What’s next for the Mountain West after Pac-12 implodes: Expansion, contraction or both?
Gloria Nevarez took over the Mountain West on January 1st and spent the next six months developing a strategic plan to propel the conference into the next era of college sports. Later this month, she plans to present the blueprint to her membership. “We went broad and deep,” Nevarez recently stated. “We brought in someone…
Desperate for homes after the Pac-12 implosion, Stanford and Cal scramble for invitations from ACC, Big Ten
Stanford and Cal began competing in college sports over a century ago. Membership in a conference based thousands of miles away was unthinkable for 99 percent of their athletic careers. It’s now critical. The Cardinal and Bears are desperately seeking invitations to either the ACC or the Big Ten following the implosion of their longtime…
Oakland man charged with kidnapping teen at gunpoint, leading to hectic manhunt, allegedly over missing $11,000
OAKLAND, Calif. — An 18-year-old woman was kidnapped in broad daylight off International Boulevard as she walked the block as a sex worker, allegedly by men who blamed her for $11,000 that went missing days earlier, according to police. According to court records, one of at least three suspects has been arrested and charged with…
See Monterey’s sea-otter paradise with a ride on a unique, electric catamaran
Our tour of the Elkhorn Slough, a biodiverse tidal estuary on Monterey Bay, begins on a sunny summer afternoon. Pupping harbor seals, endangered birds, and the world’s densest concentration of southern sea otters – including a rogue otter who has learned a lethal new trick – call the slough home. You may have heard of…
New school year brings new principals to Campbell school district
When students return to school on August 16, many will have new principals, as well as part-time assistant principals at two of the district’s elementary schools. The latter will devote the other half of their time to supporting programs for students with special needs. Anne Ajlouni, principal of Blackford Elementary School, retired in June and…
Review: The Offspring takes another step toward the Rock Hall of Fame
The Offspring drew a large crowd to their concert at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre on Saturday (Aug. 5). How massive is it? That’s exactly what Noodles (aka Kevin Wasserman) wanted to know, so he inquired about the attendance figure. And he was astounded by what he, ahem, heard back. “It’s a world record here at…
Bullying? Coercing? Hung juries are rare — so what happened last week in a San Jose courtroom?
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Six hours before declaring a mistrial in the sexual assault trial of San Jose State’s former head athletic trainer, the federal judge called the exasperated, deadlocked jurors back into the courtroom and urged them to continue deliberating in good faith. Still, she said in that Thursday morning session, if your opinion…
6 ways COVID-19 dramatically changed the Bay Area commute
Here’s how the pandemic changed the way we all commuted. Almost a million Bay Area workers have shifted to working from home. Many parts of the Bay Area saw commute times cut by 10 minutes or more. Our commuter trains are now less than half as crowded as they were previously. But beware: there are…
Car fleeing Antioch sideshow slams into fire hydrant; SUV abandoned in marina
ANTIOCH, FRANCE — Three people were injured in a multi-car crash early Sunday morning, and an SUV crashed into the city’s marina, among a slew of accidents that occurred after authorities dispersed a late-night sideshow. Around 3 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the sideshow at the intersection of 9th and G streets in Antioch, which…