NEW YORK
Gothamist news sites brought back to life by public radio
Gothamist, a pithy news website covering New York City shut down last year after reporters unionized, and satellites in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., are getting a new life thanks to public radio.
Public radio stations WNYC in New York, KPCC in Los Angeles, and WAMU in Washington announced the purchase Friday. They said that the acquisition was funded largely through two anonymous donors and stations partners.
"We are committed to telling stories rooted in New York and that matter to New Yorkers," said Laura Walker, president and CEO of New York Public Radio. "As we've seen a decline in local journalism in even the largest metropolitan areas across the country, even at a time when it's so vital, we remain committed to strong, independent reporting that fills the void."
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Gothamist, LAist and DCist will re-launch in the spring.
For about a decade, the sites in the three cities along with others around the country offered quirky takes on city life, from news to restaurant reviews to to-do guides. Gothamist was purchased last year by Joe Ricketts, the billionaire owner of the Chicago Cubs and local news sites DNAinfo.
About a week after New York staffs voted to unionize, Ricketts shut them all down, calling it a business decision. He said combined daily news reports were sent to a half-million email addresses.
The deal also gives the public radio stations control over story archives, internet domains and social media sites from DNAinfo, as well as Chicagoist and SFist in San Francisco. WNYC officials said they were exploring ways to find new homes for those sites to "ensure the kind of quality local news" they provided to their communities.
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
California continues cold but still without much moisture
Cold and blustery weather blew through California on Friday, scattering snow showers in the mountains and making travel on icy roads potentially hazardous but still failing to deliver winter's normal measure of precipitation.
A new coat of white in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles led to a snow day for kids in the Rim of the World school district, and classes were also canceled in Amador and El Dorado counties after up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) fell in parts of the Sierra Nevada.
Various levels of chain controls were in effect on sections of U.S. 395 in Mono and Inyo counties along the Eastern Sierra and on eight state routes in the region, the California Department of Transportation said.
Vital Interstate 5 received flurries in towering Tejon Pass north of Los Angeles, but authorities did not have to shut it down.
High wind advisories, however, were posted for sections of I-5 in the pass and in the San Joaquin Valley, and Caltrans said travel was not recommended for vehicles with trailers and campers. The same advisory was posted for Interstate 80 at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Gale warnings and small craft advisories were issued all along the coast.
After a warm start to February, temperatures plunged this week with the arrival of a very cold air mass from Canada that triggered crop-threatening freezes. Numerous low temperature records were set or tied, but despite the turnabout, the system didn't bring typical winter rains.
The minimal moisture was emphasized when the National Weather Service noted that downtown San Francisco's 28-day midwinter dry spell had finally been snapped when 0.01 inch (0.25 millimeter) fell Thursday.
For growers who have been defending crops against the cold all week, Saturday was expected to bring another challenge. Forecasters said a freeze warning would be in effect in the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
The almond crop was particularly at risk.
"With almonds being the first flowering crop and extremely susceptible to frost, we are deeply concerned for our grower-owners and all California farmers who are affected by these freeze conditions," Mark Jansen, president and CEO of Blue Diamond Growers, said in a statement this week. The cooperative represents more than 3,000 of California's almond growers.
More cold low pressure systems are expected to drop down the West Coast next week, but forecasters aren't optimistic about rain.
In Los Angeles, where downtown has recorded less than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain since Oct. 1, a chance of showers was predicted for Monday and Tuesday.
"By no means does this look like a large rain maker for the region," the weather service said.
Associated Press
