Let’s make Santa Clara County a more accessible place for all

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Let’s make Santa Clara County a more accessible place for all Here’s a statistic you probably didn’t know: Nearly 160,000 of our neighbors in Santa Clara County live with a disability. That’s one in 12 people. That one in 12 could be a co-worker, a friend or family member or a neighbor.Folks in the intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) community may experience the world a little differently, but they want to enjoy everything life has to offer like everybody else. Maybe they process and absorb information differently, or maybe the way they interact with their environment looks different.Some disabilities are visible; some aren’t. Regardless, people with disabilities in our county deserve the same support and access to resources as everybody else.For those of us who are in a position to make the world more accessible, it starts with removing physical and social barriers to help people with disabilities integrate fully into society. My office and I are fortunate to be in such a position.I recently pushed for a two-year partnership with...

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin named chair of Elections Committee

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin named chair of Elections Committee State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin is tapping into her roots in her new role as chair of the Assembly Elections Committee.Pellerin, whose 28th district includes Los Gatos, served for nearly three decades as the Santa Cruz County clerk, where she managed elections conducted in the county. She also served as president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials from 2010 to 2012 and as co-chair of the Secretary of State’s Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee.State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced her appointment earlier this month. She replaces Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan as elections committee chair.“With her 27 years of experience as a county clerk, Assemblymember Pellerin is well prepared to improve the accessibility of our elections while ensuring they remain secure and fair,” Rivas said in a statement.“I’m honored to have the confidence of the Speaker and continue to work to ensure that California is the gold standard for secure, accurate, transpare...

Campbell’s celebration of Parks and Rec Month goes swimmingly

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Campbell’s celebration of Parks and Rec Month goes swimmingly Family swim, water tower artCampbell’s celebration of National Parks and Recreation Month continues July 22 with “Under the CCC,” a family themed recreation swim night at the Campbell Community Center at 6 p.m. Registration is $2.50 at https://secure.rec1.com/CA/campbell-ca/catalog.On July 23, Campbell Recreation and Community Services is hosting a water tower chalk art contest in the community center parking lot from 9-11 a.m. Artists are free to create any masterpiece they would like, but a prize will be awarded for the best water tower chalk art of the day.Artists are responsible for bringing their own non-toxic chalk to use for the event. Registration is required to Eventbrite.comRemote meeting accessSanta Clara County residents will soon be able to participate remotely in meetings of the county’s 52 boards and commissions that are subject to the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law. Apart from the county Board of Supervisors and its policy committees, remote participation ha...

Latest line: A good week for Mark Zuckerberg, a bad week for Big Oil

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Latest line: A good week for Mark Zuckerberg, a bad week for Big Oil Mark ZuckerbergFacebook co-founder launches Threads, a new social media platform similar to Twitter, drawing 100 million users in the first week, and sending parent company Meta’s stock to a 52-week high.    Big OilPPIC poll shows 65% of likely California voters oppose new offshore oil drilling, and 64% oppose a 2024 ballot measure that would overturn a state law prohibiting new wells near homes and schools.   Pamela PriceOpponents launch a recall against the liberal Alameda County district attorney, who they say is soft on crime. But it could cost $1 million to collect 93,000 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. 

They said it: Lemme take that vote back

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

They said it: Lemme take that vote back “On Tuesday, I made a bad decision. Voting against legislation targeting really bad people who traffic children was wrong. I regret doing that and I am going to help get this important legislation passed into law.”— Assemblywoman Liz Ortega, D-Hayward, explaining on Twitter why she joined five other Democrats on the Public Safety Committee who refused Wednesday to vote for a Republican bill declaring child sex trafficking a “serious” felony in California. After Gov. Gavin Newsom intervened, she and three others voted for it.

After years of ‘waiting and fighting,’ victims of San Jose State sex abuse scandal ready for trainer’s trial

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

After years of ‘waiting and fighting,’ victims of San Jose State sex abuse scandal ready for trainer’s trial The sex abuse scandal at San Jose State brought down a university president and athletic director, spurred a federal investigation that issued a scathing report and cost the university millions in legal settlements.But what at least two dozen former female athletes are still waiting for — after years of being ignored or not believed — is criminal justice. Over the next three weeks, a tightly-knit group of survivors — many now in their 30s — is expected to gather in a federal courtroom in San Jose for the trial of Scott Shaw, the former head athletic trainer accused of sexually assaulting them during treatments as far back as 2009. Jury selection begins Monday. Shaw kept his job for another 11 years, allegedly abusing more female athletes, as university officials dismissed — and then hushed up — the allegations and threatened a Spartan swim coach who kept up a decade-long crusade to expose the abuse.According to court records filed in preparation for the trial, the accusations agains...

What were readers’ driving concerns when Mr. Roadshow first hit the streets in 1992?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

What were readers’ driving concerns when Mr. Roadshow first hit the streets in 1992? Q: Reading your colleague Larry Magid’s column in which he reflects on the stories he’s covered over the past 40 years makes me wonder what Roadshow was like when you started writing for the Mercury News. When did you publish your first column and what were people writing to you about then?It would be interesting to see some of your earliest letters. I’ll bet readers were grumbling about crummy road conditions, litter, traffic jams, high gas prices, and clueless drivers, just like we do today. Has anything changed?Alan Feinberg, Los GatosA: Thanks, and you’ll see a series of some of the most memorable Roadshow stories a little later this year. The first Roadshow column was published in 1992 and readers then were asking about when Highways 85 and 87 would open, among other issues. And as you note, many people have the same concerns that drivers have now.Q: Claire Lomax said her friend in Germany described how the “zipper effect” helps traffic flow. I want to mention...

Man shot during attempted robbery in San Francisco

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Man shot during attempted robbery in San Francisco (KRON) -- A man was shot during an attempted robbery Saturday evening, according to the San Francisco Police Department. At around 6:11 p.m., officers responded to the report of a shooting at the intersection of Mariposa Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Officers located a man suffering from gunshot-related injuries, SFPD said. Kidnapped San Mateo woman found in Mexico, en route back to U.S. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the incident discovered that an attempted robbery had taken place, police said. No arrests have been made and the suspect fled the scene.KRON On is streaming news live 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%; }Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444.

Child rescued, sustains critical burn injuries in Santa Rosa apartment building fire

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Child rescued, sustains critical burn injuries in Santa Rosa apartment building fire (KRON) -- A child was rescued by firefighters and sustained critical burn injuries during an apartment building fire Saturday evening, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department.Just after 6 p.m., firefighters received several reports of an apartment building at 801 Dutton Avenue on fire with people trapped inside. The first unit arrived within four minutes of receiving the calls and located smoke coming from a second floor window of a two-story apartment building, SRFD said. Kidnapped San Mateo woman found in Mexico, en route back to U.S. Crews began to cut into the roof, releasing the heavy smoke and fire from inside, to allow firefighters to search the building for people. One child was found on the second floor and transported to the hospital with critical, life-threatening burn injuries, SRFD said. Firefighters were told there was another person inside, but did not locate additional victims following another search. The fire was eventually contained within 30 minutes, but c...

Taiwanese award-winning indigenous youth choir kicks off US tour

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 23:44:20 GMT

Taiwanese award-winning indigenous youth choir kicks off US tour (KRON) -- An award-winning indigenous children’s choir from Taiwan is kicking off their United States tour this month starting in the Bay Area. Vox Nativa joins KRON4’s Stephanie Lin to share more along with a live performance in-studio. The choir will perform in San Jose Saturday night and will then travel to San Diego and Los Angeles.