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Saratoga teen exhibits artwork he hopes inspires environmental legislation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

Saratoga teenager Aiden Chen is exhibiting his paintings of endangered bird species in the hopes of raising awareness and promoting conservation efforts to protect them.“I’m currently advocating for a bill in the California Legislature, AB 38,” Aiden said, “and I believe it would reduce light pollution in California, which would help protect a lot of birds, because artificial light at night can confuse them and cause them to crash into buildings. So millions of birds die every year due to light pollution, so reducing it would be a great help for the population.”The paintings are on display through Sept. 5 at the Saratoga Library, located at 13650 Saratoga Ave., and Aiden will host an artist’s reception on Sunday, Aug. 27, 3-4 p.m. The 28 paintings in the exhibit include landscapes, portraits and plein air works.Aiden said he separated his artwork into thematic groups, one of which showcases the growth and evolution of his skills over time. His plein air series feat...

Mike’s Diner Bar in Palo Alto faces eviction after owner paid rent one day late

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

After 29 years of business in Palo Alto, Mike’s Diner Bar faces eviction, because owner Mike Wallau paid rent a day late following a family medical emergency.His rent was due July 17, but he was unable to drop off the rent check until the following day, he said, because he was at the hospital with his disabled daughter.In a letter dated July 20, his property manager, Eugenia Seraia of Ventana Property Services, returned his rent check of $22,052.81 and told him the property owners had initiated the eviction process.Wallau is working with his lawyers to request a halt to the eviction proceedings. In the meantime, the Midtown neighborhood and the city of Palo Alto are looking for ways to rally their support for the longtime eatery and for Wallau. If the eviction proceeds, Mike’s Diner Bar will be the latest in a run of business closures that have faced the neighborhood, which has lost 15 businesses in five years and has still not recovered from the pandemic’s economic effe...

Bay Area air-quality agency a discriminatory ‘old boys club’ hostile to minorities: lawsuit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

Racism, misogyny and anti-LGBTQ harassment permeated the public agency responsible for controlling pollution in the Bay Area, a pair of new, related lawsuits claims.Two former managers accuse the Bay Area Air Quality Management District of operating “a hostile and discriminatory ‘old boys club’ where heterosexual, White men are in charge, while others are deprived of equal opportunities and treatment.”Terri Levels and Stephen “Rex” Sanders contend in their lawsuits that the district fired them for pushing back against discrimination at the agency. Both lawsuits were filed this week in San Francisco County Superior Court by the same law firm, and contain many similar claims.In response, the district said the lawsuits contained misleading and false claims, though it did not respond to the specific allegations. “The Air District works to foster an inclusive culture and we view diversity as one of our greatest strengths,” the district said...

Will Lance or Darnold be 49ers’ QB2? We’re about to learn what Kyle Shanahan thinks

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

SANTA CLARA — It turns out the three-way quarterback battle to lead the 49ers in 2023 is down to two.And that’s to determine if Kyle Shanahan’s backup to Brock Purdy is Trey Lance or Sam Darnold.Forget the fact that the 49ers once traded an obscene amount of draft capital to Miami just to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 and get Lance. Although they traded first-round picks in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and a third-round pick in 2022 for their supposed quarterback of the future, the NFL is a fast moving train.Circumstances derailed Lance’s seemingly inevitable ascension. Here we are in Year 3, with the 49ers still not exactly sure what they have in Lance to the point where they signed Darnold, a former No. 3 pick himself, as insurance.Just as they brought back Jimmy Garoppolo back as insurance a year ago because there was no way to know if Lance would thrive as an NFL starter.The 49ers have been hedging their bets with Lance ever since he joined the team.With five regul...

From trauma to triumph: What the Little League World Series means to this South Bay family

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

The tears were eight years in the making.Live on ESPN last weekend, Almaden Little League softball coach John Drake answered a simple question: What did it mean to watch his daughter, Jayda, throw the final pitch in the game that sent their team to the Little League World Series next week?Drake started to cry.“It’s everything,” he said. “It’s everything.”The interview has been viewed more than 10,000 times on the Little League’s social media pages. But the story behind those tears hasn’t been told.In 2016, Lottie Drake, John’s wife and Jayda’s mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needed a double mastectomy and heavy chemotherapy.“It came out of nowhere,” said John, 49, a special education teacher at a San Jose middle school. “It just rocked our family. The kids were so young.”Jayda was 4, Joelle was 8 and Jordyn was 13. Tommy was a newborn.There was so much to do every day. Taking the kids to school. Cooking dinner. Helping them with their homework. One of the girl...

Catholic archdiocese may declare bankruptcy over child abuse lawsuits in SF: archbishop

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

(BCN) -- The Catholic archbishop of San Francisco says the Archdiocese may seek bankruptcy protection because of claims for child sexual abuse filed against it. Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, in a letter to parishioners posted Friday on the archdiocese's website, said that a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization "is very likely." "Chapter 11 would allow the archdiocese to reorganize its financial affairs to continue its vital ministries to the faithful and to the communities that rely on our services and charity," Cordileone said. The archdiocese sold excess property and drew on insurance to pay about $68 million to about 100 plaintiffs to settle claims filed under a 2002 state law, the archbishop said. In 2019, the state lifted a statute of limitations allowing about 500 additional sexual abuse claims to be filed, he said. The bankruptcy move is coming now because "the judge assigned to us has set an imminent trial date for one of the initial cases," Cordileone said. The ...

1 dead in collision on Hwy 101 in San Jose

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

(BCN) -- The California Highway Patrol reported at least one death Friday night on U.S. Route 101 in San Jose. The state agency first reported 11:34 p.m. that a vehicle stopped on the left hand shoulder of the highway near Yerba Buena Road. Patrol officers said it was a white Hyundai Genesis. Death of Cash App founder Bob Lee ‘still stings,’ ex-wife says The southbound lane of U.S. 101 to Yerba Buena Road off-ramp was ordered closed, and a Sig-alert was issued at 11:57 p.m. A coroner has been called to the scene, the highway patrol said. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

‘Another act of senseless violence’: 2 dead, 1 injured in Northwest DC shooting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

Two men are dead and a third is injured after a shooting early Saturday morning in the Adams Morgan area, according to D.C. police.It happened in the 2500 block of Ontario Road Northwest around 1 a.m., according to Acting D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith. Both men died at the scene.“Another act of senseless violence has occurred in this area where two individuals have lost their lives and one has been transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries,” Smith said at a news conference early Saturday.A pair of vehicles, including a light blue Mercedes with tags reading “AC-666,” were seen speeding away from the scene, Smith said.Police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 202-727-9099 or text 50411.Here’s a map of the area where the shooting happened. This is a developing story. Stick with WTOP for the latest.Source

Conoce, pero no toques, el gusano invasivo tóxico que, según los expertos, se ha estado ocultando a simple vista

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

(CNN) — Son largos y delgados. Tienen cabeza de boomerang y están cubiertos de moco tóxico. Y se han estado escondiendo a simple vista en EE.UU. durante mucho tiempo.Los gusanos planos invasores cabeza de martillo tienen cabezas curvas distintivas, cuerpos rayados que varían en color desde el amarillo claro hasta el marrón oscuro, y pueden secretar tetrodotoxina, una neurotoxina que se encuentra en el pez globo y los pulpos de anillos azules.Algunas especies no miden más de una pulgada (2,5 centímetros) de largo, pero otras miden hasta 15 pulgadas (38 centímetros) de largo. Si los cortas en pedacitos, cada parte se regenerará en un gusano completo.Los gusanos son conocidos en todo el sureste de EE.UU., y con los recientes avistamientos de tiburones martillo en Washington, DC, los neoyorquinos y otros en el Corredor Noreste pueden preguntarse cuánto tiempo pasará antes de que los invasores tóxicos avancen hacia el norte.El problema es que los gusanos ya están en casa en el esta...

Denver weather: Severe storm chance with cool front

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:08:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s weather will see a cooling trend through the weekend sparking up some storms and showers.Weather today: 80s with chance of afternoon stormsDenver will stay in this pattern of morning sunshine, followed by increasing clouds in the afternoon ahead of the chance of storms in the afternoon and evening. Some could get to the severe side with strong winds and hail. Temperatures will only reach the mid-80s, which is 5 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. And continue to cool tomorrow. Looking ahead: Spotty showers, coolerSunday will be cooler in the 70s And with some showers around but not looking at a severe threat tomorrow. The week will start with more below-normal temperatures and the chance for a few showers Monday afternoon. By Tuesday, sunshine comes back in full force and will lead to a warming trend. Wednesday through Friday will reach the upper 80s, which is right in line with normal for this time of year.