, which meet in the other semifinal on Wednesday. If there is more success on Sunday, Spaniards will be expected to fill the streets of Madrid to celebrate the historic title, ju...

Stock market today: Wall St. futures follow global markets lower after more weak data from China

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

Wall Street is sliding before Tuesday’s opening bell following yet more troublesome economic signals from China.Futures for the benchmark S&P 500 index and for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were each down 0.6% before the bell Tuesday.China’s economic slump deepened in July and its central bank cut a key interest rate to shore up growth. Consumer and factory activity slowed more than expected in July and the People’s Bank of China cut its interest rate on one-week loans to banks.“Policymakers are starting to hit the panic button,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a report.Data showed growth in Chinese retail spending slowed to 2.5% over a year earlier from June’s already weak 3.1%. Growth in factory output and investment also decelerated.The People’s Bank of China cut its interest rate on one-week loans to banks to 1.8% from 1.9% in a sign of growing official urgency about reversing the downturn. Also Tuesday, Russia’s central bank raised its mai...

Eagle Point: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) — GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) — Eagle Point Credit Co. (ECC) on Tuesday reported profit of $6.5 million in its second quarter.On a per-share basis, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based company said it had net income of 11 cents. Earnings, adjusted for investment costs, came to 32 cents per share.The management investment company posted revenue of $31.7 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ECC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ECCSource

4 Australians and 2 Indonesians are rescued after being missing in waters off Indonesia for 2 days

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Four Australian tourists and two Indonesians were rescued after being missing for two days in the waters off Indonesia’s Aceh province, officials and the father of one of the Australians said Tuesday.Peter Foote, the father of Elliot Foote, who had traveled to Indonesia to celebrate his 30th birthday with friends, said he received a text message from his son saying he is OK.“It says: ‘Hey Dad, Elliot here. I’m alive. Safe now. Love you. Chat later,’” Peter Foote said at a news conference in Sydney on Tuesday. “It’s great, it’s good news. I’ll have to talk to him and want to see photos and see what he looks like. It’s all good.”A wooden speedboat carrying the four Australians and three Indonesian crew members ran into bad weather on Sunday. The details of how they ended up in the sea remain unclear.One Indonesian crew member is still missing, according to the head of the local rescue agency.Peter Foote was told his son had paddled his surfboard t...

In ‘Bidenomics,’ Congress delivered a once-in-generation investment — with political promise, peril

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:35:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — There are so many dots on the maps they blur into blobs — each one reflecting trillions of public and private dollars flowing in the U.S. this past year to build thousands of roads, bridges and manufacturing projects in communities large and small, in states red and blue.They include an electric vehicle “battery belt” of manufacturing stretching from Michigan to Georgia, semiconductor fabrication plants in Arizona, Texas, Ohio and New York and broadband coming to Appalachia.Taken together, they represent President Joe Biden’s ambitious attempt to use the levers of government to chart a new era of domestic manufacturing, modernizing the U.S. to compete in the 21st century. Packaged as “Bidenomics” by the White House, the effort is the product of three major bills approved in the last Congress that are also the president’s hoped-for roadmap for reelection. Republicans have balked at what they said was unwarranted federal spending. The debate between those...