Jenny Lewis didn't mean to wind up with the marimba.But for the last year, a vintage percussion instrument has occupied pride of place in the singer-songwriter's forest green home studio.She inherited it from her godfather, Jerry Cohen, a music editor for TV and movies and an amateur musician, who died suddenly last spring.
California leads U.S. in dog attacks on mail carriers as number of bites rises
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
California is a "ruff" place to deliver the mail, according to annual data from the U.S. Postal Service that shows the state leads the U.S. in dog attacks against mail carriers.Last year, there were 675 dog bites on mail carriers in California, up from 656 in 2021 and 67% more than Texas, which ranked No. 2 with 404 bites in 2022.
Arkansas woman pleads not guilty to selling over 20 boxes of stolen human body parts
An Arkansas woman has pleaded not guilty to charges she stole body parts from medical school cadavers and sold them through Facebook for $11,000.Candace Chapman Scott, a 36-year-old former mortuary services worker, is accused of selling 20 boxes of everything from human skin to skulls to a man in Pennsylvania, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed by a Little Rock court on Friday.
US Forest Service is the latest government agency to try electric trucks
At the end of 2021, US President Joe Biden set the federal government on a path to being more sustainable with an executive order that among other goals included only buying emissions-free vehicles.For light-duty cars and trucks, that has to happen by 2027, with a deadline of 2035 for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
California leads U.S. in dog attacks on mail carriers as number of bites rises
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
California is a "ruff" place to deliver the mail, according to annual data from the U.S. Postal Service that shows the state leads the U.S. in dog attacks against mail carriers.Last year, there were 675 dog bites on mail carriers in California, up from 656 in 2021 and 67% more than Texas, which ranked No. 2 with 404 bites in 2022.
Arkansas woman pleads not guilty to selling over 20 boxes of stolen human body parts
An Arkansas woman has pleaded not guilty to charges she stole body parts from medical school cadavers and sold them through Facebook for $11,000.Candace Chapman Scott, a 36-year-old former mortuary services worker, is accused of selling 20 boxes of everything from human skin to skulls to a man in Pennsylvania, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed by a Little Rock court on Friday.
US Forest Service is the latest government agency to try electric trucks
At the end of 2021, US President Joe Biden set the federal government on a path to being more sustainable with an executive order that among other goals included only buying emissions-free vehicles.For light-duty cars and trucks, that has to happen by 2027, with a deadline of 2035 for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Murdering Letter Carrier
A letter carrier named Angela Summers was delivering mail on her usual route when she walked past a house where the Postal Service had recently stopped delivering because of concerns about a dog on the property.Upset that the mail had been stopped, a resident of that house, Tony Cushingberry, pursued Ms. Summers and fatally shot her on his street in Indianapolis on April 27, 2020, federal prosecutors said.
Day Around the Bay: Moderna Set to Open New Bay Area Office
The Chronicle has published a searchable database of contracts that the City of San Francisco has with around 4,000 for-profit and non-profit companies.The data only goes back to 2017, but you can see, for instance, that Urban Alchemy has reaped over $60 million in contracts from the city in the last three years alone, to address homelessness and man safe-sleeping sites, among other things.
Laura Washington: The digital age is destroying the art of the letter
A "Collection of Chicago Postal History," an assemblage of thousands of letters, will be auctioned in March by H.R. Harmer Fine Stamp Auctions of New York City.Nearly all were originally mailed from Chicago.They were found and collected over decades by Leonard Piszkiewicz, a retiree and former Chicagoan now living in Northern California.
Wanted: 20,000 mail carriers in time for Christmas
It was three shipping days before Christmas, and Santa's blue-clad helpers were hard at work spreading holiday cheer at the Bellflower post office.Pickup was imminent.Mail carriers in fuzzy hats and crisp polyester shorts scurried to and fro.Inside, a line of procrastinators in ugly sweaters and nubby fleece pajama bottoms waited to post their nick-of-time Christmas gifts and eleventh-hour holiday cards.
Royal Mail has warned customers that services will be affected by postal workers striking in a row over pay, job security and working conditions, adding that the walkouts are likely to cause you some disruption in the run-up to Christmas.The Communications Workers Union (CWU) formally notified Royal Mail of the November strikes last month and confirmed six new strike dates in December on November 17.
Following Electric Vehicle Announcement, Advocates Say DeJoy Still Needs to Go
"Any increase in E.V. acquisition at USPS is in spite of DeJoy, not because of him," says one critic.Louis DeJoy, the U.S. Postmaster General, delivers remarks announcing the Postal Service's plan on implementing electric vehicles, at the Postal Service Headquarters on December 20, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Murdering Letter Carrier
A letter carrier named Angela Summers was delivering mail on her usual route when she walked past a house where the Postal Service had recently stopped delivering because of concerns about a dog on the property.Upset that the mail had been stopped, a resident of that house, Tony Cushingberry, pursued Ms. Summers and fatally shot her on his street in Indianapolis on April 27, 2020, federal prosecutors said.
Day Around the Bay: Moderna Set to Open New Bay Area Office
The Chronicle has published a searchable database of contracts that the City of San Francisco has with around 4,000 for-profit and non-profit companies.The data only goes back to 2017, but you can see, for instance, that Urban Alchemy has reaped over $60 million in contracts from the city in the last three years alone, to address homelessness and man safe-sleeping sites, among other things.
Laura Washington: The digital age is destroying the art of the letter
A "Collection of Chicago Postal History," an assemblage of thousands of letters, will be auctioned in March by H.R. Harmer Fine Stamp Auctions of New York City.Nearly all were originally mailed from Chicago.They were found and collected over decades by Leonard Piszkiewicz, a retiree and former Chicagoan now living in Northern California.
Wanted: 20,000 mail carriers in time for Christmas
It was three shipping days before Christmas, and Santa's blue-clad helpers were hard at work spreading holiday cheer at the Bellflower post office.Pickup was imminent.Mail carriers in fuzzy hats and crisp polyester shorts scurried to and fro.Inside, a line of procrastinators in ugly sweaters and nubby fleece pajama bottoms waited to post their nick-of-time Christmas gifts and eleventh-hour holiday cards.
Royal Mail has warned customers that services will be affected by postal workers striking in a row over pay, job security and working conditions, adding that the walkouts are likely to cause you some disruption in the run-up to Christmas.The Communications Workers Union (CWU) formally notified Royal Mail of the November strikes last month and confirmed six new strike dates in December on November 17.
Following Electric Vehicle Announcement, Advocates Say DeJoy Still Needs to Go
"Any increase in E.V. acquisition at USPS is in spite of DeJoy, not because of him," says one critic.Louis DeJoy, the U.S. Postmaster General, delivers remarks announcing the Postal Service's plan on implementing electric vehicles, at the Postal Service Headquarters on December 20, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
Riot Fest 2023 lineup: Foo Fighters, The Cure and Queens of the Stone Age in Douglass Park
Riot Fest headliners for 2023 will be Foo Fighters and Turnstile Friday; The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie and Queens of the Stone Age Saturday; and The Cure and Mars Volta Sunday.The three-day Riot Fest will be Sept. 15-17 in Douglass Park, according to an announcement Tuesday.Tickets are on sale 10 a.m.
Wellesley and Needham warn: Mail thieves have keys to the boxes, so bring your letters to the P.O.
Crime Needham police received a report of mail theft that may have compromised multiple mailboxes in town.With the holiday season officially underway and countless gifts in transit, two Massachusetts towns are warning residents about an uptick in mail theft.The Wellesley Police Department said it has begun receiving an influx of check fraud reports related to mail theft.
December Royal Mail strike action to include Christmas Eve
Royal Mail workers will stage six more days of strike action in December, including on Christmas Eve, as part of the latest walkouts to affect the postal service.Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at the service will go on strike on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December.Workers are already set to strike on 24, 25 and 30 November, as well as 1 December.
Royal Mail reports 219m loss as strike action takes its toll
Royal Mail has plunged to a first-half loss of more than 200m blaming the financial impact of ongoing strike action, a fall in the number of parcel deliveries and inability to restructure the business while at loggerheads with unions.The postal service, which is in talks with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) to try to avert strikes in the run-up to Christmas, reported an adjusted operating loss of 219m in the six months to 25 September.
Canada Post moves toward postal banking services in new loan program with TD Bank | CBC News
Canada Post now offers loans alongside stamps, packaging and its existing financial services as it officially launches a partnership with TD Bank Group.
Hundreds of Liverpool container workers set for two-week strike
Hundreds of workers at one of the UK's largest container ports will go on strike for two weeks from Monday evening in a dispute over pay, in a move that could further disrupt UK supply chains.
Riot Fest 2023 lineup: Foo Fighters, The Cure and Queens of the Stone Age in Douglass Park
Riot Fest headliners for 2023 will be Foo Fighters and Turnstile Friday; The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie and Queens of the Stone Age Saturday; and The Cure and Mars Volta Sunday.The three-day Riot Fest will be Sept. 15-17 in Douglass Park, according to an announcement Tuesday.Tickets are on sale 10 a.m.
Wellesley and Needham warn: Mail thieves have keys to the boxes, so bring your letters to the P.O.
Crime Needham police received a report of mail theft that may have compromised multiple mailboxes in town.With the holiday season officially underway and countless gifts in transit, two Massachusetts towns are warning residents about an uptick in mail theft.The Wellesley Police Department said it has begun receiving an influx of check fraud reports related to mail theft.
December Royal Mail strike action to include Christmas Eve
Royal Mail workers will stage six more days of strike action in December, including on Christmas Eve, as part of the latest walkouts to affect the postal service.Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at the service will go on strike on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December.Workers are already set to strike on 24, 25 and 30 November, as well as 1 December.
Royal Mail reports 219m loss as strike action takes its toll
Royal Mail has plunged to a first-half loss of more than 200m blaming the financial impact of ongoing strike action, a fall in the number of parcel deliveries and inability to restructure the business while at loggerheads with unions.The postal service, which is in talks with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) to try to avert strikes in the run-up to Christmas, reported an adjusted operating loss of 219m in the six months to 25 September.
Canada Post moves toward postal banking services in new loan program with TD Bank | CBC News
Canada Post now offers loans alongside stamps, packaging and its existing financial services as it officially launches a partnership with TD Bank Group.
Hundreds of Liverpool container workers set for two-week strike
Hundreds of workers at one of the UK's largest container ports will go on strike for two weeks from Monday evening in a dispute over pay, in a move that could further disrupt UK supply chains.
Sign up for insightful business news.If Facebook stopped your uncle with a weakness for conspiracy theories from incessantly posting news stories, would that be so bad?On Monday, Meta's Head of Global Affairs Nick Clegg doubled down on Meta's threat to block news on its platforms in Canada if the government goes ahead with proposed legislation to make Big Tech companies hammer out licensing deals with news publishers for their content.
20 Years Ago, One Band Released Their Only Album Ever And It Was Perfect
For a certain demographic, the naughty aughties were a transformative decade for what all agree sounds like "indie rock."From the rise of Arcade Fire, to The Strokes to TV On the Radio to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and even the second wave of Britpop featuring bands like The Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party, what was once called "alternative" had morphed into something simultaneously more diverse and, also, possessed an accidentally unified aesthetic.
Rwanda.Photo by Melanie Curry/Streetsblog I just returned from a trip to visit friends in two very different African countries, Zimbabwe and Rwanda.The trip purpose wasn't to observe transportation customs and bring home lessons for California, but I couldn't help myself from trying to take a picture whenever I saw someone using a bicycle.
Posten's Christmas ad shows fractured relationship between Santa and Mother Earth
The postal service used data from Norway's Climate Index that highlighted only 10 out of 100 companies have cut emissions in accordance with the targets set in the Paris Agreement.After the success of last year's When Harry Met Santa' film, Posten has launched an equally bold and important Christmas ad that details the damage being done to the planet over the festive period.
Georgia's Governor Deputized GOP Vigilantes to Challenge 149,000 Voters
Maj. Gamaliel Turner was more than upset.Assigned by the Pentagon to the Naval base at Port Hueneme, California, Turner had called his hometown registrar in Columbus, Georgia, to find out about his missing absentee ballot.The soldier's ballot wasn't missing.They hadn't sent the ballot because, he was told, "Mr.
Strike action another dagger' for London businesses crippled by Covid
S mall business owners have said they are struggling to survive as postal workers are set to walk out and amid the looming threat of rail strikes.Matt Harris, 49, who runs wine bars Planet Of The Grapes and Fox Fine Wines in London, said that strike action is just another dagger for already struggling hospitality businesses.
Sign up for insightful business news.If Facebook stopped your uncle with a weakness for conspiracy theories from incessantly posting news stories, would that be so bad?On Monday, Meta's Head of Global Affairs Nick Clegg doubled down on Meta's threat to block news on its platforms in Canada if the government goes ahead with proposed legislation to make Big Tech companies hammer out licensing deals with news publishers for their content.
20 Years Ago, One Band Released Their Only Album Ever And It Was Perfect
For a certain demographic, the naughty aughties were a transformative decade for what all agree sounds like "indie rock."From the rise of Arcade Fire, to The Strokes to TV On the Radio to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and even the second wave of Britpop featuring bands like The Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party, what was once called "alternative" had morphed into something simultaneously more diverse and, also, possessed an accidentally unified aesthetic.
Rwanda.Photo by Melanie Curry/Streetsblog I just returned from a trip to visit friends in two very different African countries, Zimbabwe and Rwanda.The trip purpose wasn't to observe transportation customs and bring home lessons for California, but I couldn't help myself from trying to take a picture whenever I saw someone using a bicycle.
Posten's Christmas ad shows fractured relationship between Santa and Mother Earth
The postal service used data from Norway's Climate Index that highlighted only 10 out of 100 companies have cut emissions in accordance with the targets set in the Paris Agreement.After the success of last year's When Harry Met Santa' film, Posten has launched an equally bold and important Christmas ad that details the damage being done to the planet over the festive period.
Georgia's Governor Deputized GOP Vigilantes to Challenge 149,000 Voters
Maj. Gamaliel Turner was more than upset.Assigned by the Pentagon to the Naval base at Port Hueneme, California, Turner had called his hometown registrar in Columbus, Georgia, to find out about his missing absentee ballot.The soldier's ballot wasn't missing.They hadn't sent the ballot because, he was told, "Mr.
Strike action another dagger' for London businesses crippled by Covid
S mall business owners have said they are struggling to survive as postal workers are set to walk out and amid the looming threat of rail strikes.Matt Harris, 49, who runs wine bars Planet Of The Grapes and Fox Fine Wines in London, said that strike action is just another dagger for already struggling hospitality businesses.
New Postal Service stamp to celebrate Yosemite's famous waterfall
One of Yosemite National Park's most sought-after destinations will soon be commemorated by the United States Postal Service.Nevada Fall, the 594-foot-high waterfall towering over the Yosemite Valley, will be featured as part of the Postal Service's new waterfall stamp collection to be released next month.
Major decision on GDPR compensation rights incoming
Could EU residents receive compensation for the harm caused by illegal data use under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?We'll find out tomorrow, when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is set to make a ruling in a case being nervously watched by many a data-hungry company doing business across the political bloc.
Near replica of original 9:30 Club opening with Foo Fighters concert
The original 9:30 Club, shown here in 1988, is the inspiration for Atlantis, a 450-capacity live music venue located next to the current 9:30 Club.(Charles K. Crockett/The Washington Post)In September 2021, as 9:30 Club was celebrating its grand reopening after 17 months of pandemic closure, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters casually announced that the venue's owners would be "opening an exact replica of the old 9:30 Club" next door.
Millions of Germans face transport disruption in cost of living mega-strike'
Germany commuters are bracing for major disruption as transport staff across the country get set to stage a major strike to push for wage hikes in the face of brisk inflation.Workers at airports, ports, railways, buses and metro lines throughout much of Europe's biggest economy are expected to heed a call from the Verdi and EVG unions and take part in the 24-hour walkout on Monday.
Millions of Germans face transport disruption in cost of living mega-strike'
Germany commuters are bracing for major disruption as transport staff across the country get set to stage a major strike to push for wage hikes in the face of brisk inflation.Workers at airports, ports, railways, buses and metro lines throughout much of Europe's biggest economy are expected to heed a call from the Verdi and EVG unions and take part in the 24-hour walkout on Monday.
Ben Gibbard Talks The Postal Service's Give Up at 20: "This Record Has Really Found a Home in People's Lives"
If you're at all plugged into the indie music circuit, you've heard about (and likely attempted to get tickets for) Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service's upcoming co-headlining tour.Both fronted by Ben Gibbard, 2023 sees both acts celebrating the 20th anniversary of a landmark album in their discography.
Royal Mail stands firm as LockBit leaks data and renews ransom demand | Computer Weekly
The LockBit ransomware gang has leaked a tranche of data exfiltrated from Royal Mail's IT systems during its January 2022 cyber attack, and set a fresh ransom demand of £33m as it renews its efforts to force the postal service to cough up.The prolific Russian-speaking ransomware operation had previously set a £66m ransom demand - which Royal Mail rejected as an "absurd" amount of money - before dropping it to approximately £47m.
Supreme Court to hear case that threatens existence of consumer protection agency
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments next term about whether Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, set up after the 2008 financial crisis to protect consumers from predatory lending practices, is funded constitutionally.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to take up a case that could threaten the existence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and potentially the status of numerous other federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve.
Sunak sends Christmas thanks to public servants amid wave of strikes
Rishi Sunak has broken with tradition to record phone calls with public servants thanking them for their selflessness rather than broadcast a Christmas message to the nation.The Prime Minister made apparently surprise calls to four workers and the crew of a naval ship to express his gratitude for their sacrifices after an extraordinary year.
I mailed in my ballot for the midterms. How can I tell if it's been counted?
The stakes are stratospheric in this year's midterm election, with control of both chambers of Congress in play, almost every statewide office in California up for grabs, and meaningful abortion, environmental and gambling measures on the ballot.Across the country, states are seeing unusually high numbers of mail-in ballots being cast in the weeks before election day.
I mailed in my ballot for the midterms. How can I tell if it's been counted?
The stakes are stratospheric in this year's midterm election, with control of both chambers of Congress in play, almost every statewide office in California up for grabs, and meaningful abortion, environmental and gambling measures on the ballot.Across the country, states are seeing unusually high numbers of mail-in ballots being cast in the weeks before election day.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Faces Outrage Over New Postal Service Price Hikes
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is facing backlash over his newly announced plan to hike postcard and stamp prices as part of his proposed 10-year overhaul of mail operations, a strategy that critics warn will further damage the Postal Service.