Letters: Dangerous psychedelics | DA credit | BART mismanagement | Protect trees | Undermining IRA | Embracing Trump

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Letters: Dangerous psychedelics | DA credit | BART mismanagement | Protect trees | Undermining IRA | Embracing Trump Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Danger of psychedelicsunderplayed in articleRe: “A trip to healing” (Page A1, Aug. 27).Your article in the East Bay Times detailed the healing power of psychedelic drugs. To balance your article, you briefly quoted the warning of a mother who tragically lost her son to psychedelic drugs. But most of the article was devoted to the “healing” power of these dangerous drugs. You listed examples of how these drugs were a reliable palliative for PTSD in firemen.As a responsible newspaper, you needed to state categorically and emphatically that these drugs can be used only under strict clinical supervision where the dosage is skillfully managed by trained personnel. They are not experimental drugs for a casual user. I kept looking for such a cautionary statement but did not find it.Silloo TaraporeLafayetteTrees need protectionsin turf watering billThe “turf watering prohibitionR...

Three-bedroom home sells for $1.5 million in Oakland

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Three-bedroom home sells for $1.5 million in Oakland 2001 Asilomar Drive – Google Street ViewA house located in the 2000 block of Asilomar Drive in Oakland has new owners. The 1,743-square-foot property, built in 1938, was sold on July 12, 2023. The $1,500,000 purchase price works out to $861 per square foot. The layout of this single-story home consists of three bedrooms and two baths. In addition, the home features a garage.These nearby houses have also recently been purchased:In June 2022, a 3,174-square-foot home on Zinn Drive in Oakland sold for $1,555,000, a price per square foot of $490.On Asilomar Drive, Oakland, in March 2023, a 2,418-square-foot home was sold for $1,200,000, a price per square foot of $496. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,058-square-foot home on the 6500 block of Saroni Drive in Oakland sold in March 2023, for $1,345,000, a price per square foot of $654. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

Oakland PD investigating 'hate speech incident' along with school bomb threat

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Oakland PD investigating 'hate speech incident' along with school bomb threat (KRON) -- Chabot Elementary School in Oakland was on lockdown Tuesday morning due to a bomb threat, the Oakland Police Department confirmed. The school was cordoned off with yellow police tape and officers from several agencies and K-9 officers are deployed at the school. Burglars targeting boats on Oakland estuary The bomb threat was called in around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday before school started. Students that were on the campus were safely reunited with parents, according to Oakland PD Capt. Lisa Ausmus.OPD was working with Alameda County Sheriff's Office K-9 bomb dogs to investigate. No explosive device was located. As of around 12:40 p.m., the campus was declared clear by OPD. There has been a social media backlash against Chabot Elementary School trending Tuesday morning in reaction to a "Playdate Social for Black, Brown and API families." A major conservative account tweeted about the event, describing it as a "race segregated 'playdate social' for all students except w...

Shellfish dumped at Jewish UC Berkeley frat in possible hate crime

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Shellfish dumped at Jewish UC Berkeley frat in possible hate crime (KRON) -- A Jewish fraternity at UC Berkeley was the target of an antisemitic act of vandalism over the weekend, according to a post from AEPi House. In the early morning hours Saturday, an individual or individuals allegedly approached the frat house and scattered shellfish on the premises, at the front door, and threw it in the windows.Shellfish is non-kosher and with the incident occurring on the first Shabbat of the school year, the incident, which was first reported in J., had the hallmarks of a deliberate antisemitic act. SF store owner killed after robbery, assault with bat "By singling out AEPi, the Jewish fraternity, and deliberately employing non-kosher food, this act of vandalism goes beyond mere destruction," read a post on the frat's Instagram page. "It represents a calculated decision to target Jewish students within our campus community.""We are working in close collaboration with both the Berkeley and university police, as well as the campus administration, to iden...

Beyoncé declared honorary mayor of Santa Clara

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Beyoncé declared honorary mayor of Santa Clara (KRON) -- Move over Taylor Swift. The "Queen Bey," Beyoncé, is about to become the new honorary mayor of Santa Clara. Beyoncé is bringing her "Renaissance World Tour" to Levi's Stadium for a highly-anticipated 3-hour performance Wednesday night. Her dedicated fans, also known as "The Bey Hive," are swarming into the city to see the songstress perform dozens of songs. The show's set list is packed with hits from her newest album, including "Cuff It." Mayor Lisa Gillmor said, "In recognition of her artistry and humanitarianism, we are proud to present Beyoncé a key to our city, along with the title of honorary mayor. Beyoncé demonstrates an incredible dedication to economic equity and championing marginalized communities through her service to communities globally."Beyonce performs onstage in 2015 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian /Getty Images)The city's proclamation celebrating Beyoncé states, "American singer-songwriter, actress, and business entrepreneur Beyoncé Giselle ...

15-year-old arrested for elder abuse, attempted carjacking in Alameda

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

15-year-old arrested for elder abuse, attempted carjacking in Alameda (KRON) -- A 15-year-old boy was arrested on Saturday in Alameda in connection with an attempted carjacking in the 1300 block of Sherman Street, according to the Alameda Police Department. Alameda PD dispatchers received a call at around 6 p.m. reporting an attempted carjacking. At the scene, officers located the victim and several witnesses, according to police. Officers ascertained that the victim had been sitting in their car when the suspect approached them and pulled them from the vehicle. SF store owner killed after robbery, assault with bat While the victim was on the ground, police said the suspect punched them several times and demanded their car keys. The suspect was unable to start the car and ran from the scene.Witnesses were able to offer a detailed description of the suspect who was seen running down Sherman Street. After canvassing the area, officers located the suspect in the 1300 block and took him into custody.The 15-year-old suspect was charged with attempted car...

Guatemalan president calls for transition of power to anti-corruption crusader Arévalo

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Guatemalan president calls for transition of power to anti-corruption crusader Arévalo GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei called Tuesday for a democratic transition of power to anti-corruption campaigner and president-elect Bernardo Arévalo and his Seed Movement party, which have faced waves of legal attacks in attempts to block his rise to power.The president’s statement came after a night of political chaos in the Central American nation following one of its most tumultuous elections in recent history.Hours before the country’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal certified late Monday that Arévalo won this month’s presidential election, another government body — the electoral registry — suspended his party from all political activities. The Seed Movement asked the country’s top electoral authority to lift the suspension.Arévalo called the suspension illegal at a news conference Monday and said that now the vote has been certified “no one can impede me from taking office on Jan. 14.” Arévalo and his party, posing a threat to those keen...

Tribal ranger draws weapon on climate activists blocking road to Burning Man; conduct under review

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Tribal ranger draws weapon on climate activists blocking road to Burning Man; conduct under review NIXON, Nev. (AP) — A tribal ranger’s conduct is under review after he pointed a weapon Sunday at environmental activists and plowed his patrol vehicle through their blockade on the road leading to the annual Burning Man counter-culture festival in the Nevada desert.The incident unfolded on a rural stretch of highway on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe reservation in northwestern Nevada. The protest calling attention to climate change stopped traffic as attendees were headed to the Black Rock Desert north of the reservation for opening day of Burning Man.A news release from the tribe’s chairman, James J. Phoenix, described the incident as a ranger using his patrol vehicle to clear “debris” out of the roadway after climate activists refused to leave.Videos on social media, however, showed the ranger had slammed his vehicle into the blockade — a metal travel trailer frame that some of the protesters had chained themselves to — then drove back toward the activists while announc...

Harrison Bader placed on waivers by the Yankees, AP source says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

Harrison Bader placed on waivers by the Yankees, AP source says NEW YORK (AP) — Speedy center fielder Harrison Bader was placed on waivers Tuesday by the New York Yankees, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move, first reported by Newsday, was not announced.Teams have until 2 p.m. EDT Thursday to claim the 29-year-old, who is eligible for free agency after the World Series. A club taking over Bader’s contract on Thursday would owe $758,065 of his $4.7 million salary.A player must be in an organization before midnight EDT Thursday to be eligible for a postseason roster.A Gold Glove winner with St. Louis in 2021, Bader entered Tuesday hitting .242 with seven homers, 37 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts over 82 games. He was in an 0-for-13 slide and batting .109 (5 for 46) from Aug. 12 on.Bader strained his left oblique in spring training and didn’t make his season debut until May 2. He was sidelined between May 29 and June 20 with a strained right hamst...

In its initial use, new US Open video review system fails when chair umpire’s tablet malfunctions

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:28:03 GMT

In its initial use, new US Open video review system fails when chair umpire’s tablet malfunctions NEW YORK (AP) — Upon further review, the U.S. Open’s new video replay system needs a little work.The new setup allowing players to challenge certain calls, such as double bounces, was used for the first time Tuesday when Corentin Moutet hoped to get a crucial call overturned in his match against Andy Murray.Unfortunately for the French player, the chair umpire’s tablet malfunctioned, preventing her from watching video footage and forcing the original call of a point for Murray to stand.“It obviously didn’t go to plan in a pretty important moment of the match,” Murray said. The video review introduced this year by the U.S. Open on five of its courts is a first in Grand Slam tennis. Players get three challenges per set for things such as double bounces, a ball touching a player’s body, a player touching the net or a player being hindered by noise. They’ll hold onto a challenge if they’re correct and receive an additional one in tiebreakers. Murray had won the first two set...