Category: Bay Area

By MARK KENNEDY NEW YORK (AP) — Eminem, Boy George, George Clinton, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson, the Doobie Brothers, N.W.A. and Alanis Morissette are among the nominees for the 2025 class at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an eclectic group of rap, rock, hip-hop and pop pioneers. Joining them on the ballot are Bryan Adams, with radio staples like “Summer of ’69” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?,” and Mike Love of the Beach Boys, hoping to get in 25 years after band founder Brian Wilson. David Gates, co-lead singer of the pop-music group Bread, is also looking for entry. The Hall annually inducts performers and non-performers alike, and the latter category this year includes Walter Afanasieff, who helped Mariah Carey with her smash “All I Want for Christmas Is You;” Mike Chapman, who co-wrote Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield;” and Narada Michael Walden, the architect of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know″ and Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway of Love.” Eligible voting members have until Dec. 22 to turn in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the songwriter category and three

Which winter perfume is best? Once the warmer weather starts nearing the end and temperatures begin to drop for fall, it’s time to think about changing your fragrance for the winter season ahead. While summer fragrances tend to be light and fruity, winter perfumes are warmer and more sensual, offering a longer-lasting scent. If you are looking for a warm and smoky fragrance, Christian Dior’s Hypnotic Poison Eau de Toilette is the top choice. What to know before you buy a winter perfume The basics of winter scents Every perfume consists of top, middle and base notes, but the layer you want to pay closest attention to for a winter perfume is the base. The top layer is the lightest part of the fragrance, and the base layer is the heaviest. As such, those notes will linger and most often consist of warm, woodsy or spicy scents. Some common and well-known base notes include sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, amber, cedar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, leather, oak moss, saffron, bergamot and musk. Choose an eau de parfum You want to choose a stronger, bolder, more concentrated scent when it

Maryland was one of 10 states that had measures to protect abortion access on the ballot during the presidential election, and one of seven to pass it. But what does it mean when states act to preserve abortion access while the country returns to the White House, Donald Trump, who has previously boasted about appointing the U.S. Supreme Court justices who were instrumental in overturning Roe v. Wade in 2021? “It’s a conundrum,” said Robyn Elliott, a managing partner at Public Policy Partners in Annapolis. “I think when we, as a public, think about abortion and reproductive health, that we often frame it as a right. The challenge that we are going to be facing almost immediately is that … rights do not equate to access.” Questions swirl about whether a new Trump administration will block abortion care, especially in states like Maryland that have enshrined access. Many are turning their eyes to Project 2025, which is a presidential transition project created by the Heritage Foundation for conservative administrations. “The top line: It is about using federal authority in any manner possible to restrict access

Greg Stohr | (TNS) Bloomberg News A U.S. Supreme Court transformed by Donald Trump now sits as one of the few potential checks on his authority as he returns to the White House. The president-elect has vowed to impose a 10% to 20% tariff on all imported goods, execute a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and undo what the court left of Joe Biden’s environmental initiatives. But Trump hasn’t always gotten his way and he may need the court’s help to fulfill those ambitions. Trump in the past has netted important victories before the Supreme Court for his policies on trade, immigration and the environment. With the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett just before he lost to Biden in 2020, three of the Supreme Court’s nine justices are Trump appointees. Still, the president-elect and the court have had a complicated relationship. More than once, Trump as president blasted his own appointees for voting against him, including when they refused to question his 2020 election defeat. More recently, the Republican-appointed majority gave him a major victory by partially backing his claims of immunity from prosecution for trying to reverse that 2020 defeat. His previous administration

Matt Vasilogambros | (TNS) Stateline.org America’s voting system was under siege for four years. Former President Donald Trump’s false claims about fraud in the 2020 election exposed the people who operate our elections to threats and harassment in the run-up to this one. They fortified their offices against potential violence, adjusted to last-minute, politically driven changes in election laws, and fought a relentless stream of lies and disinformation. Going into Election Day, officials and pro-democracy advocates braced for the worst. What a difference a day — and a result — makes. Aside from a few hiccups, the U.S. voting process went smoothly this year. The winner of the presidential election was declared early the next morning, few people claimed widespread voter fraud, and the losing candidate conceded defeat. It was a triumph for democracy, said David Becker, founder and executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, a nonpartisan organization that advises local election officials nationwide. But he wondered what would have happened had Trump, now president-elect, lost again. “It’s somewhat telling that we’ve seen fewer fraud claims in the aftermath of an

By Gina Hamadey | Bloomberg Ten million visitors came through Cancún in 2023, representing 1 in 4 tourists to Mexico that year. For a country three times the size of Texas, rich with culture, art and nature, the figure is a perfect encapsulation of the problem with overtourism: people descending on one or two main points while dozens of splendid places remain largely under the radar. As Mexico prepares for its high season—which spans from the winter holidays through spring break—it’s doing what it can to disperse crowds beyond Cancún. An airport opened earlier this year in Tulum, with flights from Dallas, Miami and New York City now landing daily. Another airport, in Mérida, is in the final phases of a large-scale expansion set to double its domestic and international arrivals. And the long-anticipated (but highly contested) Maya Train, which inaugurated service in December and will connect destinations around five of the country’s eastern states, has just added stations in Chetumal and Bacalar to its growing route network. But that still leaves plenty of lesser-known destinations for those who want a crowd-free experience. Here are four spots

Nov. 4 Overnight in the 00 block of Timber Cove Drive: A 1999 GMC Sierra was stolen. Overnight in the 1300 block of Dell Avenue: Someone broke into a locked storage container and stole power tools. Overnight in the 1400 block of Abbott: Someone vandalized a mural in the bathroom area. Overnight in the 100 block of Lost Lake Lane: A 2002 KTM motorcycle was stolen. 10:15 a.m. in the 1200 block of Camden Avenue: A man, 34, was stealing food. He was found to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He also had several warrants for theft-related charges. 3 a.m. in the 2100 block of South Bascom Avenue: Someone forced entry into two offices and stole items. 1:12 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Campbell Avenue: Two suspects stole two full bags of diapers and fled the area. 11:02 p.m. in the 1300 block of Camden Avenue: A man, 34, was found to have needles and warrants for his arrest. 2:25 a.m. in the 2200 block of South Bascom Avenue: During an argument, the suspect, 44, hit and pushed the victim

SUBSCRIBER ONLY Brown Butter Farina Porridge is a warm breakfast for chilly mornings Topped with toasted pecans, sliced bananas, brown sugar and a splash of milk, this brown butter farina is just the thing to warm you up on a chilly morning. (Courtesy Laura McLively) Topped with pecans, sliced bananas and brown sugar, this easy hot cereal will warm you on these increasingly cold mornings.

SUBSCRIBER ONLY San Jose woman creates ‘selfie wonderland’ for visitors to Imaginarium Imaginarium returns to Milpitas, Sacramento Elena Harrington strikes a pose for her friend Faith Dybowski, both of Vacacville, in one of the Imaginarium lighting installations at the Stoneridge Mall parking lot in Pleasanton, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Having already thrilled viewers in Pleasanton this year, Imaginarium will soon return to Sacramento and Millbrae. Originally Published: November 12, 2024 at 6:30 AM PST

SUBSCRIBER ONLY Neon will never die: Inside the Bay Area movement devoted to the glowing art Often associated with seedy motels, strip clubs and Raymond Chandler novels, neon is making a surprising comeback in the Bay. Adam Taylor, a glass bender at Neon Works, creates a new sign on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) Often associated with seedy motels, strip clubs and Raymond Chandler novels, neon is making a surprising comeback in the Bay. Originally Published: November 12, 2024 at 6:30 AM PST

The parent company of Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain has no plans to close any of its 42 theme parks and water parks while the North American amusement park chain continues to weigh the potential sale of underperforming parks. “We have no plans to close parks,” Six Flags Director of Communications Gary Rhodes said via email. Six Flags CEO Richard Zimmerman was asked about a potential asset sale last week during a call with Wall Street analysts. “Every park in our portfolio has a role,” Zimmerman said on the call. “If it plays its role right, these are irreplaceable assets. But we also want to make sure that we’re investing to drive growth across the combined portfolio.” Zimmerman declined to put a timeframe on any potential asset sale during his discussion with analysts. “We’re going to be very diligent and work methodically through what we think is possible and what would make sense as we think about our capital structure and capital allocation priorities,” Zimmerman said on the call. Six Flags floated the possibility of selling some theme parks as part of

Unlucky Louie has some rental properties. “Every time I call the power company,” Louie griped to me, “I got a message saying they are experiencing a higher-than-average call volume. It can’t ‘always’ be above average. That’s not how averages work.” Finesses are 50-50 propositions, but Louie swears his success rate is average-minus. When he played at four spades, he ruffed West’s second heart lead and led a trump to dummy’s ace — and East discarded. CLUB LOSER Louie then took the K-Q of trumps and led the jack of diamonds for a finesse. East won and shifted to a club: four, king, ace. When Louie led high diamonds, hoping to pitch his club loser, West ruffed the third diamond and led a club to East. Down one. “You can’t tell me my finesses win half the time,” Louie sighed, “plus, trumps split 4-0.” After Louie takes the ace of trumps, he can cash the ace of diamonds and the K-Q of trumps, lead a diamond to the king and concede a diamond. He can win a club shift and discard his last club on a

TODAY’S WORD — GLOBULIN GLOBULIN: GLOB-yoo-lin: A simple protein occurring widely in plant and animal tissues. Average mark 19 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in GLOBULIN? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — NOISOME: noes noise noose nose omen semi sine some sone soon mien mine miso monies mono moon moose To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Dear Eric: I frequently have gatherings at my house, most recently debate-watch parties. Close friends gather, have cocktails and eat snacks. The most recent time, I decided to go for the cozy vibe and have a debate-watch pajama party. I just invited ladies. Then a guy I dearly love asked if he could come. All the girls said they would be fine with this because he is a sweetheart and not at all likely to be lecherous and inappropriate with ladies in PJs. Then, I got a text from another guy friend asking if I was doing anything for the debate, and I told him no. Although I love him like a cousin, he can be a bit creepy, like he makes sexual comments out of the blue for no reason. Now I feel guilty about lying. Am I a terrible person? – Debating Guest List Dear Debating: I don’t need a Quinnipiac poll to tell that you are not terrible. You have the right to curate a guest list in any way you see fit. This especially applies to people who make you or

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Anne Hathaway, 42; Ryan Gosling, 44; Megan Mullally, 66; Neil Young, 79. Happy Birthday: Expand your knowledge and interests. Engage in life and express your will through your actions. Exploit what you love to do most and turn it into a viable means to implement security and stability into your life. Stop talking and start doing, and before you know it, you’ll be heading in a direction that brings you joy, satisfaction and peace of mind. Take responsibility for your happiness. Your numbers are 2, 10, 18, 27, 33, 41, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Share your thoughts, engage in learning and put your energy into something meaningful. Follow your gut and reach out to experts or authority figures who can help you put essentials in place and prepare you for a successful transfer from one direction to another. Sign up for something informative. 3 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Change what you don’t like. Complaining will add to your aggravation, but doing an about-face and heading in a direction that makes you feel good about your actions will do

The San Jose Sharks fought all the way back to tie their game with the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday after falling behind by three goals early in the second period. The only thing the Sharks were missing was a finishing touch. Barclay Goodrow tied the game with a goal at the 17:36 mark of the third period, but the Sharks could not score in overtime despite having a power play. They also could not beat goalie Samuel Ersson in the shootout in a 4-3 loss to the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Defenseman Jack Thompson and center Mikael Granlund also scored for the Sharks, who salvaged a point with the comeback and now own a 5-2-1 record since a 0-7-2 start to the season. The Sharks trailed 3-0 early before William Eklund spearheaded a comeback, assisting on the goals by Thompson and Granlund with less than five minutes to go in the second period. Goodrow then tied the game late in the third. A pass from Henry Thrun from inside the blue line was redirected right to Goodrow, who fought off a check and scored

San Jose — Thanks to a monumental effort from a number of companies, civic organizations and individuals, the 106th annual Veterans Day parade hit the streets of downtown San Jose on Monday despite the rain. The grand marshal for this year’s celebration was retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Hager, a native of Mountain View and a Santa Clara University alum who graduated with a degree in mathematics. The celebration started with a ceremony at Plaza de Cesar Chavez, then traveled along Santa Clara Street to Market Street, where the parade turned south to finish at San Carlos Street. Here is a visual essay of the day that we honor our veterans. Participants march during the Veterans Day parade in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)  Kory Grabeel of Santa Cruz becomes emotional as she carries a portrait of her grandfather, veteran Joe Ashley, during the parade on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Ashley served during World War II. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)  Hien Nguyen, 77, of San Jose, and members of the Associates of Vietnam Veterans

Bay Area Home Report 1642 Andalusia Way – Google Street View The property located in the 1600 block of Andalusia Way in San Jose was sold on Oct. 1, 2024 for $2,625,000, or $1,570 per square foot. The house, built in 1960, has an interior space of 1,672 square feet. This single-story house presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. Additionally, the house includes a two-car garage, offering generous space for vehicles and storage requirements. The lot of the property covers a substantial area of 6,386 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently been purchased: On Fairorchard Avenue, San Jose, in March 2023, a 1,656-square-foot home was sold for $2,000,000, a price per square foot of $1,208. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A 1,672-square-foot home on the 1600 block of Andalusia Way in San Jose sold in July 2024, for $1,850,000, a price per square foot of $1,106. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In October 2023, a 1,618-square-foot home on Fairlawn Avenue in San Jose sold

By LISA MASCARO and LOLITA C. BALDOR WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has asked U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. The nod came despite simmering concerns on Capitol Hill about Trump tapping members of the House, where the final tally is still uncertain and there are worries about pulling any GOP members from the chamber because that would force a new election to fill the empty seat. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before Trump made a formal announcement. The move would put Waltz at the forefront of a litany of national security crises — ranging from the ongoing effort to provide weapons to Ukraine and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. Waltz, a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida, was the first Green Beret elected to the U.S.

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Poultry, meat recall a testament to waste Re: “Poultry, meat are subjected to recall” (Page A2, Oct. 11). I wonder how many animals led a tortured life and then were needlessly killed to total 10 million pounds of meat? How much land was wasted growing their millions of pounds of feed? How much water and fuel was wasted, and air and water pollution created — needlessly? A slap on the wrist for BrucePac does not serve justice for the four-month “lapse” that allowed such waste and disregard for public health and safety. Perhaps the only saving grace is that the announcement to the public was so delayed that many of those animals were actually eaten before consumers knew there was a problem and there were no reports of illness. Elizabeth Fisher Pleasant Hill Newsom’s calls for unity are conditional Re: “Newsom prepares for Trump skirmishes” (Page A1, Nov. 8). It’s good to see that Gov. Gavin Newsom is all in on uniting our country. It only took him a day

Correction: Veterans Day data A chart in a front-page story on Monday, Nov. 11, about Bay Area veterans incorrectly reported the age breakdown of the adult population of the Bay Area. The chart has been corrected. Originally Published: November 11, 2024 at 4:29 PM PST