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Sandra Bullock’s ‘The Blind Side’ long criticized for its ‘White savior’ view of a Black athlete

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

Not all Americans fell in love with Sandra Bullock’s inspirational football movie “The Blind Side” when it was released in November 2009.Sure, “The Blind Side” made $309 million at the box office and Bullock won her long-awaited Academy Award, but many Black viewers “never cared much for it” according to The Root. Discerning critics also saw the movie, based on a best-selling book by Berkeley author Michael Lewis, as another Hollywood project that uses “White savior” tropes.Now, critics of the movie have more ammunition in the wake of bombshell court documents filed by Michael Oher, the Black athlete at the center of the story. Oher’s documents allege that the White savior character played by Bullock and her family basically exploited his life story for their own financial gain.In the movie, Bullock plays plays Leigh Ann Tuohy, a Memphis interior decorator who rescues Michael Oher, a homeless Black teenager, from grinding p...

San Jose city workers win agreement, avert strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(KRON) -- San Jose city workers have won an agreement with the city and averted a potential strike that was supposed to start today, according to a union official. The unions have reached tentative agreements with the City of San Jose that will last until June 30, 2025, officials said.The tentative agreements include "historic investments in recruiting and retaining staff to make our public services stronger," the unions said in a statement. The two unions involved in the negotiations are IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 10."The bargaining teams of both unions endorsed the three-year tentative agreement and have called off the scheduled August 15-17 strike," the statement also said. Federal workers in SF told to work from home due to safety concerns: reports Highlights of the tentative agreement, according to the unions, include:Historic wage increasesAn increase from one to eight weeks of paid family leaveMore competitive bilingual pay to better serve diverse residentsRetentio...

Fire at mobile home in Santa Rosa, $150K in damages

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(KRON) -- A structure fire involving a mobile home broke out around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department. 3.0-magnitude earthquake strikes East Bay Firefighters responded to the Sequoia Mobile Home Park off of Fulton Road as the blaze threatened two other mobile homes. Crews deployed fire hoses on both sides of the home in an effort to keep the adjacent homes from burning. Santa Rosa Fire DepartmentSanta Rosa Fire DepartmentSanta Rosa Fire DepartmentThe fire was contained within 30 minutes, according to the fire department. A total of 20 firefighters were at the scene attacking the blaze. The occupant of the mobile home that was on fire initially woke up to the smoke detector going off and was able to escape with his adult son, the fire department said. The occupant received minor injuries and was assessed at the ambulance. The cause of the fire is said to have been started near the water heated closet, SRFD said.The building is described as a total l...

Woman with BB gun and knives flees Rohnert Park police, arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(KRON) -- A woman was arrested Monday afternoon in Rohnert Park after she was seen with an apparent gun and knives behind a grocery store, according to police. Just before 2 p.m., a person with a gun and knives behind a FoodMaxx store on Rohnert Parkway was reported to police. Officers arrived and found a woman in possession of a handgun and knives, police said. Suspect arrested after fleeing in kayak in Bel Marin Keys The woman, Danielle Lormer, failed to listen to the officers' commands and walked away towards the Copeland Creek ravine. She was eventually struck with two 40mm sponge rounds after two hours of de-escalation tactics failed, police said. Photo: Rohnert Park PDPhoto: Rohnert Park PDPhoto: Rohnert Park PDThe 41-year-old was taken into custody and found to be in possession of a BB gun and two knives. Lormer sustained bruising due to the sponge rounds and one officer sustained a dog bite injury by a police canine during the incident, according to police. Both were trea...

Sherwin-Williams just announced its Color of the Year for 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.While 2023 may only be just over half over, trendsetters are already looking ahead to next year. Sherwin-Williams just announced its Color of the Year for 2024, and if this earthy, uplifting shade doesn’t have you reaching for a paint brush, nothing will.2024 is the year of ‘renewed comfort’Sherwin-Williams’ 2024 Color of the Year is Persimmon, an earthy terra cotta tone with just a hint of bright tangerine. It’s neutral, yet refreshing, and we can see why this is the paint brand’s pick for the upcoming year: In the post-pandemic era, we’re still all about embracing calm and comfort in our homes, and this is a color that does just that.In fact, all of the colors in Sherwin-Williams’ 2024 Color of the Year collection fit that bill. These are shades that feel familiar but with just a little bit of a twist — neutrals but with bright pops or undertones. They’re like the color...

Suspect arrested after fleeing in kayak in Bel Marin Keys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(BCN) -- Marin County sheriff's deputies arrested a suspect Tuesday in a grand theft case who allegedly fled in a kayak, according to the Sheriff's Office. On Tuesday morning, deputies warned residents of Bel Marin Keys to remain in their homes as they pursued the suspect, who fled the scene in a blue kayak. Phone scammers posing as law enforcement, SJPD warns Just before 10:30 a.m., the Sheriff's Office announced that they had arrested the suspect. There was no other information immediately available on the case. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Phone scammers posing as law enforcement, SJPD warns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(KRON) -- The San Jose Police Department is warning residents of a new fraud scam in which scammers impersonate law enforcement officials. In the scam, identified by the SJPD Financial Crimes Unit, scammers use new technology that allows them to mask their caller ID and make it appear to be from a law enforcement agency, police said.This sort of caller ID masking is known as "phone number spoofing." Federal workers in SF told to work from home due to safety concerns: reports Recent reports suggest that scammers call victims and inform them they have warrants for their arrest. The suspects will then threaten to arrest and book the victims into jail unless they pay. Scammers have tried to convince victims to meet at or near law enforcement buildings."Law enforcement officers will never call individuals demanding money for warrants to avoid arrest," SJPD said. The agency advises calling the police if you receive a call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer who tells y...

Several businesses burglarized near downtown Oakland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

(KRON) -- Several businesses were burglarized on Saturday near downtown Oakland, according to the Oakland Police Department. The burglaries occurred around 7 a.m. in the 300 block of 26th Street. Officers arrived to the area and found physical damage to each of the businesses' front entryways. The photo on the left shows one of the businesses whose front entrance was severely damaged by the burglars.Image: @chefsmelly (Instagram)According to police, it appeared that the individual(s) took several items from each business before leaving the area. Feinstein files lawsuit accusing trustees of husband’s estate of financial elder abuse The burglaries are currently under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact OPD's Burglary Section at 510-238-3951.

Netanyahu voices support for Israel’s military after his allies and son lambaste security officials

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to reassure the Israeli public and army Tuesday of his full support for the military following recent rhetorical attacks on senior security officials by his far-right political allies and divisive son. Thousands of military pilots and soldiers have vowed not to turn up for reserve duty in protest of Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary, sparking a backlash from the Israeli leader’s coalition allies and other ultranationalists. “The prime minister and defense minister reject any attack on senior security establishment officials and fully back the commanders and soldiers of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), who are working day and night for the security of Israel,” Netanyahu’s office said. Growing opposition within the Israeli military to government plans to weaken the Supreme Court poses perhaps the most serious threat to the legislation, which has already spurred unrelenting ...

Homeowners were having issues with hot water tank before deadly blast in Pennsylvania, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:29 GMT

PLUM, Pa. (AP) — The owners of a home that exploded in western Pennsylvania last weekend were having issues with their hot water tank, authorities said, but the cause of the blast that killed five people — including two municipal officials — remains under investigation.The explosion in Plum destroyed three structures and damaged at least a dozen others. It occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. Saturday at a home owned by Heather Oravitz, the town’s community development director, and her husband. The town is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh.Plum Mayor Harry Schlegel said Oravitz, 51, and Plum Borough Manager Michael Thomas, 57, were killed in the blast, along with three others who lived in the neighborhood: Kevin Sebunia, 55; Casey Clontz, 38; and Clontz’s 12-year-old son, Keegan.Oravitz’s husband, Paul, suffered severe burns over most of his body and remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical condition, Schlegel said. Two others injured in the blast were tr...