Joe Mazzola

April 10, 1917 – August 12, 1989

On the 30th anniversary of his death, no name holds a prouder place in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area labor movement than Joe Mazzola, the fiery, dynamic leader of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 38. Joe fought for a better future for more than 40 years for working families, both for Local 38 members and for men and women throughout the working life. He negotiated the first pensions, paid leave, and health and welfare programs in the construction industry. He established scholarships that enabled his members' children to attend college, a children's summer camp, and the Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, which offered workers the opportunity for affordable family vacations. He believed that the children of working men and women deserved the same opportunities as the children of the “rich and privileged” and that a “union made this possible.” But Joe was more than just a committed trade unionist. He was a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather and a good friend. Joe Mazzola was San Francisco's best and was always proud to represent the working people who built this city. The officers and members of Local 38, his friends and his family pay tribute to a great leader, a great man. We love you, Joe! We miss you and thank you.

Published by the San Francisco Chronicle from July 24 to August 12, 2019.

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The post Joe Mazzola Obituary (2019) – San Francisco, CA appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is recovering from surgery after he was attacked by a hammer-wielding intruder at the couple’s home in San Francisco.

Mr Pelosi, 82, suffered a fractured skull and injuries to his right arm and hands. He is “receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery,” spokesman Drew Hammill said.

The attack on the spouse of the third-most senior politician in the United States has sparked concerns about political violence ahead of the midterm elections on 8 November.

The suspect, David Depape, 42, is said to have tried to tie Mr Pelosi up and demanded to know “where’s Nancy?”, according to reports.

US President Joe Biden described the attack as “despicable” and denounced a corrosive political climate for contributing to violence. “Enough is enough is enough,” he said during a speech in Philadelphia. “Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against the violence in our politics, regardless of what your politics are.”

In the hours following the attack, the US government put out a bulletin to law enforcement across the nation warning of a “heightened threat” of domestic violent extremism against candidates and election workers driven by individuals with “ideological grievances”.

The attack on Mr Pelosi is being treated as attempted murder. A motive has not yet been fully determined, but San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said the attack was “intentional” and not random.

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Mrs Pelosi – who was on the other side of the country in Washington DC at the time of the assault – flew back to see her husband in hospital.

A spokesman for the senior Democrat said Mr Pelosi had been attacked in the early hours of Friday morning “by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker”.

San Francisco Police are leading the investigation and are working with the FBI and US Capitol Police.

Ms Pelosi, the highest-ranking Democrat in Congress, was in Washington at the time of the assault, according to US Capitol Police.

The suspected attacker has espoused extreme right-wing views on social media, including conspiracy theories about Covid-19, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing law-enforcement officials.

He also allegedly posted videos from Donald Trump ally and MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, as well as theories on the 6 January attack on the Capitol.

DePape also posted links to YouTube videos with titles like “Democrat FARCE Commission to Investigate January 6th Capitol Riot COLLAPSES in Congress!!!” and “Global Elites Plan To Take Control Of YOUR Money! (Revealed)”.

Politicians from both sides of the political divide have condemned the attack.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow Democrat, said in a statement: “What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act.

“I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said he was “horrified and disgusted” by the attack on Mr Pelosi.

He tweeted: “Grateful to hear that Paul is on track to make a full recovery and that law enforcement including our stellar Capitol Police are on the case.”

The White House said President Joe Biden was “praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family”.

There is mounting concern about the safety of politicians in the US almost two years after a mob of pro-Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in January, 2021.

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No list of iconic San Francisco figures would be complete without House of Prime Rib’s Joe Betz — one of the city’s longest-running restaurateurs. 

At 83, he’s a living history book, filled with pages that are lovingly inscribed with remarkable San Francisco tales from his time running an enormously popular discotheque in the Transamerica Pyramid to presiding over one of the city’s flagship restaurants for more than a third of a century. 

‘I do not come from a golden spoon’

House of Prime Rib’s gold-accented, wooden front doors are still locked before dinner service on a recent Thursday afternoon, when a spry gentleman wearing a crisp blue and red patterned button-up and dark denim smiles from behind its glass windows. He unlocks the entrance and welcomes me inside the acclaimed restaurant that’s been known for its well-marbled cuts of prime rib and chilled martinis since 1949.

(from left to right) Soun Manyvong, Saifon Manyvong, Terry Manyvong, and Kim Manyvong enjoy a family night out at the House of Prime Rib on the first night of its reopening, Wednesday, March 4, 2021.

Patricia Chang/Special to SFGATE

San Francisco just reopened indoor dining. Here’s what House of Prime Rib was like on the first night.

Patricia Chang/Special to SFGATE

A server cuts slices of prime rib at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, Calif. on July 6, 2022.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

San Francisco just reopened indoor dining. Here’s what House of Prime Rib was like on the first night.

Patricia Chang/Special to SFGATE

Photos: Patricia Chang / Special to SFGATE
Photos: Patricia Chang / Special to SFGATE

As we walk past tables draped in white fabric and garnished with pristine glassware perfectly set, Betz invites me into one of HOPR’s wine rooms, where he sits, surrounded by thousands of dark olive bottles (some dating back to 1932) that somehow aren’t covered in a single speck of dust.

Behind a pair of soft blue eyes, the man known for his generous philanthropy during the annual HOPR Christmas Eve lunch hosted at Glide Memorial Church, unfolds his deep adoration for the Van Ness institution and describes his role in its 73-year legacy. 

San Francisco just reopened indoor dining. Here’s what House of Prime Rib was like on the first night.

Patricia Chang/Special to SFGATE

“Prime rib is a comfort food. When the economy goes down, you don’t have the money to go for ‘experience food,’” he candidly said. “You want to go somewhere where you know you’ll get your money’s worth — and that’s what we are — and we stay that way.” 

Born in Bavaria, Betz began working in restaurants in Munich when he was 14 years old. Before he purchased HOPR in 1985 from its original owner, Lou Balaski, he waited tables at Hoffman’s Grill, a no-fuss diner and historic landmark at 619 Market St. between New Montgomery and 2nd streets. At just 28 years old, Betz ended up buying Hoffman’s in 1968 and became the city’s youngest restaurateur. 

“It was an American restaurant and it had a big bar. Needless to say, being there for so long at that time, it was running down,” Betz described. “… Don’t forget, I was 28 when I opened. I mean, I had very little money. I was worried how I was going to pay my bills, but I stuck it out. I had a wife and two kids, so I worked a little harder.”

Joe Betz, the owner of SF’s House of Prime Rib, poses for a photo in the wine room of the restaurant in San Francisco on July 6, 2022.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Betz said he welcomed all walks of life into Hoffman’s. It was during a time when political tensions ran high, and anti-Vietnam War protests roared loudly from Washington, D.C., and throughout the Bay Area. But despite that, Betz remembers calling down to Letterman Army Hospital at the Presidio to offer his hospitality. 

“During the time with the protests, I invited always on Thursdays at Hoffman’s, four wounded soldiers for lunch as my guest — every Thursday,” he said. “One day, a guy comes in with a wheelchair, and the guy looked at me and said, ‘Mr. Betz, do you remember me?’ and I said, ‘Maybe I should, but I’m sorry I don’t.’”

The soldier remembered as a boy, Betz visited his home with his father to watch a program on their new color TV. As he recalled the memory, it came flooding back to Betz, too. At the time, Betz said he worked two to three jobs before he purchased Hoffman’s, and recalls taking a break between one of his many shifts to pass the time at his friend’s place. 

An interior dining room at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco on July 6, 2022.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“He was a young kid, and then he went into the military and then he stepped on a land mine and it blew his legs,” Betz solemnly said. “So I could understand why people protest.” 

But Betz also said he respects different opinions on such sensitive topics, acknowledging that a person’s upbringing and life experiences play major roles in shaping their beliefs.

“If you come from a family who’s struggling, you may have a more different opinion about people who struggle — and you may be more sympathetic,” he said. “If you come from something with a golden spoon, then maybe you don’t understand. I do not come from a golden spoon, because I’ve been working since I’m 14.” 

While Betz said he certainly did not agree with the Vietnam War, or any war for that matter, he has always felt a duty to feed those in need — no matter their background. For him, every person who walks through his doors deserves respect.

Three generations of the Betz family serving up delicious prime rib on Christmas Eve.

Alain McLaughlin

One Sunday, Betz recalls attending service at Glide Memorial Church, where he was struck by the morning’s teachings about “hope, not class differences,” when he decided to begin donating his efforts to the organization. Now a nearly 30-year tradition, HOPR has donated thousands of meals to the community during the holidays, which includes cuts of its signature, dry-aged beef and sides such as honey-lemon broccoli, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls and eclairs.

“We serve a couple of thousand people at Christmas Eve,” he said. “We’re not just donating it, but my sons and I and my grandchildren are there serving it because I want my grandchildren to see there are two sides of the world — and people work very hard.” 

‘You could shoot a cannon through it’ 

As Hoffman’s became a Market Street staple well into the ’70s, Betz also ran all of the food operations inside the tallest building in San Francisco’s skyline at the time, the Transamerica Pyramid, including catering and a coffee shop known as the Bank Exchange. While there, Betz saw an opportunity when night blanketed the 48-story skyscraper. 

“In 1978, you could shoot a cannon through it and it wouldn’t hit anybody at night,” Betz said. “So I put a discotheque in there, and it became one of the top five in the country.” 

He dubbed this venture the Park Exchange, a gazebo-like glass structure on the ground floor with a sophisticated sound system. It launched a year after the famous celebrity-clad Studio 54 nightclub debuted in New York, and “was the No. 1 liquor seller among discos in Northern California — a whopping $64,000 a month,” according to an article from the SF Examiner in 1979.

A 1979 advertisement for the Park Exchange Supper Disco in the Transamerica Pyramid.

San Francisco Examiner

An earlier account from the Examiner reported that Betz also acquired a Rolls-Royce for the Park Exchange, where the “best-dressed couple” and “best-dressed disco lady” won the chance to be chauffeured around for the city for the day in all its luxury before ending their night at the club. 

Yet there was one stark difference between Betz’s popular dance hall and the cocaine-fueled parties at Studio 54. 

“I think the success in that one is a simple one. I don’t use drugs. I drink maybe sometimes too much, but I don’t use drugs and never did. And so, I had a very dislike for these pushers,” Betz said. “I don’t care what people do, but I had very close connections with the police department and with the narcotics [unit], so they helped me out to assure me the place was clean.” 

There were two dance floors and an enclosed game room in the center of all the action, and late-night suppers were served to keep guests well fed as they danced the night away to some of the era’s most popular music from the Bee Gees to Donna Summer.

“So you could go there with your parents, for example, or with somebody, and not worry about being in a raid,” he said. “We had some big celebrities there and big political figures because of that.” 

Notable figures included the king of Malaysia, three Saudi princes and one sultan. The governor of Guam even brought his son to Park Exchange for a college graduation party, according to the Examiner. 

As disco faded and left traces of glitter in its wake, San Francisco experienced more growth, with historic buildings being revamped throughout the city. But instead of demolishing entire landmarks, city planners would leave the facade of their presence on the outside, while they became trendy new businesses and housing developments on the inside.

Hoffman’s Grill entrance, 619 Market between 2nd Street and New Montgomery, taken on the last day of business June 29, 1984. Despite its landmark status, the building was demolished with only its facade preserved.

OpenSFHistory / wnp32.3426 / Courtesy Emiliano Echeverria

Although recognized as a historic landmark in 1981, Hoffman’s was ultimately closed in 1984 and gutted, making way for big high-rises that were erected around the Edwardian-style building. 

An article from the San Francisco Chronicle archives describes the days leading up to Hoffman’s demolishment, a mainstay at 619 Market St. since 1913. 

“Historic Hoffman’s Grill, last relic of the pre-World War I restaurants on Market Street, closed June 29 with toasts to a vanished era,” the article described. “Hearty German fare, salty waiters, generous drinks and authentic atmosphere of stained glass, murky paintings and slow fans — that was Hoffman’s.” 

Hoffman’s Grill interior, 619 Market between 2nd Street and New Montgomery, taken on the last day of business, June 29, 1984.

OpenSFHistory / wnp32.3430 / Courtesy Emiliano Echeverria

Betz was 44 years old at the time of the shift, but the end of Hoffman’s wasn’t without its silver lining. According to the Chronicle’s article, Betz and his former wife Heide received a $3 million dollar settlement to vacate the beloved restaurant so that it could make way for a new office building. 

“We were lucky that we had a great lease, so they had to buy us out,” Betz said. “So it was actually a very good ending. I miss Hoffman’s more emotionally than financially.” 

‘I live this place’ 

Back inside HOPR, the evening’s bartender starts taking inventory of his ingredients before the restaurant opens for cocktail hour at 4:30 p.m. Betz’s son, Steven Betz, is seen zipping about the aisles making sure everything is just so before dipping behind the scenes to the kitchen. 

Joe points Steven out, acknowledging that he couldn’t run HOPR without him and noting that he’s just as passionate about the family-run business as his father. The two recently flew out to Chicago in June for the James Beard Awards, where HOPR was one of five finalists in the country in the “Outstanding Hospitality” category.

A waiter takes an order from customers in the dining room at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, Calif. on July 6, 2022.Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“I live this place. And, I’m very fortunate I have my son here. He’s doing a great job with how things are going,” Betz said. “Steven and I went [to the awards] together, and I realized that I wouldn’t be there without him, and I’m very fortunate that he has the same interest that I have.” 

Less than a year after Hoffman’s shuttered, Betz immediately jumped back into the restaurant business with HOPR in 1985. He completely remodeled his newly purchased restaurant to bring it into a new era, where it would no longer stick to its former coat-and-tie dress code and he would also remove the high booths that boxed in its guests. 

He tore everything out from floor to ceiling, put in a new kitchen and retained HOPR’s original back-of-the-house crew and brought in some familiar Hoffman’s servers to operate the front of house. He describes the bare bones layout as very much the same as it was in 1949, it’s just been updated to give its five dining rooms a fresh look that he said is a bit more feminine in nature. 

Customers enter the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco on July 6, 2022.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“We just recently repainted everything. It’s a constant upgrade. We don’t want to be stale,” Betz said. “When you’re around for so many years, sometimes you don’t see dirt grow. Later on today, somebody’s going to come around and change the light fixtures.” 

Before Betz took over the restaurant, he said HOPR was only churning out about 75 dinners a night. Now, the famed prime rib hotspot easily dishes out 600 plates during evening service — and that’s considered a slow night. 

“When you’re in the business, and dealing with so many people, you have to like it and you become emotional,” he said. “I’m going to be 83 in two days, and I still love what I’m doing. I don’t like it. I love it. You’re emotionally involved. It’s not just a bank account. It’s an emotion.” 

Left to right, House of Prime Rib executive chef Doug Braun and owner Joe Betz pose for a photo in the meat locker of the restaurant in San Francisco on July 6, 2022.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Betz often meets with his employees to reinforce that as long as he’s buying the best, top-quality beef in the country, he expects them to do the best they can while serving it to customers. Sides such as mashed or baked potatoes, creamed corn and spinach are all basic accompaniments that Betz says his customers are quite fond of, but there is one recipe at HOPR that is anything but ordinary. 

“What’s not basic is our house salad dressing. To make the dressing, at the base, you have to almost ferment it and from the beginning to table ready is about 10 days,” he said, before cracking a playful smile. “It’s a creamy dressing, based in sherry and apple vinegar. If I tell you the secret, I’d have to kill you.” 

And while other fancy steakhouses don’t always cater to children and the younger generation, Betz is there to welcome them to a seat at his table. He’s watched generations of families grow up through the decades, a true testament to HOPR’s longevity. 

“It’s an institution. Before my father took it over, we used to come here,” Steven said. “So as a child, before I had anything to do with the restaurant, we used to come here as children. A lot of San Francisco, I’d imagine, has done the same thing.” 

House of Prime Rib on the night San Francisco reopened indoor dining, March 4, 2021.

Patricia Chang/Special to SFGATE

After nearly 40 years, Betz is admittedly his own biggest critic and says the moment a business owner doesn’t find something to perfect or to tweak, that means they’re on their way out — and he doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon. 

“My job is not to bask in glory,” Betz said. “My job is to keep things going as best as we can.” 

House of Prime Rib, 1906 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Open Monday through Friday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.

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• San Francisco’s tallest building is sinking fast and Joe Montana’s apartment could be in trouble.
• Work is being done to fix the problem, but history shows that may not work out well.
• Click HERE for more coverage from BroBible!

San Francisco’s Millennium Tower, one of the most-expensive, most luxurious residential buildings in the city, is titling more than two feet north and west. Among the well-to-do residents in the building are Joe Montana and Hunter Pence.

Located on the corner of Fremont and Mission Streets in the Golden City’s financial district, the Millennium Tower stands 645 feet tall. It has 58 stories and is the tallest residential building in San Francisco.

However, it is sinking. Nearly.

According to Architectural Digest, the building continues to title at a rate of three inches a year because it is literally sinking into the ground. It has already sunk between 17 and 18 inches.

In San Francisco, on the corner of Fremont and Mission stands the now famous Millennium Tower. Sources say that this building has tilted more than 22 inches. Therefore, this work is being done here to correct it. pic.twitter.com/jfkC8LK5e1

— Bigg Bidnezz (@Bidnezz) January 10, 2022

Should the problem go unfixed, it could eventually reach a tilt of 40 inches. At that point, the elevators and plumbing would cease to work.

And according to both Architectural Digest and an investigative report from NBC Bay Area, part of the problem is actually work that was done to try and fix the problem last year:

“In a contradiction that defies improbability, data shows that around 10 inches of the overall 26-inch tilt happened last year following work to stop the sinking. NBC Bay Area revealed that drilling logs show a gap of one to four days between drilling and grout installation. In the article, the NBC Bay Area stated, ‘While Millennium fix officials discounted the issue to authorities, some outside experts say such delays in grouting could very well explain the comparatively rapid settlement and tilting that occurred during pile installation in August.’”

oops!

To try and re-fix the sinking and tilting, work is currently being done. 10 steel pipes are being installed to bedrock some 250 feet underneath the tower.

If it is done correctly this time, it would halt and potentially reverse some of the tilting. As of right now, it remains safe.

But if the problem is not fixed quickly and properly, it could be a different story.

The post Joe Montana’s Luxurious Residence Constructing In San Francisco Is Sinking appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

In order for the Cincinnati Bengals to reach the playoffs, quarterback Joe Burrow and the rest of the offense must limit the number of sales in the future. Burrow leads the league in interceptions for 13 weeks at 14.

Burrow, in his sophomore season in the NFL, knows that giving the ball away as it is, even if several are not his fault, is not a recipe for success. Certainly not in December.

“That was something that I’ve been disappointed with this year, as far as I can control,” said Burrow. “Too many in my opinion.”

It’s not so much the number of interceptions Burrow has thrown that is cause for concern.

In fact, four of the five players who rank just behind Burrow in interceptions are on teams capable of making the playoffs: Lamar Jackson (13), Ryan Tannehill (13), Patrick Mahomes (12), Justin Herbert ( 11) and Zach Wilson (11). The problem is more controversial when the wiretapping takes place.

More:How the Cincinnati Bengals Can Beat the San Francisco 49ers: Three Keys

Some of them came when Burrow tried to force the ball into narrow windows like the one he threw them in the end zone against the Cleveland Browns, resulting in a combination of six.

Some came because his wide receivers didn’t secure the ball. Regardless, some came into the game at critical times and played a role in the bottom line.

More:“I have to beat double teams”: Ja’Marr Chase on adapting the teams to his hot start

The Bengals are going into the final leg of the regular season and you could argue that any game in the future is a must to win.

In order to win these games and secure a place in the playoffs for the first time since 2015, Cincinnati cannot give the ball to its opponents in its current form. With 19 a year (14 interceptions, five fumbles), the Bengals are ranked 23rd in the NFL for giveaways.

“Yeah, I mean it has to change somehow, its shape or form,” said Brian Callahan, Bengal offensive coordinator. “The crazy thing is, we’re still sitting by… In our last three defeats we flipped the ball eight times in three defeats, I think. It won’t make it against a lot of good teams.

More:Bengals Movie Room: How Joe Burrow Overcame a Dislocated Finger to Lose the Chargers

“The ball losses are too many. There are too many everywhere. Our defense did a good job of getting the ball back. We really neutralize that advantage if we give the ball away as quickly as we are.” no matter if fumbles or interceptions or whatever they come. ”

The league’s leadership at interceptions is not a statistic Burrow is proud of, and he can only control a limited amount of what happens.

The Bengals can help their franchise quarterback by stepping up protections for him to limit the number of hits. When Burrow is under constant pressure, he has less time to read through his books and make the right decision about football.

More:The Bengals’ bet on young offensive linemen does not pay off in the event of a loss for the Chargers

More importantly, a team has more opportunities to knock the ball out of their hand when they hit it. Burrow has been sacked 36 times this season – the second most common NFL quarterback that year.

The Bengals know they’ll go as far as Burrow needs them to go, and he has a knack for helping Cincinnati win AFC North this season. Now it’s up to him and his teammates to make sure they give each other the best chance to do so, and a large part of that will limit turnover.

More:Joe Burrow had to train with a pinky finger injury as the Bengals prepare for the 49ers on Wednesday

“We have faced a lot of adversity this year,” said Burrow. “We have really good people in the locker room who work really hard. These are the guys you want to go to war with here when they have to go down the track and get some tough victories.”

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He had traveled to Jura for rest and isolation so that he could focus on the concept of Big Brother. He succeeded, and this book revolutionized publishing in 1949 with its history of Eternal War, ubiquitous government surveillance, historical negationism, and propaganda.

Many people may well believe that the 1984 fiction was put into practice during the 2020 US presidential election. And some people, like the Chinese government, were so shocked by Orwell’s story that they banned his books from their social media platforms in 2019.

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Those of a certain age will remember that it wasn’t always that way. In fact, New York State Governor Mario Cuomo delivered a speech at the US Democratic Congress in 1984. Almost 80 million people watched the speech on their televisions and Governor Cuomo was interrupted by applause more than 50 times from the live audience. That was the year President Ronald Regan spoke eloquently about the US being “a shining city on a hill.” Cuomo contrasted this image that “the hard truth is that not everyone shares in the splendor and glory of this city”.

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US election: Americans in Scotland fear the result of the vote

Aside from last-minute problems – like a successful legal challenge by Donald Trump – Joe Biden appears to be the elected President of the United States.

He was carried into the White House by a tsumani of people who understood he was talking about them when he said the Covid pandemic was “not over” and added, “Just ask the people at your dining table will look at an empty chair ”. Reaching for a loved one in their bed at Christmas or out of habit, only to find it is empty too.

A voice of integrity, honor and truth

Trump supporters slap the glass and chant slogans outside a room where postal votes were counted in Detroit, Michigan (Image: Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty Images)

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris held up a highly polished mirror to the American people as if to say, “Is that what you really want?”

As the world has become increasingly dystopian since 1984, it strikes me that even today, amid the stormy seas of electronic mass media, a voice of integrity, honor and, yes, truth can rise above the maddened crowd.

Combining the folklore of Ronald Reagan, the sincerity of Jimmy Carter, and even the sincere wrath of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were able to overcome all odds by finding their common voice and asking a simple question.

They kept asking: “Is this the America we want for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren?”

It is a simple and at the same time profound question. If you interviewed 300 million US citizens and asked them about their dreams for the future, you would find as many splinters as you can see when you cut a huge tree in the forest.

Another morning

These factions have always been part of the American experiment. However, because of recent poor national leadership, this noble experiment has failed because of the seeds of division rather than the formation of courageous coalitions.

Now President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 campaign slogan, “It’s Tomorrow in America” ​​seems to be true again with the advent of new leadership, albeit from an opposing party.

The challenge now for future President Biden and Vice President Harris is that they must first heal the wounds of the recent past. And while these scars will be visible for many years to come, they will always remind us of the American dream stronger and more enduring than any selfish despot, angry white racist group, or a lewd QAnon conspiracy troll.

Further from dystopia

When Governor Cuomo stood at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco and spoke to thousands of delegates, his voice did not thunder, but rather, quietly and firmly, he reminded all Americans that their country was a “story of two cities” rather than a “brilliant” one City on a hill. “

Then he threw a strong spotlight on the dark side of this hill, using statistical evidence to show how unfair America had become. He concluded with these words, which in both 1984 and 2020 will bring a deep sense of treasure and upward development: “To be successful, we need to give up some small bits of our individual interests in order to build a platform that we all do can endure “. on, immediately and comfortably – proudly – sing along. “

I believe the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris opened a new opportunity to step by step from our dystopian past and present to a new chapter for America and her friends and admirers around the world to stand together and sing again proud that these are our values ​​and that our hopes for the future will be realized with new leadership that values ​​truth, respect, kindness and, yes, love.

Professor Joe Goldblatt is Professor Emeritus of Scheduled Events at Queen Margaret University. He has both Scottish and US citizenship and has been known as an “Honorary Orcadian” because of his many visits. He voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. To learn more about Professor Goldblatt’s views, visit www.joegoldblatt.scot

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The post US election: Donald Trump created an Orwellian nightmare however Joe Biden might help America get better – Professor Joe Goldblatt appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Joe Freitas has been synonymous with South San Francisco Colt baseball for nearly half a century.

But for the first time since he started coaching his first team in 1977 at the age of 18, this season marked the first time a South San Francisco Colt team was not led by Freitas.

Joe Freitas

After the Peninsula Colt League, like the entire California youth baseball, was closed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Freitas decided to step down from the coaching office in 2021. While still holding the title of President and Business Manager of the Peninsula Colt League, Freitas passed the reins of his South City Indians team to Raul Callero.

“I’m still determined to lead the South City program up here and continue to be involved in the Peninsula Colt League,” said Freitas. “My philosophy was to build the program – and keep the kids in South City, give them a place to play and keep them out of trouble and keep them going – keep the program going.”

Freitas trained his final game under the South City PAL Colt Baseball banner in the 2019 Super Region tournament and led the team to the championship game before falling against eventual national champions Los Gatos Legends.

“That was a good year,” said Freitas. “In the end we had a really good year. We made it to the finals in the Super Region in San Jose. “

Freitas was one of the founders of the Peninsula Colt League, along with Wally Souza in San Mateo and Mike Palmer in San Bruno. Palmer stepped down as president of the Peninsula Colt League in 2019.

“It was just about time,” said Palmer. “I had lasted an awful long time. I thought it was time to pass the torch on to someone else. “

Palmer began coaching San Bruno Youth Baseball in 1976. In the years to come, he would oversee SB Youth and the San Bruno Colt League before bringing them under the same banner of the Peninsula Colt League in the early 2000s. Palmer’s legacy pioneered the transformation of the Peninsula Colt League into a not-for-profit charity.

Freitas said he would like to step down from his advisory role at South San Francisco Colt in the future and has named Raul Callero as his successor even though Callero has not yet accepted the title.

“I would like to resign permanently,” said Freitas. “It’s just about finding the right man to hand it over to.”

Callero comes from a longtime baseball family from South San Francisco. His father Cliff served as an assistant coach under Freitas in 2019. And his grandfather, Mike, was immortalized in 2011 when the baseball diamond in Southwood Park was renamed Mike Callero Field.

South San Francisco Colt played a 12-game plan this season with Raul Callero at the helm, despite not being under the official Colt League banner. The team played independently, as did teams from San Bruno, Pacifica, Millbrae, and Daly City.

“Things were sketchy about the whole COVID thing, but I think we’ll be back next year,” said Palmer.

Freitas really wanted to thank everyone who played for him during his 42 years as a coach. He said he was also grateful to his 22-year-old assistant coach Tom Sutter, his brother-in-law, who died in 2010.

One of the evidence of Freitas’ ability to hold the Colt League together during difficult times came during a night game against the Burlingame Mules in Washington Park in 2017. The appointed referees did not appear for the game. But instead of canceling the game, Freitas made the rounds of Washington Park and asked individual fans if they were ready for the referee.

Freitas eventually found two takers to referee, including a local Bay Area sports radio celebrity Ken Dito, who attended the game to watch his grandson play for Burlingame.

“I have to say that was one of my highlights,” said Freitas.

The post Joe Freitas steps away from teaching South San Francisco Colt baseball | Native appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

ON THIS DAY

1903: Maurice Garin, nicknamed “the little chimney sweep”, wins the first Tour de France.

1957: Alec Russell is only the second man after Gordon Richards in 1933 to ride all six winners in one race.

1997: Crystal Palace settles a £ 2.1 million fee for Juventus winger Attilio Lombardo, who manages the Eagles for a short period.

2002: The Football Association deducts four points from newcomers to the Boston Football League and fines £ 100,000 for irregularities. The pilgrims could still stay up at the end of the season and finished in 15th place.

2004: Chelsea agree with Marseille a £ 24m fee for striker Didier Drogba.

2005: Newcastle sign Turkish international Emre Belozoglu from Inter Milan for £ 3.8m.

2006: David O’Leary leaves Aston Villa by mutual agreement after three years in office.

2007: Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello were confirmed as Honda drivers for the 2008 Formula 1 season.

2009: American Stewart Cink won the Golf Open Championship after beating 59-year-old compatriot Tom Watson in a four-hole play-off.

2010: Liverpool sign England international Joe Cole on a four-year deal.

2011: Keri-Anne Payne became the first British athlete to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics after winning the 10-kilometer open water race at the FINA World Championships in Shanghai.

2012: Tottenham and England defender Ledley King retires from professional football.

2015: Liverpool reached an agreement with Aston Villa on the terms of payment for Christian Benteke’s transfer of £ 32.5m.

2017: Jodie Taylor became the first English player to score a hat trick in a major tournament when the Lionesses kicked off their European Championship campaign with a 6-0 win over Scotland.

2018: Liverpool announce the signing of a six-year deal with Brazil international Alisson after agreeing a world record fee for a goalkeeper from Rome.

2018: Lewis Hamilton agrees a two-year contract extension with Mercedes until the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Ledley King was described by Harry Redknapp as an “absolute freak” because he was able to perform at Premiership level despite a lack of training due to a knee injury. He retired that day

BIRTHDAYS

Ilie Nastase (tennis) – Romanian who won the French Open, US Open and two Wimbledon finals, born in 1946.

Paul Bracewell (soccer) – former Everton, Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder who later ran Fulham, born in 1962.

Vitali Klitschko (boxing) – former WBC heavyweight champion and now mayor of Kiev, born in 1971.

Malcolm O’Kelly (Rugby Union) – Lock, who won 92 caps for Ireland, was born in 1974.

Shayne McMenemy (Rugby League) – former Hull FC striker, born 1976.

Ed Smith (cricket) – former Kent batsman who won three England Test Caps before retiring in 2008 and is now the national selector, born in 1977.

Luke Young (soccer) – former England and Charlton defender, born 1979.

Xavier Malisse (tennis) – Belgium’s former Wimbledon semi-finalist, born in 1980.

LaMarcus Aldridge (basketball) – San Antonio Spurs striker, born 1985.

Manuel Akanji (soccer) – defender of Borussia Dortmund and Switzerland, born in 1995.

Matt Miazga (soccer) – Defender of Chelsea and the United States, born 1995.

Jean Michael Seri (soccer) – Fulham and Ivory Coast midfielder, born 1997.

QUICK QUIZ

1. Who won two Everton Players of the Season in the 2015/16 season?

2. Who is the youngest winner of the US Open Men’s Singles Title?

3. Which golfer won the Open Championship in 2002 and 2012?

4. Who has scored 118 goals for Manchester United in 292 games in six seasons?

5. What American sport do the Baltimore Orioles play in?

(See quiz answers below)

SPORT ON TELEVISION

Today (Friday 19th July)

GOLF: The Open Championship – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf 0630.

CRICKET: Women’s Ashes, England v Australia – Sky Sports Cricket 1030; Vitality T20 Blast, Hampshire v Sussex Sharks – Sky Sports Cricket 1845 and Sky Sports Main Event 2030.

CYCLING: Tour de France – ITV4 0930, Eurosport 1 1230 & S4C 1400; La Course by Le Tour de France – Eurosport 1 0845.

NETBALL: World Championship – BBC Two 1445.

FOOTBALL: African Nations Cup final, Senegal v Algeria – Eurosport 2 1945; Betfred Cup, Motherwell v Morton, BT Sport 1 1915.

RUGBY LEAGUE: Super League, Hull KR v Huddersfield Giants – Sky Sports Arena 1900.

RUGBY UNION: Currie Cup, Griquas v Pumas – Sky Sports Action 1545; Blue Bulls versus Free State Cheetahs – Sky Sports Action 1800.

BASEBALL: MLB, Chicago Cubs v San Diego Padres – BT Sport / ESPN 1900.

Tomorrow (Saturday 20th July)

GOLF: The Open Championship – Sky Sports Golf 0930 & Sky Sports Main Event 1430.

CYCLING: Tour de France – Eurosport 1 1200.

NETBALL: World Championship – Sky Sports Main Event 0845 & BBC Two 1430.

CRICKET: Women’s Ashes, England v Australia – Sky Sports Cricket 1030 & Sky Sports Main Event 1045; Vitality T20 Blast, Kent Spitfires v Somerset – Sky Sports Cricket 1845 and Sky Sports Main Event 2000.

Athletics: London Anniversary Games – BBC One 1315.

TENNIS: WTA, Bucharest Open – BT Sport 2 1300.

DARTS: World Matchplay Darts – Sky Sports Action 2100 and Sky Sports Main Event 2200.

FOOTBALL: Premier League Asia Trophy, Newcastle United v West Ham – Sky Sports Premier League 0945, Manchester City v Wolves – Sky Sports Premier League 1215.

RUGBY LEAGUE: NRL, Sydney Roosters versus Newcastle Knights – Sky Sports Arena 0555, Canberra Raiders versus West Tigers – Sky Sports Action 0825, North Queensland versus South Sydney Rabbitohs – Sky Sports Action 1030.

UFC: Fight Night, Rafael dos Anjos versus Leon Edwards welterweight title fight – 0000 (Sun).

RUGBY UNION: Rugby Championship, South Africa – Australia – Sky Sports Action 1530, Argentina – New Zealand – Sky Sports Action 1830.

MOTO: Speedway, Speedway of the Nations – BT Sport 1 1745.

BASEBALL: MLB, New York Yankees v Colorado Rockies – BT Sport / ESPN 1800, San Francisco Giants v New York Mets – BT Sport 2 2100, Atlanta Braves v Washington Nationals – BT Sport 2 0000 (Sun).

QUICK QUIZ answers: 1. Gareth Barry; 2. Pete Sampras (aged 19 years and one month); 3. Ernie Els; 4. Cristiano Ronaldo; 5. baseball

The post On This Day, July 19, 2010: Liverpool signed England worldwide Joe Cole on a four-year contract. appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SACRAMENTO (AP / CBS SF) – Joe Biden won California and its 55 votes on Tuesday, adding to the Democratic hold on the nation’s most populous state.

California has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992. Four years ago, Hillary Clinton surpassed Donald Trump with more than 4 million votes. The President’s trips to California during the campaign were mostly fundraising.

CONTINUE READING: San Francisco Uber suspect Arna Kimiai surrenders to the police

“If we continue under this administration, America will be a lost cause. We’re going to lose hope, ”said Harry Rochester, 40, a San Francisco nurse who voted for Biden.

The election came under the influence of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 17,600 people in the state to date, including Alameda County’s Deputy Sheriff Oscar Rocha in July. His widow Maureen Ennor-Rocha cast her vote for Trump on Tuesday.

“This is my first election day without him so I think this might be part of my fear,” she said. “We fly the blue line flag, we believe in the protection of our police.”

Biden’s runner-up, US Senator Kamala Harris of California, made history as the first black woman to be nominated as vice president of a major political party. She is also the first California Democrat to appear on a major party presidential ticket.

It’s been decades since the Republicans were the dominant party in California. As of 1952, the GOP won nine out of ten presidential elections and the state helped send Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan to the White House.

But when Bill Clinton defeated President George HW Bush in 1992, a streak began that has now achieved eight direct victories for the Democrats, including Biden.

California Republicans were more focused on winning back some seats in the US House of Representatives after a string of losses two years ago. This included four districts that either wholly or partially contained Orange County, a former Republican stronghold. The Republicans only hold seven of the state’s 53 residences.

One of the toughest competitions is the 25th borough north of Los Angeles, where GOP MP Mike Garcia is trying again to stop Democrat Christy Smith after beating her for a seat in a special election in May due to the Democrat’s resignation Katie Hill was left open amid a home ethic probe of sexual misconduct. Also the 21st district in the Central Valley where former Republican MP David Valadao seeks to reclaim his seat from Democratic MP TJ Cox, who defeated Valadao by 862 votes in 2018.

Republican Darrell Issa has moved to a neighboring district to try to get back into the US home. The former longtime congressman stepped down in 2018 and now works in the 50th district primarily in San Diego County. The seat was left open when GOP MP Duncan Hunter pleaded guilty to a corruption charge and resigned.

CONTINUE READING: Fatal solo collision on Highway 4 in Antioch blocks lanes in a westerly direction

Most of the seats in the Bay Area House up for re-election on Tuesday evening were found by Democratic incumbents, who were at the top by a wide margin. San Francisco House Representative and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Oakland Representative Barbara Lee, Contra Costa County Representative Mark DeSaulnier, San Francisco / San Mateo Representative Jackie Speier, and San Jose Representatives, Ro Khanna and Zoe Lofgren, all of their races dominated from 77 percent to over 90 percent of the vote.

Anna Eshoo, another South Bay representative, led her Democratic rival Rishi Kumar by almost 67 to 33 percent.

Meanwhile, voters pondered a dozen statewide polls that could revamp property tax formulas, lift a ban on positive action, and redefine the billion-dollar business models of hail shipping companies Uber and Lyft.

The most expensive campaign involved an intense battle between companies and working groups over the future of app-based hail and delivery companies.

At stake is a 2019 law requiring companies like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash to treat their drivers as employees in order to guarantee them benefits like overtime, sick leave and reimbursement. The companies signed Proposition 22 to try to maintain their business model of treating drivers as independent contractors.

The companies raised around $ 200 million to campaign for the measure, while the unions raised more than $ 20 million to fight it. A state appeals court has ruled that Uber and Lyft must comply with the law, which likely makes Proposition 22 their last hope.

Voters will also choose whether to increase business tax by up to $ 12.5 billion a year by triggering a new valuation every three years, with a few exceptions for smaller businesses.

Supporters have framed the debate to increase funding for schools and local governments that rely primarily on property taxes to pay for their services. Opponents have condemned the proposal as a tax hike to cut jobs amid a pandemic-triggered economic downturn.

One of the more emotional measures on the ballot is Proposition 16, which would end the state’s ban on positive action programs for hiring, contracting and admission to public colleges and universities. The democratically controlled legislature of the state put this on the ballot this year. She believed the racial justice protests since the assassination of George Floyd in Minneapolis was the right time to end the ban.

MORE NEWS: Famous fashion designer Jessica McClintock from San Francisco dies

© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The post Democrat Joe Biden Wins California’s 55 Electoral Votes; Bay Space Home Seats Keep With Incumbents – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.