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Letters: Oakland on brink | Climate policies | Leadership failure | Anti-Semitic trope | Conflict prolonged | Path to peace

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Progressive policieshave Oakland on brinkWherefore art thou fallen, O city of Oakland? From 1951 until 1993 I lived in the flatlands of the Fruitvale District in Oakland. As youngsters, we could go trick-or-treating safely with no adult supervision. Now all the houses there have metal bars on their windows and fences around their yards.Until Oakland comes to grips with its crime, drug and homelessness issues it will continue to lose businesses, restaurants, sports teams, etc. And it’s a tragedy because Oakland is a physically beautiful city with a historically significant past, and creative, industrious people. Why Oaklanders continue to elect progressive, left-wing, failed politicians who do nothing but foster misery remains one of life’s great mysteries.Paul StoneDublinSchool closures werefailure of leadershipI have previously written to The Times about what a failure of government and lead...

49ers’ Brock Purdy taking healthier body, stronger arm into Seattle

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

SANTA CLARA — As Brock Purdy humbly sits atop the NFL’s passing leaders, he reflected back to July, when he began “ripping” 50-yard passes with accuracy with his surgically repaired arm. A couple of weeks later, he promptly opened training camp with two deep overthrows, all in search of consistency and arm strength.“It’s been a work in progress back to camp,” Purdy said Tuesday. “Once the season hit, I was able to do it.”Purdy’s long ball is a long-sought element the 49ers (7-3) are using to their highlight-reel benefit as they go visit the Seattle Seahawks (6-2) on Thanksgiving night.When Purdy made his first career road start there last December, his arm was healthy but a broken rib almost kept him out of the lineup, and it still hindered what he could throw in that 21-13, division-clinching win.“Anything that just made me really coil up and absolutely rip it,” Purdy recalled of his play-call limitations. “The...

Paris Hilton’s media company suspends ads on Musk’s Twitter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

By Liam Reilly and Clare Duffy | CNNParis Hilton’s entertainment company 11:11 Media has pulled an advertising campaign from Elon Musk’s X just one month after announcing an exclusive partnership with the platform, becoming the latest brand to halt ad spending on the site formerly known as Twitter over concerns about antisemitism and pro-Nazi content on the site.“11:11 Media made the decision to immediately pull the campaign from the platform,” Bruce Gersh, 11:11 Media’s president and chief operating officer, told CNN on Tuesday.The decision by Hilton’s company to pull its advertising is a blow to X and the platform’s chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, who announced a major promotional partnership with Hilton just last month. The deal, which was touted by Yaccarino as a long-term, “official partnership” between Hilton, 11:11 Media, and X, aimed to create “a launchpad for new initiatives in video and live video, live commerce, Spaces, and so much more.” The deal also established a rev...

Oakland: Fire ravages celebrated pitmaster’s Horn Barbecue

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

A fire early Tuesday ravaged West Oakland’s acclaimed Horn Barbecue, two days after pitmaster Matt Horn’s restaurant was defaced with graffiti.When firefighters arrived on the scene of the 4:19 a.m. blaze, they saw heavy fire and smoke coming from the rear of the 2534 Mandela Parkway building. They contained the fire within 15 minutes and declared it under control at 5:03 a.m., according to Oakland fire spokesman Michael Hunt.Damage was so significant that city inspectors have red-tagged the building, meaning it cannot be entered until structural concerns are addressed. The fire’s cause is under investigation.The restaurant is normally closed Tuesdays and no one would have been inside cooking, authorities were told. Horn confirmed that to KTVU.Angered by the graffiti incident that presumably occurred overnight Sunday, Horn had taken to social media Monday to scold the “cowardly individuals” responsible for their “senseless acts of crime,” an...

SMART train service delayed after crash with bicycle in Rohnert Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

(KRON) -- SMART train service is delayed on Tuesday after a train crashed into a bicycle in Rohnert Park, the train service confirmed. The cyclist suffered non-fatal injuries in the crash. The crash happened at about 3:45 p.m. near the Rohnert Park Expressway. The cyclist was struck by a southbound train, SMART said. Jewish-owned SF ice cream shop reopens after being vandalized with pro-Palestinian graffiti There were 17 passengers on the train and two crew members. None of them reported injuries. Rohnert Park Expressway between State Farm Drive and Country Club Drive closed after the crash. At 4:25 p.m., the roadway reopened. SMART train says riders should expect delays to all trains.

Tim Boyle ready to feel ‘dangerous’ in his first start at QB for Jets vs. Dolphins on Friday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Tim Boyle looks back at his first three NFL starts two years ago and sees a different quarterback.That version of himself wasn’t nearly as prepared — mentally or physically — as he believes he is now while heading into his first start with the New York Jets on Friday against the Miami Dolphins.“You’ve got to feel like you’re dangerous out there,” Boyle said Tuesday. “You can’t go into a play or a series thinking with any doubt. Confidence is critical going in there and feeling like I’m the guy and that I’m not going to miss. That’s kind of the focus. “But, yeah, confidence is everything playing quarterback.”The 29-year-old Boyle is stepping into the huddle in place of the benched Zach Wilson, who had started past nine games for the injured Aaron Rodgers.It’ll be the first significant playing time for Boyle since he started three games for Detroit during the 2021 season, which he started on injured reserve because of a broken right th...

Grizzlies’ injury list grows longer with Jake LaRavia out with injured left eye

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis forward Jake LaRavia will have a procedure to repair a corneal abrasion of his left eye that will keep him out at least two to three weeks.The Grizzlies said Tuesday night that LaRavia will be re-evaluated then and is expected to make a full recovery. The 19th pick overall of the 2022 draft out of Wake Forest, LaRavia has played five games for the Grizzlies this season, the last in a loss at Utah on Nov. 1. LaRavia was assigned to Memphis’ G League team, the Hustle, on Monday and was recalled Tuesday. This is the third injury update from the Grizzlies in five days starting Nov. 17 with guard Marcus Smart missing three to five weeks with a sprained left foot. The 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, acquired via a trade this offseason, played all of eight minutes before he hurt his foot in a Nov. 14 loss in Los Angeles to the Lakers.On Monday, Memphis announced Luke Kennard will miss a minimum of two weeks recovering from a bone bruise in his lef...

Packers’ Aaron Jones ‘highly unlikely’ to play Thursday against Lions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says running back Aaron Jones’ knee problem makes him “highly unlikely” to play Thursday at Detroit but likely won’t require him to go on injured reserve.“Very relieved that it’s not anything long term,” LaFleur said Tuesday.Jones, who was carted to the locker room late in the second quarter of Green Bay’s 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, is one of 17 Packers listed on the injury report heading into Thursday’s game. One of the most noteworthy cases involves tight end Luke Musgrave. LaFleur said Musgrave’s abdominal injury required a trip to the hospital and added that “certainly it was a scary situation.”“He’s got a pretty significant injury,” LaFleur said. “I think it just speaks to his toughness, because he didn’t say anything all game, and then something came up.”Musgrave has since been released from the hospital. LaFleur was asked whether Musgrave might end up on injured reserve.“We’ll see,” LaFleur replied....

Washington jumps Florida State to move into College Football Playoff position. Georgia still on top

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

Washington moved ahead of Florida State and into College Football Playoff position, coming in fourth in the rankings on Tuesday night.The selection committee’s top three remained the same with Georgia first followed by Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan. The Buckeyes and Wolverines face-off Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the winner advancing to the Big Ten championship game.Washington had been stuck in fifth for the first three weeks of the rankings behind Florida State, but the Huskies added another victory against a ranked team last week when they won at Oregon State.Florida State stayed unbeaten, too, though the Seminoles lost quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending left leg injury.Oregon was sixth, Texas seventh and Alabama eight for the fourth straight week.Missouri was ninth and Louisville 10th for the second straight week.There are only two more rankings left. The final comes Dec. 3 when the field for the four-team playoff is set.___Follow Ralph D. Russo...

Colorado Supreme Court will hear appeal of ruling that Trump can stay on ballot despite insurrection

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:02:13 GMT

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear appeals from both a liberal group that sought to disqualify Donald Trump and the former president himself after a state judge ruled that Trump “engaged in insurrection” on Jan. 6, 2021, but can still appear on the state’s ballot.Oral arguments will take place Dec. 6, the court announced.The appeals were filed Monday night. The ruling by District Court Judge Sarah Wallace on Friday — which said Trump is not covered by the Constitution’s ban on insurrectionists holding office — was the latest in a series of defeats for the effort to end Trump’s candidacy with Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. A group in Michigan has filed an appeal with that state’s Supreme Court. The constitutional provision has only been used a handful of times since the years after the Civil War. It was created to prevent former Confederates from returning to government positions.The group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethic...