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Alameda County recall changes tabled after ‘power grab’ accusations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

As the Alameda County Board of Supervisors considers changing their recall procedures, some residents have begun to question whether the move is an earnest effort to modernize the county charter or a blatant power grab.“This repeal is much, much more extensive than the county is presenting to the public,” said Jason Bezis, an attorney for the Alameda County Taxpayers Association. “It’s overreaching, what they’re trying to do.”Questions first arose in October after the county’s lawyer, Donna Ziegler, prepared a report highlighting problems with the county’s current recall rules for elected and appointed officials. According to Ziegler, the county’s laws contained decades-old procedures that were “a detriment to ensuring lawful, competent, and timely recalls.” Her report recommended that the county adopt the state’s recall language instead.Related ArticlesCalifornia Politics | Here’s the first glimpse of who is spending money to oust Alameda County DA Pamela Price ...

Thousands of planned homes could vanish as ‘builder’s remedy’ sweeps Bay Area cities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

As California struggles to build enough homes for its nearly 40 million residents, developers across the Bay Area could be using a perceived loophole to downsize projects, thanks to a penalty on cities that haven’t yet gained approval for state-mandated housing plans.In the striking turn of events, developers in San Jose are now using the legal mechanism known as “builder’s remedy” to scale back housing proposals because of difficult economic conditions that have prevented high-density projects from penciling out. The move, which is riling the city’s leadership, could be a sign of things to come for other Bay Area cities.One development planned at the city’s flea market near the Berryessa BART station initially was going to have up to 3,450 housing units and millions of square feet for commercial use. The new plan? Just 451 townhomes, 399 apartments and 90 condominiums — plus 45,000 square feet of commercial space.According to the city’...

3 passengers sue Alaska Airlines after off-duty Bay Area pilot accused of trying to cut engines mid-flight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

By GENE JOHNSON | Associated PressSEATTLE  — Three passengers sued Alaska Airlines on Thursday, saying they suffered emotional distress from an incident last month in which an off-duty pilot is accused of trying to shut down the engines of a plane while catching a ride in the cockpit from Washington state to San Francisco.In the complaint filed Thursday in King County Superior Court in Washington state, San Francisco residents Matthew Doland and Theresa Stelter and Paul Stephen of Kenmore, Washington, alleged that the pilot should never have been allowed in the cockpit because he was suffering from depression and a lack of sleep.Alaska Airlines said in an emailed statement that it is reviewing the complaint. “The pilots and flight attendants operating Flight 2059 responded without hesitation to ensure the safety of all onboard,” it added. “We are incredibly proud and grateful for their skilled actions.”Alaska pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, was riding in the jump seat — an extra sea...

Photos: Meet Kendi as Oakland Zoo celebrates first giraffe born at the zoo in 11 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

OAKLAND – The Oakland Zoo is celebrating a 150-pound, 6.5 foot-tall baby.Related ArticlesLocal News | Photos: Ex-49ers QB Trey Lance selling Morgan Hill mansion for $2.9M Local News | Photos: Oakland Ballet brings a Day of the Dead celebration to San Leandro school Local News | Klay Thompson drains last-second jumper as Warriors sneak out win over Kings Local News | What to watch: ‘The Holdovers’ could be a new holiday classic Local News | Photos: Bay Area’s colorful Día de los Muertos celebrations Kijiji, a reticulated giraffe, gave birth to her first calf, Kendi, a female, on Oct. 19 after a very long pregnancy, since giraffes have a gestation period of 14-16 months. Kendi is the first giraffe born at the zoo in 11 years.Kendi means “loved one” in Swahili, the language spoken in Kenya, where you can find giraffes in the wild including the Masai-Mara National Reserve. Ambos...

Commuter pleads for better metering light strategy on 880: Roadshow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Q: I commute on Interstate 880 in the South Bay. A while back, Caltrans changed the metering light strategy. Please tell me this is some experiment gone wrong that will soon go away. As I drive to work at 5 a.m. with minimal traffic, the lights are all on, slowing any poor car trying to merge onto the freeway. Same thing on my way home. Transitioning from 237 to 880, we all stop, then go without spacing between vehicles. Why bother?This seems like a waste of fuel/battery charge and a safety concern at some short merges.Russ BakerA: Victor-the-Caltrans-spokesman for Santa Clara County said that advance warning signs were repaired on this connector and the metering light is working. I’m not sure this addresses all the concerns you raised. Please let me know if the situation has improved.Q: A reader recently claimed that the suggestion that we report bike lane obstacles by calling 311 is impractical. He said the only option was to leave a voicemail there.This is incorrect. When I...

Loophole costs San Jose thousands of homes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

(BCN) -- The builder's remedy has come to roost in San Jose, with a major project now planning to scale back by several thousand homes.One of the first significant projects to see a new application under builder's remedy is on the San Jose Flea Market site. The developer plans to reduce the project size to 940 residential units from nearly 3,500 previously approved as a part of a high-density, transit-oriented development near the BART station. Boarded-up San Jose home shown in realtor’s viral video sold for $780K San Jose is beginning to experience the fallout from failing to create a state-approved housing plan, which could allow the state to force San Jose to greenlight housing projects that don't meet the city's general plan, known as builder's remedy.San Jose City Councilmember David Cohen represents District 4, where the Berryessa BART Urban Village project is slated. The approved plan is to rezone a 61.5-acre portion of the San Jose Flea Market to include up to 3.4 million...

Southbound I-680 closures this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

PLEASANTON, Calif. (KRON) – There will be major closures on southbound I-680.The purpose of the closure is to replace deteriorating southbound lanes that have become a safety issue for drivers. The closure will be at 9 p.m. on Nov. 3 from until the morning of Nov. 6. San Jose water main breaks, 24 customers impacted The closure begins in Pleasanton with all I-680 southbound lanes. The closure will begin from the I-580 connector to Koopman Road. Saint Patrick Way, Bernal Drive, Sunol Boulevard, and Stoneridge Drive will all be closed.Caltrans advises drivers to use Highway 84, I-580, or alternative routes.Northbound of I-680 will all remain open.

Stock market today: Wall Street’s best week of 2023 heads toward unblemished finish after job report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s best week of the year is getting even better Friday following a cooler-than-expected report on the job market.The S&P 500 was 0.9% higher in early trading and on track to rise every day this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 182 points, or 0.5%, as of 9:45 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.9% higher.Stocks have surged more than 5% this week on rising hopes the Federal Reserve is finally done with its market-crunching hikes to interest rates, which were meant to get inflation under control. Friday’s jobs report underscored that pressure is easing on inflation after it showed employers hired fewer workers last month than economists expected.Treasury yields in the bond market tumbled immediately after the jobs report, releasing more of the pressure that had built up on Wall Street. The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.48% from 4.67% late Thursday and from more than 5% last week, when it hit its highest level since 20...

Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow and Chaka Khan ready for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fans of hip-hop, country, pop, funk, R&B and rock all have reason to cheer the 2023 class entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius and the late George Michael will be inducted into the hall on Friday night in New York. The ceremony is also streaming live for the first time on Disney+.Also entering the hall are The Spinners, Rage Against the Machine, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper and Elton John’s longtime co-songwriter Bernie Taupin.The ceremony in Brooklyn will feature either as presenters or performers John, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews, H.E.R., Chris Stapleton, St. Vincent, New Edition, Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Common, Ice-T, LL Cool J, Miguel, Queen Latifah and Sia. There’s even money that John will sing some of the songs he wrote with Taupin.Elliott becomes the first female hip-hop artist in the rock hall, which called her “a t...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says ‘we need to do more to protect Palestinian civilians’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said more needs to be done to “protect Palestinian civilians” in Gaza and that, without that, there will be “no partners for peace.”Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv on Friday, Blinken also said, “we need to substantially and immediately increase the sustainable humanitarian assistance” into Gaza.He also said it was critical to restore the path toward a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, calling it the only “guarantor” of a safe and democratic Israel and independent Palestine. He said work on that must begin “not tomorrow, not after today, but today.”THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel on Friday to do everything in its power to protect civilians caught in the fighting in Gaza and ensure they receive humanitarian aid, while underscoring the country’s right to defend itself. Israel, mea...