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Oakland man found guilty of child sex trafficking

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO – A 36-year-old Oakland man is facing up to life in prison after a jury convicted him of child sex trafficking and producing child pornography, federal prosecutors said.The jury found Kenneth Orlando Sparks guilty of trafficking the teenage victim on the “Blade,” a term used to describe commercial sex strips in San Francisco and Oakland, as well as recording videos of himself having sex with the victim in July 2019.In a statement Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Sparks arranged to transport the teen to and from the Blade and offered her advice and instruction while she was working. He also reportedly disregarded a warning about the victim’s age.Authorities opened an investigation into Sparks after San Francisco police officers stopped him and the teen in July 2019. Prosecutors said the officers learned the victim was a minor and observed evidence of her involvement in commercial sex work.A federal grand jury indicted Sparks on Sept. 29, 2021, charging him with...

3.1 magnitude quake rattles Humboldt County in likely aftershock

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

A small 3.1 magnitude earthquake about 50 miles southwest off the coast of Eureka rattled Humboldt County on Saturday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.The tremor, striking just after 9 a.m., was likely the latest in a series of aftershocks along the North Coast in recent months after a 6.4-magnitude quake on Dec. 20 that damaged many homes and left two people dead.“We have had a lot of aftershocks in that area,” said Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with USGS. “We would expect those to continue, but we can’t predict how long that could last and how big they could be.”Related ArticlesCalifornia News | ‘Shattered earth’: 4.6-magnitude quake shakes Humboldt County … again California News | How many Bay Area concrete buildings might fall like those in Turkey’s deadly earthquake? California News | Ecuador earthquake kills at least 12, causes wide damage California News | Rea...

Vehicle takes a dive off San Mateo Bridge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

(KRON) -- A car took a dive off the San Mateo bridge on Saturday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. Could reparations be coming for SF's Black community? According to incident logs, the car went over the bridge around 7 a.m. The incident happened on the Hayward side of State Route 92, just off the toll plaza. No injuries were reported in the crash. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KRON4 Breaking News SIGN UP NOW The car came to a stop in water that was over a foot deep, around 15 feet off the road, according to CHP. The make of the vehicle was not determined by police, and tow crews headed to the scene to pull the car out of the water. By 8:30 a.m., the scene was cleared and all lanes were open to traffic.

Knappe leads in South Africa ahead of final round

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Alexander Knappe overtook fellow German Nick Bachem to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Jonsson Workwear Open as he chases a first European tour title.Knappe moved to 17 under par overall Saturday after collecting eight birdies in his third-round, 7-under 65 at The Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg. He could have had a two-shot lead if not for a bogey on No. 17, his first dropped shot since the first round.Bachem, who led by one overnight, is still in contention in a four-way tie for second, one shot behind after a 69.Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren surged up the leaderboard to join that tie for second after carding the round of the week, a flawless 9-under 63. South Africa’s Hennie du Plessis and Malaysia’s Gavin Green are also on 16 under.Saturday’s start was delayed by rain but the damp course didn’t faze Knappe, and two birdies in his first three holes sent him on his way. “I could have been lower but then on 17 made o...

Scheffler, McIlroy survive scares to advance in Match Play

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy survived matches that went the distance Saturday morning and advanced to the quarterfinals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.Scheffler, who has reached the championship match in both appearances at Austin Country Club, looked to be headed home when J.T. Poston built a 3-up lead on him through 14 holes.Poston botched the 15th and conceded the hole, Scheffler squared the match with a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th, and he won with a par on the 18th. Poston’s approach to the 18th came up just short, and the gallery cheered when it began to roll off the false front into the rough. The cheer was even louder when Poston’s 5-foot par putt lipped out and kept the match from going extra holes.Scheffler played four years at Texas, so the gallery on his side was to be expected. He also is the No. 1 player in the world who defends his title in the Masters in two weeks. For now, he is three wins a...

Former F1 champs Raikkonen and Button race NASCAR at COTA

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kimi Raikkonen has already sprayed champagne from the winner’s podium at the Circuit of Americas.That was in 2018, when he wore Ferrari red and scored the final victory of his long Formula One career at the United States Grand Prix.The Finn is back in Texas, but in a much different car in a much different series with very different racing styles. Raikkonen and fellow former F1 champion Jenson Button will drive Sunday in NASCAR’s first road course race of 2023. Raikkonen won the F1 championship in 2007. England’s Button won it two years later. They have 36 career F1 victories between them.“It’s nice to be back,” Raikkonen said Saturday. “It’s a lovely place here in Texas.”Raikkonen will driving Trackhouse Racing’s Project91 entry that is designed to give a seat in NASCAR to drivers from others disciplines. Button will drive the No. 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing. Many of the regular NASCAR drivers welcome the Europeans. Ryan ...

Maryland Madness: Miller leads Maryland to Elite Eight

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Diamond Miller scored 14 of her 18 points in the final two quarters to lead second-seeded Maryland to a 76-59 victory over depleted Notre Dame and reach the Elite Eight for the first time in eight years.Shyanne Sellers also had 18 points for the Terps, who’ll play either defending champion South Carolina, the top overall seed, or No. 4 seed UCLA on Monday night for a trip to Dallas for the Final Four.Maryland (28-6) used a third-quarter burst to put away the third-seeded Fighting Irish (27-6), who played once again without injured leading-scorer Olivia Miles after her knee injury at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament earlier this month.Miles and guard Dara Mabrey, both starters, were injured spectators for Notre Dame, which hung tight with Maryland for 25 minutes before Miller and Shyanne Sellers took over.Miller, the first-team All-American, shook off a poor first half as Maryland gained control. Tied at 44-all, Lavender Briggs had a 3-pointer an...

Bruins capture Atlantic with 2-1 win over Tampa

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

The Bruins took care of business while simultaneously keeping a potential playoff opponent reeling on Saturday at the Garden.The B’s gutted out a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning to capture the Atlantic Division title – a foregone conclusion for a long time now – and handed the fourth straight defeat to the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions.Patrice Bergeron and Garnet Hathaway scored a goal each in the first two periods and Linus Ullmark (26 saves) shut the door the rest of the way. Ullmark made a huge save on a Nikita Kucherov slapper in the waning minutes to preserve the lead and win.Losers of their previous three games, the Lightning attempted to set a tone off the opening faceoff with some old school nastiness with Pat Maroon fighting Hathaway and Jakob Lauko tussling with Ross Colton. Maroon started jousting with Hathaway before the first puck drop and they were both spoken to, but once play started, it was a yard sale with gloves and sticks on the...

Weather service: Mississippi tornadoes deadliest since 2011

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

With at least 23 people dead, tornadoes that ravaged parts of Mississippi and the Deep South overnight were the deadliest in the state in more than a decade, according to National Weather Service records.By comparison, 31 people died in Mississippi in April 2011 during tornadoes that tore through several states, mostly in the southeastern U.S., weather service meteorologist Chris Outler said Saturday. Alabama was hit hardest during that so-called “super outbreak” of hundreds of twisters that killed more than 320 people and caused an estimated $12 billion in damage.Just a month later, another deadly twister ripped through Joplin, Missouri, killing 158 people. Outler, in Las Vegas, called 2011 “the headline year for tornadoes for the last 20 years or so.” Records show that 12 people died in Mississippi during Easter storms in April 2020 and 10 died in the state during a tornado event in April 2014.National Weather Service records tally these deadly U.S. tornado events since 2012...

Huge, deconsecrated Roman Catholic church in N.S. Acadian community now up for sale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:12 GMT

HALIFAX — A huge, deconsecrated Roman Catholic church that has been a landmark to the Acadian community in southwestern Nova Scotia is up for sale.St. Bernard Church officially closed last summer as the number of people attending mass in the 1,300-square-metre building had fallen to about 30 to 40 people.The building has been listed for $250,000, with realtors noting it contains over 8,000 blocks of granite in its construction and is among the largest churches in eastern Canada.Suzanne Lefort, a former treasurer of the parish council, said it’s been estimated — while she was in her volunteer position — that thorough repairs would cost over a million dollars for improvements to the roof, water system and the 28,000 cubic metre interior.She also said it remains uncertain as of Saturday what precisely will happen to a very large crucifix behind the altar, but added the church’s sacred objects are not part of the sale.She said she hopes an investor purchases the building and...