Bay Area classical music fans have a LOT to choose from this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

Concerts, recitals, chamber music, and a pair of Baroque masterworks – music lovers have a thrilling array of events to choose from this weekend.Here’s a partial roundup.Marsalis at S.F. Symphony: Saxophonist Branford Marsalis joins conductor Thomas Wilkins and the orchestra in the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Erwin Schulhoff’s “Hot-Sonate,” a 1930 work that was banned by the Nazis and has finally assumed its rightful place in the repertoire. The program also includes Duke Ellington’s “Harlem,” “Three Dance Episodes” from Bernstein’s “On the Town,” and John Williams’ “Escapades” from the 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can.”Details: 2 p.m. May 4, 7:30 p.m. May 5-6; $20-$135; 415-864-6000; sfsymphony.org.“May the fourth be with you”: That’s what the Oakland Symphony is promising as the orchestra returns Friday night with “The Music of John Williams,” a family-friendly program featuring a sampler of some of the composer’s greatest Hollywood hits, including music from ...

Calling our shot: The top Pac-12 prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

Welcome to the Hotline’s assessment of the top Pac-12 prospects for next year’s NFL Draft, an annual exercise in semi-futility that nonetheless helps frame the 2023 season.The two positions stocked with high-end talent are destined to collide on a down-by-down basis.As most fans are undoubtedly aware, the Pac-12 is loaded with elite quarterbacks. (No other conference comes close.)But the conference also is brimming with top-tier edge rushers, to a degree not seen on the West Coast in years.The broad narrative for 2023 — whether the touted quarterbacks dominate, as expected, or are held in check — depends partly on the outcome of that essential conflict.Because the collection of offensive tackles is, well, not very strong.Notes on the following:*** Projections include underclassmen who will be draft-eligible next spring and are, in our view, likely to declare.*** Not every player listed will declare for the draft, while some prospects who aren’t listed will as...

Exodus: Bay Area, California, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles all lose population

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

Downtown Oakland, April 2023. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)The Bay Area and California suffered a population decline in 2022, according to a disquieting new government report that hints at an ongoing exodus of residents from the nation’s largest state.The population decline engulfed all four of California’s largest cities and seven of the state’s 10 largest cities, which shows that the dwindling trend of residents isn’t merely some isolated cases, but extends to all of the state’s major population centers, the state Finance Department reported in its new release.The Bay Area lost just a shade under 34,000 residents in 2022, this news organization’s review of the state agency’s report shows. The Bay Area now has approximately 7.55 million residents. The nine-county region’s population shrank by 0.4%.San Jose lost nearly 4,500 residents and now has a population of 959,300, the state agency estimated. That puts the Bay Area’...

Biden sends more troops to border ahead of migrant surge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

By Colleen Long, Aamer Madhani and Tara Copp | Associated PressWASHINGTON — The Biden administration will send 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions.Military personnel will do data entry, warehouse support and other administrative tasks so that U.S. Customs and Border Protection can focus on fieldwork, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.The troops “will not be performing law enforcement functions or interacting with immigrants, or migrants,” Jean-Pierre said. “This will free up Border Patrol agents to perform their critical law enforcement duties.”The troops will carry out this support for 90 days, said Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, “until CBP can address these needs through contracted support.”It’s unclear when the troops would be deployed.The COVID-19 restrictions allowed U.S. officials to turn away tens ...

UC Berkeley student falls from 3-story building during frat party

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

(KRON) -- A female student at UC Berkeley fell three stories off the roof of a fraternity last month and suffered significant injuries, according to the Berkeley Police Department. Berkeley police received numerous calls on April 22 at around 12:11 p.m. about a female student who'd fallen off a fraternity roof on the 2300 block of Piedmont Avenue. Questions remain in Bob Lee homicide case Officers and medical personnel arrived on the scene and located the victim laying on the pavement outside. She was transported to Highland Hospital.The victim, described as a female Cal student in her twenties, is in stable condition and expected to survive, police said. She sustained significant injuries consistent with a fall from a high elevation, including numerous fractures and internal injuries.The incident occurred during a frat party on Cal Day. Numerous students were under the influence of alcohol, police said. While an investigation is still ongoing, police said that at this time, it lo...

Suspect in Northgate High stabbing charged with attempted murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

(BCN) -- A ninth-grade boy who allegedly stabbed a ninth-grade girl last week at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek has been charged with attempted murder and mayhem. Walnut Creek police said Tuesday the boy is still being held at juvenile hall. Man fatally stabbed in Pleasanton, 2 suspects at-large The victim is recovering at home, Police Lt. Holley Connors said. The boy stabbed the girl around 1 p.m. on April 25 at the school located on Castle Rock Road. Authorities aren't naming the suspect because he is a juvenile. Anyone with additional information can call Walnut Creek police at (925) 943-5844 or an anonymous tip line at (925) 943-5865. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Guatemala journalist goes on trial in money laundering case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — The president of a Guatemalan investigative newspaper went on trial Tuesday on money laundering charges in a case media observers have criticized as politically motivated.José Rubén Zamora, 66, arriving at the court in handcuffs, told reporters he was a “political prisoner” and expected to be convicted because he had no confidence in the court.Zamora, leader of El Periodico newspaper, is an award winner whose work has been recognized internationally.Zamora has been held in jail since his arrest last year. Prosecutors accuse him of money laundering related to a deposit of about $30,000 he asked someone else to make for him. The money was a donation to keep the newspaper running, but the donor wanted to remain anonymous, Zamora has said.El Periodico was known for aggressive reporting on government corruption. It was forced to stop publishing its print edition and went completely online.The Guatemalan Association of Journalists and human rights activists have call...

Oregon secretary of state resigns due to marijuana job

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced her resignation on Tuesday amid sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for having moonlighted as a highly-paid consultant to a marijuana business.Fagan, a Democrat, apologized on Monday for working for the marijuana company, which has a record of unpaid bills and taxes, but indicated she intended to serve the remaining two years of her term. Fagan’s consulting job paid $10,000 per month, with bonuses three times that amount if she helped the company get licensed in other states. She announced on Monday that she quit that job, and on Tuesday bowed to pressure to leave her elected office too.“It is clear that my actions have become a distraction from the important and critical work of the Secretary of State’s office,” Fagan said.Gov. Tina Kotek, also a Democrat, said she supported Fagan’s decision.“It is essential that Oregonians have trust in their government. I believe this is a first step i...

Ex-Raider Ruggs taking plea deal, prison in fatal DUI crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:21 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ex-Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs told a judge Tuesday he will admit that he drove drunk at speeds up to 156 mph, causing a fiery crash that killed a woman. The plea deal is expected to send the 24-year-old first-round NFL draft pick to state prison for three to 10 years. Ruggs waived a long-delayed preliminary hearing with the agreement to admit that he drove under the influence of alcohol causing death, a felony, his lawyers said. A six-month sentence for a guilty plea to misdemeanor manslaughter will be folded in with the total.Ruggs spoke only to acknowledge for Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia that he understands the terms of the agreement. Prosecutor Eric Bauman told the judge the Clark County District Attorney’s office endorsed the deal.“This is the first step toward a fair resolution to this matter and we look forward to closure for all parties involved,” Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement ...