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Top EU court strikes down more of Poland's judicial overhaul

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

The top European Union court on Monday (5 June) struck down more elements of Poland's sweeping judicial overhaul for violating the bloc's democracy tenets, adding to pressure on the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party which faces an election this autumn.Poland, the largest ex-communist EU country, has lost its reputation as a poster child of democratic transition, as well as access to billions worth of EU funds in bitter rule-of-law battles with the liberal West since PiS came to power in 2015.On Monday, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that publishing online declarations of judges' memberships of associations, non-profit foundations or political parties violated their right to privacy and could be used to sway them.The Luxembourg-based court listed that element along with several others in the PiS judicial overhaul that were damaging the independence of judges, and hence undermining the rule of law."The Polish justice reform of December 2019 infringes EU law," a court statem...

Harriette Cole: Should I cut my parents off because they can’t shut up about my life?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been dealing with a situation where my parents constantly tell family members about my personal life without my consent.This has caused me a lot of distress as I feel like my privacy is being violated. It’s frustrating to think that I have no control over what personal information my family members know about me.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: This clumsy woman wrecks my house and acts like it’s a joke Advice | Harriette Cole: I’m afraid this exciting job will make me faint frequently Advice | Harriette Cole: I don’t want to falsely accuse them but I can’t shake this bad feeling Advice | Harriette Cole: I found out there are lies about me in this book Advice | Harriette Cole: I drink a lot. My life is fine. End of story? My parents seem to believe that it’s their right to disclose this information, but I strongly disagree. I value my...

New NOAA Office to be built on CSU Monterey Bay campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

A new National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office will be built on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay.The office will be located within the university’s science center and create a permanent home for NOAA adjacent to research laboratories, teaching spaces and faculty offices. NOAA plans to collaborate with the university in its applied programs including seafloor mapping, kelp forest restoration, agriculture businesses and sustainable tourism. The office is expected to enhance collaboration between NOAA and CSU Monterey Bay on conservation and research efforts for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It is also expected to create hands-on learning opportunities for students.Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, secured $7 million for the construction of the office. The federal funding is a significant amount of the historic $50 million investment for the construction of new NOAA Marine Sanctuary facilities across the U.S. that was i...

A frosé by any other name should still be slightly sweet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

The summer of our content is finally here. Well, almost if you’re worried about technicalities (the first official day of summer is June 21). There’re no required masks, there’s no indoor spacing and no need for vaccination cards.It might not be the summer of love, but it could be the summer of like, right? And if there’s anything anyone loves (or likes) on a hot summer day, it’s a cold drink. And there’s no colder drink than a blended one.But before anyone rushes out and orders a blended Hemingway Daiquiri (aka Papa Doble), the ones that so-called “Cocktail King of Cuba” Constante (mentioned in 1970’s “Islands in the Stream”) used to make — two shots of rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice and fresh-squeezed lime — I suggest that you really think twice about that for two reasons. One, double drinks are almost never a good idea, and two, no sugar? WTF?One thing blended drinks need is sugar. Limes and lemons need balancing in cocktails. And one thing that balances out tart is sw...

Joby Aviation debuts new Santa Cruz campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — Fourteen years ago, an idea took flight in the Santa Cruz Mountains as a small team of seven engineers worked out of a barn to explore new technologies.These brainstorms gave way to a partnership with NASA to develop a electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which the team at Joby Aviation has been diligently working on for more than a decade. With a crew that has grown to more than 1,500 employees, that necessitated a move to a much larger space, which was secured last fall with a $25.5 million purchase of the Plantronics building at 345 Encinal St. To celebrate this acquisition, the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce, local elected officials and Joby employees presided over a ribbon-cutting and hosted tours of the new headquarters.Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt told the Sentinel that the idea for the Joby aircraft stemmed from memories of commuting from the mountains just to attend Gateway School.“I loved where I went to school, and I loved where I ...

Southbound Highway 17 set for single-lane closure Wednesday, Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — Travelers moving southbound on Highway 17 will encounter a closure of the right lane from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, according to a Caltrans release.Related ArticlesTransportation | Beach traffic turns Highway 17 into a mess again: Roadshow Transportation | Four decades later, pain of Archbishop Mitty teacher being killed on Highway 17 lingers: Roadshow Transportation | Daytime lane closure on Highway 17 to take place Tuesday Transportation | San Francisco Opera comes to Los Gatos for lecture series The closure, meant to provide space for crews trimming and removing trees damaged in snow and rain storms this winter, stretches southbound from Vine Hill Road to just before the Glenwood Drive exit in Scotts Valley.According to the release, messaging and directional signs will be in place to alert travelers in the area who could experience up to 15 minute delays.

This bill would make it harder for California school boards to ban textbooks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

It would be harder to ban school textbooks in California if the state Legislature passes an Inland Assemblymember’s bill.Calling it a stand against “white Christian nationalist extremism,” Assemblymember Corey Jackson plans to amend one of his bills to require a supermajority vote by local school boards to ban textbooks.AB 1078 also would set up an appeals process for a book ban involving county boards of education. Introduced in February, the bill passed the Assembly May 30 by a 62-16 vote and is currently before the state Senate.Provisions requiring a supermajority and an appeals process aren’t currently in AB 1078, but that language will be added through amendments next week, said Daniel Peeden, a Jackson spokesperson.In a Tuesday press release, Jackson, D-Perris, noted the unfolding controversy over the Temecula Valley Unified School District board’s decision last month to block a history textbook because its supporting materials mentioned the late LGBTQ civil rights leader Harv...

Man accused of killing California cop 40 years ago goes on trial again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

A man accused of killing a Los Angeles Police Department officer in a brazen, midday Lake View Terrace shooting 40 years ago is on trial once again, with prosecutors alleging an accomplice handed him the gun he used to shoot the officer to death, while his defense lawyer argued the accomplice was the only shooter.Prosecutors told the 12-member jury in a San Fernando courtroom on Tuesday, June 6 that Kenneth Earl Gay, now 65, shot LAPD motor officer Paul Verna five times as he lay on the ground the day of his killing.They said Gay took a handgun from Raynard Cummings, 64, of Pacoima, his alleged partner in a string of robberies in the area, after Cummings shot Verna once from inside their car.L.A. County Deputy District Attorney David Ayvazian described Gay and Cummings as “desperate, violent men” who were on parole at the time of the killing and who feared Verna would discover they were riding in a stolen car tied to their crime spree.He said they killed Verna because he “was a thre...

14-year-old boy charged in Californai burglary spree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

A 14-year-old boy was charged with more than 20 counts, including 11 felony burglary counts, on suspicion of a burglary spree at several north Torrance businesses in April, officials said.The teen, who was not identified by authorities because he is a minor, is suspected of stealing a vehicle on April 27 and using it to commit a series of burglaries at 11 businesses in the city between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., the Torrance Police Department said in a news release on Tuesday, June 6. The windows of the businesses were smashed to gain entry.The teen was later arrested in a neighboring city on suspicion of stealing a second vehicle to commit similar burglaries, police said. The city was not specified.The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office charged the teen with 22 felony counts. He also had a prior arrest, police said, but details about that arrest or what the other 11 counts involved were not provided.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Another FCI Dublin correctio...

Student allegedly raped by intruder in California university housing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:33:00 GMT

A Cal Poly Pomona student allegedly was raped by a male intruder who broke into her off-campus apartment and was still inside when police responded to the victim’s plea for help, university officials said Tuesday, June 6.The attack, which occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday at University Village, allegedly was committed by a man unaffiliated with Cal Poly Pomona and unknown to residents at the apartment complex, college spokesperson Cynthia Peters said in a statement.Following the attack, the victim called for help and responding Cal Poly Pomona police officers arrested the suspect inside the apartment, Peters said.Campus Police Chief Linh Dinh declined to release the suspect’s identity and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.Dinh also declined to explain how the suspect entered the victim’s apartment, which is a short walk from campus.Cal Poly Pomona police arrest logs indicate an individual was arrested Sunday night at University Vil...