The terrifying experience of escaping wildfire with the power shut off: 'It was pitch black'
Mary and Charles Lindsey went to sleep to the glow of the Tick fire, but they had seen wildfires before, and their two-story home in the Santa Clarita foothills seemed safe enough. All Thursday, they hadn’t gotten a reverse-911 alert, or an emergency email, or a phone call. All had seemed quiet since 11 a.m.,…
California utilities — not lawmakers — are calling the shots on power outages to prevent wildfires
By John Myers and Taryn Luna SACRAMENTO — The money wouldn’t have gone far to help Californians who needed to replace spoiled food, those who fled to hotels or shopkeepers forced to buy generators and fuel during the power shut-off by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. earlier this month. Still, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged PG&E to do…
John Conyers, longest-serving black congressman, dies at 90
Former U.S. Rep. John Conyers, one of the longest-serving members of Congress whose resolutely liberal stance on civil rights made him a political institution in Washington and back home in Detroit despite several scandals, has died. He was 90. Conyers, among the high-profile politicians toppled by sex harassment allegations in 2017, died at his home…
Lewis Hamilton on verge of Formula One title after Mexican Grand Prix win
MEXICO CITY — Lewis Hamilton overcame Ferrari’s front-row start to win the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, moving the Mercedes driver closer to a sixth career Formula One championship. Only Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas’ third-place finish denied Hamilton the championship by the slimmest of margins. Hamilton needed only to beat Bottas by 14 points, but picked…
Rams' 24-10 victory over the Bengals by the numbers
A look at the significant numbers behind the Rams’ 24-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in London on Sunday. 220 Career-high receiving yards for Rams’ Cooper Kupp, eclipsing previous high of 162 vs. Minnesota last season. He has five 100-yard-plus games this season. 160 Career catches for Kupp, reaching the plateau in the fewest games…
Russell Okung's return to lineup helps Chargers defeat the Chicago Bears
CHICAGO — The diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots was scary enough for Russell Okung to fathom in June. That the Chargers left tackle’s condition would also be career-threatening felt like a twisting of the knife. “I’ve had plenty of football injuries — I hurt an ankle, a toe, I blew out my…
Bruins' defense is leading the charge to improvement
The fun bunch was back. Safety Elisha Guidry gripped the ball tightly in delight after defensive lineman Odua Isibor forced a fumble on the game’s fourth play. Safety Stephan Blaylock turned his sideline into a joyous mass of bouncing bodies with an early third-down stop. Cornerback Darnay Holmes leaped into the air in the fourth…
Historic Soda Rock winery destroyed as Kincade fire has wine country under siege
HEALDSBURG, Calif. — The Kincade fire had Sonoma County wine country under seige Sunday, burning buildings in the famed Alexander Valley and destroying the Soda Rock winery. “We’ve seen the news. We are devastated,” Soda Rock posted on Facebook. “We don’t have much information, but we will update you as soon as we know anything. Our…
Evacuating disabled people from Kincade fire with power out, winds howling
PETALUMA, Calif. — Heather Deghi oversees a care facility for disabled people in Windsor. When the Kincade fire broke out, she anticipated possible evacuations, similar to what she went through during the Tubbs fire just two years ago. When she got the word to leave, one of her first priorities was to keep those in her…
New fires in East Bay prompt evacuations in Lafayette and Martinez
ORINDA, Calif. — East Bay firefighters were battling new brush fires Sunday afternoon near the Highway 24-Interstate 680 interchange in the cities of Lafayette and Martinez. The Lafayette fire in Contra Costa County, named the Pleasant fire, appeared to be burning on both sides of Highway 24 and was prompting some evacuations between Interstate 680 and…