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☆ How states across the West are using cloud seeding to make it rain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Cloud seeding has been around since the 1940s. Experts say cloud seeding generally yields a 5% to 15% increase in precipitation. How cloud seeding worksWhen done aerially, cloud seeding involves loading up a plane with silver iodide. Pilot Joel Zimmer, who works for Weather Modification International, affixes silver iodide flares to the bottom of a cloud seeding plane. While Texas uses cloud seeding to help irrigate fields for farmers, it's more common in the West, where states like Idaho, California, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming use it to help fill up their rivers and reservoirs.

☆ DOJ touts first-of-its-kind settlement in racial discrimination case targeting ‘crime-free housing’ policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The US Justice Department on Wednesday filed what it is describing as a first-of-its-kind settlement in a racial discrimination case challenging a so-called “crime-free housing ordinance.”The proposed consent decree was filed Wednesday in a lawsuit the Justice Department brought in 2019 against the central California city of Hesperia, alleging that the city’s ordinance violated the Fair Housing Act’s prohibitions on racial discrimination in housing access. Hesperia continues to deny the allegations. She noted under the program, Black renters were almost four times more likely to be evicted than White renters and Latino renters were 29% more likely to be evicted. According to the Justice Department, Hesperia and its co-defendants – the county of San Bernardino and the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department – have agreed to pay a $950,000 settlement. It will compensate people who were harmed under the policy and will cover anti-discrimination training and other initiatives.

☆ Weekend atmospheric river brings feet of snow and flooding rain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Allison Chinchar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —An atmospheric river event, bringing ample amounts of moisture to the West this weekend, will gradually move across the country and bring hazardous weather to millions. The blockbuster storm will begin in the West with heavy snow, gusty winds, and coastal flooding, then move eastward, threatening potential blizzard conditions in the Midwest and tornadoes in the South. More than a dozen western states are under winter weather alerts this weekend as the potent storm system moves across the region. Heavy rain will also be notable up and down the West Coast, particularly in California, where flooding concerns exist through Sunday. Similar to a fire hose, it shoots moisture into one area for an extended period of time, resulting in very heavy rain or snow.

LOS ANGELES — A Tennessee rapper who boasted about committing Covid-19 relief fraud in a music video was sentenced to over six years in prison Wednesday, prosecutors said. Baines, 33, bragged about the fraud in videos on YouTube and Instagram, according to court documents. In addition to the prison sentence, Baines was also ordered to pay $704,760 in restitution. Congress approved massive financial resources to help people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which shut down large parts of the economy. The U.S. Labor Department’s inspector general’s office has estimated that $872.5 billion in pandemic unemployment insurance funding — and at least $163 billion in pandemic unemployment insurance benefits — could have been paid improperly, some of it through fraud.

☆ First-ever California offshore wind auction surpasses $757 million in bids
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced more than $757 million in winning bids for its auction of offshore wind development rights in California, marking the third offshore wind lease sale this year and the first ever for the Pacific region. The sale is a major milestone in the administration's goal of building offshore wind turbines across the nation's coastlines to help power communities and transition to clean energy. The White House, as part of its broader agenda to address climate change, has committed to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes. "Floating wind technology in its early stages but it is an advanced technology that will lead to strong growth in the deployment of offshore wind." Winning bidders include California North Floating, RWE Offshore Wind Holdings, Central California Offshore Wind and Invenergy California Offshore.

☆ Parts of the West have double the normal snowpack. Experts say it’s too early to get excited
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jennifer Gray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

With back-to-back-to-back winter storms across the West, the snowpack is thriving. Parts of the Sierra and the Pacific Northwest are seeing above-average snowpack for this time of year. The drought monitor released some of the numbers Thursday, which showed some of the driest areas in the West with decent snow. They are counting on a good snowpack. More snow expected this weekBoth the Sierra and the Rockies will get hit with more snow this week as multiple storm systems traverse the West.

☆ U.S. warns California cities to prepare for possible water cuts and fourth year of drought
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Houseboats on Lake Oroville during a drought in Oroville, California, U.S., on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. Federal water managers on Monday warned California cities and industrial users receiving water from the Central Valley Project to prepare for a fourth year of drought and possibly "extremely limited water supply" during 2023. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Interior Department that oversees water resource management, said drought conditions in California have persisted despite early storms this month, and warned of looming water conservation actions. The agency said water storage is near historic lows in the reservoirs it oversees in the state, which irrigate more than 3 million acres of land in central California and supply major urban centers in the Greater Sacramento and San Francisco Bay areas. The project's water provides supplies for approximately 2.5 million people per year.

☆ A 48-year old Airbnb host breaks down how she used Facebook and Instagram to bring in $25,000 through direct bookings
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amie Sommer, an Alaska resident, rents out a $1 million Arizona home that sleeps 10. When she launched her listing, she used Facebook to get direct bookings from family and friends. Half of those bookings she told Insider were from promoting her direct booking link on the social-media sites Facebook and Instagram. Lodgify provides Sommer with a central calendar that syncs bookings between her website, Airbnb, and Vrbo. When it came time to book her first guests, Sommer was looking for "guinea pigs."

☆ California tries to harness megastorm floods to ease crippling droughts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] The dried out Arroyo Pasajero Creek is seen alongside an aqueduct in Huron, California, U.S. on October 25, 2022. Outside the United States, countries including India are also beginning to increase the use of recharge ponds to store water in natural or human-made aquifers. While the idea of storing water underground is not new, a recent California law regulating groundwater use has spurred a spate of projects that the state is helping to fund. The new pond, on about 20 acres of former farmland , will help to guide water underground to store it for residents as well as agriculture. Since then the state's population has nearly doubled to 40 million residents.

☆ Trump Is the Republican Party’s Biggest Loser
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

What will Democrats do when Donald Trump isn’t around to lose elections? We have to wonder because on Tuesday Democrats succeeded again in making the former President a central campaign issue, and Mr. Trump helped them do it. Trumpy Republican candidates failed at the ballot box in states that were clearly winnable. This can’t be what Mr. Trump was envisioning ahead of his “very big announcement” next week. Yet maybe the defeats are what the party needs to hear before 2024.

☆ Egypt interest rate hike step in right direction, IMF official says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanyDUBAI, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Egypt's move to raise interest rates is a step in the right direction and a flexible exchange rate will help protect its economy from shocks at a time of tightening global financial conditions, an International Monetary Fund official said. Egyptian authorities pledged a "durably flexible" exchange rate in conjunction with a staff-level agreement for a $3 billion IMF extended fund facility. The central bank also raised interest rates by 200 basis points in an out-of-cycle meeting. "The measures that the central bank took last week in hiking interest rates. He said the $5 billion for FY2022-23 would be in addition to the extension of Gulf states' deposits in Egypt's central bank.

☆ Welcome to the dangerous Swiss golf-baseball hybrid you've never heard of
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Sean Coppack | Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

(CNN) To most people, the words Swiss sport and Emmental might trigger thoughts of Roger Federer eating cheese. Sending projectiles hurtling through the air at 200 miles per hour, all rise -- and then duck -- for Hornussen. Scoring starts if they reach the 100-meter line, with an additional point awarded for every 10 meters past the marker. "It's really dangerous if you don't see the Nouss or if one hits the bat and, two meters before the face, the Nouss changes direction," Kummer explained. Around 260 teams are active across a multi-league pyramid in Switzerland, with the top teams fighting it out for the Swiss Championship.

☆ Widespread drought expected to persist across the West this winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Little relief is expected for farmers, ranchers and reservoirs this winter in the Western U.S., as extreme drought is forecast to continue plaguing the region. That’s according to forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who predict "widespread extreme drought to persist across much of the West," according to Jon Gottschalck, chief of the operational prediction branch at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Nearly 50% of the U.S. is in drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, and more than one-third of the country’s population lives in areas affected by drought. Drought conditions have already drained reservoirs critical for drinking water supply, forced cutbacks on water use in the Colorado River and threatened farmers’ livelihoods. That should help relieve drought conditions in those areas.

Tim Michels, the Republican nominee in Wisconsin’s race for governor, can’t keep his messaging straight on abortion rights — a top issue in the state and nationally. But in recent days, he has done just that — offering support for policies less hard-line than the 1849 law, while continuing to insist his position hadn't changed. The remark stands in stark contrast to comments Michels made during the primary, too, when he called the law an “exact mirror" of his own personal position on abortion rights. While Michels’ latest comment appears to further soften his position on abortion, the governor doesn’t actually have the power to arrest or charge anyone under the 1849 or any other law. In September, just days after pledging to not soften his position, Michels said he would support an abortion ban that includes exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

☆ Prosecutors say Michael Avenatti should get 17 years in prison for fraud scheme
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Andrew Blankstein | Tim Stelloh | Andrew Blankstein Is An Investigative Reporter For Nbc News. He Covers The Western U.S. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES — Convicted criminal and disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti should serve 17½ years in prison after he pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax offenses in California this year, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The recommendation was included in a 303-page sentencing memo filed by the U.S. attorney's office for Central California. In the California case, Avenatti admitted pocketing millions of dollars that belonged to clients and lying to them about it, prosecutors said when he pleaded guilty in June. A sentencing memo filed by a lawyer for Avenatti asked for a maximum prison term of three years followed by three years of supervised release. In a separate case, Avenatti was convicted in February 2020 of extortion and other crimes after he threatened to ruin Nike’s reputation unless it agreed to pay him and his client millions of dollars.

☆ A company hoping to help California with its high-speed rail built one in North Africa instead, saying the region was ‘less politically dysfunctional’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A French state-owned railroad operator wanted to help California with its high-speed rail project. "SNCF was very angry," Dan McNamara, a project manager for SNCF, told the Times. Within 7 years, they built a functioning high-speed rail system in Morocco, the New York Times reported. They told the state they were leaving for North Africa, which was less politically dysfunctional." The California High-Speed Rail Authority continues to build: The first section of the rail is under construction in Central California.

That has added pressure to grocery prices, putting a squeeze on wallets with no end in sight. California's drought conditions, on top of Hurricane Ian ravaging citrus and tomato crops in Florida, are likely to push food costs even higher. Cameron also grows processing tomatoes, onions, garlic and more than a dozen other crops near Fresno, California. The most recent drought in California began in 2020, worsening when California's Central Valley faced its driest January and February in recorded history. Cameron said tomato prices face a similar hike, resulting in a 50% increase in cost to canners and processors from 2021 to 2023.

The brother of a man suspected of kidnapping and killing four members of the same central California family was arrested in connection with the horrific crime, authorities said Friday. Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, was apprehended Tuesday after he attempted suicide, officials said. From the outset of the investigation, Merced Sheriff Vern Warnke speculated that Jesus Manuel Salgado had help in the kidnapping, which was caught on surveillance cameras. Amarinder Singh, a cousin of the slain brothers, said in a statement on Friday that their family "is grieving this unconscionable act of cowardice." In the family's first comment since bodies were found on Wednesday night, Singh said they're grateful for the work of law enforcement, tips from good Samaritans and support from the community.

☆ Stocks rebound from 2022 low, Dow closes up more than 500 points
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The move stabilized the British pound, which became the center of attention in markets this week as it tumbled to a record low against the U.S. dollar. The S&P 500 rose 1.97% to 3,719.04, one day after notching a new bear market low. The Dow and the S&P 500 snapped a six-day losing streak. The Dow is now 19.7% off its 52-week high, while the S&P 500 is 22.8% below its record. The S&P 500 breaking below its previous low is a key indicator for some that stocks still have further to fall.

☆ There’s a 98% chance of a global recession, research firm warns
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —Warning lights are flashing in the global economy as high inflation, drastic rate hikes and the war in Ukraine take their toll. There is currently a 98.1% chance of a global recession, according to a probability model run by Ned Davis Research. The only other times that recession model was this high has been during severe economic downturns, most recently in 2020 and during the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. “This indicates that the risk of a severe global recession is rising for some time in 2023,” economists at Ned Davis Research wrote in a report last Friday. Seven out of 10 economists surveyed by the World Economic Forum consider a global recession at least somewhat likely, according to a report published Wednesday.

☆ Stanley Druckenmiller sees 'hard landing' in 2023 with a possible deeper recession than many expect
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Our central case is a hard landing by the end of '23," Druckenmiller said at CNBC's Delivering Alpha Investor Summit in New York City Wednesday. I don't know the timing but certainly by the end of '23. Druckenmiller believes the extraordinary quantitative easing and zero interest rates over the past decade created an asset bubble. "All those factors that cause a bull market, they're not only stopping, they're reversing every one of them," Druckenmiller said. To me, the risk reward of owning assets doesn't make a lot of sense," Druckenmiller said.

President Joe Biden on Saturday approved an emergency declaration for Florida as the state faces a potential major hurricane from what is now Tropical Storm Ian, the White House said. It could approach Florida’s western coast by Wednesday or Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center. On Saturday, the governor expanded that to apply statewide, citing the risk of a major hurricane making landfall on Florida’s western coast. A hurricane warning was in place for Grand Cayman and tropical storm watches were in place for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Ten people died in the U.S. directly from the storms, and there were 82 “indirect” deaths, most of which were in Florida, according to a National Hurricane Center report.

LOS ANGELES — A woman who accused comedians Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears of coercing her and a brother into recording sexually explicit skits when they were children filed a request Tuesday to dismiss the claim. The woman, identified in the original claim as Jane Doe, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Six days after the lawsuit was filed, Haddish posted a message on Instagram expressing regret for her role in one of the comedy pieces. The lawsuit alleged that the skit involved Haddish's teaching Jane Doe how to mimic fellatio on a sub sandwich. His mother repeatedly asked Spears and Haddish about “what was filmed that made her son cry,” the suit alleged.

☆ Urmărire ca-n filme: O ambulanță furată a plonjat în apă după ce șoferul a fugit peste 160 de km de polițiști (VIDEO)
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-14 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Poliția statului New York a identificat ambulanța în trafic și a demarat o urmărire care s-a întins pe 80 de kilometri înainte de a o sista pentru scurt timp. Ambulanța a fost văzută din nou în apropierea Rochester, la peste 160 de kilometri de locul unde a fost furată. Polițiștii au avut mai multe tentative nereușite de a opri vehiculul însă șoferul a ajuns în cele din urmă într-o fundătură și a intrat cu mașina în apele Golfului Irondequoit. Poliția a anunțat că la volan era o femeie şi a fost salvată de o barcă privată a clubului de iahting din Newport și a primit îngrijiri medicale înainte să fie reținută. Ambulanța a fost ulterior recuperată din apă.

Persons: Ambulanța Organizations: Poliția Locations: New York, Rochester, Irondequoit, Newport

☆ Pep Guardiola s-a întâlnit cu Joan Laporta! Ce mutări au pus la cale
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-14 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: Getty ImagesPep Guardiola s-a întâlnit cu Joan Laporta! Ce mutări au pus la calePep Guardiola, tehnicianul celor de la Manchester City, a luat parte la un turneu de golf în Palma de Mallorca, unde s-a întâlnit cu președintele celor de la FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta. Gerard Romero, unul dintre jurnaliștii de la RAC 1, a anunțat că Guardiola și Laporta au profitat de această ocazie pentru a vorbi despre perioada de transferuri. De asemenea, numele lui Raheem Sterling a fost menționat de curând ca o posibilitate pentru gruparea catalană. Cu toate acestea, relația bună dintre tehnicianul spaniol și președintele Barcelonei, Joan Laporta, ar putea deschide o portiță.

Persons: Pep Guardiola, Joan Laporta, Guardiola, Gerard Romero, Laporta, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Dembele, Raheem Sterling, Sterling Organizations: Manchester City, FC Barcelona, Aymeric Locations: Palma de Mallorca, City, Barcelona, Manchester, Raheem, Barcelonei

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