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San Jose scrapyard accused of buying stolen catalytic converters to pay $2,500 settlement

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

A San Jose metal scrapyard accused of trading in stolen catalytic converters and fueling a rise in property crimes in the South Bay has reached a settlement with the city, agreeing to pay $2,500 — with the possibility of additional penalties if it doesn’t follow industry regulations for the next three years.Tung Tai Group and its owner Joseph Chen faced a public nuisance shut-down order from the city starting in February 2022 after police targeted the business in an undercover operation dubbed “Cat Scratch Thiever” that investigated catalytic converter theft rings. A parallel criminal investigation was also filed against Chen but was eventually dropped because of insufficient evidence.Chen, who has a long history of run-ins with law enforcement stretching back to the late 2000s, recently came under scrutiny after a stolen statue from a San Jose public park was found at his scrapyard in February. Police say they have exhausted all leads trying to find out who stole ...

Bay Area brewery day trip: A trio of Alameda beer stops — and an exciting newcomer

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

My Bay Area brewery tour this month took me to the island of Alameda, where breweries and distilleries dot the expanse of the former Alameda Naval Air Station. I hadn’t there since before the pandemic, but since Faction Brewing was the only Bay Area brewery to win two medals at this year’s prestigious World Beer Cup, I figured it was high time I stopped by for a visit. I visited a trio of taprooms on this trip and discovered there’s an exciting newcomer headed this way.Faction BrewingFounded by industry veterans Rodger Davis and Claudia Pamparana in 2013 in an old, 65,000-square-foot airplane hangar, the couple brought years of experience to Faction. Davis brewed at the old San Francisco Brewing and later at Pyramid, Drake’s and Triple Rock, while Pamparana managed the bar at the 21st Amendment brewpub.Faction’s outdoor beer space boasts amazing views of San Francisco, with room for 500 revelers indoors and out. Faction keeps more than 20 beers on tap in a wide variety o...

'Homophobia is everywhere': Rainbow flags stolen in San Jose

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

(BCN) -- More than 75 rainbow flags have been stolen in Willow Glen as National Pride Month kicks off. It's become a reoccurring issue. Local real estate agent Holly Barr buys and places the flags on Willow Glen's main street, Lincoln Avenue, annually beginning in June. Every year she says they get stolen, but she's not letting it deter her efforts to celebrate and support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities, or LGBTQ+. More trouble for downtown SF as owner of Hilton, Parc 55 cease payments on hotel properties "Every year it is a controversy and I just don't get it," Barr told San Jose Spotlight. "But I'm just going to keep doing it because it's about inclusivity and acceptance and love and positivity." On Lincoln Avenue there are buckets at 12 different crosswalks with bright orange flags for residents to use to safely cross the street, with the expectation that people will put them back once they're done. Barr started that initiative on her ow...

Paolo Maldini out as AC Milan’s technical director after reported break with US owner

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Paolo Maldini’s tenure as AC Milan’s technical director has ended, the club announced in a brief statement Tuesday following reports of a rupture between the former defender and Milan’s new American owner, Gerry Cardinale.“AC Milan announces that Paolo Maldini concludes his role at the club, effective as of June 5, 2023,” the club statement said. “We thank him for his years of service in the role, contributing to the return to the Champions League and to winning the Scudetto in 2021-22. His day-to-day duties will be performed by a team working in close integration with the first team manager, ultimately reporting to the CEO.”The 54-year-old Maldini was a longtime captain of Milan as a player and is a fan favorite, so the move immediately drew protests from Rossoneri supporters.Maldini and Cardinale reportedly diverged over how to handle the club’s approach to the transfer market, with Maldini having said the team needed a deeper roster to compete in the Champions League...

2 Chinese snooker players handed lifetime bans for role in match-fixing scandal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Chinese snooker players Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were handed lifetime bans from the sport on Tuesday for their role in a match-fixing scandal involving eight more of their countrymen.Liang and Li were found by an independent disciplinary commission to have fixed five matches in July last year, then encouraged or put pressure on others to fix matches between July and December.Liang is a former finalist in the UK Championship, one of the biggest events on the snooker calendar.A total of 10 Chinese players were sanctioned by the World Snooker Tour, including Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong — two of the biggest names in the sport.Yan — the 2021 Masters champion — was handed a five-year ban and Zhao — the UK Championship winner from the same year – was banned for one year and eight months.An investigation was launched following an alert in August last year from the International Betting Integrity Association and World Snooker’s integrity unit. The 10 players were th...

Bills’ Hamlin participates in team drills for first time this offseason

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — With a helmet on, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin took part in team drills on Tuesday for the first time this spring and some six months since having a near-death experience during a game.Hamlin appeared upbeat by happily waving to the cameras pointed at him during pre-practice stretching drills. Soon after, he served as a punt protector in several special team periods.Hamlin had previously been limited to taking part in individual drills and the stretching portions of practice over the previous two weeks of the team’s voluntary sessions. The 25-year-old has made it his objective to resume his football career after going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 2.The frightening collapse led to the game being eventually canceled by the NFL, and had Hamlin spending 10 days recovering and being monitored in hospitals in Cincinnati and Buffalo. The third-year player was fully cleared to resume playin...

Forte is slight 5-2 favorite for Belmont Stakes over stablemate Tapit Trice

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

Forte is finally getting a crack at running in a Triple Crown race. The colt, who was scratched the day of the Kentucky Derby, is the early favorite for the Belmont Stakes.Forte, last year’s 2-year-old champion, was made the slight 5-2 favorite on Tuesday for the grueling 1 1/2-mile race.Trained by Todd Pletcher, the colt will break from the No. 6 post in the nine-horse field on Saturday at Belmont Park. Pletcher’s other horse, Tapit Trice, is the 3-1 second choice and drew the No. 2 post.Forte was the early Derby favorite, but was scratched by Kentucky officials the morning of the May 6 race because of a bruised right foot. He was on a vets’ list that kept him out of the Preakness, but has since come off it.“He’s doing great, he’s training really well. He hasn’t missed any training,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of Forte. “We still think this is the best 3-year-old in the crop and on Saturday he’s going to prove that.”Mage, the Kentucky Derby winner, is skipping the Triple Crow...

Silvia Alvarez becomes spokeswoman for baseball players’ union

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Silvia Alvarez was appointed acting communications director of the Major League Baseball Players Association on Tuesday.Alvarez takes over from communications director Chris Dahl, who shifts to senior adviser for communications and intends to retire on Jan. 1.Alvarez, 48. joined the union in 2019 after working in the campaign and government offices of Senator Cory A. Booker and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. She was senior vice president and director of corporate communications for First Horizon National Corp. and director of multicultural and charitable communications for Major League Baseball. Dahl, who turns 65 on June 23, joined the MLBPA in June 1997 to oversee the launch of its first website and became director of communication in June 2019, 11 months after Greg Bouris resigned. A former sportswriter for The Associated Press, he spent two years as secretary-treasurer of the Wire Service Guild, representing AP and United Press International employees....

Almost all Maryland sports betting happens on mobile apps; Fanatics joins the game

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

There are now 10 approved mobile sports wagering apps up and running in Maryland, with Fanatics being the newest.The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission has issued a mobile sports wagering license to Maryland Stadium Sub, LLC, doing business as Fanatics Sportsbook.In addition to the mobile sports betting apps approved in Maryland, there are also 10 retail sports wagering facilities in the state, but the lion’s share of fan bets are placed on the mobile apps.In April, Maryland Lottery and Gaming, reported sportsbooks handled more than $328.4 million in bets, with 95.4% of the total through mobile apps.The state’s share of sports wagering was $3.9 million, which goes to the Blueprint for Maryland Future Fund, which supports public education programs.Fans do win on many of their wagers. Prizes paid to players in April through both mobile and retail bets totaled $292.8 million.Maryland’s sports wagering market launched in December with five retail locations ...

Black Reel Awards founder launches LightReel Film Festival in DC

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:56:00 GMT

The LightReel Feel Fest launches at the Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market in Northeast D.C.(Courtesy LightReel Film Fest) The LightReel Feel Fest launches at the Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market in Northeast D.C.(Courtesy LightReel Film Fest) toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews the LightReel Film Fest (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').o...