California officials delay start of 2023 Dungeness crab season to protect whales

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

California officials delay start of 2023 Dungeness crab season to protect whales For the fifth consecutive year, California officials are delaying the Bay Area’s commercial Dungeness crab season to decrease the chances of migrating whales currently off the coast getting ensnarled by the crab-pot fishing lines.The season was scheduled to start Nov. 15 in the waters from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line south to the Mexican border.The order came down Friday afternoon from Charlton H. Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.Although another assessment will take place on or around Nov. 17, an opening date in time for California residents to enjoy Dungeness for the Nov. 23 Thanksgiving holiday is unlikely.The recreational Dungeness season will be allowed to start as scheduled on Nov. 4 – but with restrictions. Crabbers may not use trap gear, according to the state order; only hoop nets and crab snares will be allowed until further assessment.This is a developing story; come back for updates.

High school football: Why Sobrato’s senior day moved to rival Live Oak

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

High school football: Why Sobrato’s senior day moved to rival Live Oak Sobrato is in contention for a division championship. It has a big game Saturday at home against division leader Leigh.It is Sobrato’s senior day.But the home game for the Morgan Hill school will not be played at home as scheduled. It has been moved to crosstown rival Live Oak because Sobrato’s natural grass field is not safe to play.Too many potholes, Sobrato coach Joel Rueda told the Bay Area News Group on Friday.The poor field condition and subsequent move have broken the hearts of the Sobrato community, which was hoping to celebrate a special senior class on the school’s campus.The seniors include running back Noah Taylor, who ranks 10th nationally in rushing yards this season with 2,113, according to stats reported to MaxPreps.“We have a pretty foundational group of seniors,” said Rueda, who graduated from Sobrato in 2010. “It’s unfortunate.”Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.Rueda said the Sobrato field has been an issue over the years but has gotten worse this fall...

Five-bedroom home in Pleasanton sells for $1.6 million

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Five-bedroom home in Pleasanton sells for $1.6 million 3962 Fairlands Drive – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 3900 block of Fairlands Drive in Pleasanton was sold on Sept. 18, 2023. The $1,600,000 purchase price works out to $650 per square foot. The house, built in 1969, has an interior space of 2,460 square feet. This two-story home offers a spacious layout with five bedrooms and three baths. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage, providing ample room for vehicles and storage needs.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:In July 2023, a 2,140-square-foot home on Fairlands Drive in Pleasanton sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $794. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,584-square-foot home on the 4100 block of Fairlands Drive in Pleasanton sold in February 2023, for $1,320,000, a price per square foot of $833. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Fairlands Drive, Pleasanton, in September 2023, a 2,140-square-foot home was sold for $1,900,000, a price p...

Gilroy school district and teachers union reach tentative deal

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Gilroy school district and teachers union reach tentative deal The Gilroy Teachers Association and Gilroy Unified School District have announced a tentative agreement over a new contract.If approved, the deal will mark the end to over a year of negotiations and months of impasse.“The Gilroy Unified School District is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the Gilroy Teachers Association,” said Superintendent Anisha Munshi in a press release. “We value the work of our staff members and we look forward to improved outcomes for all students as a result of this agreement.”Negotiations between the two parties began in September 2022. Gilroy Teachers Association asked for higher pay and smaller class sizes in elementary schools. In addition, the group voiced concerns that high school academic advisors were being asked to supervise students, a task that the association argued was inappropriate for the role.After early discussions failed to produce a deal, the teachers union called for an impasse, which resulted in mediated talks. The most ...

Mailbag: What the ‘Pac-10’ want in the legal dispute, the Apple factor, night games in new leagues and more

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Mailbag: What the ‘Pac-10’ want in the legal dispute, the Apple factor, night games in new leagues and more The Hotline mailbag publishes each Friday. Send questions to [email protected] and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline.Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.Is it possible the 10 departing schools are just stalling to ensure they receive their full payments for 2023-24, then quietly leave after realizing they don’t really have a case for future payments? — @Xman689It seems the ‘Pac-10’ realized they left money behind and now want to come back to get it. In mediation, what would they reasonably be asking for and what, if anything, would the two be willing to give? — @pfnnewmediaBoth questions target a central issue in the intra-conference dispute: What do the 10 outgoing schools want? What do they hope to accomplish, either through mediation or the legal proceedings in Washington? What’s the endgame?First, let’s outline the Hotline’s overarching view.We do ...

Former deputy alleges sheriff's office covered up molestation allegation against sergeant

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Former deputy alleges sheriff's office covered up molestation allegation against sergeant (BCN) -- A former guard at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin is alleging that internal affairs for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office refused to investigate when he reported a colleague for sexually abusing two minors, according to a new lawsuit against the sheriff's office. Chris McMann joined the sheriff's office as a recruit in 2017. McMann was working in the jail in November 2020, when he found out two of his daughters had allegedly been "molested by their uncle, Sgt. Kevin Estep," the lawsuit alleges. Red Flag Warning issued Saturday and Sunday McMann's attorney, Denise Eaton-May, did not respond to a request for an interview, but the complaint says McMann obtained inappropriate text messages from Estep, including one in which the sergeant told a minor to "let me see your ass."McMann then reported the suspected crime to the Brentwood Police Department, where investigators allegedly documented a "pre-text" call in which Estep made incriminating statements.McMann's lawsuit alleges...

MATCHDAY: Barcelona hosts Madrid in Bellingham’s 1st ‘clasico,’ Arsenal plays Sheffield United

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

MATCHDAY: Barcelona hosts Madrid in Bellingham’s 1st ‘clasico,’ Arsenal plays Sheffield United A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:ENGLANDArsenal hosts last-place Sheffield United in what looks like lopsided matchup, but the visitors have played tough against Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City — 2-1 losses each time. The unbeaten Gunners are third in the Premier League standings after nine games. Sheffield has just one point and has lost five straight games. Brentford makes a short trek to Stamford Bridge for a west London derby against Chelsea. Newcastle visits Wolverhampton after losing 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday. Bournemouth hosts Burnley with both teams stuck in the relegation zone. Vincent Kompany’s squad has just one win and four points. Bournemouth is winless and has lost four straight league matches.SPAINBarcelona hosts Real Madrid in the first “clasico” match for Jude Bellingham. Madrid leads the defending champions by one point. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández has not revealed if Robert Lewa...

Live updates | Israeli military says its ground forces are expanding activity in Gaza

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Live updates | Israeli military says its ground forces are expanding activity in Gaza The Israeli military says its ground forces will expand their activities in Gaza Friday night. The announcement came hours after Israeli forces conducted a second ground raid as many days and after Israel’s defense minister said the country expects to launch a long and difficult ground invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory.The development also came after communication services in the Gaza Strip were cut, following a heavy round of Israeli airstrikes that lit up the night sky over the darkened territory.The Palestinian death toll passed 7,300 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which tracks the toll, released a detailed list, including names and ID numbers on Thursday. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids since the war’s start three weeks ago.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civ...

Misinformation is flowing ahead of Ohio abortion vote. Some is coming from a legislative website.

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Misinformation is flowing ahead of Ohio abortion vote. Some is coming from a legislative website. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The inflammatory language targeting a reproductive rights measure on Ohio’s fall ballot is the type of messaging that is common in the closing weeks of a highly contested initiative campaign — warning of “abortion on demand” or “dismemberment of fully conscious children” if voters approve it.Only the messaging isn’t just coming from the anti-abortion groups that oppose the constitutional amendment. It’s being promoted on the official government website of the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate.And because the source is a government website, the messaging is being prioritized in online searches for information about Issue 1, the question going before Ohio voters Nov. 7 to enshrine abortion access in the state Constitution.The “On The Record” blog on the state Senate website is billed as an “online newsroom” presenting “the views the news excludes.” It features attacks against Ohio news outlets, op-ed style columns by Republican state senators and content ge...

Tyson Fury tries to provoke Francis Ngannou at weigh-in before Saudi Arabia fight

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:33:32 GMT

Tyson Fury tries to provoke Francis Ngannou at weigh-in before Saudi Arabia fight RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Tyson Fury compared himself to Novak Djokovic after going face-to-face with Francis Ngannou at their weigh-in on Friday.The towering Brit dismissed the punching threat posed by Ngannou, a former UFC star who will make his professional boxing debut Saturday at age 37.“It’s like a table tennis champion facing Djokovic in the Wimbledon final — totally different,” the WBC heavyweight champion said.The 35-year-old Fury weighed-in at 277.7 pounds while his Cameroonian opponent was 272.1 pounds after both men stepped on the scale in street clothes.Moments later, Fury pushed his forehead into Ngannou, who responded with a chest-bump to give himself some space.“I have played this game so long. This can’t get to me. It’s part of the game,” Ngannou said of Fury’s antics.Both fighters predicted a quick evening on Sunday.“We’re going to take a couple of minutes at the beginning, but I think this fight will end very quick,” Ngannou said.Fury, the self-described “...