Category: Bay Area

The world of cannabis consumption is changing rapidly, thanks to the emergence of smart devices that provide a more tailored and responsible experience. Whether you’re a seasoned cannabis user or just starting, these innovations are helping people better understand and control their consumption, offering everything from real-time monitoring to personalized wellness recommendations. Here’s a look at the top trends in smart cannabis devices and how they’re reshaping the way we consume cannabis. 1. Wearable Tech for Real-Time Monitoring Wearable technology is one of the most exciting advancements in the cannabis space. Devices like smartwatches or specialized wearables can track vital physiological metrics such as heart rate, body temperature, and stress levels. This real-time data provides valuable insights into how cannabis affects the body, making it particularly useful for medical cannabis users or those who are new to cannabis. For instance, wearable devices can alert users when they’ve consumed too much cannabis, helping them stay within safe limits. A popular example is the Leafly Strain Tracker app, which can integrate with fitness trackers like Fitbit or Apple Watch, allowing users to monitor how different strains affect

OAKLAND — A 36-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with a recent Oakland shooting, court records show. Donald Palmer, of Oakland, was charged with murder in the shooting death of 37-year-old Dejuan Davis, who was killed on Nov. 14, near Madison and 14th Streets. Palmer is in Santa Rita Jail and cannot be bailed out, records show. Police say they identified Palmer from surveillance footage in the area of the shooting. Also, four days after Davis was killed, police arrested Palmer and a 35-year-old man after the two were seen in a car that Davis’ killer reportedly used, according to court records. A firearm was found inside the vehicle. The 35-year-old man was later released from jail without charges. Palmer was held for several days longer, released, then re-arrested Dec. 17, after prosecutors charged him with murder. Investigators received a tip that the homicide was over an argument involving a $500 theft. Palmer is set to enter a plea in January at his next court date. This is the second time over the past 12 months that Palmer’s name has

By HALELUYA HADERO | Associated Press Workers at seven Amazon facilities went on strike Thursday, an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the e-commerce company for a labor agreement during a key shopping period. The Teamsters said the workers, who voted to authorize strikes in recent days, joined picket lines after Amazon ignored a Sunday deadline the union set for contract negotiations. The union called it the largest strike against the company in U.S. history, although Amazon said it did not expect the labor action to impact its operations. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters claims it represents nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, a small portion of the 800,000 workers employed in the company’s U.S. warehouses. The union hasn’t said how many workers would participate in the strike or how long the walkout would last. “Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a statement. The strikes happening Thursday are taking place at seven delivery stations, which are run by contractors who drop off

By AMY TAXIN and SOPHIA TAREEN LOS ANGELES (AP) — Winston Leiva rattles off a long list of things immigrants should do to protect themselves against President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to conduct mass deportations when he returns to the White House. Make a plan for someone to care for your children if you are arrested. Don’t open the door unless authorities slip a signed judicial warrant under it. And above all, exercise your right to remain silent. “We already know this administration,” Leiva told participants of a bilingual workshop in Los Angeles for immigrants who want to stay in the United States. “The truth is we don’t know to what extent it will affect us.” The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights meeting, in a conference room decorated with a colorful mural of civil rights icons and a large American flag, is one of many taking place nationwide as immigrant advocates steel themselves for Trump’s second term. It’s déjà vu for those who sprung to action during Trump’s first four years, when he changed the nation’s immigration system arguably more than any other U.S. president. Advocacy

“Swift swings” takes a quick peek at one economic trend. The number: California homebuying in November took its biggest one-year leap since June 2021. The source: My trusty spreadsheet looked at the California Association of Realtors’ latest home sales report. The curve Sales of existing, single-family detached homes ran at a 267,800 annual statewide pace for the month, up 19.5% from November 2023. But there’s a catch to this jump. November 2023 was the slowest selling month in 17 years. California home sales — mired in affordability woes chasing off many house hunters — remain well below the pre-pandemic 400,000-a-year buying pace. Details Prices remain stubbornly high. November’s median sales price of $852,880 was a 3.8% increase in a year. House hunters’ options grew. The statewide unsold inventory index is up 13.8% in a year. But it took longer to sell a home. The median days on market was 26 in November, up five days in a year. Sound bite “Home prices are expected to moderate further in the next couple of months if they follow the seasonal trend, but should continue to grow in

“Is there anything better than sinking your teeth into a crispy fried potato pancake with sour cream?” says blogger and author Jessie-Sierra Ross in her new cookbook. “Maybe only if it’s topped with a delicious cooked-fruit compote.” Ross, the food and lifestyle blogger behind the Straight to the Hips, Baby blog, has just published “Seasons Around the Table: Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes” (Schiffer Publishing, $36). It’s a fun and aspirational take on seasonal entertaining that takes home cooks through the year, offering menus for special events ranging from a cozy Valentine dinner to a springtime baby shower, complete with blueberry lemonade, baked feta in phyllo, turkey meatballs with roasted balsamic tomatoes and nectarine cake. There’s a summer solstice garden party, a grown-up trick-or-treat supper and a Hanukkah Nosh Party, too — hence the latke comment. Ross offers tips on tablescapes for each, as well as recipes, so your Hanukkah table, for example, can glow with blue and amber hues, fresh flowers, candlelight and plenty of chocolate gelt coins. Now she’s sharing how those latkes are made, as well as toppings to delight

The Los Gatos Town Council voted at its Dec. 17 meeting to approve a system for excused and unexcused absences for town commissioners to allow them to attend to personal needs without being removed from their commissions. The unanimous vote also set a two-hour limit on all commission meetings except for the planning and heritage preservation commissions and cancels all commission meetings during July–when the council usually also takes a recess–but allows for the possibility of a special meeting to be called during that month. The changes came about as a result of questions raised earlier this year about the equity of meeting attendance requirements, which varied across each commission. It also raised questions about other policies, including a lack of flexibility for commission members who must miss meetings due to an illness. Council members initially disagreed on the circumstances in which commission members could take excused absences. The proposed policy changes defined excused absences as only applying to a medical emergency, death or caregiving needs for a commissioner’s direct family, but Vice Mayor Rob Moore said just limiting the policy to direct family would

Whether you’re trying to treat this as a regular weekend or are already immersed in the holiday milieu doesn’t matter. The important thing is we just used “milieu” in a sentence and can now scratch that off our 2024 to-do list. Yar! As for the weekend, yes we have lots of fun and delicious ideas, so let’s get to it, shall we? As always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines or other details.) Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters  or  www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters . 1 SEE & HEAR: Great shows are all over The holiday entertainment season is in full bloom — which means there are amazing shows and concerts almost everywhere you look. 2 READ, BAKE & DEVOUR: Mouthwatering holiday breads If you want to consult an expert baker for tips on how to make sublime holiday breads, who do you turn to? A former opera singer, of course. Especially if it is this former opera singer. These Perfect Chocolate

Owner Dylan O’Brien looks on at the Prizefighter Bottle Shop in Emeryville, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. The new store specializes in artisan liquors and wines connected to the longtime bar called the Prizefighter. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) By John Metcalfe | jmetcalfe@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 19, 2024 at 6:30 AM PST Want to make winter and New Year’s Eve feel special? Longtime bartender Dylan O’Brien will tell you how. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

2024 obituaries: Notable Bay Area residents who died Giants stars Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda, tech pioneer Susan Wojcicki and music legend Phil Lesh​ all left their marks here in their lifetimes Associated Press Archives Willie Mays, the San Francisco Giants star outfielder, is among the notable Bay Area residents who died in 2024. The Giants star, nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid,” died June 18 at the age of 93. SF Giants stars Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda, tech pioneer Susan Wojcicki and music legend Phil Lesh are among those who left a mark on the Bay Area in their lifetimes.

SANTA CRUZ — With less than five weeks to go before President-elect Donald Trump makes his return to the White House, Santa Cruz County has declared itself a “sanctuary county” for local immigrant communities as part of an effort to quell fears that have come in response to Trump’s anti-immigration plans and to bolster engagement and collaboration before Inauguration Day. The resolution was unanimously supported by the Board of Supervisors at its meeting Tuesday and takes a page from a similar declaration it signed in 2017 after Trump’s first victory. The resolution states that “it is critical to affirm that Santa Cruz County is a community where all residents — regardless of immigration status — are welcomed and contribute to the social and economic fabric of the community,” and that “a relationship of trust between California’s immigrant residents and local agencies, including but not limited to law enforcement, schools, hospitals, and County services is essential to providing a safe environment and services to meet people’s basic needs effectively.” According to the resolution, 17.4% of the county’s total population, or about 46,237 people, are foreign-born with

TODAY’S WORD — TENSIVE TENSIVE: TEN-siv: Of, relating to or causing tension. Average mark 20 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 23 or more words in TENSIVE? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — BEDLAM: bade bald bale balm bead beam beldam blade blame bled dale dame deal lade lamb lame lead abed able amble made male mead meal medal meld 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. Originally Published: December 19, 2024 at 3:00 AM PST

Dear Eric: I’ve been going to the same neighborhood nail salon for nearly 10 years. They are usually great, but about two years ago, I continuously began to be relegated to a nail technician who is very inconsistent, doing just OK sometimes and truly awful on occasion. “Sue” has come close to drawing blood while cutting my nails, has hurt me while trimming cuticles and sometimes has my nails at different lengths and shapes. They usually don’t let her apply polish and have another technician take over for that phase. I felt I kept getting her because I never complained, either to her or the owner. I stopped going there for nearly a year. When I came back (it really is convenient – I can walk there!) she wasn’t around the first couple of times, and I thought she had retired. But now she’s back and I just received the worst manicure ever. I believe she’s a family member to someone there and she really is sweet. I don’t want her to lose her job, but if I were the owner I would want to

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I recently got into a huge fight, and I’m still feeling upset about it. During our argument, he called me privileged, and it really struck a nerve. I’ve worked hard for everything I have in life. I grew up in a small town with parents who loved me deeply but didn’t have much to their name. I put myself through school, worked multiple jobs and have been intentional about building the life I want. To be accused of being privileged felt so unfair and dismissive of everything I’ve accomplished. The fight started when I mentioned I was planning a vacation to Vietnam. I did some research about the country and the places I’d like to visit, but I’ll admit I could have gone deeper. My boyfriend called me out on this and said it was privileged of me to travel to a foreign country without doing proper research or fully understanding its culture, history or people. While I see his point that preparation is important, especially when visiting a place so different from my own background, it felt like his

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When I was in college, a friend’s family graciously opened their home to me for a couple of months while I worked a summer job near their home, which was an hour from my family’s. I did my best to treat their home as respectfully as my parents’ home, and at the end of summer, I gave them what I could afford out of my earnings for their kindness. During one evening meal, I was enjoying some garden tomatoes that the lady of the house had provided. She interrupted the meal — loudly, but with a smile intended to soften the blow — saying, “Uh-oh! Looks like somebody wasn’t taught to eat their tomatoes with a fork and knife!” I was momentarily confused, because I had indeed not been taught this, nor did I know it was expected. I immediately complied, and have eaten tomatoes properly ever since. I know that her direction was correct, and I learned a valuable etiquette lesson. I just imagine that, prior to that evening, she must have endured my boorish manners with horror, and handled it

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Marla Sokoloff, 44; Jake Gyllenhaal, 44; Alyssa Milano, 52; Tyson Beckford, 54. Happy Birthday: Put your energy where it brings the highest return or is needed most this year, and you’ll find your happy place in the universe. Opportunity is within reach if you don’t give in to indecisiveness or procrastination. Refuse to let anyone talk you into the impossible when using common sense and putting a budget in place that you can live with will position you for success. Your numbers are 7, 13, 23, 28, 35, 41, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you or limit what you can achieve. Put on your runners, and don’t stop until you reach your mark. You have what it takes to forge ahead, using your intelligence, insight and innovation to outshine any competition. Romance is on the rise. 5 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take a close look around you, and you’ll gain insight into the possibilities and pitfalls surrounding you. Take precautions around aggressive individuals or those who appear to be coming down with

For the second consecutive year, Cal has come up short in a bowl game.  The Bears’ offense struggled throughout most of Wednesday’s game as Cal fell to No. 24 UNLV 24-13 in the LA Bowl at Sofi Stadium.  Cal was without starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza after he announced last week that he was entering the transfer portal. The Bears went with third-string QB CJ Harris, but he left the game in the third quarter with an injury, prompting true freshman EJ Caminong to finish the game. Usual backup Chandler Rogers was not expected to play after sustaining a leg injury during Cal’s regular-season finale against SMU, but suited up after Harris went down.  In what might have been his last game in a Cal uniform, junior Jaydn Ott rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries. Freshman receiver Josiah Martin had 69 yards from scrimmage to go along with a rushing touchdown.   Cal’s passing games struggled as Harris and Caminong combined to complete 19 of 39 passes for 166 yards and no touchdowns.  NorCal native Jacob De Jesus did it all for UNLV, totaling 142 all-purpose

MONTEREY — Rain and snow are slated to return this weekend to Northern California and will likely stick around through Christmas Day, forecasters said Wednesday. As a low pressure system begins to build Friday, the Bay Area will experience the first of several rounds of rain and gusty winds, according to a briefing issued by the National Weather Service forecast office in Monterey. “This pattern is expected to continue through Christmas Day,” forecasters said in the briefing. To the east, a similar scenario will unfold in the Sacramento Valley, foothills and mountains, where more than 2 inches of rain is expected to fall between Saturday and Monday, according to an advisory issued by the NWS forecast office in Sacramento. Snow levels are projected to be around 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level during that period, but they will drop as colder air arrives on Christmas Eve, forecasters said. “Mountain holiday travel may be impacted midweek with periods of moderate snow and gusty winds,” the Sacramento forecast office warned in a separate advisory. In the Bay Area, the continuous rain will increase chances for flooding

Bay Area Home Report 2366 Fish Creek Place – Google Street View A 4,470-square-foot house built in 1987 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 2300 block of Fish Creek Place in Danville was sold on Nov. 12, 2024, for $2,775,000, or $621 per square foot. This two-story home boasts a generous living space with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. In addition, the home provides an attached three-car garage, granting ample space for parking and storage purposes. The lot of the property is substantial, measuring 10,488 square feet, and boasts a pool for relaxation and recreation. Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include: A 3,776-square-foot home on the 1300 block of Still Creek Place in Danville sold in July 2023, for $2,850,000, a price per square foot of $755. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. In July 2022, a 3,977-square-foot home on Brightwood Circle in Danville sold for $2,700,000, a price per square foot of $679. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. On Still Creek Place, Danville, in July 2023, a 2,277-square-foot home was sold for

Bay Area Home Report 1741 Santa Lucia Drive – Google Street View A 2,562-square-foot house built in 1949 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 1700 block of Santa Lucia Drive in San Jose was sold on Nov. 5, 2024. The $2,675,000 purchase price works out to $1,044 per square foot. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and four bathrooms. In addition, the house features a two-car garage. The property encompasses a generous 0.4-acre of land, featuring abundant outdoor space and a pool. Additional houses have recently been sold nearby: On Isabel Drive, San Jose, in October 2024, a 1,833-square-foot home was sold for $2,300,000, a price per square foot of $1,255. The home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In April 2024, a 2,427-square-foot home on Willow Street in San Jose sold for $2,700,000, a price per square foot of $1,112. The home has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. A 2,059-square-foot home on the 1400 block of Saint Francis Drive in San Jose sold in July 2023, for $1,650,000, a price per square foot of $801. The

After a last-place finish in the MLS, the San Jose Earthquakes were bound to look different next season. With a high-profile new coach already in hand, the Earthquakes continued to reshape their roster with a pair of transactions Wednesday. While San Jose said farewell to longtime midfielder Jackson Yueill, the Earthquakes welcomed defender Nick Lima as the first free-agent addition under coach and sporting director Bruce Arena. Lima signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2027 in a full-circle move that brings the Castro Valley native back to where he began his pro career. “I look forward to having Nick on the team,” Arena said in a news release. “His experience in this league and versatility will help strengthen our defense. Nick grew up in the Bay Area and had a lot of success here coming up through the Quakes’ system, so there’s an added familiarity with the club.” Lima, 30, graduated from the Quakes Academy in 2016 and signed a homegrown player contract with San Jose, where he played his first four professional seasons. After being traded from Austin FC to the