Santa Clara County News

South Bay city swaps vice mayor and mayor in ‘unorthodox’ move

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:50:57 +0000

In an unusual move, Cupertino has swapped its top leadership roles in its annual city restructuring, appointing Kitty Moore as the new mayor and Liang Chao as vice mayor.

The move followed an impasse over Councilmember Ray Wang’s consideration for vice mayor. He was viewed warily for the role after he abruptly left a city council meeting and forced it to end to avoid a potential violation of public meeting law.

“I look forward to serving everyone with concern and care,” said the newly-appointed Mayor Moore in a brief statement. “I’m looking forward to a productive and successful year.”

Cupertino City Council votes each year to appoint a new mayor and vice mayor during a special meeting in December, and councilmembers are not allowed to serve consecutive terms in the same position.

Over the last year, Chao served as mayor and Moore served as vice mayor. Moore has served on the council since 2020, and was reelected last year after promising to focus on fiscal accountability and a “detail-oriented” approach to city matters. Chao first joined the council in 2018, and served as vice mayor in 2019 and 2021.

At this week’s meeting, much of the public voiced support for Moore to take the helm of the city. However, they were split on who might best serve as the vice mayor, with discussion focusing heavily on Wang – who was elected in a tight race in 2024 – and his conduct at a City Council meeting earlier this month.

During a discussion of a housing project at a December 2 meeting, Wang, who was participating remotely, left the meeting after a dispute over whether voting on the issue was in violation of the Brown Act, a California open meeting law. The law specifies that a publicly elected body cannot make decisions on issues that aren’t properly noticed to the public. Wang argued that the agenda did not clearly notify the public that the housing project would come to a vote. At the time, the city attorney said a vote would not violate the Brown Act, but Wang argued that it did and announced that he would leave the meeting.

But the Brown Act also dictates that the public should have the option to participate from the remote location where an elected official is logged into a meeting. When Wang left and closed his video link, it forced the meeting to end because it prevented the public from participating from his location.

“At this point then I will have to leave the meeting and … and the meeting will conclude,” said Wang, before his video connection terminated. “(The issue) is noticed in the wrong section and improperly noticed… Well, have a wonderful evening everybody and thank you.”

Wang later apologized in writing and at the meeting, saying that his laptop battery had died and he was unable to find a working outlet, rendering him unable to log back in to the meeting.

“I want to sincerely apologize for leaving the Zoom meeting on December 2 in protest … on reflection, I should not have threatened to leave the meeting to force its termination,” said Wang, who said the item was clearly labeled as ineligible for a vote. “I was surprised that council would vote on (the) item … and I do not believe the public expected that either, as your representative, I objected and voiced strong opposition to taking such a vote.”

As a result, several residents thought he should not be appointed to vice mayor.

“He threatened to prevent you from voting, and then he followed through on his threat by using a trick in the Brown Act,” Cupertino Resident Seema Lindskog told the City Council. “Somebody like that doesn’t believe in democracy and doesn’t believe in teamwork with this council and should never be vice mayor or mayor.”

Several others however, argued that Wang was best suited to represent the city, and urged the council to accept the apology and move on, with some even waving signs declaring “we stand with Ray.”

“Councilmember Wang has consistently demonstrated integrity, honesty and a deep commitment to members of the community,” said Cupertino resident Michael Wong. “His leadership and actions always have reflected the values of fairness, openness and collaboration that our community deserves and expects from its elected officials.”

Chao also came to Wang’s defense, saying it was “very clear” that his battery did run out and that the concerns he raised were valid. “I’m sure that he will learn from this experience … Let’s all assume the best about each other,” said Chao.

Moore then asked Chao to serve as her vice mayor. “You have the most experience, the most institutional knowledge, and you also are the least polarizing choice that I can look to and rely upon,” said Moore to Chao. “I wish I could undo the last week, but I can’t, and I can’t willingly choose to have surprises.”

Though Councilmember J.R. Fruen called the move “unorthodox,” he and the rest of the council voted unanimously to appoint Moore and Chao to their new roles.

San Jose State’s star receiver Danny Scudero announces he’s entering NCAA transfer portal

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:53:01 +0000

Danny Scudero, San Jose State’s prolific, 5-foot-9 wide receiver, announced Friday he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal.

The former Archbishop Mitty High star had a huge season after transferring to San Jose State from Sacramento State. Scudero, a redshirt sophomore, had 88 receptions for 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, which enabled him to become a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist as well as an All-Mountain West pick.

Scudero was one of the few bright spots during a disappointing 3-9 season for the Spartans. He was dynamic from the start, getting 189 receiving yards in the season opener against Central Michigan and getting more than 100 yards in five more games.

The Spartans were bracing for this portal news and once the FBS portal opens on Jan. 2, Scudero is expected to draw plenty of interest.

In his season-ending news conference, San Jose State coach Ken Niumatalolo conceded there were a lot of schools after Scudero, and that his program couldn’t compete in a bidding war.

“When people throw out the numbers that they do, it’s staggering,” Niumatalolo said. “It won’t be comparable, but I hope we can put together a good enough package to at least make him think.”

‘An Italian Christmas’ concert is coming to the Hammer stage

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:23:35 +0000

Acclaimed Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito will wrap up his holiday concert season back in the Bay Area with two performances in San Jose.

The Sunday, Dec. 14, evening show at the Hammer Theatre will feature traditional, sacred and contemporary holiday classics and songs from his newly released CD, “My Christmas by the Bay.”

Joining Esposito will be tenor Joseph Frank; vocalists Victoria McDowell and Luis Alejandro Orozco; and San Jose State University’s Orchestra, conducted by Fred Cohen, director of the university’s School of Music and Dance.

The Wednesday, Dec. 17, show at Silver Creek Country Club in San Jose begins with a 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception and Italian dinner, followed by a 90-minute concert.

Esposito, a native of Naples who makes his home in San Jose, immigrated to the United States in 1998 and earned a music degree at SJSU while singing in local Italian restaurants.

He burst onto the public television scene in 2015 with his tribute to Naples’ hometown hero, “Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Enrico Caruso,” then followed with several other specials.

A portion of the proceeds from Sunday’s concert and CD sales will benefit the projects of the nonprofit Los Gatos Rotary.

Details: Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. Sunday concert at 101 Paseo de San Antonio, $72-$94, available at www.hammertheatre.com or at the box office. Find details about tickets for Wednesday’s Silver Creek show (dinner plus concert or concert only) at www.pasqualeesposito.com or 408-528-6308.

49ers legend Patrick Willis promoting Super Bowl LX — and Niners’ unexpected path there

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:44:29 +0000

SANTA CLARA – Patrick Willis is saying all the right things to promote Super Bowl LX and its fan-friendly experiences coming to the Bay Area.

What 49ers fans want to hear most from the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker: How his former team can show up for that Feb. 8 title bout at Levi’s Stadium.

Willis is in the know. He’s shadowed the 49ers all season, from practice-field cameos to most games, both at home and on the road.

“Offensively, you have to eliminate your turnovers, and win the turnover margin. On defense, it’ll be huge to be more stout in the run, just work on those first- and second-down runs,” Willis said this week while sitting in Levi’s Stadium’s auditorium, 10 years after he announced his retirement there.

“All in all, they’ve got to keep showing up and keep making plays,” Willis added, “and most importantly play for four quarters.”

The 49ers (9-4) are 8-0 when leading at halftime, having won their season opener in Seattle via a fourth-quarter comeback.

They close the regular season playing 3-of-4 games at Levi’s Stadium, including Sunday’s against the Tennessee Titans (2-11), with just one remaining road game, Dec. 22 at Indianapolis.

Not only is Willis working with the 49ers as an alumni ambassador, he has been pitching fans to attend the Super Bowl Experience at San Francisco’s Moscone Center in the days leading up to Super Bowl LX. Here are six topics Willis hit in an exclusive interview with this news organization:

1. On how the 49ers’ defense is overcoming injuries:

Willis: “They’ve done a heck of a job overcoming the adversity they’ve had in losing their defensive line guy in Nick (Bosa) and then their linebacker and captain presence of Fred, who’s all-world, then Mykel (Williams), who was coming on as well. For them to lose those guys but continue to fight and have the grit they have, that’s kudos to the coaches and the players for believing in themselves enough to keep showing up and not having excuses.

“Obviously they’re not perfect but some of the guys, it’s their first time playing. Rookies are getting first-year reps where in a year for now they’ll be better for it. But it’s all about the now.”

2. On relating to Brock Purdy’s toe injury that kept him out eight games and how comparable it is to the issues that ended Willis’ career after 7 ½ seasons:

Willis: “My feet were different. I had chronic pain in my big toes, to the point it was almost equivalent to NASCAR tires you couldn’t change and the tread was wearing thin. I told him, ‘You’re going to feel it tender for a while, but it should be OK. Do what you need to do for you.’ Obviously he’s feeling fine and it’s working for him. I haven’t seen him have to run as much this year.”

3. On quarterback Philip Rivers coming out of a five-year retirement to play for the Colts and whether Willis could do the same for the linebacker-thin 49ers:

Willis: “That’s a great question. I have stayed active. I haven’t done football drills and it’s been 10 years, but I’ve always had this philosophy ‘stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.’ That’s just life in general.

“Yes, if I absolutely had to (play) and it needed to be done, I think anything is possible. I’m not just saying that. I still feel decent. Obviously I’d have to see how these toes would feel. But doing regular drills now, I’m so excited to put my shoes on, because there was a time I was playing that I didn’t want to put my cleats at times because how my feet felt. I feel so much better today that I don’t want to jinx the way that I feel. That was part of the reason why I made the decision (to retire) then, so I could feel this way now.

“Shoutout to Philip Rivers. I am curious as to how his quick-twitch muscles will fire, but he was never a quick-twitch guy. Who knows, maybe it works out for him. But, man, that’s intense.”

4. On how retirement is going at age 40:

Willis: “I look at the game of football like a love you had to depart from for certain circumstances. You always love it to a point where, ‘Man, what would it be like to rekindle that relationship.’ But psychologically, I’ve learned the mind is a powerful tool, and if you’re not careful, you can get yourself into a lot of stuff. I try to keep it level and grounded, and most importantly have the gratitude that I’m grateful for the journey I had but allow guys now the opportunity to fortify their own legacy. I don’t even know how it would play out with somebody already being in the Hall of Fame and coming out (to play). How would you measure it? But you saw T.O. … you saw Kobe, around 40, think they can still play with the youngsters and then something happens.

“There’s not a moment or time where I’ve not felt, ‘You know what, I think I can still whoop these cats’ (butts) or whatnot, but I just don’t have to.’ Where I came from, the South, the old heads would say, ‘I might be older but I’ve still got it.’”

5. On what he recalls playing in the Super Bowl 14 seasons ago, a 34-31 loss to Baltimore in New Orleans:

Willis: “Oh man, it was intense. It was nerve wracking. When I think back on it, I understand now what they mean when they say, ‘The team who’s been there before usually has an upper-hand or edge, because they know what to expect.’ After the game, I couldn’t … It was honestly a surreal week. I was in disbelief.

“For me, knowing where my body and everything was, ‘Man, we have to make it count. You have to win because, one, making it is so freaking hard, and, two, for me, I didn’t know how much longer I have. To get that close and come up short …”

6. On why former 49ers all-time leading rusher and former teammate Frank Gore should join him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; Gore is among 26 modern-era semifinalists, while 49ers predecessor Roger Craig is a Seniors category finalist:

Willis: “I’d say, how can you not let one of the most complete backs into the Hall of Fame. But then I also think about Roger Craig. I always say I’d love to see the old heads get in and then us youngsters have our time. All in all, those are two great running backs, two guys that have had phenomenal careers. For Frank top-three rusher, and t come in with the knees he had and people doubting him, but to show up year after year and be consistent, there was not one thing in his game he did not do. It’s one thing if you’re only a scatback. Frank was a power runner and all of the above. He still loves the game and has an eye for the game, as well.”

San Jose business park bought by real estate investors

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:59:38 +0000

SAN JOSE — A business park in North San Jose has been bought by real estate investors with a wide range of expertise, including housing and medical offices.

Kayne Anderson has acted through an affiliate to buy the park at 780 Montague Expressway for $30 million, according to documents filed on Dec. 11 with the Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office.

The real estate firm has its principal offices in Los Angeles, but also operates out of offices in Florida, Texas, New York City, Chicago, and London, according to its website.

Pacific Realty Associates, acting through an affiliate, sold the 7-acre site, which is near Interstate 880.

The business park totals 95,000 square feet and consists of seven buildings that are occupied by many tenants, including small businesses, according to marketing materials.

A diverse group of companies occupy sites in the section of North San Jose, including several tech firms.

Kayne Anderson lists several fields of real estate expertise, according to its website.

“Since 2007, Kayne Anderson Real Estate has invested in alternative real estate sectors including medical office, high-end seniors housing, off-campus student housing/multifamily, and self-storage,” the website states.

Letters: Nuclear power an expensive boondoggle, not cheap alternative

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:28:15 +0000

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.

Nuclear power is an
expensive boondoggle

Re: “Wind, water, solar energy won’t do it. California needs nuclear.” (Page A6, Dec. 9).

I was dismayed to see an opinion piece by a former professor implying expertise in nuclear power, which is a subject that’s completely different from his field of expertise.

He abandoned the requirements of a scientific analysis by ignoring information that contradicts his opinion. Specifically, he claims that nuclear power is needed to fill the gaps when wind and solar are not sufficient. He mentions batteries but discounts the possibility of increasing their capacity. And he fails to mention other storage possibilities such as pump storage, compressed air, heat batteries, etc.

We were promised in the 1950s that nuclear power would be so cheap it wouldn’t need to be metered. Instead, it has proven to be a dangerous multibillion-dollar boondoggle.

We should be wary of nonfactual promises regarding nuclear power, which has been surpassed by much cheaper and safer green energy.

Fred Geiger
Santa Cruz

Articles inspire
hope in humanity

Re: “Work is music to their ears” (Page A1, Dec. 10), “Visitors glow with the flow” (Page B1, Dec. 10) and “Ousted tribe to purchase 896 acres of land” (Page B1, Dec. 10).

I have renewed hope, appreciation and faith in the goodness of people after reading the Mercury’s three stories.

So much terrible and distressing news abounds every day about what bad things are happening in our country and the world. It is truly heartening for me to read about innovative efforts to protect whales in the Pacific near San Francisco; people flocking to San Jose’s traditional Christmas in the Park; and our truly native Southern Sierra Miwuk Californians being given back their land occupied by them but taken away 175 years ago.

I believe and trust that the goodness of people will eventually prevail.

John Turner
San Jose

Sober housing would
benefit many homeless

Fentanyl overdose deaths reached an all-time high in recent years, and the problem not only resides in Californians’ homes but on the streets as well.

California’s current housing-first and harm-reduction policies are not enough for the homeless population still suffering from drug addiction. While it’s important that we get our homeless population placed into homes, it’s just as important to continue supporting them afterward. Sober housing, a recovery-oriented framework, would be a more direct approach to the current crisis, especially in cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles, where overdose deaths in the homeless population are high.

Despite this, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed a bill proposed by state Assemblymember Matt Haney for sober housing. I urge the community to reflect on this matter and consider the implementation of sober housing or other viable recovery-oriented policies for our homeless.

Sharon Dang
San Jose

Influencers having
dire effect on kids

Prime, the newest “hydration” drink launched by Logan Paul and KSI, contains 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, significantly higher than competing energy drinks such as Red Bull (80 mg) and Monster Energy (140 mg).

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that there is no proven safe dose of caffeine for children. The underlying issue is the exploitation of our youth and kids. Logan Paul and Prime are not here to ensure kids get their electrolytes or stay hydrated. If kids keep drinking caffeine, they’ll develop long-term health problems such as cardiovascular stress, sleep disruption and early caffeine dependency.

Kids don’t choose to drink Prime or these energy drinks because they need the caffeine — they choose it because it’s “cool” and because of other branding influences. Prime’s success is a failure of both regulation and the blind trust that people have in influencers. If nothing changes, we will be primed to fail our future generations.

Kevin Luu
San Jose

Federal workers should
refuse illegal orders

Donald Trump has managed to surround himself with kingmakers (Supreme Court justices, Congress and all other positions of power) while firing those who would stop or question him.

These lackeys, however, are not the people who carry out the dangerous, illegal orders. Pete Hegseth doesn’t pull the trigger on the boats and people in the Caribbean, or stand guard as a political pawn in our Democratic cities. Similarly, every official act to attack our nation’s vital services, such as Social Security, health care, clean water and air, and on and on, has to be executed by federal workers.

Just as the military must refuse to follow illegal orders, federal workers must do the same. Federal workers, like those in the military, work there because they want to serve, not harm, our country.

Karen Mandel
San Jose

US system must treat
migrants with dignity

I am writing to express my concern about the current immigration system of the U.S.

Right now, thousands of individuals and families are either violently taken from their homes with no notice or have been waiting years for a hearing on their status. During this time, people are living in constant fear and uncertainty, thus unable to fully live their lives.

America was built on the idea of freedom and opportunity; however, the recent acts on immigration prove otherwise. Improving the immigration system is not only a political issue but also a human one. Immigrants contribute to so much of America’s success, including our schools, workplaces and neighborhoods. They deserve a system that not only treats them as humans but also with respect.

Lily Kuo
San Jose

Path to Super Bowl LX: Eagles could be first up for 49ers in playoffs

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:27:22 +0000

Sometimes, budding rivalries are squelched by the schedule.

The last two times the 49ers played the Philadelphia Eagles, there was no shortage of drama.

A little more than two years ago, the 49ers staked their claim as the NFL’s best team with a 42-19 win over the Eagles, who were 10-1 at the time. It didn’t erase the pain of their previous matchup in the NFC Championship Game following the 2022 season, when Brock Purdy had his right elbow shredded on a sack by Haason Reddick.

That loss ended the 49ers’ hopes of making the Super Bowl, while the Eagles went on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs.

So the regular-season game on Dec. 3 served as some feel-good therapy even if it didn’t erase the sting of the playoff loss. The 49ers came in 9-3, scored touchdowns on six consecutive possessions and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better team in football at that moment.

It turned out to be the zenith of the season for the 49ers, who made the Super Bowl but were never that good again. And haven’t been since. Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle were at the height of their powers Purdy played errorless football. The 49ers’ defense shut down Jalen Hurts and Co.

It also ruined the Eagles’ season, as they lost five of their last six games and were embarrassed 32-9 against Tampa Bay in the wild-card round.

Philadelphia rebounded to win Super Bowl LIX and finish 18-3 last season while the 49ers were decimated by injury and staggered to a 6-11 record.

Now the 49ers are on the upswing and the Eagles look as if they’re lost again. They lead the NFC East, but have gone from 8-2 to 8-5, giving up 575 yards in the three losses. Hurts is spewing turnovers, and had two on one play (an interception and a lost fumble) on the same play in a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

It’s not impossible for the 49ers to win the NFC West and even be the top seed. It’s more likely they’ll be playing in the wild card round. Philadelphia’s remaining schedule is favorable enough to project they’ll hold on in the NFC East. It could well be the Eagles in the first game as the 49ers attempt to play in Super Bowl LX at their home stadium on Feb. 8.

A look at how the playoffs are looking heading into Week 15 including Thursday night’s result:

NFC outlook

Matchups based on current standings

Bye: No. 1 L.A. Rams (10-3)

Rams’ final four: vs. Detroit (8-5), at Seattle (10-3), at Atlanta (5-9), vs. Arizona (3-10)

The next two weeks can cement the top seed for the Rams or put them in the wild-card picture at No. 5 or lower.

No. 7 Chicago (9-4) at No. 2 Green Bay (9-3-1)

Bears’ final four: vs. Cleveland (3-10), vs. Green Bay (9-3-1), at 49ers (9-4), vs. Detroit (8-5)

A loss to the Browns this week could be death knell considering what follows.

Packers’ final four: at Denver (11-2), at Chicago (9-4), vs. Baltimore (6-7), at Minnesota (5-8)

Every remaining opponent except the last one could still have postseason aspirations.

No. 6 49ers (9-4) at No. 3 Philadelphia (8-5)

49ers’ final four: vs. Tennessee (2-11), at Indianapolis (8-5), vs. Chicago (9-4), vs, Seattle (10-3)

Pardon me for being most intrigued for the possibility of facing Philip Rivers and Indy on Monday night in Week 16.

Eagles’ final four: vs. Las Vegas (2-11), at Washington (3-10), at Buffalo (9-4), vs. Washington (3-10)

As poorly as they’re playing, it’s still hard to imagine Philly not reaching 11 wins against this slate.

No. 5 Seattle (10-3) at No. 4 Carolina (7-6)

Seahawks’ final four: vs. Indianapolis (8-5), vs. L.A. Rams (10-3), at Carolina (7-6), at 49ers (9-4)

There seems to be a growing consensus that the Seahawks are the team to beat.

Panthers’ final four: at New Orleans (2-11), vs. Tampa Bay (7-7), vs. Seattle (10-3), at Tampa Bay (7-7)

If you saw Carolina against the 49ers, it’s hard to believe.

Still alive

No. 8 Detroit (8-5): With a strong finish, it’s not far-fetched that Lions will end up on top in the NFC North.

Lions’ final four: at L.A. Rams (10-3), vs. Pittsburgh (7-6), at Minnesota (5-8), at Chicago (9-4)

No. 9 Tampa Bay (7-7): The Bucs suffered a major cave-in Thursday night against Atlanta, blowing a 14-point lead against a penalty-prone opponent. They have two games against the Panthers to get it right.

Bucs’ final three: at Carolina (7-6), at Miami (6-7) vs. Carolina (7-6)

No. 10 Dallas (6-6-1): Don’t look now, but Dallas could win all four of these games and the NFC East title.

Cowboys’ final four: vs. Minnesota (5-8), vs. L.A. Chargers (9-4), at Washington (3-10), at N.Y. Giants (2-11)

The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are in big trouble in the AFC in terms of advancing to Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. A.P. Photo

AFC outlook

Bye: 1. Denver (11-2)

Broncos’ final four: vs. Green Bay (9-3-1), vs. Jacksonville (9-4), at Kansas City (6-7), vs. L.A. Chargers (9-4)

During training camp, I set an unofficial over/under on the combined number of games played by Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw as 20. They’re at 19 and will break it at 21 on Sunday.

No. 7 Houston (8-5) at No. 2 New England (11-2)

Texans’ final four: vs. Arizona (3-10), vs. Las Vegas (2-11), at L.A. Chargers (9-4), at Indianapolis (8-5)

The Texans look destined for a playoff spot. Whoever gets Houston in the wild card will be hurting the next week, win or lose.

Patriots’ final four: vs. Buffalo (9-4), at Baltimore (6-7), at N.Y. Jets (3-10), vs. Miami (6-7)

Win the last two games and it keeps hopes of a first-round bye alive and cements Mike Vrabel as coach of the year.

No. 6 Buffalo (9-4) at No. 3 Jacksonville (9-4)

Bills’ final four: at New England (11-2), at Cleveland (3-10), vs. Philadelphia (8-5), vs. N.Y. Jets (3-10)

With the Chiefs fading to black, it may be the right time for the Bills to get back to the Super Bowl — and maybe even win it.

Jaguars’ final four: vs. N.Y. Jets (3-10), at Denver (11-2), at Indianapolis (8-5), vs. Tennessee (2-11)

The Jaguars are winners of four straight against suspect opposition, with another cupcake looming in the Jets.

No. 5 L.A. Chargers (9-4) at No. 4 Pittsburgh (7-6)

Chargers’ final four: at Kansas City (6-7), at Dallas (6-6-1), vs. Houston (7-6), at Denver (11-2)

Justin Herbert ran for 66 yards on 10 carries against the Eagles just days after surgery on left hand.

Steelers’ final four: vs. Miami (6-7), at Detroit (8-5), at Cleveland (3-10), vs. Baltimore (6-7)

Ten wins is achievable but this team has 9-8 and a wild card exit written all over it.

Still alive

8. Indianapolis (8-5): Think the Colts wish they’d signed Mac Jones as a backup? Philip Rivers returns at age 44 and four difficult games await. Headed for 8-9?

Colts’ final four: at Seattle (10-3), at 49ers (9-4), vs. Jacksonville (9-4), at Houston (7-6)

9. Baltimore (6-7): The Ravens’ last head coach before John Harbaugh was Brian Billick in 2007. Time for a new approach?

Ravens’ final four: at Cincinnati (4-9), vs. New England (11-2), at Green Bay (9-3-1), at Pittsburgh (7-6)

10. Kansas City (6-7): The Chiefs were 11-0 in one-score games last season en route to 15-2. Patrick Mahomes and Co. are 1-6 this season.

Chiefs’ final four: vs. L.A. Chargers (9-4), at Tennessee (2-11), vs. Denver (11-2), at Las Vegas (2-11)

11. Miami (6-7): Anyone else think Mike McDaniel would still be around after a 31-6 loss to Cleveland for a 1-6 start? Didn’t think so.

Dolphins’ final four: at Pittsburgh (7-6), vs. Cincinnati (4-9), vs. Tampa Bay (7-7), at New England (11-2)

Sale closed in Palo Alto: $3.2 million for a two-bedroom home

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:14:31 +0000

A house in the 1000 block of Amarillo Avenue in Palo Alto has new owners. The property, built in 1947, was sold on Oct. 31, 2025. The purchase price was $3,150,000. This single-story house has two bedrooms and one bath. The property is equipped with a heating system. In addition, the home comes with a single parking spot, offering a dedicated area for parking. The lot of the unit is substantial, measuring 0.5 acres.

These nearby houses have also recently been sold:

In September 2024, a 1,554-square-foot home on the 1000 block of Metro Circle in Palo Alto sold for $3,330,000, a price per square foot of $2,143. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
A 1,114-square-foot home on the 1000 block of Amarillo Avenue in Palo Alto sold in September 2024 for $2,600,000, a price per square foot of $2,334. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.
On Metro Circle, Palo Alto, in Palo Alto in June 2022, a 1,118-square-foot home was sold for $2,380,000, a price per square foot of $2,129. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.

This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans. Our real estate data comes from public records that have been registered and digitized by local county offices. You can report errors or bugs to content@bayareanewsgroup.com.

1033 Amarillo Avenue – Google Street View

Humanoid robots take center stage at Silicon Valley summit, but skepticism remains

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:46:06 +0000

By MATT O’BRIEN, Associated Press

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Robots have long been seen as a bad bet for Silicon Valley investors — too complicated, capital-intensive and “boring, honestly,” says venture capitalist Modar Alaoui.

But the commercial boom in artificial intelligence has lit a spark under long-simmering visions to build humanoid robots that can move their mechanical bodies like humans and do things that people do.

Alaoui, founder of the Humanoids Summit, gathered more than 2,000 people this week, including top robotics engineers from Disney, Google and dozens of startups, to showcase their technology and debate what it will take to accelerate a nascent industry.

Alaoui says many researchers now believe humanoids or some other kind of physical embodiment of AI are “going to become the norm.”

“The question is really just how long it will take,” he said.

Disney’s contribution to the field, a walking robotic version of “Frozen” character Olaf, will be roaming on its own through Disneyland theme parks in Hong Kong and Paris early next year. Entertaining and highly complex robots that resemble a human — or a snowman — are already here, but the timeline for “general purpose” robots that are a productive member of a workplace or household is farther away.

Even at a conference designed to build enthusiasm for the technology, held at a Computer History Museum that’s a temple to Silicon Valley’s previous breakthroughs, skepticism remained high that truly humanlike robots will take root anytime soon.

“The humanoid space has a very, very big hill to climb,” said Cosima du Pasquier, founder and CEO of Haptica Robotics, which works to give robots a sense of touch. “There’s a lot of research that still needs to be solved.”

The Stanford University postdoctoral researcher came to the conference in Mountain View, California, just a week after incorporating her startup.

“The first customers are really the people here,” she said.

Researchers at the consultancy McKinsey & Company have counted about 50 companies around the world that have raised at least $100 million to develop humanoids, led by about 20 in China and 15 in North America.

China is leading in part due to government incentives for component production and robot adoption and a mandate last year “to have a humanoid ecosystem established by 2025,” said McKinsey partner Ani Kelkar. Displays by Chinese firms dominated the expo section of this week’s summit, held Thursday and Friday.

In the U.S., the advent of generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini has jolted the decades-old robotics industry in different ways. Investor excitement has poured money into ambitious startups aiming to build hardware that will bring a physical presence to the latest AI.

But it’s not just crossover hype — the same technical advances that made AI chatbots so good at language have played a role in teaching robots how to get better at performing tasks. Paired with computer vision, robots powered by “visual-language” models are trained to learn about their surroundings.

One of the most prominent skeptics is robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, a co-founder of Roomba vacuum maker iRobot who wrote in September that “today’s humanoid robots will not learn how to be dexterous despite the hundreds of millions, or perhaps many billions of dollars, being donated by VCs and major tech companies to pay for their training.” Brooks didn’t attend but his essay was frequently mentioned.

Also missing was anyone speaking for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s development of a humanoid called Optimus, a project that the billionaire is designing to be “extremely capable” and sold in high volumes. Musk said three years ago that people can probably buy an Optimus “within three to five years.”

The conference’s organizer, Alaoui, founder and general partner of ALM Ventures, previously worked on driver attention systems for the automotive industry and sees parallels between humanoids and the early years of self-driving cars.

Near the entrance to the summit venue, just blocks from Google’s headquarters, is a museum exhibit showing Google’s bubble-shaped 2014 prototype of a self-driving car. Eleven years later, self-driving cars full of passengers operated by Google affiliate Waymo are constantly plying the streets nearby.

Some robots with human elements are already being tested in workplaces. Oregon-based Agility Robotics announced shortly before the conference that it is bringing its tote-carrying warehouse robot Digit to a Texas distribution facility run by Mercado Libre, the Latin American e-commerce giant. Much like the Olaf robot, it has inverted legs that are more birdlike than human.

Industrial robots performing single tasks are already commonplace in car assembly and other manufacturing. They work with a level of speed and precision that’s difficult for today’s humanoids — or humans themselves — to match.

The head of a robotics trade group founded in 1974 is now lobbying the U.S. government to develop a stronger national strategy to advance the development of homegrown robots, be they humanoids or otherwise.

“We have a lot of strong technology, we have the AI expertise here in the U.S.,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation, after touring the expo Thursday. “So I think it remains to be seen who is the ultimate leader in this. But right now, China has certainly a lot more momentum on humanoids.”

Single-family house sells for $2.9 million in San Jose

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:26:46 +0000

The unit in the 1000 block of Craig Drive in San Jose was sold on Oct. 31, 2025 for $2,850,000, or $2,103 per square foot. The house, built in 1959, has an interior space of 1,355 square feet. The layout of this single-story house consists of three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Inside, there is a fireplace. The property is equipped with a heating system. Additionally, the house is equipped with two parking spots. The property encompasses a generous 6,825 square feet of land.

Other houses have recently changed hands nearby:

In March 2024, a 1,485-square-foot home on the 6300 block of Bollinger Road in San Jose sold for $2,356,500, a price per square foot of $1,587. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
On Bollinger Road, San Jose, in San Jose in September 2025, a 1,371-square-foot home was sold for $2,160,000, a price per square foot of $1,575. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
A 1,284-square-foot home on the 1000 block of Corvette Drive in San Jose sold in June 2022 for $2,830,000, a price per square foot of $2,204. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.

1017 Craig Drive – Google Street View