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Mosquitoes are annoying and some are deadly. Here’s why we can’t – and shouldn’t – simply kill them all

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

By Ritu Prasad | CNNAt this point in the year, we’re all quite familiar with the sounds of summer: the breeze through the trees, the birdsong, the chatter of children playing outside – and the persistent buzz of a mosquito.These insects have been nibbling on us since our earliest days. And with those bites came a plethora of diseases from viruses and parasites hitching a ride, everything from malaria to West Nile, Zika, dengue and more.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dubbed mosquitoes the world’s deadliest animal, and they are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year. Add in a world warming thanks to climate change, the problem could be getting worse.We’ve got some issues with our itty-bitty bloodthirsty cohabitants and it may seem like getting rid of them entirely would eliminate a source of irritation, not to mention save lives.But could we simply get rid of all of them? We asked the experts.Some mosquitoes are actually helpfulThe f...

From the Roadshow archives: Highway 85 tragedy that spurred safety changes across California

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

Editor’s note: Mr. Roadshow wanted to share some of his favorite columns and stories from more than 30 years of informing, entertaining and getting things changed for Bay Area (and beyond) drivers. He’ll be back on the road with new material soon. In the meantime, please keep sending Mr. Roadshow your comments or questions to [email protected] death of Carol Klamm was the first in a series of fatal accidents on Highway 85 in the late 1990s that led to California requiring median barriers to highways throughout the state. This is the saddest story Mr. Roadshow has ever covered, but also a rewarding one because needed safety changes were made. This story was originally published on March 2, 1996.No one will ever know whether Carol Klamm would be alive had there been a median barrier on Highway 85 Wednesday.But when traffic officials decided against constructing a metal railing or concrete wall down the middle of the six-lane highway, there were those who ...

Parents, community to oppose pride flag ban resolution by Sunol Glen school board

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

(KRON) -- Parents and community groups in Alameda County will be holding a rally Tuesday night against a potential ban of the pride flag by the Sunol Glen school board. The Sunol Glen school board will vote on a resolution to restrict all non state-required flags on their school campuses, including pride flags. In the proposed resolution, it states only two state-required flags, United States and California, should be flown. Massive sinkhole forms in SF intersection after water main break The rally is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. outside the Sunol Glen School on Main Street. The group, Sunol Glen 4 All, is made up of parents and community members that are working towards creating a safer and more inclusive environment.

CHP arrest alleged suspect in Oakland freeway shooting

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

(BCN) -- Detectives with the California Highway Patrol have arrested the main suspect allegedly involved in an Oakland freeway shooting this summer, the agency said Friday. On June 20, CHP received reports of a freeway shooting near the Interstate Highway 580 interchange with state Highway 24. Though the victim's vehicle was struck by a single bullet, they were not harmed by the gunfire, police said. Hammer-wielding vandal attacks Cruise car in San Francisco After an investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 57-year-old Oakley resident Nestor Palacios. On Thursday around 5:35 p.m., law enforcement took Palacios into custody without incident. During his arrest, detectives allege they discovered Palacios carrying a concealed, loaded pistol. Palacios has been booked into Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of attempted murder, shooting at a vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon and concealed carry of a firearm. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Opinion: Student housing crisis bolstered by municipal bylaw roadblocks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

Alexander Wray, Western University and Nick Revington, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)University and college students have become a flashpoint in Canada’s national housing crisis.The federal government is considering a limit on international study permits, something opposed by Universities Canada and scholars and advocates concerned about scapegoating international students for the housing shortage.Ontario’s Big City Mayors’ caucus has identified the lack of on-campus student housing as a primary driver of housing shortages. Across the country, frustrated students fail to find housing, or are forced into dangerous overcrowded situations. Nova Scotia may release the country’s first student-specific housing strategy.Recent stories have identified issues like ongoing discrimination against international students in the housing market and a less space-efficient design trend of more individualized student housing units. We’ve also seen discussion about the expanding...

Analysis: Why is Doug Ford doubling down amid Ontario’s Greenbelt scandal?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

Mark Winfield, York University, CanadaThe past few weeks have witnessed an extraordinary series of events in Ontario politics. Reports tabled by the province’s auditor general and its integrity commissioner on the government’s November 2022 decision to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greater Toronto Area’s Greenbelt have set off a political firestorm.The controversy has resulted in the resignation of Housing Minister Steve Clark and his chief of staff and angry protesters greeting Premier Doug Ford in Kitchener, Ont., when he arrived for the annual Ford Fest under heavy police escort.The auditor general found that normal decision-making processes related to the Greenbelt had been bypassed, that it was well-established there was no need to remove land from the Greenbelt for housing purposes and that decisions were “biased” in favour of certain developers who had bought the lands in question and who stood to reap a $8.3 billion windfall from their development.The integrity commiss...

Is it too late in the season to go hiking?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The first dusting of snow appeared on several peaks Monday. While winter hasn't arrived for those below 13,500 feet, the cooler weather affects hikers who plan on trekking through the potentially snow-covered mountains. Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Chris Tomer said the newly fallen snow is known as "termination dust" which signifies the end of hiking season for summer hikers who prefer snow-free conditions. For other hikers, the snow only means packing more equipment. Photos: 1st snowfall on Colorado peaks For now, the snowfall is light above 13,500 feet, which includes most 14ers. While the lower altitude hikes are still snow-free, it's never "too late" to hike higher elevation peaks. If the trail is open, you can technically hike any time of the year, but it all depends on your experience."There are different types of hikers. Some only hike in the summer, and some hike year-round.  The key is gear and experience," said Tomer. 14er hiking season ma...

Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board debates fate of iconic landmark amidst controversy

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

The Historic Preservation Board of Miami Beach met for a hearing to make a decision that would determine the future of a cherished historic landmark. The owners of the Ritz-Carlton and Sagamore hotels made a third attempt on Tuesday morning after the proposal for the construction of a towering 15-story, 200-foot-tall modern condominium complex was rejected twice. The new building would be within the heart of Miami Beach’s cherished Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue Historic Preservation District which has residents thinking out the future of their neighborhood.The community worried that the proposed high tower would obstruct cherished views, cast shadows over public spaces, and significantly impact the historic buildings that define this revered district. The historic district is home to iconic Art Deco treasures, including the renowned National, Delano, and Ritz Plaza hotels. The likelihood of a colossal, out-of-scale tower rising in the middle of these picture-postcard historic...

The MGM Resorts website is offline due to a cybersecurity issue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

(CNN) — MGM Resorts has shut down some of its systems as a result of a “cybersecurity issue,” according to a company social media post on Monday.“Promptly after detecting the issue, we quickly began an investigation with assistance from leading external cybersecurity experts,” the company said on X, formerly known as Twitter.MGM Resorts (MGM) says it’s working with law enforcement and “took prompt action to protect our systems and data, including shutting down certain systems.”The MGM Resorts website is currently offline, with an apology message and a list of phone numbers for guests to reach their specific hotel concierge desk.CNN has reached out to MGM Resorts for more information. MGM Resorts International manages several properties including Aria, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand Las Vegas, New York-New York.

Libya floods: Europe promises help, with thousands dead and missing

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:05:04 GMT

Ten thousand people are missing and more than 2,000 are estimated to be dead in Libya, after a storm caused unprecedented flooding in the country’s northeastern region.Storm Daniel swept through the northeast of Libya over the weekend, bringing extreme rainfall and inundating several cities in its wake, including Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, Soussa and parts of Benghazi.In the eastern coastal city of Derna, entire neighborhoods disappeared and hundreds of people are estimated to be dead after the rain caused the collapse of two dams, according to the World Meteorological Organization.Italy and France are among the European countries to have pledged aid and assistance, amid death and destruction on a catastrophic scale in the North African country, which has been the point of origin for many crossings by undocumented migrants trying to enter Europe. Tamer Ramadan, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Libya, said that about 10,000 peop...