Joseph Lieberman dies at 82; former U.S. senator was Al Gore’s running mate in 2000

Associated Press NEW YORK — Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and who almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later, has died, according to a statement issued by his family. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday due to complications from a fall, the statement said. He was 82. The Democrat-turned-independent was never shy about veering from the party line. Lieberman’s independent streak and especially his needling of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential contest rankled many Democrats, the party he aligned with in the Senate. Yet his support for gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes at times won him the praise of many liberals over the years. Lieberman came tantalizingly close to winning the vice presidency in the contentious 2000 presidential contest that was decided by a 537-vote margin victory for George W. Bush in Florida after a drawn-out recount, legal challenges and a Supreme Court decision. He was the first Jewish candidate on a

The 10 most expensive reported home sales in Hayward the week of March 18

A house that sold for $1.9 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Hayward in the past week. In total, 14 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $1.1 million. The average price per square foot was $606. The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of March 18 even if the property may have been sold earlier. 10. $900K, single-family house in the 300 block of Ocie Way The 1,564 square-foot single-family house in the 300 block of Ocie Way in Hayward has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in February and the total purchase price was $900,000, $575 per square foot. The house was built in 1952. The house features five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Ocie Way 9. $930K, single-family home in the 1200 block of D Street A sale has been finalized for the detached house in the 1200 block of D Street in Hayward. The price was $930,000 and the new owners

Power up: PG&E says electricity plan can boost Silicon Valley innovation and economy

SAN JOSE — PG&E is pushing forward with quests to help bolster Silicon Valley’s economy and innovation future, including major South Bay and East Bay electricity projects, utility officials said Wednesday. Executives with PG&E appeared at a power breakfast in downtown San Jose that was sponsored by law firm Hoge Fenton, using the occasion to assure the business leaders who had gathered for the event that the company was doing all it could to improve the reliability of its services. PG&E substation in downtown San Jose, visible in the background next to an empty plot of land totaling 9.8 acres near the corner of Coleman Avenue and Santa Teresa Street, May 2023. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group) “We have a long way to go but we are working very diligently to deliver reliable energy,” Teresa Alvarado, PG&E’s South Bay & Central Coast regional vice president, said at the Hoge Fenton event, which was held at the Silicon Valley Capital Club on East San Fernando Street in downtown San Jose. Oakland-based PG&E also detailed during the event two mega projects that are being crafted by a Midwest

A Concord man threatened Nancy Pelosi; a senior U.S. district judge gave him 11 months in prison

OAKLAND — A Concord man has been sentenced to 11 months in federal prison after directing voicemail threats to Representative Nancy Pelosi, D-SF, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, authorities said Thursday. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup gave the sentence to 44-year-old David Carrier. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey of the Northern District of California said Carrier pleaded guilty to two counts of making threats against a federal official. Ramsey said Carrier made the threats against Pelosi on Jan. 21, 2021, when Pelosi was Speaker of the House. The threats against Mayorkas came on June 30, 2022, Ramsey said. A federal grand jury indicted Carrier in September. According to Ramsey, Carrier in his plea acknowledged that he was trying to interfere with Pelosi’s performance in her capacity as the House Speaker by threatening to assault her. The plea also acknowledges that Carrier did the same thing to Mayorkas 17 months later, Ramsey said. “Participating in the public political conversation is an important right for all citizens,” Ramsey said in his statement. “Nevertheless, threatening our public servants is not protected by

Six people jailed, weapons seized after gang-motivated attack in San Jose, police say

SAN JOSE — Six men were arrested on March 20 across four California cities in connection to a gang-motivated assault that happened in San Jose last October, according to a news release from the city’s police department. Authorities stated that San Jose police officers responded around 11:09 p.m. October 18 to a call from a business on the 2300 block of Senter Road about an assault with a deadly weapon. When officers arrived, they found an injured man who appeared to have been attacked by multiple suspects. Police said the man’s injuries were not life-threatening. They did not specify the nature of the attack or what weapon or weapons were used. Detectives from San Jose’s Gang Investigations Unit identified the six suspects and obtained warrants to arrest them and search their respective residences, according to the press release. Four of the suspects are residents of the Southern California city of Garden Grove, police said; one is from the nearby city of Westminster, and the last lives in San Jose. All range in age between 28 and 38. Four of the five Southern California suspects were

Single family residence sells for $3.4 million in Los Gatos

16940 Frank Court – Google Street View The spacious property located in the 16900 block of Frank Court in Los Gatos was sold on March 13, 2024. The $3,380,000 purchase price works out to $1,390 per square foot. The house, built in 1967, has an interior space of 2,432 square feet. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and four baths. Additionally, the house includes an attached two-car garage, offering generous space for vehicles and storage requirements. Situated on a spacious 7,700-square-foot lot, the property offers ample outdoor space. Additional houses have recently been sold nearby: On Izorah Way, Los Gatos, in October 2022, a 1,667-square-foot home was sold for $2,565,000, a price per square foot of $1,539. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In September 2023, a 2,146-square-foot home on Corcel Court in Los Gatos sold for $3,200,000, a price per square foot of $1,491. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A 1,636-square-foot home on the 16700 block of Leroy Avenue in Los Gatos sold in November 2023, for $2,285,000, a price per square foot of

5 newly announced big concert tours heading for Bay Area this year

The onslaught of new tour announcements just keeps right on coming. Here are 5 recently announced big tours with Bay Area stops: Korn, Gojira Korn fans will be excited to see the hard-rock headliner back in action, venturing out on the road for a 25-date tour. And while it will indeed be cool to see the platinum-selling hard rock group in concert, we’re even more excited about one of the support acts — Gojira, which ranks as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Canadian heavy metal group Spiritbox is also on the bill. The tour stops at Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View on Oct. 6. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. March 29, livenation.com. There is also a Citi card presale that is underway through 10 p.m. March 28, citientertainment.com. Twenty One Pilots The Grammy-winning modern rock duo have announced dates for the massive Clancy World Tour, which kicks off Aug. 15 in Denver and includes a date in the Bay Area. Twenty One Pilots perform Aug. 24 at Oakland Arena. Tickets go on sale to the

Santa Rosa woman charged with stealing $400,000 from San Carlos tech firm

SAN CARLOS – A 50-year-old Santa Rosa woman stands accused of embezzling more than $400,000 from the San Carlos-based tech firm where she worked as an office manager and bookkeeper, prosecutors said. Tina Cabudoy is charged with 32 felony counts of embezzlement and three misdemeanor counts of embezzlement, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. She appeared in Superior Court on Monday but did not enter a plea. Cabudoy started working for Brainoft Inc. in 2018 and began embezzling funds in 2020, Wagstaffe said, adding that the thefts continued through March 2023, when the CEO noticed several suspicious entries on the books. The CEO investigated and uncovered the thefts, according to Wagstaffe. “The defendant accomplished most of the embezzlements by taking checks written by customers to Brainoft and depositing the checks in her own bank account,” he said. Wagstaffe said Cabudoy also used a website — bills.com — to have customer payments deposited directly into her own account. Cabudoy embezzled a total of $403,905 from the company, according to Wagstaffe. On Monday, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said the tech firm reported the

Baseball 2024: Oakland chef hits it out of Oracle Park with his lumpia

They’re scrumptious, they’re easy to eat in the stands – and they’re even shaped like baseball bats. We’re talking about lumpia, the great Filipino appetizer. Chef-owner Alex Retodo and his Oakland-based venture, The Lumpia Company, have been serving their uber-popular fried spring rolls to San Francisco Giants fans for going on six seasons. It’s a first for a Major League Baseball stadium, he says. And they’re not just a favorite of foodies; they’ve received the stamp of approval from local rapper E-40, a longtime lumpia lover who is now a co-owner. So while the baseball is whizzing around the diamond at Oracle Park, Retodo and his crew are busy folding ground meat and sauteed vegetables into paper-thin wrappers, rolling them and then frying ’til golden. “For 82-plus games, we’ll go as hard as we can until the 7th inning,” he says. Lumpia Company owner and chef Alex Retodo garnishes his bacon cheeseburger lumpia at the Oakland restaurant’s headquarters. This will be the sixth season that the company, co-owned by local rapper E-40, has served its fried spring rolls to San Francisco Giants fans at Oracle

Three popular Christian music acts combine forces for blockbuster tour

TobyMac, MercyMe and Zach Williams — three of the top acts in the contemporary Christian music (CCM) genre — are heading out on tour later this year. The trio, which also toured in 2023, kicks off the road show in November. The tour includes one stop in the Bay Area — Nov. 23 at Oakland Arena. The complete itinerary is listed below. Tickets go on sale at Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. (PT) 4 awakeningevents.com/tobymercymezach. Each of the three artists has scored a number of hits in the CCM realm. TobyMac is known for such chart-toppers as “Gone,” “Made to Love” and “Lose My Soul, while MercyMe’s many accomplishments include releasing “I Can Only Imagine,” which is reportedly the top-selling Christian music single of all time. Williams’ platinum-selling hits include “Chain Breaker” and “There Was Jesus” (with Dolly Parton). “When we had the dream of bringing these artists together we knew it would be big, but we had no idea just how big,” says Dan Fife, president and founder of Awakening Events, which is presenting the tour. “The response was unprecedented and the

El Granada man gets 7 years in prison for crash that killed Apple software engineer

REDWOOD CITY – A 54-year-old El Granada man accused of hitting and killing an Apple software engineer on a windy mountain road in La Honda nearly eight years ago has pleaded no contest to felony vehicular manslaughter, according to prosecutors. Tom Shelton Doane was actually found guilty of the same charge in 2017, but a state appeals court reversed the conviction four years later. San Mateo County prosecutors refiled the charge; rather than face a second trial, Doane entered a no-contest plea Monday in Superior Court, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. Doane was sentenced to seven years in state prison. However, with credit for time already served, he will not spend another day behind bars, according to Wagstaffe. Judge Sean Dabel also ordered Doane to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the victim’s widow. The fatal traffic collision happened in the 7400 block of La Honda Road on March 27, 2016. Francois Jouaux, 46, of Woodside, was returning home after a day of kitesurfing when Doane crossed into the opposing lane and hit him head-on. Doane’s Ford F-250 then continued over Jouaux’s Honda

Why Costco’s hot dog is still $1.50 when everything has gotten so expensive

By Nathaniel Meyersohn | CNN New York  — Inflation has touched nearly everything these last few years — even Trader Joe’s 19-cent bananas. But Costco is holding the line on its hot dog-soda combo price. Costco’s hot dog deal, sold at its food courts, is still priced at $1.50 — exactly what it cost in 1985, before the Great Recession, the housing crisis, the pandemic and the latest bout of decades-high inflation. Since the pandemic started, prices for consumers have gone up 20% overall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In many key areas, like housing and groceries, prices have increased even more. If Costco’s hot dog deal kept pace with inflation, it would be three times as expensive today — nearly $4.50. But Costco’s $1.50 combo is a strategic decision, known as a loss-leader: The company is willing to lose money selling the hot dogs at that price — inflation be darned — so long as it helps Costco draw in and retain customers. “It’s branding,” said Scott Mushkin, a retail analyst at R5 Capital. The $1.50 deal helps create customer loyalty, he

Rain expected to return to Bay Area with two storm systems expected by Saturday

The message from the National Weather Service on social media early Wednesday morning was simple and to the point. “Rain returns today,” it said. Along with the message came a radar image, tracking a storm system that is descending from the Gulf of Alaska and expected to drop rain in the region by sometime Wednesday night. It’s the first of two systems that are expected to bring rain through Saturday, according to the weather service. “We have a weak cold front moving through that will probably bring less than a half-inch in the East Bay and South Bay with a bit more heavy rain in the higher elevations,” NWS meteorologist Rachel Kennedy said Wednesday. “But it’s still gonna be less than an inch even in the heavy areas.” The rain Wednesday is expected to start in those parts of the region “in the late afternoon or early evening,” she said. The rain from that first system is expected to give way to a 24-hour break on Thursday before heavier rain is expected Friday, Kennedy said. The second system is expected to bring slightly higher rainfall

Sidecar Modern Tavern shutters in Los Gatos

When they started Sidecar Modern Tavern in 2019, partners Adam Chick and Joshua Allen were optimistic about the future of their downtown Los Gatos restaurant. Then the pandemic drenched the hospitality business in chaos. Some were more impacted than others, and the long-term effects of the COVID-19 shutdown led to Sidecar going out of business as of Sunday, March 17. “We were in business five years, and the scars of COVID remained,” says Chick. “We hoped our debt would be forgiven by the landlord.” RELATED: Los Gatos, Campbell: 2 restaurants close for renovations Restaurateurs who had landlords who worked with them on rent, and also received governmental assistance through Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Employee Retention Credit (ERC) had a better chance of making it out of the maelstrom. But if one of those legs of the stool did not materialize, their chances of going under increased. “We were in second group for the ERC, but we never got it,” Chick says. “We hoped to get our debt taken care of, but it was not to be.” The closure, Chick says, wasn’t due to a lack

You might spot a mountain lion in California, but attacks like the one that killed a man are rare

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER | Associated Press LOS ANGELES — If hikers, bikers, campers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts haven’t encountered a mountain lion while in the California wilderness, they might know somebody who has. The big cats that can weigh more than 150 pounds (68 kg) live in diverse habitats across the state, including inland forests, coastal chaparral, foothills and mountains. It’s not uncommon to spot a cougar near a trail, at a park or even in a backyard while they’re out hunting prey such as deer, raccoons, coyotes and occasionally pets. But attacks on humans — like the one that recently killed a man and seriously wounded his brother — are rare. The mauling last weekend was the first fatal encounter with a mountain lion in the state in two decades. Since 1890, there have been fewer than 50 confirmed attacks on people in California, and only six ended in deaths, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. While the prospect of attacks on people is frightening, humans kill far more cougars than the other way around. Taylen Robert Claude Brooks, 21

Bridge: March 27, 2024

At the Fall Championships, I had the pleasure of delivering a lecture to an audience of intermediate/novice players. I used today’s deal to emphasize that (1) bridge is a problem-solving game and (2) many “expert” skills, such as “card reading,” are not hard. South sticks his neck out to overcall two clubs, and he survives when North has club help. Against three clubs, West leads the K-A of diamonds. On the ace, East discards. On the next diamond, he ruffs dummy’s ten and shifts to hearts. Declarer takes the ace and can get home if he can pick up the trumps; he can pitch a heart on dummy’s queen of diamonds. How should he play the trumps? FOUR HEARTS East had one diamond. He had four hearts to bid the suit (but West needed three to raise). Moreover, nobody bid spades: West would have opened one spade with five spades and five diamonds; East would have responded one spade with 5-4 in the majors. So East’s shape was 4-4-1-4. South can lead a trump to dummy’s king. When West follows low, South lets the ten

Word Game: March 27, 2024

TODAY’S WORD — ROULETTE (ROULETTE: roo-LET: A gambling game using a revolving wheel and small ball.) Average mark 28 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 34 or more words in ROULETTE? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — TRIREME teem term tier time timer tire tree trim remit retie retire rime rite item emir emit meet mere merit mete meter metier mire mite miter 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.

Ask Amy: Are my 3 college rules too harsh? My daughter says they are.

Dear Amy: My wife and I have two children. From the time they were very young, we made our limits for college very clear: They have to get A’s or B’s – nothing below a B. They can’t get into trouble with the law or the school. They have to find something meaningful to do aside from their schooling – such as volunteering or a part-time job. Things that will build up their résumés for the next stage of their lives. We have said that if they don’t satisfy these parameters, we will not pay for their schooling. We will judge this on a semester-to-semester basis. We realize that these are high standards, but as a family, we have high standards. That’s the way it is. Our daughter came home from her first semester at college with B’s and C’s. She has not gotten into trouble, but she has not found any worthwhile outside activities. My wife and I gave her one more semester to get it together, but she recently told us that she is worried that she isn’t able to bring her grades

The nine most expensive reported home sales in Saratoga the week of March 18

A house that sold for $7.5 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Saratoga in the past week. In total, nine residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $4.1 million, $1,747 per square foot. The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of March 18 even if the property may have been sold earlier. 9. $2 million, condominium in the 14600 block of Fieldstone Drive The sale of a condominium in the 14600 block of Fieldstone Drive in Saratoga has been finalized. The price was $2,000,000, and the new owners took over the condominium in March. The condominium was built in 1978 and has a living area of 2,163 square feet. The price per square foot was $925. The condominium features three bedrooms and three bathrooms. 8. $2.3 million, single-family home in the 13200 block of Berwick Street A sale has been finalized for the single-family house in the 13200 block of Berwick Street in Saratoga. The price

Sale closed in Fremont: $1.7 million for a two-bedroom home

44548 Japala Place – Google Street View A house located in the 44500 block of Japala Place in Fremont has new owners. The 1,224-square-foot property, built in 1979, was sold on Feb. 14, 2024. The $1,742,000 purchase price works out to $1,423 per square foot. The layout of this single-story house includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage. The lot of the property covers a substantial area of 6,049 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently been sold: On Japala Place, Fremont, in February 2024, a 1,296-square-foot home was sold for $1,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,157. In July 2022, a 1,776-square-foot home on Pawnee Place in Fremont sold for $2,800,000, a price per square foot of $1,577. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A 2,660-square-foot home on the 900 block of Seminole cmn. in Fremont sold in August 2023, for $3,100,000, a price per square foot of $1,165. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Prep roundup: Valley Christian bounces back at Las Vegas tournament, Woodside gets walk-off win, Amador Valley softball dominates

Baseball No. 4 Valley Christian 8, Mt. Carmel 3  Sophomore Nathan Choi had two hits, two RBIs and a home run to lead Valley Christian over Illinois school Mt. Carmel at the All Faiths Classic Tournament in Las Vegas.  Mt. Carmel led by a run in the top half of the third, but the Warriors responded in the middle innings. Valley Christian took a one-run lead when Quinten Marsh was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and scored Tatum Marsh . Choi’s two-run homer capped off a four-run fifth inning that pushed the Valley Christian lead to five.  Hunter Fujimoto batted 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two doubles. Sophomore Alex Kim came in relief of starting pitcher Brock Ketelsen , striking out eight batters and allowing just two hits in 4 2/3 innings pitched.  Valley Christian bounced back after losing its first game of the tournament to Brophy College Prep (Arizona) and improved to 11-2.  Granite Bay 12, No. 6 Bellarmine 2  The Bells lost their first game of the Boras Classic in five innings to the No. 1 team in