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Letters: County missteps | ‘Mr. Roadshow’ | Homelessness | Too few homes | Unlikely to leave | Israel’s aid | Rules of engagement

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Keep shining lighton county’s misstepsRe: “Unprotected” (Page A1, Dec. 17).Kudos once again to the Mercury News for following up on this tragic occurrence.While I understand the importance of “balance” and the need for policies and procedures, too often the bureaucracy and finger-pointing smack of a lack of accountability by leadership. While it pales in comparison, one only has to review the million-dollar debacle on the historical book deal authorized by county staff, and paid with taxpayer dollars, as yet another example of lack of accountability.Please don’t let this tragedy be swept under the bureaucratic “rug” like so many other “missteps” over the years.Killian ByrneSan Jose‘Mr. Roadshow’ madea difference for readersRe: “‘Mr. Roadshow’ remembered for dedication” (Page A1, Dec. 19).I am feeling such sadn...

How to watch tonight’s San Jose Sharks-Los Angeles Kings game

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

Local San Jose Sharks fans will need a subscription to Hulu or ESPN+ to watch the team’s game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.The Sharks game is the third of four this season that will be shown exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu. The final Sharks game that will be shown on the streaming network is Thursday’s date with the Arizona Coyotes at SAP Center.Tuesday’s game starts at 7:30 (PST). Mike Monaco is doing play-by-play with Cassie Campbell-Pascall as the analyst.A subscription to ESPN+ costs $10.99 per month.All other Sharks games this regular season are being telecast on NBC Sports California. Every game can be heard on the online-only Sharks Audio Network. The Sharks’ game on April 4 vs. Los Angeles was originally supposed to be carried on ESPN+, but will now air on NBC Sports California.This is the first meeting of the regular season between the Sharks (9-19-3) and the Kings (17-6-4), who have won 12 of 14 games away from home so far this season.Los Angele...

Mark Zuckerberg is building a secret underground bunker in Kauai: report

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

“It’s fight club. We don’t talk about fight club.”Mark Zuckerberg is building a sprawling, $100 million compound in Hawaii. A WIRED investigation reveals the scale of the project and its impact on the local community. https://t.co/EKG4p93F12 pic.twitter.com/Oup7Jq3DVL— WIRED (@WIRED) December 14, 2023Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is quietly building a massive compound on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, which includes a 5,000-square-foot underground bunker for, you know, just in case, according to Wired.Zuckerberg has spent $170 million on land purchases on the island and is building a $100 million 57,000-square-foot compound, called Koolau Ranch, that is two mansions on top of a bunker, according to the Wired investigation.The sprawling property includes 30 bedrooms, pools, spas, elevators, tennis courts, conference rooms, and an industrial kitchen. The plan is to host corporate events on site.But the structures will be connected by a secret tunnel that leads to a shelter behind a m...

DC-area leaders propose ways to address Metro’s budget gap without causing ‘transit death spiral’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

D.C.-area leaders are responding to Metro’s proposed budget released last week that would significantly slash service while raising fares, offering up an alternative plan to address the transit system’s major budget deficits.The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments put together a work group to develop strategies to address the transit system’s $750 million deficits without making the “drastic” level of service cuts and layoffs suggested in Metro’s proposed budget.“Metro is running great service right now and they’re tightening their belt, and they need to continue to do that,” Clark Mercer, the executive director of COG, told WTOP.The work group, which is comprised of leaders from D.C., Maryland and Virginia, released a report Tuesday including near-term recommendations to Metro such as transferring some capital funding to cover operating costs, increasing fares and implementing targeted service reductions.Part of addressing the deficit ...

Hunter Renfroe and Kansas City Royals finalize $13 million, 2-year contract

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Renfroe and the Kansas City Royals finalized a $13 million, two-year contract Tuesday, filling the biggest offensive hole for a club that has spent heavily in free agency in an attempt to go from worst to first in the AL Central.The power-hitting outfielder, who turns 32 next month, will get a $5.5 million salary from Kansas City for the upcoming season. Renfroe’s deal also includes a $7.5 million player option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.“They talent they’ve brought through the minor leagues and who they have in the major leagues right now is pretty spectacular,” Renfroe said, “and the guys they added this offseason made it a no-brainer for me. The way the Central is now, there is no doubt that we can contend in it.”The Royals lost 106 games last season, when injuries punched holes in their lineup and their pitching staff was among the worst in baseball. General manager J.J. Picollo has spent heavily over the past few weeks in an att...

Blackhawks D Kevin Korchinski rejoins team after father’s death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Kevin Korchinski has rejoined the Chicago Blackhawks following the death of his father, Larry.The 19-year-old Korchinski was on the ice for Chicago’s morning skate ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Coach Luke Richardson said the rookie defenseman is going to need some time before he is ready for games again.“It was great to see him,” Richardson said. “The guys really responded well having him back in the dressing room and he had a big smile in there this morning. So it was good to see him out on the ice.“He hasn’t skated much, I think once when he was at home, so we’re just going to just let him have a couple of practices and see where he’s at and let him tell us when he’s ready to go.”Korchinski has two goals and five assists in 25 games in his first NHL season. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft hasn’t played since he skated for more than 18 minutes during a 1-0 victory over Anaheim on Dec. 7.Larry Korchinski...

Frosinone stuns Napoli 4-0 to reach Italian Cup quarters for first time

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Frosinone’s best cup run continued as it stunned defending Serie A champion Napoli by winning 4-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Tuesday to reach the Italian Cup quarterfinals.Frosinone, which had never even reached the round of 16 previously, will next face either Juventus or Salernitana.Napoli rested a number of its key players, including Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, although it brought on the key duo in the 63rd minute, with the score 0-0.Frosinone took the lead just two minutes later when Enzo Barrenechea was left relatively unmarked to head Luca Garritano’s corner into the far top side of the net.It was Barrenechea’s first goal for Frosinone after joining on loan from Juventus — the team the 22-year-old Argentine could now face in the quarterfinals.An even worse defensive error saw the visitors double their advantage five minutes later as a woeful pass from Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo saw Giuseppe Caso race through one-on-one w...

Trump banned from Colorado ballot in historic ruling by state Supreme Court

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the race.The decision from a court whose justices were all appointed by Democratic governors marks the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.“A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,” the court wrote in its 4-3 decision.Colorado’s highest court overturned a ruling from a district court judge who found that Trump incited an insurrection for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, but said he could not be barred from the ballot because...

Douglas County commissioners to challenge state board on property values

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — As the year comes to a close, Colorado property taxes continue to garner attention as leaders seek solutions to reduce the tax burden for homeowners. One county's plan to curb the high cost just took a major hit from the state.After the special legislative session, Gov. Jared Polis called on local governments to try to lower property taxes at the local level. One county along the Front Range tried to do that by lowering property values. A state board rejected their efforts. Trump banned from Colorado ballot in historic ruling by state Supreme Court "The state property tax system is broken. A five-person political board just stole $28 million in tax relief from homeowners like you by acting outside of the law," Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon said. To lower property taxes, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and the county assessor moved to lower the property values for all owners in the county by 4%. The State Board of Equalization rejected that move o...

Defense rests in paramedics' trial over Elijah McClain's death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The defense rested Tuesday in the trial of two Aurora paramedics charged in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain.Closing arguments are set to begin Wednesday at 11 a.m. It's possible the jury could begin deliberations before the end of the day. Judge in Elijah McClain case tightens media coverage rules Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper are both being tried on counts of reckless manslaughter and other charges. They took the stand in their own defense on Monday.McClain died after being stopped by police while walking home from a convenience store, then forcibly restrained and injected with ketamine by the paramedics.The paramedics testified that they witnessed agitated behavior as officers dealt with McClain, and they followed agitated patient “excited delirium” protocols, which at the time called for the use of ketamine for de-escalation, FOX31's Kim Posey reported from the trial.Prosecutors questioned the dosing of the ketamine and the characterization of excited ...