A man who rammed a vehicle into the front of a Petaluma jewelry store Saturday afternoon, Jan. 31, was attempting to thwart a robbery, according to police.
The robbery at Gold Rush Jewelers at 385 South McDowell Blvd. was reported about 4:46 p.m. Saturday to Petaluma police, the agency said. According to a preliminary investigation, six people wearing ski masks entered the store armed with hammers, pepper spray and at least one gun. One person held the four employees at gunpoint while the others smashed the display cases and removed jewelry.
A male bystander who happened upon the scene got into the suspects’ idling vehicle and slammed it into the business, damaging a roll-up door and some windows, Sgt. Ryan McGreevy said Tuesday. The man later told police that he had been trying to block the robbers inside.
McGreevy said the man’s method was “unorthodox,” but he is not suspected of any criminal charges.
The crash prompted the robbers to flee — four into the vehicle that had been rammed into the store and two on foot into a neighborhood across South McDowell Boulevard. One of the suspected robbers pepper-sprayed the bystander as he tried to get out of the car, police said.
With the assistance of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s helicopter Henry-1, officers later found the men they said fled on foot. One was spotted jumping down from a rooftop and trying to hide under a vehicle while the other was later seen sitting in a backyard, police said.
William Clarance Butler of Pittsburg and Mosha’e Koron Howell of Antioch were arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail. On Monday, both of the 18-year-old men were charged in Sonoma County Superior Court with four counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy — all felonies. Both are being held without bail and set to appear Feb. 17 in court.
On Saturday, police also located a bag of jewelry between the store and the neighborhood where the two men had fled, McGreevy said Tuesday. The owner of the store is still determining how many pieces of jewelry were taken during the robbery and the value of those items.
The vehicle in which the other four robbers fled the jewelry store was found abandoned in a nearby neighborhood and authorities later determined it had been stolen in Brentwood. Authorities, including a K9 unit, searched for hours for the other four individuals to no avail. As of Tuesday, authorities have not identified the four robbers or located the gun used in the robbery.
None of the jewelry store employees were injured but told police they were emotionally shaken after the robbery.
Petaluma police are asking that anyone with information, including security camera footage, contact Detective Alyssa Hansen at 707-781-1291 or ahansen@cityofpetaluma.org.
You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi_smals.
“The show will be in two parts, opening with the performance of the Grammy nominated masterpiece (album) ‘Seven Psalms,’” according to a news release. “After a brief intermission, the show resumes with Simon performing many of his greatest hits and many deep cuts celebrating the breadth of his career.”
Simon’s band for this tour includes: Edie Brickell (vocals), Mark Stewart (guitar), Bakithi Kumalo (bass), Andy Snitzer (saxophone), Jamey Haddad (percussion), Mick Rossi (piano, keys), Gyan Riley (guitar), Matt Chamberlin (drums), Nancy Stagnitta (flute), Caleb Burhans (viola) and Eugene Friesen (Cello).
TOUR DATES: June 4 Frost Amphitheater, Palo Alto, CA 7 Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA 9 Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA 12 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO 13 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO 16 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO 18 PNC Pavilion, Cincinnati, OH 20 Meadow Brook Amphitheater, Rochester Mills, MI 23 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 25 RBC Amphitheater, Toronto, CA 27 Tanglewood, Lenox, Mass 30 BankNH Pavilion, Gilford, NH
July
3 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel Woods, NY
5 The Mann Center, Philadelphia, PA
8 Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NY
11 Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
13 Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park, Atlanta GA
15 FirstBank Amphitheatre, Franklin, TN
17 Ravinia, Highland Park, IL
18 Ravinia, Highland Park, IL
CHICAGO – The Sharks started slowly then allowed four goals is a wide open second period in what became a potentially costly 6-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday at the United Center.
The Sharks allowed a first period power play goal to Connor Bedard then gave up three goals in a span of 8:22 before coach Ryan Warsofsky pulled starting goalie Yaroslav Askarov in favor of Alex Nedeljkovic.
Macklin Celebrini had a goal and assist in the second period and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin scored in the third, but the damage was done as the Sharks lost their third straight game and fell to 1-2-1 on their five-game road trip that ends Wednesday in Colorado.
Askarov’s four goals allowed came on 10 shots as he now has just one win in his last six starts. Still, the Blackhawks goals Monday were more the result of Sharks defensive breakdowns than clear goalie miscues.
The Sharks also took four minor penalties in the game’s first 24 minutes and also went 0-for-4 on the power play.
Forwards Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev both had four points for the Blackhawks, who snapped a five-game losing streak.
Entering Monday, the Sharks were two points out of a playoff spot in the still tightly packed Western Conference standings.
“Every game is important this time of year,” Warsofsky said before Monday’s game. “We know where we are in the standings. Many people didn’t expect us to be where we are in this spot, and this is an opportunity for us. This is a great opportunity to to get back on it tonight against a good team, and get two points on the road and feel good about ourselves going to Colorado.”
Monday’s game marked the first meeting of the season between the Sharks and the Blackhawks, and the second time that Celebrini had faced Bedard in the NHL.
Celebrini, who entered Monday as the NHL’s fourth-leading scorer with 79 points in 53 games, assisted on a Will Smith first period goal in his one game against the Blackhawks last season, a 4-2 Sharks win at SAP Center on March 13, 2025.
Bedard, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, a year before the Sharks took Celebrini first overall, was held without a point that night but had five points in five career games against San Jose before Monday. Despite missing 13 games with a shoulder injury, Bedard still led Chicago with 52 points before Monday.
More significant than the individual appeal of Monday’s game was its importance to the Sharks.
San Jose began the road trip with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s last place team, last Tuesday but two nights later, coughed up a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Sharks then had to kill six penalties and allowed a third period shorthanded goal in 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, another team that will likely miss the playoffs.
The Sharks didn’t get the start they were looking for Monday – not even close — as they took three minor penalties in the first period, had just one shot on goal and allowed a power play goal to Bedard.
After the Sharks were called for too many men, the Blackhawks worked it around the San Jose net, as Teuvo Teravainen took a pass from Tyler Bertuzzi, slid it over to an open Bedard for a one-timer from near the bottom of the circle and a 1-0 lead at the 7:00 mark.
The Sharks’ only shot in the first period came from Celebrini with 11:33 left.
SAN FRANCISCO — Drake Maye and Sam Darnold will face a different type of blitz at Super Bowl Opening Night.
Here comes the media frenzy: thousands of reporters from across the globe gathered for a zany spectacle that kicks off the week’s festivities on Monday night.
Maye and the New England Patriots (17-3) take on Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
First, they will meet more than 6,000 credentialed “reporters” who will pepper them with questions ranging from the standard football topics to the silly and off-beat stuff.
An event that began as a daytime introduction of the teams has evolved into a live, ticketed, prime-time showcase on national television.
Maybe someone will propose to Maye, like a female reporter dressed in a wedding dress and veil once did to another Patriots quarterback: Tom Brady.
Maye is already married and he’s here seeking a Super Bowl ring. The Patriots are aiming for an NFL-record seventh Lombardi trophy and first without Brady and coach Bill Belichick.
First-year coach Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with New England, inherited a 4-13 team and has them on the verge of their first championship parade in seven years.
Maye had a sensational sophomore season, becoming a finalist for the AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards while leading the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl.
A stifling defense has led the way for the Patriots in the playoffs, holding three opponents to just 8.7 points per game.
This is a Super Bowl rematch from one of the most memorable endings among the first 59. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 28-24 when Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson’s pass from the 1 in the final minute on Feb. 1, 2015.
The Seahawks had the NFL’s stingiest defense this season, led by tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Seattle allowed just 17.1 points per game.
But Darnold’s resurgence will be the top storyline of the week. A No. 3 overall pick by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold is thriving on his fifth team.
Despite winning 14 games with Minnesota in 2024, the Vikings let Darnold walk away in free agency. He became the first quarterback to lead two teams to consecutive 14-win seasons and has proved his doubters wrong. Now, he’s trying to help Seattle win its second Super Bowl in the franchise’s fourth appearance in the game.
At least Darnold has experienced this week’s shenanigans. He was a backup quarterback to Brock Purdy when the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago.
Bad Bunny had a message for the millions of TV viewers as he accepted the Best Musica Urbana Album award on Sunday night at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say — ICE out,” said the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, who is set to perform during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. “We’re not savages. We’re not aliens. We are humans.
“And we are Americans.”
Bad Bunny would also win what’s widely regarded as the top trophy of the night — the Grammy for Album of the Year — during the ceremony in the Grammys in Los Angeles.
Bad Bunny’s ended up winning two of his six Grammy nominations. Those six nominations included three of the so-called “Big Four” general field categories — Album of the Year (which he won), Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The other nods are for Best Música Urbana Album (which he also won), Best Global Music Performance and Best Album Cover.
Bad Bunny is the first Spanish-language artist to be nominated in — or win — those three general field categories.
Bad Bunny was one of the many artists who got a shout-out from host Trevor Noah as he walked through the star-studded crowd during the mostly pointless opening monologue. (Monologue summary: “Hey, there are famous musicians at the Grammys! Who knew?”) Other artists that Noah mentioned included Queen Latifah, Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean, Jamie Foxx and Reba McEntire.
Noah later came and sat down at the same table with Bad Bunny, saying that he had just learned that there was a reason why the Puerto Rican superstar wasn’t performing at the Grammys.
“Whoever is doing the Super Bowl is contractually obligated to only do the Super Bowl so you can’t perform at the Grammy’s,” Noah said. “Is that true? You can’t perform?”
“No. I wish. But I can’t, you know?” Bad Bunny replied.
He vehemently disagreed with JT Orr’s officiating on inbounds plays, and described Orr’s decision to give Green a technical foul with 8:44 left in the second quarter as insulting for reasons that went beyond basketball.
“I find it very ironic that I got a technical foul for telling a Caucasian referee not to put his hand in my face,” Green said. “As a Black man in America, don’t put your hand in my face. I said “Hey, don’t put your hand in my face” and I got a tech, so I thought that was the most interesting part of the night.”
Green and Orr had engaged in a minutes-long dialogue throughout the quarter, and Green continued the conversation even as Orr went to the scorers’ table to begin a replay review on a missed Pistons foul on Green.
“Draymond, this is your chance to stop talking to me,” is what Green recalled Orr telling him, with Green responding, “Bro, don’t put your hand in my face.”
The NBA did not respond immediately to a request for comment by the Bay Area News Group.
“Everybody wants to talk about holding the line of respect, but that line needs to be held both ways,” Green said. “If the line won’t be held both ways, it won’t be held from my way, because we’re all men and we can all make decisions and choices. So let that be the last time that happens.”
One point of contention between Green and Orr was how the official allowed Piston Ausar Thompson to handle the ball after made Detroit baskets.
“He told me that Ausar Thompson can hold the ball, and look to see who to give the ball to after a made basket, and he said that’s not a delay of game,” Green claimed, noting that the decision allowed Detroit to slow down Golden State’s ability to get the ball inbounds quickly.
Green also said that Steph Curry, who left the game in th third quarter with a sore knee, was called for a delay of game for doing exactly what Thompson did.
When Green brought up the difference in how the same situation was officiated, he said Orr had a sheepish response.
“Same referee though, JT Orr. then, he’s like ‘Oh maybe you have a point,’” Green said. “No (expletive), you can’t change the rules in the middle of the game.”
The Warriors will play their next game at home on Tuesday against Philadelphia.
ANTIOCH – After decades of a $400 monthly stipend, Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees members voted Wednesday to give themselves a raise of $2,000 a month.
The move is in accordance with Assembly Bill 1390, which allows for increases between $600 and $4,500 per month, based on the average daily attendance in the prior school year. Previously, the rate was $60 to $1,500 per month.
Four of the five members of Antioch’s board of trustees voted to increase their pay, which will impact the district’s general fund $96,000 more annually.
Trustee Mary Rocha, who objected to the pay bump, said she “did not believe that it was the right thing to do at the moment.”
The district is facing a deficit of about $30 million over the next two years after the expiration of one-time COVID-19 relief funds, increased salary and benefit costs, higher utility costs, and rising special education expenses.
During a recent budget discussion, the district noted the factors “have created financial strain as the district expanded staffing and programs to support post-pandemic learning recovery.”
Rocha said the amount of time and money it takes to be a trustee can add up, but that is expected of an elected member.
“I know $96,000 doesn’t sound much, but it is in the long run,” Rocha told this news organization. “I do face up to the fact that we’re going to have to be hard-nosed when it comes to this budget.”
The California Education Code authorizes a monthly stipend of $400 for board members in a school district which averages daily attendance for the prior school year of 25,000 or less, but more than 10,000, according to the district.
“The monthly amount in Education Code section 35120 has been $400 since 1984, and the authorization to increase it by 5% a year took effect January 1, 2002,” the district said. “Many districts, including AUSD, have had the monthly Board member compensation set at $400 for many years, never increasing it despite the statutory authorization to do so.”
In 2024 to 2025, the district’s average daily attendance was around 13,699.
Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees President Jag Lathan said the $400 monthly stipend translated to about $2.30 an hour, based on her “calculation.”
“I am not sure if you all know the scope of work of a school board member, but it is pretty expansive in terms of what we are required to do as an elected body,” said Lathan. “With the increase in stipend, it would make it $11.55 per hour.”
Lathan said the monthly stipend increase would attract more “qualified board members.”
“We recognize that in order to increase the number of qualified board members and folks who are a lot of times not wealthy and underrepresented to get into these positions, we need to have a stipend that is closer to what we’re doing, and it’s still not, but we’re grateful for that,” said Lathan.
Trustee Antonio Hernandez echoed Lathan’s sentiments, adding that the total cost of the increase was “0.05% of the general fund budget.”
Hernandez shared his own experiences, juggling his time pursuing a medical degree and serving as a board member. He hoped the new compensation would encourage more people to take up the position.
“It’s especially hard for younger people to want to be in these positions because they’re often sacrificing time and money for themselves,” Hernandez said. “I want school boards to be a place where everyone can feel that they have a voice, that they have a position, that they have an ability to be there.”
Antioch is not the only school district that has voted to increase monthly compensation for board members.
After a disappointing 2025 season, San Jose State head coach Ken Niumatalolo made a number of coaching staff changes official on Thursday, including promoting ex-Oakland Raiders linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu to defensive coordinator.
Filimoeeatu took over as the Spartans’ interim defensive coordinator for the final two games of the 2025 season following the firing of longtime defensive coordinator Derrick Odum after a 55-10 loss to Nevada on Nov. 17.
Filimoeatu, who played parts of two seasons as a backup for the Raiders in 2014-15, spent the last two seasons as San Jose’s inside linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
San Jose State, which finished 11th in the 12-school Mountain West Conference after going 3-9 overall and 2-6 in conference play, made five other coaching staff additions on Thursday.
Ex-UCLA and TCU assistant Brian Norwood was named defense pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach, Joe Dale is the new safeties coach, Ramsen Golpashin, who played under Chip Kelly at Oregon, is the offensive line coach, Fred Guidici is specials teams analyst and Kolney Cassel was promoted from offensive analyst to tight ends coach.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan announced Thursday that he is running for governor of California, jumping into an already crowded race less than six months before the June primary.
The 43-year-old Democrat said he decided to run after growing frustrated with what he described as “business as usual” in Sacramento and a field of candidates he said has failed to offer a bold, solutions-driven vision for the state.
“I know that California can do better,” Mahan said in an interview. “We’ve proven in San Jose that when we focus on the most important things and hold ourselves accountable for delivering results, we can really make progress for our residents. That’s the spirit we need in Sacramento.”
Mahan’s announcement comes less than three weeks after he publicly signaled interest in joining the race, which remains wide open with no clear front-runner. He becomes the ninth Democrat to enter a contest that has already drawn a crowded and fractured field.
Over the last two months, Mahan has hosted six of the candidates in San Jose, taking them on tours of the city’s interim housing communities as he looked for a candidate willing to prioritize faster, more pragmatic responses to homelessness. After those meetings, he said, he concluded that none were offering the approach he was seeking.
As the only current mayor of a big city in the race, Mahan said he’s closer to the issues than most. He points to his “back to basics” agenda, which he credits in helping clear blight from the city, reducing unsheltered homelessness and making San Jose one of the safest big cities in the nation.
Elected to the City Council in 2020 representing Almaden Valley and Blossom Valley, Mahan rose quickly, winning the mayor’s office in 2022 and taking office in 2023. A self-described moderate Democrat, he has frequently broken with his party, emerging as a vocal critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom on crime and homelessness.
He has also sparred with Santa Clara County officials over their decision to continue focusing on building permanent supportive housing instead of opting for interim solutions that get homeless residents off the streets more quickly.
Mahan’s announcement that he’s in comes just five months before the June primary, giving him a short runway to build name recognition statewide, particularly in Southern California, where most of the state’s voters live. He has made frequent television appearances in the region in recent years, but acknowledged the challenge ahead.
“Name ID only gets you so far,” Mahan said. “What sets someone aside in this field is solutions.”
According to a Dec. 4 independent poll by Emerson College, the Democratic field is tightly packed, led by East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell at 12% and former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter at 11%. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa followed with 5%, while billionaire environmental advocate Tom Steyer and former U.S. Health Secretary and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra each polled at 4%.
Two high-profile Republicans — former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — are also in the race and have performed strongly as Democrats continue to split their vote.
Democrats hold roughly a 2-to-1 advantage over Republicans in statewide voter registration. But under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the November general election regardless of party affiliation.
“The current field is following the same playbook,” Mahan said. “They’re either running against Trump or running in his image and what I’m running for is the future of California — and I’m offering real specific solutions.”
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
RICHMOND — As half a billion dollars from Chevron start to flow into Richmond’s coffers, city leaders want to know exactly how residents would like to see that money spent.
To get those answers, councilmembers have agreed to set aside up to $300,000 to contract out support that would facilitate community feedback. A central goal of the initiative, approved during a meeting Tuesday, is to develop a “just transition” away from the fossil fuel industry while ensuring community buy-in for how the dollars are spent.
“We’re in that moment where we actually do have to be as careful and as thoughtful as we can to make decisions for the future,” said Vice Mayor Doria Robinson, who drafted the item with Councilmember Claudia Jimenez and Mayor Eduardo Martinez. “We’re making a huge turning point for our city if we do it right. Or we can do it like the way people who win the lottery, go out and buy a bunch of fancy things and then be broke in 10 years.”
Representatives from the two local nonprofit organizations behind the Make Polluters Pay campaign – Asian Pacific Environmental Network Action and Communities for a Better Environment – endorsed the councilmembers’ plan during Tuesday’s meeting.
“The additional and hard won $550 million is a chance for Richmond to both fully fund the crucial improvements in the neighborhoods and help build that just economy independent of the fossil fuel industry,” said Emma Ishii, a local policy coordinator with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.
Members of the public who spoke on Tuesday also backed the plan, but some alternatively said they did not want an outsider without a historical understanding of Richmond dictating the outreach process or how the dollars are kept and spent.
Councilmember Jamelia Brown, the only councilmember to vote against the measure, said spending $300,000 on the effort “seems crazy.” She asked that the maximum contract amount be reduced but was denied by her colleagues after City Manager Shasa Curl said a project with such a wide scope may require the support of multiple firms.
The firm or firms leading the project will be asked to develop a scientific approach to widely surveying the public. But councilmembers are also interested in developing investment strategies while expanding on a preliminary expenditures framework that would see funds go toward large scale projects that would generate new tax revenue, efforts the provide direct support to residents, projects proposed and developed by residents, improvements to city services and increasing staffing in areas that further the goals of the funds.
Brown shared concerns the project would result in a report that will go unused, and questioned how the city would ensure all Richmond voices were heard. Brown said those behind the Make Polluters Pay campaign are “amazing stakeholders,” but they don’t represent the entirety of Richmond.
As representative of District 1, a historically socioeconomically disadvantaged part of town, Brown said her constituents are more likely to say public safety, clean streets and youth programming are more of a concern than air quality.
“I really want us to get real about our relationship with Chevron. It’s like a person we say we don’t want to be with but we’re constantly accepting gifts and money from,” Brown said. “We say we want this just transition. We want to move away from Chevron. But we’re constantly in tango with Chevron time and time again.”
In a separate item on the Tuesday agenda, Councilmember Cesar Zepeda proposed the city seek public input on what to do with the settlement funds using only city staff and existing resources. Zepeda said he’s already been meeting with community members and argued the funds spent on contracting out services could go to other important issues.
A majority of councilmembers, including Zepeda, ultimately agreed to find a third-party contractor after finance department staff explained that the city did not currently have the capacity or the expertise to lead the project.
Councilmember Soheila Bana said she was confused by the measure and abstained from voting. She had previously argued the city needed to provide the community with more information before asking them to weigh in on a strategy for holding and spending the money.
Recognizing concerns around equitable and unbiased outreach, Councilmember Sue Wilson also requested that whatever firm is selected returns to the council to detail their community engagement plan.
“All individuals and all community groups should be equally treated regardless of whether they played a role in (the Make Polluters Pay campaign),” Wilson said.
Eager to begin the process, councilmembers asked that a request for proposals be issued as soon as possible. Other initiatives will likely need to be deprioritized to meet the council’s demands, Curl said. Staff will give the council an update on the process in March, she added.
Meanwhile, what funds the city receives from the settlement with Chevron will remain in an investment fund until a plan for what to do with the money is complete. So far, the city has received one $50 million payment.
With Super Bowl Sunday approaching, I’m on the lookout for a nosh that is scrumptious and easy to prepare. White cheddar cheese topped with wine-soaked cherries andherbs is the perfect answer.
The dried cherries need to soak in a mixture of wine, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, herbs de Provence and salt for 2 to 7 days in the fridge, so allow time for this little do-aheadchore.
White Cheddar With Wine-Soaked Dried Cherries and Herbs
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup Merlot, or other dry red wine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup dried cherries, half of amount coarsely chopped
8 ounces medium-sharp white cheddar cheese
For serving: sturdy crackers
DIRECTIONS
1. In medium glass or stain-resistant plastic container, combine the wine, oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, and salt, whisking to dissolve salt. Add the cherries, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days or up to 7 days, stirring occasionally. Bring the mixture to room temperature before serving.
2. Place cheese on a plate or small platter. Stir room temperature cherry mixture and spoon over and around the cheese. Serve with crackers on the side. Provide a knife.
Source: Adapted from “100 Perfect Pairings” by Jill Silverman Hough
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.
The proposed Billionaire Tax Act, imposing a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of Californians whose net worth is $1 billion or more, needs reconsideration.
Certainly, anyone with $1 billion (or more) has more than enough to live very comfortably, but there is an approach that would be less onerous to the billionaires and more helpful to the state.
A one-time 5% tax would bring in a windfall for the state — once. And since it would be a one-off, it would likely just get spent on one-off types of things, providing no long-term benefit.
Far better would be an annual wealth tax of, say, 0.5%. That’s just pulling a number out of the air, but the point is that it would generate a steady source of income — and not come as a jolt, one-time though it might be, to those being taxed.
Once again, we hear billionaires are fleeing California because of the possibility of a one-time 5% tax, but billionaires aren’t moving to buggy, high-humidity states. They are moving their LLCs to Nevada for “more flexible tax planning.” Buying a house in Florida doesn’t mean moving your life there. It means counting days to be able to pretend you don’t reside in California.
They pay lawyers and accountants to avoid paying taxes even if paying the taxes would be cheaper. Zero tax is the goal. California taxes income, not unrealized wealth, which is why so much billionaire wealth escapes taxation. A temporary tax won’t start an exodus.
So no, California won’t lose the billionaires. They aren’t making California weather anywhere else. I don’t care whether they enact this law or not — it won’t make any difference.
It’s clear that our government schools need competition. Denying the most important demographic in our country the opportunity to participate, along with their parents, in a competitive system denies them the chance to do well. The government schools are failing our students.
More tax money, more government and more unions won’t help. Parents and students need to be able to choose the school that will serve them the best. Competition benefits the consumer. This may be a new concept to some, but it’s a very important one. Politicians and school officials can talk all they want about insufficient taxes, but money alone won’t fix the problem.
Thomas Baker San Jose
Schools must provide classroom supplies
Teachers have to request basic classroom supplies through donation sites or fundraisers instead of receiving them from the school.
This is happening at schools in Cupertino Union School District, such as Miller Middle and Warren E. Hyde Middle, where teachers post projects asking for items such as art supplies, books and classroom tools. Teachers should have the materials they need without having to rely on donations.
I believe the school district should ensure that every classroom has all the basic supplies required. If the district provided these resources, teachers could focus fully on teaching, and students at Miller and other nearby schools would benefit. This issue affects not only our schools, but schools around the world.
I am writing this letter to encourage the government to make sure classrooms are properly supported.
Adithi Nimmagadda San Jose
What is Trump’s endgame with ICE?
I closely watch the news. I mostly watch MS NOW, or whatever NBC cable calls itself today. I’d watch right-wingers like Fox or Newsmax too, but can’t get past 30 seconds without hearing Trump-inspired lies.
What is striking is that no one, even the left, is connecting all the dots to expose Donald Trump’s goal of imposing military rule by provoking insurrection. He isn’t about migrants, deportation or even protest control. He doesn’t care who his thugs shoot. He only cares if they shoot back. This is what he’s waiting for. Once he gets the Army and Marines on your nearest corner, he has them where he needs them to control access to polling places later this year.
Mark my words: the pressure will remain until someone shoots and kills a Trump ICE agent. A nationwide Insurrection Act declaration will follow before the body is even cold.
Robert Wahler San Jose
Trump is given rope that will hang us all
Clay Bennett’s cartoon, pointing out the relationship between the Epstein file redactions and the flurry of new dramas, while not “funny,” does make chilling sense.
What I don’t understand is why our constitutional guardrails haven’t kicked in. Greenland, Venezuela, Iran, Minneapolis, plus our health care and pocketbooks, have created a world of chaos.
When Joe Biden demonstrated age-related decline at the debate, the nation was quick to anger and dump him. Now we have a president who repeatedly lies, insults people worldwide, is obviously in poor physical health and also shows age-related mental decline, and he is allowed to paint it all over in gold.
Registered nurse Silvia Lu was working the day shift at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland when she read about the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was protesting the ICE immigration crackdown on the streets of Minneapolis.
On a day shift in the emergency department Saturday, where Lu often cares for children recovering from heart surgeries and car crashes, she struggled to hold back her emotions.
“I held my tears back the whole day,” she said.
She carried that pent-up grief outside the hospital Monday evening, where she joined about 200 others, mostly nurses, in a candlelight vigil to remember the 37-year-old Minnesota nurse whose death has become the latest flashpoint in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge.
Just weeks earlier, videos circulating online showed an ICE officer shooting and killing Renee Good, another Minnesota protester and mother of three, as she attempted to drive away during a separate enforcement operation, according to media reports.
“I just felt I needed to do something. I needed to stand up for this and to just make myself present to the horrendous things that are going on in this country,” said Mary Dhont, a nurse in the hospital’s outpatient infusion clinic who joined the vigil organized by the California Nurses Association. “This is just the latest in a string. But it was horrible. The fact that he was a nurse just brought it closer to home.”
Registered nurse Hannah Pelletier, center, friend Tim McNamara, left, and others attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
The nurses’ vigil came after a weekend of scattered protests in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland over Pretti’s death.
So far, the Bay Area has been spared the kind of sweeping federal operation underway in Minneapolis. There, videos and news reports have shown ICE agents pulling people from their vehicles and detaining children during enforcement actions. Separate bystander videos captured the shootings of both Pretti and Good.
In October, after President Donald Trump sent 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, he threatened to deploy them to San Francisco as well to clean up the city’s “mess.” But the president backed off after appeals from San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and tech executives, including Marc Benioff, the Salesforce CEO whose family name is attached to the Oakland children’s hospital.
On Monday, in a petition circulating online, a group of tech workers urged Silicon Valley executives to flex their political muscle again and “cancel all company contracts with ICE.”
“This cannot continue, and we know the tech industry can make a difference,” they wrote. “Today, we’re calling on our CEOs to pick up the phone again.”
Nurses said they were especially worried about the families of their young patients.
Registered nurse Michelle Trautman, center, and others attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
“We take care of a lot of families, immigrant families, patients that may not have the ability to afford care otherwise,” said nurse Michelle Trautman. “And I’m concerned that they’re going to try and take advantage of that vulnerability to grab some of our patients and send them away when they obviously need care.”
In the hours after Pretti’s death, Trump administration officials said the shooting was justified, arguing that because Pretti carried a legally registered handgun in his waistband, he posed a threat to officers and intended a “massacre.” Trump adviser Stephen Miller called Pretti an “assassin.”
Those characterizations outraged his family and Democratic politicians, who pointed to bystander videos showing Pretti helping a woman who had been pushed by an ICE agent and holding only his camera.
He was pinned to the ground by multiple ICE agents, the videos show, and his gun had already been pulled from his waistband by an agent when he was shot several times.
The Bay Area’s Democratic congressional delegation has responded by voting against a Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that would provide additional funding for ICE.
Healthcare professionals and community members attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
“I cannot and will not continue to fund lawlessness or federal agencies that terrorize families in their own neighborhoods and criminalize people for seeking opportunity and refuge,” U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Oakland, said in a statement. “What we’re witnessing is cruel, immoral, and completely at odds with the promise of the American dream.”
U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo, San Jose’s former mayor, also voted against further funding.
“ICE has abandoned its mission of removing violent criminals in favor of detaining children, shooting Americans, and terrorizing our communities,” he said in a statement.
At the busy intersection of 52nd Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way on Monday evening, streams of cars honked and waved as they passed nurses and other supporters holding signs reading “Melt ICE” and “Justice for Alex Pretti.”
Aaron Cortez, of Oakland, attends a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Aaron Cortez, 28, of Alameda, said fear drove him to attend the vigil.
His family has lived in California for generations, with relatives who served in the U.S. military, but he still worries about a potential ICE raid.
“They just see me by the color of my skin, and that worries me,” said Cortez, who cares for ailing relatives at home. “And so I decided to come out because I had to, I needed to show that we’re all here together, that no matter what happens, we will all protect each other.”
Former San Francisco city attorney Nancy Tavernit, right, attends a protest at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Healthcare professionals and community members attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Nurse practitioner Sarah Malin-Roodman attends a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Healthcare workers and community members protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Retired nurse Gina Shepherd attends a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Registered nurse Hannah Pelletier, center, and others attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Community members Mary Larson and Simone Schmidt, from left, attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Healthcare professionals and community members attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Healthcare workers Wendy Bloom, Holly Alley and Sherry Alcock, from left, attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Registered nurse Michelle Trautman, and friend Hannah Pelletier, from right, attend a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Nurse practitioner and midwife Kate McGlashan, right, and others protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
Healthcare workers and community members take part in a protest outside of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Protesters are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)l
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Former San Francisco city attorney Nancy Tavernit, right, attends a protest at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Healthcare professionals and others are demanding justice and the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) in the wake of the killing of Veteran’s Administration nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
DEAR JOAN: Recently I noticed mushrooms growing at the base of one of the juniper trees in the backyard. It was interesting, so I took a picture.
A couple of days ago, I noticed that the mushrooms were gone, and there were scratch marks in the damp earth at the base where the mushrooms had been.
I am curious as to what animal could have eaten the mushrooms, and if that animal is in any danger from poisoning. I see raccoons, possums, squirrels, and birds on my backyard camera.
Who is the most likely culprit, or victim?
— Nancy McKiernan, Sunnyvale
DEAR NANCY: The winter rains can turn our Bay Area yards into fairylands with mushrooms popping up all over. While it is never a good idea to eat one without knowing exactly what type it is, animals don’t have the benefit of being able to call on a mycologist to determine the identity.
Instead, they rely on taste, outcome and experience. If a wild animal eats a mushroom that later makes it ill, it will avoid those mushrooms in the future, provided they survive. They’ll likely also stay away from anything that has a same or similar taste. That provides them with some protection against eating the poisonous ones.
In the Bay Area, there are two mushrooms that are unsafe for any creature, and those are the death cap (Amanita phalloides) and the western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata). Both are commonly found near and around oak trees.
As for what animal would eat the golden hued mushrooms you observed, the list is long. Mushrooms are a treat for wildlife as they have a high water content, are a good source of protein, and a good source of vitamins and phosphorus.
Rats, squirrels, deer, box turtles, wild turkeys, and wild boars, just to name a few that might be visiting your yard, all love mushrooms. The scratches you observed lead me to think of turkeys, but there’s no way to know for certain.
DEAR JOAN: I’m already thinking about spring and what I’ll be planting in my vegetable garden. Last year, much of the garden was eaten by rats, birds and squirrels. I’m wondering if one of those plastic owls would scare them away?
— Alice B., Clayton
DEAR ALICE: Decoys do work, however briefly, against the birds but it’s unlikely the rats and squirrels will even raise an eyebrow.
Stationary owl statues and other decoys might keep the birds away for a day or two, but then the birds figure out there’s no threat, and before you know it, they’re perching on the fake owl’s head and having a good laugh.
You want something that will move unpredictably. Objects that are pushed and pulled by the wind, and which add unexpected flashes of light have a better and longer track record of success. You can hang reflective ribbons or old CDs throughout the garden.
For the rats and squirrels, the only thing stopping them are physical barriers. Surrounding your garden with a hardware cloth fence and a shock wire on top will do wonders.
The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
A little over 24 hours after a federal immigration agent shot and killed Alex Pretti amid protests a few miles away from Target Center, causing the postponement of Saturday’s game between the visiting Warriors and the Wolves, the longtime Golden State coach gave his first public statements on the situation.
“I love the city of Minneapolis, and people here are wonderful. And it’s very sad, what’s happening, and I feel for the city,” Kerr said. “There’s a pall that has been cast over the city. You can feel it, and a lot of people are suffering. Obviously, loss of life is the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back. And you know, when all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home, and that’s devastating.”
Kerr said Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy alerted him Saturday morning that the league was considering postponing the game.
He also received calls from both Wolves coach Chris Finch and veteran forward Joe Ingles, who let Kerr know that the Wolves players were “feeling really uneasy” about the situation.
“I told Chris and Joe, ‘We trust you guys. We trust the league, whatever makes the most sense,’” Kerr said. “So ultimately, obviously, the game was postponed. I totally agree with the decision. Everything should be about safety and concern for not only the players and the fans, but everybody here in Minneapolis with what’s going on.”
BCA officers stand near the scene of a fatal shooting that took place yesterday, in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Ultimately, the NBA postponed the game just under three hours before tipoff. Kerr’s teams have previously gone through sudden postponements.
The Warriors coach was just a rookie on the Phoenix Suns when his team had its game cancelled in Miami during the riots of 1989. Over three decades later, the Warriors’ games against the Jazz and Mavericks were postponed after the sudden death of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević.
The Warriors arrived in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and watched as tens of thousands of people marched down the streets to protest the protracted presence of federal immigration officers in the city.
Though protests did not break out near the arena on Saturday, they were in full force a few hours before tipoff on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds held signs expressing displeasure at Immigration and Customs Enforcement being in the city, and chants rang through the crowded streets.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters on Saturday that a 37-year-old man was killed on Saturday morning but did not identify him, citing limited information about what led up to the shooting. The man was identified by his parents as Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrate after Conley scores during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The protests continued inside the arena.
During a moment of silence held in honor of Pretti, several fans could be heard yelling “(expletive) ICE,” although no physical signs or written messages in opposition to immigration personnel were seen in the lower bowl.
During a break in the action with about five minutes left in the first half, chants of “ICE out” were heard while De’Anthony Melton was shooting free throws. In the third quarter, several members of the Target Center’s dunk crew entertainment team were seen wearing “ICE OUT” shirts.
When the game was being played, neither team was very sharp. The Timberwolves, understandably, appeared to lack focus during the first half, turning the ball over 16 times in the first 24 minutes.
The Warriors led 47-46 at halftime as both sides seemed to just go through the motions, and Golden State pulled away in the third quarter after outscoring the home team 38-17. The Warriors (26-21) snapped a two-game skid, which was the same number of games the team had played without Jimmy Butler, who was lost for the season on Monday with a torn ACL.
Steph Curry scored 26 points, passing John Havlicek and tying with another Celtic great, Paul Pierce (26,397), for 19th on the all-time scoring list.
Teammate Moses Moody scored 19, while Brandin Podziemski put in 12 points. Anthony Edwards poured in 30 points for the Timberwolves, while former Warrior Donte DiVincenzo scored 22.
The teams will play again here on Monday at 6:30 PT.
Kerr decried the death of Good when it occurred several weeks ago, blasting the federal government during an impassioned monologue.
But on Sunday, Kerr struck a message of unity, asking his fellow Americans to respect one another.
“It’s hard to decipher what’s real and what’s not, what’s true and what’s not true,” Kerr said. “People arguing over the exact same video and saying, ‘This happened. No, that happened.’ It is a confusing time to be alive and to be an American, and so what I would appeal to everyone is to remember what our constitution stands for, what our values are, and what that means to how we treat each other and our fellow citizens.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
But, in the end, the Eagles decided to carry on even without ailing guitarist-vocalist Joe Walsh and play their sold-out show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Jan. 24).
The result was unlike any other show the massively popular Los Angeles band has performed during its lengthy Sphere residence, except, really, in one way:
It was still an absolute delight to behold.
Vince Gill, the country star who joined the band after original member Glenn Frey died in 2016, shouldered most of the load caused by Walsh’s absence. He sang the tunes that usually go to Walsh and played many of his regular guitar leads — with the other portion of those hot licks being handled, quite admirably, by ace touring member Chris Holt.
Walsh was out of the fold on this night, band leader Don Henley explained to the crowd, due to his coming down with the flu. Walsh had still managed to soldier through the previous night’s Sphere gig, but his doctor reportedly advised him not to take the stage on Saturday.
He was missed — especially vocally — since Gill’s angelic voice does not, in any way shape or form, resemble Walsh’s charmingly out-of-pitch squawk-talk style. And there were times during the guitar parts that it felt like Walsh might have pushed things a little further — or, at least, a little different — than his studio-session-ready counterparts.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
But Walsh will hopefully be feeling better soon and be back in the mix during this blockbuster Eagles residency, which continues at the Sphere through March 28. (For exact dates and other ticket information, visit eagles.com.)
The continued success of this residency — which is the longest in Sphere history — is further proof of the undying love for the Eagles, which got their start as the backing band for Linda Ronstadt in 1971.
Want even more proof? Well, consider that the Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975” recently garnered quadruple platinum certification in the U.S. Never heard of the term “quadruple platinum certification” before? Well, that’s because it had never ever happened before — the Eagles are the first act to hit that mark, which translates to 40x platinum (aka, 40 millions album units sold).
The group would underscore so many of the reasons for its vast popularity during Saturday’s approximately 2-hour show. The classic rock outfit performed all 10 of the songs featured on that quadruple diamond offering — which ranks as the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. — as well as others tunes from elsewhere in the band catalog as well as a few solo Henley and Walsh cuts.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
It’s amazing how good the group — consisting of Henley, Gill, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and vocalist-guitarist Deacon Frey (son of Glenn Frey) as well as touring members Holt, Scott F. Crago on drums and Will Hollis and Michael Thompson on various keys — sounded without such an important piece of the musical puzzle.
Yet, Henley explained that the band had called an emergency two-hour practice earlier in the day, once it was clear that Walsh wasn’t going to make it to the show, and it definitely did the trick. The whole thing went really smoothly and, if you didn’t know any better, it would have been hard to even tell that the group was missing anyone at all.
Of course, the whole shebang was greatly enhanced by the venue itself, which delivered its mind-blowing mix of colorful, moving visuals across and around its unbelievable vivid and clear 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that dominates the interior of this 366-foot-fall building.
The video segments and special effects always played to the lyrics, strengthening storylines with images that moved between fantastical and rooted in reality. As far as the latter goes, the group continually took us to its hometown of L.A. — as well as the broader Southern California region — which makes sense given the pronounced role that the City of Angels has played in the group’s music.
Highlights included those famed band harmonies on “Seven Bridges Road,” delivered ever so sweetly as huge video images of the players floated well above the stage; Deacon Frey’s solid vocal work on “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” which came to a close with a big shot of papa Glenn Frey on the screen; Gill’s blistering lead work on the Walsh solo cut “In the City”; and Henley warmly dedicating “The Boys of Summer” to the dearly departed Bobby Weir.
It was a great show from start to finish. And the shows will likely get even better once Walsh returns to the stage. Fans who haven’t attended this residency yet — or those who simply want another helping of the fun — should definitely consider making a date with the Eagles at the Sphere soon.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
New York-based cocktail historian David Wondrich had most recently finished editing an 860-plus-page compendium of knowledge about cocktail history when the opportunity arose to share cocktail history through a different medium: as a graphic nonfiction book.
The author took on the challenge, teaming up with illustrator Dean Kotz to take readers on a journey around the world, following the world’s drinking preferences from Colonial-era punches to Prohibition, from the rise of the 1930s tiki trend to the modern-day craft cocktail movement and beyond — plus much more along the way, including an array of cocktail recipes. We recently caught up with Wondrich to learn more.
“The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On” by David Wondrich, illustrated by Dean Kotz (Ten Speed Graphic, $30) covers the evolution of the cocktail from the rise of distillation to the craft cocktail movement and beyond. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What inspired you to tell the history of cocktails through a comic book?
A: I had thought about doing a cocktail-themed comic book for quite a long time. I was talking to Ten Speed Press a couple years back, and they mentioned their comic book history series and asked if I would be interested in doing that. I said yes.
Q: You cover so much history in the book. How did you go about curating that history and figuring out which stories to include?
A: I was very familiar with the history because I’ve been writing cocktail history for 25 years. For my last book before this one, I was the editor-in-chief and principal writer of the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, a huge reference book that includes histories and biographies of famous bartenders, as well as other related information. So a lot of the information was pretty fresh in my mind. That said, I always research my books anew, and see what else I can find; what other connections I can make. There were some periods in some places that were completely new to me, and that was fun. I tried to tell as many stories as I possibly could. I’ve written at length, for instance, about the history of African American bartenders, which was really deeply buried. I also did a lot of research on Asian and Pacific Islander bartenders in America.
Q: What was it like translating that history into comic book form? How did that process work with the illustrator?
A: It was really hard. I did this not because it was easy, but because I thought it would be easy. But it turned out to be really difficult. My editor insisted that this should be a real history with documentation, so I couldn’t skip over bits or dramatize stuff too much. I had to make sure that it gave you a good, solid, accurate history, while at the same time trying to make it as lively as possible.
Q: And you included a number of recipes — what were some of your favorites?
A: Well, I included a lot of bedrock classics that were emblematic of the age that I was talking about. But I threw in some curveballs, and at the end, included some cocktails that I invented, like the Leaving of Liverpool, which somebody asked me to come up with during the COVID lockdown, when everybody was singing, or watching videos of people singing, sea chanteys. That actually turned out to be quite delicious.
Bartender Ray Sheridan holds a Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai, left, and a Ginger Cooler at Rocker Oysterfeller’s at Lucas Wharf in Bodega Bay on Aug. 23, 2024. (Erik Castro for The Press Democrat)
Q: The Bay Area gets a few shoutouts in the book, too. Tell me more about the Bay Area’s significance in cocktail history.
A: In America, which is the homeland of the cocktail, and almost always its driving force, there are really three major cocktail cities — not to take away from the others — where great drinks have been invented, and where there were always great bars. There were three real style leaders: New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. A great many drinks came out of San Francisco and Oakland. When I first visited San Francisco in the 1980s, I was used to the neighborhood bars in New York, which were all Irish bars. In San Francisco, I think it’s telling that the local neighborhood bars, the old ones, were all tiny little cocktail lounges. So it’s been cocktail country from the very beginning.
Cocktail historian David Wondrich’s new book, “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail” tells many stories behind the evolution of the cocktail over the past five centuries. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Q: Tell me more about Irish coffee and its San Francisco connection. National Irish Coffee Day is Sunday, Jan. 25.
A: This guy, Stan Delaplane, was a top travel newspaper columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1950, he went on a press junket to Ireland and was served Irish coffee and was like, “What magical elixir is this?” He brought back some Irish whiskey to the Buena Vista Cafe, and he and the owner sat down and tried to re-create it, and finally they managed to get it exactly right. The bar put it on the menu, in 1953, I believe, and it really took off in 1954. It became the biggest hit of the 1950s, and San Francisco was the catalyst.
Q: There was also Trader Vic’s, which opened in 1934 in Oakland.
A: Trader Vic (Bergeron) didn’t invent the standard tiki bar — Don the Beachcomber (a.k.a. Donn Beach) did that down in L.A., but Trader Vic was his earliest disciple, and a much better businessman than Donn Beach was. He was a very good businessman and a very good mixologist. He came up with the Mai Tai, which is a splendid drink, and things like that. He was the great popularizer, while Donn Beach was more of the philosopher behind the whole thing. But you need both.
In “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail,” author David Wondrich and illustrator Dean Kotz showcase stories like this one about Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, the creator of the mai tai, who started his empire of tiki joints with the first location in Oakland in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Graphic)
Q: Did the martini originate in Martinez?
A: That, unfortunately, doesn’t hold water. It’s a nice idea, but the timing doesn’t work out. And there’s no evidence for it whatsoever.
Q: What are you hoping people take away from the book?
A: I’m hoping they get a sense of the people involved. These drinks are things that were made by people, for people. I’m hoping they can see themselves in the book and find what really resonates with them in the tradition of mixing drinks. My main hope is that people find it interesting, that it gives them stuff to talk about, and that they can understand where their favorite drinks came from.
Details: “The Comic Book History of the Cocktail: Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On,” by David Wondrich, illustrated by Dean Kotz (Ten Speed Graphic, $30) is available where books are sold, including at penguinrandomhouse.com.
During a timeout, the Warriors’ forward walked back to the locker room with team athletic trainer Drew Yoder with 3:52 left in the second quarter of the Warriors’ 123-115 loss to the host Mavericks on Thursday night.
At the 4:28 mark, Kuminga appeared to roll his left ankle and buckle his knee on a fastbreak layup that led to a foul on Brandon Williams. Kuminga briefly sat down in a courtside chair on the baseline before getting up and walking to the free throw line.
He shot two free throws, and then played the next three possessions before being subbed out. Kuminga then walked back to the locker room under his own power.
The Warriors later diagnosed Kuminga with left knee soreness, and said he would not return.
“I just talked to Jonathan, and he said he’ll get an MRI tomorrow,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It was both the knee and the ankle, and we’ll see how bad it is.”
The Warriors later said that Kuminga had not yet decided whether or not he would get an MRI.
Kuminga, 23, had requested a trade earlier in the month and was presumed to be out of the rotation entirely after not playing in 16 consecutive games.
He had begun the year as a starter, being a part of the first five during the team’s initial 12 games after signing a two-year deal and ending his restricted free agency. But a combination of poor play and middling team results led to Kerr removing Kuminga from the starting lineup.
Kuminga then saw a combination of injuries and uneven performances lead to lessened playing time before eventually falling out of the rotation altogether.
However, after Jimmy Butler tore his ACL against the Heat on Monday, Kuminga suddenly found himself back in the team’s immediate plans.
He responded by scoring 20 points in 21 minutes against Toronto on Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors.
Before exiting the Mavericks game, Kuminga had scored 10 points in nine minutes and made all three of his shot attempts and each of his four free throws, and was a stellar plus-18 in his short stint.
But after Kuminga went back to the locker room, he was not among the players who warmed up after the halftime break. The Warriors ruled him out shortly afterwards.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (32), Dwight Powell, center left, and Max Christie (00) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Missing their two best scoring wings, the burden fell on the guards to carry the offense. Fortunately for the Warriors, the team received a vintage Steph Curry performance to keep them in the game.
The soon-to-be 38-year old torched the Mavericks to the tune of 38 points, making 8 of 15 3-point field goals. De’Anthony Melton provided a more athletic complement to Curry’s long-range showmanship, scoring 22 in 23 minutes.
But with the team trailing just 102-101 with 6:49 left fourth quarter, Draymond Green was called for a flagrant foul when he elbowed Stanford alum Dwight Powell as the Maverick big man was cutting to the rim. A few seconds later, Green was reviewed for another flagrant after a hard foul on Max Christie, but it was ruled a normal foul.
“It wasn’t his night, and he’d be the first to tell you,” Kerr said.
The stoppages helped the Mavericks gain momentum, leading to a 11-0 run over the next two minutes to help Dallas pull away. Green fouled out with 3:50 left after contesting a shot by Williams. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 30 points, while Bay Area legend Klay Thompson scored six points.
The Mavericks outrebounded the Warriors 54-35.
The Warriors (25-21), now on a two-game losing streak, will travel to Minneapolis to play the first of a two-game baseball-style series with the Wolves on Saturday.
DALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 22: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors calls to his team during the first quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 22, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (32), Dwight Powell, center left, and Max Christie (00) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) is fouled driving to the basket by Dallas Mavericks’ Dwight Powell, left, and Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg (32) and Ryan Nembhard (9) look on in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
