statewide California news
Beyond the close public relationship between former President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is what sources have described as frequent exchanges delving deeply into political and governing strategy.
TODAY’S WORD — MERCIFUL MERCIFUL: MER-sih-ful: Full of compassion or leniency. Average mark 38 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 45 or more words in MERCIFUL? The list will be published Monday. YESTERDAY’S WORD — EMPHASIS: mash mashes mass mesa mesh mess messiah mishap miss misshape pass passe passim phase pima hasp heap hemp hiss ahem amiss aphis apish apse apsis ashes same sash seam semi sepia sham shame shape shies shim ship smash spam spasm spies impasse 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: My partner and I just bought a house together and are settling in nicely. He and his ex were married for 10 years, and she was mentally and emotionally abusive toward him. It took a lot of strength for him to leave. They do not have children, pets or any property together. It should have been a clean break; however, she still contacts him. Recently, she sent him a card in the mail. In it was a housewarming gift, a $1,000 gift card. Two weeks later, she sent him a letter stating how much she still loved him, misses him and wishes he would let her into his life and that she’s changed. He’s not falling for it. He’s aware she is being manipulative but he’s also not confronting her on the issue of letting go either. Instead, he’s choosing to ignore it and believes any response would fuel her behavior even more. I trust my partner, and I know there’s no funny business happening. I also feel this isn’t healthy for anyone. He’s mentioned in the past how he feels obligated to
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a “friend” who contacts me only when she needs something. She will text or call, acting like she wants to check in on me and then, like clockwork, she almost immediately tells me about something that she is doing and how I can support her. I didn’t figure out her pattern for some time, but now it is obvious to me. Sometimes I don’t have a problem with it, as I like to help people, but it’s clear now that she isn’t really a friend. I’m having a party soon and making the guest list. It is not a large event — mostly close friends. She is on the periphery of this group. I don’t really want to invite her, but I know she will find out about it. Should I add her to the list just to avoid hurt feelings? — Guest List DEAR GUEST LIST: If your party is for good friends, review the potential list of attendees and cross off anyone who doesn’t fit that category — period. Why add her if she doesn’t deserve to be on
As a devoted Republican who runs a cattle ranch and proudly talks about owning a gun, Shasta County Supervisor Mary Rickert is an unlikely progressive icon. But that is exactly what the 72-year-old devout Catholic and grandmother has become to some in this northern California county — which has been convulsed by conspiracy theories about voter fraud and other extremist ideologies over the last three years. Rickert is still a staunch conservative. But she has also emerged as an often lonely voice on the Board of Supervisors against a far-right insurgency that has roiled her county. (Shasta County) After an ultra-conservative majority took over in 2022, the board voted to dump Dominion voting machines in favor of hand-counting ballots. The supervisors passed a measure to allow concealed weapons in local government buildings in defiance of state law. And they explored hiring a California secessionist leader as the county’s chief executive. Rickert, whose personal style tends toward feathered blonde hair and flowy scarves, argued against much of what they did. On Tuesday, voters in her district, which stretches from Redding into the waterfalls and mountain peaks
It was a classic fall Saturday in L.A. — sunny and 75 degrees — but about 30 Angelenos were glued to their screens. Actor Bradley Whitford was Zooming in from New York to address members of Swing Left Los Feliz, a local chapter of the national progressive advocacy organization. The topic of the former “West Wing” star and vocal Democrat’s remarks: Election anxiety. Concern over the outcome of the upcoming Nov. 5 vote is inevitable. The question is how to minimize the stress. For some people, that looks like long yoga sessions, activating airplane mode and lots of hot tea. For others, talking it out is the best approach. In Los Angeles, there are many characteristically creative options to help stave off the existential despair, such as self-tapping workshops, guzzling cold-pressed juices and special taco deals. Many of those who tuned in to see Whitford speak have been furiously phone-banking and knocking on doors for the Harris-Walz campaign and down-ballot Democratic candidates, hoping they can help turn the electoral tide blue. The alternative — a red wave that carries former President Trump back to the
Less than six months ago, the oldest sitting president in U.S. history appeared so befuddled during a debate that his barely younger, twice impeached, convicted felon predecessor — a man who stands federally accused of orchestrating a complex criminal scheme to violently cling to power the last time he lost it — seemed poised to reclaim the White House with ease. Within weeks, things had changed. Former President Trump had survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally, President Biden had dropped out of the race, and Democratic party officials had nominated Vice President Kamala Harris to run in Biden’s place as the first woman of color to ever top a major party ticket. Now, with just days left to go, Trump and Harris are locked in an incredibly close race, with polling showing them within striking distance of each other in seven battleground states. It has all made for one of the most astonishing presidential election cycles in modern American history, full of unprecedented political moments, bizarre politicking and endless messaging designed to elicit outrage, fear, hope, bigotry and bitter, biting partisanship. Former President
If the new apartment tower had been planned for another plot of land, chances are good the concrete plant in the middle of the city would have helped build it. But, as it happens, the century-old facility on La Brea Avenue that has provided concrete for buildings and roads across the Los Angeles region sat where the tower is to go up. Now, the West Hollywood facility has ceased operating in order to make way for a new apartment tower. A worker sprays water to keep dust down at the Cemex concrete plant in West Hollywood. A 34-story apartment building is being planned for the site. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) The mixing plant that routinely filled fleets of trucks with ready-to-pour concrete stood out as an urban oddity in its final years, a dusty, noisy industrial yard on busy La Brea Avenue near Santa Monica Boulevard, across the street from a shopping center with a Target store. Straddling the border between West Hollywood and Los Angeles, it backed up against L.A.’s burgeoning Sycamore District that includes upmarket stores, restaurants and art
In the final weeks before the Nov. 5 election, a measure that would double the county’s quarter-percent homeless sales tax was closing in on the majority it needs to pass, a new poll of likely Los Angeles County voters found. Half of those surveyed said they would vote for Measure A, or already had done so, in the poll taken by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times. That was a gain of one percentage point over the previous IGS poll in September and three percentage points above its August poll. Thirty-four percent said they would vote no, or already had, up from 33% in September but down from 36% in August. Sixteen percent remained undecided, did not vote either way on the measure or could not recall how they voted. “These numbers are very stable,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS Poll. “It’s close.” The survey, conducted Oct. 22 to 29, had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, making it impossible to say whether the 50% support means the measure is winning
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Marisol Nichols, 51; David Schwimmer, 58; k.d. lang, 63; Stefanie Powers, 82. Happy Birthday: It’s up to you to implement positive change and make things happen. Incorporate new techniques into your skill set. Being a forerunner in your circle will put you in a good position and enable you to quickly field new possibilities, offering advantages. Explore your options and secure what’s meaningful and important to you, and you’ll sail through the year, building accolades that make you and your loved ones proud. Your numbers are 4, 10, 18, 22, 27, 32, 45. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Tune in to what’s trending. Listen, and use your intuition to guide you down the right path. A chance to turn something you enjoy doing into a moneymaker is feasible if you start slow and devise a marketing plan that suits current demands. Romance and travel are favored. 3 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Embrace change and see where it leads. Focus on home, family and relationships; it will change your perspective regarding how you want to spend your time. Don’t be shy;
Simple Saturday columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking. Today’s North-South reach 6NT in four rounds of bidding. South’s two hearts — a “reverse” — promises extra strength. (Some pairs, especially those who play a two-over-one response as game forcing, treat it otherwise.) When West leads the ten of clubs, South starts by counting sure winners. He has two spades, a heart, four diamonds and four clubs. What chances does South have for a 12th trick? In what order should he try his chances? THIRD SPADE If East holds the queen of spades, South can get a third spade trick by leading from dummy toward his jack. He can get a second heart trick by finessing with his queen successfully. But if South finesses in hearts first, losing, he goes down; to get three spade tricks, he must lose one. Declarer should win the first club in dummy and lead the deuce of spades. When East has the queen, declarer is safe. If West had it, declarer would probably finesse in hearts. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A K 6 2 H 7 3
It was a beautiful memorial service for Betty Peek. The family remembrances and open stories were like strolling down memory lane. Callie Wood, Laurie Norene, Brad Peek, Dallice Nuttall, Courtney Trumm, Matt Norene, and Mason Peek had us laughing and sometimes seeking a tissue. It was mentioned how Betty taught children and grandchildren how to count change; show up on time; she was always thinking of others; the sparkle in her eyes. The bus load of Japanese tourists who wanted to visit a cowboy store, Betty & Ellington, traveled in a small motor home to Cheyenne for two weeks of exploring. Ed Bailey said, “Be sure to vote, because Betty is watching you.”. She loved the Warriors and (Buster_ Posey. The was as story about Dr. Bill Gray having a racehorse he named Tornado Betty, and she won six races. Several mentioned how Betty loved the mountains, and the cabin she built at Mineral after clearing the land with a friend, Barbara Holliday. Mason remembered Gram jumping on his trampoline at 81 years old. She Loved the 4th of July fireworks. Last year, someone met
When I was growing up, we often sang the hymn, “A Thousand, A Thousand Thanksgivings” on Sunday mornings. Even though the last Thursday in November is set aside as a special holiday, we benefit greatly when we are thankful every day. Have you ever wondered what God’s will is for your life? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Near the end of December 2020, I decided to begin the New Year by expressing five things that I am thankful for before I went to sleep. I have continued to do that every night, except now I don’t count. What happens in our brains when we express thanksgiving or gratitude? According to neuroscientists it triggers the release of feel-good hormones. Being thankful is far more effective than a doctor’s prescription, and it doesn’t cost anything. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Depression and anxiety often follow the same pathway. Here is one root cause. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in the
Sometimes, history that passes through can be just as interesting as deep-rooted local history. Take the story of 62-year-old Annie Wilkins. The hardscrabble life of farming in Maine left her in ill health, destitute, and alone. Her doctor warned that she had 2 to 4 years left if she “lived restfully.” After spending “35 years on that Maine rockpile and having two husbands leave” her, Annie packed her gear and set out on horseback with her little dog “Hurry Up” to see the world, specifically California. She figured it would be more restful in the saddle than stressing over the inevitable foreclosure. So, on November 7, 1954, with $32 in her pocket and faith in the kindness of strangers, she set out. Annie and her dog “Hurry Up. (contributed) Her tramp would take a year and a half and cover 20 states. Along the way, she would camp out, sleep in small-town jails (great food), be taken in by people, or stay in motels. She made money selling postcards, souvenir leaflets, and receiving donations. Her horses (Tarzan and Rex) stayed at rodeo grounds, garages, stables
Bishop O’Dowd celebrates their 35-27 victory over James Logan’s in a West Alameda County Conference Foothill Division football game in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) By Nathan Canilao | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: November 1, 2024 at 11:54 PM PDT O’Dowd quarterback Devin Wilson tosses four touchdowns as O’Dowd captures Mission Valley/West Alameda Foothill Division league title. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.
SUBSCRIBER ONLY The latest installment in the rivalry of South Bay public school titans went to Wilcox thanks to gutsy play calling and a Herculean effort from senior Brayden Rosa. Wilcox High’s Brayden Rosa (2) runs for a first down before being tackled by Los Gatos High’s Andrew Sandoval (6) in the first quarter of their football game in Los Gatos, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) PUBLISHED: November 1, 2024 at 11:37 PM PDT The latest installment in the rivalry of South Bay public school titans went to Wilcox thanks to gutsy play calling and a Herculean effort from Brayden Rosa.
SUBSCRIBER ONLY Acalanes clinches at least share of league title, can win its first outright league championship in 43 years with a victory next week against Las Lomas Acalanes’ students rush the field after defeating Campolindo at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Acalanes defeated Campolindo 21-12. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Acalanes clinches at least share of league title, can win its first outright league championship in 43 years with a victory next week against Las Lomas Originally Published: November 1, 2024 at 11:35 PM PDT
Two Hayward police officers who used deadly force against a man in 2018 cannot be held criminally liable for their actions, found the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office Public Accountability Unit after re-reviewing the case that had been previously considered by the prior administration, according to a news release from Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. The PAU found that Hayward Police Officers Phillip Wooley and Michael Clark, who fatally shot Agustin Gonsalez on Nov. 15, 2018, could not be held criminally liable because the prosecution could not prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the shots fired were not in self-defense, according to the news release. This was one of six police shooting cases Price slated for reconsideration by her newly-formed PAU shortly after taking office in 2023. Last month, an Alameda County judge threw out involuntary manslaughter charges against two of three officers accused in the death of Mario Gonzalez in 2021, the only other case of the six that has been reinvestigated. Price filed charges against the officers in April after they had initially been cleared of wrongdoing by Price’s predecessor. Around 9:19
Central Coast Section Open/Division I First round No. 1 St. Ignatius 45, No. 8 Salinas 7 No. 2 St. Francis 24, No. 7 Valley Christian 14 No. 6 Soquel (8-2) at No. 3 Riordan (6-4), Saturday, 1 p.m. No. 5 Los Gatos (8-2) at No. 4 Serra (5-5), Saturday, 1 p.m. Open final No. 2 St. Francis (9-2) vs. No. 1 St. Ignatius (9-2) at San Jose City College, Friday, 7 p.m. Division I semifinal No. 5 Los Gatos or No. 4 Serra vs. No. 6 Soquel or No. 3 Riordan, TBA Note: The first-round winners in the top half of the bracket will play for the Open Division championship in Week 2 of the playoffs. The loser of the Open Division championship will play the winner of the bottom half of the bracket for the Division I championship in Week 3 of the playoffs. Division II First round No. 6 Menlo 21, No. 3 Christopher 14 No. 7 Palma 28, No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 19 No. 4 Menlo-Atherton 35, No. 5 Monterey 7 No. 1 Wilcox 36, No. 8 Santa Teresa 3 Semifinals
WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — A shark bit a Maui surfer Friday and severed his leg, authorities said. The man, 61, was surfing off Waiehu Beach Park Friday morning when a shark bit him. Police officers who arrived to the scene first tried to control the bleeding with tourniquets. His right leg was “completely severed just below the knee,” Maui County said in a news release. The man was alert while being treated on shore and then taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition. The man said he did not see the shark approach, authorities reported. The incident prompted officials to close the beach park. Officials warned people to stay out of the water in the area. The public warning to stay out of the water for a mile in each direction of the incident will be in effect until at least noon Saturday. The warning will be extended if there is a shark sighting in the area. Maui fire and ocean safety officials were patrolling the waters using rescue watercraft and a drone. State officials provided shark warning signs and helped with cordoning
