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New California law to limit how much landlords can charge for security deposits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

A California bill turned law will limit how much landlords can charge for security deposits.Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 12 into law, which states that security deposits can’t be any larger than one month’s rent, on Oct. 11. The law is slated to take effect on July 1, 2024. Assembly Bill 12 was introduced by San Francisco Democratic Assemblymember Matt Haney and aimed to cap the cost of security deposits as part of a broader effort to make housing units more affordable statewide. IRS postpones tax filing deadline one month for California storm victims Landlords could charge up to three months’ rent as a security deposit, plus the first month’s rent, due to an older California law.In Los Angeles, where the average median rent is $2,895, a security deposit can cost nearly $9,000. In San Francisco, where the median rent is $3,495, security deposits can cost more than $10,000.Now that Newsom signed the bill into law, California became the 12th state to pass a bill that limit...

1 Dead after Pedestrian Crash on State Route 7 [Spanaway, WA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

40-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed after Being Struck by Vehicle while Crossing the Street near 8th AvenueSPANAWAY, WA (October 16, 2023) – On Monday evening, police responded to a pedestrian crash on State Route 7 that killed a man.It happened just before 7:50 p.m., October 10th, in the southbound lanes of the highway, when a male pedestrian walking in and out was struck by a vehicle.According to Washington State Patrol Trooper John Dattilo, the vehicle was headed southbound approaching 8th Avenue East when it occurred.Furthermore, the driver parked his vehicle in a parking lot and he cooperated with the responding authorities.Unfortunately, the man suffered extreme injuries which he later succumbed to and passed away moments later.Meanwhile, the authorities blocked the roadway for more than 2 hours before it was reopened. Further investigation is still ongoing.The identity of all parties involved has not been released at this time. Spanaway authorities will release additional inf...

Letters: More flexibility | Theft not so bad | Advancing diversity | Corporations not covered | U.S. support

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Allow more flexibilityto attract teachersRe: “Teacher shortage sends retirees back to school” (Page A1, Oct. 7).I applaud California’s effort to tackle the teacher shortage by facilitating the return of retired educators through Senate Bill 765. However, it’s crucial to recognize that this initiative offers a temporary solution to a multifaceted issue. Encouraging retired teachers to reenter the workforce doesn’t address the root causes that drove them to retire — teachers are often overworked and burned out.To truly address the teacher shortage and raise the quality of public education, we must incentivize more people to pursue teaching by enhancing working conditions and improving work flexibility to create a better work-life balance. One way to do so would be to create internship positions for new college graduates to expose them to teaching. Another way would be to creat...

Driver in Hayward bizarre fatal DUI crash gets 9 months in jail

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

DUBLIN — A Bay Area man was sentenced to what amounts to a nine-month jail stint after pleading no contest to drunk driving in connection with a March 2021 fatal car crash, court records show.Jose Dejesus Gonzalez, 50, of Hayward, was sentenced to 179 days in jail on Sept. 25, three months after Gonzalez had been remanded to Santa Rita Jail pending his sentencing hearing. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Dickinson handed down the sentence.It was a bizarre case for many reasons, not the least of which was the defense’s ultimate position. Gonzalez’s lawyer argued that not only was Gonzalez not responsible for killing the pedestrian he struck, but that despite pleading no contest to drunk driving and having a blood-alcohol level of .13, he wasn’t actually drunk at the time of the crash.Gonzalez was driving through Hayward on March 13, 2021, when pedestrian Charles Laramore was crossing the street. Laramore was struck by the mirror of Gonzalez’s ...

Israelis in the Bay Area plead for the release of loved ones taken captive by Hamas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

For 10 days, Yael Nidam’s life has been on hold.That’s how long it’s been since Nidam last heard from her husband’s sister, Rimon, a 36-year-old woman who last Saturday, was seized from her home in southern Israel by Hamas.Since a flurry of text messages sent early that morning, Nidam and her family have heard nothing but the near worst: Rimon’s home was found empty, drilled with bullet holes and blood. The following Saturday, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed what Nidam already knew. Rimon and her husband, Yagev, were now in Gaza.They are two of the 199 people who Israel says are being held hostage by Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist group that controls Gaza.“We had one life before October 7th,” said Nidam, a 38-year-old doctoral student in city and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley. “And a different life after it.”The day Rimon and Yagev were taken, Hamas killed what is now being reported as more than 1,400 Israelis across the country, and th...

3 South Bay restaurants launch a ‘Socktober’ charity drive to aid farmworkers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

Socktober is upon us, and three South Bay restaurants have teamed up to to provide warm winter socks for farmworkers in the Salinas Valley.Related ArticlesRestaurants, Food and Drink | 12 fantastic Bay Area doughnut shops that will knock your socks off Restaurants, Food and Drink | Gov. Newsom signs bill to help sustain outdoor dining Restaurants, Food and Drink | From McDonald’s to Wienerschitzel, these fast food giants were born in California Restaurants, Food and Drink | 7 amazing Bay Area things to do this weekend Restaurants, Food and Drink | The oldest kosher bakery in Oakland hits the market for $1 According to HappySocktober.com, the charity initiative started in 2011 when children’s book author Brad Montague, who also created the web series “Kid President,” discovered that socks were among the most needed but least donated items at his local homeless shelter. He set about to ch...

Bob Myers explains why he left Warriors for ESPN gig

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

Bob Myers made his debut as an ESPN analyst on Sunday night and is already confronting questions about his career beyond television.Myers stepped down as Warriors general manager in May with his contract expiring and, shortly after, announced he would be part of the rotation of commentators on ‘NBA Countdown’ and call some games during the season. There was some speculation that his foray into TV was just a pitstop between front office gigs, but Myers said he turned down opportunities during a press conference on Monday afternoon.“I think my answer to that would be not right now,” Myers said, asked if wanted to head up another team after ESPN. “I can’t say. The only conviction that I have is that I was done with what that job required. And what that will mean in two years, three years, I just honestly don’t know.I guess I’ve got to be OK not knowing. I don’t really need to know now. It might be harder as things are presented to me to make those decision...

How a preseason visit in Toronto helped Mackenzie Blackwood get comfortable with San Jose Sharks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

SAN JOSE – Mackenzie Blackwood was about a week away from leaving Toronto and heading to the Bay Area last month for the start of training camp when he got a visit from San Jose Sharks goalie coach Thomas Speer.The two had previously only talked on the phone, and that was after Blackwood had been acquired by the Sharks last June and subsequently signed to a two-year contract extension. So Speer’s visit gave the two a chance to get to know each other a bit better and get on the same page prior to camp.It was also a personal gesture that Blackwood appreciated.“That shows a lot,” Blackwood said Monday. “To come and spend some time and go out of your way to come work with me. Yeah, I was appreciative.”Speer, now in his second season with the Sharks, is tasked with helping the team solve its goaltending woes after years of being well below average. The Sharks haven’t had a team save percentage over .901 since the 2017-2018 season and last year, that number sunk to an NHL low of .881.So f...

San Jose: Sheriff’s office investigating fatal shooting in east hills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

SAN JOSE — Detectives are investigating a fatal shooting last week in the city’s east hills, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.The agency issued a news release Monday about a homicide that occurred Oct. 9 in the 2200 block of Mt. Pleasant Road in an unincorporated part of East San Jose. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Sunnyvale: Double shooting call ends with chase and presumed suicide of suspect Crime and Public Safety | One of two killed in Richmond triple shooting identified Crime and Public Safety | New SJPD program aims to keep first-time misdemeanor DUI offenders out of jail Crime and Public Safety | East Bay man arrested for wrong-way intoxicated driver after Highway 101 crash Crime and Public Safety | Marin County to expand involuntary medication of jail inmates The news release did not specify how the pers...

A’s reliever Trevor May announces retirement on Twitch stream

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:07 GMT

A’s closer Trevor May announced his retirement from baseball Monday on a Twitch stream, telling a few hundred of his 189,000 followers that he would soon be more available to them.“I don’t know why some of you guys are booing and are not happy, but I am happy,” May said.The 34-year-old reliever only spent one year in Oakland, and the team finished with MLB’s worst record, but May was involved in a moment that will define the season for many: He recorded the save June 13 in the A’s win during the “reverse boycott” imposed by fans.He also made headlines early in the season when he went on the injured list with anxiety after allowing eight earned runs over six innings in his first eight appearances. After a month away from the game, he allowed only nine runs over 40.2 innings pitched over 41 appearances. His earned-run average of 3.28 was the third-best of his nine-year career, and second among A’s pitchers who threw at least 20 inn...