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Against All Odds: Lela Johnson’s Grit and Grace on the Global Dance Stage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

Once upon a time, in a small coastal town called Wamberal, a six-year-old girl stepped into a dance studio. Little did she know, her delicate footsteps would soon transform into leaps and bounds, capturing hearts across the globe. This is the tale of Lela Johnson, a modern-day Cinderella in the realm of dance. From Australia to the global stage, Lela has danced her way into the hearts of audiences and judges alike. Her story is one of tenacity, belief, and triumph against all odds.Lela’s journey began when her childhood fascination with tap dancing evolved into a profound love for expressing emotions through movement. This evolved into different genres that have been masterfully perfected and seen Lela cast in many notable shows. Firstly, at the young age of 15, Lela was cast as a Protege Dancer in Jason Winters (So You Think You Can Dance, Cirque De Soleil, American Dance Awards) choreographic piece in the Dance Editorial Production, Love is Love. Jason immediately cast her in his ...

Woman Dead, Christian Castillas Arrested after DUI Crash on 710 Freeway [Long Beach, CA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

27-Year-Old Driver Arrested after Rear-End Ambulance Collision near 7th StreetLONG BEACH, CA (November 10, 2023) – In the early hours of Sunday, a fatal incident unfolded on the 710 Freeway near 7th Street. A collision caused by a 2018 Honda Civic, driven by 27-year-old Christian Castillas, resulted in the tragic death of a female passenger.Castillas sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital, while the identity of the deceased has yet to be disclosed by authorities.Castillas faces charges for driving under the influence, leading to fatal consequences, and his bail is currently set at $100,000. The area was briefly closed off for cleanup and initial procedures, with further details to be revealed to the public as they become available.The team at Sweet James offers their warm and sincerest sympathies go out to the friends and family of the deceased victim. May you find comfort and strength during this devastating time.It is important to have strong l...

Surgeon Turned Author Crafts Literary Masterpiece with ‘The Sailor’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

Dr. John Hagen, a retired general surgeon and former Chief of Surgery at a prominent community hospital, has embarked on a new chapter in his life as a writer. His latest book, “The Sailor,” is a literary masterpiece that seamlessly melds the disparate worlds of medicine and sailing, creating a narrative that is both thought-provoking and enthralling.At its core, the novel explores profound themes of responsibility, accountability, and the delicate balance between one’s personal and professional life. The central character, Dr. Jeremy Young, is the esteemed chief of surgery at a prominent community hospital. As a dedicated and accomplished surgeon, Dr. Young faces the daunting challenge of maintaining order and discipline among his surgical staff.Dr. Hagen’s unique perspective as a surgeon and a sailor infuses “The Sailor” with authenticity and depth. His time at sea has given him a profound understanding of the human condition and the resilience ...

Letters: Online bullying | Attract teachers | Peace in Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Online bullying OK’dby MAGA leadersRe: “Meta engineer saw his own child face harassment online” (Page C7, Nov. 8).I was not surprised by Meta’s failure to take action to stem online harassment on Instagram. A former Meta engineering director reported online harassment his daughter experienced on Instagram, reporting them directly to Mark Zuckerberg. His concerns went unheeded.I am troubled more by the prevalence of unbridled, adolescent bullying online. Why is this so common? But I watch Donald Trump’s schoolyard bullying rhetoric in campaign rallies, even in a court of law. His behavior tells young people this is okay; this is how strong people talk to people they oppose. I watch the MAGA Republicans in the House, whose legislative strategy seems to be “I am going to hold my breath and stomp my feet until I get my way.” They are telling young people this is the way to work out differen...

Thousands flee Gaza hospital where they were sheltering

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

By Wafaa Shurafa, Isabel Debre and Jack Jeffery | Associated PressDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Palestinians sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war at Gaza City’s main hospital fled south Friday after several reported strikes in and around the compound overnight. They joined a growing exodus of people escaping intense urban fighting in the north — including near other hospitals — as Gaza officials said the territory’s death toll surpassed 11,000.The search for safety across the besieged Gaza Strip has grown desperate as Israel intensified its assault on the territory’s largest city.The Israel army says Hamas’ military infrastructure is based amid Gaza City’s hospitals and neighborhoods, and that it has set up its main command center in and under the largest hospital, Shifa — claims the militant group and Shifa staff deny.Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after its deadly Oct. 7 surprise incursion, which killed at least 1,200.More than 100,000 P...

Antioch residents call for resignation of police chief, other supervisors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

Multiple community organizers are calling for Antioch’s acting police chief — as well as the president of its police officers’ union — to step down amid revelations that they and other police supervisors approved of officers’ uses of force that the FBI later deemed criminal.The latest pleas for housecleaning at the highest levels of the Antioch Police Department come days after a Bay Area News Group report found that acting police Chief Joseph Vigil, Sgt. Rick Hoffman — the president of the Antioch Police Officers Association — and others concluded time and again that the actions of their officers followed department guidelines and deserved no discipline. The FBI, in a criminal indictment of three officers, found that some of the uses of force violated policies as well as people’s civil rights.“They’re the problem – they signed off on all this. Now, they’re watching the henhouse,” said Frank Sterling Jr., an Antioch residen...

First Look: Oakland’s Good Luck Gato revels in the fun of Mexican-Japanese cuisine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

It’s hard to improve on the izakaya formula – a comfortable neighborhood joint with tasty bar bites, washed down with copious beer or bracing spirits. But chef Matt Meyer has given the genre a brilliant twist with Good Luck Gato, an “izakaya cantina” near downtown Oakland that blends the best of Mexican and Japanese cuisine.It’s eye-opening how well Meyer’s kitchen plays with the East-West flavors. A simple-looking taco is the menu’s blockbuster: It pairs a handmade tortilla with pork-curry sausage, ginger pico de gallo and a fried Jidori egg whose warm yolk collects in a wooden bowl for dipping. There is Mexican street corn boiled in dashi and slathered with uni-butter sauce – then topped with more fresh sea urchin – and a Choco Taco that will shatter your expectations for this bodega-freezer dessert.Left to right: Good Luck Gato owner Kyle Itani, chef/partner Matthew Meyer, beverage director/partner Daniel Paez (Nicola Parisi) Meyer was raised by Mexic...

10 tips to avoid a cooking fire this Thanksgiving

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

As people start their Thanksgiving cooking this year, please keep fire safety in mind, the National Fire Protection Association urges.Thanksgiving Day is the most common day for home cooking fires to break out in the U.S., according to the organization. On Thanksgiving Day in 2021, fire departments across the U.S. reported receiving about triple the number of daily home cooking fires compared to the daily average. (Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are the second- and third-most risky.)It’s easy to get distracted while cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but staying focused on what you’re doing and not leaving those pots unattended are critical matters of safety, says Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association.“Thanksgiving is a hectic holiday with multiple dishes cooking and baking at the same time, along with lots of guests, entertaining and other distractions that can make it easy to lose sight of what’s on the sto...

Astronaut Frank Borman dies at 95; Apollo 8 commander helped pave way for 1969 moon landing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

Associated PressBILLINGS, Mont. — Astronaut Frank Borman, who commanded Apollo 8’s historic Christmas 1968 flight that circled the moon 10 times and paved the way for the lunar landing the next year, has died. He was 95.Borman died Tuesday in Billings, Montana, according to NASA.Borman also led troubled Eastern Airlines in the 1970s and early ’80s after leaving the astronaut corps.But he was best known for his NASA duties. He and his crew, James Lovell and William Anders, were the first Apollo mission to fly to the moon — and to see Earth as a distant sphere in space.“Today we remember one of NASA’s best. Astronaut Frank Borman was a true American hero,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement Thursday. “His lifelong love for aviation and exploration was only surpassed by his love for his wife Susan.”Launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Dec. 21, 1968, the Apollo 8 trio spent three days traveling to the moon, and slipped into lunar orbit on Christmas...

Child sex offender convicted of crimes committed at Salinas church

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:42 GMT

(KRON) -- A convicted sex offender was living at a Salinas church when he preyed on a 14-year-old girl who attended church services, Monterey County prosecutors said. Jaime Tirso Ayala Jr., 47, of Salinas, was convicted by a jury this week of annoying or molesting a child. The judge noted that Ayala abused a position of trust at Family Christian Center, and he was on parole at the time he targeted the girl. Ayala is a registered child sex offender for a 1995 conviction, prosecutors said. He previously served prison time for committing a lewd act on a child younger than 14. "After his release on parole, the defendant began living in a room at the Family Christian Centerchurch in the city of Salinas. It was through this church that the defendant met Jane Doe, age 14,who was a member of the congregation. He began complimenting her appearance and asking for her phone number. Then he began following her around the church and touching her without her consent," the District Attorney's Off...