Thursday, March 28, 2024

 
 

Worst recyclers in the Bay Area, Oakland A’s boycott could be chaos, schools facing tough financial times

Different types of recycleables  are sorted at the Concord Disposal sorting and recycling plant in Pittsburg

Really bad at recycling: This Bay Area city ranks as the worst at separating trash from paper, aluminum and plastic. The Recycling Partnership did a survey and found residents in this South Bay city tossed 57% of waste in its recycling bins. Although it may seem like a simple error, it’s costing the city money. 

Oakland A’s vs its fans: Tonight’s game at the Coliseum could be a mess. First, fans are planning to boycott the game by having a party in the parking lot. Second, the A’s aren’t helping by not opening the gates until 5:07 p.m. and a concert is already drawing fans to the Oakland Arena. It could lead to traffic jams and chaos.  

Schools facing tough financial future: Downtown College Prep Alum Rock High School voted to close after officials reported declining enrollment and a budget deficit. That isn’t sitting well with some students and they’re fighting to keep the small San Jose charter school open.  Meanwhile farther south, the Morgan Hill Unified School District has announced staff cuts because of a predicted $6 million shortfall. Here’s what officials blamed the downsizing on. 

A gloomy weekend ahead: The National Weather Service is expecting a wet few days with one storm already hitting and another arriving Friday with heavier rainfall. Find out when we’ll have sunnier and warmer weather again. 

Newly-opened pickleball courts draw a crowd to the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond

Pickleball likely to stay at Craneway Pavilion: Despite protests and a report, the City Council found there’s little it can do to stop a privately operated facility from being a spot for sport enthusiasts. It all comes down to an “ill-conceived” agreement signed in 2004. 

Family slams Alameda County DA: A judge rejected District Attorney Pamela Price’s effort to drop all of the sentencing enhancements against a former deputy who is accused of gunning down a Dublin couple in their home. Price said the defendant is already facing 50 years to life in prison.

Owner of destroyed San Jose homes faced code violations: City officials said before the Victorian-era homes burned down, they were subject to city complaints because they created blighted and hazardous conditions. City leaders recently filed a lawsuit against the owner about it.

Aftermath of Baltimore bridge collapse: The U.S. Coast Guard revealed that the cargo ship that crashed into the span underwent “routine engine maintenance” in the port beforehand. Divers also recovered the bodies of two of the six road workers who fell into the water. 

“One of America’s best police chiefs”: That’s how the Texas Police Chiefs Association described Floyd Mitchell, who will assume the role of Oakland’s top cop. He addressed the public for the first time since he was hired. Read about the mistakes he has made and learned from on the job.

Police and court reports: Gary Barronga Garcia, 66, was charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of his wife in Hayward, authorities said. One witness saw him wiping blood off his hands before fleeing and later turning himself in, court documents said. 

  • San Carlos: A 50-year-old Santa Rosa woman is accused of embezzling more than $400,000 from Brainoft Inc., prosecutors said. She worked as an office manager and bookkeeper. 

  • Concord: A man was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison after directing voicemail threats to Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, authorities said. 

  • San Jose: Authorities arrested six men across four California cities in connection with a gang-motivated attack in October, a news release said. Police responded to a Senter Road business and found an injured man, leading to the investigation.

  • Berkeley: Police investigated a shooting near Strawberry Creek Park, authorities said. The juvenile victim was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.

  • Pacifica: Officers shot and killed a woman after they responded to a call that she had shot and wounded her adult son, authorities said. They said she pointed a firearm at them while driving away from the scene. 

  • La Honda: An El Granada man pleaded no contest to felony vehicular manslaughter, prosecutors said. He was sentenced to seven years in prison in a case where he was accused of hitting and killing an Apple software engineer.

  • Redwood City: An Oakland man was arrested on suspicion of pimping and pandering, authorities said. Police launched an investigation when they encountered a human trafficking victim at a hotel.

  • Antioch: Kelandre Dunn agreed to a plea deal that will send him to state prison for 32 years. He was accused of ambushing and shooting a romantic rival. Police said they were both dating the same woman. 

Obituary: Former U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, running mate of Al Gore during the 2000 presidential election, has died after complications from a fall, his family said. He was 82. 

Good news

Visitors hike along the trails during All Abilities Day at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley,

Nature for everyone: Big Break Regional Shoreline drew all sorts of excursionists for its All Abilities Day. Attendees experienced free nature explorations and a host of activities, including birdwatching, environmental education and artmaking. Check out photos.

Business

A PG and E truck drives up Alum Rock Avenue n San Jose

PG&E touts South Bay energy projects: Executives said they are “working very diligently to deliver reliable energy” to support Silicon Valley growth. One official pointed to two megaprojects crafted by a Midwest power company to bring energy to parts of San Jose.

Sports

Golden State center Draymond Green screams at game official Ray Acosta while Stephen Curry tries to step in.Warriors at Magic: Forward Draymond Green was ejected less than four minutes into the game, but Golden State still managed to win 101-93 over Orlando.••• Check out the latest on the Warriors.

Giants: Pat Burrell, who helped bring San Francisco its first World Series win, is back with the team that resurrected his career. He returns as a hitting instructor whose goal is to unlock the offense of the young players. ••• Check out the latest on the Giants.

Athletics: Second baseman Zack Gelof is on track to make his first Opening Day start. He could also be the face of the franchise, but manager Mark Kotsay and others are trying not to put too much on the 24-year-old’s plate. ••• Check out the latest on the Athletics.

Sharks: San Jose’s season has been disappointing, but one of the silver linings has been the growth of the younger forwards. Find out how Thomas Bordeleau, William Eklund and Klim Kostin are progressing. ••• Check out the latest on the Sharks.

College sports: The Sweet 16 matchups start today and the Hotline’s Jon Wilner offers his picks, which include one upset. ••• More college sports

  • Stanford: Back in 2004, Kyle Smith disagreed with Mike Montgomery’s move to coach the Golden State Warriors. He said Stanford was “the best job” in the country. Now, the former Washington State coach has that dream job and a goal to turn around the men’s basketball program. 

High school sports: De La Salle’s lacrosse coach is a legend to his players and the sport. Johnny Christmas is a trailblazer being one of the few pro Black athletes in lacrosse. He hopes that as the sport grows his presence can increase diversity and inclusion in the ranks. ••• Check out the latest on high school sports.

Things to do

Lance Lantow celebrates his win against Kyle Ferguson in a Strat-O-Matic World Series match

For the love of the game: During the pandemic, many rediscovered their affection for a 1961 board game called Strat-O-Matic. That obsession has continued and even crossed over to a contest at a very real Oracle Park. Read about the hard-core community of Strat fans who prefer pen, paper and dice to fancy baseball video games.  

What to watch: If you’re looking for an addictive and refreshing series, check out “Renegade Nell” on Disney+. It features a strong female protagonist and it’s thankfully not a sequel, prequel or reboot. Check out these other shows you should binge this weekend.

  • Worthwhile documentary: Steve Martin has led many lives from his first job at Disneyland to his latest role on “Only Murders in the Building.” He has lived so much that filmmakers couldn’t fit it into one film. That’s good news for Apple TV+ subscribers. 

  • Streaming shows on regular TV: Although shows such as “Tulsa King” were once streaming exclusives, they have begun popping up on linear TV. Executives see it as a way to generate revenue and buzz. 

7 cool shows this weekend: The big ticket this weekend is The Boss. Bruce Springsteen will be at the Chase Center for three nights. If you’re looking for performances that skew classical, there are plenty of other options available.

The many lives of Betty Reid Soskin: The longtime park ranger has had many roles in her 102 years and a play called “Sign My Name to Freedom” covers them, including how she dealt with racism with music and became active in planning for Richmond’s Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.

  • “Downton Abbey” star coming to Berkeley: Actor Hugh Bonneville, who played Lord Grantham, will star in “Uncle Vanya,” an adaptation of the Chekhov play. It will come to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2025.

Three new albums: The Dandy Warhols’ “Rockmaker” leads a list of works that should be on your radar. Here are the rest.

Another Los Gatos restaurant closes: Sidecar Modern Tavern opened in 2019 and endured the struggles of the pandemic, but it couldn’t survive for long. The owners said they were busy but didn’t have enough money to cover past debt.

One of the best foods at Oracle Park: Lumpia, the great Filipino appetizer, is a welcome sight at Giants’ home games. Read an interview with The Lumpia Company co-owner Alex Retodo on his passion for the dish and why it’s great at baseball games

5 new tours coming to the Bay Area: Grammy-winning duo Twenty One Pilots, hard-rock heavyweights Korn and R&B stars XSCAPE are among some of the acts headed to Oakland Arena, Chase Center and other venues. Find out how to get tickets. 

  • Contemporary Christian music: TobyMac, MercyMe and Zach Williams, three of the biggest names in the genre, are coming to Oakland Arena. Check out when they’ll be in town and other tour dates.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorney blasts raids: Federal authorities descended on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a reported sex trafficking investigation, but lawyer Aaron Dyer said it was a “gross use of military-level force.”

Rebel Wilson’s book details “Borat” actor’s behavior: The actor said Sacha Baron Cohen made “outrageous” demands when they worked on the 2016 comedy “The Brothers Grimsby.” It included a lewd act as an additional scene, she said. Cohen said the claims are false and has film footage and eyewitness accounts to back it up. 

Is Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand a clone of another brand: The Duchess of Sussex introduced her American Riviera Orchard line and it’s generated buzz, but is her vision an original creation? 

And finally, the dachshund could be illegal in the country that created the dog breed. Germany’s national kennel club said a new draft law would prohibit the breeding of dogs with “skeletal anomalies.” Dachshunds have had an unusual role in history for a dog its size. 

— Gieson Cacho


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