Category: Bay Area

Once again—and this makes a three-peat—Las Positas winemaker Brent Amos has taken Best White at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition, the largest wine competition in North America. The winning wine was Amos’s 2022 Las Positas Estate albarino. The 25th annual tasting featured 40 top judges from all over the country including winemakers, wine buyers, wine educators and journalists, who judged a total of 5,500 wines. The Best Red for 2025 was a tie between the 2023 Lodi Rippey Family Vineyard Grenache and 2022 Val de Vino Barbera from Calaveras County. A Chandon Blanc de Noirs took Best Sparkling, and Eberle Winery in Paso Robles took Best Rosé for their 2024 Rosé of Grenache. All results can be viewed at winejudging.com. We’re wishing Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill a happy centennial. They just celebrated 100 years as a family-owned winery, with the third and fourth generations involved in making wine the same old-fashioned way they have been since Emilio Guglielmo founded the winery at the beginning of last century after emigrating from Piemonte and moving to San Francisco in 1909. They are still using some of

Jan. 19 GARBAGE COMPLAINT: 2:54 p.m. at Venture Christian Church on Hicks Road. Three teenagers were  dumping garbage. TRAFFIC HAZARD: 3:10 p.m. at Los Gatos Boulevard and Shannon Road. A group of eight to 10 juveniles were riding e-bikes into oncoming traffic. Jan. 17 JUVENILE DISTURBANCE: 10:57 p.m. at Riviera Terrace Apartments on Riviera Drive. A group of 10 teenagers were in a clubhouse near the leasing office. The caller reported that they didn’t know what the group was doing, but they “shouldn’t be in there.” Jan. 16 SUSPICIOUS PERSON: 5:44 p.m. at Los Gatos High School on High School Court. A man who was picking up his son from school saw a man wearing a trench coat past the softball fields at the school. Jan. 13 MUNI CODE VIOLATION: 9:45 p.m. at Leroy Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard. Someone put out 10 bowls of cat food and milk for stray cats.

Best running belts One of the trickiest things about going for a run is figuring out how to carry your phone, keys and ID without your belongings getting in the way or slowing you down. Running shorts usually don’t have very deep pockets, making it impossible to fit all the essentials. With a good running belt, you’ll have plenty of room for all your must-haves. The trick is finding a running belt that won’t move around and cause chafing during the most vigorous runs. Here are some of the best running belts that stay in place and don’t cause any irritation, so you can bring along all your essentials on your next run. What is a running belt? A running belt is similar to a belt bag, though it usually has a more compact, streamlined design. Most running belts have a large main compartment for items like your phone, keys and ID, plus a few other smaller pockets. Some belts also have slots for water bottles or a hydration reservoir so you can stay hydrated during your runs. A running belt shouldn’t be too large

Which medicine balls are best? Useful for exercises, rehab or just for fun, medicine balls often are in gyms, doctor offices and rehabilitation centers. While they don’t contain any medicine, medicine balls are useful equipment in improving health and fitness. They’re a great alternative for dumbbells or barbells, or you can use them in tandem with free weights. If you’re looking for a professional-grade medicine ball, the SPRI Xerball Medicine Ball is the top choice. What to know before you buy a medicine ball Types Even though there are many variations of medicine balls on the market, they typically are broken down into four main categories: slam balls, rubber balls, medicine balls with handles and rope balls. Slam balls are one of the most common types. They are partially filled with sand or some type of dense material that can make the ball weigh anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds. Because they’re dense, they barely bounce when making contact with a surface unless done so forcefully. This is why they’re commonly used for explosive workouts such as wall or floor slams. The outer cover typically is made

California is growing again, news that comes as a relief, vindication or vexation, depending on where you stand in regard to the Golden State. Or, perhaps more aptly, where you reside. The state, which had its modern birth in a fever of money-lust and speculation, gained population in every assay going back to those Gold Rush days. Growth — heady, unrelenting — was not only the natural order of things, but an affirmation. Of the California lifestyle, the state’s economy, its political leadership, the weather and, perhaps most of all, the beckoning of this most fertile landscape. Then came pandemic, an immigration clampdown and the remote-work revolution. For the first time in its recorded history, California lost population. Not a ton, relatively speaking. But enough to prompt discussion of an “exodus,” to fuel the trash-talkers and give those ever-eager to write the state’s obituary an opportunity to sharpen their quills and their tongues. More consequentially, for the first time in its history California lost a seat in the House of Representatives. Worse, its archrivals among states, Florida and Texas, grew their footprint on Capitol Hill. It was an ego blow, a humiliation and a

Among the hundreds of people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires who are turning to GoFundMe for disaster relief, some may no longer qualify for specific forms of FEMA assistance. Considered some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, the Palisades and Eaton fires claimed 27 lives so far — leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake. Thousands of LA residents were displaced and forced to evacuate as the Palisades Fire grew to more than 23,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire, which burned over 14,000 acres, destroyed or damaged much of the historic town of Altadena. Many people affected by the wildfires lost everything, including their homes. The Eaton Fire destroyed 9,416 structures, mostly homes and businesses, and damaged an additional 1,064. Another 6,051 properties were destroyed and 788 structures were damaged in the Palisades Fire, including beachfront properties. In an Instagram post, state Sen. Sasha Renee Perez addressed concerns from individuals affected by the Eaton Fire, and whether their fundraising page may prevent them from getting federal aid. This is because, by law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits received from another source

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m a stepmother to a 15-year-old girl, and I’ve been struggling to like her. She moved in with my husband and me full-time last year, and while I knew this transition wouldn’t be easy, I didn’t anticipate how much tension it would bring into our household. She’s opinionated, moody and often disrespectful to both me and her father. She talks back, doesn’t follow house rules and makes little effort to build a relationship with me. I’ve tried to be patient and understanding, reminding myself that she’s a teenager dealing with her parents’ divorce and a new living arrangement. Still, I can’t shake the resentment that’s building up. What makes it harder is that my husband and I don’t always agree on how to handle her behavior. He often takes a more lenient approach, while I feel like we need to enforce stricter boundaries. This has led to arguments between us, which adds to the tension. How can I work on improving my relationship with my stepdaughter and managing my own feelings of frustration? — Stepmother DEAR STEPMOTHER: You and your husband have got

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a 67-year-old man who works out regularly at a gym. The gym is open 24/7, and members have a key fob to enter since it is not always staffed. I was exercising at 9 p.m., and the only other person there was a young, attractive woman, probably in her 40s. We exchanged pleasantries. When I was finished with my workout, I realized I did not feel comfortable leaving a young woman alone there at night. I was especially concerned about her walking out to her car by herself. After my workout, I sat on a bench near the door, waiting for her to finish so I could make sure she got to her car all right. Miss Manners, I did not keep talking to her while she finished exercising; I just looked at my phone quietly. I did nothing untoward to her. As she left the building, she said, “Have a good night.” Then I watched her from inside the gym to make sure she got in her car safely. After she drove off, I left. I intentionally waited until

DEAR ABBY: I am a middle-aged slender woman born into a family of women who have always struggled with weight. Ever since I can remember, I have been subjected to nasty gibes and microaggressions regarding my weight. My siblings have always kept a close eye on my waistline for clues that I could be gaining. They have also bullied and excluded me, and I have long suspected the reason has something to do with my weight. Depending on my lifestyle and the season, my weight fluctuates by about 10 pounds. When traveling family members visit, I always hear, “You’re so skinny! I’m so jealous!” Or, if I have put on a few pounds, “You look really healthy!” None of the other women in my family are on the receiving end of these unwelcome comments, and I feel objectified and embarrassed by all this. I am more than a body. I’m a kind and caring human being who just wants to be accepted and respected by family members I love, despite their annoying comments. How can I get them to stop seeing me as a body

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 21, the 21st day of 2025. There are 344 days left in the year. Today in history: On Jan. 21, 2020, the U.S. reported its first known case of the 2019 novel coronavirus circulating in China, saying a Washington state resident who had returned the previous week from the outbreak’s epicenter was hospitalized near Seattle. Also on this date: In 1793, during the French Revolution, King Louis XVI, condemned for treason, was executed by guillotine. In 1915, the first Kiwanis Club, dedicated to community service, was founded in Detroit. In 1924, Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin died at age 53. In 1950, former State Department official Alger Hiss, accused of being part of a Communist spy ring, was found guilty in New York of lying to a grand jury. (Hiss, who proclaimed his innocence, served less than four years in prison.) In 1976, British Airways and Air France inaugurated scheduled passenger service on the supersonic Concorde jet. In 1977, on his first full day in office, President Jimmy Carter pardoned almost all Vietnam War draft evaders. In 2010, a deeply divided U.S.

Fatal crash closes Highway 35 in Portola Valley The two-vehicle collision happened Monday afternoon south of Highway 84 PORTOLA VALLEY – Authorities on Monday were investigating a fatal crash on Highway 35 in Portola Valley. The crash was reported south of Highway 84, the California Highway Patrol said in a social media post. Dispatch logs indicated it happened around 5:30 p.m. and involved two cars. All lanes of Highway 35 were closed following the crash and did not reopen until 10 p.m., according to the logs. Additional details about the crash were not immediately available. Check back for updates.

By Eddie Pells The Associated Press ATLANTA — Instead of crying over another collapse, Ohio State can celebrate another national title after holding off a Notre Dame comeback bid Monday night to walk away with a nailbiter of a 34-23 victory over the Fighting Irish. Will Howard hit big-play receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on a late third-and-11 to lock down a game that had been a laugher, then turned into something else. Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter. The Irish stopped Ohio State on the first two plays of the next drive and used their timeouts. But on third down, Howard found Smith in single coverage on the right sideline and dropped his best pass of the season into the hands of the second-team All-American. “They were running man coverage and I said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna let this loose and let him make a play on it,’” Howard said. It set up a field goal that started the celebration in earnest (and helped Ohio State cover the

The ballot below was submitted to the Associated Press following Ohio State’s victory over Notre Dame. I have included each team’s position in my AP preseason ballot from early August. (Goodness, it’s a long season.) 1. Ohio State (AP preseason: 1) 2. Notre Dame (7) 3. Oregon (4) 4. Penn State (13) 5. Georgia (2) 6. Texas (3) 7. Arizona State (not ranked) 8. Tennessee (not ranked) 9. Mississippi (10) 10. Boise State (23) 11. Indiana (not ranked) 12. Brigham Young 13. SMU (not ranked) 14. Clemson (11) 15. Iowa State (not ranked) 16. Alabama (8) 17. Miami (12) 18. Kansas State (not ranked) 19. Syracuse (not ranked) 20. Illinois (not ranked) 21. South Carolina 22. UNLV (not ranked) 23. Missouri (15) 24. Army (not ranked) 25. Memphis (25) *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716 *** Follow me on the social media platform X: @WilnerHotline Originally Published: January 20, 2025 at 8:31 PM PST

Word began to spread quickly in the Tijuana migrant shelter Monday, even as President Donald Trump continued to deliver his inauguration speech. Nidia Montenegro, an asylum seeker from Venezuela, checked her cellphone to see if the asylum screening appointment she’d waited so long to secure was still good for Wednesday morning. Those around her had already been getting the heartbreaking news after seeing the new message on the government’s CBP One app: “Existing appointments scheduled through CBP One are no longer valid.” She was no different. “My spirit is on the ground,” she said through tears at the Juventud 2000 shelter. “We’re in limbo now. What’s going to happen to us?” Shutting down the appointment system that allowed undocumented immigrants to schedule appointments for asylum screenings at ports of entry was perhaps the first blow of Trump’s promised border crackdown. Inauguration day ended with a flurry of executive actions aimed at the border — from reinstating his “Remain in Mexico” policy to using military troops for border security to ending birthright citizenship. RELATED: Bay Area universities double down on commitment to protect students regardless of immigration

SAN MATEO COUNTY – A 39-year-old man and an 8-year-old boy died Sunday after rescuers pulled them from the ocean near Half Moon Bay, according to authorities. California State Parks lifeguards and rangers were called to Cowell Ranch State Beach just before 3:15 p.m. for a report of a water rescue, agency spokesperson Jorge Moreno said in a statement. Lifeguards found the man and the boy in the water, brought them to a harbor patrol vessel and gave them aid. They were then taken to Stanford Health Care, where they died. “We extend our deepest sympathy to the family for this devastating loss,” Moreno said. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office will release the identities of the man and the boy after they are confirmed and their next of kin is notified. The U.S. Coast Guard, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, Pillar Point Harbor Patrol, American Medical Response and Coastside Fire Protection District also responded to the incident. Check back for updates. Originally Published: January 20, 2025 at 7:18 PM PST

Washington D. C. – Dignitaries from across Washington and around the world crammed into the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Monday to watch power transfer peacefully from Democratic former President Joe Biden to his Republican successor, Donald Trump. It was one of the rare occasions that bring together American leaders past and present in a choreographed display of tradition and bipartisanship. Photographers from The Associated Press and other news organizations captured moments throughout the day, some historic, others entertaining. The images are especially notable this year given the ferocious animosity between the teams coming and going. The photos capture Biden, who framed his presidency as a bridge away from Trump’s first term, partaking in the traditions of the office as he handed power back to the man he’s dubbed a threat to democracy. They capture Vice President Kamala Harris together with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, the running mates who defeated her in November following a bitter campaign. They show the billionaires who’ve made their way into Trump’s inner circle, a stark contrast to his first inauguration, when most of the nation’s elite shunned the disruptive leader.

CONCORD — De La Salle did the best it could without its star player. The Concord school was without star player and Oklahoma commit Alec Blair heading into its big-time matchup with Sunnyslope-Phoenix at the De La Salle MLK Classic, but showed fight in its 53-46 loss at home. Junior Ibrahim Monawar led De La Salle with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Blair was a last-minute scratch from Monday’s game with a shoulder injury and is questionable to play tonight against Dublin, per De La Salle coach Marcus Schroeder. “We didn’t play great tonight,” Schroeder said. “We gotta get better and obviously with taking two losses in a row, we hit some adversity. With a huge game in league play tomorrow, we gotta get better quickly.” De La Salle kept the score close in the first half, keeping the high-powered Sunnyslope offense led by 6-foot-11 sophomore Darius Wabbington under control. But in the third, the Arizona school found its groove. De La Salle’s Bryce Patton (4) looks to pass as he’s pressured by Sunnyslope High’s Delton Prescott (3) uring their MLK Classic game

By SALLY HO On the eve of his inauguration, President Donald Trump said an executive order suspending a nationwide ban on TikTok would be among his first official acts. The social media platform and app’s ardent users waited Monday evening to learn if he would follow through and if so, what the order might say. Trump has amassed nearly 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined last year, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters. Yet its 170 million U.S. users could not access TikTok for more than 12 hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning. The platform went offline before the ban approved by Congress and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court took effect on Sunday. After Trump promised to pause the ban on Monday, TikTok restored access for existing users. Google and Apple, however, still have not reinstated TikTok to their app stores. Business leaders, lawmakers, legal scholars, and influencers who make money on TikTok are watching to see how Trump tries to resolve a thicket of regulatory, legal, financial and geopolitical issues with

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Green infrastructure will help defend coasts Re: “Sea lions adapt to squeeze play” (Page A1, Jan. 15). Given the heightened presence of storm activity off of California’s coast due to climate change, Santa Cruz’s Municipal Wharf collapse illustrates the dangers of doing nothing to improve coastal infrastructure. As ocean storm patterns change, state legislators should consider enforcing green infrastructure (“living shorelines”) in coastal communities to protect structures and marine species. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, at least 10 coastal public piers were closed for all or part of 2024 because of structural damage caused by ocean storms. Debris from destroyed structures could harm the California sea lion and other marine species once those materials enter the water. Implementing living shorelines can reduce erosion better than sea walls. Santa Cruz has asked community members to report any observed wharf debris. Looking ahead, requiring local governments to utilize green infrastructure is a feasible mitigation strategy state legislators should consider to protect our coast. Marie Blackard Sacramento Deposit on recyclables

By JULIE WATSON and MEGAN JANETSKY TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — They came from Haiti, Venezuela and around the world, pulling small rolling suitcases crammed with clothing and stuffed animals to occupy their children. They clutched cellphones showing that after months of waiting they had appointments — finally — to legally enter the United States. Now outside a series of north Mexico border crossings where mazes of concrete barriers and thick fencing eventually spill into the United States, hope and excitement evaporated into despair and disbelief moments after President Donald Trump took office. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Monday that the CBP One app that worked as recently as that morning would no longer be used to admit migrants after facilitating entry for nearly 1 million people since January 2023. Tens of thousands of appointments that were scheduled into February were canceled, applicants were told. That was it. There was no way to appeal, and no one to talk to. In Tijuana, where 400 people were admitted daily on the app at a border crossing with San Diego, Maria Mercado had to work up the

SAN FRANCISCO — Much has changed since the Warriors came into Boston and beat the defending champions in their own arena on Nov. 6. De’Anthony Melton tore his ACL and got replaced by Dennis Schroder. Jonathan Kuminga rose, then fell to a significant ankle sprain. The win was part of a 12-3 start, and since the Warriors became the first team ever to open a season that hot and dip below .500 at any point thereafter. News cycles swirled around the existential questions engulfing this iteration of a dynastic era. The Celtics haven’t even been playing well of late, going through the typical post-championship malaise. They still showed how much juice the Warriors have lost in the past couple months. The Celtics shut down Golden State’s fledgling, short-handed offense in a commanding 125-85 victory over the Warriors at Chase Center. Boston had its championship starting-five while Golden State was missing Draymond Green, Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski. The extreme talent disparity was apparent, as the Warriors trailed by as much as 45 and didn’t own a lead after the first quarter. Boston Celtics’ Kristaps Porziņģis (8)