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Final Pac-12 opener a key battle as CU Buffs men’s basketball hosts UW

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

Colorado has been simply lights-out at home. After struggling for several seasons, Washington once again has its zone defense operating at a high level.One of the most important matchups during the opening weekend of league play in the Pac-12 Conference might come down to that strength-against-strength matchup.With the Los Angeles teams sputtering through nonconference play and the Huskies serving notice they could be a factor with a win against Gonzaga and three narrow, ultra-competitive defeats against top-40 NET teams, Friday’s showdown at the CU Events Center might be one of just 20 Pac-12 games over the next two-plus months, but the result ultimately could prove critical in the conference race.“Washington is a good team and we have to lock in,” CU forward J’Vonne Hadley said. “It is a big game in the Pac-12 standings, but we have to treat every game like a new one. Everybody is 0-0. We’re all trying to win, especially in the Pac-12.”A Buffs team that has gone 7-0 at home while ...

Santa Ana police searching for machete-wielding robbery suspects

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

Santa Ana police are investigating two armed robberies that took place in the city involving three men, including one who was possibly armed with a machete.The first took place around 7 p.m. Wednesday night near a bike path on the 3000 block of W. Edinger Avenue. The victim was riding an electric skateboard when they were approached by three men. One of the suspects was armed with a gun and the other was in possession of a knife similar to a machete, a Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson told KTLA.This map shows the location of two armed robberies in Santa Ana that each reportedly involved a person wielding a machete. The suspects stole the victim's cell phone and a GoPro camera and then fled the scene.Hours later, another person fell victim to an armed robbery involving three people, including one wielding a machete. That robbery took place around 2 a.m. on the 500 block of S. Bristol Street.Police say the victim was held at knife point with the machete while the other two sto...

LA Weekly’s 2023 Cannabis Superlatives 

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

Here is a bunch of the weed stuff we loved, and some we didn’t, in 2023 broken down into a fun list of Cannabis Superlatives. Headie Boy Accessory of the Year: Puffco XL ChamberFew things hit as hard this year as Puffco’s new XL chambers for its Peak vaporizer. The amount of terps one can shovel into that thing brought people much joy in 2023. I mostly use my standard 3D chamber, but there is no denying how fun a half-gram dab before some pizza is. Most Actual Upscale Cannabis Party: Legends of HashLegends of Hash was one classy affair. On top of a bunch of the best hash on the planet, participants were transported somewhere that looked like it was owned by some rich Moroccan Bedouins for the two-day mega sesh. There was also a cereal bar!Best LA Cannabis Event Gone National: ZalympixZalympix continues to spread LA cannabis culture nationwide backboned by Greenwolf’s legacy of providing Los Angeles with the heat. The New York and Michigan editions of Zalympix only furthe...

The tiny Warriors are the best rebounding team in the NBA. Huh?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors’ tallest player is the 6-foot-10 Dario Saric. Their best rebounder, Kevon Looney, grew up as a point guard and couldn’t hop a curb. Their defensive maestro, Draymond Green, has hardly played.Yet the Warriors, more than a third through the season, are the best rebounding team in the NBA.Golden State ranks first in rebounds per game at 47.4. They average 13.2 offensive boards per game, tied for first. Their 52.4% rebounding rate — an advanced metric measuring the percent of available rebounds a team grabbed — is a hair behind New York’s league-leading 52.5% mark.So far at least this season, the Warriors have proven one thing: when it comes to rebounding, size isn’t everything.“It’s something that in training camp, we really focused on — being a great rebounding team and crashing the glass as much as possible,” Looney, the starting center, said this week. “We’ve got such great shooters, giving them extra...

World’s population slated to be 8 billion on New Year’s Day

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

By Mike Schneider | Associated PressThe world population grew by 75 million people over the past year and on New Year’s Day it will stand at more than 8 billion people, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday.The worldwide growth rate in the past year was just under 1%. At the start of 2024, 4.3 births and two deaths are expected worldwide every second, according to the Census Bureau figures.The growth rate for the United States in the past year was 0.53%, about half the worldwide figure. The U.S. added 1.7 million people and will have a population on New Year’s Day of 335.8 million people.If the current pace continues through the end of the decade, the 2020s could be the slowest-growing decade in U.S. history, yielding a growth rate of less than 4% over the 10-year-period from 2020 to 2030, said William Frey, a demographer at The Brookings Institution.The slowest-growing decade currently was in the aftermath of the Great Depression in the 193...

Watch: Monster waves crash into streets, cars, pedestrians along Northern California coast

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

Scenes of angry, towering waves hitting streets in Northern California coastal towns flooded social media Thursday. Buildings and businesses from Pacifica to Santa Cruz reported damage and beaches were evacuated. A combination of an offshore storm and high tide led to the onslaught — and another storm is on the way.The high surf warning continues until 3 a.m Friday as waves are expected to be as high as 33 feet.  The weather service advises people to stay away from beaches, piers, and other waterside infrastructure.Absolutely insane waves today in Pacifica! High Surf Warning remains in effect until 3am tomorrow, Be safe and smart around the ocean! @NWSBayArea #CAwx pic.twitter.com/az6Lj4kWYA— Antonio Maffei (@AGMaffei) December 28, 2023WIPEOUT! Kids watching the waves in Santa Cruz were tossed when a big one crashed into the rocks. pic.twitter.com/UMljSqBWln— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) December 28, 2023Don't be this person! Massive wave nearly sweeps this perso...

'Unacceptable': 21 hazardous materials releases, spills recorded at Martinez refinery

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

(KRON) -- 2023 was not a good year for Martinez Refining Company, according to county health officials.Anna Roth, director of Contra Costa Health, wrote a letter to the refinery's managers on Thursday, stating, "In the past year, CCH has documented 21 releases or spills of hazardous materials at the Martinez refinery. The number of incidents at the refinery over the past year is unacceptable for a facility operating in Contra Costa County."A high number of hazardous materials releases from the refinery, including three incidents involving metallic coke dust, compromised health and safety in nearby communities, according to county officials. Coke dust is a byproduct of oil refining. PBF Energy owns the Martinez refinery as the parent company of Martinez Refining Company. "PBF Energy is responsible for ensuring the reliability of its systems and establishing and maintaining a culture of safety at the refinery," the letter states. According to the county’s Community Warning System reco...

CF Kevin Kiermaier staying in Toronto on $10.5 million, 1-year contract

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Gold Glove-winning center fielder Kevin Kiermaier is staying in Toronto, agreeing to a $10.5 million, one-year contract.The team announced the contract on Thursday. The Blue Jays also have Daulton Varsho and George Springer in their outfield.The 33-year-old Kiermaier hit .265 with eight homers and 36 RBIs in 129 games in his first season with Toronto. He also won his fourth Gold Glove.Kiermaier was selected by Tampa Bay in the 31st round of the 2010 amateur draft. He played for the Rays for 10 years before they declined his $13 million option for 2023. He then signed a $9 million, one-year contract with the Blue Jays.Kiermaier is a .249 hitter with 90 homers, 352 RBIs and 126 steals in 1,043 major league games.Toronto went 89-73 this year and finished third in the AL East, trailing Baltimore and Tampa Bay. It made the playoffs as a wild card and was swept by Minnesota in the opening series.The Blue Jays have been fairly quiet so far this offseason. They made a play fo...

United Cup gets underway in Perth with Spain playing Brazil. Djokovic arrives to represent Serbia

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

PERTH, Australia (AP) — The United Cup tennis tournament began Friday with Spain playing Brazil and Australia taking on Britain in the higher-profile late match at Perth, Western Australia.The tournament involving mixed teams from 18 countries is being played in Perth and Sydney, where matches begin on Saturday. Two quarterfinalists will be determined from each of the Perth and Sydney group games with the semifinals and the Jan. 7 final set for Sydney.The format sees men’s and women’s singles matches played ahead of mixed doubles, the same used by the highly-successful Hopman Cup that was formerly played in Perth.No. 1-ranked woman Iga Swiatek is representing Poland and playing in Perth. Top-ranked and defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has arrived to represent Serbia, also in Perth.Serbia will take on China on Sunday and Czech Republic on Tuesday in the group stage, with Djokovic set to face world No. 58 Zhang Zhizhen and No.31-ranked Jiri Lehecka in his ...

Four-time Gold Glove SS Andrelton Simmons announces retirement

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:44:30 GMT

Andrelton Simmons, a four-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop during his 11 years in the majors, has decided to retire.The 34-year-old Simmons made the announcement via an Instagram post from his agency, ISE Baseball.Simmons was selected by Atlanta in the second round of the 2010 amateur draft. The Curacao native made his big league debut with the Braves in 2012.Simmons is a .263 hitter with 70 homers and 444 RBIs in 1,226 career games, also playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs. He made his last major league appearance with Chicago in July 2022.He won Gold Gloves in 2013 and 2014 with Atlanta and 2017 and 2018 with Los Angeles.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBSource