Local News

The herbal drink is beloved by South American players, who have taken it with them around the world — including to Qatar.

Millions of people in the central United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Midwest are bracing for blizzard-like conditions from a massive storm blowing across the country.

The U.S. State Department says it knows of apparent ties between Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen strongman, and mixed martial arts fighters.

795 Rivera Street – Google Street View

A 1,921-square-foot house built in 1971 has changed hands. The property located in the 700 block of Rivera Street in Milpitas was sold on Nov. 30, 2022. The $1,710,000 purchase price works out to $890 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces, as well as a pool in the backyard. The unit sits on a 6,000-square-foot lot.

Additional houses have recently changed hands nearby:

• On North Hillview Drive, Milpitas, in September 2022, a 1,964-square-foot home was sold for $1,660,000, a price per square foot of $845. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
• A 1,856-square-foot home on the 800 block of Founders Lane in Milpitas sold in August 2022 for $1,715,000, a price per square foot of $924. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
• In August 2022, a 2,254-square-foot home on Altamont Drive in Milpitas sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $754. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

 

Police say a Seattle officer is under investigation for using police equipment to stalk a Monroe woman he dated and has been placed on administrative leave.

Some Chinese universities say they will allow students to finish the semester from home in hopes of reducing the potential for a bigger COVID-19 outbreak during the January Lunar New Year travel rush.

Ms. Boebert defeated Adam Frisch in Colorado’s Republican-leaning Third District to win a second term in the House.

A mountain lion who became a local celebrity as his urban wanderings were documented was tranquilized after the authorities became alarmed by his increasingly agitated behavior.

A parent of one of four University of Idaho students stabbed to death in November is still sharing details with the media that detectives have said could compromise the investigation.

There are two trains of thought to follow after the Nets’ 112-100 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night — Brooklyn’s fourth straight win, eighth in its last nine and 15th victory in the 22 games Jacque Vaughn has coached since taking over for Steve Nash seven games into the season.

The first: The Nets reserves might be better than they’ve been given credit.

The Nets were able to keep minutes relatively low for Kevin Durant while sitting Royce O’Neale (personal reasons) a second consecutive game. It’s a plus for the players who ranked Nos. 1 and 2 respectively in total minutes before Vaughn rested both against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

You can credit the reserves for both victories — for Saturday’s unlikely triumph over a surging Pacers team in a game Vaughn rested almost every rotation player; and for supporting Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons in staggered minutes against the Wizards on Monday.

Durant, Irving and Simmons — yes, Simmons — were each electric.

After bringing the Capital One Arena down with a hesitation, crossover, pull-up jumper combination that sent Wizards C Daniel Gafford into a split his first game back in D.C. earlier this season, Durant buried his hometown team with a flurries of scoring in his second homecoming Monday night. He finished with 30 points and only six missed baskets, an 11-of-17 shooting night that also included nine rebounds and six assists.

Irving ran up 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Simmons added 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists of his own.

The pair combined for two highlight plays: a close-range, behind-the-back dime from Irving to a cutting Simmons for a layup under the rim; and a one-handed alley-oop Irving initially faked as a layup before floating a short lob to Simmons for the two-handed dunk.

Durant, Irving and Simmons wowed the Wizards’ crowd all night. But key minutes from the reserves helped secure the victory.

TJ Warren, for example, came off the bench to score 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Yuta Watanabe missed five of his six shot attempts but found himself on the floor as part of Brooklyn’s closing lineup. Cam Thomas played key minutes to relieve Irving in mid-game stretches, and Seth Curry played 22 minutes, though he only managed one made shot on seven tries.

Not to mention Patty Mills, whose veteran leadership and playoff experience may be vital for a deep postseason run.

And then there’s the second train of thought: The Nets have looked like an elite team — against middle of the pack competition.

The Nets have not beaten a legitimate championship contender this season. They have lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers and most recently, the Boston Celtics.

Their wins have come against teams that aren’t projected to sniff the second round of the playoffs, let alone the first, with some teams projected to miss the Play-In Tournament.

The chemistry and continuity is developing. That much is undeniable. The Nets, however, aren’t aiming to be a regular season team. They want to be the last team standing, which will inevitably require securing victories against other high-level playoff teams.

Handling business against non-playoff opponents is a must, and it’s an area the Nets have fallen short in past seasons.

Their next real challenge will be protecting home court against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Barclays Center on Dec. 21.

They will have two more opportunities to add to the win column before then, with the Raptors and Pistons next up on the docket.

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Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez seemed to say she does not plan to seek reelection in 2023, which would make her the second to make that announcement.

In a season when the Miami Heat apparently can’t have good things, the 19-point second-quarter lead Monday night against the Indiana Pacers seemed illusory.

By the midpoint of the third quarter, it was a deficit.

Because there seemingly can be nothing easy for Erik Spoelstra’s team, no matter the quality of the opponent, no matter the venue.

Fortunately, there is Jimmy Butler.

And fortunately in a game when points were hard to come by, the Heat got a seven-point run by Butler when needed most late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Heat to escape with an 87-82 victory at Gainbridge Arena, the NBA’s lowest-scoring game of the season.

No, this was not about style points.

But at this point, the Heat take it and move on, amid the ongoing quest for .500 and beyond.

Butler closed with 20 points.

Bam Adebayo supplied the power element, closing with 22 points and 17 rebounds, as the Heat improved to 13-15.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday’s game:

1. Closing time: The Heat led 26-19 after the first quarter, went up 19 in the second, but saw that lead trimmed to 47-42 at the intermission, after an 18-4 Indiana run to close the second quarter.

The Heat then fell behind in the third, before taking a 67-64 lead into the fourth.

A Kyle Lowry 3-pointer with 3:54 to play then staked the Heat to a 77-73 lead, with the seven-point run by Butler giving the Heat an 84-75 lead with 2:25 remaining.

Yes, still, it wasn’t over, with a Buddy Heild 3-pointer with 42 seconds left after a Heat turnover moving the Pacers within 86-82.

And then another Heat turnover, off a Lowry inbounds pass.

That time, however, the Pacers reciprocated with a turnover, with Myles Turner stepping out of bounds.

That put Adebayo to the line with 22 seconds to play, when he made only the second of two free throws for an 87-82 lead, the Heat holding on from there.

2. Simply offensive: To put into perspective how much of a slog it was to get to the fourth-quarter, consider that the 131 points were the fewest through three quarters in an NBA game this season, according to the Associated Press.

Beyond the Heat’s 26-point first quarter, neither team scored more than 23 in any period to that stage.

The Heat stood 7 of 29 on 3-pointers entering the fourth.

3. Adebayo attacks: After an effort in Saturday’s home loss to the San Antonio Spurs below his recent standards, with 12 points and nine rebounds against the Spurs, Adebayo was up to 15 points and 12 rebounds by halftime.

Adebayo had nine rebounds and nine points in his 8:40 in the second period.

He was up to 19 points and 15 rebounds going into the fourth quarter.

4. Strus revived: Benched for the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Spurs, Max Strus was back in his regular rotation role, first to enter off the bench.

He promptly converted a pair of early 3-pointers.

He remained in the mix in the second half, as well.

Spoelstra remained somewhat coy regarding Saturday’s late-benching of Strus in favor of Duncan Robinson.

“The attempt was to spark something with that second unit,” Spoelstra said earlier Monday of Saturday’s move with Strus.

Strus closed with nine points on 3-of-12 shooting, all on 3-pointers.

5. Oladipo returns: The game was the first back for Oladipo since he was dealt by the Pacers to the Houston Rockets in January 2021. The Pacers played a pregame video tribute, with Oladipo receiving a warm welcome.

Oladipo, who is completing his first week of action, after recovering from preseason knee pain, entered midway through the first period, briefly playing alongside Butler and Herro.

After missing his first three shots, Oladipo converted a 3-pointer late in the third period for his first points.

Oladipo closed with five points, four rebounds and four assists.

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The trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer is close to wrapping up as his defense rested its case on Monday.

Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 87-82 victory over the Indiana Pacers:

– It was so much simpler last season when the Heat offense was 3-pointers.

– This season, it’s what?

– Jimmy Butler or bust?

– With Monday another example of the struggle on that end.

– Which means the defense almost has to be perfect.

– That certainly was the case for extended stretches against the Pacers.

– But that also is a hard way to have go.

– And not something necessarily in the Heat’s wheelhouse this season.

– It’s as if Bam Adebayo, Butler and Tyler Herro have to be at the top of their games every single night.

– Adebayo certainly did his part in this one.

– As did Butler.

– But the Heat need more.

– Because only consistency will lead to a resurrection in the standings.

– And that’s not there at the moment.

– Everything.

– Simply.

– Is.

– Difficult.

– The game marked the 11th start of the Heat opening-night lineup of Adebayo, Caleb Martin, Butler, Herro and Kyle Lowry.

– The Heat entered 4-6 with those five starting.

– It hardly has been a study in precision.

– The only Heat starting lineup that has played more than two games together that has a winning record is the 3-1 starting five of Adebayo, Martin, Butler, Lowry and Max Strus.

– It was Lowry’s 1,050 career regular-season game.

– For their part, the Pacers shook up their starting lineup, removing Jalen Smith in favor of Aaron Nesmith.

– The other four Indiana starters were Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Andrew Nembhard and Myles Turner.

– Nembhard, the former Florida Gator, opened defensively on Butler.

– Strus entered at the Heat’s first substitution, after being held out of the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Spurs.

– That also is when Victor Oladipo entered.

– With the Pacers offering a pregame video tribute to Oladipo for his time with the team.

– Butler’s fourth rebound moved him past Michael Beasley for 21st on the Heat all-time list.

– And Butler’s sixth shot moved him past Beasley for 21st on that Heat all-time list.

– Dewayne Dedmon followed as the Heat’s third reserve.

– Dedmon’s appearance was the 500th during the regular season of his career.

– Strus’ third 3-pointer tied him with Jason Williams for 16th on the Heat all-time list.

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did not downplay the week ahead when he spoke ahead of Monday’s game

– “It’s an important week for us,” he said. “We’re aware of that. We have an opportunity to do something significant on the road. I think each one of our road trips has gotten better, and we’re looking to take that next step.”

– Spoelstra also went in lamenting his team’s point-of-attack defense, with opponents in recent weeks blowing past Heat defenders off the dribble.

– “Our point-of-attack containment has been poor the last couple of games, being able to contain the first dribble without it being a straight-line blow-by,” he said.

– He added, “We’re better at containing than we’ve shown.”

– Another concern for Spoelstra was muting the Pacers’ pace.

– “The last time we played up here they had 25,” he said of fastbreak points. “It felt like they had 55 in transition.”

– Orlando Robinson, on rejoining the Heat from the team’s G League affiliate, “I’m just bringing the same thing that I brought in Sioux Falls, just energy, effort and just try to find my spot and do what I can to make this team win.”

– NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was in attendance.

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A house in Piedmont that sold for $7.3 million tops the list of the most expensive real estate sales in Piedmont and Oakland in the past week.

In total, 10 real estate sales were recorded in the area during the last week, with an average price of $2.6 million. The average price per square foot was $966.

The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Dec. 5., even if the property may have been sold earlier.

10. $1.3 million, single-family home in the 1900 block of Arrowhead Drive

The 2,758 square-foot single-family home in the 1900 block of Arrowhead Drive, Oakland, has now been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in November and the total purchase price was $1,265,000, $459 per square foot. The house was built in 1947. The house features 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Arrowhead Drive 9. $1.4 million, single-family house in the 6200 block of Melville Drive

The property in the 6200 block of Melville Drive in Oakland has new owners. The price was $1,401,500. The house was built in 1956 and has a living area of 1,988 square feet. The price per square foot is $705. The house features 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Melville Drive 8. $1.5 million, single-family residence in the 6000 block of Colton Boulevard

The sale of the single family residence in the 6000 block of Colton Boulevard in Oakland has been finalized. The price was $1,450,000, and the new owners took over the house in November. The house was built in 1970 and has a living area of 1,092 square feet. The price per square foot was $1,328. The house features 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Colton Boulevard 7. $1.7 million, detached house in the first block of Westwood Court

The property in the first block of Westwood Court in Oakland has new owners. The price was $1,730,000. The house was built in 1938 and has a living area of 1,870 square feet. The price per square foot is $925. The house features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Westwood Court 6. $2 million, detached house in the 6000 block of Estates Drive

A sale has been finalized for the detached house in the 6000 block of Estates Drive in Piedmont. The price was $1,950,000 and the new owners took over the house in November. The house was built in 1923 and the living area totals 2,982 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $654. The house features 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Estates Drive 5. $2.1 million, single-family house in the 1000 block of Winsor Avenue

The 2,295 square-foot single-family house in the 1000 block of Winsor Avenue in Piedmont has now been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in November and the total purchase price was $2,100,000, $915 per square foot. The house was built in 1919. The house features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Winsor Avenue 4. $2.5 million, single-family home in the 900 block of Larkspur Road

The sale of the single-family house in the 900 block of Larkspur Road, Oakland, has been finalized. The price was $2,525,000, and the house changed hands in November. The house was built in 1924 and has a living area of 2,383 square feet. The price per square foot was $1,060. The house features 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Larkspur Road 3. $2.8 million, single-family residence in the 200 block of Crocker Avenue

The property in the 200 block of Crocker Avenue in Piedmont has new owners. The price was $2,750,000. The house was built in 2018 and has a living area of 2,127 square feet. The price per square foot is $1,293. The house features 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

2. $3.5 million, single-family residence in the first block of Estrella Avenue

The property in the first block of Estrella Avenue in Piedmont has new owners. The price was $3,450,000. The house was built in 1912 and has a living area of 2,518 square feet. The price per square foot is $1,370. The house features 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Estrella Avenue 1. $7.3 million, detached house in the 200 block of Crocker Avenue

The sale of the single family residence in the 200 block of Crocker Avenue in Piedmont has been finalized. The price was $7,250,000, and the new owners took over the house in November. The house was built in 1926 and has a living area of 6,750 square feet. The price per square foot was $1,074. The house features 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.

 

A collision blocked all southbound lanes on State Route 9 at Cathcart Way in Snohomish, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Animal lovers can help save the lives of homeless cats and kittens by supporting Community Concern for Cats’ eighth Annual Giving Tree Fundraiser continuing through Dec. 31.

All donations will be used to provide spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations and other health care to restore sick and injured cats to good health at the group’s Clayton Hospital.  Broken bones and damaged eyes are common problems treated. Funds are also used to prepare CC4C’s kittens and friendly cats for their adoption into new forever homes.

To help community cats, visit CC4C’s upscale thrift shop, Rescued Treasures at 1270-I Newell Ave. in the San Miguel Shopping Center, Walnut Creek. Purchase an ornament, choosing from various donation amounts, and it will be hung on the Christmas tree in the shop’s window, filling it with signs of love for forgotten cats and kittens. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

One can also donate through CC4C’s web site — www.communityconcernforcats.com — or mail donations to P.O. Box 3795, Walnut Creek, CA 94598.

In addtion to spaying and neutering and helping injured cats, Community Concern for Cats’ members also help kittens without mothers and they feed many cat colonies throughout the area. They also feed litters of kittens with an enriched kitten formula to make sure they get a good start at life. Volunteers watch over them in their homes, and weigh them every day to see that they are growing properly.

Last year the group adopted out 916 cats; this year 648 so far, according to the group president.

“It has been an unusually difficult kitten season starting in March and it is not over yet,” Gemma Boyd, CC4C president, said.

For more information, go to https://www.communityconcernforcats.org/

By Donie O’Sullivan | CNN

Twitter on Monday night announced it was disbanding its “Trust and Safety Council,” according to an email the company sent to the councils’ members that was obtained by CNN.

The company said in the email that it was “reevaluating how best to bring external insights into our product and policy development work. As part of this process, we have decided that the Trust and Safety Council is not the best structure to do this.”

The move comes as Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk is undoing many of the policies and practices put in place before he took over the social media company.

A page on Twitter’s website, which has now been removed, explained that the council was made up of external expert organizations that advised on issues including online safety, human and digital rights, suicide prevention, mental health, child sexual exploitation, and dehumanization.

“Together, they advocate for safety and advise us as we develop our products, programs, and rules,” Twitter previously explained.

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Three members of the council resigned in protest last week, writing in a statement that “contrary to claims by Elon Musk, the safety and wellbeing of Twitter’s users are on the decline.”

Stevens Pass will close Tuesday morning for planned avalanche control, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The Nets have entered the John Collins sweepstakes — but the Atlanta Hawks reportedly aren’t interested in what the Nets are selling.

The Hawks have been floating the star forward’s name in trade rumors for years, and according to The Athletic, the Nets are among teams interested in acquiring Collins’ services.

They have joined the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks in pursuit of the star forward.

The Hawks, according to The Athletic, however, weren’t interested in a deal that includes sharpshooter Joe Harris. The remaining portion of Brooklyn’s offer for Collins is unknown.

The desire for a player of Collins’ caliber is understandable, though the fit raises more questions than answers.

Collins is a highflying floor-spacing four on the outs in Atlanta after repeated spats with superstar guard Trae Young. He is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds over the course of his career but hasn’t played since the beginning of December and is out with a sprained left ankle.

Collins could provide more size for a Nets team that largely struggles against bigger and more physical opponents. He also has the capability to step back and knock down a three. He is only shooting 22% from downtown this season but is a career 36% three-point shooter.

SNY’s Ian Begley also reported the Nets “touched base” with the Hawks about Collins’ availability last week. The Nets are clearly interested in making a deal, but it remains unclear whether or not the Hawks will entertain a trade seriously given Brooklyn’s roster constraints.

Harris has recovered from two ankle surgeries that ended his season early last year. He was moved to the second unit in favor of newly acquired Royce O’Neale. O’Neale missed his second straight game for personal reasons against the Wizards on Monday. Prior to sitting both games, O’Neale ranked second behind Kevin Durant in total minutes played this season.

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