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Opinion: Outstanding Saratoga citizens recognized at State of City

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

Each year, the State of the City is an occasion to acknowledge our community’s achievements and those that made an impact. Our community came together for this year’s State of the City on Sept. 9 in Wildwood Park in a true celebration of the exceptional individuals and organizations that have dedicated themselves to Saratoga.This year, we introduced the Courage in Leadership Award. To select the recipient, I looked to the community to nominate a resident who inspires others through their acts of courage, compassion, resilience and ability to lead without any formal titles or authority.After carefully reviewing the compelling nominations, I selected Tsing Bardin as the 2023 Courage in Leadership Award recipient for being a fearless champion for the residents of the Saratoga Retirement Community and committing countless hours ensuring that the members of the Saratoga Retirement Community have a voice in the future of their city. As a member of the city council, I have appreciated Tsin...

With future of Cal’s Olympic sports teams in question, this program just received a $10 million gift

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

For decades, Andy Rogers’ family has been an ardent supporter of the Cal men’s rowing program. But with the ever-present threat of budget cuts to Olympic sports heightened by the destruction of the Pac-12 conference,  Rogers believed he needed to dig deeper.To that end, Rogers, on behalf of the T. Gary and Kathleen Rogers Family Foundation, is committing up to $10 million to the men’s rowing program at Cal. The gift, which will be announced by the school Wednesday, includes a $5-million guarantee to be paid over 10 years plus a 1:1 match of donations up to $5 million.Cal says it’s the third-largest gift in the 10-year history of its “Campaign for Cal Athletics Excellence.” The other two were $12.5 million to establish a holistic student-athlete development program and $10.8 million to support six women’s sports.“For Olympic sports — especially men’s rowing – to stick around, you have to support them,” Rogers said, “or watch them go away.”Rogers’ father, known...

Man brandishes replica firearm at driver, passenger

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

Sept. 4Overnight in the 1700 block of South Bascom Avenue: Someone broke the window to a business.10:15 a.m. in the 90 block of West Campbell Avenue: A transient man, 42, was called in as being suspicious on the property. He was found to be under the influence and in possession of a glass pipe and meth.3:53 p.m. in the 1500 block of South Winchester Boulevard: A man, 39, was dancing naked in the parking lot of a business and was found to be under the influence.4 p.m. at South Bascom Avenue and Campisi Way: A driver, 29, collided with a fire hydrant and was found to be DUI on Nitroxide and cocaine.3:45 a.m. in the 00 block of East Sunnyoaks Avenue: Someone took the rims and tires off a Camaro parked in the parking lot.5:13 p.m. in the 100 block of Budd Avenue: A woman, 50, collided with two parked cars and was found to be DUI. She had her 11-year-old daughter in the car with her at the time of the collision.9:26 p.m. at White Oaks Road and Browning Avenue: A woman, 36, was found pass...

Bay Area News Group high school football predictions: Week 4, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

Welcome back to the Bay Area News Group’s weekly high school football picks.Last week, the three of us in this all-for-fun competition — myself, Joseph Dycus and Mike Lefkow — were all tied in the season standings with 18-14 records.Well, we’re not even any longer.I had one of my best weeks as I aim for three consecutive season championships, going 13-2 to lead Lefkow by four games and Dycus by five.Lefkow went 10-5 in Week 3. Dycus was 8-7.One game — Campolindo-Windsor — was removed from the board because the teams tied 14-14.Dycus has a shot to quickly close the gap because he and I had different winners in nine of the 16 games we predict this week.Lefkow and I saw eye-to-eye in 15 of the 16.In this week’s video, we break down the MyClymonds-San Ramon Valley showdown and whether either will have a shot to become the first East Bay team in 32 years to beat De La Salle later this season.We also look at the keys to the St. Mary’s of Sto...

Sausalito teachers vote to authorize strike

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

SAUSALITO, Calif. (KRON) -- Teachers have unanimously voted to authorize a strike days before talks over pay increases are set to resume again. They are now waiting for a successful fact-finding panel to take place.The bargaining chair for the Sausalito District Teachers Association says both teachers and the district are stuck over just how big a wage increase would be. The district superintendent has offered a 4 percent increase for the last school year and another 4 percent the following year.The upcoming panel is a mandated fact-finding process. The union president says teachers have been working without contract for the past two years. Deputies clear out heated Sunol Glen school board meeting Teachers are asking for a 4 percent increase for 2022 to 2023 school year and a 12 percent increase for this school year. The union is also asking for teachers to be compensated for additional work done by the teachers in the district.The panel will consist of three people. One will be c...

Md. Gov. Moore headlines Black business expo, will appoint a minority business enterprise ombudsman

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) made a promise Tuesday to small, women and minority-owned businesses: the state’s got your back.The governor gave a keynote speech at Bowie State University during a Black business expo hosted by the Maryland Minority Business Counts initiative, which consists of business, community and civic leaders who advocate for diverse small companies to receive state contracts.The state has historically struggled to reach a goal of signing 29% of state contracts with “minority business enterprises,” defined generally as businesses that have majority owners that are women, disabled people or who are Black, Latino, Asian or Native American. Currently, minority business contracts remain below 15%.“Every year for the last 10 years, we’ve broken that promise and there have been no consequences,” Moore said to the more th...

Minneapolis budget plan includes millions for new employees as part of police reform effort

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Complying with court orders to end racist and unconstitutional policing in Minneapolis will require hiring nearly three dozen new workers at a cost of millions of dollars each year for years to come, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday.The Minneapolis City Council on Monday formally took up Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposed 2024 budget. It is the first spending plan directly connecting taxpayer costs to the specific jobs required by the court orders that followed the examination of the police department after the killing of George Floyd in May 2020.The spending plan adds $7.6 million in costs for new jobs related to the compliance in 2024. That includes adding 34 full-time positions across four city departments for jobs such as lawyers, IT people, workers to examine body-worn camera footage, counselors and trainers for police officers, and overtime.After 2024, the new positions will continue at an expected cost of nearly $6 million annually for years t...

NFL Players Association calls on NFL to switch all fields to natural grass

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NFL Players Association wants the league to switch all its fields to natural grass, calling it “the easiest decision the NFL can make.” Executive director Lloyd Howell issued a statement Wednesday morning saying NFL players “overwhelming prefer it and the data is clear that grass is simply safer than artificial turf. It is an issue that has been near the top of the players’ list during my team visits and one I have raised with the NFL.” The players’ union called for the change less than 48 hours after a season-ending injury to four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon in his debut with the New York Jets on Monday night.Howell said in his statement they know there is an investment to making such a change. But he said there’s a bigger cost to the NFL if the league keeps losing its best players to “unnecessary injuries.” He noted the NFL flips surfaces to grass for World Cup or soccer exhibitions. “B...

Autoridades buscan a padre desaparecido en arroyo de Maryland que salió de pesca con su hijo

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

Un hombre desapareció en un arroyo de Maryland después de que su barco se volcara durante un viaje de pesca con su hijo de 8 años, quien pudo nadar hasta la orilla, informaron las autoridades.El padre y el hijo estaban pescando juntos el martes por la mañana en Mattawoman Creek frente al Parque Estatal Smallwood, no lejos de donde el arroyo se encuentra con el río Potomac, indicó el Departamento de Bomberos del condado Charles.Su barco se volcó y el niño logró llegar a tierra, pero el padre desapareció. La primera llamada de ayuda se produjo alrededor de las 10:50 a. m. Múltiples equipos respondieron, incluido el de la Guardia Costera de EE UU.Las imágenes del helicóptero de Telemundo 44 muestran a los equipos buscando en el arroyo.La búsqueda del navegante desaparecido es ahora una operación de recuperación, no una operación de rescate, expresó el Departamento de Bomberos el martes por la noche, lo que significa que se cree que esté muerto.Quédate con Telemundo 44 para obtener más ...

New England expecting more rain, watching Hurricane Lee’s path after downpour, flooding

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:39:17 GMT

Vehicles make their way through a flooded Lancaster Street during heavy rain in Leominster, Mass., Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. (Rick Cinclair/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP)(AP/Rick Cinclair) Vehicles make their way through a flooded Lancaster Street during heavy rain in Leominster, Mass., Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. (Rick Cinclair/Worcester Telegram & Gazette via AP)(AP/Rick Cinclair) LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) — More heavy rain was in the forecast Wednesday in New England, where residents kept one eye on cleanup and another on the path of Hurricane Lee after downpours dropped nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain in six hours and flooded parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.The rainfall was a “200-year e...