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Letters: Our water supply isn’t inexhaustible

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Think twice about waterYour story by Jennifer Leonard in the June 29 newspaper should give pause to every city, county and state official and general residents as well (“DNR casts blame for tapped-out private wells”). Think twice or more when offered contracts for high-volume well construction and water extraction from Minnesota aquifers.Even with the Mississippi River and Lake Superior water (partly owned by Canada) our access to a large supply of good water is not inexhaustible.Carl Brookins, Roseville The work of creating opportunity remainsI’m not surprised by last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court ending affirmative action in college admissions. As economist Daniel Kahneman has found, people are much more disturbed about losing what they have than feeling aggrieved about what they don’t have.For nearly 350 years Caucasians in America protected their privilege over African Americans and Native Americans through law and violence. The 1954 Brown...

Local hotel worker strike looms amid upcoming holiday weekend 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Thousands of unionized hotel workers are threatening to strike after the contract between the hotels and the union expired. Up to 15,000 employees in the Unite Here Local 11 union could walk off the job this weekend, which would affect 65 major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including Ritz-Carlton, Hilton, Marriott, and Four Seasons. According to hotel officials, management and other non-unionized employees will be in place if a strike occurs. 

Is CBD Oil Safe for Liver Health?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Read the original article about CBD Oil for Liver Health at Real Tested CBD.According to recent national health statistics, roughly one in ten Americans has some degree of liver damage or disease. While there are many medically-recognized therapies and medications for these conditions, patients often wonder whether natural supplements can impact their liver health. Notably, as CBD oil becomes more prevalent, more customers are concerned about whether this cannabinoid impacts the liver.Currently, there’s conflicting data on CBD’s effects on the liver. People with pre-existing liver conditions must understand the recent research into this topic.Does CBD Oil Damage the Liver? — A Look at the Preliminary DataThe medical community is split over whether CBD helps or hurts the liver. However, most scientists agree that too much CBD could have a toxic impact on liver function. According to data from a University of Arkansas trial, mice fed high doses of CBD showed clear warning signs of liv...

Los Gatos to install portable toilet for unhoused residents

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

After the Los Gatos Town Council allocated $50,000 to provide services for homeless residents in town earlier this year, community partners got to work.Local faith group leaders who had been providing a shower service for unhoused Los Gatos residents worked with the town staff to use some of those funds to keep the program going for another year and a half. They helped town staff find a location for a temporary public restroom while the town works to build a permanent one.Three hotels in the area also stepped up to initiate a a voucher program for homeless residents to stay in their empty rooms during extreme weather.“We would not be where we are without our wonderful local faith community and local hotels,” town manager Laurel Prevetti said. “Their collaboration, compassion and commitment to our unhoused residents is truly heartwarming, and I have to say the collaboration and idea generation and problem solving has just been exceptional.”The local faith community is very familiar w...

Concealed carry weapons banned in ‘sensitive places’ in Los Gatos

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Concealed carry guns are now prohibited in “sensitive places” in Los Gatos like schools, places of worship, polling places, public transportation and town property after the Town Council updated its local weapons ordinance last month.The new law will go into effect by Sept. 1, and will make it illegal, even for those with valid concealed carry permits, to bring their guns to sensitive places around town.Town attorney Gabrielle Whelan said the updates are meant to make the town’s ordinance more in line with the recent Supreme Court rulings and impending state legislation.The town is taking a conservative approach to defining the sensitive places, naming only locations that have already been cited in existing case law to avoid litigation, Whelan said. Glendale, a large city in Los Angeles County, is facing a lawsuit after it passed a more expansive ordinance with places that have not been upheld in other court decisions.“I think this strikes a balance in terms of preserving people’s r...

Los Gatos community grant program applications now open

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Community grants openLocal nonprofits can now apply for this year’s Los Gatos Community Grants, which go to programs and projects that directly help the community. The long-running grant program provides up to $12,000 per chosen nonprofit. Applications, available at https://tinyurl.com/LGCommunityGrant, are open through July 24.Highway 9 connectorTown officials are making progress on bike and pedestrian access ramps and a bridge between Highway 9 and the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The project was temporarily hampered earlier this year when officials discovered the planned budget was far too low based on current construction costs, and officials sought out more grant funding to help bridge the gap.In June, the Los Gatos Town Council approved a new budget for the project, thanks to nearly $3 million in additional grant funding. Town officials expect to award contracts for the project in August, with construction beginning this fall.Fountains are flowingThe fountains at the Los Gatos Town ...

San Jose City College’s dual enrollment program honored by county

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

‘Exemplary’ dual enrollment programThe Milpitas Unified School District/San Jose City College Dual Enrollment Program was recently selected as one of five recipients of the Glenn Hoffmann Exemplary Program Awards, presented by the Santa Clara County School Boards Association.“This award validates all the collaborative, hard work that we’ve done,” said MUSD program coordinator Karisa Scott in a statement. “It shows the outcomes of what can happen when we have a shared vision and we have such excellent, collaborative partners like SJCC.”The program started with 30 students and has grown to approximately 150 juniors and seniors in its third year, with a 90% success rate. When dual enrollment students graduate from high school, they not only earn a high school diploma but also have the beginnings of a college transcript with up to 30 credits. Depending on their selected pathway, students can graduate with workforce certificates.For more information about the program, visit https://mmchs...

Latest line: A good week for Ward Connerly, a bad week for Kamala Harris

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

Ward ConnerlyBusinessman and former UC regent who championed Proposition 209, an affirmative action ban at state universities in 1996, sees his “colorblind” argument win nationally in a landmark Supreme Court decision.    Kamala HarrisVice president hits a record low in new poll, with 49% of the public viewing her negatively — more than former veeps Mike Pence, Joe Biden, Dick Cheney and Al Gore when they were second fiddle.   Metropolitan Water DistrictPowerful LA water agency sees its long-running hopes for a Delta tunnel diminish as state lawmakers reject governor’s push to streamline its environmental studies. But at least the drought is over. 

Appeals court upholds suspension of UC Berkeley professor for sexual harassment

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

A state appeals court has upheld the suspension of a disgraced UC Berkeley architecture professor who lost his job after claims of sexual harassment from a former graduate student came to light.Nezar AlSayyad — an internationally recognized scholar who started teaching within the university’s Architecture and City and Regional Planning departments in 1985 — opted to retire in 2018 instead of serving a three-year suspension without pay for violating the university’s code of conduct.However, AlSayyad, who was born in Cairo, Egypt, promptly sued the UC Regents over the sanctions, seeking damages from what he felt was a “weak case” against him that was based on discrimination of his national origin.Following a five-month investigation into the allegations, UC Chancellor Carol Christ handed down the discipline in August of 2018. She overturned a one-year suspension that had previously been recommended by a committee that oversaw tenured and privileged professors, which reject...

They said it: No longer bearing a cross

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:41:25 GMT

“There’s a lot of people who love it being up there — a lot of people go up there and pray and have church services.”— Kevin Pope, president of the Albany Lions Club, on Albany’s removal of a 28-foot cross at Albany Hill Park and move to seize a club easement through eminent domain, which Mayor Aaron Tiedemann said makes the city look “a little bit more accepting now.”