Category: Bay Area

Billie Eilish is set to hit the road in support of her forthcoming third studio album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” which is due out May 17. The North American leg of the singer’s Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour launches in September and runs into December. The trek includes two shows in the Bay Area: Dec. 10-11 at the SAP Center in San Jose. It also includes three nights, Dec. 15-17, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood. Tickets go on sale to the general public at noon May 3, billieeilish.com. There is also an American Express presale that begins April. 10. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR – NORTH AMERICA* Sun Sep 29 – Québec, QC – Centre Videotron Tue Oct 01 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Wed Oct 02 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Fri Oct 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena Sat Oct 05 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center Mon Oct 07 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Wed Oct 09 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center Fri Oct 11 – Boston, MA

DEAR JOAN: Our two King Charles Cavaliers have dug two shallow holes in our backyard and seem to eat some of the dirt that they loosen with their front paws. One is a spayed 6-year-old female and the other is a neutered 3-year-old male. Could they be missing something in their diet? I was wondering if there is a safe concoction I can make and pour in the holes to discourage this behavior. — Norman Roush, Sunnyvale DEAR NORMAN: Dirt should not be on the royal menu. There are a few reasons your doggos are consuming dirt. If you haven’t already, schedule a checkup with the vet to see if there’s a medical reason for the dirt diet. It’s always a good idea to start with the vet. Because both of them are doing it, I strongly suspect it’s a food issue. Their diet might lack certain minerals –sodium, iron, calcium — which could lead your dogs to search for what they need in the soil. Boredom can also lead to digging and dirt eating. Dogs, as well as other living creatures, can develop a psychological quirk

Carnitas are a perfect party food for the weekend. They are great for a casual gathering and fun to eat, inviting everyone to roll up their sleeves and assemble their own wrap. They also require time to cook the meat — a perfect project for the week before Cinco de Mayo. Start the meat early in the day so it has time to slowly braise in a bath of citrusy beer and chipotle until meltingly tender. Once the meat is cooked and shredded, take a few extra steps to drive in more flavor. Reduce the braising liquid to a potent sauce to glaze the meat. Then run the meat under the broiler to slightly char and caramelize in spots. Then it’s time to assemble, a task in which everyone can get involved, piling the smoky, spicy pork on fresh tortillas with a crunchy cabbage slaw and any other fixings you like. If you have any leftovers, the meat may be used in sandwiches or loaded on homemade nachos the next day. Pork Carnitas Serves 6 INGREDIENTS Rub: 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Our adventurous readers have circled the globe over the last year, frolicked in Austria’s capital, hiked glaciers in Alaska and explored Old Montreal. And they’ve shared their adventures and travel tips along the way. The latest “Wish You Were Here” installment comes from a Union City couple just back from Japan. Find even more reader travel inspiration at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here/. Wish You Were Here JAPAN: Union city residents Pat and Ralph Gonzales’ recent trip to Japan came 54 years after Ralph’s first glimpse of the country, when he landed in Japan on his way to Vietnam — and saw caskets of U.S. soldiers being loaded on the tarmac. This trip — his first time back — was a “WOW!” he says. “We spent 11 days exploring Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. In Tokyo, we visited the famous Shibuya crossing” — the downtown “scramble” where 1,000 to 2,500 people cross from every direction every two minutes — “teamLab and Tokyo Disney. Almost every day, we ate at 7/11 stores — very different from here. They make fresh food daily. Tokyo’s Nishiki Market is half a mile of street food

Long ago, Bay Area residents left their homes to be entertained. Before TV, record players or even radio, the local concert hall was the place to see vaudeville or grand opera, popular touring bands, famous singers or silent movies accompanied by the music of a live organ. By the early 1900s, nearly every Bay Area enclave had its own live performance space. Some of these venues felt like small palaces, as splendid as the finest big-city opera house. Others began as neighborhood clubs or community halls, before evolving into beloved destinations for arts and culture. Several of these historic theaters still operate as entertainment venues, the pride of their Main Streets, even if the nature of the entertainment has changed. They also serve as a reminder that, even in this siloed, streaming age, people still want to come together and see a show in an inviting place. Here are nine of these gems. California Theatre, San Jose She’s the grande dame of San Jose’s cultural scene, a 1927 star who experienced many fallow years later in the century before returning to prominence, her neon “CALIFORNIA”

CARMEL — Simon Ricci thought he was pacing himself with the leader over the first 6 miles. And he was — sort of. “It was the relay runner,” Ricci said. “At the 10k mark, he switched. I’m thinking now I have to chase this guy with fresh legs.” Simon Ricci, 26 from San Francisco, took the lead early in the Big Sur Marathon and maintained his place, finishing first. (Arianna Nalbach – Monterey Herald)  Yet, the 26-year-old San Franciscan felt comfortable, maintaining a pace that separated him from an elite field Sunday, turning his first Big Sur International Marathon experience into a men’s title. “I hadn’t seen the course,” said Ricci, who completed the revamped race in two hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds. “I just knew it was hilly. I tried to be conservative. I don’t know if I did a good job at that. It was challenging.” The 38th running of the world-renowned event had two new winners as Peyton Bilo made her first-ever marathon look easy in being the only woman to dip under three hours, clocking 2:55.04. When a portion of

“The Time Travel Club will meet here at 7:30 pm last Thursday.” — graffiti No doubt you wish you could go back in time and have a second shot at deals you booted. At today’s 3NT, South won the first spade with the ace and let the nine of diamonds ride. East took the king and returned a spade. South played low and won the third spade. He had eight tricks, but when he led a heart to his king next, West won and took two spades. Down one. HEART TRICK South mistimed. He is safe if West has the king of diamonds but will need a heart trick otherwise. If South must lose the lead twice, he must lose to West early, before the spades are set up. South must win the first spade in dummy and lead a heart to his queen. If West wins to continue spades, South ducks, wins the third spade and finesses in diamonds. He is home when East has no more spades. If West ducks the first heart, South finesses in diamonds. If East wins and returns a

TODAY’S WORD — XENOPHOBE (XENOPHOBE: ZEE-no-fobe: One unduly fearful of things or people of foreign origin.) Average mark 16 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 20 or more words in XENOPHOBE? The list will be published tomorrow. SATURDAY’S WORD — SCROUNGE scone score scorn scour scourge senor snore snug sone song sore sour source suer sung sure surge surgeon censor cero cone core corn course crone cruse cure curse rogue rose roue rouge rouse rugose rung ruse ogre once onus ounce ours urge user noes nose nurse genus goes gone goner gore grouse ecru ergo euro 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

5511 Thomas Avenue – Google Street View A spacious historic house located in the 5500 block of Thomas Avenue in Oakland has a new owner. The 2,992-square-foot property, built in 1918, was sold on March 18, 2024, for $2,200,000, or $735 per square foot. The layout of this two-story house includes three bedrooms and two baths. Additionally, the home includes a garage. The property’s lot measures 4,100 square feet square feet in area. These nearby houses have also recently changed hands: A 2,359-square-foot home on the 5400 block of Bryant Avenue in Oakland sold in May 2023, for $1,975,000, a price per square foot of $837. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Thomas Avenue, Oakland, in July 2022, a 1,114-square-foot home was sold for $2,825,000, a price per square foot of $2,536. The home has 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom. In August 2022, a 1,405-square-foot home on Kales Avenue in Oakland sold for $1,800,000, a price per square foot of $1,281. The home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Dear Amy: My boyfriend’s dad is a CPA, with decades of experience. A few years ago he offered to do my taxes, because of the sudden complexity of an inheritance. I had been using cheap software for very basic returns. Since taking over my yearly filing, he has consistently made mistakes that have cost me quite a bit of money. He left off a major account distribution one year; this should have been easily caught by him. When I discussed the mistake with him, he never acknowledged it was due to his error, nor did he offer to pay the interest I owed. This year, I decided to start filing my taxes again on my own. As a result, I found out he had given me incorrect advice for all of these years regarding paying my estimated taxes. He told me it was a suggestion to pay the estimated taxes, but it’s actually required! Again, the software would have told him this and would have also given him the penalty amount I owed. Not once did he mention the penalty I owed, and it’s not

DEAR ABBY: I am one of eight siblings. One sister is deceased, which leaves seven of us to care for our father, who has had dementia since our mother passed. The four oldest (two brothers, two sisters) are retired. My two youngest brothers and I still work. I believe we all should take responsibility for our father. I live on the other side of the country. I work full time, but I take a leave for two months every year to care for Dad. The other 10 months, my two sisters take care of him. I think this should be a “child thing” instead of a “girl thing.” If everyone did their share, no one would be overwhelmed with Dad’s care. How do I get my brothers to step up? The two who are retired refuse to do anything. Of the two who are working, one is a teacher and off all summer. The other helps when he can, but he and his wife still work full time, and they can’t afford to take time off like I do. My sisters aren’t in great health

15 Espada Court – Google Street View A spacious house located in the first block of Espada Court in Fremont has new owners. The 2,320-square-foot property, built in 1981, was sold on March 13, 2024. The $2,650,000 purchase price works out to $1,142 per square foot. The layout of this two-story home consists of three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home’s exterior showcases roofing materials crafted from composition shingles. Inside, a fireplace enhances the ambiance of the living area. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage, providing ample room for vehicles and storage needs. The lot size of the property measures an impressive 8,945 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently been sold: In June 2023, a 2,572-square-foot home on Calle Amigo Drive in Fremont sold for $1,880,000, a price per square foot of $731. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. A 1,785-square-foot home on the first block of Queso Court in Fremont sold in September 2022, for $1,500,000, a price per square foot of $840. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On Queso Place, Fremont, in September 2023, a

Protestors are gathering at Antioch Police Department on Sunday to address concerns over the reinstatement of some officers involved in last year’s racist, homophobic and sexist text scandal. “A bunch of them are starting to get their jobs back and we don’t want them (to),” said Reimagine Antioch’s Frank Sterling Jr., one of the organizers of the rally. The rally was set to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Walgreens on Deer Valley Road in Antioch. The plan — as detailed on First Voice Media’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/firstvoicemedia — was then to move to the police department about 3.5 miles away. The disturbing texts emerged during an FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office investigation nearly two years ago into allegations of police misconduct in Antioch and Pittsburg. In late April of 2023, the DA’s office released text messages from 17 Antioch officers between 2019 and 2022, though more were involved according to Ellen McDonnell, the county’s chief public defender. The timing of the rally, Sterling said, is pegged to the one-year anniversary of the text scandal erupting, which

By Lindsey Bahr | Associated Press The sexy tennis drama “ Challengers ” won the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada. “We’re obviously very, very happy with the number,” said Kevin Wilson, who heads theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. “Looking at the audience who showed up, it’s really encouraging. It’s not the easiest audience to get to theaters.” Women made up 58% of ticket buyers, who also skewed younger overall: 41% were between the ages of 18 and 24. Ticket sales from large format screens, including IMAX, made up about 40% of the opening weekend grosses. According to PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of audiences said they went to see the film because of Zendaya. In fact, this weekend, Zendaya movies accounted for around 26% of the overall box office with the re-release of “

By Chris Megerian and Josh Boak | Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is out to win votes by scoring some laughs at the expense of Donald Trump, unleashing mockery with the goal of getting under the former president’s thin skin and reminding the country of his blunders. Like a comic honing his routine, the Democratic president has been testing and expanding his jokes over the past few weeks. It started with jabs about his Republican opponent’s financial problems, and now Biden regularly pokes fun at Trump’s coiffed hair, his pampered upbringing and his attempt to make a few extra bucks by selling a special edition of the Bible. The jokes are the latest attempt to crack the code on how to clap back at Trump, whose own insult comedy schtick has redrawn the boundaries of what is acceptable in modern politics. Few have had much luck, whether they try to take the high road or get down and dirty with Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. “This is a constant challenge,” said Eric Schultz, a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary Sunday in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was authorized to open only a dozen voting centers this year compared with more than 100 in previous years given recent austerity measures imposed by a federal control board that oversees the island’s finances. On Sunday, Puerto Rico’s Democrats also chose 36 of 65 delegates they hope to send to the National Democratic Convention that will be held in Chicago in late August. Although residents of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, they are not allowed to vote in presidential elections. Earlier this year, Charlie Rodríguez, president of Puerto Rico’s Democratic Party, said he would seek to hold a symbolic presidential election in November for those on the island eager to cast a vote for the next president.

Bay FC scored an equalizer just after halftime and pushed for a winning goal in San Diego Saturday night, but ended up on the wrong side of a deciding goal themselves, losing 2-1 to the Wave. Substitute forward Jaedyn Shaw slid a cross from Elyse Bennett into the net in the 78th minute on a transition rush from San Diego. At the time, Bay FC had only 10 players on the field because forward Asisat Oshoala, who had scored earlier, was being evaluated for a leg injury. “We could have made a substitution at the time but she was ready to go back in the game and she’s still a huge presence for us up top, so I didn’t necessarily want to take her out at that time,” coach Albertin Montoya said. After the goal, Montoya changed his mind and brought Princess Marfo on for Oshoala, seeking fresh legs to chase a late tying goal that never came despite 13 second-half shots. Oshoala said postgame that she was OK. It’s Jaedyn Shaw’s world, and we’re just living in it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EeaS0wtv3D — National Women’s Soccer

Solo motorcycle crash in Tracy kills driver By Bay City News A motorcyclist died traveling east on Interstate Highway 580 in Tracy when his motorcycle went off the road, hitting a guardrail and throwing him into the roadway shortly after midnight, the California Highway Patrol said. The man was riding a motorcycle on I-580 east of Patterson Pass Road around 12:20 a.m. when the crash happened, according to the CHP. The crash is still under investigation and it’s unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor, the CHP said.

In mid-April, 15-year-old Jázmin Pellegrini ran away from her Bay Point home, without money or a phone. Days later, her body was found face down, 40 miles away, in a residential San Francisco neighborhood. Now, her family is pleading for help to learn who she was with, how she got there, what she was doing and why she was left alone to die in the street. “This poor child was abandoned by whoever she was with, and left to die,” according to her GoFundMe page, which is raising funds for her funeral and other costs. The family is seeking witnesses who may have seen her, as well as any video footage of the area, in hopes of finding out who is responsible. San Francisco’s Chief Medical Examiner’s Office has not released her cause of death, reported KRON4. She did not have any physical signs of trauma, it said. Jázmin struggled for years with bipolar disorder, anxiety and PTSD as a result of childhood sexual abuse, according to the family. The teen and her family emigrated from Hungary to Bay Point, near Pittsburg, in 2019. Despite repeated

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has extended California’s authority to enforce its own tailpipe regulations, rejecting a legal challenge initiated by the fossil fuel industry and a coalition of seventeen conservative states. The unanimous decision by the three-judge panel was handed down on April 9th, preserving the continuity of California’s current regulatory framework. The Advanced Clean Cars Program has governed new car sales since Model Year 2017 and is scheduled to sunset at the end of Model Year 2025. The controversial program requires automakers to sell fleets with a steadily increasing percentage of electrified vehicles and has been adopted by several other progressive states. Its ambitious successor, Advanced Clean Cars II, includes bold mandatory quotas that would boost the combined sales share of zero-emission vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to 100% by 2035. Legal arguments against California’s zero-emission vehicle mandates have been debated for over a decade. Under Section 209 of the Clean Air Act, California can request a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency allowing it to enforce more aggressive emission standards using its own regulatory framework. Section

Tarra Warnes and her husband once owned two Yugos. The sub-compact three-door hatchback and two-door convertible are often cited as the worst vehicles in history. The Yugo enthusiast family’s idea was to use one vehicle to provide parts for its counterpart’s restoration as a race car. The outcome isn’t as relevant as the irony of Warnes telling the tale. She’s vice president of creative strategy at Hagerty. It’s the insurance company, marketplace, magazine and website publisher and automotive event organizer focusing on classic cars and their owners. The company began in 1984. Husband and wife Frank and Louise Hagerty couldn’t find satisfactory insurance coverage for their wooden boats, so their new Michigan company did. Insurance for cars and other vehicles followed. The couple’s son McKeel Hagerty became CEO in 2000. “We started as a niche insurance company; it was built by people who love cars and it was built for people who love cars,” said Warnes, a 15-year employee. “We have grown now in 40 years to insure about 2.4 million vehicles and we are a community and hub for millions of classic car lovers.”