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Book reviews: A new Hercule Poirot novel and other mysteries

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

“After That Night,” by Karen Slaughter (William Morrow)“After That Night,” by Karen Slaughter (William Morrow)When a young woman dies in the ER after being raped, Dr. Sara Linton promises the victim she’ll find a way to bring the attacker to justice. The attack dredges up memories of Sara’s own rape 15 years earlier, and there are uncanny similarities.Three years later, at the trial of the woman’s accused rapist, his befuddled mother, Britt McAllister, confronts Sara, saying, “I can’t save the rest of them, but I can save my boy.” Britt is Sara’s medical school nemesis, part of a gang of interns whose leader is her husband. With the help of her fiancé, Will Trent, Sara investigates the members of the old gang in an attempt to uncover their horrifying secret. It’s a brutal story filled with arrogant, sexist physicians who are only too happy to make Sara relive her past terror.“Salt House Place,” by Jamie Lee Sogn (Lake Union)Delia is haunted by wha...

Kaiser Permanente reaches tentative deal with health care workers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

A tentative deal has been reached Friday morning between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions representing thousands of health care workers. More than 75,000 Kaiser workers took part in a 3-day strike last week to bring attention to what they called unfair labor practices and unfair working conditions that were affecting the quality of patient care.“We just can’t go on with this staffing crisis,” one worker preparing to picket outside the Kaiser hospital in North Hollywood last week.Part of the tentative deal included raises and renewed outsourcing and subcontracting protections, according to an email announcing the agreement. "We won this agreement by standing together and taking action," a portion of the email read. The agreement still needs to be ratified by a vote.

Large crowd, cars burning rubber takeover Rosemead shopping center

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

More than 100 people and several cars took over a Rosemead shopping center Thursday night.Sky5 was over the scene around 10:30 p.m. at the Rosemead Place Shopping Center just north of the 10 Freeway. A crowd gathers outside the Rosemead Place Shopping Center on Oct. 12, 2023. (KTLA)At one point, a crowd of people were standing around vehicles blocking the walkway and parking lot area outside an Ulta Beauty store. The vehicles were revving their engines, causing fire to come out of the exhausts. Teen arrested in fatal shooting of West Covina liquor store clerk Another vehicle was burning rubber in the parking lot, leaving skid marks on the roadway. There was no word on whether any arrests were made or citations given.

Danny O’Keefe Digs Little Richard

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

Danny O’Keefe Digs Little Richard: Songwriter extraordinaire Danny O’Keefe told us about his Little Richard experience.Danny O’Keefe: I was spending the summer of my thirteenth year in a small town on the Mississippi River called Lake City. It was where my aunt and uncle and my cousins lived. It was a magical place for me.I lived in a little town in Washington State situated on the Columbia River. I’d been listening to Bill Haley and the Comets; Fats Domino; Gene Vincent; Buddy Holly; and, of course Elvis. But it was Little Richard that got to me in the biggest way. The first time I heard “Long Tall Sally” he tore my head off. You couldn’t help but move when you heard it. I wasn’t even sure if I understood the lyrics: “Gonna tell Aunt Mary ‘bout Uncle John. Claims to have the misery but he has a lotta fun. Oh, baby!” And, yet, I did. Didn’t we all? Adolescent white kids yearning for something that would move us a sufficient distance off the square.We were walking d...

‘Help is coming’ to replace latest destroyed signage in troublesome San Jose spot: Roadshow

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

Q: At Story Road and Lancelot, island signage was destroyed months ago. It has been numerous times. One night in September, a driver hit the center island, skidded to Moraes Court and destroyed a pickup prior to stopping. Story Road was worked on, as was the island, but no new signage or reflectors were installed. The black on the island, presumably from vehicle tires, makes the island difficult to see, especially at night.A couple of weeks ago at Story and Clayton/Meadow Lane, a center of the road stop sign was destroyed (again!) within a week of the sign having been replaced.Over the years there have been many accidents in this area of Story Road. Please ask the city to replace AND improve the signage at Lancelot.Also, recently a No Stopping sign was installed at Moraes Court and Story Road. What is the difference between No Stopping and No Parking? Closer to King Road on Story, there are double stacked signs, No Parking on or below No Stopping signs.AnonymousA: On your first ques...

Free condoms in public schools? Not in California — at least, not yet

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have provided students with free condoms at public schools — an attempt to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and drive down the rate of teen pregnancies.The bill, which was written by Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Panorama City), would have also blocked retailers from refusing the sale of condoms to teen customers. Though Newsom agreed that increasing access to condoms was “important to supporting improved adolescent sexual health,” he rejected the bill due to the cost — an explanation that seems to have become boilerplate language for dozens of the governor’s vetoes in recent days.“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure,” said Newsom in his veto statement.The state was forced to deal with a $30 billion budget shortfall this year. Newsom said th...

Hey, Bay Area: Here’s where to watch the partial “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse on Saturday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

If you’re far enough north, the skies will darken ominously on early Saturday morning as the moon slides across the face of the sun and creates a rare and hauntingly beautiful “ring of fire” eclipse.But even in the Bay Area, we may detect a subtle dimming, evidence of the clockwork of the universe as the sun and moon appear to cross paths.Related ArticlesScience | Saturday’s solar eclipse in the Bay Area: What it will look like Science | ‘Ring of fire’ solar eclipse will slice across Americas on Saturday with millions along path Science | What to look for and where to buy solar shades for safe eclipse viewing Science | A ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse is coming soon. Here’s what you should know Science | Tomorrow’s full harvest moon is the last supermoon of the year “The sun will look like a crescent. We’ll see a giant bite taken out of the sun’s surface,” said astronomer Andrew Fraknoi, lectur...

Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Sydney Kring, Campolindo water polo

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

Campolindo water polo player Sydney Kring is the Bay Area News Group’s girls high school athlete of the week for Oct. 2-7 after he received 34.27% of the vote.Valley Christian field hockey player Cameron Klee (27.14%) took second.Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition.Kring, a sophomore goalkeeper, had 51 saves, 12 steals and 8 assists last week, adding to her season total of 167 saves. She helped Campolindo place second at the Arroyo Grande classic with victories over Acalanes, Righetti, Saint Francis, Sacred Heart and Carondelet.To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email [email protected] by Monday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results.We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration.Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.Related ArticlesHigh ...

Could dominant 49ers be peaking too soon? They’re not buying it.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers are off to the second-best five-game start in franchise history.After a 42-10 destruction of the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers head into Cleveland Sunday with a point differential of plus-99, with 167 points scored against 68 given up.That’s better than the plus-83 (147 to 64) in a 5-0 start in 2019 that saw the 49ers finish 13-3, win the NFC Championship and then lose in Super Bowl LIV to the Kansas City Chiefs.Or plus-33 (127 to 94) when starting 5-0 in 1990, a season that ended in a 15-13 loss to the New York Giants and erased a dream of three consecutive championships.Or plus-40 (132 to 92) in 1984, which ended gloriously with a 38-16 blowout of the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium.But it’s not as good as going 5-0 to start the season with a 116-point differential in 1952 (170 to 54) and an average margin of victory of 23.2 points per game.For what it’s worth, that 49ers team with four future Hall of Famers in runni...

San Jose hotel deal involving SJSU advances as city preps key approval

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:48 GMT

SAN JOSE — A deal for the sale of one of the towers of a downtown San Jose hotel that involves a local university is poised to make progress now that city officials are preparing a key approval step for the transaction.The transaction involves the southern tower of the double-highrise Signia by Hilton San Jose at 170 South Market Street, according to documents prepared for an upcoming San Jose City Council meeting.Signia by Hilton San Jose, an 805-room hotel at 170 South Market Street in downtown San Jose. The 541-room northern tower is visible to the left. The 264-room southern tower annex is visible in the center and shown within the outline. Boundaries are approximate. (Google Maps)The 805-room hotel consists of a northern tower of 541 rooms and a southern tower annex of 264 rooms. The South Tower has been put up for sale and is slated to become student housing, the city documents show.The potential transaction could lead to the south tower being bought by a real estat...