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Lowry: Pence facing the political fallout of defying Trump

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

Mike Pence, after about seven years of campaigning with Donald Trump, serving with Trump, and showing as much deference as could possibly be expected to Trump, is now officially “liddle.”Donald Trump finally issued a complete denunciation of his former vice president, who now has been downgraded all the way to Marco Rubio-circa-2016 territory.Pence becomes the highest official to have disappointed Trump with his supposed poor judgment and low character — a status that Pence will maintain until such time Trump is elected president again and inevitably let down by everyone around him, up to and including his next vice president.The latest Jack Smith indictment has intensified the breach between Pence and Trump created by Jan. 6.Pence got to the crux of the matter in saying that the indictment was a reminder that “anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States,” and Trump got to the crux of the matter in saying...

Dear Abby: Six-year widow can’t let go of husband

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

DEAR ABBY by Abigail Van BurenDear Abby: I have a dear friend whose husband passed away six years ago. They had a 45-year marriage with plenty of ups and downs. She’s 81 and in excellent health. You would think she was 60 if you met her. She is very youthful and full of energy.The problem is, when I’m with her she constantly talks about her late husband as if he’s still with us: “Oh, Joe would love this,” “Joe always said …,” “Joe would say …,” etc. During one luncheon, she mentioned him 20 times as if he were sitting with us! In retrospect, her marriage now seems to have become the greatest love story ever told, and Joe has risen to sainthood. It’s unnerving.Is this healthy behavior? It seems excessive to me. On the anniversary of his death, she says she’s “going to stay home and be with Joe,” which translates to her being at home, alone, becoming depressed and crying. I hear how sad and emoti...

Family of migrant who died in federal custody suing government for negligence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The family of a Mexican migrant who died in custody of U.S. Border Patrol last year is suing the federal government for negligence, alleging that the man was denied medical care for fatal injuries sustained during a fall from the Otay Mesa border wall.Joel Reyes Muñoz, 38, died shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, while in custody at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. He was undocumented at the time of his death.In a report the following day, San Diego police said Reyes Muñoz, who had not yet been identified, was stricken by some sort of medical emergency as he was waiting for processing in Customs and Border Patrol custody. Migrant advocacy groups sue DHS over pathways to asylum policy However, the complaint, which was filed with the court last Thursday by Reyes Muñoz's family, alleges that he had sustained "obvious and significant blunt force injuries" in a fall from the high U.S.-Mexico Border barrier prior to his arrest just north of the fence."At the time of the initia...

Torrey Pines State Beach namesake considered rarest pine species in world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Torrey Pines State Beach is one of the most iconic landmarks in San Diego, with sweeping views of coastal cliffs, sandy beaches and coastal wilderness of pine.Named after the Torrey pine that grows along the hillside on the reserve, it's an unusual evergreen center within the region's desert and urban landscapes.While the Torrey pine is a quintessential feature of the San Diego coast, did you know the tree is actually one of the rarest native pines in the world, as it only grows naturally in two places?According to the National Park Service (NPS), Torrey Pines -- or Pinus torreyana -- can only be found here and on Santa Rosa Island, outside of Santa Barbara. This Anza-Borrego cave system among largest in North America In 1850 -- the year California gained statehood -- botanist Charles Parry identified the pine as a "unique species" and decided to name it after his friend John Torrey, another prominent botanist of the era, California State Parks officials said.Scienti...

San Diego to crack down on illegal sidewalk vending

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- After ongoing complaints from local restaurant owners and street vendors, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced the city will start cracking down on illegal sidewalk vending.Frustrated food vendors and restaurant owners say they’re fed up with all the out-of-town street vendors operating illegally in the Gaslamp Quarter and downtown areas.During a news conference Friday, they called on the city to do something about the surge of sidewalk food vendors who come in from Los Angeles and Tijuana, set up their carts without permits and end up cutting into their profits.“We need help, we're seeking help," said Mareuos Sitto, owner of Doner Mediterranean Grill.Last year, the City of San Diego passed a street vending ordinance, giving the city power to cite unlicensed street vendors and enforce “no vending zones.”But that’s been largely ignored by the hundreds of street vendors who come to town, typically at night, Thursday through Sunday.On top of that, there’s growing animosit...

Biden’s reelection bid faces vulnerabilities in wake of special counsel appointment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — As he gears up for reelection, President Joe Biden is already facing questions about his ability to convince voters that the economy is performing well. There’s skepticism about the 80-year-old president’s ability to manage a second term. And on Friday, Biden faced a fresh setback when Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to probe his son, Hunter.Biden’s challenges pale in comparison to his predecessor and possible future rival, Donald Trump, who is facing three criminal indictments, with additional charges expected soon. But the appointment of the special counsel was nonetheless a reminder of the vulnerabilities facing Biden as he wages another election campaign in a deeply uncertain political climate.There was little immediate sign that Garland’s decision meaningfully changed Biden’s standing within his party. If anything, it underscored the unprecedented nature of the next election. Rather than a battle of idea...

A mudslide kills at least 2 in China while rain from Khanun cancels some trains in the northeast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — A mudslide caused by torrential rains killed at least two people on the outskirts of Xi’an in western China, an official news agency said Saturday, while some trains in the northeast were canceled as a powerful storm lashed the region.Rescuers were looking for 16 missing people following Friday evening’s mudslide in the village of Luanzhen, the Xinhua News Agency said. It said roads, bridges and power supplies were damaged.Parts of China suffer heavy rains and flooding every summer, but this year has been unusually severe in some areas, while other regions struggle with drought that is damaging crops.Elsewhere, some train services in Shenyang, the biggest city in China’s northeast, and surrounding Liaoning province were suspended starting Saturday evening due to heavy rains caused by the remnants of Khanun, state TV reported. Khanun pummeled parts of Japan as a typhoon before weakening over the Korean Peninsula on its way to China.Some 23,000 people ...

How Vivek Ramaswamy is pushing – delicately – to win over Trump supporters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

VAIL, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy was more than 40 minutes into a town hall in rural Iowa when a woman in the crowd posed a pointed question. Or perhaps it was a suggestion. “I know you want to be president,” she said. “But would you consider being Trump’s vice president?”The query drew light laughter from attendees and a lengthy response from Ramaswamy. (The short answer: No.) It also highlighted the central challenge facing the wealthy entrepreneur, who has risen from little-known newcomer to as high as third in some Republican primary polls since joining the race nearly six months ago. While voters are increasingly interested in Ramaswamy, it’s former President Donald Trump who continues to be many conservatives’ favorite. With the first Republican primary debate in just over a week and the leadoff Iowa caucus five months away, he is delicately working to convince more voters that he could be their nominee and — as much as h...

Savannah considers Black people and women for city square to replace name of slavery advocate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — photos time-released to move at 12:01 a.m. Saturday RPRB101-102.Nine months after leaders of Georgia’s oldest city stripped the name of a pro-slavery U.S. vice president from one of its public squares, nominees being considered for the green space’s new name include a Black woman who taught formerly enslaved people to read and write.Susie King Taylor, who started a school for Black children and adults on the Georgia coast in 1862 with support from occupying Union soldiers, is among the finalists recommended for an honor Savannah hasn’t bestowed in 140 years: choosing a name to adorn one of the historic squares that are among the city’s signature features.A pair of citizen advisory panels has submitted six names for Savannah’s city council to consider for a scheduled Aug. 24 vote on a new name for the square. In a big break with the city’s past, none of the finalists are white men. Instead, the nominees are four Black people — ...

Legal experts question judge’s order telling Southwest lawyers to get religious-liberty training

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:19:24 GMT

A federal judge has set off a debate among legal scholars by ordering lawyers for Southwest Airlines to undergo “religious-liberty training” by a conservative Christian legal group.Critics say that if the judge believes such training is necessary, he should have found a less polarizing group to conduct it.U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr made the decision after ruling that Southwest was in contempt of court for defying a previous order he issued in a case involving a flight attendant who said she was fired for expressing her opposition to abortion. She sued Southwest and won.Starr, nominated to the bench by former President Donald Trump, said Southwest didn’t understand federal protections for religious freedom. So this week, he ordered three of the airline’s lawyers to undergo religious-liberty training. And he said that the Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, “is particularly well-suited” to do the training.The group has gained attention — and high-profile cour...