Category: Bay Area

The Bay Area News Group’s intrepid readers have circled the globe this last year, road-tripping through Tuscany, touring the Taj Mahal, exploring Bolivia and in this case, biking through Bali. And once back home, they wrote in to share their stories and photos and offer helpful travel tips. Along the way, they’ve shared their journeys and offered helpful travel tips. Find even more reader travel inspiration at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here/. Wish You Were Here INDONESIA: Vallejo resident Mel Orpilla and Redding’s Kathleen Saxer traveled to Bali this summer on a trip that included all sorts of adventures, including a bike ride near the island’s rice fields. TRAVEL TIPS: from Redding taking a rest in a rice field during a bike ride on the island of Bali. Bali is a very diverse island with beaches, volcanoes, bustling cities and small villages. You can see it all in a week. Join the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two

SUBSCRIBER ONLY They wanted good schools, nature and ‘a feeling of privacy.’ What could they find on the Peninsula with $3.5 million? A couple from Menlo Park decided to trade up their ‘starter home’ for more space Tej Ravindra, right, and her husband, Niket Sirsi, on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) The couple looked at homes for nearly three years before they made an offer that was accepted. Originally Published: December 2, 2024 at 6:01 AM PST

SUBSCRIBER ONLY Kurtenbach: The music has stopped playing for the ‘last dance’ 49ers San Francisco 49ers 10 – Buffalo Bills 35: The Niners have been outscored 73-20 in their last two games. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) dives forward during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) The Niners have been outscored 73-20 in their last two games, but they say they can make the playoffs. Originally Published: December 2, 2024 at 5:45 AM PST

Had you sat by Alizé Satberry a few years ago at Kearny High School or Herbert Hoover High School or one of several charters she attended, you might have noticed that her dresses were a few years out of style. Maybe you flagged that she never seemed to come on a field trip. But the fact that she, her mom and three siblings were bouncing from hotel to hotel and shelter to shelter? That probably slipped by. And she could just as easily have missed if you were in the same boat. The thing is, it’s a crowded boat. When Satberry and her family first got to San Diego in 2016, there were about 16,500 students countywide who lacked a steady roof, according to the California Department of Education. By last academic year the total had risen to more than 17,800, including children who’ve temporarily doubled up in houses with other families. The problem has become so pervasive that Barrio Logan’s Monarch School, which only serves unhoused families, has started to train educators at other organizations about how to spot and care for families on

A man who was reported to be holding a rifle that turned out to be fake died after police shot him in Downtown Santa Ana on Sunday night, Dec. 1. Officers responded around 5:30 p.m. to the area of Broadway and 2nd Street following reports that a man was armed with and loading a rifle, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. When they arrived, two officers shot the man, who was in his 30s, in a parking lot, police said. Police didn’t immediately specify how many times they fired. The rifle the man was reported to be carrying turned out to be fake, said Officer Natalie Garcia, a spokesperson for the Police Department. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No officers or bystanders reported injuries following the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. Originally Published: December 2, 2024 at 3:29 AM PST

TODAY’S WORD — QUERYING QUERYING: KWER-ee-ing: Questioning. Average mark 13 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 18 or more words in QUERYING? The list will be published tomorrow. SATURDAY’S WORD — KITTIWAKES: kite kitties kittiwake kiwi ikat take task taste teak teat test tikka tweak twist twit waist wait wake waste watt weak weskit west wise askew east sake saki sate seat sika site skat skate skew skit stake state steak stet stew swat sweat 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.

Dear Eric: I am friends with a person I dated for a short while. We’re in our 50s. The only reason I still see her is that she doesn’t have any other friends. She is also a sole parent to a difficult teen who also has no friends and has no desire to make any (she tells me this). I do not enjoy her company, although she is a good person. It’s not as though I have a stellar social life myself, but I really do not want to hang out with her anymore. I do it because if I don’t she will have no one, but it is getting harder to do. I also think that she hopes that we will eventually become romantic partners again but I have no interest in that with her and have been clear about that. Also, I feel I can’t date anyone else because she will be hurt (she has told me that). I do care about her welfare. I think I need to limit how often we meet. It used to be weekly but because of vacations

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Aaron Rodgers, 41; Britney Spears, 43; Monica Seles, 51; Rena Sofer, 56. Happy Birthday: Simplify your life, take a step back and take a moment to think. Moderation, organization and decluttering will help you release people and possessions that weigh you down. Make room for what is meaningful to you, helps you focus on what makes sense and gives you a purpose that fills your heart with joy. Choose to be innovative and follow the path that gratifies. Make personal growth your goal. Your numbers are 5, 12, 19, 24, 32, 36, 47. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Interact and adjust to suit your situation, but don’t jeopardize your health or physical well-being. Question everything and everyone. Show interest and gain insight into the possibilities. Open doors that offer hope and promise, but be selective and aware of risks or scammers. When in doubt, say no. 5 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pay attention to details and surpass expectations. A unique alteration will give you the edge you need to be competitive. Don’t wait until action is necessary to reach your

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have a beautiful daughter, soon to be 2 years old. Before her birth, my parents and my husband’s parents were eagerly awaiting her arrival and discussing their plans for what life as new grandparents would be. We just “knew” they would be involved so much it would drive us crazy. Instead, it’s the opposite! My parents work 40-plus hours a week and care for my 5-year-old half-brother, who was recently diagnosed with autism. Naturally, I have to cut them some slack. My husband’s parents, on the other hand, aren’t workaholics. They spend their time doing things like spending a couple of weeks on the lake, taking scuba lessons and participating in a quilting club. They tell us about their fun, then ask how our daughter is. (They haven’t seen her in weeks.) I know the role of a grandparent has changed. They are getting a taste of freedom from raising children. However, they are not free child care to me. They are my family, and I wanted to see all those plans they had for her before she was