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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stephen Curry's mom Sonya Curry shares heartfelt message with fans while visiting her mother in the hospital
Sonya Curry. Image via: Gabrielle Lurie/ San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images Stephen Curry's mom, Sonya Curry, has shared a wonderful message for her 241 thousand fans on Instagram after visiting her mother in the hospital. Sonya's message was filled with a heartfelt gesture to her mother as she shared the importance of family bonds, connectivity, and communication between the family members. In today's landscape, Sonya's message would certainly resonate with her fans. Stephen Curry's mom Sonya Curry has a heartfelt message for fans While visiting her mother, Candy Adams, in the hospital, Sonya Curry took a moment to reflect and share a heartfelt message with her fans. She encouraged people to be more intentional about showing love to those who matter most in their lives. 'So, I'm here at the hospital visiting with my mom and I had a thought which can be dangerous sometimes. But anyway, what if we fiercely loved on someone that we love and they mean a lot to us, important in our lives, making them priority by being intentional by visiting them, connecting with them and just catching up,' Sonya said in a recent video that she posted on Instagram. Whether it's sitting on a porch, going for a walk, or getting nails done together, Sonya emphasized the importance of spending time with loved ones and making those moments count. 'And we all are guilty of this, we all have someone in our lives who we say, man, 'I've been meaning to see, go see them and connect with them. And do it physically, go by, just sit on the porch, sit in the living room, go for a walk around the block, do some activity together, get your nails done. So many things you could do. But be intentional about it,' she added. Sonya Curry urges fans to be intentional about their good gesture towards loved ones Sonya Curry took a moment to reflect on the importance of being present with the people we care about. She shared a personal message about how easy it is to delay meaningful connections, only to find ourselves in moments of regret when it's too late. Her thoughts centered around being intentional— choosing to connect while our loved ones are still able to share, laugh, talk, and experience life alongside us. 'Be intentional about connecting with people while they can participate with you instead of, you know, sit in the hospital room and staring at someone and they can't either talk back or participate with you. Um, we're anticipating that might be the last time you see them,' Sonya shared. Sonya emphasized the value of prioritizing those relationships that often get pushed aside in the rush of daily life. Whether it's a simple visit, a walk, or spending quiet time together, she encouraged making the effort before those chances are gone. With a mix of sincerity and humor, she reminded her friends to follow through on promises to visit, especially those who had been meaning to see her in Florida. Her message resonated as both a heartfelt challenge and a call to action to make time for what truly matters. Sonya Curry launches 'LOVE FIERCELY' challenge Stephen Curry and Sonya Curry. Image via: Getty Images Sonya also launched a challenge for her fans and everyone who is looking at her message. 'So my challenge is to connect with that person and we all have someone who we've been meaning to connect with, uh, and do it over this next week. Make it simple but go out of your way to make them a priority,' Sonya said. 'I look forward to hearing what you do and who do you do it with. And a selfish plug for all my friends who said y'll were going to visit me in Florida and I ain't seen you yet, make it happen. Love you, have a blessed day,' she added. Also Read: Ayesha Curry Sums Up Life with Stephen Curry in One Word After Touching Family Moment with Daughters The mother of NBA legend Steph Curry also captioned the post, 'I challenge you to LOVE FIERCELY💕Reach out to someone you care about and carve out intentional time just for them. Share something you both enjoy. Whether it's an activity, a deep conversation, or simply sitting in silence together. Be present. Let your love be seen, heard, and felt #FierceLove #LoveFiercely' Sonya's message is certainly bold and deserves a wide attention. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Giant pandas, tiger attacks and the ugly fight to control the San Francisco Zoo
Molting peacocks squawked in the distance and a Pacific breeze whispered through the eucalyptus as flamingo keeper Liz Gibbons tidied her station at the San Francisco Zoo. It had been an unusually cold summer in a city famous for them. Marooned on 'a breathtaking piece of land' at the peninsula's far western edge, steps from the deadly surf at Ocean Beach, the timeworn seaside menagerie had endured weeks of gray gloom. But late that July afternoon, the sun broke through the clouds. Then word began to spread. 'Everybody was like, 'Oh my God, did you hear?'' the keeper recalled. 'It's the news we've been waiting for.' For more than a year, the keepers, gardeners, train drivers and office staff of Teamsters Local 856 had been fighting to unseat their boss, longtime San Francisco Zoo Chief Executive Tanya Peterson. They were not alone. A growing chorus of animal activists, government watchdogs and civic leaders had called for Peterson to step down. In May, the San Francisco Zoological Society, the park's nonprofit operator, split down the middle in a failed attempt to remove her. From late last spring through early this summer, there was a vote of no confidence by the union, a blistering exposé in the San Francisco Chronicle, a damning report by the Animal Control and Welfare Commission, a looming audit by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a hail-Mary intercession by Mayor Daniel Lurie. Even the consul general of China had privately sought Peterson's ouster. 'He was like, 'You have issues — fix them,'' said Supervisor Myrna Melgar, whose district includes the zoo. A similar fight recently sent fur flying in Los Angeles, where the city and its former nonprofit zoo partner have locked horns over control of a $50-million endowment. At stake in San Francisco's power struggle is a pair of cuddly new tourist magnets: two giant pandas from China, hailed as a coup for the tarnished Golden City when then-Mayor London Breed inked the deal to bring them last year. Only two other American zoos have pandas: San Diego and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. In San Francisco, where nearly a quarter of residents identify as Chinese, the thrill was palpable. City Hall hoped the panda prestige would burn off any lingering haze of a doom loop. 'We're getting our house in order,' Lurie said. 'We already are a world-class city. When the pandas arrive in San Francisco, that's just going to be yet another draw.' Others saw the black-and-white bears as a rebuke to Trumpian isolationism. 'The best response to the displeasure of Washington is to be awesome and successful,' Melgar said. 'The pandas are a part of our success and a part of our value system.' For Peterson, who led the zoo since 2008, bringing a pair of the world's most sought-after animals to San Francisco was a dream come true. The political urgency and multimillion-dollar price tag seemed to ensure her continued leadership. 'The same day that the [Zoological Society] board was meant to vote her out, she let everyone know she was meeting with the Chinese Consulate,' said activist journalist Justin Barker of SF Zoo Watch. Peterson 'essentially tells the Board of Supervisors, 'If you move forward with this audit, you might not get pandas.'' So how did the ace up her leopard-print sleeve bring her down? Peterson did not respond to requests for comment. In an emailed statement, zoo spokesperson Sam Singer said she 'served with distinction and devotion.' In her own message to staff this month, Peterson likened her planned departure on Aug. 1 to the death of the zoo's beloved silverback gorilla, writing that 'some animals may leave this earth, but they never leave our souls.' 'It has been an honor to serve you, our animals, and the loyal constituents of this amazing community,' she said. For workers, her exit brought elation. 'I haven't seen this level of positivity and excitement ever,' said Stephanie Carpenter, a reptile and amphibian keeper. Former carnivore curator Travis Shields name-checked the infamous large cat wrangler from the Netflix series 'Tiger King' when asked what the next zoo leader should bring in comparison with Peterson. 'I don't think [keepers] care who comes next,' he said. 'It can't be any worse unless Joe Exotic comes in — and he's still in prison.' But the long fight has clawed open old wounds. Many in and around the zoo described the bitter panda power struggle as the worst crisis the institution has faced since the fatal tiger attack that vaunted Peterson to her current position and nearly shut down the zoo. 'They're holding their breath,' said one former manager, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. 'It's a similar feeling to after the tiger got out — what's going to happen to everything?' For Peterson's usurpers, the $25-million question is now: What's going to happen to the pandas? The rise of Tanya Peterson is inextricably linked to the fall of Tatiana the tiger, the first and only animal to escape and kill a visitor at an Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility. San Francisco acquired the 2½ -year-old, 242-pound Siberian from the Denver Zoo in 2005 as a mate for its 14-year old male Tony. They lived in the tiger grotto and were fed at the Art Deco-style Lion House, built for the original Fleishhacker Zoo by the Works Progress Administration. The park's original Depression-era structures are iconic, rising gray and craggy from the muted landscape like the Monterey cypress through the ever-present fog. 'The zoo is right on the water, it's right next to the beach and all the structures are daily battered by the fog and the wind and the sand and the salt,' Melgar said. Much of the century-old site is in disrepair. 'The infrastructure really left a lot to be desired,' said Manuel Mollinedo, who took over as the executive director of the San Francisco Zoo in 2004 after a successful turnaround at the Los Angeles Zoo. Twenty years before Tatiana arrived, the tiger grotto was briefly repurposed to house two giant pandas, Yun-Yun and Ying-Xin, who passed through during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics before visiting again in 1985. Those publicity tours preceded a slump in attendance through the mid-1990s. In 1993, the nonprofit San Francisco Zoological Society took over operations, while the city retained ownership of the property. Many zoos are run on a similar nonprofit model, including the Bronx Zoo and the San Diego Zoo, Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums President Dan Ashe said. Others, such as the Los Angeles Zoo, are run by cities or for profit. By the mid-aughts, efforts to draw in more blue-collar visitors had begun to bear fruit, and tax records show more than a million people were coming each year. 'The zoo had really turned a corner,' Mollinedo said. 'Our attendance was the highest it had ever been since the pandas were brought in 20 years before.' Then, during a public feeding in the Lion House in December 2006, Tatiana reached under the bars and grabbed keeper Lori Komejan by the arm. The tiger mauled her as she attempted to drag her into the cage, leading to permanent damage, according to a lawsuit later settled with the city. But that wasn't the end of it. One year after that incident, on Christmas Day 2007 — Tatiana escaped, mauling two men and killing a teenager. The city and the zoo ultimately reached financial settlements with the injured men and the family of 17-year-old Carlos Eduardo Sousa Jr. A federal investigation found panda-era modifications probably paved the way for Tatiana's escape. 'It was really rough for everybody,' said Gibbons, the flamingo keeper, who grew up in the Outer Sunset neighborhood and climbed the ranks through the zoo's youth volunteer program. 'I remember the city wanting to close it as a zoo and have it be a sanctuary.' Instead, the board pushed Mollinedo out and installed Peterson, a fellow board member and an attorney at Hewlett-Packard, whose then-husband had just run the finance committee for then-Mayor Gavin Newsom's reelection campaign. 'She said all the right things — that she wanted to hear from staff, that her door was always open,' longtime zoo gardener Marc Villa said. 'For the time being, it was kind of a breath of fresh air.' Echoing other critics, Mollinedo said Peterson 'knew nothing about animals.' But she made up for it with philanthropic prowess. 'She's a good fundraiser, I'll give her that,' said San Francisco Recreation and Park Commissioner Larry Mazzola Jr., who heads the zoo advisory committee. As interim CEO, Peterson swapped her corporate wardrobe for ostrich-feathered sheaths, tiger-striped hatbands, snakeskin-patterned coats and cheetah-spotted sneakers. Her early tenure was already marked by constant tension between what animal experts felt needed fixing and what donors wanted done. Outrage over half-finished safety measures led the Teamsters to their first no-confidence vote in 2014. 'All of this has been degenerating for a long time,' Melgar said. 'We have not had labor peace at that institution for years.' By 2024, the zoo's annual attendance had slipped to 700,000 — 15% below the nadir after the tiger attack, and roughly two-thirds of the yearly visitors to the Oakland Zoo across the bay. The pandas were supposed to fix all those problems. Instead, they fomented a coup. When Breed announced the panda deal late last April, zookeepers were shocked. 'None of the senior managers knew anything about it,' Villa said. 'Everybody's scrambled: How do we make this work? Where are we going to put them? It was just, 'Hey, we're getting pandas!'' It was a week after the union's second vote of no confidence against Peterson. To many, the move felt emblematic of her leadership flaws. 'If we do have a vision for this zoo besides pandas, it's not been communicated very well,' Villa said. Pandas are wildly popular with the public. But they're a thornier prospect for zoos, experts warn. The bears cannot be kept near lions or other large carnivores. They need a special diet, experienced keepers and state-of-the-art new enclosures. For San Francisco, the cost has been estimated at $25 million. Raising that money will fall to the interim CEO, which San Francisco has not yet named. The search for a permanent replacement will pit San Francisco against two of the state's premier animal attractions, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo. Despite the promise of greater oversight and the possibility of more funding from the city, many animal activists and former zoo staff remain staunchly opposed to the panda project. Some current keepers also expressed concerns. 'Guests are always asking, 'Where are the tigers? Where are the monkeys? Where are all these animals that used to be here?' We need to take care of the animals we have right now,' said Carpenter, the reptile keeper. But City Hall remains staunchly pro-panda. So does the Chinese Consulate, the Teamsters and the Board of Supervisors, which just last month threatened to withhold $4 million from the Zoological Society over its failure to produce audit paperwork. 'People are proud that we're doing this, and want us to pull it off,' Melgar said. 'The pandas will have a view of the ocean!' The Chinese visitors were originally slated to arrive at the end of this year. Then, this spring, they were assured by next April, just after the Super Bowl. That date has been pushed again, to the end of 2026. 'We don't know where we're going,' Villa said. 'Everything runs on rumors and speculation.' For now, the Teamsters are keeping their ears perked, waiting for good news to swirl in with the fog.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Major insurance company accused of illegal scheme to profit off policyholders: 'Race to the bottom'
California homeowners are suing the state's largest home insurer, claiming that the firm misled them and left them "grossly underinsured" as aggressive and unprecedented wildfires devastated much of Los Angeles, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. What's happening? On January 7, what would become a historical series of wildfires began burning in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Within a day, the blaze had consumed several homes. It wasn't fully extinguished until January 31, leaving a trail of destruction and fatalities in its wake. On January 9, NPR questioned whether insurance companies had "enough money" to cover the slew of upcoming claims. State Farm is the largest insurer in California, and on January 10, Newsweek covered a statement issued by the insurer. Although the language has since changed, an archived copy matched what was quoted in the article. "We are here for our customers to help begin the process of recovery," it read in part. "We want our customers to know that, when it is safe to do so, they can and should file a claim." In June, several California policyholders jointly filed suit against State Farm, alleging that the firm intentionally and "grossly" left them underinsured. Plaintiffs further alleged the company engaged in a "multifaceted illegal scheme," designed to "reap enormous illicit profits by deceptively misleading over a million homeowners," per the complaint. Through a series of pricing initiatives and other tactics, the complainants assert that State Farm created a "race to the bottom" for rates, aggressively seizing the largest share of California's market. "Lower coverage limits correspond to more attractive premium rates, but leave homeowners unwittingly exposed to serious underinsurance … This has severely undermined plaintiffs' efforts to rebuild their lives in the aftermath," attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote. Why does the California homeowners' lawsuit matter so much? While they're not technically "weather," wildfires are considered a form of extreme weather, as the extent of the damage in Los Angeles demonstrates. Do you think your home has good insulation? Definitely It's just all right It's good in some rooms Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The Los Angeles fires were largely caused by a dry winter, exacerbated by rising temperatures and anomalous weather patterns, according to As the planet heats and seas warm, all forms of extreme weather will intensify and occur more frequently. To add insult to injury, many California homeowners experienced delayed claim processing, if they were able to secure home insurance at all. On top of that, State Farm intends to raise rates in California by 30% to 40% across the board. What's being done about the home insurance crisis? In addition to the lawsuit filed in June, homeowners in Eaton sued insurers for similar reasons in April, seeking relief through the court system. Homeowners were caught off guard by the devastating wildfires, which is why it's important to remain aware of critical climate issues and stay prepared. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
West Coast May Get Tallest Skyscraper Yet As Record-Breaking Tower Proposed
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 1,225 foot-high new tower that would be the tallest building on the West Coast has been proposed for San Francisco. An application to build the tower, which would feature 1.6 million square feet of office space, was submitted to the city by Hines, a Houston-based real estate investment and development firm. Set at the site of the former PG&E headquarters at 77 Beale Street, the proposed skyscraper would be the tallest building in the United States outside of New York and Chicago, outranking Philadelphia and Los Angeles, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. In post on X, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said: "San Francisco just got a proposal for the tallest tower on the West Coast." He explained: "And this is not just about one building. This plan would transform a vacant city block into a dynamic mix of housing, office space, retail, and public space by developing the former PG&E and Matson." A stock image of a view of various skyscrapers and other buildings across the San Francisco skyline. A stock image of a view of various skyscrapers and other buildings across the San Francisco skyline. Getty A spokesperson for Hines told SFGATE that the tower would replace 1.3 million square feet of "obsolete office space" and transform the "gated, inaccessible" block into "a vibrant, activated open space, creating pedestrian pathways and gathering areas, like other successful downtown plazas." The new building would surpass the Salesforce Tower, the city's current tallest building, by about 155 feet, as well as the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles by about 125 feet, which is currently the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The new tower would be the country's 11th tallest skyscraper, sitting just under the 1,250 foot-high Empire State Building and just above the Bank of America Tower's 1,200 feet, both located in New York City, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The project would also see the restoration of two historic buildings—215 and 245 Market Street, both of which are on the National Register of Historic Places—while the adjacent 25 Beale Street office building would be converted into a residential tower with 120 housing units, according to SFGATE. The spokesperson for Hines described the PG&E/Matson Block project as "a significant investment towards the revitalization of downtown San Francisco and a catalytic project that demonstrates momentum and confidence in the city." The proposed San Francisco tower follows the construction of another major structure in North America—Toronto's One Bloor West building, which is Canada's first-ever supertall skyscraper. Supertall skyscrapers are buildings that stand 300 meters (around 984 feet) or higher, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The construction of the One Bloor West building hit the 300-meter mark, officially becoming the country's first supertall building. Once it's fully built, the skyscraper will be Canada's tallest residential building and its second-tallest human-made structure after the CN Tower. Further afield in Dubai, the Ciel, which will be the world's tallest hotel once complete, was said to be nearing completion. Reaching over 1,197 feet high, the Ciel hotel will also feature the world's highest infinity swimming pool set around 1,004 feet in the sky, as well as a 1,158 feet-high "sky restaurant" and an "atrium sky garden" spanning 12 levels. Newsweek has contacted Hines via email for comment. Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Beloved teacher dies in 100-foot fall just 2 miles into long-planned national park hike: report
A well-known and beloved Washington state teacher plummeted to his death just two miles into a planned solo backpack trek along the John Muir hiking trail last month, according to reports. Harris Levinson, 61, who taught American studies and theater at Vashon High School in the island town located just outside of Seattle, set out from Whitney Portal in California on June 23 on his way to Yosemite National Park, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Harris Levinson, 61, fatally plunged to his death just two miles into his long-planned trek along the John Muir hiking trail in California. The 61-year-old experienced hiker fell nearly 100-feet into a gully just two miles into the nearly 140-mile trek. His body was recovered by Inyo County Search and Rescue on July 12, according to SFGate. Officials said it appeared the teacher attempted to hike the 'climber's route' up Mount Whitney, which is more treacherous and difficult than the main John Muir Trail, according to reports. Friends of the longtime educator said he had been planning this trip for months and was thrilled to begin his journey. The summit of Mount Whitney where Levinson set off on his trip to Yosemite National Park. Wikipedia 'Folks who connected with him in his final days report that he was joyful, eager, friendly, and full of appreciation for his life and the opportunity to go on this adventure,' friend Carolyn McCarthy wrote on a Caring Bridge page for Levinson's benefit. 'In other words, he was Harris.' 'It is clear that he died upon impact,' she wrote, adding, 'We are grateful to know he didn't suffer.' Levinson was known on the island of Vashon as a talented writer, a theater artist, puppeteer, and sometimes stand-up comic who performed in multiple venues in the tight-knit community, Vashon Beachcomber reported. 'Everyone who encountered Harris experienced his warmth and joy and desire to connect, and these qualities made him a wonderful actor and scene partner,' Steven Sterne, who acted alongside Levinson in a September production of 'The Hatmaker's Wife,' told the outlet. Yosemite National Park is the third deadliest state park in America, with an average of 11 deaths recorded within its limits each year, according to the National Park Service.
