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Letters: Supporting bigotry | Safer schools | Grace at college | Ending war | Code of law

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Ruling supports bigotry,not religious freedomRe: “School district violated religious freedom” (Page B1, Sept. 15).A three-member appellate court has ruled it is constitutional for a religious club at a San Jose high school to discriminate against LGBTQ students based on the club’s religious belief, i.e. “That marriage must be between a man and a woman.”This ruling has wrapped bigotry in a blanket of religious freedom. But, bigotry in any wrapping is bigotry. Discrimination against LGBTQ students has no place in a public school, and it is
unconstitutional for a government entity to sponsor a religious belief that infringes on another’s liberty.Sadly, attacks against the LGBTQ community are happening in the Santa Clara Valley. We have a duty to recognize and confront bigotry regardless of the vehicle it appropriates. Hopefully, the full appellate court will reverse this affront to democra...

Judge rejects Trump call to recuse herself from election case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

By Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand | CNNThe federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s federal 2020 election subversion criminal case will not disqualify herself from the matter, rejecting a longshot bid from the former president’s team to remove her from the case.In her 20-page ruling on Wednesday, Judge Tanya Chutkan spells out her approach to previous US Capitol riot defendants appearing before her and why she mentioned Trump during those hearings.Chutkan, a Barack Obama appointee and former public defender, has on several times addressed the impact of the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack during sentences for convicted rioters, and has repeatedly exceeded what prosecutors have requested for convicted rioters’ prison sentences.She has also presided over civil litigation involving January 6, including a forceful rejection of Trump’s attempts to block the House select committee investigating the insurrection from accessing more than 700 pages of records from his White House.“Pre...

Dozens arrested as mobs ransack Philadelphia stores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

Associated PressPHILADELPHIA — Dozens of people faced criminal charges Wednesday after a night of social media-fueled mayhem in which groups of thieves, apparently working together, smashed their way into stores in several areas of Philadelphia, stuffing plastic bags with merchandise and fleeing, authorities said.Police said they made at least 52 arrests. Burglary, theft and other counts have been filed so far against at least 30 people, all but three of them adults, according to Jane Roh, spokesperson for the Philadelphia district attorney’s office.The flash mob-style ransacking Tuesday night at dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple came after a peaceful protest over a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver, Eddie Irizarry, through a rolled-up window.Those doing the ransacking were not affiliated with the protest, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a new...

Journalists at Embarcadero Media — publisher of Palo Alto, Pleasanton newspapers — are unionizing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

Journalists at Bay Area community news and entertainment publisher Embarcadero Media have announced they are unionizing, saying they want a “seat at the table” to work on a contract addressing newsroom diversity, workloads and wages.In a statement, newsroom workers at such publications as Palo Alto Weekly, Mountain View Voice, The Almanac and Pleasanton Weekly said the past few years at the company have been marked by layoffs, cuts in hours and employees leaving for higher-paying jobs elsewhere.“As the backbone of Embarcadero Media — reporters and designers, editors and visual journalists — we demand a more diverse, equitable newsroom where employees earn living wages and aren’t forced to take second jobs to make ends meet,” according to the statement, which was issued by Embarcadero Community News Guild. “We deserve to have a say in our job descriptions and workloads, to be compensated fairly for working overtime and to be supported t...

Photos: $76 million Steve Wynn-built estate could break record for most expensive sale in Tahoe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

A mansion built by hotelier Steve Wynn in Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village is for sale for $76 million. If sold for that price, it would be the most expensive sale in Lake Tahoe history.Known as The Old Forge, Wynn built the sprawling estate on Lakeshore Blvd. in 1994. Known as “Billionaire’s Row,” the street has housed properties over the years of homeowners that include tech CEOs Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Ellison.A mansion built by hotelier Steve Wynn in Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village is for sale for $76 million. (Scott Chandler Productions) A mansion built by hotelier Steve Wynn in Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village is for sale for $76 million. (Scott Chandler Productions) The estate sits on five acres of waterfront property with pristine views of the lake. The 12,661-square-foot main residence has four en-suite bedrooms, and the home is decked out with a gourmet kitchen, fitness room, media room and wine room, among other features. The property also includes a three-bedroom guest ...

49ers’ leaders endorse Shanahan, Lynch extensions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Nick Bosa is not the only one who agreed to an extension and pay raise before the 49ers’ season. So did coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, much to Bosa’s approval.“I appreciate being in an organization that’s stable,” Bosa said Wednesday. “I’ve seen other teams with friends, my brother (Joey of the Los Angeles Chargers), people who have not really had a stable working environment, and I’m lucky to have that.”Bosa, three weeks after signing the NFL’s richest contract for a non-quarterback, lauded the cohesiveness of Shanahan and Lynch, as well as their up-front communication skills.“There’s a lot of shadiness in the NFL,” Bosa said. “People treat different echelons of players differently throughout (other teams’) building, and it seems pretty consistent with (Shanahan), whether you’re practice squad or one of the starters.”“People talk about it a lot about how real he is, about how authentic he...

Maryland congressman explains likely impacts of possible government shutdown on Montgomery Co.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

Once again, federal workers, the contractors who depend on government work and local jurisdictions across the D.C. region are bracing for the possibility of another government shutdown.On Wednesday, Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin joined Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to talk about the potential impacts in Montgomery County, home to thousands of federal workers and agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Institutes of Health.Raskin said “I’ve got 58,000 active federal employees in the 8th district,” and many more “whose livelihoods are intertwined with the federal government as federal contractors and people who work in associated industries.”Raskin said questions remain about how exactly a shutdown would affect different sectors of the federal workforce. He said his office is prepared to help answer constituent questions about the possible effects of a shutdown.First, he responded to whether s...

Inter’s perfect start ended by 2-1 loss to Sassuolo. AC Milan catches city rival atop Serie A

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan saw its perfect start to the Serie A season come to an end as it fell to a surprise 2-1 loss at home to Sassuolo on Wednesday.Denzel Dumfries fired Inter in front on the stroke of halftime but two goals in nine second-half minutes — including a stunner from Domenico Berardi — gave Sassuolo another impressive win, following its 4-2 victory over Juventus at the weekend.The result left Inter level on points at the top of the table with city rival AC Milan after United States international Christian Pulisic helped the Rossoneri to a 3-1 victory over Cagliari.Inter was looking to make it six wins out of six in an impressive start to the season and was also the only unbeaten side remaining in Serie A.Matters appeared to be going to plan when it took the lead in first-half stoppages. Dumfries cut inside from the right and befuddled one defender before firing a shot between the legs of another and into the bottom left corner.However, the warning signs had been there...

What autoworkers’ strike could mean for car repairs in the DC area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

Not long after the union United Auto Workers went on strike against three big carmakers earlier this month, Precise Auto Service in Kensington, Maryland, sent an email blast to about 1,000 customers. Many customers have been reluctant to go through with all of the shop’s recommended repairs or services, according to Shop Manager Blake Ridgeway, because of how expensive it has become to maintain cars. But in the message, the shop urged customers to not put off addressing its recommendations, “to go ahead and get it in now while they still can, while parts are available to a certain extent.”Though the strike is fairly recent, Ridgeway said some delays in getting parts preceded it. The shop used to be able to get parts within 24 hours, but in the last three to six months, he said “it’s been really difficult. We’ve had cars sitting for a week-plus sometimes.” The average turnaround time is now two to three days, Ridgeway said, and within 24 hours for brakes. For axle or suspension parts...

Judge Tanya Chutkan denies Donald Trump’s request to recuse herself in 2020 election subversion case in Washington

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Judge Tanya Chutkan denies Donald Trump’s request to recuse herself in 2020 election subversion case in Washington.Source