Category: Bay Area

Bavarian Motor Works introduced the MINI Cooper SE in 2020, and the compact runabout has provided an attractive, fully electric option to motorists who value style and agility but don’t require a lot of driving range. The 2-door hatchback continues to deliver legendary go-kart performance and jaunty good looks for a very reasonable price, but its small, 28.9 kWh battery pack limits its range to just 114 miles. The arrival of the 2025 Electric MINI Countryman SE All4 offers a new, more capable option to fun-loving MINI fans looking to go green, and it would be hard to name an electric crossover with more panache. The distinctive exterior styling of the MINI lineup is easy to recognize when gazing at the Countryman, setting it apart from a growing number of electric crossovers that all look the same. Nobody rocks two-toned paint jobs quite like MINI, and the timeless color choices truly are impressive. The Countryman is much roomier than the adorable MINI Cooper, seating five, but it has the same endearing shape that none have dared to imitate. 2025 brought some modern touches to the

Take a $1 billion grant from the Pentagon and add an eager automaker’s creativity and the influence of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The result is the Hummer, a 33-year-old behemoth whose tumultuous tenure is as confounding as any vehicle in recent automotive history. Slightly more than 40 years ago, AM General, a heavy vehicle manufacturer in Indiana, secured the funding and built the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee). It was the go-to cargo and troop transport vehicle in Middle Eastern military operations and 72,000 were made in eight years. Schwarzenegger was enamored with the Humvee used on the set of his 1990 movie Kindergarten Cop. He persuaded its maker to introduce a consumer version, which it did in 1992 and renamed it Hummer. The EV options joined the Hummer lineup as a pickup in October 2020 and as a sport utility vehicle in April 2021. With its new status, everything the original Hummer and the single-digit gas mileage and other extremes it represented are forgiven. A precursor to Tesla Cybertruck and its polarizing looks, the Hummer is about as far removed from the automotive norm as

What is an i7? The i7 is an all electric sedan built in the Dingolfing, Germany, assembly plant and sold worldwide by BMW. The i7 eDrive50 is a full size 4 door car that has been designed from the ground up as an EV electric vehicle. The i7 comes in 3 models: the eDrive50, the xDrive60, and the M70, with the eDrive50 being the base model, the xDrive60 offering more power, and the M70 being the performance focused option. The 2024 BMW i7 eDrive50 and the i7 xDrive60 are essentially the same vehicle with one primary difference. The i7 eDrive50 has a single electric motor with rear wheel drive (RWD), while the i7 xDrive60 has dual electric motors with xDrive all wheel drive (AWD). This week BMW sent me a 2024 i7 eDrive50 all electric EV sedan with a base price of $105,700 to test drive and review. The options on this RWD electric car are: the special paint for $1,950, the driver assistance package for $2,000, the luxury rear seating package for $1,500, the M Sport package for $3,900, the 21″ alloy wheels for

The joy of recess is part of the interactive exploration of childhood in the Campbell Historical Museum’s latest exhibit, “Growing Up in Campbell.” The exhibit offers a glimpse into what life was like for children in the Campbell area and Santa Clara Valley during the early 1900s through the lens of home life, school and play. Visitors can get hands-on with some of the and toys and furniture designed specifically for children—concepts just emerging during that time. Daily chores that shaped life in the valley–from building outhouses to helping with orchard work—are addressed in the exhibit, which also delves into school life with displays on early 1900s curriculum and transportation. Authentic school desks from the era are also on display. Visitors can play with a tin can telephone or connect to the museum’s general store on a working candlestick phone. Fruit-processing tools are ripe for the picking up. The museum is open Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help support weekend operations. For more information or to inquire about volunteering, visit www.campbellmuseums.com or call 408-866-2718.

Community tree lighting Cupertino Parks and Recreation will kick off the holiday season Dec. 6 with the annual Community Tree Lighting at Quinlan Community Center. A local choir will sing holiday tunes before the tree lights up, and after the tree lighting, families can visit Santa and take photos. Warm dress is suggested for this outdoor event. For more information, visit https://www.cupertino.org/our-city/departments/parks-recreation/community-events/tree-lighting-december. Duo from Trilogy performs The Cupertino Village shopping center is hosting live musical performances by William “Henry” Concepcion and Victoria “Marivic,” members of the band Trilogy, on Saturday, Dec. 14-21, 5-7 p.m. on the lawn between Cupertino Optometry and 99 Ranch Market. The duo will perform holiday pop and classic favorites at these free shows. While the duo is playing, there will also be a balloon twister and face painter for children. Cupertino Village is located at 10869 N. Wolfe Road. For more information, visit https://cupertinovillage.shopkimco.com. Re-energized eHub Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), has relaunched its online customer resource center to include an all-new incentive finder for residential customers and updated resources for businesses and contractors. SVCE provides clean energy for residents of

A storied path Visitors to Kevin Moran Park in Saratoga can check out a new book on display: “The Bugliest Bug,” written by Carol Diggory Shields and illustrated by Scott Nash. The book, which tells the story of an insect talent contest, has been printed on large-format pages on weather-resistant signs along the park’s outdoor path. The project is the result of a partnership between the city of Saratoga, Friends of the Saratoga Libraries and the Santa Clara County Library District. Kevin Moran Park is located at 12415 Scully Ave. Free sandbags, loose sand From now through the end of March, the city of Saratoga is offering free sandbags and loose sand for residents looking to prepare for potential flooding. The sand will be available for pickup at 19700 Allendale Ave. The city is recommending that residents bring a shovel to fill sandbags and prepare to load heavy bags into vehicles. Residents can also get free, prefilled sandbags from Santa Clara Valley Water at the Winfield Warehouse on 5905 Winfield Blvd. in San Jose. Visit valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready/sandbags for more information.

Holiday blood donations The holidays can be a particularly challenging time to collect enough blood for local patients, and there is an immediate need for all blood types, especially type O. With that in mind, Stanford Blood Center is giving away a long-sleeve holiday t-shirt through Dec. 17 to donors at all its locations, including the South Bay Donor Center in Campbell. Donors must be at least 17 years of age and bring a photo ID. To make an appointment, visit stanfordbloodcenter.org, call 888-723-7831 or text to 999-777. Ainsley open house The Ainsley House will host two evening open house events on Thursday, Dec. 19, and Sunday, Dec. 22, 5:30-8 p.m., for visitors to check out the house’s holiday decorations at night, accompanied by live music in the living room and light refreshments in the Carriage House. Admission is $15 for the general public, $10 for museum members and free for children 17 and under. Tickets will be available at the Carriage House on the evening of each event. For more information and reservations, visit www.campbellmuseums.com. Re-energized eHub Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), has relaunched

Re-energized eHub Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), has relaunched its online customer resource center to include an all-new incentive finder for residential customers and updated resources for businesses and contractors. The Sunnyvale-based nonprofit provides clean energy for residents of South Bay communities. The SVCE eHub, located at https://ehub.svcleanenergy.org, is designed to help customers find rebates and other incentives to go all electric, as well as free expert advice and assisted home upgrades. An updated Appliance Marketplace helps renters and homeowners compare and select electric technologies. To learn how to navigate the new incentive finder and other tools, visit https://svcleanenergy.org/2024/11/15/incentives-finder. Advising an authority The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) is looking to fill two vacancies. One representative is sought for District 6, which encompasses San Jose’s Alum Rock area. Applicants must reside within the district’s boundaries, preferably be a registered voter and have experience participating with community groups within the district. An at-large representative is also needed on the committee. This representative should be able to demonstrate a general knowledge of and involvement in committee activities and areas of interest, including

California Apartment Association Landlord group wins big as AP calls Prop 34, the ballot measure it funded to block political spending by the LA-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which bankrolled three statewide rent control measures. Pamela Price Alameda County district attorney finally concedes defeat after her landslide loss in a recall election less than two years into her first term, the latest victim of a voter backlash against liberal crime policies. Daniel Lurie Centrist Democrat, heir to Levi’s fortune and new San Francisco mayor picks transition team and takes office in 6 weeks. But winning elections may be easier than cleaning up crime and homeless encampments.

They said it: A young survivor’s sorrow Returning for the first time since he survived a fishing boat tragedy that swept away his father and four others, 13-year-old Jude Khammoungkhoune returns to Bodega Bay, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) “We would have gotten out of this together.” — Jude Khammoungkhoune, 13, of San Jose, returning to the Sonoma County coast for a prayer service for his father, Prasong, who was lost at sea after rough waves sank their fishing boat Nov. 2. He and his father had clung to a floating ice chest and his father told him he loved him and that they’d be OK before he succumbed to the frigid waters.

TODAY’S WORD — CARCINOMA CARCINOMA: car-sih-NO-ma: A malignant tumor of epithelial origin. Average mark 34 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 50 or more words in CARCINOMA? TODAY’S WORD — CARCINOMA: cacao caiman cairn carioca carom ciao circa coca coin coir coma comic conic corm corn cram acai acorn airman amir anima aria arnica aroma rain rani roam roan icon inro iron noir norm ocarina orca macaroni macro macron main mana mania maniac manic manor marina mica micro minor moan morn 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

Dear Eric: My wife and I have been married for 11 years and are parents to three kids. We spend a lot of time together, eat dinner every night as a family and try to have one fun event with the kids each weekend. Occasionally, an event with my friends comes up on a date when my wife already has plans with her friends. Whenever I tell my friends I can’t make it, the response is “Oh, you have to babysit” or “Oh, you have to watch the kids.” I don’t know why the wording bothers me so much and I don’t know what better words to use. I snapped at the main culprit once that “I’m not babysitting, they’re my *bleeping* kids!” I also don’t know what else to say. Saying that I’m watching my own kids sounds stupid to me. I love spending time with them; it’s a blast! I think I’m too caught up on the words, but don’t know how to express how I feel to them when they say I’m babysitting. Any ideas? – My Kids’ Dad Dear Dad: It makes

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I are in our 80s, married for 61 years. We are financially well-off and have few medical issues. As we approach our departure from this Earth, we’ve created the necessary legal documents to distribute our assets. So, what’s the problem? My spouse is a “collector.” We have wonderful china settings, sterling silver and beautiful linens. At one time, we set a beautiful table. Today, old age has caught up with us. Most of those invitees are gone. But my spouse and I are living like we did 50 years ago, and it’s getting on my nerves. Nobody wants our stuff! It’s time to divest ourselves of possessions that somebody else might have an interest in and get them off our hands. My spouse refuses to part with anything. There’s always an excuse to keep the clutter. I saw this in my parents decades ago. If it came in the front door, it didn’t go out again. Why are people so addicted to things, and what can be done to alleviate my anxiety? — READY TO LET GO IN SAN FRANCISCO

Today is Sunday, Nov. 24, the 329th day of 2024. There are 37 days left in the year. Today in history: On Nov. 24, 1963, Jack Ruby shot and mortally wounded Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, in a scene captured on live television. Also on this date: In 1859, British naturalist Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species,” which explained his theory of evolution by means of natural selection. In 1865, Mississippi became the first Southern state to enact laws that came to be known as “Black Codes” aimed at limiting the rights of newly freed Blacks; other states of the former Confederacy soon followed. In 1947, a group of writers, producers and directors, who would become known as the “Hollywood Ten,” was cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions about alleged Communist influence in the movie industry. In 1971, a hijacker calling himself “Dan Cooper” (but who became popularly known as “D.B. Cooper”) parachuted from a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 over the Pacific Northwest after receiving $200,000 in ransom; his fate remains unknown. In

Breaking News College Sports | Big Game: Fernando Mendoza delivers more heroics as Cal beats Stanford for fourth straight year Sports College Sports Opinion Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data. SUBSCRIBER ONLY One of the two best teams in the Big 12 is already eliminated from the title game By Jon Wilner | jwilner@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: November 24, 2024 at 12:09 AM PST The Big 12 could finish with a four-team tie for first place, which would be on brand for a conference defined by its parity. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

Breaking News High School Sports | Big Game: Fernando Mendoza delivers more heroics as Cal beats Stanford for fourth straight year Sports High School Sports Analysis, News Analysis, News Based on factual reporting, although it Incorporates the expertise of the author/producer and may offer interpretations and conclusions., Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. SUBSCRIBER ONLY Menlo boys, San Ramon Valley girls win NorCal crowns. Los Altos fall short of Division III title By Nathan Canilao | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: November 23, 2024 at 9:40 PM PST Sacred Heart Prep girls, boys capture NorCal Division I water polo crowns Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

The Bay Area will be draining, recovering and drying out on Sunday, following a powerful atmospheric river that pummeled the region with rain and wind, killing a man in Sonoma County floodwaters. A drier low-pressure system arrived on the heels of Friday’s storm,  according to National Weather Service meteorologist Crystal Oudit. Sunday and Monday may deliver an inch of rain along the coast, but little rain inland. On Saturday, cottony clouds drifted slowly across a cerulean sky, with intermittent sunshine. A narrow band of showers caused some minor flooding in the East Bay and North Bay, but the dramatic atmospheric river is gone. Gusty winds knocked down trees and power lines in the Oakland hills, interrupting power to about 1,000 customers. In Los Altos, Foothill Expressway was closed on Saturday morning while a large fallen tree at the Loyola Bridge was cleared. The atmospheric river, created by plumes of tropical moisture, broke records in a large swath of northwestern California – especially parts of Sonoma and Marin counties. Santa Rosa experienced 12.45 inches of rain, marking its greatest rainfall in a three-day period in recorded

Breaking News SUBSCRIBER ONLY With a late TD pass from Scotty Brennan to Owen Panu, Los Gatos knocked off Riordan for the second straight year Max Markert (77), Matthew Ludeman (74), Julian McMahon (88), and Scotty Brennan (14) of Los Gatos celebrate their victory over Riordan with their fans after a CCS Division I semifinal at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, Calif. on Nov. 23, 2024. (Douglas Zimmerman for the Bay Area News Group) PUBLISHED: November 23, 2024 at 6:00 PM PST With a late TD pass from Scotty Brennan to Owen Panu, Los Gatos knocked off Archbishop Riordan for the second straight year

No. 1 St. Ignatius 10, No. 2 St. Francis 7 See a photo you like? Click here to see these and more and to purchase high-quality prints or a keepsake photos on mugs, buttons, greeting cards and more. St. Ignatius’ Shane Molinari (29) catches the ball against St. Francis during the CCS Open Division championship at San Jose City College in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  St. Ignatius’ Jarious Hogan (6) celebrates with St. Ignatius’ John Mills (75) against St. Francis in the fourth quarter during the CCS Open Division championship at San Jose City College in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  St. Ignatius’ Shane Molinari (29) runs with the ball against St. Francis during the CCS Open Division championship at San Jose City College in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  St. Francis’ Kingston Keanaaina (2) runs with the ball against St. Ignatius during the CCS Open Division championship at San Jose City College in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Nov.

Breaking News SUBSCRIBER ONLY 2024 Oakland Section championship: McClymonds wins 15th consecutive Silver Bowl as Berell Staples throws for two touchdowns McClymonds head coach Michael Peters, right, and his players celebrate their 32-7 victory over Oakland in the annual Silver Bowl Oakland Athletic League football championship, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Area News Group) PUBLISHED: November 23, 2024 at 5:30 PM PST 2024 Oakland Section championship: McClymonds wins 15th consecutive Silver Bowl as Berell Staples throws for two touchdowns

An infant is dead and nine people have been hospitalized amid a listeria outbreak in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that has affected four states, including New York and New Jersey. The baby was from California, where seven other people have been hospitalized for infections connected to Yu Shang Food’s ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC said one of those infected in the Golden State was pregnant with twins, both of whom died. But despite the two deaths, listeria was only found in one of the twins, as well as their mom. In Illinois, two people were infected by the outbreak, while New York and New Jersey reported one case each. A total of 11 people across those states are confirmed to have been infected, though it appears two of them did not need to seek treatment. All of the individuals have been of Asian heritage, ranging in age from less than 1 year old to 86 years old. The CDC predicts more people have gotten sick than the number reported, and says the outbreak could have reached