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Writers strike looms after members vote to shut down film and TV production

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

Writers for television, movies and streaming shows have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike if no labor deal can be reached before a May 1 deadline.The vote announced Monday afternoon showed 97.9% of participating union members voting to approve a potential strike.If a strike happens, it would be the first in the industry since 2007, and it would bring production on many shows and films to a halt. The 2007 strike lasted 100 days.The Writers Guild of America, the union that represents the writers, says it needs to make substantial changes to the way that writers are compensated because of the shift to streaming services from traditional films and cable and broadcast networks.“This is not an ordinary negotiating cycle,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a member of the union’s negotiating team, in a video message to members at the start of voting a week ago. “We are fighting for writers’ economic survival and stability of our profession.”“So far, the companies have been unwilling to enga...

Oakland repaired 2,700 potholes since March, city officials say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

(KRON) -- Mayor Sheng Thao kicked off Oakland’s "Spring Clean" city initiative Monday with an event focused on repairing roads hard hit by winter storms. City crews repaired an estimated 2,700 potholes since March 1, city officials said. The "pothole blitz" will continue into May, and residents are encouraged to continue reporting potholes in their neighborhoods by contacting OAK311.Extreme weather conditions made it difficult for the city to conduct routine maintenance over the winter months and caused more extensive damage than Oakland normally sees."I am so excited that the city is coming together for our One Oakland Spring Clean. We’re starting with a top concern of so many of our residents -- fixing our roads," said Mayor Thao. "Dry, warm spring weather means we can finally tackle the backlog of pothole fixes to give all Oaklanders safer and smoother roads. Our Department of Transportation workers have made progress addressing the backlog."The blitz dedicates bolstered maintena...

Fremont apartment building flooded, red-tagged after fire activated sprinkler system

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

(BCN) -- A fire Monday morning in an apartment in Fremont's Irvington neighborhood resulted in an entire building being red-tagged due to water damage from sprinkler systems, fire officials said. Residents were displaced from 44 units in building A at the Main Street Village complex, in the 3600 block of Main Street, according to the Fremont Fire Department.The fire was reported shortly before 8 a.m. at the three-story building, Fremont fire spokesperson Aisha Knowles said. No injuries were reported in the blaze. Mountain View PD arrests burglary suspect while homeowners out of town MidPen, property manager for the housing complex, was working to find temporary housing for those displaced, Knowles said.The fire began in a third-floor unit in the building, triggering sprinkler systems, officials said. The damage means power will be shut off to the building, and it was red-tagged by the city.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

San Francisco opens mental health, drug program on Treasure Island

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- On Friday, Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Department of Public Health announced the opening of a new 70-bed residential program on Treasure Island for people struggling with mental health and substance use disorders."This new residential step-down program will help people with substance use disorder receive the follow-up care they need after receiving treatment," Breed said. "The program is part of our larger efforts to provide comprehensive substance use treatment for San Franciscans while also addressing conditions on our streets. We need to have resources across the entire spectrum of care, from engaging with people directly on the street to having these long-term beds."JJ Smith, a Tenderloin community activist and anti-drug advocate, interviewed unsheltered people around the neighborhood Friday asking if they would go to Treasure Island for housing and services. One man responded, "I want to go! I love it." He added that the Tenderloin is ...

CBC ‘pausing’ Twitter after ‘government-funded media’ label

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation paused its use of Twitter on Monday after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk stamped CBC’s account with a label the public broadcaster says is intended to undermine its credibility.Twitter labelled CBC/Radio-Canada “government-funded media” — the same label that prompted National Public Radio in the U.S. to similarly quit Twitter last Wednesday.“Twitter can be a powerful tool for our journalists to communicate with Canadians, but it undermines the accuracy and professionalism of the work they do to allow our independence to be falsely described in this way,” CBC spokesman Leon Mar said in a statement announcing the change Monday afternoon.“Consequently, we will be pausing our activity on our corporate Twitter account and all CBC and Radio-Canada news-related accounts,” the statement said.CBC has sent a letter to Twitter asking the company to re-examine the designation.CBC does not meet those criteria, Mar arg...

Pinnacle Financial: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. (PNFP) on Monday reported first-quarter earnings of $137.3 million.The bank, based in Nashville, Tennessee, said it had earnings of $1.76 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.74 per share.The regional bank operator posted revenue of $595.6 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $401.8 million, falling short of Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $413.1 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PNFP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PNFPSource

Colorectal cancer is an ailment we don’t usually associate with younger people — but maybe we should

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

Colorectal cancer is an ailment that’s not typically associated with younger people.“I was 25 and I started experiencing symptoms,” said Vannora Hawkins, of Alexandria, Virginia. “It started out with abdominal pain. Then I started having vomiting and diarrhea. Then I started to have blood in my stool.”When she first went to the doctor for her symptoms, they couldn’t figure it out. She went through blood tests and X-rays.“They saw that I had an abscess growing in me,” she said. “They couldn’t really locate where it was, but they thought it was my appendix. “So, she was scheduled for an appendectomy. As she was being prepped for surgery, the doctors took another look and realized it was something else. A pathologist was called in, a biopsy was taken and she was prepped for a different surgery.“So once they opened me up and did a hemicolectomy, they diagnosed me at stage 4 because it had already went through my rectal wall and into my lymph nodes,” she said.She starte...

Macron says he hears France’s anger, but defends pension law

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that he heard people’s anger over raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, but insisted that it was needed to keep the pension system afloat as the population ages.In many cities, opponents to the pension law took to the streets to bang pots and pans during Macron’s televised address to the nation, with the rallying cry: “Macron won’t listen to us? We won’t listen to him!”In Paris, the gatherings quickly turned into spontaneous demonstrations in several neighborhoods, with some people setting fire to trash cans as police attempted to disperse the crowd. Hundreds of people also started marching in the western cities of Rennes and Nantes.In many other places across France, the protests remained peaceful, with people chanting and dancing in front of city halls to the sound of pots and pans used as drums. Many reject the changes as unfair, arguing the government could have raised taxes on the wealthy or employers instead.I...

XCel Brands: Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — XCel Brands Inc. (XELB) on Monday reported a loss of $6 million in its fourth quarter.The New York-based company said it had a loss of 30 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 32 cents per share.The brand management company posted revenue of $4.1 million in the period.For the year, the company reported a loss of $4 million, or 20 cents per share. Revenue was reported as $25.8 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on XELB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/XELBSource

Angels avert 4-game sweep with 5-4 victory over Red Sox

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:53:57 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit a three-run, first-inning homer and Los Angeles held off the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Monday in the annual Patriots’ Day game that had Angels’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s pitching start shortened by a long rain delay. Renfroe drove in four runs, helping the Angels avoid a four-game series sweep. Ohtani gave up a run in two hitless innings, walking the leadoff hitter and throwing two wild pitches before Rob Refsnyder’s run-scoring ground out. He’s given up only two runs in 21 innings over four starts this season.Renfroe, who hit 31 homers with the Red Sox in 2021, hit a 95.6 mph sinker from Brayan Bello (0-1) into the last row of the Green Monster seats during a four-run first. Brandon Drury added a sacrifice fly in the inning.Rafael Devers’ RBI single off Carlos Estévez sliced the score to 5-4 in the ninth. But Estévez struck out Refsnyder and got Masataka Yoshida to pop out with two runners on for the final out and his second save.Unlike most years wh...