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Niles: Universal wins, Six Flags loses in annual attendance report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

For theme park number geeks like me, the release of annual TEA/AECOM Theme Index Report is one of the highlights of the year. This report details attendance at the most popular theme parks around the world, providing fans and insiders some numbers with which to debate which parks are winning, and losing, in the industry right now.The 2022 report, released earlier this month, is great news for Universal and not-so-great news for Six Flags.The report said that Universal’s three parks in the United States — Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure in Orlando, plus Universal Studios Hollywood in California — last year drew just less than 1 percent fewer visitors than they did in 2019, the last previous full year without pandemic restrictions. Islands of Adventure was the first major U.S. theme park to exceed its 2019 number, driven by the post-lockdown introduction of two wildly popular and highly rated new roller coasters, Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magic Creat...

Kevin Costner fought to evict ‘fitness buff’ tenant who became ‘close’ to his wife: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

It’s becoming apparent that Kevin Costner has a history of dealing with undesirable people taking up space on his beloved $145 million oceanside compound near Santa Barbara.Before the 68-year-old actor launched a court fight with his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, over who gets to live on the Carpinteria estate amid their increasingly contentious divorce, he reportedly fought to evict someone else from the 10-acre property: a handsome tech CEO who had become “close” to Baumgartner while renting the house next door.The Sun reported that Costner and Baumgartner, 49, the parents of three teenagers, were initially happy to have entrepreneur Daniel Starr, 42, living in their guest house and paying $64,000 a month. A source said that Starr, who has a 4-year-old son, loved living on the beach and “became close friends” with Baumgartner and Costner.  “They’d hang out together with their kids,” the source said.Kevin Costner 'hit the roof&...

Why the rivalry between Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis is deepening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

By STEVE PEOPLES and MICHAEL R. BLOODSACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom says there’s no chance “on God’s green earth” he’s running for president in 2024, but he wants to make clear that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running, is “weak” and “undisciplined” and “will be crushed by Donald Trump.”DeSantis, meanwhile, likes to mock Newsom’s apparent “fixation” on Florida while insisting that the Democratic governor’s “leftist government” is destroying California.Welcome to one of the fiercest rivalries in U.S. politics, featuring dueling term-limited governors who represent opposite ends of the ideological spectrum and lead two of the nation’s largest and most influential states. Newsom and DeSantis will not face each other on any ballot in 2024, but in many ways, they are defining the debate from their corners of America as the presidential primary season gets underway.RELATED: Biden crisscrosses Silicon Valley as DeSantis slips into town for busy day of fundraisingNewsom addr...

Man found with stolen goods in his Campbell storage unit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

June 129 a.m. in the 900 block of Sharmon Palms Lane: The victim alleges that one suspect stole her cell phone and another kicked her during an argument1:22 p.m. at Loma Verde Drive and Eden Avenue: A woman, 53, rented a U-Haul and did not return it. An officer located her and a man, 49, inside the vehicle at her apartment complex. The man had a meth pipe in his possession.12:27 a.m. in the 800 block of West Hamilton Avenue: A woman, 34, was in front of a business lighting pieces of paper on fire. She was discovered to have an outstanding warrant and was arrested. She also possessed a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and was under the influence of a stimulant.June 13Overnight in the 200 block of West Hamilton Avenue: Someone slashed the tires on a 2023 Chevy Trailblazer.10:17 a.m. in the 2300 block of South Winchester Boulevard: A stolen U-Haul out of Santa Clara was captured on Flock at Winchester and Hamilton. A woman who was the renter on file had meth, fentanyl and p...

Costco could be coming to this East Bay city

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

The Brentwood Planning Commission on Tuesday will hear a developer’s proposal to build Costco on 23 acres in northwest Brentwood in the Lone Tree Plaza Shopping Center.Arcadia Development has submitted an application to build a 154,852-square-foot Costco warehouse south of Lone Tree Plaza near the Antioch border. It also is seeking approval for a permit to build a gas station, with 16 fueling dispensers, each with two hoses, and a parking lot for 864 vehicles.During the hearing, which begins at 7 p.m. Commissioners also will consider the builder Arcadia Development Co.’s request for approval of its tentative map, design review and signage.The proposed large-format retailer, which includes a retail tire center, is a permitted use and is consistent with zoning of the site, according to the staff report.Planned are five vehicle accesses, with the main entrance at the existing intersection at Lone Tree Plaza Drive and Cañada Valley Road.Sidewalk improvements are also planned along...

One dead in pedestrian versus vehicle hit-and-run in East San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

(KRON) -- A man died after a hit-and-run crash between a pedestrian and vehicle in San Jose on Tuesday morning, according to the San Jose Police Department. Missing 14-year-old boy sought by Fairfield police The crash happened near Capital and Alum Rock avenues in East San Jose. Units are currently on the scene where a man suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead after the crash. KRON On is streaming 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%; }Drivers in the area are told to expect delays, and SJPD anticipates commuter routes will be impacted by the ongoing investigation. Both southbound lanes of Capital Avenue are closed between Alum Rock and Florence avenues.

Missing 14-year-old sought by Fairfield police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

(KRON) -- A 14-year-old boy is missing and the Fairfield Police Department is asking for the community's assistance to locate him. "Panic and fear," one witness recounts the Pier 39 shooting Jaden Hailes-Clay is described as a Black boy who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. When he was last seen he was wearing blue jeans, a camouflage puffy jacket and a green hoodie.Police announced he was missing around 2:35 a.m. Anyone who has information about Jaden's whereabouts is asked to call 911.

Partido Republicano insta a sus votantes a participar en primarias demócratas de Fairfax y Loudoun

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

En momentos donde se llevan a cabo las primarias de Virginia, un impulso sin precedentes en dos condados alienta a los republicanos a votar por candidatos específicos en las carreras demócratas.Los votantes de Virginia no se registran por partido, por lo que cualquier persona puede votar en estas primarias abiertas, sin importar si se considera demócrata, republicano o independiente.Hace unos días, el Comité Republicano del condado Loudoun comenzó a enviar mensajes pidiendo a los electores republicanos que acudieran a las urnas y emitieran su voto para una lista de cuatro candidatos.“El Comité Republicano en el condado Loudoun está pidiendo explícitamente a los votantes republicanos que vengan a votar en nuestras primarias demócratas por una lista de candidatos que el Comité Republicano ha respaldado”, explicó el presidente del Partido Demócrata del Condado Loudoun, Avram Fechter. “Nunca he visto eso en ninguna parte de la historia política estadounidense moderna”, agregó.Uno ...

Warren Buffett’s firm ups stakes in Japanese trading houses as Nikkei hot streak continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett is upping his bet on Japan, announcing this week that Berkshire Hathaway will increase its ownership stake in five major Japanese trading houses. The first Berkshire Hathaway investment in Itochu Corp., Marubeni Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co. and Sumitomo Corp., a 5% stake, was disclosed in 2020 and earlier this year Buffett said that the stake had been increased to 7.4%. Ownership in the companies, Berkshire said this week, has reached 8.5% excluding shares of treasury stock. The trading houses are some of Japan’s oldest and biggest companies and hold investments in a variety of industries. Their conglomerate business models are somewhat similar to Buffett’s own company which owns dozens of companies including BNSF railroad, several major utilities and Geico insurance while also investing more than $300 billion in stocks.Buffett’s timing is notable. In 2021, after Berkshire Hathaway had taken a stake in the five trading...

For first time, US task force recommends screening adults for anxiety disorders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:33 GMT

(CNN) — Adults ages 19 to 64 in the United States should be screened for anxiety disorders, according to a new recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force released Tuesday.The final recommendation, published in the medical journal JAMA, marks the first time the USPSTF has made a final recommendation on screening for anxiety disorders in adults, including those who are pregnant and postpartum. The task force found “insufficient evidence” to screen for anxiety in older adults.The USPSTF, a group of independent medical experts whose recommendations help guide doctors’ decisions and influence insurance plans, also continues to recommend that all adults be screened for major depressive disorder, including those who are pregnant or postpartum and older adults.The recommendation is consistent with the task force’s 2016 recommendation on depression screenings.While rates of clinical depression had been rising steadily in the United States, they jumped significantly during...