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Hiltzik: Age is an unreliable indicator of one’s intellect, energy or ability

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

The cry is heard that America has become a “gerontocracy.” That’s supposed to be bad, it’s argued, because our superannuated political leadership is out of touch with the electorate and blocking younger and (theoretically) more vigorous and intellectually vibrant leaders from taking their hour upon the stage.Earlier this year, CNN called President Biden’s age a “hot topic.” Leaving aside that news organizations such as CNN have helped make it a hot topic, the real question is whether it’s anything more than that. The answer is no.“Leaning into this language about a ‘gerontocracy’ is a distraction technique,” says Tracey Gendron, chair of the Department of Gerontology at Virginia Commonwealth University and author of the 2022 book “Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It.”“It’s just the latest thing that’s keeping us from looking at things that are more important, like ...

Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Matthew Foley, Amador Valley baseball

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

NEW: PREP SPORTS MAILBAGThe Bay Area News Group is introducing a high school sports mailbag in May. Get your questions in as soon as possible. Our debut edition is an open forum. Got questions about spring sports playoffs, coaching changes, an early peek at football season, etc.? Send questions to [email protected]. Please include “mailbag” in the subject line.Amador Valley baseball player Matthew Foley has been named the Bay Area News Group’s boys high school athlete of the week for May 1-6 after he had 40.03% of the vote at the 5 p.m. deadline Wednesday.Branham baseball player Evan Williams (30.35%) finished second and Woodside baseball player Harry Pelzman placed third.Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition.Amador Valley High baseball player Matthew Foley 2023 Amador Valley High School Varsity Baseball photo day at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, CA Feb. 23, 2023. (Photo by AGP Sports)  Foley, a junior, pitc...

Offices, 850 homes may sprout near San Jose BART stop, new plans show

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

SAN JOSE — Well over 800 homes and a big office complex would be added to a mixed-use development that’s slated to sprout near a San Jose BART station, city planning documents show.The project is in the late stages of approval by San Jose officials and is headed for a final decision by the City Council following its endorsement by the municipality’s Planning Commission.The development consists of housing and a large office building that would be built at 1655 Berryessa Road in San Jose on a site that’s slightly more than 13 acres, according to the proposal that’s being shepherded through the approval process by Borelli Investment Co., a real estate firm, and The Schoennauer Co., a land-use consultant.The property where the project would be built is a wedge-shaped site that’s owned by The Facchino family, whose first local business was a Depression-era trucking operation in downtown San Jose.The site is a few blocks from the Berryessa BART station ...

The real reasons stores are closing in San Francisco and other big cities

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

By Nathaniel Meyersohn | CNNNordstrom. Walmart. Whole Foods. Starbucks. CVS.These big chains and others have closed stores in major US cities recently, raising alarm about the future of retail in some the country’s most prominent downtowns and business districts.Several forces are pushing chains out of some city centers: a glut of stores, people working from home, online shopping, exorbitant rents, crime and public safety concerns, and difficulty hiring workers.To reinvent downtown retail, drastic changes may be required.That means denser neighborhoods with a broader mix of affordable housing, experiential retail, restaurants, entertainment, parks and other amenities, which won’t happen overnight.RELATED: Are the Bay Area’s largest downtowns caught in a doom loop?“Once [these cities] become true urban neighborhoods, then you will find retailing start to come back in different ways and forms,” said Terry Shook, a founding partner at consulting firm Shook Kelly...

State looks to pull license of Walnut Creek second care home where fatal poisonings occurred

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

(BCN) — A second care home for the elderly owned by Atria Senior Living where a resident died after ingesting a caustic liquid may have its license revoked, according to the California Department of Social Services (DSS). DSS filed a legal action on April 27 to pull the license of Atria Walnut Creek, where one man died after what the coroner described as injuries consistent with drinking a caustic liquid cleaning agent, according to the DSS report. DSS in March filed a legal action to pull the license of Atria Park in San Mateo after two people died and one person was injured after drinking industrial grade dishwasher liquid. Both cases with the DSS are pending and Atria said it is appealing both. "We disagree with the Department of Social Services' decision and have filed a notice of contest to appeal that decision," a spokesperson for Atria said Thursday about the Walnut Creek case. "We are committed to working with them to reach a resolution of that appeal. Atr...

Ukraine secures logistics hub near Bakhmut as Russia says it repelled attacks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The territorial gains made this week by Ukrainian forces in the hotly contested eastern city of Bakhmut have secured an important logistics hub, Ukrainian military commanders said this week. Their appraisal came as Russia’s Defense Ministry said Kyiv had stepped up attacks north of the region, in a statement on Friday.The 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of territory retaken by Ukrainian forces south of Bakhmut earlier this week represent a significant gain for Kyiv and will protect an important supply chain, according to the commanders of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, a special forces unit that led the attack.The battle for Bakhmut, once a salt-mining town, has been grinding on for eight months, making it the longest of the war so far. In a statement on Telegram on Friday, Hanna Maliar confirmed that Ukrainian forces gained ground around the city, reiterating statements from Ukrainian military commanders earlier this week. The head of Russia’s Wag...

McDonald’s found liable for hot Chicken McNugget that fell from Happy Meal and burned girl

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — McDonald’s and a franchise holder are at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget from a Happy Meal fell on a little girl’s leg and caused second-degree burns, a jury in South Florida has found.A second jury will determine how much McDonald’s USA and its franchise owner, Upchurch Foods, will pay the child and her mother, the South Florida SunSentinel reported. Thursday’s decision was split, with jurors finding the franchise holder liable for negligence and failure to warn customers about the risk of hot food, and McDonald’s USA liable for failing to provide instructions for safe handling of the food. McDonald’s USA was not found to be negligent, and the jury dismissed the argument that the product was defective.“This was an unfortunate incident, but we respectfully disagree with the verdict,” McDonald’s USA said in a statement. “Our customers should continue to rely on McDonald’s to follow policies and procedures for serving Chicken McN...

Stock market today: US futures point higher in a mixed week of trading and more volatility for banks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

Wall Street pointed slightly higher early Friday in a mixed week of trading amid ongoing volatility for some regional banks and the potential for a U.S. recession.Futures for the benchmark S&P 500 rose 0.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked 0.4% higher. Investors have been on the lookout for the next possible downfall in the U.S. banking industry after three bank failures since March. PacWest Bancorp rose less than 2% before the bell Friday. A day earlier, shares of the California bank lose another 22.7% of their value after it disclosed a flight of deposits last week. PacWest’s tumble on Thursday dragged some, but not all, regional banks down with it.The banks that failed either had high exposure to tech companies that have been cutting back spending as the Fed raises its benchmark interest rates, or they invested heavily in bonds that are usually safe, but can lose value if interest rates rise. The Fed has now raised interest rates 10 times, hiking borrowing co...

Va. judge denies bid to hold single trial for all 10 charged in psychiatric patient’s death

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) — Seven sheriff’s deputies and three employees of a psychiatric hospital in Virginia cannot all be tried together in the death of a man who was pinned to the floor while being admitted, a judge ruled, while leaving open the possibility of joint trials for some of the defendants.Dinwiddie Circuit Judge Joseph Teefey Jr. on Wednesday granted requests from two Central State Hospital employees to be tried separately from the other defendants. It remains unclear whether the remaining eight defendants will stand trial together. During a court hearing, the judge did not rule out trying some of them at the same time.Lawyers for the two hospital employees argued it would be unfair to require their clients to stand trial with some of the other defendants, including sheriff’s deputies who had a more active role in restraining Irvo Otieno, 28. All 10 defendants are charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death March 6.Rhonda Quagliana, an attorney for...

LOCALIZE IT: Student test score data fills in picture on learning loss

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:56:43 GMT

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:New data on student test scores from a dozen states has been incorporated into an analysis of learning setbacks tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.The data was released Thursday by researchers at Harvard and Stanford universities as an update to their Education Recovery Scorecard, which now examines learning loss in math and reading across school districts in a total of 41 states. The research offers the most comprehensive look so far at pandemic learning loss. The initial analysis on the effects of the pandemic was released in October, based on test scores released by “the nation’s report card” as well as results from state-run standardized tests. It became possible to include the additional 12 states after they released results from their own standardized tests.According to the analysis, the average public school student in grades 3-8 fell behind by half a year of learning in math and a quarter of a year in reading. In some districts, average students lost ...