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Nearly every Alaskan gets a $1,312 oil check this fall. The unique benefit is a blessing and a curse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Nearly every Alaskan will receive a $1,312 check starting this week, their annual share from the earnings of the state’s nest-egg oil fund. Some use the money for extras like tropical vacations but others — particularly in high-cost rural Alaska where jobs and housing are limited – rely on it for home heating fuel or snow machines that are critical for transportation.But the unique-to-Alaska benefit has become a blessing and a curse in a state that for decades has ridden the boom-bust cycle of oil, and it now competes for funding with services like public education, health care programs and public safety as lawmakers tap into the earnings to help fund the state budget. Squabbling over the oil checks’ size has resulted in legislative paralysis, and a Senate proposal aimed at resolving the dividend debate this year fizzled with no agreement.As Alaska struggles to attract workers and stem a years-long trend of people moving away, some residents are won...

Folly at fullback costs Minnesota United in 5-1 loss to Los Angeles FC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

Los Angeles FC had not scored a single goal across four matches coming into Wednesday’s MLS game against Minnesota United.The Loons fullbacks helped LAFC get off the skid.LAFC attacker Denis Bouanga netted a first-half hat trick — including exposing DJ Taylor and Ethan Bristow before two goals — in a 5-1 win at BMO Stadium.The defeat was the latest blow to MNUFC’s already wounded chances of making the MLS Cup Playoffs. The 12th-place Loons (9-12-11, 38 points) were not eliminated Wednesday, but the odds are much longer after dropping all three points to LAFC (13-10-9, 48 points). LAFC clinched a playoff spot with the blowout win.Trailing 3-1 at the half, Loons manager Adrian Heath hooked both fullbacks, replacing them with veteran defenders Zarek Valentin and Bakaye Dibassy.The Loons have had persistent issues at fullback this season.MNUFC terminated the contract of Kemar Lawrence in early August after the Jamaican had become a persistent detriment in the locker room and to the club...

High school volleyball: Lakeville North downs Eagan in match between top-5 teams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

Lakeville North marched into hostile territory and took down conference rival Eagan in five sets Wednesday night.In a back-and-forth match, the Panthers won 22-25, 25-19, 16-25, 25-12, 15-10.Lakeville North clawed its way to the win in the fifth set after losing the first three points.Eagan was ranked second in Class 4A and Lakeville North fifth.Lakeville North head coach Jackie Richter commended the opponent’s program and her own team for playing hard against an opponent they knew would challenge them.“Eagan is a remarkable program, and this is a very tough gym to play in,” Richter said. “We have the ultimate respect for Mckenna and Kathy, and I’m proud of our girls for enduring. The conversation before the fourth set was to play aggressively. That’s the only way to have a shot against Eagan, is to play aggressively.”Eagan coach McKenna Melville said preventing mistakes was a focus coming into the game for the Wildcats and will continue to be for the rest of the season.“They put a ...

3 dead, including pedestrian after 5-vehicle crash in Los Angeles County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

Three people are dead after a multi-vehicle traffic collision Wednesday afternoon in Azusa, authorities announced.  The Azusa Police Department said the accident, which involved approximately five vehicles, occurred at around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Cerritos Avenue and Arrow Highway. According to Jake Bushey with the Azusa Police Department, two motorcyclists were traveling eastbound on Arrow Highway at a high rate of speed when they struck several other vehicles at the intersection. One of the motorcycles that spun out of control struck a pedestrian who was seated off the roadway on nearby patch of grass, police said. All three victims died. Medical personnel with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the crash and pronounced two of the victims dead at the scene. A third victim was taken to the hospital where they later succumbed to their injuries. Aerial footage of the scene captured from Sky5 showed the intersection cordoned off while police were investi...

Mother killed, kids hospitalized after multi-vehicle Pomona crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

A multi-vehicle crash left a mother dead and her two children hospitalized in Pomona on Wednesday.California Highway Patrol responded to a crash on the 10 Freeway just east of Fairplex Drive around 12:30 a.m.Arriving officers found multiple people injured at the scene. A 30-year-old woman from West Covina was pronounced dead. Inside her car were two children — a 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl.The boy was transported to Children's Hospital Orange County with major injuries and the girl was transported to Pomona Valley Hospital with minor injuries. The woman was driving a Kia Forte on the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway when, for unknown reasons, she collided with a semi-truck and trailer driving in the next lane.A multi-vehicle crash left a mother dead and her two children hospitalized in Pomona on Oct. 4, 2023. (KeyNews)A multi-vehicle crash left a mother dead and her two children hospitalized in Pomona on Oct. 4, 2023. (KeyNews)A multi-vehicle crash left a mother dead ...

Fleeing suspect causes violent crash; 3 in critical condition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

SOUTH LOS ANGELES - An armed robbery suspect trying to escape arrest caused a collision that sent seven people, including three children, to the hospital Wednesday, authorities said.Three of the victims were in critical condition.The crash occurred just after 1 p.m. at Broadway and West 81st Street.According to Los Angeles Police, officers with LAPD's Community Safety Unit were trying to arrest a man on an armed robbery warrant when he sped away in a BMW."The officers were in proximity but not behind him," Lt. Kenneth Busiere told KTLA. “Their lights and sirens were not activated … The helicopter was overhead, and he may have been aware of the helicopter’s presence."The scene of a four-car crash in South L.A. that sent seven people to the hospital. Oct. 4, 2023. (Citizen)When the suspect reached the intersection of Broadway and West 81st, he slammed into a silver Hyundai Elantra carrying three adults and three children, Busiere said.Another vehicle was also damaged in the collision....

Two girls got into a fight at San Leandro High School. Three days later, one of their cousins allegedly shot up the other girl’s home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

SAN LEANDRO — Usually when adults get involved in quibbling between teenage relatives, it’s to act as a peacemaker or a positive role model.But not this San Leandro resident, who allegedly shot up the home of a 14-year-old girl who’d fought his teenaged cousin at school days earlier. No one was injured in the shooting, but the girl’s father was nearly struck by gunfire, police say.Now the suspect, a 32-year-old San Leandro man, is facing felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and two counts of illegal gun possession — one count related to the shooting, and another for allegedly having a weapon when police came to arrest him, court records show.The problems started on Sept. 14, when two 14-year-old girls had a fistfight at San Leandro High School. A full three days later, at around 4 a.m., one of the girl’s dad heard a man’s voice outside his San Leandro residence and went outside to investigate, authorities said.He was greete...

Powerball ticket worth more than $1.2M sold in Vacaville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

(KRON) -- The drawing for the $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot happened Wednesday night, and while no California players won the whole thing, a couple of players won a pretty good consolation prize. A ticket worth $1,220,123 was sold at Cigarettes 4 Discount at 973 Alamo Drive in Vacaville, according to the California Lottery website. That player had all five winning numbers, but not the Powerball number. Another ticket worth the same amount was sold in Elk Grove. 20,000 Kaiser healthcare workers on strike in the Bay Area Fourteen players got four correct numbers and the Powerball number. Those tickets are worth $17,500.Wednesday's winning numbers were 9, 35, 54, 63, and 64. The Powerball number was 1. The $1.2 billion jackpot is the third-largest in Powerball history. The largest pot, at $2.04 billion, was won last November in California. The odds of winning this jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. There have been 33 consecutive drawings since someone hit the jackpot.

Denis Bouanga has hat trick, propels LAFC past Minnesota 5-1 and into a playoff spot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored three times in a first-half barrage to take the Major League Soccer goals lead, and Los Angeles FC clinched a playoff spot with a 5-1 victory over Minnesota United on Wednesday night.Bouanga ended LAFC’s four-match, 372-minute scoreless streak in the fourth minute of its regular-season home finale. He added two more goals before the halftime whistle, and the defending MLS Cup champions cruised through the second half to move into third place in the Western Conference.Filip Krastev added his first MLS goal for LAFC in the second half. LAFC is unbeaten in its last seven matches against Minnesota.Hassani Dotson scored in the fourth minute of the worst defensive game of the season by Minnesota, which has flopped down the stretch with a seven-game winless skid (0-4-3) since August. That matches the Loons’ longest winless skid in MLS play, set in 2018.Bouanga’s hat trick gave him 17 goals this season, pushing him ahead of Cincinnat...

Pavia leads New Mexico State to 34-17 victory over FIU

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:12:44 GMT

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score to help New Mexico State pull away in the fourth quarter for a 34-17 victory over Florida International on Wednesday night.Pavia raced 43 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 24-17 lead. NMSU forced a punt and Monte Watkins’ 32-yard run set up a 3-yard scoring run by Star Thomas for a 31-17 advantage with 10:35 left to play. Pavia completed 20 of 31 passes for 256 yards with one interception. Watkins had 89 yards on five carries.New Mexico State (3-3, 1-1 Conference USA) took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Pavia capped an 11-play, 76-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown toss to Chris Bellamy. FIU (3-3, 0-3) pulled even on the ensuing drive on Keyone Jenkins’ 6-yard touchdown run at the end of a seven-play, 75-yard drive.The Aggies moved back in front on Pavia’s 49-yard scoring strike to Jordin Parker midway through the second quarter. Shomar...