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7.6 magnitude quake strikes off Japan, collapses buildings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

Japan dropped its highest-level tsunami alert, issued following a series of major earthquakes on Monday, but told residents of coastal areas not to return to their homes as deadly waves could still come.The quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. It was unclear how many people might have been killed or hurt.The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes in the Japan Sea off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 p.m.At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said. A fire broke out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity was out for more than 30,000 households, he said. The agency initially issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu, as well as the northern...

CBD and Tinnitus: A Look into Potential Interactions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

Read the original article about CBD Oil and Tinnitus at Real Tested CBD.Tinnitus, characterized by a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, is a condition that affects a significant portion of Americans. Among potential alternative therapies for managing this challenging symptom, Cannabidiol (CBD) has sparked considerable interest. Let’s take a closer look at current understanding of CBD’s potential role in tinnitus management.Understanding TinnitusFirst, a look at what tinnitus is.Tinnitus, a condition that manifests as a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, and it affects around 15% to 20% of the population. It’s not a condition in itself but moreover a symptom of an underlying condition like age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or a circulatory system disorder. Managing tinnitus can pose a significant challenge for many and there are limited treatments out there.Understanding CBDCannabidiol, better known as CBD, is one of over 100 compounds known as cannabi...

Beloved Berkeley restaurant that fed the needy will close today after 45 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

Earlier this year, Collin Doran came up with a radically simple plan to feed the homeless people he’d seen struggling outside Homemade Cafe, his popular Berkeley restaurant that’s operated in the neighborhood for 45 years. He began to serve them free breakfasts of two eggs with the works — no questions asked.Unfortunately, Doran won’t be able to keep his generous plan going, because he can no longer afford to operate his cafe, even with the good will and support of many loyal customers and after the cafe received national coverage this year from Today and the Washington Post.Today, New Year’s Day, is the Homemade Cafe’s final day in business. A fixture at the corner of Sacramento Street and Dwight Way, the restaurant will open at 9 a.m. and plans to serve customers until 3 p.m.“It is with great sadness and disappointment that we have to close,” Doran shared on Facebook. “It is just financially impossible to stay open. In today...

NFC playoff outlook: It’s a stress-free Week 18 for top seed 49ers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

So maybe the L.A. Rams-49ers game to close out the regular season won’t the kind of drama that seemed inevitable.Unless your idea of a Week 18 spectacle is watching Carson Wentz go toe-to-toe with Sam Darnold.The 49ers are in as the top seed after beating Washington 27-10 and getting help in the form of Arizona upsetting Philadelphia.The Rams are in as a wild card after winning six of their last seven games. So much for watching the 49ers crush the postseason dream for the Rams, or the Rams making the playoffs by knocking the 49ers out of the No. 1 seed.Instead, coaches Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay will be devising ways to put their best players in bubble-wrap, with quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford likely getting no more than cameo appearances, giving some reserve quarterbacks a chance for some regular season reps.Common sense says Christian McCaffrey, who gave way to Elijah Mitchell because of a calf strain against Washington, will get healthy throughout this wee...

Marin Republicans file dueling lawsuits amid party turmoil

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

A conflict over an office lease is at the center of two lawsuits involving current and former members of the Marin County Republican Central Committee.The group works to register Republican voters and promote party candidates. In September, suspended committee members Francis Drouillard and William McLaughlin filed a small claims suit in Marin County Superior Court naming their former organization as a defendant.Both accuse committee chair John Wilkinson of spending more than $8,700 in committee funds for the first year of a San Rafael office lease without the organization’s authorization in 2017, when he was treasurer, according to the suit. The suit also names former committee chair Kernan Jang as a defendant.The plaintiffs allege that Wilkinson defrauded the committee and are demanding that he pay it restitution.“We’re not in it for the money, we want the money returned,” Drouillard said.Joining them in the suit are former committee member John Turnacliff and former alternate mem...

Richardson Bay authority defeats lawsuit over ‘anchor-out’ boat removals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that the Richardson’s Bay Regional Authority does not have legal standing to police the water.The judge found no merit in an argument by plaintiff Robert Roark, an anchor-out who lives on the bay, that he has a constitutional right to anchor there.“To the extent Roark is alleging a stand-alone constitutional entitlement to anchor where he chooses, the United States’ constitution does not confer a blanket right to anchor in Richardson’s Bay,” wrote Judge William Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.Despite a law that prohibits boaters from anchoring in the bay for longer than 72 hours, many have lived on their vessels there for decades. The number of anchor-outs swelled to 240 in 2016. Today there are about 40.The agency enforces a 72-hour anchoring limit for new vessels, and plans to remove all anchor-outs from the bay by October 2024. A housing and vessel buyback program, as well as a permitting pr...

Bus driver from UC Santa Cruz crash dies from injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz Metro bus driver who was injured in a crash at UC Santa Cruz earlier this month has died, his union and UCSC officials confirmed Sunday.Dan Stevenson, a long-time Santa Cruz Metro bus operator, died after he was injured while driving a UC Santa Cruz Loop Bus on Dec. 12, a representative from SMART Local 0023 told the Sentinel. SMART Local 0023 is the union that represents Santa Cruz Metro bus operators and paratransit operators.Stevenson “I had the honor of working alongside Dan; he was a genuinely kind-hearted person dedicated to serving his community,” said James Sandoval, who worked as the general chairperson for the union before recently becoming international vice president for SMART, in a statement posted to Facebook. “Dan also showed unwavering dedication to his union, advocating for the rights of himself and his colleagues. He played a pivotal role during our 37-day strike in 2005, consistently offering his support wherever it was needed. The...

Wish You Were Here: Cooking paella in Barcelona

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

Hiking Kauai’s Napali Coast, Alaskan bear watching, Irish island hopping — readers have had some incredible travel adventures this last year. And lucky us, they’ve shared their journeys and offered practical tips along the way.Today’s adventures come from a Menlo Park couple with a penchant for paella.Wish You Were HereSPAIN: In September, Menlo Park residents Kate and Tedd Kimelman took a trip to Europe “to learn about the culture, history and wine of Spain and France,” Kate says. “We started with a cooking class in Barcelona, where we made gazpacho, paella, pan con tomato, tortilla de España and crème brûlée. Then we all sat at a long table and enjoyed our lunch with delicious Spanish wine and good company. It was a great hands-on way to learn about the cuisine of Spain and to bond with our group.”TRAVEL TIP:  “Be sure to make reservations for cooking classes ahead of time, as they are very popular.”Related ArticlesTravel...

Travel Troubleshooter: Hertz hit me with an $850 bill months after I returned my rental

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: My wife and I rented a car from Hertz in Arizona for a couple of days with our kids. The rental went fairly seamlessly, and we didn’t notice any damage to the car when picking it up. The representative did not give us anything to document damage, which was sort of atypical.We returned the car without any damage, and Hertz did not note anything when we returned the vehicle.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter Six months later, I received a claim notification from Hertz that the car had $850 of damage during our rental period. There isn’t a description of any damage or any evidence of repair — just a request for our insurance information or credit card number.I told Hertz that we did not incur any damage during our rental, and I told them it was concerning that nearly six months after returning the vehicle without damage, we received a bill for it. Can you help?— Joseph Meisinger, Elkhorn, NebraskaANSWER: Hertz should ...

More than 100 Bay Area festivals and fairs are on deck for 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:18:53 GMT

From tasty food and drinks to awe-inspiring art, film and cultural celebrations, the festivities ahead look near-endless. Here are all the fabulous fairs and festivals that are coming to the Bay Area in 2024.JANUARYSF Tape Music Festival: Jan. 5-7, Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St., San Francisco. America’s only festival devoted to the performance of audio works projected in three-dimensional space, SFTMF features four concerts of classic audio art and new fixed media compositions projected over a pristine surround system to an audience seated in complete darkness. $10-$50. sfsound.org/tape/Napa Truffle Festival: Jan. 12-15, Napa Valley venues. Savor some of the finest truffle cuisine in the world, paired with magnificent wines from Napa wineries. Learn the trade’s traits of truffles from the best Michelin star and master chefs, explore a working truffle orchard and see where and how truffles are harvested. Prices vary according to event. napatrufflefestival.com/Winter Win...