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New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
29-year-old Google engineer dies in freak accident on popular Yosemite trail
A 29-year-old Google software engineer was killed in a freak accident at Yosemite National Park this month when a branch from a giant sequoia tree fell and struck her on the head. Angela Lin, who worked as a software engineer for about six years at Salesforce and then Google, was hiking on July 19 with her boyfriend and two friends on a trail that wound through the Tuolumne Grove of towering sequoias. Suddenly a large crack sounded from above – and two seconds later, several branches from one of the famously massive trees came tumbling down, according to Lin's boyfriend, David Hua. 4 Angela Lin, a 29-year-old software engineer at Google. LinkedIn/Angela Lin 'One big branch struck Angela, and then there were a bunch of smaller ones directly behind me,' Hua told SFGate. As the branches fell, Hua said he closed his eyes – and by the time he opened them, Lin was sprawled face up on the ground with blood pooling around her head. Hua said he called 911 and performed CPR until a park ranger arrived and took over. An ambulance eventually made it to the scene, but Lin was never placed inside. Emergency personnel later said that the falling branch had likely killed his girlfriend instantly, Hua said. 'It was just unimaginable that something like this could occur,' Hua said over the phone with a shaky voice, according to SFGate. 'On such a popular trail, too.' Tuolumne Grove, the area where Lin and her group had been hiking, was closed to visitors for about a week after her death. Yosemite public affairs officer Scott Gediman told SFGate the incident is still under investigation. Park officials did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. 4 Tuolumne Grove was closed to visitors for about a week after Angela Lin's death. Getty Images Hua said Lin's loved ones have not been able to learn more from the park service, and the frustrating experience has pushed them to go to the media. 'We are seeking more information from the park service regarding this incident, especially around trail safety, maintenance and awareness of problematic trees on popular trails, and future prevention of similar incidents,' Hua said. Traumatized bystanders have also been frantically searching for information on Lin, with one person creating a Reddit post titled 'Tuolumne Grove Incident 7/19' in hopes of finding out whether Lin survived. 'I am a tourist, but was on the scene of an extremely tragic freak accident in the area trying to provide [aid], and it has been haunting me. I can't stop thinking about it and can't find any news articles updating about the situation,' the user wrote in a post on the Reddit thread. 'It hits so so hard because they were doing nothing wrong or careless… Life can be so cruel.' Though rare, Yosemite has seen several tragic, fatal accidents over the years. 4 Ellery Lake, located along Tioga Pass near Yosemite National Park's east entrance. Getty Images Last summer, college student Grace Rohloff slipped and fell 200 feet to her death from the Half Dome cables during a storm – just after telling her father: 'Dad, my shoes are so slippery.' Australian hiker Harry Partington, 22, was crushed and killed by a falling tree in October last year on the park's Four Mile trail, which connects Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point. In August 2015, two high school students asleep in a tent were killed by a falling oak tree limb. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! A concessions worker in 2012 died when a tree fell on his tent during a windstorm. Lin's death was particularly bizarre, as she wasn't camped under a tree and there was no wind on the day she died, according to Hua. 'The sad thing is that Angela is the most cautious person you can be,' Hua said. 4 Though rare, the national park has seen several tragic, fatal accidents over the years. Getty Images 'She is super careful. She stays on trails. She never goes off trails. So, usually when you hear about these incidents, someone is doing something dangerous, like playing in water or near a cliff or something.' Hua, who had been close with Lin since they attended college together at UC Berkeley, called her death a 'devastating loss.' Ian Cook, who met Lin in their dorm building at UC Berkeley, said Lin was a fast friend. 'Angela was obviously whip-smart, but she led with a simple and playful attitude. That mix of confidence and humility put folks around her at ease,' Cook told SFGate. Research scientist Richard Zhang was in Lin's undergraduate lab, and said she stayed 'through the late nights before the paper deadline' and 'thoughtfully [treated] us to chocolate to keep our spirits up.' After graduating with her master's degree from University of Texas at Austin, Lin worked in the Bay Area as an engineer at Google. 'We lost a loved and respected member of our team. We're very saddened by this tragedy, and our hearts are with their family and loved ones,' a Google spokesperson told The Post.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump ordered purge of 'unpatriotic' signage from national parks. How one California spot complied
Four years ago, National Park Service employees seeking to provide a more robust look at the history of Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County unveiled the "History Under Construction" exhibit. The concept of the work was to expand an existing sign featuring a timeline detailing the preservation of Muir Woods. Park rangers placed caution tape on the sign within Founders Grove and overlaid a heavy, waterproof sticker onto its surface to add facts and dates that were missing from the original timeline. Among the information added were the efforts of Indigenous people who originally maintained the land, as well as the role of women in creating the national monument. A letter on the plaque assured passersby that "everything on this sign is accurate, but incomplete. The facts are not under construction, but the way we tell history is." But, as of this month, the added historical facts are no more. The expanded exhibit became the first in the nation to be altered following an executive order by President Trump in March to rid park signage of any language he would deem unpatriotic. The president's aim was to restore federal sites that he said had been changed since 2020 to perpetuate a "false reconstruction of American history" including "improper partisan ideology." The Muir Woods change was first reported by SF Gate. Elizabeth Villano, a former park ranger who helped create the new version of the sign, criticized the move, writing in a post on Medium that the Trump administration "is actively censoring American history from the public." She said the goal of the project was to make sure nothing on the original sign was eliminated, but to add details so people could see the difference in how history was told and how it could be expanded to include more voices. Now, she said, that history is being erased. "I think one of the most underrated components of the National Park Service is that we are paid public historians," she said in an interview with The Times. "We're paid to tell all Americans' stories and not pick and choose whose we tell. And yet, over time, the stories that tend to be told over and over again are the ones that tend to be told through the perspective of people who have held the most power." Read more: Trump bans 'negative' signage at national parks, asks visitors to report text deemed 'unpatriotic' A spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Muir Woods, could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday. Before the notes were added in 2021, the first date included in the sign's timeline, called "Path to Preservation," was the establishment of the first national park in the United States, Yellowstone, in 1872. The next was 1892 when the Sierra Club was founded in San Francisco with John Muir as its first president. But staff at the time found that some key information was missing from the timeline, namely the work of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people who tended to the land before Europeans arrived in North America. They also included the first campaign to save the region launched by a women's club in 1904. Of course, not all the information added to the timeline was positive. Staff detailed Spanish missionaries exploiting the work of Indigenous people in the Bay Area to build California missions and congressional actions stripping Coast Miwok people of title to their ancestral lands, including Muir Woods. The revised timeline didn't shy away from pointing out the complex legacies of key figures who helped spearhead the creation of the national monument. It noted that John Muir referred to Indigenous people using racist language in his diary, which was published years before his death, and pointed out William Kent's vote in Congress to prevent noncitizens from owning or leasing land. The rangers didn't cast blame for the omissions, saying that the expanded narratives were reflective of increasing diversity among park service employees in the years since the timeline was first unveiled. "From redwood conservation to the legacy of the country's founders, American stories are enriched by complexity, dimension, and challenge. It's not our job to judge these stories or promote a singular narrative. As national park rangers, it is our mandate to tell complete stories that reflect who we are as a society. And as Americans, it's important that we hear them," according to a National Park Service post about the changes. Read more: Justice Department says Trump can undo national monuments; California areas could be on list Trump's executive order directed the Department of the Interior to identify any public monuments, memorials, statues or markers that had been removed or changed since 2020 to "perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history," minimize the value of historical events or figures or include "improper partisan ideology" and to reinstate prior monuments. The order also directed officials to ensure that monuments do not contain content that disparages Americans. Instead, the monuments should focus on "the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape," the order states. Critics have said Trump's directive demands a rose-colored view of more complex events that make up American history. Villano, the former park ranger, said it's disparaging to believe that Americans can't handle all aspects of history and deny them the opportunity to learn. "What this censorship project from the Trump administration is doing is just inherently not trusting people to learn about hard things and to make their own decisions about it," she said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Trump ordered purge of ‘unpatriotic' signage from national parks. How one California spot complied
Four years ago, National Park Service employees seeking to provide a more robust look at the history of Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County began the 'History Under Construction' exhibit. The concept of the work was to expand an existing sign featuring a timeline detailing the preservation of Muir Woods. Employees placed caution tape on the sign within Founder's Grove and used yellow sticky notes to add facts and dates that were missing from the original timeline. Among the information added were the efforts of Indigenous people who originally maintained the land, as well as the role of women in creating the national monument. A letter on the plaque assured passersby that 'everything on this sign is accurate, but incomplete. The facts are not under construction, but the way we tell history is.' But, as of this month, the yellow notes are no more. The expanded exhibit became the first in the nation to be altered following an executive order by President Trump in March to rid park signage of any language he would deem unpatriotic. The president's aim was to restore federal sites that he said had been changed since 2020 to perpetuate a 'false reconstruction of American history' including 'improper partisan ideology.' The Muir Woods change was first reported by SF Gate. Elizabeth Villano, a former park ranger who helped create the new version of the sign, criticized the move, writing in a post on Medium that the Trump administration 'is actively censoring American history from the public.' She said the goal of the project was to make sure nothing on the original sign was erased, but to add details so people could see the difference in how history was told and how it could be expanded to include more voices. 'We wanted to tell the true story of the woods in a way that helped people learn from the past, and apply those lessons towards a brighter future,' she wrote. 'Despite this care not to erase history, here I am, watching history be erased.' A spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Muir Woods, could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday. Before the notes were added in 2021, the first date included in the sign's timeline, called 'Path to Preservation,' was the establishment of the first national park in the United States, Yellowstone, in 1872. The next was 1892 when the Sierra Club was founded in San Francisco with John Muir as the first president. But staff at the time found that some key information was missing from the timeline, namely the work of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people who tended to the land before Europeans arrived in North America. They also included the first campaign to save the region launched by a women's club in 1904. Of course, not all the information added to the timeline was positive. Staff detailed Spanish missionaries exploiting the work of Indigenous people in the Bay Area to build California missions and congressional actions stripping Coast Miwok people of title to their ancestral lands, including Muir Woods. The revised timeline didn't shy away from pointing out the complex legacies of key figures who helped spearhead the creation of the national monument. It noted that John Muir referred to Indigenous people using racist language in his diary, which was published years before his death, and pointed out William Kent's vote in Congress to prevent non-citizens from owning or leasing land. The rangers didn't cast blame for the omissions, saying that the expanded narratives were reflective of increasing diversity among park service employees in the years since the timeline was first unveiled. 'From redwood conservation to the legacy of the country's founders, American stories are enriched by complexity, dimension, and challenge. It's not our job to judge these stories or promote a singular narrative. As national park rangers, it is our mandate to tell complete stories that reflect who we are as a society. And as Americans, it's important that we hear them,' according to a National Park Service post about the changes. Trump's executive order directed the Department of the Interior to identify any public monuments, memorials, statues or markers that had been removed or changed since 2020 to 'perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history,' minimize the value of historical events or figures or include 'improper partisan ideology' and to reinstate prior monuments. The order also directed officials to ensure that monuments do not contain content that disparages Americans. Instead, the monuments should focus on 'the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape,' the order states. Critics have said Trump's directive demands a rose-colored view of more complex events that make up American history. Villano, the former park ranger, wrote in the Medium essay that it's disparaging to Americans to take away people's ability to think critically and have a better understanding of history. 'Why doesn't the White House want you to see a more complete version of history? Maybe it's because, when we see ourselves in history, we realize that we can reshape it,' she wrote. 'For a government like this, that must feel like a threat. It doesn't benefit people in power to understand that anyone can be a part of history.'
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Urgent warning for Hawaiian tourists as brain parasite cases continue: ‘Don't eat raw food'
Hawaiian tourists are being warned against eating raw food while visiting the tropical state, deemed the 'epicenter' of a nasty brain parasitic disease. Neuroangiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, is a serious illness humans can become infected with after consuming raw snails, slugs or other specimens that carry the parasite. It can also be transmitted in vegetables such as Kale or potatoes. Its symptoms can mimic the flu, but also be serious. They range from headaches, nausea, coughing and fevers to long-term neurological problems and disabilities, with experts warning the illness can have a severe, lasting impact on those who become sick. 'Don't eat raw food in Hawaii,' Kay Howe told SFGate. In 2008, Howe's son contracted the disease while living in the Puna District of Hawaii Island when he was 23 years old and he went into a coma for months, prompting Howe to become an advocate of the illness. 'This is a tropical place. There's a parasite, and we advise to cook everything,' said Howe, who has since gained her master's in tropical conservation biology and works in a lab specializing in rat lungworm. Hawaii tourists are being warned against Neuroangiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, which is a serious parasitic disease humans can become infected with after consuming raw snails or slugs. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Howe and other specialists recommend tourists avoid popular roadside smoothie stops, as produce needs to be washed – and dried – with care. 'I know it's very popular. It's very healthy. But if you haven't been able to inspect the kale yourself, I wouldn't recommend that you include that,' Franny Brewer, the program manager for the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, added. While locals know of the disease, many visitors don't – and there aren't any initiatives to educate those visiting. The experts warned that many people are unaware if they've been infected, especially since its symptoms closely mimic the flu. Treatment for the illness includes antiparasitic medicine such as Albendazole, but there is no easy test to diagnose rat lungworm disease. To diagnose, patients require a spinal tap, according to the report. Getting a diagnosis quickly can be difficult, the experts said. 'We often have to fight a doctor to get them to deliver [the Albendazole],' Howe said. 'You know, they'll be, 'Oh, wait until symptoms develop.' And it's like, you don't want to wait for symptoms to develop. That's how bad this is. You know, once it's in your brain, it's in your brain.' In her experience talking with people — and in the case of her son — doctors often refuse to test for rat lungworm, not believing it to be the culprit.' 'The people who are in the ER with symptoms, they have to somehow convince the doctor to give them a spinal tap,' Howe added. The disease, which has seen 80 laboratory-confirmed cases between 2014 and 2023, is largely underdiagnosed. While the number of cases remains relatively low, experts warn the disease is severe and can have lifelong repercussions. There have been 80 confirmed cases of the disease between 2014 and 2023, though experts warn it's often underdiagnosed. (AFP via Getty Images) 'We find that a lot of visitors have never heard of it or might not realize that it's endemic in our state, and we want people to know what they can do to protect themselves,' Dr. Sarah Kemble with the Hawaii State Department of Health told SFGate. 'Don't eat raw snails, slugs, freshwater shrimp. And visitors should be aware that when they buy locally fresh fruits and vegetables, they should wash them very carefully before consuming them.' While the disease occurs on all of the islands, most of the cases have been found on Hawaii Island. Howe now lives several blocks away from her infected son. While he is independent, he was left permanently disabled, with his vision and short-term memory affected, she told the outlet. 'When you have seven serious cases a year or 15 serious cases a year amongst a relatively small population on Hawaii Island, that's not really rare anymore,' she said. 'The severity of the disease and the fact that you may never, very well ever, recover the quality of life that you had. You shouldn't be looking at case numbers. You should be looking at severity.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trader Joe's leaves LA customers seeing double after opening another store directly across the street
A Trader Joe's in a wealthy southern California neighborhood was so popular that the grocery chain with a rabid fan base decided to open a new outpost — right across the street. The popular grocery store opened its second Sherman Oaks location, directly across the street from another outpost on Riverside Avenue, on June 6, according to the chain's website. The California-based supermarket's newest location, nicknamed 'Sherman Oaks too,' sits in a busy mixed-use building just minutes from the hectic US Highway 101 in the San Fernando Valley, about 15 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The original location, opened in 1973, occupies a quieter, stand-alone building, SFGate reported. Despite obvious upgrades given the fresh space, Trader Joe's first Sherman Oaks location can be reached within a minute of the new location - and the company plans to keep the old one open. 'We've had a great relationship with our customers in Sherman Oaks for 52 years, and we plan to keep both stores open,' Trader Joe's spokesperson Naika Rohde said. 'Both stores offer the same great products and delightful customer experience, but each has a different layout and parking lot.' While both locations offer the same beloved specialty snacks and products, SFGate noted the newer location features a vibrant exterior mural, underground parking and a less-cramped shopping experience. The newer storefront has wider aisles to better accommodate shopping carts, as well as higher ceilings than the original, according to the report. Trader Joe's latest addition, while confusing to customers, seems to be part of an upward trend for the company, as they plan to open at least a dozen new stores across the country this year alone. 'Since Trader Joe's began in 1967, we have been in growth mode. Some years, we grow more than others, and our goal is always to bring delicious products at great values to as many people as we can,' Rohde said. ' The best way to do that is to open more stores.' Solve the daily Crossword
