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Letters: Utility tax | Hiding truth | Code of conduct

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Pressure Legislatureto repeal utility taxRe: “PG&E seeking rate hike — again” (Page A1, Dec 13).California legislators gave us an early Christmas present that they didn’t wrap. Most of them were unaware that they were sending us a gift, but they still voted for it.I’m referring to AB 205, which was approved last year.Starting in the summer of 2024, the California Public Utility Commission will vote to unwrap this new gift: a utility tax charging most ratepayers between $30 and $70 per month.According to the Public Advocates Office’s February report, residential electricity rates in California have already risen between 77% and 105% since 2014. Analysts say AB 205 will increase utility bills for people like me who live in apartments, condos, and smaller homes that don’t use much energy. It also discourages energy conservation, efficiency and solar panels.Please call your state Assemb...

ESPN rules analyst: Refs had ‘no choice’ but to give Sharks’ MacDonald major penalty

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

San Jose Sharks coach David Quinn might have disagreed with a ruling that resulted in defenseman Jacob MacDonald being assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a hit from behind on a Colorado Avalanche player. But a former NHL referee felt the game’s officials made the correct call.MacDonald on Sunday was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski just 2:47 into the first period. Malinski’s face was cut on the play.Per league rules, NHL referees are required to conduct a video review on all major penalty calls, and after Frederick L’Ecuye and Tom Chmielewski looked at the replay, the call was confirmed and MacDonald was ejected.Forward Valeri Nichushkin scored the game’s opening goal on the ensuing five-minute power play and the Avalanche never trailed again, cruising to a 6-2 win over the Sharks at Ball Arena in Denver.“The five-minute major, (Malinski) toe-picks right as (MacDonald) is about to hit hi...

Volcano erupts in Iceland after thousands were evacuated

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

Associated PressSTOCKHOLM — A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, turning the sky orange and prompting the country’s civil defense to be on high alert.The eruption appears to have occurred about four kilometers (2.4 miles) from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Grainy webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of light illuminating the sky at 22:17 local time. As the eruption spread, magma, or semi-molten rock, could be seen spewing along the ridge of a hill.“The magma flow seems to be at least a hundred cubic meters per second, maybe more. So this would be considered a big eruption in this area at least,” Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management told the Icelandic public broadcaster, RUV.In November, police evacuated the town or Grindavik after strong seismic activity in the area damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption.I...

And the winner for San Jose BART’s boring machine name competition is…

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

After more than 400 submissions and 1,175 votes on a name for San Jose BART’s tunnel boring machine, we have a winner — and it’s sure to make sci-fi fans giddy.“Shai-Hulud” came in first place, with 229 votes, a nod to the sand worm creatures in the popular “Dune” novels and movies that many readers say resemble the boring machine that will carve a nearly five-mile tunnel underneath San Jose for the future BART extension. The Valley Transportation Authority purchased the $76 million dollar device in November from Germany and it will be shipped to the South Bay in pieces before being reassembled. Construction is set to begin in 2025.“It is just such a perfect fit for Silicon Valley,” said Rob Lofland, a Sunnyvale resident who is a big fan of the books written by Frank Herbert and submitted the name. “We have so many engineering geeks.”For the non-Dune fans: The Shai-Hulud are enormous worms that populate the planet of ...

Texas gov. signs measure turning police into border patrol

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

By Valerie Gonzalez and Paul J. Weber | Associated PressBROWNSVILLE, Texas — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday approved sweeping new powers that allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the U.S. border and give local judges authority to order them to leave the country, testing the limits of how far a state can go to enforce immigration laws.Opponents have called the measure the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law — denounced by critics as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill — that was largely struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and Texas’ law is also likely to face swift legal challenges.It allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either then agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. M...

Two dead after car goes down embankment off southbound 680 near Pleasanton

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

(KRON) -- Two people were killed and six were injured in a fatal crash Monday afternoon on the southbound 680 near Sunol Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol. A Sig Alert has been issued and the CHP warned of major traffic delays. Bay Area rain updates: Roadways flooded amid heavy rain The crash occurred at 2:36 p.m. when the car went off the road near the Sunol and Castlewood Drive exits and went down an embankment about 20 feet, the CHP said. There were eight people in the car at the time, including two children.Two adults died on the scene. Two other adults were transported to the hospital. The two other adults and two children suffered minor injuries. The children, the CHP said, are being checked out at Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland.A helicopter was called off due to weather conditions, but it is not known if weather was a factor in the crash. The crash's cause is under investigation.The Livermore and Pleasanton police departments are investigating al...

Woman killed in suspected DUI hit-and-run in San Leandro

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

(KRON) -- A woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in San Leandro early Monday morning, the San Leandro Police Department said. SLPD believes the suspect was driving while intoxicated. SLPD responded to the 600 block of Lewelling Boulevard for a hit-and-run just after midnight on Monday. The woman was found severely injured in the roadway and died at the scene, police said. Woman killed on I-580 Richmond bridge identified Police found the suspect in the parking lot of a nearby business. The driver was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence, and felony hit-and-run.A second fatal crash happened in the East Bay on Monday afternoon. Two people were killed after their car went off Interstate 680 near Pleasanton. Six people are injured in addition to the deaths.

1 man fatally shot, another injured in South San Jose

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

(BCN) -- Police in San Jose are investigating after one man died and another was injured in a shooting early Sunday in South San Jose. Officers responded about 4:20 a.m. to the area of Snow and Giusti drives, near Great Oaks Park, to reports of gunshots and found evidence of the shooting. Woman vanishes in Santa Cruz, musician boyfriend uncooperative, police say A short time later, however, two men showed up at a hospital with gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, one of the men died, San Jose police said Monday in a news release. The man's name was not released. The second victim had a non-life-threatening injury and was stabilized.The death is the city's 33rd homicide of 2023.Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Martinez #3934, or Detective Montoya #3644 of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit via email: [email protected] and/or [email protected] or at (408) 277-5283.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Pirates bolster rotation, agree to terms with veteran lefty Martín Pérez says an AP source

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates added another veteran left-hander to fill out their starting rotation, agreeing Monday with Martín Pérez on an $8 million, one-year deal.The agreement with the 32-year-old, who won a World Series with Texas in November, is pending a physical, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn’t final.Pérez becomes the second left-handed starter to join Pittsburgh in recent weeks. The Pirates acquired Marco Gonzales from Atlanta for $100,000 on Dec. 5, a trade in which the Braves are sending Pittsburgh $9.25 million to cover most of the $12 million salary Gonzales is owed next season.There is plenty of room in the rotation for the Pirates to add, with Mitch Keller the only surefire holdover from last year’s group after Johan Oviedo underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last month.Pittsburgh is eyeing another step forward in 2024 after going ...

Dan Campbell wants Lions to focus on division title over everything else

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:57:20 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Dan Campbell isn’t worried about which combination of results will clinch a playoff spot for his Detroit Lions.Campbell made it clear before the season that he had one goal for this season, and he hasn’t wavered.“We came into this season to win the division,” he said Monday. “That was the goal and that’s still our focus. If something happens between now and then to get us a playoff spot, that’s all good. But we talked about that this morning as a team. That was the focus at the beginning of the season and that’s still the focus.”Lions fans haven’t seen a division title since 1993, and going into Saturday night, there was reason to fear Detroit might miss out again. After a 5-1 start, they had gone 4-3 and were lucky to have done that well. They beat the Chargers 41-38 on a last-second field goal, needed a late-game collapse by the Bears to win 31-26 and nearly blew a 21-0 lead before hanging on to beat the Saints 33-28.Coming off a ...