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Letters: BART oversight | Can U.S. survive? | Florida doing better | Qualified candidates

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Oversight may notbe enough for BARTRe: “BART bailout should come with state oversight, other conditions” (Page A6, June 13).Thank you BART Director Debora Allen for a reality check on BART.I grew up riding BART to the A’s and for school trips to San Francisco. Today, it is dirty, crime-ridden and costs are out of control. Caltrain faced problems and reimagined its fleet. I love VTA now in the South Bay, with my only complaint for it to be faster through San Jose. BART simply asks for more money.Maybe it is time for someone else entirely to run the system.Niall AdlerCampbellCan U.S. survive anotherTrump presidency?Let’s not forget the chaotic and despicable events of Jan. 6, 2021, and the man who was responsible, the man behind “The Big Lie,” Donald Trump.As president, he is on record trying to change or negate the votes of Americans and alter the results of a free and fair election to b...

One dead in shooting at skate park in unincorporated San Leandro

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

Authorities are investigating a shooting in unincorporated San Leandro that left a man in his twenties dead in the parking lot of the Jack Holland Sr. Skate Park.Eden Township Substation deputies responded to the scene at approximately 9 p.m., Thursday night after reports of shots fired in the area. Authorities found a male victim with one gunshot wound to his chest. The man succumbed to his injuries after deputies began lifesaving measures. The Alameda County coroner is currently trying to identify the individual.Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at 510-667-7721. Anonymous tips can be provided at 510-667-3622.

Bright laser rainbow flag returning to Market Street in San Francisco

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A bright rainbow flag made up of massive lasers will again flood San Francisco’s Market Street starting on Friday, June 23, and will continue shining for three nights.The 4.1-mile installation by arts nonprofit Illuminate debuted last year to great fanfare, setting off celebrations up and down the length of Market Street. (Image courtesy Illuminate)With a 49-foot width and a length exceeding four miles, the installation will consist of six colored laser beams -- purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red. Lasers positioned near the Ferry Building will shoot horizontally above Market Street, rising at a subtle 3-degree angle to crest at Twin Peaks. This year, plans call for 12 lasers, double the number of last year’s installation, creating an even more vibrant rainbow flag. The artistic illumination represents the world’s largest Pride flag. (Image courtesy Illuminate) (Image courtesy Illuminate)The installation, named "WELCOME," is part of the city's month-long...

The SF Bay Area Pro-Am aims to bring elite basketball to the bay this summer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The SF Bay Area Pro-Am is back for the summer at the historic Kezar Pavilion gym for Bay Area hoop fans. The pro-am welcomes college players, pros, and even high school players to play in the league and showcase their skills. Some big names players who have played in the SF Bay Area Pro-Am over the years include Stephen Curry, Jason Kidd, Aaron Gordon, Jeremy Lin, Garry Payton, Brian Shaw, Jason Richardson, and Matt Barnes. Bay Area native Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets, who this week helped the franchise win its first NBA championship, also played in the league. "The San Francisco Pro-Am is very proud of the achievement that Aaron Gordon has made and excited that another one of our alumni has had the opportunity to advance his skills to an NBA Championship," said Jon Greenberg-League Director for the San Francisco Pro-Am for the last 43 yrs. The Bay Raiders will play Bay City tonight at 8 p.m. at Kezar. For a complete list of upcoming games in ...

Federal, state politicians call for bringing California's gun laws to rest of U.S.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

(BCN) -- Federal and state politicians joined together in San Francisco on Friday to voice support for bringing California's gun laws to the rest of the country but many acknowledged the challenges in getting such legislation passed. Speakers at the event at United Playaz, a violence prevention and youth development center, praised California's gun laws, which include universal background checks, raising the firearm purchase age to 21, instituting a firearm purchase waiting period and barring the civilian purchase of assault weapons. Fremont murder-suicide victims identified The event comes a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a constitutional amendment to enshrine those gun safety measures on a federal level. "Sensible gun laws work, we're proving it in California," said Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. She called the state's measures the "strongest in the country" and pointed to its low gun death rate -- 44th out of all states, according to 2021 Centers for Disease Contro...

Alameda County Fair opens this weekend

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

(BCN) -- Live music, fireworks, fried foods and more will be coming to Pleasanton as the Alameda County Fair returns for its 2023 season starting this weekend. The fair, which runs Wednesdays through Sundays from this Friday through July 9, will feature nightly concerts, drone shows and rides. Those attending the first weekend of the fair have a chance to enjoy the West Coast qualifiers for Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday at 3 p.m. or take part in "Out at the Fair," a Pride-themed event set for Sunday. Lost dog found on Bay Bridge Friday morning Attendees also have a chance to win up to $150,000 in the Pleasanton Mile stakes race on July 9. It is the largest prize ever offered for the horse race, which has been a staple of the fair since 1912. Fair-food favorites like funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos will return, along with new additions with international flair like Korean corn dogs, boba tea, and musubi rice snacks, according to a press release by fair or...

Guardians’ McKenzie scratched from start against Arizona with elbow discomfort

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Cleveland Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie was scratched from his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night because of right elbow discomfort.Right-hander Touki Toussaint was to start Friday night’s game after his contract was selected from Triple-A Columbus.Cleveland also designated catcher Mike Zunino for assignment and optioned right-hander Cody Morris to Columbus.McKenzie’s elbow issue is the latest injury setback for the right-hander, who missed the first two months with a shoulder strain. The Guardians have high hopes for the hard-throwing McKenzie, who went 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA in 30 starts last season.With Cleveland potentially moving ace Shane Bieber before the trading deadline, McKenzie would move into the No. 1 spot in the rotation, assuming he’s healthy.Zunino has been a disappointment for the Guardians, who signed the 32-year-old catcher to a $6 million free agent deal in December to improve a spot that gave them little offensiv...

Facebook owner wants preteens to step into virtual reality with its Quest headset

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

The corporate parent of Facebook and Instagram plans to open a digital gateway for kids as young as 10 years old to enter virtual reality through the Meta Quest headset, despite rising concerns about children spending too much time on social media.Meta Platforms, which oversees a social media empire created by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, disclosed it will lower the minimum age for a Quest account from 13 years old to 10 years old in a Friday blog post. The Menlo Park, California, company framed the change coming later this year as a family-friendly way for more people to explore artificial realms that Zuckerberg touts as the “metaverse.”The move to lure preteens into a virtual world filled with digital avatars and other technological fabrications comes just weeks after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called upon tech companies and lawmakers to take steps to protect children from the potentially harmful mental and emotional effects of too much exposure to social media.Both Fa...

How an online program could help Virginia schools overcome a teacher shortage

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

Fairfax and Arlington County Public Schools are among the Virginia districts that have been approved to partner with an online teacher preparation program that provides potential educators a pathway to getting a teaching license without going back to college.On Thursday, the Virginia Board of Education approved several school systems’ applications to work with iteach, providing a new way for prospective teachers to work toward full teaching licenses. Proponents of the approach tout its ability to help local districts work through teacher shortages.As of April 2023, the Virginia Department of Education reported over 3,500 teacher vacancies.Andrew Rozell, iteach’s president, told the board Thursday that one of the reasons the state has so many provisionally licensed teachers is “a true alternative to higher education does not exist.”“Many teachers are not making the needed financial or time commitment to complete their licensure at a college,” Rozel...

Wyndham Clark, Rory McIlroy set the pace in LA at US Open

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. Open tried to fight back against record low scores with a North course at Los Angeles Country Club stretched to full length. Wyndham Clark and Rory McIlroy were among those who managed just fine Friday.And then it was up to Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele to tackle the biggest defense on another otherwise vulnerable course — sunshine and a freshening breeze in the afternoon.Clark, who last month broke through with his first PGA Tour title against an elite field, started strong with a bold flop shot and a monster birdie putt and then held on for a 3-under 67. Closing fast was McIlroy, without a major in nine years, overcoming a rugged start with four birdies on his last five holes for a 67.Not to be overlooked was Dustin Johnson, the two-time major champion who made a quadruple-bogey 8 on his second hole with six bad shots, one penalty and a tap-in. The man with golf’s shortest memory rebounded quickly and still shot 70, leaving him very much in ...