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Lawsuit: Celebrity-friendly church attended by Justin Bieber required workers to tithe

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

SEATTLE  — A Seattle-area megachurch that counts celebrities such as Russell Wilson and Justin Bieber among its thousands of members has been accused in a lawsuit of requiring employees to donate some of their earnings back to the religious organization or risk being fired.Employee Rachel Kellogg alleges Churchome and its leaders “engaged in a systemic scheme of wage and hour abuse against their employees,” including the requirement that all employees tithe 10% of their gross earned wages per month, according to the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court last week.If they didn’t, the lawsuit says, they would face pressure, discipline or termination, The Seattle Times reported.Kellogg, who worked in video and production for Churchome, says she wasn’t informed of the policy until after her hiring in 2019. The lawsuit argues the practice violates the state’s Consumer Protection Act, as well as hour and wage laws.“Regardless of whether this is a church, or not a church, or a nonpro...

Opera San Jose readying all-new take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Even as Opera San Jose is preparing to open its season-ending production of Puccini’s “Tosca” on April 15, the company under general director Shawna Lucey has announced plans for the company’s 2023-24 season.The season — Opera San Jose’s 40th — will open with “Romeo and Juliet” (Sept. 9-24, at the California Theatre), in an all-new production of Charles Gounod’s opera, directed by Lucey. It stars tenor Joshua Sanders and soprano Melissa Sondhi in the title roles; company music director Joseph Marcheso will conduct.The company will also present this fall “The Barber of Seville” (Nov. 11-26), with Rossini’s sparkling comedy sung by a cast featuring mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz as Rosina, tenor Joshua Sanders as the Count Almaviva, and bass-baritone Dale Travis as Dr. Bartolo. Marcheso conducts.The 2024 productions begin with Verdi’s “Rigoletto” (Feb. 17-March 3), directed by Dan Wallace Miller and featuring baritone Eugene Brancoveanu in the dramatic title role. “Florencia ...

Donald Trump has been indicted following an investigation into a hush money payment scheme. Here’s what we know

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Former President Donald Trump’s indictment by a New York grand jury has thrust the nation into uncharted political, legal and historical waters, and raised a slew of questions about how the criminal case will unfold.The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has been investigating Trump in connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election.Though the indictment — which has been filed under seal — has yet to be unveiled, Trump and his allies have already torn into Bragg and the grand jury’s decision, blasting it as “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”Here’s what we know about Trump’s indictment so far.What’s the indictment for?Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in the indictment, CNN has reported. It remains under seal.The investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office began when Trump was still i...

Mill Valley traffic stop leads to arrest for weapons, booby trap

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Police in Mill Valley earlier this month arrested a suspect in connection with weapons crimes and possession of a booby trap. Zhanjian Zhang, 28, of San Leandro, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a booby trap, possession of high-capacity firearm magazines and possession of a concealed dirk or dagger, according to the Mill Valley Police Department. VIDEO: Yelp review of Millbrae boba tea shop proves to be fake after customer caught sabotaging drink On March 16 at 2:30 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 700 block of Miller Avenue, when the officer observed a vehicle traveling with an equipment violation. The officer conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver, identified as Zhang. KRON On is streaming live news now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; ...

BART service resumed between Colma, Daly City

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

BART is recovering from an earlier problem and service has resumed between Colma and Daly City stations, according to a tweet from the transit agency. Earlier, BART had stopped service between the Colma and Daly City stations Friday morning due to a loss of power in the area, according to the transit agency. BART officials issued an alert shortly after 8:20 a.m. about the service problem. 49ers bid for Bay Area to host 2026 Super Bowl SamTrans buses were taking people between the two stations on Routes 120 and ECR during the service disruption, according to BART. More details about the issue were not immediately available. Bay City News contributed to this report.

49ers bid for Bay Area to host 2026 Super Bowl

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

The 49ers want another run at hosting the Super Bowl less than a decade after bringing the championship game to Santa Clara. San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York said the team is hoping to host the 2026 Super Bowl at the NFL annual meeting Tuesday. This would mark a decade after Levi's Stadium first hosted the 2016 Super Bowl. The decision is expected to be made in May, according to a 49ers spokesperson. Advocates said hosting the nation's largest sporting event for a second time would bring a much-needed boost to local businesses. A’s win ‘significant legal victory’ for Howard Terminal Ballpark project "The Bay Area has a strong history of hosting world-class events, including Super Bowl 50 and being named as the host of FIFA World Cup matches in 2026," Bay Area Host Committee CEO Zaileen Janmohamed told San Jose Spotlight. The nonprofit organization advocates to bring sports events to the region. "Because of the Bay's unique character as a diverse and innovative region, and as t...

Vallejo man pleads guilty to conspiracy for drug trafficking

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

(KRON) -- A Vallejo man pleaded guilty to conspiracy for methamphetamine and heroin trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of California. Officials said he was in possession of at least 500 milligrams of methamphetamine.Court documents showed that between September and November 2020, Michael Renay Williams, 62, sold large amounts of heroin and meth to an undercover agent. At the time of his arrest, officials said he was in possession of approximately three pounds of crystal methamphetamine. VIDEO: Yelp review of Millbrae boba tea shop proves to be fake after customer caught sabotaging drink Williams is due for sentencing on Oct. 5 and faces a mandatory 10 years in prison. He faces a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Co-defendant Charles Courtney, 57, of Vallejo, is awaiting trial set on March 11, 2024.

The Anti-War Vote That Came 20 Years Late

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Anti-war demonstrators march during a demonstration against war in Iraq and Iran on Jan. 4, 2020, in Washington, D.C.Photo: Alex Edelman/Getty Images/Getty ImagesMembers of the United States Senate are patting themselves on the back. They officially just voted to end the war in Iraq — sort of.The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the legislation is being praised by its supporters in the Senate as a reassertion of the war-making powers of Congress. “This vote shows that Congress is prepared to call back our constitutional role in deciding how and when a nation goes to war,” said Sen. Bob Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, and Republican Todd Young of Indiana, argued that the vote sent a signal that the American people are still in charge when it comes to deciding when to go to war.But the Senate vote came 20 years ...

Crowded field hopes to avoid Premier League relegation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A good relegation fight can keep things interesting at the bottom of the Premier League. Usually it doesn’t involve nine teams, though.Just four points separate last-place Southampton from 12th-place Crystal Palace heading into the final stretch of the season as the threatened clubs and a few nervous managers try to reverse their fortunes.Palace manager Roy Hodgson calls it “exceptional,” and he’s been coaching since the mid-1970s.“You don’t normally have almost a whole bottom section of the table all fighting to avoid relegation and you certainly don’t see so many teams which most people would say, ‘they can’t get relegated, they’re too big a club to get relegated,” said Hodgson, who at 75 is the oldest manager in league history.The top 11 teams can all still qualify for European competitions and peering across the gulf — an 11-point gap from Aston Villa to Palace — any of the bottom nine could be relegated.Saturday’s home game against Le...

EPA approves California rules phasing out diesel trucks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Biden administration cleared the way Friday for California’s plan to phase out a wide range of diesel-powered trucks, part of the state’s efforts to drastically cut planet-warming emissions and improve air quality in heavy-traffic areas like ports along the coast.The decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows California to require truck manufacturers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission trucks over the next couple of decades. The rule applies to a wide range of trucks including box trucks, semitrailers and even large passenger pick-ups.“We’re leading the charge to get dirty trucks and buses – the most polluting vehicles – off our streets, and other states and countries are lining up to follow our lead,” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.The EPA typically sets standards for tailpipe emissions from passenger cars, trucks and other vehicles, but California has historically been granted waivers to impose ...