February 14, 2025

Breaking News

BREAKING NEWS: Kendrick Lamar Widely Panned for Super Bowl Halftime Show that Seemed Inaccessible.

Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer | Feb 10, 2025
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He's a religious Christian, married his high school sweetheart and devotes time to charities. A lifelong tee-totaler who never uses drugs, he graduated with honors from Compton High School 18 years ago. He does nothing to embarrass anyone on stage. But Rapper Kendrick Lamar's performance has been called the weakest Super Bowl half time show in years. Why is that? Several points of criticism have emerged from fans and viewers, as reflected in posts on X and web reviews:...

BREAKING NEWS: "Is the left really just a giant kleptocracy?" Asks Elon Musk. X.com's AI Grok says "nope."

David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer | Feb 9, 2025

The phrase "a dream that was Rome" refers to Marcus Aurelius' vision of transforming Rome into a democratic republic, where power is held by the people rather than corrupt leaders. This ideal is central to the story of "Gladiator," symbolizing hope for a better governance system in ancient Rome. "Is the left really just a giant kleptocracy? tweeted Elon Musk Sunday night. "The evidence increasingly suggests it is." So we decided to ask GROK, Twitter's AI protocol, if it...

BREAKING NEWS: Trump orders US Mint to Cease Production of Pennies, Saying at 2 cents each "It Doesn't Make Sense."

David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer | Feb 9, 2025

President Trump said on Sunday night that he had ordered the Treasury secretary to stop producing new pennies, a move that he said would help reduce unnecessary government spending. "Let's rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it's a penny at a time," he said in a post on Truth Social. He characterized the production of pennies, which "literally cost us more than 2 cents" each, as wasteful. The United States Mint has not officially announced plans to stop...

ATF urges police to stop reselling used guns

Stacker, Champe Barton for The Trace | Feb 7, 2025

ATF urges police to stop reselling used guns Federal officials are cautioning state and local law enforcement against reselling their used guns to the public, saying the practice has sent tens of thousands of old police weapons into the hands of criminals. The warning was the first in a series of recommendations made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in its fourth and final installment of a multiyear gun trafficking assessment requested by President...

Incarcerated firefighters do risky, low-pay work. Many say it's the best job behind bars.

Stacker | Feb 7, 2025

More than 900 incarcerated firefighters were responding to the fires in Southern California, according to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials. In a written statement earlier in the week, CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber called the incarcerated workers an "essential" part of the state's response. "Their commitment to protecting lives and property during these emergencies cannot be overstated," Macomber said. Generally, incarcerated firefighters work...

SamoHi Students Protest at City Hall On Thursday, Saying "America Was Never Great."

David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer | Feb 8, 2025

Shouting that "America has never been great," a group of Santa Monica High School students protested against Donald Trump, Elon Musk, the end of Diversity Equity and Inclusion policies, the deportation of illegal migrants, and other issues on 2.6.25. The event drew about 250 Participants carrying Mexican flags and signs that said "Trans Rights are Human Rights," "Elect a clown, expect a circus," and "No one is illegal on stolen land." Santa Monica High School students...

One High School Protestor Stabs Another in Downtown Los Angeles Friday Afternoon

Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer | Feb 7, 2025

A 17-year-old male protestor was stabbed by another boy, during an immigration protest in downtown Los Angeles Friday. He was hospitalized in critical condition following the incident. The LAPD was attacked when they tried to take the injured boy to the hospital. Neither victim nor perpetrator was identified. On Friday morning, high school students organized a protest that started at Los Angeles City Hall. They marched through the streets and gathered in Grand Park. Around...

Flight with Ten People on Board Found on the Ice 12 Miles Offshore, Enroute to Nome Alaska

Stan Greene, Observer Staff WRiter | Feb 7, 2025

2.7.25 5 pm PST: A crashed plane with three deceased individuals was found in Alaska, but the search for the remaining seven people is ongoing. The aircraft was reported missing while carrying ten people, including a pilot, during a flight from Unalakleet to Nome. The flight departed Unalakleet around 2:37 p.m. local time (537 pm PST), and was expected to reach Nome by 4:20 p.m. However, the aircraft, identified as a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX with the registration N321BA,...

Quality time is the most popular love language in America-here's how the others rank

Stacker, Melissa Lavigne-Delville | Feb 7, 2025

This Valentine's Day, consider asking your partner, "What's your love language?" The 5 Love Languages®—gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical touch—were developed by Gary Chapman to help people strengthen connection in relationships. Some people want to hear kind words, others want physical affection, and then there's those who just want a great gift (who says you can't buy love?). The problem is, oftentimes we speak in our own...

  • How gas prices have changed in San Francisco in the last week

    Stacker | Feb 7, 2025

    While prices at the pump are lower than they were at this time last year, fuel costs are still up by about 7 cents per gallon compared to this time last month, per AAA data. The national average gas price sits at $3.14, with states in the South seeing the lowest prices in the nation. At $2.68 per gallon, Mississippi currently has the lowest average fuel price, while Hawai'i has the highest at $4.55. While President Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on imposing 25% tariffs for...

  • How one city scrambled to resolve a tied election vote

    Stacker, Natalia Contreras for Votebeat | Feb 7, 2025

    A single Corpus Christi City Council seat drew five contenders in November's election, a level of interest that ultimately prolonged the final outcome until early January—and at some points left officials scratching their heads as they were forced to dig through archaic rules to figure out how to determine the winner. After the November votes were counted, incumbent Everett Roy and former council member Billy Lerma earned the most support. But since neither got a majority...

  • Yes, politics is worsening people's mental health-Here's what the data shows

    Stacker, Kayla Levy | Feb 7, 2025

    Amid growing political polarization and ongoing national crises, politics has become a significant source of stress for many Americans. In fact, a national survey on stressors conducted by the American Psychological Association, or APA, in 2024 found that the future of the nation was the leading cause of significant stress among adults, with nearly eight in 10 (77%) reporting it as a major source of anxiety. The same study found that the increasingly strained political...

  • Beyond the COVID dashboard: How local governments are continuing to invest in public data initiatives

    Stacker, Reema Saleh | Feb 7, 2025

    When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit American cities, many people wanted rapid access to information on a crisis that was constantly changing. Cooped up in their homes, the public wanted a real-time look at how coronavirus spread, how cases were stacking up from week to week, and where COVID hotspots were forming. The demand for online information on its impact on people's lives skyrocketed. Public health agencies and other research organizations took note. Alongside spikes...

  • The Daily Santa Monica Crime and Drug Video - February 5, 2025

    Santa Monica Coalition | Feb 7, 2025
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    Santa Monica's City Council thinks the city is just fine. One councilmember called the homeless residents our neighbors, their wants and desires equivalent to those of people who pay rent and pay taxes. The 'freedom' of some, most of whom suffer from drug addiction and mental illness, to live in filth, disease and to commit crimes with impunity, is valued over the ability of the rest of society to live healthy lives in law and order. Watch the videos shot and distributed by...

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