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California grocery store workers ratify new contract

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California grocery store workers ratify new contract

Tens of 1000’s of California grocery retailer staff have permitted a brand new contract with main grocery store chains, avoiding a possible strike, it was introduced Thursday.

Union members within the central and southern areas of the state ratified a tentative deal that was reached final week. It grants some 47,000 staff increased wages, stronger well being advantages, elevated assured hours for part-time staff, improved retailer security and a secured pension, the United Meals and Business Employees Worldwide Union mentioned in an announcement.

Most staff will obtain pay hikes of $4.25 per hour over three years, the union mentioned, with increased raises for some staff.

The contract additionally consists of provisions to determine well being and security committees at each Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions retailer in order that staff can have a say on questions of safety, the union mentioned in an announcement.

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Entrance-line staff, together with at grocery shops, have been hit exhausting in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After greater than two years of risking their lives to serve California’s communities as important staff, reaching a good contract with higher wage will increase, well being care enhancements, and guarded pensions for these hard-working members couldn’t have come at a extra vital time,” mentioned an announcement by seven union locals.

“We made historical past!” Erika Bentzen, a meals clerk at a Ralphs in Thousand Oaks who was on the bargaining workforce, mentioned in a union assertion. “This was the primary time members have been a part of the negotiations and I imagine it made a distinction having us there. That is one of the best contract within the nation.”

The contract takes instant impact and covers about 540 shops.

The earlier three-year contract expired March 6 and staff had voted to authorize a strike if an settlement wasn’t reached.

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In 2019, staff of Ralphs, Vons, Pavilions and Albertsons voted to authorize a strike however contracts finally have been reached with no walkout.

A 2003-04 strike and lockout put almost 70,000 Southern California grocery staff on picket traces for greater than 4 months.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Teen boy stabbed outside Los Angeles County 7-Eleven

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Teen boy stabbed outside Los Angeles County 7-Eleven

A teenage boy is in stable condition after he was stabbed outside of a 7-Eleven store in Los Angeles County, authorities confirmed.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to reports of an altercation outside the convenience store at 16000 Main Street in La Puente at about 9 p.m. Friday.

Upon arrival, authorities found a teen boy suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he is in stable condition, according to officials.

The suspect fled the scene on foot and remains at large. Authorities were unable to provide a description.

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It’s unknown if the suspect is also a juvenile, or what led up to the altercation.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Southern California man hospitalized after suspect steals coffee cart, leads police on wild chase

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Southern California man hospitalized after suspect steals coffee cart, leads police on wild chase

A man who was hospitalized after a suspect stole a coffee cart with him inside and led officers on a wild, multi-county pursuit recalls the terrifying ordeal.

“I thought I was going to die,” said the victim, Derek Strano, 37. 

On July 16, the suspect, Liam Preston Yanez, 28, jumped into a pickup truck that was also towing a coffee service trailer in Moorpark.

Little did the suspect know, Strano was still inside the coffee cart. At the time, Strano had gone inside the cart to prepare a drink for a family member who had arrived home for surgery.

As the truck suddenly took off, Strano was taken on a violent, wild ride through Ventura and Los Angeles counties as police officers chased the stolen truck.

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“I feel the truck moving and I had been in there for two minutes,” Strano recalled. “I thought I had the parking brake off, but then the truck blows through the fence. It was hell.” 

  • Derek Strano making coffee inside a trailer owned by Matt’s Coffee Express. (Derek Strano)
  • The suspect crashed the pickup truck in North Hollywood, overturning the coffee trailer on July 16, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Derek Strano speaks to KTLA's Chris Wolfe on July 26, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Derek Strano was hospitalized after being ejected from a coffee cart during a police pursuit. (Derek Strano)
  • Derek Strano was hospitalized with serious injuries after being ejected from a coffee cart during a police pursuit. (Derek Strano)
  • Derek Strano was hospitalized with serious injuries after being ejected from a coffee cart during a police pursuit. (Derek Strano)
  • North Hollywood pursuit crash
  • The interior of the coffee cart was destroyed during a stolen vehicle pursuit through L.A. and Ventura counties on July 16, 2024. (Derek Strano)
  • The interior of the coffee cart was destroyed during a stolen vehicle pursuit through L.A. and Ventura counties on July 16, 2024. (Derek Strano)
  • North Hollywood pursuit crash
  • Derek Strano was hospitalized with serious injuries after being ejected from a coffee cart during a police pursuit. (Derek Strano)
  • Derek Strano was hospitalized with serious injuries after being ejected from a coffee cart during a police pursuit. (Derek Strano)
  • Suspect leading police on a chase driving a stolen pickup truck with a coffee trailer containing Derek Strano inside on July 16, 2024. (KTLA)
  • North Hollywood pursuit crash

Video of the chase showed the suspect driving erratically as the coffee cart swerved dangerously behind. 

Strano held on for life, grabbing a sink inside the coffee cart as the chase became more chaotic. Eventually, Strano could not hold on any longer.

“He took a turn and the side door was ripped off and I flew out of it when he made that turn,” Strano said.

The coffee cart later overturned as the suspect crashed the pickup truck into the Heartfelt Education through the Arts Center building in North Hollywood.

Strano was left hospitalized with serious injuries after the ordeal. The incident left him with severe pain and limited his mobility. 

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Strano said he’s also been suffering from nightmares and flashbacks to the night of the crash.

The suspect, Yanez, was arrested on several felony charges including unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle and receiving stolen property.  He is being held on $20,000 bail.

Strano, however, believes those charges are not enough for the damage caused.

“His charges, not one of them are for my injuries,” Strano said. “My name isn’t in the report. I was just a worker, the assistant, and it kind of got to me.”

For now, Strano is focused on recovering and is undergoing physical therapy. He said he may also consider psychological therapy as well.

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A GoFundMe page to help Strano with his medical bills can be found here.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Rapper faces prison for trying to board LAX flight with loaded semiautomatic pistol

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Rapper faces prison for trying to board LAX flight with loaded semiautomatic pistol

A rapper faces prison time after he attempted to board a flight with a loaded pistol at Los Angeles International Airport.

Tiwan Raybon, 36, of Douglasville, Georgia, also known as “Fat Money” was sentenced Friday to 20 months in federal prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Raybon arrived at LAX and attempted to board a flight headed for Atlanta. He was selected for a routine luggage inspection by Transportation Security Administration officials.

Inside Raybon’s carry-on luggage, security officials discovered a Glock 9mm-caliber semiautomatic pistol and several rounds of ammunition.

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Raybon then fled from TSA officers after the discovery, authorities said.

At the time, investigators said Raybon was in illegal possession of the pistol after being previously convicted of multiple felonies and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence in Cook County, Illinois.

Raybon was later arrested and indicted by a federal grand jury in L.A.

In April 2024, he pleaded guilty to one federal count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Friday, he was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison.

“It is unlawful for a person convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to ship, transport, receive, or possess a firearm or ammunition,” FBI officials said. “In addition, firearms are not permitted at checkpoints or in the secure area of airports, including in carry-on luggage or onboard aircraft.”

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