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Letters: Sleepy downtown | Artificial turf | Repeal Prop. 47 | Hold debates | Officer accountability

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Bad photo to showsleepy downtown S.J.Re: “Poll: 80% decry big Bay Area downtowns” (Page A1, Oct. 1).In response to the sensationalist headline that made for quite the hullabaloo (the article was forwarded to me by more than one person), I would argue that the editorial decision to feature the San Jose Museum of Art as the chosen cover photo was uncouth.If there is one institution in downtown San Jose that is programming to include all people, cultures, ages and abilities with rich and colorful events, it’s this museum. Just last weekend, the museum raised $1 million for the arts and programs that create a colorful and vibrant world for the people of San Jose. They host City Dance events, First Fridays and other great events that are free and open to the public.If you want to capture the dullness of downtown San Jose, there are many other images you could have used.Alexandra SteinSan Jos...

Livermore rancher gets 7 years for killing his brother over PG&E bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

DUBLIN — A Livermore man has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for killing his brother after an ongoing conflict over the electricity bill reached a boiling point.Jeffrey Murray, 58, pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the 2019 shooting death of 50-year-old Todd Murray. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him. He was sentenced to seven years on Sept. 28, but with credit for good behavior could be released within a year.Jeffrey Murray remains in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, records show.Murray shot his brother with a shotgun during a heated argument at his Livermore ranch on Feb. 23, 2019. According to witness testimony at the preliminary hearing, Murray allowed his brother to live in a mobile home on the property and ran an electricity line to it, but the PG&E bill would be sent to him each month.Witnesses said Murray became increasingly irate with his brother over rising electricity costs, then turned off the power. Murray lat...

San Jose State takes aim at Boise State, seeking first road win in series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

SAN JOSE — San Jose State is hoping to do something Saturday that it hasn’t done in school history: beat Boise State on the road.The Spartans are off to a 1-4 start, but there are signs this might be SJSU’s best chance yet to finally get the best of the Broncos on their blue turf.The Spartans are coming off a bye week and Boise State hasn’t looked like the team that has dominated the Mountain West for the last decade after rising from the WAC. The Broncos have started their season 2-3 and most recently lost to Memphis by blowing a 17-point lead.“I’m feeling really good going into Boise,” said SJSU receiver Nick Nash. “I just feel like the bye gave us a lot of energy and we’re certainly hungry for a win.”The Spartans are 1-13 all-time against the Broncos with their only win coming in 2020 when they beat Boise State 34-20 in the Mountain West Championship in Las Vegas.San Jose State defensive lineman Cade Hall sacks Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier during the first half of...

Oakland commission backs use of automatic license plate reader system

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

(BCN) -- A key Oakland commission on Thursday recommended that the city adopt a new automatic license plate reader policy allowing roughly 300 new cameras to be installed throughout the city. The Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission voted to forward the policy to the City Council for approval. If approved, it would allow the Oakland Police Department to contract with a private company, Atlanta-based Flock Safety, to install the cameras in "hot spots identified by OPD," said Deputy City Administrator Joe DeVries, who serves as the city's chief privacy officer. Rodeo toddler death suspects charged with murder, torture The new policy would also limit data retention in the new system to 30 days, DeVries said. The upgrade will enhance OPD's crime fighting capabilities as well as the department's ability to track, audit and report on the system's use and effectiveness, he said. According to the proposal, the Flock Safety system would cost a little more than $1 million for the first year...

Man who attacked Capitol with tomahawk and now promotes Jan. 6 merchandise gets 7 years in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Texas man who attacked the U.S. Capitol with a metal tomahawk — and is now the face of a website selling merchandise portraying jailed rioters as “political prisoners” — was sentenced Friday to seven years behind bars.Shane Jenkins, 46, tried to smash a Capitol window with his tomahawk during the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. He also repeatedly threw makeshift weapons at police officers, hurling a desk drawer, a flagpole, a metal walking stick and a wooden pole with a spear-like point.A website touts Jenkins as the founder of a group that seeks to “shed light on the January 6th defendants and the treatment they have faced from the government.” The website sells T-shirts, hoodies, hats, tote bags and other merchandise with Jan. 6-themed slogans, including “Free the J6 political prisoners” and “Want my vote? Help the J6ers.” Another shirt for sale features former President Donald Trump’s mugshot over the words “Indicted we stand.”The website also commemorates Jenkins&...

Packers’ Bakhtiari won’t play again this season as he prepares for 5th knee surgery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari’s season is over. He hopes his NFL career isn’t.He’s set to undergo his fifth knee surgery to give himself a chance at playing again, Bakhtiari said Friday when he spoke with reporters for nearly 40 minutes in the team’s Lambeau Field locker room trying to explain what he’s endured since suffering a catastrophic left knee injury during a Dec. 31, 2020, practice, as well as what needs to be done to allow him to continue his career.“We know what we need to do for me to be back,” said Bakhtiari, who last played in the Packers’ Sept. 10 season-opening victory at Chicago. “It’s not ideal, but that is pretty much my plan now. Now that we have a plan in place, it’s the road I have to go down.”That new road, which began with a recent arthroscopic procedure, will next include surgery aimed at resolving a cartilage issue performed by Chicago-based orthopedic surgeon Brian J. Cole.Bakhtiari wouldn’t say when ...

Panamá y Costa Rica llaman a líderes regionales a abordar tema migratorio

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

(CNN) — Los presidentes de Panamá y Costa Rica hacen un llamado a los líderes regionales a abordar la cuestión de los migrantes, escribieron los dos líderes en una declaración conjunta emitida el viernes.El presidente de Panamá, Laurentino Cortizo, y el presidente de Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, instaron a los jefes de Estado de la región a reunirse el 22 de octubre, fecha propuesta por México, para una “reunión urgente” para abordar los desafíos del creciente número de migrantes que cruzan, dice una lectura de la carta.Ambos líderes enfatizaron la importancia de ajustar la atención y administración de los flujos migratorios por parte de los países y garantizar que sean ordenados y seguros para los migrantes y las comunidades, agregando luego que se trata de “una responsabilidad compartida”.El presidente de Panamá, Laurentino Cortizo (derecha), y su homólogo de costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, conversan durante la llegada de migrantes a la Estación de Recepci...

Attorneys announce $7 million settlement in fatal shooting by California Highway Patrol officers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A $7 million settlement has been reached with the California Highway Patrol in the fatal shooting of a driver and wounding of his girlfriend during a 2020 traffic stop in Oakland, lawyers for the man’s family and the survivor said Wednesday.Erik Salgado, 23, who was driving a car that had been reported stolen, was killed and his girlfriend was wounded by officers after Salgado struck CHP vehicles in front of and behind while attempting to maneuver away from them on June 2, 2020.John Burris, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys announcing settlement of a federal court lawsuit, said in a statement that the shooting was “inhumane and a reckless disregard for human life.”A March 2022 report by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said officers fired when they believed one officer had been or was about to be struck by the car. The report said that while questions remained as to the use of force, there was a lack of evidence and independent witnesses ...

Braves face Phillies in NLDS looking for payback after shocking playoff loss a year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves walked off the field a year ago a thoroughly beaten team, their defense of the World Series championship wiped out in less than a week.Now, they’ve got another shot at the team that delivered the playoff heartache.The 104-win Braves romped to their sixth straight division title with the major leagues’ best record and a power-packed lineup that tied the team record with 307 homers. They open the best-of-five NL Division Series on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies in a much-anticipated postseason rematch.“A really cool series on paper, right?” Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber said before a workout at Truist Park. Led by MVP favorite Ronald Acuña Jr., the first player with 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season, the Braves are eager to replicate their run to the World Series championship in 2021.They’d prefer to forget what happened last October.After finishing 14 games behind Atlanta during the regular season, the Phillies...

Percentage of successful MLB video reviews drops slightly. Marlins, Nationals best overturn rate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Team-initiated video reviews were slightly less successful in the major leagues this season, which saw overturned calls drop to 48.5% from 50.2% in 2022.Major League Baseball said Friday that 625 of 1,288 club challenges were overturned. There were 304 calls confirmed (23.6%) and 359 allowed to stand (27.9%)— where there was not enough evidence to confirm or overturn.Miami led the major leagues with a 75% success rate, followed by Washington (74.2%), Houston (67.7%), Arizona and Kansas City (65.1% each).The Los Angeles Angels (29.4%), Detroit (32.6%), Pittsburgh (38%), Cincinnati (38.7%), Toronto (38.9%) and Baltimore (39.6%) were the least successful.In addition, there were 180 crew chief reviews initiated by umpires. MLB said those led to 36 overturned calls, a 20% rate. Eighty-seven calls were confirmed and 39 allowed to stand. Of the crew chief reviews, five were for rules checks and 13 for record-keeping.Including crew chief reviews there were 1,468 total review...