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Letters: Police militarization | Manufactured crisis | Fix schools | Newsom errs | Social Security | Food insecurity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Speak out againstpolice militarizationRe: “Bay Area police stockpiling military-grade weaponry” (Page A1, March 5).Katie Lauer illuminates in detail the militarized arsenals from drones to armored vehicles owned by law enforcement agencies, which some officers call “a life insurance policy.”But most policies authorizing the use of militarized equipment for Bay Area agencies are not restricted to “insuring life.” Contrary to the state law, AB 481, that requires them, policies proposed by police to elected officials often don’t clearly define in what situations weapons are authorized, only designating who in law enforcement may decide to use this weaponry. Many policies say authorized uses “include but are not limited to” a list of situations, or use euphemisms, as when the Livermore Police Department says tear gas fired into a house is “a de-escalation tactic.”Community members have a chance t...

Letters: Try Caltrain | Shame on author | Wrong call | EV infrastructure | Today’s GOP | Stop DeSantis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Quit your car andgive Caltrain a tryYes, as Bruce Holley says (“Expand public transit to help middle class” Page A6, March 9) we need more attention to our public-transit systems to lure people out of their cars on our packed highways.In this car culture of ours, I do wonder whether drivers on Highway 101 realize the pleasures of travel on Caltrain between San Jose and San Francisco. My 45 minutes from San Francisco to Palo Alto recently on the “limited” 7:14 train was quiet and uncrowded, a perfect place to read a good book. Can’t do that driving 101. “Limited” trains take about an hour and a quarter from San Francisco to San Jose. “Bullet” trains take about an hour. There are 52 trains each day.Why don’t more people use them? Perhaps we are just conditioned to assume it’s not a viable option. Try it. You’ll like it.Steve EittreimPa...

After city manager drama, Antioch mayor blasts police department and “entrenched,” racist status quo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

In the wake of yet another vote on the fate of the city’s manager, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe framed his leadership as a battle against a deep-rooted and racist status quo.“Every day I’m bombarded with some of the vilest and most disgusting racially motivated attacks,” Thorpe said at a Friday press conference, flanked by department heads and District 3 Councilmember Lori Ogorchock. “The status quo in this city is so entrenched in the idea that Antioch is a place for a few, and not a place for everyone to enjoy.”“This is why it’s so important to find like-minded partners as part of our administration.”Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe holds a news conference at city hall on Friday to announce that the city council has placed City Manager Cornelius “Con” Johnson on administrative leave. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The remarks came after the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to place City Manager Cornelius “Con” Johnson on paid administrative leave during a closed session...

Cameron Brink out with illness for Stanford’s first NCAA Tournament game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

STANFORD — Stanford will be starting its NCAA Tournament run without one of its two All-Americans.Junior forward Cameron Brink is out for Friday’s matchup between the No. 1 seed Cardinal and No. 16 Sacred Heart with what the school said is “a non-COVID related illness.” Her status is considered day-to-day.Brink attended Stanford’s practice on Thursday but didn’t participate in the portion of practice that media members attended. She was wearing street clothes on the Cardinal’s bench. Head coach Tara VanDerveer told the media on Thursday that a few members of the team have had a stomach bug this week.Brink seemingly confirmed that herself, saying it is “just a stomach bug” and that “I’ll be back ASAP” in an Instagram post right before tip off.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Haley Jones, on eve of final Stanford home games, reflects on her Cardinal journey College Sports | Stanford gets reminder of its 1-vs.-16 loss ahead of op...

Student stabbed on campus of San Francisco middle school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A student at Francisco Middle School in San Francisco was stabbed on Friday and a juvenile was detained, according to the San Francisco Police Department. SFPD dispatched officers from Central Station to the school at approximately 12:45 p.m. on a report of a stabbing, police said. Clifford Elementary School in Redwood City no longer on lockdown Officers arrived at the school, which is located on the 2100 block of Powell Street, and met with the victim, described as a juvenile, and school staff. The victim was transported by medics to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.Officers detained another juvenile and remain on the scene investigating.Earlier, San Francisco Unified School District announced that a student had been injured in an incident at the school and the police had responded."There is no active threat to the school community," the district said.Friday's incident is the latest in a string of Bay Area school stabbings, incl...

Northbound 680 in Sunol/Pleasanton closed this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

(KRON) -- The northbound Interstate 680 in Sunol and Pleasanton will be closed this weekend for repaving work, according to Caltrans. The section of roadway between Sunol Boulevard and Bernal Avenue will close Friday March 17 at 10 p.m. and will reopen Monday, March 20 at 5 a.m. These are the top 10 vehicles targeted for catalytic converter theft, according to Carfax The work is part of a roadway construction project on northbound 680 that stretches from Sunol to San Ramon, Caltrans said. Southbound I-680 will remain open and will not be affected by the closure.Detours for closures between the Sunol Boulevard and Bernal Avenue interchanges are as follows:680 North TrafficExit I-680 at CalaverasWestbound Paloma WayNorthbound Pleasanton Sunol RoadNorthbound Sunol BoulevardWestbound Bernal AvenueOnramp to northbound I-680580 East TrafficTake eastbound SR-84 to I-580."Caltrans is aware that the closures will impact the motoring public and every step is being taken to minimize inconvenie...

Jayhawks’ March Madness star gets basketball genes from mom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gradey Dick set the Kansas freshman record for 3-point field goals, recorded the first double-double of his career in the Jayhawks’ opener in the NCAA Tournament and is on track to be an NBA lottery pick in June.His mom, a player of her own accomplishment, is proud of him, of course. But Carmen Dick concedes nothing to him as a basketball player. That’s not how their uber-competitive family operates.Her son played the starring role in a first-round win over Howard on Thursday and next he’ll lead the top-seeded and defending champion Jayhawks (28-7) into a Saturday game against No. 8 Arkansas (21-13). No. 2 UCLA (30-5) plays No. 7 Northwestern (22-11) in Sacramento, California, in the other West game.Kansas’ opening tournament games are being played at Wells Fargo Arena, which is right across the street from Veterans Auditorium. That’s where Carmen Dick — then Carmen Jaspers — built her legacy as one of Iowa’s greatest high ...

Donovan says Ball faces ‘long rehab’ with another surgery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Bulls coach Billy Donovan wasn’t sure when or even if Lonzo Ball will play again for Chicago, with the point guard set to have yet another surgery on his troublesome left knee.Donovan said Ball will likely undergo a cartilage transplant early next week, though he wasn’t sure which day, and is in for “a long rehab.”“For me to say, ‘I have no hope that he’s ever gonna play here again’ or ‘yeah, he’s definitely going to be back,’ I just don’t know,” Donovan said Friday.One thing that gives Donovan optimism is Ball’s work ethic and attitude.“Even though he comes in, he’s around the team for a period of time, there is a lot of time that he’s away from everybody,” Donovan said. “Just having to come to grips of not playing is really, really hard, I think, probably for him to absorb. But he handles himself incredibly well. He’s so consistent all the time with his spirit and disposition and wha...

PSU’s Funk lands on list of great March Madness shooters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Penn State star Jalen Pickett was already familiar with Andrew Funk and his long-distance shooting acumen, having faced the Nittany Lions newcomer in a Siena-Bucknell game with their previous teams.When they were paired together in a preseason workout last fall, well, the impression was really made.“We were shooting partners in one of the drills, and we won the shooting contest. I didn’t make many shots, but Andrew made most of them,” Pickett said with a smile. “I knew he could shoot it.”The rest of the country found out Thursday night, when Funk went 8 for 10 from 3-point range for a season-high 27 points to highlight No. 10 seed Penn State’s one-sided victory over Texas A&M.“Definitely, seeing that first one go in made me feel good,” said Funk, a fifth-year graduate transfer who is shooting a career-best 42% from deep.That initial make just 2:12 into the game helped alleviate the natural anxiety of his first NCAA Tournament appearance. The other r...

Princeton making another memorable March Madness run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:24:25 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — When Mitch Henderson took over as coach at Princeton he wanted to give his players a lasting memory like his own — the one from 1996 when as a player he was part of the Tigers that shocked defending-champion UCLA in an iconic March Madness upset.He delivered on a new lasting memory for Princeton with the 15th-seeded Tigers’ first-round win over powerhouse Arizona. Now there’s a new hurdle to climb. “That game, for those that played in it, it gets brought up to all of us regularly,” Henderson said Friday about the win over UCLA. “This will happen to these guys over time, too. It will be even better if you make the Sweet 16. We want to keep dreaming big here with the group.”After winning a tournament game for the first time in 25 years, Princeton (22-8) can earn its first berth in the Sweet 16 since 1967 when only 23 teams were in the tournament by beating seventh-seeded Missouri (25-9) on Saturday. Princeton followed its last two tournament wins ...