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Ask Amy: Mother ponders family’s entrenched estrangement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Dear Amy: I am the mother of three daughters, and I’m hurting so bad.During the pandemic in 2020, my middle daughter (an anesthesiologist) passed away suddenly.She lived several states away from me.My oldest daughter and youngest daughter immediately flew out to her town.They did not invite me to fly with them.I was simply crushed.I had an accident years ago and lost a great portion of my hearing, so navigating an airport was just too stressful for me to handle alone.Driving more than 1,000 miles alone was not an option, either.Sadly, I did not get to attend the funeral.I told my oldest daughter how hurt I was over their actions in not helping me to get to the funeral.I got no response.Related ArticlesAsk Amy | Ask Amy: Houseguest needs nosh; raids pantry Ask Amy | Ask Amy: Struggling relative wants to RSVP well Ask Amy | Ask Amy: Legacy employee contemplates retirement Ask Amy | Ask Amy: Theater kid’s future rests on a curt...

G7 meeting will focus on supply chain issues - German finance minister

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

The Group of Seven (G7) economic powers focused on strengthening international supply chains in their meeting on Wednesday (12 April), German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (pictured) said.A G7 meeting took place on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring meetings in Washington.High inflation rates and financial stability will be other key topics in the G7 meeting, according to the finance minister.On Wednesday evening, the Group of 20 (G20) also met in Washington. The main topic was the high level of debt of many poorer countries, with China being the most important creditor, Lindner added.China is expected to drop its demand for multilateral development banks to share losses alongside other creditors in sovereign debt restructurings for poor countries, a source familiar with the plans said."China and all the non-governamental actors need to be reminded of their responsibility," Lindner said.

‘My son should be here’: 6 years later, justice still sought in Cal Poly Humboldt student’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Saturday marked the sixth year since Cal Poly Humboldt student David Josiah Lawson was fatally stabbed. His family and loved ones met with Humboldt County District Attorney Stacey Eads on Friday, who promised to spend the next three months reviewing the case.Lawson’s family wants Eads to pursue murder charges against Kyle Zoellner, a McKinleyville man who was initially charged with fatally stabbing Lawson at a party in Arcata in the early morning hours of April 15, 2017, but a judge decided there wasn’t enough compelling evidence for the case to warrant a trial. Michelle-Charmaine Lawson, Lawson’s mother, said the prosecution of Zoellner must come sooner.“She’ll have an answer for us, probably in about three months, but I don’t think you need three months to solve this case (that) is already solved. She just needs to prosecute Kyle Zoellner,” Michelle-Charmaine Lawson said.Lawson said the accumulated evidence in the case, which includes Zoellner’s bloody clothing, and his DNA under ...

Dear Gov. Newsom: People are dying in the Rehab Riviera. Do something

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Hey, Gov. Newsom! Hope you’re doing well up there.For us? Down here, you know, not so much.I can’t believe it but it has been six years since the Southern California News Group began chronicling the tragic cycle of fraud, death, abuse and abject failure in California’s startlingly unregulated addiction treatment industry. In that time, not much has changed.You have kids, Gov. Newsom. Can you imagine taking a lost, troubled child to a fancy seaside treatment center — licensed by our state — promising medical supervision and group therapy and a new lease on life, only to learn that the kid died in his sleep because there’s no doctor for miles and no one was checking as he detoxed?Or because he got hold of drugs packed with fentanyl and overdosed in his room?Or because he was tossed out for being high and staggered alone to a nearby parking lot and swallowed the rest of the pills in his pocket, dying behind a gas station garbage bin?I’m a parent, too, Gov. Newsom. If I speak to one mor...

Dear Gov. Newsom: Their daughter’s been swallowed by California’s rehab monster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Second in a regular series. See the first letter to Newsom here.Dear Gov. Newsom:Today I’d like you to meet the Jersey couple who parachute into L.A. every few months to figure out if their daughter is still alive.That’s them, near Skid Row, doggedly tacking up “missing person” posters and showing her photo to whoever will listen. She’s movie star material, truly: Early 20s, long dark hair, sky high cheekbones, Brooke Shields eyebrows. “PLEASE,” the posters implore; “Contact your family. They love you.”Dad sort of looks like a cop, but users smoke dope right in front of him and try to sell to him anyway. “I can bring back a shopping bag full of stuff,” he says. “There’s a school nearby, and little kids walk right past these guys with torches heating up these little glass vials. I took pictures.“I’ve been in Camden and Newark, and I can’t believe how bad California is,” he adds. “You don’t see anything like this in New Jersey.”Back in the car, Mom and Dad drive slowly, searching. So ...

Man hired to remove gang graffiti killed, 3 other men injured in California shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Four men were shot — one fatally — after two of them volunteered to paint over graffiti on the wall of a neighborhood ice cream shop in Northridge, authorities said.The gunfire erupted Saturday afternoon on Vanalden Avenue just north of Parthenia Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.Shortly before the shooting, two of the men walked into Northridge Ice Cream, the shop’s owner, Victor Santoyo, told ABC 7.“They said, ‘There is graffiti on the wall. Do you want me to paint the graffiti for you, for free,’” Santoyo said. “I found them a little bit of paint and gave it to them, and then a few minutes later, we hear the gunshots.”A few minutes later, the four men are seen on surveillance video ducking from gunshots, the news station reported.“One guy came in, asking for help. He got shot in the stomach,” Santoyo said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | California police officer shoots, injures suspect possibly involved in 3 other shootings Crime and...

Coachella 2023: Photos of artist-inspired outfits and fashion during Weekend 1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

The perfect fit is a big deal every year at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which took over the Empire Polo Club in Indio April 14-16 and returns for its second weekend, April 21-23.Southern California News Group photographers roamed the sprawling grassy venue to find outfits that stood out during Weekend 1. Some of the trends this year included silver, mirror ball and metallic looks, black and brown leather accessories, lots of ruffles, couples and friends color coordinating with wild patterns and a sea of black and pink attire inspired by Saturday headliner, K-pop group Blackpink.Aiyana Rodriguez, Marissa Campoy, and Alyka Lozano pose during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)Tay Diggs sits on Paul Feyisetan’s shoulders in front of the “Spectra” art installation on the first day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ...

Horoscopes April 17, 2023: Rooney Mara, make a difference in your community

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rooney Mara, 38; Jennifer Garner, 51; Liz Phair, 56; Sean Bean, 64.Jennifer Garner (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) Happy Birthday: Pay more attention to what’s happening around you. Don’t buy into someone else’s dream when you have your own. Look for opportunities that touch your heart and encourage you to make a difference in your community. Focus on home, family and raising your standard of living. An intelligent move or lifestyle change will help lower your overhead and ease stress. Your numbers are 4, 7, 18, 23, 27, 39, 46.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look at the big picture and consider your options. Staying within budget is crucial if you plan to finish what you start. When in doubt, let your intuition take over. Get along with others, but make your objective clear to anyone questioning you. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): It’s OK to change your mind. Utilize your time to ensure you meet your demands, and you’...

Bridge: April 17, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

Players can succumb to the “euphoria effect.” If something good happens early in the play, they respond emotionally and forget that the deal isn’t over.The raise to 3NT by today’s North was bold: Seven of his points lay in a short suit, he lacked aces, and a heart lead was likely. When West led a low heart, South correctly and hopefully put up dummy’s queen — and it won!South must have been euphoric. He next unblocked the A-K of clubs, led a diamond to his ace and took the queen of clubs. When he led a second diamond to dummy’s king, expecting five diamond tricks and nine in all, East discarded. Down two.LAPSEEuphoria is not one of the Nine Muses of Greek myth; South was so ecstatic at winning Trick One that he lost focus. After he takes dummy’s high clubs, he must cash the king of diamonds, following with his ten, and lead to his ace.When East shows out, South takes the queen of clubs and leads a diamond to the nine. He can run the di...

Nationals Notebook: Power outage threatens to short-circuit season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:59 GMT

The Washington Nationals avoided a sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians by rallying past on Sunday 7-6, thanks to a late-inning surge.The Nats also hit a pair of home runs in the victory. Both the rally and the power are notable because they’ve been isolated incidents this year.For a while, the pitching has been porous at times (21st in MLB in team earned run average); what’s been a disaster is an offense that ranks 28th in the majors in scoring and is tied for last with 8 home runs. Sunday’s win aside, they’re also fading in the late innings, hitting just .184 (29th in MLB) with a big-league worst 13 runs after the sixth. It’s still April, but it’s getting late early in the 2023 season.WASHINGTON, DC — APRIL 16: Jeimer Candelario #9 of the Washington Nationals hits an RBI single against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Nationals Park on April 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)Digesting the...