Today’s Headlines: Parts of California face flood risk from snowmelt
Hello, it’s Thursday, April 6, and here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:
TOP STORIES
These parts of California face flood risk from snowmelt
After announcing the deepest snowpack in decades, state officials are warning that runoff from melting snow will send torrents of water rushing from the peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the foothills and valleys thousands of feet below.
Of particular concern is the Tulare Lake Basin and other areas of the Central Valley that have already seen storm flooding this year and remain in the path of snow runoff and releases from nearby dams. Major waterways such as the San Joaquin River, and tributaries, will see treacherous conditions as well.
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Taiwan’s president meets with Kevin McCarthy in L.A.
In Southern California, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday in a show of the strength of relations between Taipei and Washington.
On the other side of the world, Tsai’s predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, was in China on his own symbolic sojourn, touting instead the historic ties between Taiwan and the mainland.
The simultaneous visits to rival superpowers by Taiwanese presidents past and present underscore the increasing precariousness of peace on the democratically ruled island, and the uncertain path to maintaining it as relations between China, the U.S. and Taiwan have grown strained.
More politics
- Since Trump’s indictment by a New York grand jury on charges related to the alleged cover-up of a 2016 hush money payment, far-right figures like Kari Lake appear to be treating the moment as a clarion call to action for GOP politicians with ambitions for higher office.
- Mike Pence won’t appeal judge’s order to testify in the Justice Department investigation of attempts to overturn the 2020 election, a spokesman says.
- Actor Ben Savage’s campaign for Congress is the latest test of how much celebrity matters in American politics.
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As norovirus spreads in California, how can you protect yourself?
The highly contagious norovirus, sometimes referred to as the stomach flu, is on the rise in California, prompting state health officials to urge healthcare providers to step up disinfection efforts in a bid to check the spread.
The trouble with norovirus is it can be hard to get a handle on. It can linger on surfaces for weeks, setting the stage for spread in crowded or highly trafficked areas where people are not regularly washing their hands or are more susceptible to infection.
Many people aren’t aware that hand sanitizers do not work against norovirus. Because of this, health officials say it’s important to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to help prevent transmission.
California COVID-19 health rules ease as its state of emergency ends
The steady unwinding of COVID-19 emergency declarations has ushered in a slate of changes to Los Angeles County’s pandemic guidance, including when to mask, quarantine or isolate, as well as the reporting of new infections and outbreaks.
The most significant — the easing of government-issued masking orders for patients and visitors in healthcare settings — took effect Monday in L.A. County. In other California counties, masking orders for doctors and nurses also have expired.
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
CALIFORNIA
On Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ turf, Gov. Gavin Newsom decries conservative education push. Newsom condemned what he called a backward-looking conservative attempt to reshape education in the U.S. — most notably at progressive institutions like New College of Florida.
A doctor slipped cleaner into spouse’s tea, he installed cameras and now she’s charged, D.A. says. A Mission Viejo dermatologist is accused of using liquid cleaner to try to poison her husband. Suspicious about the taste of his tea, he installed cameras at home.
Lawsuits target ‘extortionate’ phone calls and commissary items in California jails. The lawsuits accuse California jails of marking up commissary and calls so much they’ve created an “unlawful tax.”
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NATION-WORLD
The U.S. reaches a $144-million deal with the victims of a Texas church shooting. Justice Department tentatively settles lawsuit over the 2017 mass shooting at a Texas church that will pay victims and families over $144 million.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Poland to thank a staunch ally and to meet Ukrainian refugees. Military honors, tributes and praise welcomed Zelensky and his wife to Poland as the couple made a visit meant as a gesture of thanks to Warsaw for its crucial support in Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
No, Emily Ratajkowski won’t just shut up and be pretty. On March 29, sexual misconduct allegations against her estranged husband, “Uncut Gems” producer Sebastian Bear-McClard, became public. The model/activist speaks out.
Mario’s ‘dad’ Shigeru Miyamoto on ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ and watching his creation grow beyond him. For nearly four decades, a plump plumber in red overalls named Mario has been a universal mascot for video games. But just who is Mario? The Times sat down with ‘Super Mario Bros.’ creator Shigero Miyamoto ahead of the opening of the new animated film.
Kid Rock joins transphobic backlash to Bud Light’s partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting up Bud Light cases after the beer brand partnered with actor and transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Choreographers’ work in film and TV often goes uncredited. A new guild aims to change that. The newly formed Choreographers Guild, now accepting members, is setting standards for compensation, credit, copyright and education for choreographers.
BUSINESS
How did TV cover Trump’s arraignment? It depends on who you watched. TV news coverage of the former president’s arrest had a somber tone. But there were still plenty of partisan jabs on conservative networks Fox News, Newsmax and OAN.
New IRS leader promises a faster and easier tax filing process. The Internal Revenue Service’s new commissioner delivered a tax-season pledge that the agency will use an $80-billion infusion of cash to become faster and more tech-savvy and provide “real-world improvements” to taxpayers.
J&J to pay $8.9 billion to settle talc litigation cancer claims. Johnson & Johnson said it agreed to pay $8.9 billion to resolve all cancer lawsuits tied to its talc-based powders and would make a fresh attempt to contain the liability within a bankruptcy filing by one of its units.
SPORTS
Here’s what the Lakers-Clippers showdown means. The Lakers and Clippers, who have never met in the postseason, meet in a game that will have a big impact on each team’s playoff hopes. The result of the matchup will go a long way toward deciding each rival’s postseason direction, whether toward the play-in tournament or directly to a first-round series with a top-six finish.
Atonio Mafi NFL draft diary: My Tongan heritage means everything to me. As offensive lineman Mafi transitions from UCLA to the NFL, he is sharing his journey with Times staff writer Ben Bolch through a weekly diary leading up to the April 27 draft. This week, Mafi discusses his Tongan heritage.
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OPINION
Why Black Angelenos should be angry with Mark Ridley-Thomas. Too many Angelenos are angry that Ridley-Thomas, who cared so much about justice, was found guilty of corruption. In their minds, that means justice wasn’t served. But it was.
Can you afford an EV? Good luck, with so few models eligible for a new tax credit. Not many electric vehicles in the U.S. will be eligible for federal subsidies under Inflation Reduction Act guidelines due to battery and minerals sourcing restrictions.
ONLY IN L.A.
Walking all 25 miles of Sunset Boulevard in a day reminded us why we love Los Angeles. A group of friends walked all 25 miles of Sunset Boulevard in a day. Doing so reminded them of L.A. history and their own experiences on the winding street.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
On April 6, 1917, the United States formally declared war on Germany, entering the conflict in Europe. Britain, France, and Russia, who had been at war since the summer of 1914, welcomed the news that American forces and supplies would be used in the Allied war effort.
On Nov. 11, 1918, World War I ended. The fighting ended at 11 a.m. Paris time, “the eleventh hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.”
As many as 4.7 million Americans served in the military during World War I. About 116,000 Americans died and 204,000 were wounded.
Armistice Day became a national holiday in 1919. In 1954, Armistice Day was rededicated as Veterans Day to honor all American veterans.
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