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Santa Clara County could see a sales tax increase in the next five years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Santa Clara County residents could once again see a sales tax hike.Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed off on a bill giving the county the power to increase the sales tax rate — with voter approval — past the current cap.Senate Bill 335, authored by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), allows Santa Clara County to put a measure on a ballot before December 2028 to increase the sales tax rate by 0.625%. The county currently has the fourth highest sales tax rate in the state at 9.125%, behind Alameda, Los Angeles and San Mateo counties.“There’s certain things that the county funds that they don’t have general fund resources that are vital to the public,” Cortese told the Mercury News. “This legislation at least ensures that if they find themselves in a situation like that they can take a vote and go to the ballot if they can get enough supervisors to agree.”California has capped district tax rates in each county at 2% since 1969. Santa Clara County currently has...

The saga of Annie, UC Berkeley’s peregrine falcon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

It was clear from the start: Annie was going to be a star.In late 2016, people began noticing a pair of peregrine falcons flying around the UC Berkeley campus. The birds weren’t being secretive, says biologist Sean Peterson, but it still took a while to narrow down where they might be roosting: atop the iconic Campanile bell tower.With permission from the university, a small handful of volunteers climbed a hidden spiral staircase concealed in one of the Campanile’s columns. The passageway was so narrow, the intrepid explorers had to push their backpacks ahead of themselves.At the top, they found a small opening covered by wooden slats — and a pair of piercing yellow eyes staring back at them. It was Annie, sitting on the torn sandbags that served as her nest.Since then, Annie and her mates have captured the attention of a wide audience. Thousands of people from around the world watch the web cams installed on the Campanile, following every dramatic moment in the falcons’ lives...

At beleaguered San Jose’s animal shelter, care for dogs is criticized

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

It was a hot San Jose summer day two years ago when the city’s animal control squad set off to seize 20 dogs from a suspected illegal dog breeding business. The string of missteps that followed would mark one of the darkest days in the city shelter’s recent history, but records show it wouldn’t be the last time a dog lost a limb or died.The shelter is currently facing a City Council-ordered audit amid ongoing criticism of conditions at the facility and inadequate staffing and infrastructure.In the mishap in July 2021, which was never publicly disclosed, animal control truck No. 11108 arrived at the San Jose shelter with three dogs. As the temperatures inside rose, officers first unloaded other animals from the other vehicles. Inside the sweltering truck, the dogs became hotter and hotter.An American bulldog named BMF and a French bulldog named Shika died, likely of heat stroke as their body temperatures reached nearly 110 degrees, a summary from that day and autops...

San Jose Sharks struggles: What are Hasso Plattner’s thoughts on the rebuild?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner keeps close tabs on the organization and was no doubt aware of how badly his team was outclassed last week in losses to the Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins.“Obviously, to lose the way we have lost,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said Monday, “I’m sure it’s been alarming to him.”Grier, though, said he’s been in regular contact with Plattner and has his support as the Sharks go through an extended rebuild for one of the few times in their history. San Jose, which has a 0-10-1 record going into Tuesday’s game with the Philadelphia Flyers, has multiple needs to address and is all but assured of missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season.Plattner, a titan of the tech industry who was worth $16.2 billion, per Bloomberg, as of Monday, keeps a low profile when it comes to the Sharks and in recent years has opted to issue statements about the team through press releases rather than speak publicly. Although he finalized...

Woman struck and killed by car, San Jose’s 24th pedestrian death of the year

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

(KRON) – A woman was struck and killed by a car in San Jose Monday night at 11 p.m. The incident occurred between Chesbro Avenue and Blossom Hill Road.This is San Jose's 24th pedestrian death of the year.  Series of violent robberies leaves Walnut Creek residents on edge The woman was taken to the hospital where she passed away.Police say the driver of the vehicle that struck her remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.

Polls now open in Virginia as voters cast ballots in pivotal state election

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Visit WTOP’s Virginia Election 2023 page for our comprehensive coverage. It’s Election Day in Virginia.The polls opened at 6 a.m. and voters are casting ballots that will decide which party controls the Virginia Legislature — as well as a slew of local races for school and county boards.The outcome in Virginia — among just four states with legislative elections this year — will be closely scrutinized nationwide for hints of what may come in the 2024 presidential cycle.Here’s what you need to know.How to votePolls are open until 7 p.m. You can look up your closest polling place online.Virginia now also has same-day voter registration, which allows voters to cast a provisional ballot if they are not registered before Election Day but can prove they are eligible to vote. You can find more information on the Virginia Department of Elections website.If you requested a mail-in ballot, you can drop it off at your local registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day or to another ...

Transportation panel eyes toll increases and fees on electric, hybrid vehicles in Maryland

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Paying Highway Toll. Men in the Car Paying the Toll. Highway Systems.(Getty Images/iStockphoto/welcomia) Paying Highway Toll. Men in the Car Paying the Toll. Highway Systems.(Getty Images/iStockphoto/welcomia) A blue ribbon transportation panel is poised to recommend new fees for electric vehicles and increased tolls as part of an effort to solve a revenue shortage plaguing the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.The Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs Commission was briefed on both possibilities Monday. An interim report due to the General Assembly by the end of the year could include both recommendations to lawmakers and the Maryland Department of Transportation.Frank Principe, chair of the panel somet...

Blinken seeks G7 unity on Israel-Hamas war among items on crisis-heavy global agenda

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Fresh from a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shifted his intense diplomacy on the Israel-Hamas war to Asia on Tuesday with an appeal for the Group of Seven leading industrial democracies to forge consensus on how to deal with the crisis. As he and his G7 counterparts began two days of talks in Japan, Blinken said it was critically important for the group to show unity as it has over Russia’s war in Ukraine and other major issues and prevent existing differences on Gaza from deepening. “This is a very important moment as well for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and to speak, as we do, with one clear voice,” Blinken told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, shortly after talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.The devastating monthlong conflict in Gaza and efforts to ease the dire humanitarian impacts of Israel’s response to the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack will be a major focus of the meeting. Yet...

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan out of Cricket World Cup with fractured finger

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out of the World Cup with a fractured left-index finger, the International Cricket Council said in a news release on Tuesday.The all-rounder was injured while batting in the controversial three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Delhi on Monday.Wicketkeeper-batter Anamul Haque has been named as his replacement and vice-captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will take over as skipper.Bangladesh cannot reach the semifinals. It is seventh in the standings with four points from eight matches. Its other win came against Afghanistan, with a final game against Australia in Pune remaining on Nov. 11.Shakib was the focal point of an acrimonious game on Monday. Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket after taking more than two minutes to receive his first ball.The 36-year-old Shakib was named player of the match for scoring 82 off 65 balls. He was caught off Mathews in what could be his last World Cup appea...

Sports on TV for Wednesday, November 8

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsWednesday, November 8COLLEGE FOOTBALL7 p.m.CBSSN — Bowling Green at Kent St.ESPNU — Akron at Miami (Ohio)7:30 p.m.ESPN2 — E. Michigan at ToledoCOLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)6 p.m.ACCN — Atlantic Coast Tournament: North Carolina at Syracuse, Semifinal8 p.m.ACCN — Atlantic Coast Tournament: Louisville at Clemson, SemifinalCOLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)8 p.m.SECN — South Carolina at Mississippi St.GOLF4 a.m. (Thursday)GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nedbank Golf Challenge, First Round, Gary Player CC, Sun City, South AfricaHORSE RACING12 a.m. (Thursday)FS2 — Oaks Day: From Flemington Racecourse, Flemington, AustraliaIIHF HOCKEY (WOMEN’S)9:30 p.m.NHLN — Rivalry Series: U.S. vs. Canada, Tempe, Ariz.NBA BASKETBALL7:30 p.m.ESPN — San Antonio at New York10 p.m.ESPN — Golden State at DenverNHL HOCKEY7:30 p.m.TNT — Florida at Washington10 p.m.TNT — Los Angeles at VegasSOCCER (MEN’S)2:55 p.m.CBSSN — UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Inter Milan at...