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Share the Spirit: Rising hunger spurs Martinez nonprofit to feed hundreds more people every day than before the pandemic

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

MARTINEZ — The COVID-19 pandemic nearly ruined Heather Gourley’s life.Aside from catching the virus, both Gourley and her husband lost their jobs as a Starbucks supervisor and iron worker, respectively, costing them their home and nearly their family vehicle as well.With nowhere else to turn, Gourley — a mother of three who was pregnant at the time — began taking her family to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa, a nonprofit organization that provides meals and other services to families in need in central and eastern Contra Costa County.The organization helped Gourley more than she could have imagined. Gourley found not just hot meals and nutrition, but a new career. Flash forward three years, she now works at Kidz Planet preparing food for preschoolers, after passing a rigorous culinary arts course offered by Loaves and Fishes.“I don’t know what we would have done without them,” Gourley said, crediting her instructor, Cassandra Dell’Aq...

Could the San Jose Sharks get into the Patrick Kane mix? Not this one way, at least

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

SAN JOSE – Patrick Kane, nearly six months after he had hip resurfacing surgery, is reportedly close to returning to the NHL. The Hart Trophy winner and nine-time all-star, now a free agent, has been talking to various suitors of late, seeing where he would best fit as he chases a fourth Stanley Cup.The issue for Kane is that he might not be able to sign a contract worth much more than $1 million, or barely above the league minimum of $775,000 if it’s a one-year deal. That’s because many of the teams thought to be Cup contenders do not have much flexibility under the $83.5 million salary cap.Kane’s cap hit on his last contract was a whopping $10.5 million. He’s past his prime, so he likely won’t get anything close to this year, but he still had 21 goals and 36 assists in 73 games last season, and wouldn’t be out of line asking for a deal commensurate with that level of production.The rebuilding San Jose Sharks do have some flexibility under the salary c...

Motorcyclist dies after collision with car near Morgan Hill, passenger sustains major injuries

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

(KRON) -- A male motorcyclist died and a female passenger suffered major injuries on Wednesday afternoon after they were struck by a car and ejected from the bike, according to the California Highway Patrol-Hollister Gilroy. The fatal crash occurred on Watsonville Road, south of Morgan Hill.Police said a 68-year-old male motorcyclist with a 60-year-old female passenger, both residents of Los Gatos, were riding on a 2004 Harley Davidson and failed to stop at a stop sign on Uvas Road, according to a witness at the scene, before turning northbound onto Watsonville Road. A 41-year-old Prunedale man was driving a 2018 Toyota Camry southbound on Watsonville Road when the car collided with the turning motorcycle. Teenagers caught breaking into cars in Gilroy, police say The male motorcyclist succumbed to their injuries at the scene, CHP said. The female passenger was airlifted to Valley Medical Center with major injuries. Her current condition is unknown at this time.The Toyota driver wa...

How owls could be the next frontier for pest control in Napa Valley

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

(KRON) -- If the wine on your table this holiday season is from Napa Valley, you might have some feathery friends to thank for the good harvest. Matt Johnson, professor in Cal Poly Humboldt's Department of Wildlife, and his students have been studying the role owls play in pest control in Napa Valley, Sonoma and the Central Valley for the past nine years. Courtesy Cal Poly Humboldt"We do have evidence that it's not just a feel-good story; that they do actually help control rodents," Johnson said. Specifically, gophers, mice and voles, Johnson added, which are big issues for the region's award-winning vineyards.In Napa, there are over 300 barn owl nest boxes. The lab estimated that each property with two bird boxes home to an average of two adult owls and four babies kills 1,000 rodents over the course of the breeding season between March and June. Research also shows that properties with boxes home to insectivorous birds might be immune to pest outbreaks.Courtesy Cal Poly HumboldtJo...

Suspect in series of robberies nabbed by Moraga police

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

(BCN) -- Moraga Police Department officers arrested a suspect in a series of burglaries in the Contra Costa County town, police said this week.Trevor Hudson, 25, was nabbed on Nov. 18 after officers were able to get video evidence that he was allegedly involved in one of the reported burglaries in the Moraga Country Club, in which golf clubs and golf equipment were stolen.When Hudson was arrested, he was in possession of stolen property from some of the burglaries, police said. Amazon driver was not kidnapped, San Ramon police say Investigators allege Hudson was connected to at least 12 burglaries in Moraga and two others in Danville.Police said they have been able to find a large amount of the stolen property, and that they are working to return it to the victims.Those with relevant information are asked to contact Moraga police at (925)-888-7056.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Portraits of those held hostage after Hamas attack on Israel

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

A temporary cease-fire deal that would facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza offers a glimmer of hope to families and friends of those who have been held captive since their abduction from southern Israel by militants on Oct. 7.In all, roughly 240 people were taken to Gaza by militants in Hamas’ deadly rampage. Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day halt that would also see the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.Under the deal announced by Qatar on Wednesday, 50 hostages would be released in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those released by both sides would be women and minors. Israel said the truce would be extended by a day for every 10 additional hostages released.While several families will be thrilled to have their loved ones back, if the deal goes through, a significant number of hostages will likely remain in captivity. The plight of the families has gripped Israelis and they have w...

Qatar says Gaza cease-fire will begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid to follow ‘as soon as possible’

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Qatar said Thursday that a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war will begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid “going in as soon as possible.”Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, made the announcement in a news conference in Doha, Qatar.The cease-fire had been anticipated after a deal was reached, though details were still being sorted out over the last day.Al-Ansari said the first batch of captive civilians will be delivered around 4 p.m., including 13 women and children.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An agreement for a four-day cease-fire in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel appeared to have hit a last-minute snag. A senior Israeli official said it would not take effect until Friday, a day later than originally announced.The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaz...

Qatar says Gaza cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war to begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid ‘going in as soon as possible’

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar says Gaza cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war to begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid ‘going in as soon as possible.’Source

Ukraine says 3 civilians were killed in a daylight Russian cluster bomb attack

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian attack using cluster munitions killed three people Thursday in a suburb of Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson, a Ukrainian official said, bringing the number of civilians to die in a day of war to at least six. Five people were wounded in what Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said was heavy afternoon shelling of Kherson’s Chornobayivka suburb. More than 60 residential and infrastructure buildings were damaged in the daylight attack, he said.Cluster munitions — a type of bomb that opens in the air and releases smaller “bomblets” across a wide area — are used by both Russia and Ukraine, which has received them as military aid from the United States. Critics say the weapons litter the ground and harm and kill many more civilians than combatants.Kherson city is the capital of a region of the same name that is located on the Dnieper River near the mouth of the Black Sea and a key gateway to Crimea. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Uk...

“Sé amable”: el mensaje de la FAA a los que viajan en Thanksgiving

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 12:28:32 GMT

Las carreteras congestionadas y los cielos abarrotados forman parte de las fiestas navideñas tanto como el pavo y la tarta de calabaza.Y mientras los responsables del sector turístico esperan evitar el tipo de colapsos que han empañado las anteriores fiestas de Acción de Gracias, también instan al público a no recurrir a los abusos cuando se enfrentan a los inevitables retrasos de los vuelos.“Si viajas en avión, sea amable con la tripulación. Están ahí por tu seguridad”, dijo en X Mike Whitaker, administrador de la Administración Federal de Aviación. “La FAA tiene tolerancia cero con el comportamiento indisciplinado”.Introducida en 2021, la política de tolerancia cero promete acciones legales, incluido el posible enjuiciamiento penal, contra cualquier pasajero que “agreda, amenace, intimide o interfiera con los miembros de la tripulación de la aerolínea.”Pero la FAA afirma que el personal de las aerolíneas ha informado de un “aumento preocup...