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Real World Economics: Cannabis legalization and market forces

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Edward LottermanThis month Minnesota begins the long process of regulating legal retail sales of cannabis.Jackpots of a billion dollars or more in multistate lotteries are in the news.So the challenge of managing goods and services that people want to consume — but that also have harmful effects — are at center stage. Can economists contribute anything to public debate on this perennial issue?Well, yes to useful insights and to suggesting palliative measures. But no to solutions. Desirable products that cause collateral damage to society are an old problem and one that will be with us always.History offers some insights. In the Bible, Noah gets drunk and into trouble bringing harm to his kids. In the mid-1700s, gin consumption in Britain exceeded six gallons per man, woman and child. Social harms from this “gin craze,’ memorably recorded by satirical painter William Hogarth, were enormous.In our nation a century later, per capita consumption of alcohol reached a level eq...

Armed suspects barricaded in Ontario home after hours-long pursuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Two suspects led police on an hours-long chase through Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties and barricaded themselves in a house, where they currently remain. According to the California Highway Patrol, the pursuit started around 12:52 a.m. in Pasadena and nearly an hour later, the suspects stopped at a house in a cul-de-sac in Ontario and barricaded themselves. A SWAT team was called in at 4:19 a.m., police said. The scene remains active, but no surrounding residents have been evacuated. This is a developing story. Stay with KTLA for updates.Nancy Fontan contributed to this report.

Study ranks Sunnyvale as 5th best U.S. city for families

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Sunnyvale was ranked No. 5 in a recent study of Best U.S. Cities to Raise a Family. Researchers at RentCafe.com compared more than 130 cities to find out what they offer in terms of cost of living and housing, local economy and quality of life.Sunnyvale snagged first place in the last two categories, with the study showing the city’s 4.1% unemployment rate to be one of the lowest among all the cities analyzed. The study also noted that 67% of Sunnyvale residents hold a college degree.According to the study, at 4.4% Sunnyvale has the lowest percentage of children living below the poverty line among the top 10 Best Cities to Raise a Family in 2023, In San Francisco, the next-highest ranked California city at No. 17, this rate is more than 10%.The study ranks Sunnyvale at No. 134 for cost of living. Ahead of the city in the overall rankings are Plano, TX, Scottdale, AZ, Arlington, VA, and Marietta, GA.To view the complete report, visit https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market...

Los Gatos museum recognized for high school ArtNow competition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

New Museum Los Gatos has received the 2023 Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education for its high school art competition.Founded in 2012, the annual ArtNow competition is a juried high school art contest open to students across the Bay Area. Each year students are asked to submit works based on a theme and have the chance to win scholarships and awards totaling $16,000.The Superintendent’s Award, which was also begun in 2012, is sponsored by the California Association of Museums and the California Department of Education and recognizes California museums for programs that serve K-12 students and educators. ArtNow is among 66 programs to have received the award.NUMU’s competition presents awards for works in painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture, photography, digital art and video/animation. One work is named Best in Show, and museum visitors cast their votes for the people’s choice award.Related ArticlesLocal News | Jamie Reid ...

Summer music still playing in Saratoga

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Summer’s not over in Saratoga: There are plenty of music and events to still enjoy in the city this weekend.Nigel and Clive’s British Invasion arrives at Savannah Chanelle Winery Saturday, Aug. 19. The Brit boys will perform their favorite British Invasion songs. $20 cover charge. www.savannahchanelle.comAlso on Saturday, another concert in Wildwood Park. Sponsored by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, it’s a full afternoon of rock, starting at 12:30 p.m.  Wine, beer and food are available. The theme of the concert is sunglasses: Wear your cheapest, ugliest, coolest or most fabulous shades to the show to compete in the Sunglass Selfie contest. www.saratogachamber.orgThere is still time to enjoy a Saratoga tradition. The Montalvo Service Group hosts its last Montalvo Summer Luncheon of the season on Aug. 23. Dine al fresco on the veranda of the historic villa, with proceeds benefiting the maintenance and preservation of the villa and grounds at Montalvo Arts Center. Montalvo Executive...

Cybersecurity science fair showcases Cupertino teens’ projects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Cybersecurity science fairCupertino’s Technology, Information and Communication Commission is presenting a cybersecurity awareness event Sept. 16 for local high school students to showcase their ideas on cybersecurity and scam awareness. The event, set for 9 a.m.-noon at Cupertino Community Hall, will also feature a panel discussion with cybersecurity experts.Cupertino high school students can submit their cybersecurity science project at cupertino.org/cyberfair by Monday, Aug. 28. Finalists will present their projects to the panel at the event. First prize is $200, second is $100 and third is $50.Poet laureate soughtSanta Clara County is looking for its next poet laureate. The Santa Clara County Library District, in partnership with SVCREATES and Poetry Center San José, have opened the application process for the honorary post for 2024-25.The poet laureate acts as an advocate for poetry, literature, and the arts and contributes to Santa Clara County’s poetry and literacy legacy thr...

Jewish community center in Los Gatos to host talk on inclusion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Inclusion talk at JCCThe Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos is hosting a talk on inclusion in Israeli higher education next month. Sarab Abu-Rabia-Queder, vice president for diversity and inclusion at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, will discuss gender, ethnic and racial disparities in higher education in the country, drawing on her personal experience and expertise as a sociologist and activist.The event will take place Sept. 6, 8:30-10 a.m. To register, visit jvalley.org.Community ‘micro-grants’ availableThe Town of Los Gatos aims to help independent community improvement projects get into gear with small-scale grants now available to students and residents. The Community Innovation Grant program offers $1,500 “micro-grants” to chosen applicants working to improve life and education in the town. Apply online at www.losgatosca.gov/318/Community-Grant-Programs. Applications are due by Sept. 4.Two decades of eye careOn Aug. 30, town official...

Local filmmaker depicts his time as ‘Crossing Guard’ in Cinequest short

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Tony Gapastione dreams of opening a film studio near his Redwood City home. In the meantime, his side gigs have included a stint as a crossing guard at his daughter Sophia’s school.Gapastione combined his passion for filmmaking and his experiences seeing the students at Roy Cloud Elementary School safely onto campus in a short film called, not surprisingly, “The Crossing Guard.” The film is part of the shorts program titled “We Are…” playing at the Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival this month.While the film hits close to home—Gapastione plays the title character, and Sophia plays his daughter Mimosa—many of the events it depicts are exaggerated for comedic effect.“I did have a gentleman who was exercising who did chase me down because I wouldn’t let him on campus,” says Gapastione about one scene in the eight-minute movie.Mimosa has an unseen brother named Martini; the siblings go by Mimi and Marty. The filmmaker says he got the idea for the names from a comment made by a frien...

Opinion: EPA funding will help Valley Water better serve community

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Valley Water is responsible for providing safe, clean water, flood protection and environmental stewardship to Santa Clara County. We are currently working on dozens of projects to help us meet this mission for the communities we serve.However, we can’t carry this out alone.Our agency continues to seek out investment partners, including the state and federal government, to help us complete these projects and reduce the cost to ratepayers. Pursuing and securing state and federal funding is the key to completing projects that support a reliable water supply, flood protection and stewardship of creeks and streams.Earlier this summer, Valley Water was awarded $6.8 million in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help fund two projects for our communities.One of the EPA grants provides $3 million to help fund cleanups of nine creeks in Santa Clara County. This funding will support work to rehabilitate a bank along Coyote Creek impacted by an encampment-related excavati...

Lecture to cover Big Basin’s past, future

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:41:28 GMT

Big Basin lectureDr. Traci Bliss will hold forth on “How Californians Saved Big Basin Redwoods Park” at an Aug. 22 Zoom lecture presented by the Saratoga Historical Foundation.Bliss is the author of “Big Basin Redwood Forest: California’s Oldest State Park.” Her lecture will detail how and why in 1900 a coalition of women journalists, Jesuit priests, Bay Area academics and the pillars of San Francisco society came together to change the trajectory of deforestation in California. Her talk will include an overview of the after effects of the 2020 CZU fire and the plan for Big Basin’s future.The online lecture is set for 7 p.m. To register, visit www.saratogahistory.com and click on Big Basin Park. For more information, call 408-867-4311.Downsizing adviceSaratoga Federated Church is hosting a Caregiving for Aging Well Discussion Group on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 12:15 p.m. in the Care Center at 14376 Saratoga Ave. Guest speaker Joan McCreary will explain the best approaches to organizing an...