Letters: Christmas trash | Electoral college | Colorado ban | Zionism meaning | Good writing | Hostage killings | Florida vs. California

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Letters: Christmas trash | Electoral college | Colorado ban | Zionism meaning | Good writing | Hostage killings | Florida vs. California Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Shop local to cutChristmas trashRe: “Christmas gifts turbocharge our trash problem. How I cope” (Page A6, Dec. 21).I too am aghast at the amount of needless packaging that comes along with the merchandise we buy. Over an item bought from Amazon, there can be four layers: the cardboard box, the air pillows, the clear packaging, thick paper, and perhaps even a plastic bag. Why must we fill up our landfills with all these layers?Humans are the absolute worst animal species in the creation of waste. Here’s one vote for a tax incentive for buying gifts locally, in stores, where packaging is not needed. Remove the sales tax requirement for small, independent local stores, and we will both boost our local economy and keep our landfills emptier.Jeremiah TrujilloEl SobranteWhy do we hang onto Electoral College?Americans should be ashamed of themselves. Not for voting for Donald Trump. That was a...

Steve Kerr sounds off on officiating after Warriors’ Christmas loss to Denver Nuggets

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Steve Kerr sounds off on officiating after Warriors’ Christmas loss to Denver Nuggets DENVER — There is no pride in a moral victory or much solace to take when it seems referees take a game into their own hands.But the Warriors were OK with the way they played in a 120-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas afternoon. Mostly, the Warriors’ postgame locker room was abuzz with criticism over the way this game was officiated.The Nuggets took 32 free throws to the Warriors’ 23, but the true turning point was Nikola Jokic’s 14 second-half free throws that swung a spirited game into a foul frenzy. The Nuggets quickly landed in the bonus in the final quarter, and Jokic didn’t have to feel much contact to get a trip to the line.Coach Steve Kerr went beyond blaming Monday’s grew of Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox and Michael Smith, instead pointing a finger at the rigidity of the rules they’re trained to follow.  Those tuning in to a close game between the last two NBA champions on Christmas day got the gift of whistles upon whistl...

3-alarm Los Altos fire destroys dance studio

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

3-alarm Los Altos fire destroys dance studio (KRON) -- A three-alarm fire badly damaged a commercial building in Los Altos early Christmas morning, according to police and fire officials. The fire was reported at 4:48 a.m. Monday at a two-story building covering more than 20,000 square feet on the 4600 block of El Camino Real, the Santa Clara County Fire Department said. Armed man arrested on Christmas Eve for bothering BART passengers Shortly after 4 p.m., the Santa Clara County Fire Department said the fire was under control. Units will remain on the scene monitoring for hot spots throughout the night, officials said.Eastbound El Camino Real between San Antonio Road and Sherwood Avenue will remain closed until the building can be demolished, fire officials said.No injuries were reported in the fire, police said.The business that was damaged was a dance studio. The roof of the building collapsed and much of the building was completely destroyed, according to a GoFundMe set up for the business.Bay City News contributed to th...

Bay Area rain to return Wednesday after Christmas

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Bay Area rain to return Wednesday after Christmas (KRON) – Rain is expected to return to the Bay Area the week of Christmas, according to the National Weather Service. The first round of rain is predicted for Wednesday through Thursday. The rain is predicted to be less than one inch in the Bay. However, the North Bay is forecasted to have 0.5-2 inches of rain. Coastal flood, hazardous beach advisories for Christmas The second round of rain is forecasted from late Thursday through Saturday. According to NWS, this system could range from one to three inches in the coastal ranges and 0.2-1 inches in the interior. For your safety, allow extra time for travel and leave space in between cars. Cleaning your gutters and storm drainers can also be helpful. In addition to rain, the Bay Area may get strong southerly winds, the NWS said.This combination could lead to some trees coming down. The NWS recommends taking advantage of the settled weather conditions to make preparations and "take down the blow-up Santa."

Jokic a perfect 18-of-18 from free-throw line, draws ire of Kerr, as Nuggets beat Warriors 120-114

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Jokic a perfect 18-of-18 from free-throw line, draws ire of Kerr, as Nuggets beat Warriors 120-114 DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic’s frequent parade to the free-throw line was a sore subject for Steve Kerr. The Golden State coach doesn’t feel like defense gets rewarded consistently enough in today’s NBA.Jokic overcame an off day from the field by going 18 of 18 from the free-throw line and the Denver Nuggets extended their winning streak to five games by holding off the Warriors 120-114 on Monday.Jokic finished with 26 points despite a 4-of-12 showing from the floor. He set a career-high with his 18 made free throws. In all, the Nuggets were 26 of 32 from the free-throw line.“I have no problem with the officials themselves,” Kerr said after the game. “I have a problem with the way we are legislating defense out of the game. That’s what we’re doing. The way we’re teaching officials, we’re just enabling to players to (fool) their way to the foul line. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second half of that game. It was disgusting.“It was just baiting re...

Intensa tormenta invernal impacta al Medio Oeste de EEUU en Navidad

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Intensa tormenta invernal impacta al Medio Oeste de EEUU en Navidad Una tormenta invernal complicó este lunes de Navidad la movilidad en varios estados del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos, impactados por las bajas temperaturas, los fuertes vientos y la acumulación de nieve.El Departamento de Transporte de Nebraska recomendó a los ciudadanos no tomar vehículos dado que “la intensa acumulación de nieve y los fuertes vientos están deteriorando rápidamente” las condiciones en las carreteras.El Servicio Nacional de Meteorología (NWS, por sus siglas en inglés) predijo en un reporte “fuertes nevadas” y vientos intensos en partes de las Llanuras Centrales y del Medio Oeste del país. Spirit Airlines envía a un niño no acompañado en el avión equivocado Niño hispano celebra la Navidad tras vencer al cáncer: ahora revela qué quiere hacer cuando crezca El organismo predijo grandes acumulaciones de nieve durante todo el día de Navidad en Kansas, Nebraska y Dakota del Sur, e importantes for...

Egipto propone un plan de tres fases para poner fin a la guerra entre Israel y Hamas, según reportes

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Egipto propone un plan de tres fases para poner fin a la guerra entre Israel y Hamas, según reportes (CNN) — Egipto propuso el domingo un plan para poner fin a la guerra en curso entre Israel y Hamas, según varios informes de los medios, pero no está claro cómo lo recibirán las partes en conflicto.El gabinete de guerra de Israel se reunió el lunes y, entre otros temas, se esperaba que discutieran los esfuerzos en curso para asegurar la liberación de los rehenes, dijo un funcionario israelí a CNN. La fuente no quiso reconocer la propuesta egipcia de tres fases.El acuerdo de tres fases de Egipto “garantizaría la liberación de los rehenes retenidos por Hamas en Gaza”, informa Barak Ravid, analista de política y política exterior de CNN, citando dos fuentes israelíes. CNN no ha obtenido de forma independiente una copia del plan.Guerra entre Israel y Hamas en vivo: muertes y ataques en Gaza, noticias y másEn la primera fase del plan, se espera que Israel detenga sus operaciones militares durante una o dos semanas para que Hamas libere a 40 rehenes, entre ellos mujeres y ancianos, ...

Raiders use 2 defensive touchdowns for 20-14 win over Chiefs

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Raiders use 2 defensive touchdowns for 20-14 win over Chiefs KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Las Vegas got a pair of defensive touchdowns for the second straight week, including a pick-6 of the struggling Patrick Mahomes, and the resurgent Raiders held off the sloppy Kansas City Chiefs 20-14 on Monday to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.Big defensive tackle Bilal Nichols returned a fumble 8 yards for a touchdown, and Jack Jones took an interception 33 yards for another score 7 seconds later, helping the Raiders (7-8) snap a six-game losing streak to the Chiefs. The Raiders have five defensive TDs this season, their most since 2005.Kansas City (9-6) squandered an opportunity to clinch the AFC West for the eighth consecutive year with one of their worst performances of the Mahomes era. The Chiefs still had a chance after Mahomes hit Justin Watson for a touchdown with 2:42 to go. But on the ensuing possession, the Raiders’ Zamir White got loose for a 43-yard gain, picking up a first down that allowed them to run out the clock.Mahomes finished 27 o...

DC’s Central Union Mission provides hundreds of Christmas meals to men in need

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

DC’s Central Union Mission provides hundreds of Christmas meals to men in need Central Union Mission in D.C. provides shelter and job training to people experiencing homelessness, and this year, on Christmas Day, it continued a holiday tradition by serving hot meals to men in need.“They’ll come back by and say, ‘Oh, thanks for dinner, it was great,’ or, ‘Thanks for lunch, it was great,’” said Rick Snyder, kitchen manager and chef at the mission.Snyder woke up at 5 a.m. this Christmas to provide hot food for hundreds of men separated from their families or living in poverty.“We have a lot of people who have dedicated some time to come and help in making sure that men get fed,” Snyder said.Whether it was pork, chicken or a fish option for the one pescatarian, the chef wanted to ensure everyone was fed.“The men appreciate everything that we do,” Snyder said.Volunteers from the Jewish Community Center of D.C. joined the staff at Central Union Mission, which is located on Massachusetts Avenue.“Generally speaking, you know, we like to spend time with our famil...

Un hombre de Arkansas visitó un parque estatal con su novia. Encontró el diamante más grande que se ha descubierto allí en 3 años

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:07:22 GMT

Un hombre de Arkansas visitó un parque estatal con su novia. Encontró el diamante más grande que se ha descubierto allí en 3 años (CNN) –– Un hombre de Arkansas pensó que había recogido un trozo de vidrio en un parque estatal. Sin embargo, después descubrió que su hallazgo, del tamaño de una gomita, era algo mucho más valioso: un diamante de 4,87 quilates.Jerry Evans visitó el Parque Estatal Crater of Diamonds en Murfreesboro, Arkansas, por primera vez con su novia la primavera pasada, relató a los funcionarios del parque.Según el hombre, unos 10 minutos después de llegar al lugar, vio lo que parecía se vidrio a unos metros de distancia en la cima de una colina arada, según un comunicado de prensa.Aunque se guardó el hallazgo en forma de pirámide, no estaba seguro de si era un diamante, señaló Evans en el comunicado.“Era tan claro. Realmente no sabía”, dijo Evans. “Estábamos recogiendo todo pensando que era un diamante”.El Crater of Diamonds, que se nombró parque estatal en 1972, es conocido como un lugar de diamantes por su fuente volcánica original, según los funcionarios del parque.Después de re...