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'Top Chef' taps former champion to replace Padma Lakshmi

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Fans of Bravo's "Top Chef" received some reassuring news on Tuesday: Padma Lakshmi's replacement as host is a fan favorite of the franchise.Kristen Kish, who won the show's 10th season in 2012, will replace the longtime host Lakshmi, who announced her departure from the show last month. Lakshmi hosted 19 of the show's first 20 seasons, as Katie Lee hosted the first season.Lakshmi posted of photo of Kish and herself on social media once the selection was announced, adding that she's "so proud of" Kish and "over the moon that you'll be taking over for me.""I’ll be rooting for you and our whole crew next season," she wrote. "Congratulations!!!" How Padma Lakshmi’s ‘Taste the Nation’ opens minds and palates Judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons posted praise of their own and shared their excitement."Really looking forward to working with Kristen. She is a world class chef and knows what it takes to win top chef," Colicchio wrote on Twitter. Simmons posted a photo of herself and "my gi...

Angels' Ohtani likely to fetch over half a billion dollars in free agency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

At some point, Shohei Ohtani will entertain the idea of talking about his pending free agency, and what it could mean to the finances of baseball.But that didn’t stop others from pondering what could happen this offseason when perhaps the most unique free agent in history hits the open market.Kansas City’s Salvador Perez and Toronto’s Jordan Romano both tossed out $600 million as a suggested number. Baltimore’s Austin Hays offered everything in his theoretical wallet.Dodgers’ star Freddie Freeman simply called him a unicorn with a price that can’t be quantified.American League's Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angels, walks back to the outfield after the All-Star Game player availability, Monday, July 10, 2023, in Seattle. The All-Star Game will be played Tuesday, July 11. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)“He’s going to get a lot of money and he deserves it. There’s no other player out there like him,” Atlanta’s Sean Murphy said Monday. “I don’t know what I would do if I was in the positi...

15-foot python goes missing in L.A.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Residents in Los Angeles' Chatsworth neighborhood have been told to watch out for a 15-foot reticulated python that escaped from a home and could be a danger to cats and smaller dogs.The snake disappeared from its owner's backyard in the 10500 block of Willowbrae Avenue on July 3, according to a post on the MyChatsworth Facebook page. Alex Villalta says the 8-inch-thick constrictor snake is "really friendly to humans" but has the potential to eat cats and small to medium-sized dogs. The snake disappeared from its owner’s backyard in the 10500 block of Willowbrae Avenue on July 3, according to a post on the MyChatsworth Facebook page.The snake is light in color and had been a family pet for several years. Villalta said his son was sad the snake was missing and pleaded with the public to help find the snake. “Please do not kill her,” the post reads. Reticulated pythons that grow large enough can pose a threat to humans, according to regardingreptiles.com.Anyone who locates the snake w...

More than 50% of homes in these California cities cost over $1 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

For prospective homeowners in California, it may seem like every house has an asking price that’s in the seven-figure range, but depending on where you are house-hunting, that might be true.A new report from Point2 looked at home listings in 30 of the largest markets in the U.S., among the 100 most populous in the country with at least a 500,000 population, to see which cities have had the biggest share of seven-figure homes for sale. Rent is decreasing nationwide: Here is how California cities compare, study says Unsurprisingly, California cities took the top four spots.More than 50% of the homes for sale in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego were listed for more than $1 million, according to the report.In Los Angeles, nearly 64% of the homes for sale had a seven-figure price tag; in San Francisco, that percentage was 62.1% and in San Jose and San Diego, the percentage was 60.6% and 58.6%, respectively, according to the report.  The city also has about 12% of...

Officer Hospitalized after Two-Vehicle Accident on Florence Avenue [Bell Gardens, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Officer Injured in 2-Car Collision on Eastern AvenueBELL GARDENS, CA (July 11, 2023) – Early Thursday morning, one officer was hospitalized after a two-vehicle accident on Florence Avenue.The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m., near Eastern Avenue on June 22nd.Per reports, the driver of a white SUV was doing donuts and traveling at high rates of speed at the intersection. An officer then attempted to pull him over when the suspect slammed into the patrol vehicle multiple times.Police then opened fire on the suspect upon hitting him the third time. The suspect did not stop and continued to hit the patrol car before striking a light pole.Officers then arrested the suspect and transported him to a hospital. In addition, the involved police officer sustained minor injuries.Meanwhile, all off-ramps leading to eastbound Florence Avenue were closed during cleanup and preliminary duties.Operating a vehicle is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. If you find yourself unab...

Douglas Vermeeren: Unveiling the Chilling Secrets of Jack the Ripper in new film Ripper Revealed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Renowned actor Douglas Vermeeren, celebrated for his versatility and dedication to his craft, is set to mesmerize audiences once again with his role in the upcoming project, “Ripper Revealed.” Known for his ability to seamlessly transition between genres and captivating roles, Vermeeren continues to leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. This time, he delves into the enigmatic world of “Ripper Revealed,” a gripping thriller that promises to unravel the chilling mystery behind one of history’s most infamous figures—the notorious Jack the Ripper.While “Ripper Revealed” maintains the gripping intensity expected from a thriller, it also presents a unique perspective on the enigmatic Jack the Ripper,. The film immerses viewers in the detective’s tireless quest for truth, shedding light on the psychological toll it takes and the sacrifices required to confront the darkness within. Vermeeren’s masterful performance bring...

Insidious: The Red Door Slams Open With Scares, Again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

If you want jolts, you’ve come to the right place, but if you’re looking for human depth or drama, try something else. This is typical of Insidious, the horror franchise that’s essentially a jump-scare machine at this point. With Leigh Whannell once again in the writer’s chair and the film’s star, Patrick Wilson, making his directorial debut,  Insidious: The Red Door  is another conveyor belt of frights that lives up to the original, even if it fails to deliver in storytelling, which this time, concerns a family separated by the ghostly fog of doubt.The movie –which topped the box office this past weekend– doesn’t have much new or interesting to say compared with the first two James Wan-directed movies. Two prequels followed those films so Red Door marks a return to the Lambert family. After a brief recap on how this supernatural stuff works– something about a twilight realm called “The Further”– we pick back up with the murky subplot....

Another dust-like substance leaks from Martinez refinery, prompts hazardous materials response

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

PACHECO — Hazardous materials teams in Contra Costa County responded Tuesday after a refining company released dust into the air, health officials said.The dust landed on the ground and was visible in some surrounding neighborhoods into Martinez, according to social media posts from the Contra Costa Health Services. Health officials advised people to avoid breathing the dust or making close contact with it.The first public reports of the leak came from health services officials on social media at 11:14 a.m.The material came from the Martinez Refining Company, the same refinery leaked a sand-like substance on Thanksgiving that prompted a response. The substance that day contained metals including aluminum, barium and chromium. Exposure to heavy metals has been linked with nausea, vomiting, respiratory issues, immune system dysfunction, cancer and even death.According to health officials, the company reported through the county’s Community Warning System that the material ...

Review: Qwerkywriter S is a timeless approach to the mechanical keyboard

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Tom Hanks is famously a fan of typewriters, those relics of the past seen in black-and-white movies and vintage photos of newsrooms. It’s a symbol of writers and reporters back in the day when most people picked up their news from the fish wrap on the driveway.Although typewriters are rare nowadays, part of their legacy lives on through keyboards. The peripherals are essential for computers, and they have become my pandemic obsession. Pleasant Hill-based Qwerkytoys created a mechanical keyboard that’s an ode to the typewriters of the past.It has the layout of a 75% keyboard, meaning that it has all the parts of a ten-keyless board but in a smaller form factor. The arrow and function keys, along with some extraneous ones, are packed in tight to save on desk space. As the name implies, it’s three-fourths the size of full standard keyboard.The Qwerkywriter S mechanical keyboard has elements of a typewriter such as a carriage lever and feed roller but they’ve bee...

Billy Crudup coming to Berkeley Rep to star in hit solo show ‘Harry Clarke’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:51 GMT

Stage and screen star Billy Crudup is coming to Berkeley Repertory Theatre later this year to perform the hit solo show “Harry Clarke,” the stage company announced today.Crudup, whose star power and versatility are reflected in his wide-ranging resume (the film “Almost Famous,” TV’s “Morning Show,” Broadway’s “The Coast of Utopia”) will perform “Harry Clarke” on Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre Nov. 15-Dec. 23.Seats are already guaranteed for season subscribers. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public Sept. 13.In “Harry Clarke,” which earned Crudup Outer Critics Circle, Obie and Drama Desk awards, the actor plays an awkward Midwestern man who concocts a fake persona as a cocky London man. When he moves to New York City, he charms his way into a rich family and things get a little dicey from there.The darkly comedic show, which the New York Times described as a “delicious conceit,&...