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Hurricane Hilary batters Mexico, takes aim at Southern California

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Hurricane Hilary is poised to make landfall in Southern California on Sunday, but it is already starting to wreak havoc in Mexico. According to the National Weather Service, as of 5 a.m. Sunday, the storm was “very near” the Baja California coast south of Ensenada, Mexico and 285 miles (460 kilometers) from San Diego. The storm, which currently remains a Category 1 hurricane, will continue to lose strength as it hits Southern California, but officials are stressing that the weakening storm is still very dangerous. In the Mexican town of Santa Rosalía, on Baja California Sur’s eastern coast, a person drowned on Saturday when their vehicle was swept away in an overflowing stream. It was not immediately clear whether officials considered the fatality as related to the hurricane. According to the mayor of the nearby municipality of Mulegé, rescue crews were able to save four other people. Radar showing Hurricane Hilary's position at 6:10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20....

These celebrities decided to leave California in recent years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

High taxes, increasing cost of living expenses and political disagreements have resulted in thousands of California residents packing up and leaving the Golden State behind — including some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities.Actors Scott Baio and Dean Cain recently announced their departure from the state. Both actors said their decision was based on California’s political stance on certain issues. This is what a $1,500 rental budget will get you in California In October 2022, Mark Wahlberg announced that his family moved from California to Nevada. The actor and businessman said that his decision stemmed from him wanting to provide “a better life” for his children.In addition to other public figures, these celebrities have decided to leave California.Hilary Swank FILE - Hilary Swank attends the Disney 2022 Upfront presentation at Basketball City Pier 36 on May 17, 2022, in New York. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)The two-time Oscar winner put her $10.5 million Los Angeles home o...

One killed, two wounded in Oakland shootings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

OAKLAND — One man was killed and two other men were wounded in three shootings that happened  early Sunday and Saturday afternoon in different areas of the city, authorities said.The shootings are not related, police said.The fatal shooting happened about 2:54 a.m. Sunday in the 500 block of 17th Street near San Pablo Avenue in the Uptown area.Police said the victim is a 38-year-old Pittsburg man, whose name has not yet been released.Police said the man had been visiting clubs in the area and was standing outside when he got into a confrontation with at least one other person and was shot.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.Police have not yet said what the confrontation was about.  No arrests have been made.The killing is the 69th homicide investigated by Oakland police this year. Last year at this time police had investigated  77 homicides in the city.About 1:16 a.m. Sunday a 52-year-old man was found shot multiple times outside at the intersection of  East 15th Street and...

Deadline to apply for Los Gatos’ Community Innovation Grants nears

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Community Innovation GrantsAs the deadline to apply for one of the town’s Community Innovation Grants approaches, interested applicants can find answers to their questions online at www.losgatosca.gov/318/Community-Grant-Programs or by emailing the Los Gatos Library Director Ryan Baker at [email protected]. Four grants of $1,500 each are available to individuals with ideas for small-scale community improvement projects. Apply online by Sept. 4 at 5 p.m.Opera lecture in Los GatosThe San Francisco Opera’s Fall Lecture Series, which brings experts on the artform and its history to the South Bay, begins next Wednesday. From 10 a.m. to noon, Kip Cranna of the San Francisco Opera will discuss Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” which translates to “The Troubadour.”The talk will take place at the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center. Members of the San Jose Opera Guild and the community center get free admission. Tickets are $10 for all non-members. To reserve a seat, ema...

Cupertino’s Live on Main concert series kicks off Aug. 25

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Live on MainLive on Main, a free concert series at Main Street Cupertino, kicks off Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m. with The Hitmen.The series continues Sept. 1 with Aki Kumar, followed by Thrown Out Bones on Sept. 8, Country Cougars on Sept. 15 and Isaiah on Sept. 22. First Call closes the series on Sept. 29.The concerts will be held outdoors at Main Street Cupertino, 19419 Stevens Creek Blvd.CEQA exemption for housingThe California State Assembly and State Senate have both unanimously passed legislation by Sen. Dave Cortese intended to speed up housing development in the state. Cortese’s District 15 includes Cupertino.SB 406 aims to cut repetitive reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) while keeping California’s main environmental law intact. The bill is headed to the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration.“SB 406 cuts red tape without compromising on environmental protection. This bill will streamline permitting and speed up affordable housing production for peopl...

Santa Cruz Mountains grapes are the stars at Tessier

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Kristie Tacey is a Bay Area biotech refugee from Michigan for whom wine became a lifeline, and then her life. Her passion is finding amazing vineyards to create wines that express the joy of living in California.Tacey sources from the Santa Cruz Mountains for her Tessier wines, located in Berkeley and available for purchase at Enoteca La Storia in Los Gatos and San Jose’s Little Italy. She makes pinot noir using grapes from Saveria in Corralitos and a sparkling rosé of pinot noir fromChristie Vineyards in Healdsburg. From Zayante Vineyards in Felton, the only continuously organically farmed vineyard in the AVA, comes a grippy, peppery merlot, her “Sideways” revenge wine.Zayante Vineyards was planted in 1983 by the late Greg Nolton. Steven Mirassou of Steven Kent Winery also sources Merlot from here.Tessier also offers a riveting Riesling from Zabala in Arroyo Seco and a mysterious Mourtaou from Siletto in San Benito.  A series of blends combines Tacey’s love of music and wine. “Soul...

Santa Clara County Sheriff gives leaders a look at lockup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Santa Clara County Sheriff Robert Jonsen and Assistant Sheriff David Sepulveda took local leaders on tour of the Elmwood Correctional Facility and the county’s main jail, respectively located in Milpitas and San Jose, on July 25.The delegation, which included Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee, Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano and Milpitas Vice Mayor Evelyn Chua. learned about the Santa Clara County’s job training, educational programs and wraparound services for those in custody to help ensure successful re-entry.The Santa Clara County Jail system has an average of 3,000 people in custody on any given day, 2,300 in the Elmwood campus alone. The path of any inmate in the Santa Clara County jail system always starts at the intake ramp in an underground tunnel at the main jail, where arresting officers walk detainees in the building for the intake process.The main jail’s population primarily consists of unsentenced persons charged with serious felonies and some misdemeanor arre...

Opinion: Santa Clara County families should take advantage of transitional kindergarten

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

As we begin a new school year, and the second of an ambitious five-year plan to roll out transitional kindergarten (TK) in schools throughout California, I can’t help but recall the passion and “stick-to-it-iveness” demonstrated by two of our local teachers more than a dozen years ago.I was in my last term in the California State Senate at the time. Kindergarten teacher Diana Argenti and Natalie Bivas, a support teacher and reading specialist, approached me with a petition signed by nearly 300 local teachers pushing for legislation that required prospective kindergartners to be at least 5 years old by Sept. 1 instead of Dec. 2. This was something that had been tried unsuccessfully by governors and legislators (both Democrats and Republicans) for over 25 years. So understandably, I thought it was a long shot but worth trying, nonetheless.And let me tell you, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen hundreds of kindergarten teachers swarm the state Capitol to call to attention the fact tha...

GOGA restaurant moves from Shanghai to Saratoga

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Finding GOGA might prove challenging for some, and once diners have sampled the fare at the new Saratoga restaurant, they may feel as though they’ve been transported to Shanghai.GOGA recently opened at the former location of Indo Café, in back of the UPS Store, which is next to Saratoga Eyes, at the east end of the Village.Chef/owner Brad Turley first opened GOGA in Shanghai, where he was living with wife Helen Li after stints in Hawaii, New York City and Vietnam. Like the current incarnation, GOGA (short for Golden Gate) in Shanghai was tiny, intimate and quickly became the “it” place that attracted fellow chefs, as well as American expats and locals.The couple were back in California for what they thought was a temporary stay when the pandemic hit. Three years later, they have re-created much of the menu and vibe that attracted their original loyal following back in China.The couple now lives in Los Gatos, and Turley’s nephew, Tristan, works with him in the open kitchen. Another n...

Nominations open for Saratoga’s Leadership in Courage Award

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:58 GMT

Leadership awardSaratoga residents can nominate a friend, neighbor or business associate for the 2023 Leadership in Courage Award, to be presented at the State of the City on Sept. 9 at Wildwood Park.The award recognizes a Saratogan who is a silent leader or has demonstrated unexpected courage or resilience, taken a stand for something they believed in, or has led their life with dignity and perseverance through an extraordinary challenge.Nominations are due by Sunday, Aug. 27 at 11:59 p.m. to www.saratoga.ca.us/courage.Celebrating Saratoga’s diversityThe City of Saratoga, Santa Clara County Library District and Saratoga Library and Community Engagement Commission are celebrating Saratoga’s diversity one story at a time. Submit your Saratoga story using words, artwork or photos by Sept. 1 to www.saratoga.ca.us/CelebrateDiversity.New opioid workshop setThe Santa Clara County Library District and the County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services Department have scheduled a second O...