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Letters: BART failure | TB fight | Brazil’s example | Free college | LGBTQ rights | Red states’ media

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.More money will keepBART on failure trackRe: “BART’s desire for money fuels toll hike issue” (Page A6, June 28).“Help transit agencies maintain service,” says Sen. Scott Wiener.BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit; do you see the word “police” there? Yet current and future police expense is one of the largest BART budget line items, and it’s only guaranteed to increase. Keep the police rolling; the trains? Not as important. Transit is essential; BART police are not. When BART opened, it contracted with the cities and counties through which it passed for police services. When BART established its own police department, your property tax didn’t drop.That’s the hook politicians don’t want you to see. The proposed bridge toll hike, scheduled to end in five years, will never end. Never. Politicians’ greed is insatiable. To them, it’s your p...

Photos: Bay Area celebrates the Fourth of July with festive parades

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

Parades rolled across the Bay Area in honor of Independence Day on Tuesday, bringing to conclusion a long holiday weekend.Alameda’s Fourth of July parade is the longest in the nation with a route that spans 3.3 miles, attracting more than 170 entries and 2,500 participants. The parade draws over 60,000 spectators from the region and entries include residents, politicians, equestrians, dance troops, floats, antique cars, community groups and marching bands.Meanwhile, in San Jose, the Rose, White & Blue Parade is the South Bay’s largest Fourth of July parade. The parade is committed to creating anti-racist work that positively engages, uplifts and represents the multicultural communities of San José and beyond through a culturally-relevant event on Independence Day.The parade began near the campus of Lincoln High School with a lineup of parade participants, classic cars, bands, dance groups and community troupes, winding its way through the Shasta/Hanchett and Rose Gar...

SF Giants shut out by Mariners ace to lose fourth straight game

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Not even the fireworks could wake up the San Francisco Giants offense this week.The Giants were blanked by Seattle Mariners ace Logan Gilbert on Tuesday afternoon, when the M’s stomped all over the Giants in a 6-0 win in front of 37,395 for an Independence Day celebration at Oracle Park.It marked the fourth straight loss for the skidding Giants. Since their 10-game winning streak was snapped on June 22, they’re 4-8 with a 5.11 ERA while getting outscored 62-37 in that span.“We’re playing hard, things just aren’t going our way,” said third baseman J.D. Davis. “We were on a roll and the last week to eight days it’s been hit and miss. It’s bound to happen.”They were hoping to see more greatness from Keaton Winn, the 25-year-old rookie right-hander who was making his second career big league start. His first was a beauty: six innings of two-run ball against a tough Toronto Blue Jays lineup. His splitter was electric.Tuesday, Winn’s signature pitch must’ve looked li...

Letters: BART accountability | Nextdoor policy | Nation’s greatness | Feed our children | Healthy meals | Bankruptcy law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.BART is lackingin accountabilityRe: “BART’s desire for money fuels bridge toll hike” (Page A6, June 28).I totally agree with the editorial that BART’s plea for more money amidst plummeting ridership has transformed it from a transit system into an employment agency. It is unconscionable.There is little accountability with government workers thanks to powerful worker unions that compensate and fire workers on the basis of seniority rather than performance. Rather than do more with less, it’s just easier to ask for more taxpayer money. It certainly doesn’t hurt to also have politically powerful friends in the Legislature.Maybe it’s time to rethink ways to achieve more accountability in our public agencies.Jerry MungaiSan JoseNextdoor undercutslicensed contractorsThe website Nextdoor.com changed its rules allowing businesses to directly submit advertising posts in the general platform.Many...

Corpse flower blooms at SF Conservatory of Flowers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A corpse flower nicknamed "Scarlet" has bloomed at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. The plant, which is actually named Amorphophallus titanum, is known as the corpse flower due to it supposedly smelling like rotting flesh. Yosemite National Park visitors face unprecedented wait times KRON4 Meteorologist John Shrable, who was on-hand for the bloom, described the flower's aroma as "bursts of gross."According to the SF Conservatory of Flowers, Titan Arum plants typically bloom for the first time at seven to 10 years of age. Mature plants then may bloom again every three to five years.KRON On is streaming live news now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }This particular corpse flower first bloomed at the conservatory in 2019.

Pitcher Tarik Skubal returns for Detroit Tigers after 11-month absence

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal made his first major-league start in 11 months when he faced the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.Skubal was Detroit’s best starter in 2022, going 7-8 with a 3.52 ERA in 21 starts. Skubal struck out 117 batters in 117 2/3 innings.However, an elbow strain ended his season on Aug. 1 and he didn’t pitch again until starting a rehab assignment on June 4. He made five starts, split between Class A Lakeland and Triple-A Toledo, before returning to Detroit.To make room for Skubal on the active and 40-man rosters, LHP Tyler Alexander was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder strain.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Rookies shine for Astros as Kessinger homers, Julks has 4 hits in 4-1 win over Rockies

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie Grae Kessinger hit his first career home run and fellow rookie Corey Julks had a career-high four hits to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.Julks had a double and RBI after being inserted into the lineup at designated hitter after Jose Altuve was scratched about 90 minutes before the game with discomfort in his left oblique.Manager Dusty Baker said after the game that Altuve was injured during batting practice, but that he didn’t have any more information on his injury. Although Baker didn’t know the extent of Altuve’s injury, he was disheartened to be dealing with another injury in a season that has already been filled with them.“It’s tough to take, but you’ve got to move on,” he said. “You have no choice. You feel terrible, especially for the injured player and for the team, but, you just … say, hey, next man up.”Baker talked about the offense his young players provided Tuesday for a team t...

Marte hits 3-run HR and Scherzer wins 6th straight decision in Mets’ 8-5 victory over Diamondbacks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Starling Marte hit a three-run homer, Max Scherzer struck out nine to remain undefeated in 10 straight starts and the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 on Tuesday.Scherzer (8-2) gave up three home runs and walked in a run in six innings, but the Mets used the long ball to help the right-hander win his sixth straight decision.Francisco Alvarez hit a 467-foot, two-run homer off Miguel Castro (4-3) in the seventh inning to break Travis D’Arnaud’s single-season team record by a rookie catcher set in 2014.Brandon Nimmo added a solo homer to help the struggling Mets win their third straight.Corbin Carroll, Cristian Walker and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit solo homers for the Diamondbacks, who loaded the bases against Drew Smith in the ninth. Arizona pulled within 8-5 on a walk, but David Robertson got Gurriel to hit into a fielder’s choice for his 12th saveThe Mets made a late switch, going with Scherzer over scheduled starter Kodai Senga.Scherzer ...

Gilbert pitches five-hit gem, Ford, Pollock homer in Mariners’ 6-0 win over Giants

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Logan Gilbert struck out seven pitching a five-hit gem for his first career complete game, Mike Ford homered during a four-hit performance and AJ Pollock added a late two-run shot as the Seattle Mariners beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0 on Tuesday for their fourth straight win.After striking out Mike Yastrzemski swinging to end the 2-hour, 20-minute Fourth of July matinee, the 26-year-old Gilbert clapped his hand into his glove and quickly went to embrace catcher Tom Murphy.Julio Rodríguez contributed an RBI single and doubled as the Seattle offense did plenty to back right-hander Gilbert (6-5) in his winning effort facing the Giants for the first time in his career. Seattle’s four-game winning streak matches its season best with the other four-game unbeaten run coming in a sweep of Oakland from May 22-25.Gilbert didn’t walk a batter in the 105-pitch masterpiece, while the Mariners outhit the Giants 13-5.Ford connected for his seventh home run in th...

Lighting fireworks? Here's how to dispose of them properly

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:41:20 GMT

PARKER, Colo. (KDVR) -- A two-alarm fire destroyed two homes in Parker overnight and injured a firefighter. The fire sparked in the 10700 block of Kimball Street.Fire investigators say the cause was the improper disposal of legal fireworks. The used fireworks were placed in a plastic bin outside the garage of one of the homes."There was still enough heat left in that firework that it smoldered, created open flame, spread to that plastic trash can, spread to the fencing, and then up the sides of the house," public information officer Eric Hurst said.3 steps to dispose of fireworksHurst said the fireworks were permissible in the area because they didn't leave the ground or explode, but they still pose a risk and need to be disposed of properly."What that means is taking all of those spent fireworks with gloved hands, making sure you don't get burned, and submersing them into a bucket of water, or an old metal can — anything that you may have around the house that's non-combustibl...