Author: quannd

The season of sniffles and coughs has come again. But while influenza and RSV activity is “moderate and increasing” around California, COVID activity is unusually low for the holiday season.The most recent weekly update from the California’s Department of Public Health shows the test positivity rate for flu has risen by nearly 4 percentage points in a week to 13.2%​ as of Dec. 14, the most recent available data. The COVID positivity rate is at 2.3%, rising 0.2 percentage points from the previous week.The health department’s weekly updates are posted most Fridays, but the respiratory virus reports for the last…

Need a last-minute snack on New Year’s Eve? Find out when your local stores are open until tonight. Image Credit: Getty Images Whether you’re staying home for New Year’s Eve or going out, everyone almost always needs a last-minute essential — perhaps you’re making a huge dinner for guests, or you’re attending a friend’s party and need to pick up a bottle of champagne. Whatever it may be, most holidays call for great food and alcohol. There are also those who don’t observe the new year as a holiday, so some might just need to buy their groceries before the…

The woman who was brutally set on fire in a New York City subway was identified as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam. Image Credit: Getty Images In December 2024, a woman was brutally set on fire in a New York City subway. She has now been identified as 57-year-old Toms River, New Jersey, resident Debrina Kawam. As the NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams spoke to the press, they explained more details about the terrifying crime. Read on to learn more about Kawam and the case below. Who Was Debrina Kawam? Kawam was a 57-year-old woman from Toms River, New Jersey. The initial…

Late former president Jimmy Carter will be memorialized on January 9, 2025. Find out if it’s a federal holiday below. Image Credit: Getty Images Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100. According to CNN, the 39th president died “surrounded by family” in Plains, Georgia, a little over a year after the death of his beloved wife, Rosalynn, in November of 2023. “Over six decades, Jill and I had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend,” President Joe Biden wrote via Instagram on December 30, 2024.  “But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy…

I’ll preach the gospel of “slow car fast” for as long as I’m alive. You’ll find true joy behind the wheel of something with barely enough power to get out of its own way, not much grip, and the willingness be driven like a hooligan. It even works on the Nürburgring. Dale Lomas from Bridge to Gantry demonstrates this ably in an onboard video at a wet Nordschleife track day in an old Citroën C1. The little french hatchback has just 68 horsepower, but it was stripped out and caged for a 24-hour race at Spa, and a propensity for…

The United States military said Tuesday its forces had “conducted multiple precision strikes” that hit Houthi targets in Yemen’s capital.The targets had been used by the Iran-backed rebels used to attack American warships and commercial vessels, U.S. Central Command said in a news release. The attacks began on Monday and continued on Tuesday. A video shared by the command shows planes taking off and rockets being launched from a ship. The targets included a Houthi command and control facility and advanced conventional weapon production and storage facilities. The facilities held missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles used in Houthi operations, CENTCOM said.…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USNorovirus cases are surging in the U.S. this winter, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.There were 91 outbreaks of the unpleasant stomach bug reported during the week of December 5, the most recent period data was available, which is up from 69 outbreaks in the last week of November.The CDC said the figures exceeded previous years. “This year, the number of reported norovirus…

The ‘No Air’ hitmaker’s most important role is being a mom! Learn more about Jordin’s family. Image Credit: FilmMagic Jordin Sparks‘ world revolves around her family! The “No Air” artist is known as one of the world’s most favorite music artists, but her most important role is being a mom. Learn all about Jordin’s family, including how many children she has, her marriage and more, below. Is Jordin Sparks Married? Yes, Jordin has been married to her husband, Dana Isaiah, since 2017. They eloped in July of that year in Hawaii but didn’t reveal the big news until November. Jordin…

Ending the war between Russia and Ukraine through a just peace will be a top priority for Turkey in 2025. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this in his New Year’s message, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. “Ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, which are our neighbors on the Black Sea, with a just peace remains our priority. We hope that a new era will begin in our north in 2025,” Erdogan said. The Turkish president also highlighted other key goals for the coming year, including combating terrorism, reducing inflation, improving citizens’ well-being, supporting permanent peace in Syria, and…

MARTINEZ — Meals on Wheels Contra Costa has a reputation for being a lifesaver — a quality the organization accepts with pride.The mission of the 34-year-old organization, which fundraises to subsidize some 800,000 free meals delivered annually to 3,600 seniors, is to “support homebound elders to maintain their health and dignity, and enable them to live independently in the comfort and security of their own homes,” as well as to bolster the nutrition of at-risk seniors “who have challenges that prevent them from preparing nutritious meals for themselves,” according to its website.Meals on Wheels Contra Costa raises funds to help…