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Ask Amy: Adoption puzzle comes together slowly

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

Dear Amy: Five years ago, late in life, I learned that I was adopted.Both my birth parents and adoptive parents have all died.“Janice,” my birth mother, moved out of state to give birth to me, telling only her siblings and a few close friends.The biological cousins I’ve located were aware of my birth because of whispered conversations, but never spoke directly to Janice about it.My birth family has been extremely warm and welcoming.Despite this, they say they don’t want anyone who might have known Janice to find out about my existence, because they believe that is what Janice would have wanted.I understand wanting to honor her wishes, but I DO exist and the family’s wanting to keep me a secret makes me feel like my birth is shameful.Furthermore, these family members are ignoring the fact that Janice never wanted them to know about me, either, and yet they are happy to have a relationship with me.Similarly, my half-brother from my birth father (“Henry”) doesn’t want me contacting Hen...

Production of summer related fruits down -6.3% in 2022

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

In 2022, the EU’s combined harvested production of muskmelons, watermelons, strawberries, peaches and nectarines was 8.6 million tonnes, representing a decrease of 6.3% on the level in 2021 (9.2 million tonnes). This downturn was due to the lower harvested production of muskmelons (-9.5% in 2022) and watermelons (-18.4% in 2022). Indeed, the production of peaches and nectarines increased (+5.6% in 2022), and that of strawberries remained relatively unchanged.Source dataset: apro_cpsh1Spain was the EU’s main producer of summer related fruitsSpain is a key EU producer of summer fruits. It produced nearly half (45.4%) of the EU’s watermelons, almost one third (32.0%) of its muskmelons, and more than one quarter (27.3%) of both its strawberries, and peaches and nectarines (26.9%) in 2022. Likewise, Italy produced just over one third (36.1%) of both the EU’s muskmelons, and peaches and nectarines (35.6%), as well as one quarter (25.6%) of its watermelons.Source dataset: apro_cpsh1Fo...

The seven most expensive homes that reported sold in Oakland the week of Aug. 21

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Aug. 21 even if the property may have been sold earlier.7. $1.1 million, detached house in the 200 block of Perkins StreetThe sale of the single family residence in the 200 block of Perkins Street in Oakland has been finalized. The price was $1,050,000, and the new owners took over the house in July. The house was built in 1924 and has a living area of 1,338 square feet. The price per square foot was $785. The house features two bedrooms and one bathrooms.6. $1.3 million, single-family residence in the 6800 block of Saroni DriveThe 2,108 square-foot single-family house in the 6800 block of Saroni Drive, Oakland, has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in July and the total purchase price was $1,330,000, $631 per square foot. The house was built in 1986. The house features three bedrooms and three bathrooms.5. $1.4 million, single-family home in the 400 block of 59th St...

Former Santa Cruz County man sentenced to prison for shooting neighbor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — Jennifer Mackie rushed with her daughter and sister to a large atrium window outside of court Monday, hoping to catch the beginning of a 62-year-old Aptos man’s trip to prison.Ralph Millar after his arrest in 2018. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office — Contributed) Minutes earlier, a Santa Cruz County Superior Court visiting judge sentenced Ralph Millar to a prison term of 20 years to life for two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, burglary, two counts of breaking and entering and six counts of possessing an assault weapon. A resolution was reached in the case just days before it was scheduled to head to trial, thanks to an open plea offer from Judge Gary Paden.Shortly before 6 p.m. Aug. 15, 2018, Millar forced his way into the Aptos home of his Santa Cruz Avenue neighbor and began shooting. Mackie and a visiting friend barricaded themselves in the bathroom, where Mackie ultimately was struck b...

3 Marines who died in Australian Osprey crash identified, 3 Camp Pendleton Marines remain hospitalized

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

A pilot, crew chief and the executive officer of a Hawaii-based Marine air squadron were identified Monday, Aug. 28, as those who died in a fiery MV-22 Osprey crash on a remote tropical island in Australia’s Northern Territory.Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, a pilot, from Belleville, IL.; Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, the unit’s executive officer and also a pilot, from Jefferson, CO; and Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, 21, the aircraft’s crew chief, from Arlington, VA, were all part of the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.Cpl. Spencer R. Collart, 21, of Arlington, VA., was the crew chief on an Osprey MV-22 that crashed on a remote island in Northern Australia on Aug. 27, 2023. (Photo courtesy of USMC)Capt. Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, a pilot of Belleville, IL., died on Aug. 29 while flying in an MV-22 Osprey in Northern Australia during a training exercise. (Photo courtesy of USMC)Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, executive officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 bas...

Unaccompanied minors face wearing IDs at California mall after fracas on Sunday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

The Moreno Valley Mall plans to have minors who are not accompanied by adults wear identification after three separate fights broke out Sunday, Aug. 27, on a day when cheap movie tickets lured a larger-than-usual crowd of youngsters.The minors will have to wear lanyards that contain their names and their parents’ contact information if they are in the mall unaccompanied after 5 p.m. on weekdays or anytime on weekends, Chelsey Ritchie, a spokeswoman for mall owner Matt Ilbak, said Monday. Their parents would be called if the minors misbehave, she said.No start date for the ID requirement has been established. A similar requirement is in place at a mall that Ilbak owns in Florida, Ritchie said.The fights happened around 6 p.m. with about 20 people involved in the first, even after the mall increased security in anticipation of the influx of minors. Theaters nationwide were selling tickets for $4 Sunday. Ritchie said social media rumors that shots were fired were untrue.Mall security c...

Jurors award mom nearly $24 million after finding 2 LA cops negligently shot her son to death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

Jurors awarded a Canoga Park mother more than $23 million last Friday when they found that a pair of Los Angeles Police Department officers wrongly killed her son in a 2017 shooting near their home.The federal jury found the two officers from LAPD’s Topanga Division used excessive force and were negligent in the killing of Jesse Murillo, a 32-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who was running away from them when they fired.Murillo died after he was shot four times, including one round that struck him as he was diving to the ground, said Dale K. Galipo, the family’s attorney.The verdict contradicted a Los Angeles Police Commission review of the case. Months after the shooting, the commission cleared both officers in Murillo’s killing, ruling that neither violated LAPD policy. Neither officer was disciplined except for undergoing a debrief on their tactics, according to commission records.In 2020, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to file any charges against the invol...

USC coach Andy Enfield: Bronny James doing well, Trojans will be patient

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

By JOE REEDY AP Sports WriterLOS ANGELES — Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of Lakers star LeBron James, is doing well and attending classes after the highly regarded freshman guard went into cardiac arrest during an on-campus workout last month, USC basketball coach Andy Enfield said Monday.“The good thing is he’s doing extremely well and he’s in class right now. And we all love him,” Enfield said. “I think everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court. We just have to be patient and take it step by step.”The James family released a statement Friday saying a congenital heart defect was the probable cause of James’ cardiac arrest. The statement said the heart defect can be treated and that the family is confident in James’ ability to make a full recovery and return to the court in the near future.James, who starred at Sierra Canyon High, was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released three days after being stricken on July 24.“Our goal is to support Bronny...

U.S. Open: Coco Gauff, irked by opponent’s pace, grinds out win

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

By HOWARD FENDRICH | AP Tennis WriterNEW YORK — Coco Gauff already was down a set on Day 1 of the U.S. Open when she found herself locked in a marathon of a 30-point, 25-plus-minute game to begin the second set. Sure, there still was plenty of time to come back Monday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, but this felt pivotal.The 19-year-old from Florida had lost her past two Grand Slam matches – including a first-round exit at Wimbledon last month – and did not want to leave quietly or quickly this time. With thousands of partisan fans getting rowdier by the moment, the sixth-seeded Gauff finally converted on her eighth break point of that game and wound up beating German qualifier Laura Siegemund, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, and reaching the second round at Flushing Meadows.Once she had the lead, the biggest frustration for Gauff was the way Siegemund would make her wait to play the next point. Siegemund repeatedly took her sweet time and, early in the last set, was warned by chair umpire Marijana Ve...

Bridge: Aug. 29, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:48 GMT

I was in the club lounge with my friend the English professor when a player came in with today’s deal.“My partner played at 3NT,” he said. “He won the first heart with the king, took the K-Q of clubs, led a club to the ace and conceded the fourth club to East’s jack. Partner won the heart return, took the good club and led a spade to his jack. The finesse won, but dummy had no more entries. Partner cashed the ace of spades and lost the rest. Down one.“I said I thought partner’s play wasn’t best. He said it was a mute point.”“A moot point,” the prof frowned.“He said it was a mute point — as in, he didn’t want to talk about it.”OVERTAKESI can’t blame South for wanting to forget the deal. When West discards on the second high club, South must overtake with dummy’s ace. He finesses with the jack of spades and leads a third club.East wins and returns a heart, but South wins in dummy, tak...