How ‘Frida’ director Carla Gutierrez rediscovered material about the iconic Mexican artist

Documentary filmmaker Carla Gutierrez still remembers the moment her obsession with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo began more than two decades ago. “I hadn’t seen her art until I was a freshman in college,” says Gutierrez, a film editor who makes her directorial debut with the new documentary “Frida.” “Then I found one piece, one painting in a book in the library. “It was of her standing between the United States and Mexico,” she says. “You can see her full body – we actually use that painting in the film. And I was a pretty new immigrant. I had been in the States for, I think, two to three years. “I really saw my experience reflected there,” she says. “A little bit of hesitation about my new surroundings and really missing home. “So I feel like the story for me, it started back then,” says Gutierrez, who also co-edits the film, a role she’s previously done on such documentaries as “RBG” about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and “Julia,” about chef Julia Child. “When I came back to her story at 47 years old, I

Kate Middleton’s photo controversy could be over by Easter: ‘She’s beloved,’ says expert

Assuming that Kate Middleton is in fact recovering “well” from surgery and returns to the public eye around Easter, the royal family’s latest PR crisis should pass and the world should move on from speculating about her health and feeling outrage over last Sunday’s release of a digitally manipulated photo of her and her children. This optimistic view of Kate and Prince William’s ability to rebound from her Mother’s Day photo controversy comes from Eric Schiffer, a Los Angeles-based crisis public relations and reputation crisis expert. Schiffer noted that the royal family, guided by the late Queen Elizabeth II, has became adept at playing the long game when it comes to public relations, knowing that it’s not worth getting mired in responding to every controversy, including those sparked by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. As other PR experts have said, the long game recognizes that the public’s attention span is limited and tumultuous news cycles tend to quickly wear themselves out. “They know it’s going to pass,” Schiffer said in an interview with this news organization. “People will forget about it.” The controversial photo issued

Oakland Coliseum Authority approves Roots and Soul to play 2025 home games at stadium

The Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul will play their home games next season within the city of Oakland. The Oakland Coliseum Authority voted unanimously (6-0) Friday morning to approve hosting the soccer clubs’ home games at the Coliseum in 2025. The Roots and Soul are playing this season at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, where they also played last year in the Soul’s inaugural season after the Roots played their first four years at Laney College. The Roots compete in the USL Championship, a second-division men’s league, while the Soul plays in the USL W League, a fourth-division pre-professional women’s league, but plans to join a new Division I league, the USL Super League, in 2025. The men’s team is playing a 34-game schedule this season, while the women’s team is playing 12 games. It is unclear what impact, if any, the scheduling of soccer games will have on the city and Coliseum’s negotiations with the A’s to extend their lease beyond 2024 as they seek a relocation to Las Vegas, where their proposed stadium won’t open until 2028. The A’s and Oakland officials met Thursday

How cryptocurrency executives helped decide the California Senate primary

Laura J. Nelson | (TNS) Los Angeles Times In the days before the California Senate primary, political ads calling Rep. Katie Porter a fake, an actor and a hypocrite inundated social media platforms and television programs. The $10 million bill for the advertisements, which were designed to bump Porter out of the race for a rare open Senate seat, was footed by a super PAC called Fairshake that is funded by cryptocurrency companies and their executives. As primary results rolled in that showed Porter a distant third behind Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank and Republican Steve Garvey, Fairshake boasted that the Orange County lawmaker’s alliance with mentor Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a vocal skeptic of cryptocurrency, had “ended her career in Congress.” Porter later blamed her loss on “an onslaught of billionaires spending millions to rig this election,” a not-too-subtle allusion to the crypto group’s major donors. After two years of bad headlines, including the conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried on fraud charges, the cryptocurrency industry is back in the political arena, flexing its significant cash reserves in the 2024 election cycle. The California Senate race is one of many in which the

Biden’s best shot against Trump lies in 3 ‘Blue Wall’ states

Josh Wingrove | Bloomberg News (TNS) President Joe Biden’s reelection prospects largely hinge on the so-called Blue Wall, a trio of industrial states that offer the ultimate test for his message of a manufacturing revival. In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, his campaign sees signs for optimism, even as recent polling shows Biden trailing presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump in those key battlegrounds. The Biden campaign says it ranks no swing state above another — and is focusing on all of them keep open multiple paths to get to 270 Electoral College votes. It has ramped up sharply, doubling its battleground state staffing this month. But unique factors in those one-time Blue Wall bastions – from demographics to the presence of well-placed allies – position them as his best shot at holding the White House. Biden can clinch a victory with their electoral votes even if he loses four other crucial swing states – Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina. The Blue Wall states had long voted for Democrats in presidential contests before Trump won all three in 2016. Biden then swept them in 2020 and

One leading candidate for SF Giants bullpen ruled out for Opening Day

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — And then there were two. Consider 23-year-old Juan Sánchez and Amir Garrett, a seven-year veteran, the finalists for one of the last remaining spots in the Giants’ bullpen. The two non-roster pitchers are the last lefties left standing in the competition to join Taylor Rogers in the Opening Day relief corps. One of their primary competitors, Ethan Small, won’t pitch again this spring. An MRI revealed that Small, 27, suffered a moderate strain in his right oblique, the team announced Friday. He will be shut down for the next two to three weeks and will be examined by Dr. Ken Akizuki, the team’s head physician, on Saturday. “Nothing’s a given, but it’s a big blow for him and certainly our depth,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s gonna a while, unfortunately.” Small was the only left-handed reliever remaining in camp who was already on the 40-man roster. Acquired from the Brewers for cash considerations a week before pitchers and catchers reported, Small had gotten off to a strong start, touching 95 mph and striking out six batters over his first two appearances while

Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Quinten Marsh, Valley Christian baseball

Valley Christian baseball player Quinten Marsh is the Bay Area News Group’s boys athlete of the week for March 4 9. In online voting that ended at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Marsh had 40.58% to finish ahead of Athenian basketball player Evan Lucas who was second at 27.20%. Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition. Marsh, a junior, struck out 13 batters and allowed just one hit in a 6-0 win over Palo Alto. He also had two hits in four at-bats. To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com by Monday at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration. Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.

Driver dead after one-car crash in East Bay

SAN PABLO — A driver died early Friday when a car ran off the city’s longest avenue, police said. The wreck happened on San Pablo Avenue near Road 20 about 5:05 a.m., police spokesperson Peggy Chou said. The gender and age of the driver wasn’t revealed. Officers found a car with major front-end damage when they arrived but were still processing the scene and didn’t have all the details at 8:30 a.m., Chou said. Investigators were still probing possible causes of the crash. Rescue workers treated the person, who was alive when put into an ambulance, according to Chou. The driver died at the hospital. The name of that person was withheld until officials can confirm their identity and notify their next of kin. Police closed San Pablo Avenue from Lovegrove Street to 23rd Street and did not say when it would be re-opened. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Review: Legendary band performs first Bay Area show since lead singer died

The Buzzcocks were back in the Bay Area. Yet, it was a different kind of Buzzcocks than we’d ever seen before on Thursday night (March 14) at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. It was the first time that the band had played in the Bay Area since lead singer Pete Shelley died at the age of 63 in December 2018. Shelley was greatly missed throughout the show. His high nasal voice — which stood as one of the most memorable “whines” in punk-rock history — was such a joy to behold over the decades. So, it’s highly understandable why many fans doubted whether the Buzzcocks would still be worth their time after Shelley’s passing. But, without a doubt, Diggle has pulled it off. First off, 2022’s “Sonics in the Soul” — the group’s first studio album without Shelley — is certainly a solid effort. And that Great American Music Hall gig provided plenty of evidence that the Buzzcocks, now firmly under Diggle’s leadership, are still amazing in concert. Taking the stage at 10:15 p.m., the group kicked off the show with the

Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Isabella Flores, Piedmont Hills softball

Piedmont Hills softball player Isabella Flores is the Bay Area News Group’s girls athlete of the week for March 4-9. In online voting that ended at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Flores had 33.16% to finish ahead of Half Moon Bay softball player Taelor Johnson, who was second at 20.58%. Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition. Flores, a sophomore, threw a no-hitter and struck out eight batters on 99 pitches in a 2-0 win over Cupertino. To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com by Monday at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration. Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.

Seat belt saved California man’s life on Boeing 737 jet that suffered a blowout, new lawsuit says

SEATTLE  — More passengers who were aboard an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 jet when part of its fuselage blew out in January are suing — including one who says his life was saved by a seat belt. The latest lawsuit, representing seven passengers, was filed in Washington’s King County Superior Court Thursday against Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Spirit AeroSystems and 10 people listed as John Does. Cuong Tran, of Upland, California, was sitting in the row behind where the side of the aircraft tore away and left a door-sized hole on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Jan. 5, according to a news release from attorney Timothy A. Loranger. Loranger, who filed the lawsuit, said air rushed out of the hole, pulling on Tran and others nearby. The suction tore Tran’s shoes and socks from his feet and he felt his body lift off his seat, the news release said, adding that Tran’s foot was hurt when it was jerked into the seat structure in front of him. “Our clients — and likely every passenger on that flight — suffered unnecessary trauma due to the failure of

Read: Fulton County judge’s decision allowing Fani Willis to continue prosecuting 2020 election interference case

Jason Getz-Pool/Getty Images ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 6: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee hears motions from attorneys representing Ken Chesebro and Sidney Powell on September 6, 2023 at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has entered a not guilty plea and waived his right to appear this week at an arraignment hearing. Trump and his 18 co-defendants are charged in a 41-count indictment accusing them of scheming to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. (Photo by Jason Getz-Pool/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** Judge Scott McAfee ruled on Friday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants. McAfee said, however, that Willis would have to remove special prosecutor Nathan Wade from the case in order for her and her office to remain. Read McAfee’s decision here: The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Bay Area News Group girls basketball player of the year: McKenna Woliczko, Archbishop Mitty

SAN JOSE – McKenna Woliczko burst onto the Bay Area scene last season as a freshman, putting up 20-point and 10-rebound double-doubles with regularity only a few months after graduating from middle school.  The 6-foot-2 forward rose up recruiting rankings in the same manner she jumped when competing for offensive boards, which is to say, very swiftly.  As a sophomore, much was expected from the phenom’s follow-up season.  Woliczko didn’t disappoint, averaging 22 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for a team that some called the best in Bay Area history. For this, the sophomore has been named the Bay Area News Group’s girls basketball player of the year.  The San Bruno native spent the first portion of the season as one-half of the best duo in the Bay Area.  Scenes of Woliczko blazing downcourt and catching long outlet passes from McDonald’s All-American Morgan Cheli for layups was a common sight as Mitty piled up victories over elite programs, including a nationally-televised thriller over then-No. 1 in the country Long Island Lutheran in mid-December.  ”We always kind of know where each other is on the

United Airlines flight to SFO experiences hydraulic leak

SAN FRANCISCO — A United Airlines flight experienced a hydraulic leak before touching down Thursday at San Francisco International Airport, according to the airline. Emergency vehicles were standing by as a precaution, but Flight 1816 landed safely and all passengers deplaned normally at the gate, an airline spokesperson said. “A small amount of smoke was observed near the landing gear,” the spokesperson said. “This is routine and is often caused when hydraulic fluid comes in contact with brakes.” The Airbus A320 was carrying 150 passengers and five crewmembers, according to the airline. United Airlines has experienced a string of mishaps in recent days, many of them involving Boeing aircraft. On March 4, an engine ingested bubble wrap and burst into flames, while another flight lost a tire after takeoff on March 7, according to CNN. Two incidents happened on March 8: an aircraft rolled off a runway and another had to be redirected after it experienced an issue with its hydraulic system, CNN reported. Finally, on Monday, an unspecified maintenance issue forced a flight to return to Sydney two hours into its nearly 14-hour journey

Georgia judge says DA Fani Willis can continue to prosecute the 2020 election interference case

By Jason Morris, Nick Valencia and Devan Cole | CNN Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday, but only if she removes the special prosecutor with whom she engaged in a romantic relationship. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office. After more than two months marked by a flurry of court motions and hearings, which included fiery testimony from Willis on the stand defending her relationship with Nathan Wade, the sprawling conspiracy case against Trump and his 2020 allies can now proceed depending on Willis’ decision. McAfee was highly critical of Willis and Wade’s relationship, describing it as being the result of “bad choices.” “This finding is by no means an indication that the Court condones this tremendous lapse in judgment or the unprofessional manner of the District Attorney’s testimony during the evidentiary hearing,” McAfee wrote. However, the judge wrote, “Georgia law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices –

Word Game: March 15, 2024

TODAY’S WORD — JUNIPERS (JUNIPERS: JOO-nih-pers: A group of shrubs or trees of the cypress family.) Average mark 36 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 45 or more words in JUNIPERS? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — GYMNASIUM gain gamin gummy yang yuan magi magnum maim main mangy many minus musing myna amusing animus sang saying sigma sign sing smug snag snug suing summa summing sung imam using 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.

Bridge: March 15, 2024

George Bernard Shaw wrote that common sense is not a gift but a punishment; you must deal with everybody who doesn’t have it. “Card sense” is an ability to visualize and manipulate an array of cards. You can be born with it or acquire it through study. Today’s West led a low spade against 3NT, and dummy played low. East took the queen and returned a spade. South next led the queen of hearts, and West won and led the king and a fourth spade. He got in with a high heart to take his fifth spade for down one. LACKING South’s sense of the cards was lacking. He must play dummy’s ace on the first spade, then start the hearts. West can win and lead a second low spade to East, but if East then leads a diamond, South wins and forces out West’s other high heart. West gets his king of spades, but South has the rest. Good card sense would tell South that blocking the spades is his best chance. If West has K-Q-x-x-x and also has the A-K of hearts (or

Ask Amy Dickinson: The new employee sends me creepy notes, and I feel like I’m being stalked

Dear Amy: I am a manager at my job. Last June, a new employee transferred from a different unit. She was very upset the first couple of days. She said she had a fear of reporting to her new supervisor (not me) because she thought she “looked mean.” I explained how I manage and how our team works. She was appreciative. She started bringing me breakfast in the morning. I asked her several times to stop, but she continued to bring me food and other types of gifts, leaving them on my desk. This was completely unwanted. In December, she got promoted. I was elated because she would be gone from my area and I wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. However, she has started to visit my office when I’m not there and leaving me little gifts. Again, I asked her to stop. Last week she made a surprise lunchtime visit to my office, which is in a building on the other side of town from her office. She drove all the way over to where I work to “say hi.” I told

Single family residence sells for $2.5 million in San Ramon

6292 Murdock Way – Google Street View The spacious property located in the 6200 block of Murdock Way in San Ramon was sold on Feb. 28, 2024. The $2,501,000 purchase price works out to $816 per square foot. The house, built in 2007, has an interior space of 3,064 square feet. This two-story home offers a capacious living environment with its four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The property is equipped with central A/C. In addition, the home includes an attached three-car garage, offering generous space for vehicles and storage requirements. The lot of the property covers a substantial area of 6,846 square feet, complete with a pool for outdoor enjoyment. These nearby houses have also recently been sold: On Edgeware Court, San Ramon, in July 2023, a 2,497-square-foot home was sold for $1,825,000, a price per square foot of $731. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. A 4,406-square-foot home on the 200 block of Knightsbridge Court in San Ramon sold in June 2023, for $2,850,000, a price per square foot of $647. The home has 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. In June 2023

Single-family home in San Jose sells for $1.6 million

565 Coe Avenue – Google Street View A historic house located in the 500 block of Coe Avenue in San Jose has new owners. The 1,568-square-foot property, built in 1910, was sold on Feb. 26, 2024. The $1,585,000 purchase price works out to $1,011 per square foot. The layout of this single-story house includes two bedrooms and one bath. Outside, the home presents roofing composed of composition shingles materials. Inside, a fireplace enhances the ambiance of the living area. Additionally, the home comes with a two-car garage, allowing for convenient vehicle storage and additional storage space. Situated on a spacious 6,075-square-foot lot, the property offers ample outdoor space. Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include: A 1,347-square-foot home on the 500 block of Hull Avenue in San Jose sold in September 2023, for $1,599,000, a price per square foot of $1,187. The home has 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom. In May 2023, a 1,667-square-foot home on Hull Avenue in San Jose sold for $1,675,000, a price per square foot of $1,005. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Bird Avenue, San

Fremont man arrested in connection with fatal shooting

FREMONT — A 25-year-old Fremont man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a fatal shooting last week in the city, according to police. The shooting was reported around 9:45 a.m. on March 5 at Stevenson Boulevard and Albrae Street. Two vehicles were involved in the shooting, and officers arrived to find one of the drivers suffering from gunshot wounds, the Fremont Police Department said in a news release Thursday. He was taken to an area trauma center, where he died Saturday. The other vehicle left the scene before the arrival of officers, according to police. Detectives identified Sylvester Carver as a suspect in the case, police said. Carver was arrested Wednesday in the 5000 block of Hartnett Avenue in Richmond and booked into Santa Rita Jail on a murder charge. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has since charged Carver with murder, attempted murder and two counts of willful discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle. Detectives are continuing their investigation into the shooting. Anyone with information related to the case can contact Fremont police Detective Michael Gebhardt at 510-790-6900 or mgebhardt@fremont.gov. Check back