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Raga jazz violinist brings East-meets-West show to Bay Area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

Carnatic violinist Arun Ramamurthy is making the world safe for raga.Raised in a highly cultured South Indian family in central New Jersey, he started to learn the classical music tradition by studying vocals with his mother, a respected Carnatic singer.“My dad organized concerts and tours for Carnatic artists, so our house was filled with Carnatic music and musicians,” Ramamurthy said. “And out in the world I was hearing jazz and hip-hop and funk.”He’s been on a mission ever since to connect the music of the hearth with the sounds he encountered outside his home. Involved in an array of ensembles created to bring together artists steeped in classical Indian music with other styles and idioms, Ramamurthy introduces his new raga jazz trio to the Bay Area over the next week with a series of performances.After a solo recital Friday as part of vegan chef Philip Gelb’s Oakland dinner series, Ramamurthy kicks off a busy run of trio shows Saturday afternoon on a Yerba Buena Gardens Festiva...

How senior centers in San Jose are faring as COVID wanes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

Editor’s note: This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students, a two-week intensive course in journalism. Students in the program report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.On a bright Friday morning at the Akiyama Wellness Center in San Jose’s Japantown, an exercise class consists of six seniors and one instructor.Four years ago, the same room might have been filled by 20 participants. For Akiyama, part of the Yu-Ai-Kai Japanese American Community Senior Service, this is only one example of COVID’s lasting mark on their programs since reopening.Even after returning to in-person services four months ago, the number of seniors attending activities has dropped 30% to 50% from pre-pandemic times. However, that has been somewhat offset by those who continue to participate in Zoom sessions, which Yu-Ai-Kai implemented during quarantine to keep its community engaged.“We could get up to 60 people logging...

San Jose: Man dies from injuries in motorcycle crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

SAN JOSE — A motorcyclist has died from injuries in a crash from earlier this month in North San Jose, police said.The crash was reported at 10:38 p.m. on Montague Expressway near East Trimble Road, according to San Jose police. An initial investigation found that the rider was eastbound on Montague just past Trimble when he lost control of his 2011 Harley-Davidson while entering the driveway of a parking lot.He was initially stabilized at a local hospital, but he died from his injuries June 24, police said. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office has identified him as 61-year-old Richard Anthony Lucas of San Jose.The fatal crash marked the city’s 23rd traffic death of the year. Anyone with information about the incident can contact SJPD Traffic Detective Keith Aldinger at 408-277-4654 or by email at [email protected] ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | 5 killed in single-car crash on California freeway Crashes and Disasters | ...

Fake cop who pulled over a real cop sentenced to one year in jail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

A Macomb Township man who posed as a Detroit cop and pulled over an off-duty police officer in Oakland County was recently sentenced for the crime.At a June 22 sentencing hearing, 52-3 District Judge Lisa Asadoorian ordered Christian Katan Mansoor, 18, to spend a year in the Oakland County Jail and fined him $1,825 for the April 3 incident in Rochester Hills. Mansoor pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge in May.Christian Mansoor (Oakland County Jail photo) According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the case unfolded near M-59 and Crooks Road in Rochester Hills, where sheriff’s deputies were dispatched after the Waterford Township cop reported someone in a silver BMW with red and blue lights drove up behind her and tried to pull her over.After the alleged phony cop — later identified as Mansoor — passed the Waterford officer near Dequindre and Hamlin roads, she reportedly followed him to confront him, the sheriff’s office said.She identified herself as a police officer...

San Jose airport passenger trips rise ahead of summer travel season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

SAN JOSE — San Jose International Airport zoomed to higher levels of passenger trips in May, a hopeful sign ahead of summer travel season — yet the Silicon Valley aviation hub remains below its pre-COVID record heights.The South Bay airport accommodated slightly fewer than 1.06 passenger trips during May, San Jose officials reported Tuesday.“We couldn’t be more pleased to see passenger traffic continue to move in this direction,” said Keonnis Taylor, a spokesperson for San Jose International Airport.Among the encouraging long-term trends at San Jose airport: Over the most recent one-year period that ended in May, the travel complex averaged 1.01 million passengers a month, this news organization’s analysis of the airport’s flight statistics shows.During the 12 months that ended in May, San Jose International Airport accommodated 12.08 million passenger trips.Even so, the airport still faces a lengthy convalescence to fully recover from its coronav...

Five-bedroom home sells in San Jose for $2.7 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

6258 Calle Bonita – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 6200 block of Calle Bonita in San Jose has new owners. The 3,297-square-foot property, built in 1973, was sold on June 9, 2023. The $2,731,000 purchase price works out to $828 per square foot. The property features five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a garage. There’s also a pool in the backyard and two parking spaces. The unit sits on an 8,325-square-foot lot.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:In November 2022, a 2,727-square-foot home on Balderstone Drive in San Jose sold for $2,000,000, a price per square foot of $733. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,710-square-foot home on the 1400 block of Corte de Rosa in San Jose sold in May 2023, for $1,785,000, a price per square foot of $1,044. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Via del Los Grande, San Jose, in April 2023, a 1,796-square-foot home was sold for $1,822,000, a price per square foot of $1,014. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 ba...

After California watchdog finds no violation, civil grand jury says Alameda County prosecutors violated policies during 2018 election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

OAKLAND — A month after an elections watchdog found no violation of the state’s political reform act, the Alameda County grand jury has concluded that several District Attorney employees, including prosecutors, violated local policies by using work emails to support of their boss in the 2018 election.The report, released last week, found that DA staff “violated county policies regarding the use of county computers and the use of county time” by coordinating efforts to help former DA Nancy O’Malley defeat Pamela Price in the 2018 election. Price lost the 2018 race against O’Malley — though the final tally was much closer than many expected — then went on to beat Terry Wiley in the 2022 election.“Despite knowing that District Attorney’s Office employees acted in violation of County policies, there were no immediate consequences for their behavior,” the report concluded.  “This unfortunate situation was driven by staff f...

The 10 best and worst US airports for flight disruptions this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

By Lebawit Lily Girma | BloombergIf you’re excited about summer travel yet dreading the crowded airport experience, you’re right to be anxious. More than 24 million Americans will depart from US airports during the July 4 holiday period alone, according to travel booking app Hopper, nearly double the amount projected for the same period in 2022. The number of American travelers flying this summer is also predicted to surpass pre-pandemic levels.This means knowing how US airports rank on flight disruptions comes in handy, even if you’ve already chosen your destination. For starters: Las Vegas took the national crown for the most flight disruptions in May, according to new data from air passenger rights—and reimbursement—company AirHelp Inc.AirHelp looked at just more than 673,000 international and domestic flights from the 672 US airports servicing more than 5,000 flights in May.Harry Reid International Airport had 35% of its flights disrupted, the data shows. Closely following for d...

California's new budget includes $5 billion for transit funding

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democrats who control the state Legislature agreed late Monday on how to spend $310.8 billion over the next year, endorsing a plan that covers a nearly $32 billion budget deficit without raiding the state's savings account.The nation's most populous state has had combined budget surpluses of well over $100 billion in the past few years, using that money to greatly expand government.But this year, revenues slowed as inflation soared and the stock market struggled. California gets most of its revenue from taxes paid by the wealthy, making it more vulnerable to changes in the economy than other states. Last month, the Newsom administration estimated the state's spending would exceed revenues by over $30 billion. How median price for a 1-bedroom apartment in SF compares to national average The budget, which lawmakers are scheduled to vote on this week, covers that deficit by cutting some spending — abou...

One dead after North San Jose motorcycle crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:56 GMT

(KRON) -- A motorcycle rider who crashed in North San Jose on June 15 has died from injuries he suffered in the crash, according to the San Jose Police Department. How a median price for a 1-bedroom apartment in SF compares to the national average Police say that the man on the motorcycle was heading east on Montague Expressway from southbound Trimble Road when he reportedly lost control of the motorcycle. He crashed as he attempted to enter a a parking lot. The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office will release the identity of the man after notifying his next of kin. Anyone with more information about this crash is asked to reach out to Detective Aldinger #4183 of the SJPD Traffic Investigations Unit at [email protected] or 408-277-4654.The man was taken to a local hospital and stabilized. However, on June 24 he died of his injuries. SJPD says this is the 22nd fatal crash and the 23rd person to die in a traffic accident in the city so far this year.