Latest news with #ParisBarraza
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
California's best-kept secret? This underrated destination is just a short drive from Salinas
U.S. News & World Report has chosen 26 places across the United States as one of the best 'underrated travel destinations,' and only one spot in California made the list that boasts national parks and Midwestern towns. And it's just a short drive from Salinas. The honor goes to the small, San Luis Obispo County town of Cambria, which ranked No. 21 on the list of 'beloved, lesser-known' destinations. About 127 miles south of Salinas, Cambria was praised by U.S. News & World Report for its location, including for its proximity to sights such as Morro Bay and the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The media company described Cambria's Main Street as 'perfectly quaint' and highlighted the town's Moonstone Beach and stunning scenery at the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. U.S. News & World Report said that Cambria, which is along the state's central coast, 'can get lost in the heaps of praise piled on California's coastline.' With a population of less than 6,000 as of the 2020 Census, Cambria is one of California's many pricier places to live. The median price a home is sold for in Cambria is $1.1 million, according to That's about $100,000 less than Redfin's figures on median home selling prices for April. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at The Californian, yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. Of course, visiting doesn't mean permanently staying. There's plenty of things to do during a trip to the coastal community, largely related to enjoying the natural landscape and the Pacific Ocean. St. Simons Island along Georgia's coast was named the best underrated travel destination in the nation from U.S. News & World Report. Other places that made the list included Chattanooga, Tennessee, Big Bend National Park in Texas and Duluth, Minnesota — notably where Bob Dylan was born. More: This California State Park home to historic kilns, redwoods and ocean views has reopened A state as large as California means it can be easy to get overwhelmed when picking where you want to visit next. In case you missed it, here are some of the recommendations made by travel and lifestyle experts in the past year: Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks were named among the top national parks in the United States by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. Carmel-by-the-Sea made HGTV's 50 of the Most Charming Small Towns in America list. Former Gold Rush town Nevada City was named one of the country's best small towns for 2025 by Country Living. USA TODAY 10Best selected nine hotels in California, including places in Monterey Bay and Mendocino, for several top 10 lists celebrating places with the best hotel bar or for their eco-friendliness. Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California coastal gem just a short drive from Monterey County
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Joshua Tree fire: Eureka Fire at popular national park is 65% contained, officials say
The Eureka Fire blazing at Joshua Tree National Park has reached 65% containment as of 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 2, officials said. The brush fire was reported around noon on Friday, May 30, in the Covington Flats area, the National Park Service said, producing smoke plumes visible for miles. The fire is at 214 acres and 65% containment as of 11 a.m., according to Joshua Tree National Park's update. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Crews continued to battle the fire during the weekend, and the fire withstood 'strong winds' from 8 to 10 p.m. on May 31, according to the national park. Here are the temporary closures in place as fire containment remains active: Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta within Joshua Tree National Park's boundary; Backcountry camping in the zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash, and Juniper; California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock; Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off Park Boulevard in Joshua Tree National Park. The national park saw over 2.9 million visitors last year, according to the National Park Service's statistics. The figure isn't too far off from the 3.2 million attendees Glacier National Park in Montana recorded last year. The park was the 10th most visited national park in America last year, USA TODAY reported. Air quality in parts of the Coachella Valley is largely good or moderate as of the late morning of Sunday, June 1, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District's hourly air quality map. Good on the Air Quality Index means that 'air pollution poses little or no risk,' while moderate means that while air quality is acceptable, some people may be at risk, particularly those who are 'unusually sensitive to air pollution.' Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Joshua Tree National Park fire is 65% contained; See road closures
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Southern California Edison to pay record $82.5 million settlement in Bobcat Fire lawsuit
Southern California Edison will pay the United States an $82.5 million settlement, resolving a lawsuit pertaining to the Bobcat Fire that burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Los Angeles County nearly five years ago. It's the largest wildfire cost recovery settlement by the U.S. in the Central District of California, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California news release on May 23. "We are grateful to receive these settlement funds, which mark an important step toward recovery and restoration,' said Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Martinez of the Angeles National Forest in a statement. 'These resources will help us rehabilitate burned areas, restore wildlife habitats, and strengthen our forests' resilience to future wildfires.' Southern California Edison agreed to pay the $82.5 million within 60 days of May 14 — the effective date of the settlement agreement — without admitting wrongdoing or fault, according to the news release. In 2023, the U.S. filed a lawsuit on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service against Southern California Edison and its tree maintenance contractor, Utility Tree Service, to recover costs from fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the 'extensive damages' it caused to the Angeles National Forest. The Forest Service, which manages the Angeles National Forest, 'sustained fire suppression costs in excess of $56 million' as well as property and natural resource damages of over $65 million, according to a news release from 2023. The lawsuit alleged that the wildfire was caused by Southern California Edison and its tree maintenance contractor's failure to properly maintain trees that came into contact with power lines, according to the news release. The Bobcat Fire ignited on Sept. 6, 2020 in the Angeles National Forest, burning over 115,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 structures, according to an incident report from October of that year. Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Southern California Edison to pay $82.5 million in Bobcat Fire lawsuit
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
California school districts warn of TikTok Chromebook Challenge that's led to arrests, fires
At least two California school districts are warning parents of a TikTok trend that involves students purposefully damaging their computers, which could result in the devices catching fire. The trend, which appeared to gain traction nationwide in May, has reportedly resulted in the arrest of a 13-year-old in Long Beach. Oxnard School District in Ventura County, which enrolled over 13,000 students in the 2023-2024 academic year per state figures, posted on social media on May 12 about the TikTok trend known as the Chromebook Challenge. 'This challenge encourages students to intentionally damage their school-issued Chromebooks by tampering with charging ports, batteries, or even inserting objects like pencil lead into the device ports or electrical outlets,' the Ventura County school district said. Schools nationwide are warning their students not to participate in the social media trend. In New Jersey, a 15-year-old was charged with arson after a laptop caught fire, WABC reported on May 9. Meanwhile, a fire department told The Colorado Sun that they'd been contacted by schools for 16 incidents related to the challenge, although the incidents did not require a response from them. Oxnard School District encouraged students to report if they see or hear about an incident, and families are encouraged to speak with their students about the 'importance of not engaging in this dangerous challenge.' The Ventura County school district laid out the consequences of participating in the social media trend, saying that damaging a Chromebook can result in suspension, that families and students will be held responsible for the intentional damage and that the risk of a fire starting means law enforcement could become involved. 'Thank you for promoting responsible choices, and for your ongoing partnership in keeping our school community safe,' Oxnard School District said. Santa Paula Unified School District, also in Ventura County, shared on social media on May 7 a similar message about the TikTok trend. 'We will be enforcing district policy regarding the misuse of technology and would like to remind parents/guardians that they will be held financially responsible for any international damage to school-issued devices,' the school district said. Neither Ventura County school districts said whether any of their students have participated in the trend in their social media posts. The warnings come as a 13-year-old student was arrested 'in connection with an arson incident' at Perry Lindsey Academy in Long Beach, the Los Angeles Times reported on May 12. 'The student inserted a foreign object into a battery charging port, damaging a Chromebook,' the Los Angeles Times said. In Northern California, a teacher at Wilson C. Riles Middle School in Roseville evacuated their classroom when a student's computer began smoking, KCRA 3 reported. Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California schools warn 'dangerous' TikTok trend involving laptops
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
What time is the full moon tonight? See peak times and cloud forecast for 'Flower Moon'
What time is the full moon tonight? See peak times and cloud forecast for 'Flower Moon' Show Caption Hide Caption Top astronomy events for May 2025 This May brings us a meteor shower visible around the world and a planetary alignment with our moon. April showers bring May flowers, but this month's full moon is called the Flower Moon, and here's everything you should know about it before it blossoms into the night sky. On Monday, May 12, people will be able to see the full moon, although it might appear slightly smaller than usual, a phenomenon known as a micromoon. According to NASA, this occurs when the celestial body is at its farthest point from Earth, about 251,000 miles away. What time can I see the micromoon? The Flower Moon will be at its peak illumination at 12:56 p.m. EDT, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Will it be cloudy Monday night? Most of the country will have clear skies Monday afternoon except for the Southeast, West and Northwest when the moon is at its peak, according to the National Weather Service. Why is it called a Flower Moon? May's full moon is called many things, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, as the warmer weather makes a return across North America: Corn, or Corn Planting Moon Flower Moon Milk Moon Hare's Moon Vesak, Buddha Jayanti, or Buddha Purnima What's the difference between a regular full moon and a micromoon? When is the next full moon? The following dates list out the rest of the full moons in 2025: June 11 - Strawberry Moon - Strawberry Moon July 10 - Buck Moon - Buck Moon Aug. 9 - Sturgeon Moon - Sturgeon Moon Sept. 7 - Harvest Moon - Harvest Moon Oct. 6 - Hunter's Moon - Hunter's Moon Nov. 5 - Beaver Moon - Beaver Moon Dec. 4- Cold Moon Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; Paris Barraza, Palm Springs Desert Sun
