Today is Saturday, December twenty eighth, the 363rd day of 2024. There are three days left within the 12 months.

Today in history:

On December 28, 2015, a grand jury in Cleveland declined to indict two white cops within the killing of black 12-year-old Tamir Rice. He was shot while carrying a toy gun.

Also on this date:

In 1895, the Lumière brothers, Auguste and Louis, held the primary public screening of their movies in Paris.

In 1912, the San Francisco light rail began operating. Mayor James Rolph Jr. was on the wheel of the No. 1 streetcar as 50,000 spectators watched.

In 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1972, Kim Il Sung, the prime minister of North Korea, was made president of the country with a brand new structure.

In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon.

In 1981, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the primary American “test-tube baby,” was born in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 1991, nine people died attempting to attend a charity basketball game on the City College of New York.

In 2014, the U.S. war in Afghanistan officially ended after 13 years with a quiet flag-lowering ceremony in Kabul that marked the transition of fighting from U.S.-led combat forces to the country's own security forces.

Today's birthdays:

• Actor Denzel Washington is 70.
• TV personality Gayle King is 70.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque is 64.
• Linux inventor Linus Torvalds is 55.
• Political commentator Ana Navarro is 53.
• TV host and comedian Seth Meyers is 51.
• Actor Joe Manganiello is 48.
• The musician John Legend is 46.
• Actor André Holland is 45.
• Actress Sienna Miller is 43.
• Actress Jessie Buckley is 35.

Today is Monday, December twenty third, the 358th day of 2024. There are eight days left within the 12 months.

Today in history:

On December 23, 2003, a jury in Chesapeake, Virginia, sentenced teenage sniper Lee Boyd Malvo to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty.

Also on this date:

In 1823, the poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” was published anonymously within the Troy Sentinel of New York; The verse, higher often known as “The Night Before Christmas,” was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.

In 1941, during World War II, American forces surrendered to Japanese forces on Wake Island.

In 1948, former Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and 6 other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo.

In 1968, 82 crew members of the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo were released by North Korea 11 months after their capture.

In 1972, in an NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, Steelers running back Franco Harris scored a game-winning touchdown with a deflected pass with lower than 10 seconds left in the sport. The “Immaculate Reception,” because the catch was called, is commonly considered the best NFL play of all time.

In 1986, the Voyager experimental aircraft piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana (JEE'-nuh) Yeager accomplished the primary non-stop, fuel-free flight world wide and returned safely to Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Today's birthdays:

• Former Japanese Emperor Akihito is 91 years old.
• Actor and comedian Harry Shearer is 81.
• Retired U.S. Army General Wesley K. Clark is 80 years old.
• Actress Susan Lucci is 78.
• Distance runner Bill Rodgers is 77.
• Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is 76.
• Political commentator William Kristol is 72 years old.
• Author Donna Tartt is 61.
• Pearl Jam rock musician Eddie Vedder is 60.
• Actor Finn Wolfhard is 22.

Famous fruit

December is National Pear Monthnot simply because we hear about it in a famous Christmas song, but because most varieties are currently in season.

There are six predominant states where pears are grown within the United States: California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. Of these states, California, Oregon and Washington account for the vast majority of production.

In 2023, Washington led in pear production with 290,000 tons, Oregon produced 190,000 tons, and California produced 165,000 tons.

Exports and imports

The US imports most from Argentina (54.8%) and second most from China (15.6%).

Bartlett pears turn from green to yellow as they ripen. Anjou and other varieties show little color change as they ripen.

The Bartlett is considered one of the older pear varieties, first developed within the United States within the late 18th century

Most canned and processed pears are produced from Bartletts.

According to the Pear Bureau Northwest, about 3,000 known varieties of pears are grown worldwide.

Nutritional Benefits

Pears are wealthy in essential antioxidants, botanicals and fiber. They are also freed from fat and cholesterol. They can improve an individual's digestion, levels of cholesterol and overall well-being. A medium-sized pear provides around 100 calories.

Pears contain high levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin K and copper. These chemicals counteract the consequences of free radicals and protect cells from the damage they could cause.

Threats

Pear trees are highly liable to a bacterial disease called fire blight, which is attributable to the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. Some mildly tolerant varieties can be found. Fire blight is almost certainly to occur when temperatures of 75 to 85 degrees follow sporadic rainfall. Proper treatment can reduce the occurrence of the disease.

Forbidden fruit?

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:6).

The Bible doesn’t specify what kind of fruit Adam and Eve ate. According to Compassion.com, a Christian website, “Some religious scholars say that the apple's association with the forbidden fruit may have begun when the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Latin.” The Latin words for “evil” and “apple” are each versions of the word malus. More specifically, the Latin word for “apple” is mālum, while the Latin word for “evil” is mălum.”

Historians have speculated that it can have been a pomegranate, mango, fig, grape, etrog or lemon, carob, pear, quince or mushroom.

tree wood

Pearwood is considered one of the popular materials in making woodwind instruments, recorders, guitars, mandolins and furniture. Pearwood is utilized in recorders primarily since it is proof against moisture and saliva.

Partridge in a pear tree

The song's origins are unclear, but it surely originally comes from France. The song first appears in literature in Mirth Without Mischief, a children's book published in England in 1780.

In modern folklore, each element of the carol is taken into account a code word for a non secular reality that children can remember. Some claim it was a way for Catholics to show the Bible to children after they were being persecuted.

• The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

• Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.

• Three French chickens represented faith, hope and love.

• The 4 calling birds were the 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

And so forth.

But the song's origins in France and its secular and playful nature lead myth hunters to consider it is a straightforward French remembrance song for kids at Christmas.

Do you’ve got plans to your weekend? Between all the vacation fun and great things the Bay Area has to supply generally, we’ve tons of fun ideas, from great holiday shows and live shows to delicious baked goods. So let's start, lets?

(As all the time, remember to double-check event and venue web sites for any last-minute changes to health guidelines or other details.)

If you'd like this weekender deal delivered to your inbox without cost every Thursday morning, just join www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 LISTEN: New Christmas songs

There are a ton of great recent holiday albums this yr from artists like Jennifer Hudson, Lea Salonga and Tower of Power – listed below are 10 of our favorites.

2 DEVOUR: Baked delicacies

If you're like us, an excellent bakery can turn an peculiar day right into a storm of happiness. So listed below are nine really good bakeries.

3 SEE & LISTEN: Great shows are in all places

There's plenty to see and do within the Bay Area this weekend between the hustle and bustle of holiday dance performances, divine live shows and the return of “Hamilton.”

4 DINE: The “new” Pedro's

The iconic half-century-old Mexican restaurant Los Gatos has a brand new name – Pedro's Cocina & Cocktails – a brand new look and a brand new Michelin-starred chef. So in fact we checked out it.

5 PLAY, SWALLOW & EAT: Sonoma Summoning

A brief trip filled with breathtaking art, delicious wine and heavenly cheese? Yes, please

6 SEE & LISTEN: Holiday stage shows galore

There are every kind of “Christmas Carols” and other wonderful holiday stage shows within the Bay Area straight away – listed below are a few of one of the best.

7 AM: An Iranian masterpiece

The Seed of the Sacred Fig is probably the greatest movies of the yr, but director Mohammad Rasoulof literally needed to secretly shoot the film in his own homeland. Here's why and watch it.

Originally published: December 12, 2024 at 6:45 am PST

Today is Saturday, December seventh, the 342nd day of 2024. There are 24 days left within the yr.

Today in history:

On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an air raid on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, killing greater than 2,300 Americans. The following day, the United States declared war on Japan.

Also on this date:

In 1787, Delaware became the primary state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1982, convicted murderer Charlie Brooks Jr. became the primary U.S. prisoner to be executed by lethal injection at a jail in Huntsville, Texas.

In 1988, a large earthquake within the Soviet Union devastated northern Armenia, killing not less than 25,000 people.

In 1993, six people were killed and 19 injured in a mass shooting on a Long Island Rail Road train in New York.

In 2004, Hamid Karzai (HAH'-mihd KAHR'-zeye) was sworn in as Afghanistan's first popularly elected president.

In 2018, James Alex Fields Jr., who drove his automobile right into a crowd of counter-protesters at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Virginia, was convicted of first-degree murder.

Today's birthdays:

• The linguist and political philosopher Noam Chomsky is 96 years old.
• Actress Ellen Burstyn is 92.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench is 77.
• Singer-songwriter Tom Waits is 75.
• Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, is 72.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird is 68.
• Actor Jeffrey Wright is 59.
• Actor C. Thomas Howell is 58.
• Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens is 51.
• Football Hall of Famer Alan Faneca is 48.
• Actress Shiri Appleby is 46.
• Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles (bah-REHL'-es) is 45.
• Actor Nicholas Hoult is 35.
• MLB All-Star Pete Alonso is 30.
• Olympic swimming gold medalist Torri Huske is 22.

Today is Sunday, December 1st, the 336th day of 2024. There are 30 days left within the yr.

Today in history:

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to provide up her seat to a white man on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama; The incident sparked a year-long boycott of buses and helped galvanize the U.S. civil rights movement.

Also on this date:

In 1824, the presidential election was transferred to the U.S. House of Representatives after not one of the candidates (John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay) won greater than 50% of the favored vote. Although Jackson won probably the most electoral votes, Adams would ultimately win the presidency.

In 1969, the U.S. government held its first military draft lottery since World War II.

In 1991, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union.

In 2009, President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 more U.S. troops to be sent to the war in Afghanistan, but promised to start withdrawing in 18 months during a speech to cadets on the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

In 2017, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who served as President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacting the Russians on Trump's behalf. (Trump would later pardon Flynn.)

Today's birthdays:

• World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 85.
• Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 80.
• The actress and singer Bette Midler is 79.
• Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, is 72.
• Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is 66.
• Model-actress Carol Alt is 64.
• Actor Jeremy Northam is 63.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Walker is 58.
• Actor Néstor Carbonell is 57.
• Actress and comedian Sarah Silverman is 54.
• Actor Riz Ahmed is 42.
• Singer and actress Janelle Monáe is 39.
• Actress Sarah Snook is 37.
• Actress Zoe Kravitz is 36.

As the vacation season approaches, there are a whole lot of fun things to find out about within the Bay Area. So let's start, lets?

(As at all times, make sure you double-check event and venue web sites for any last-minute changes to health guidelines or other details.)

If you'd like this weekender deal delivered to your inbox without cost every Thursday morning, just join www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

1 SEE & LISTEN: Great shows are all over the place

From an annual Christmas market to a brand new holiday comedy to an all-world rock guitarist, there's a whole lot of great things to see and listen to this weekend and beyond.

2 EAT, SIP & PLAY: Holiday countdown

We know there's lots occurring this time of yr. But don't forget to find time for fun things and delicious things to eat and drink. Here are 31 ideas along these lines.

PLAY 3: All About Truckee

The Nevada County city is charming and exquisite at any time of yr, but especially this time of yr. If you're heading there, here's an itinerary.

4 SEE & LISTEN: Stage shows for the vacations are here

From Scrooge to Sherlock Holmes, there are many holiday-themed stage shows to see. Here are only a couple of of them.

5 FOOD & DRINK: The most vital things to accompany beer

It is common to give attention to wine and food pairings. But food and beer? It may be just as tricky and nobody desires to make a culinary faux pas over the vacations – so here's a primer.

6 SEE: Speed ​​vs. Romance

What's at the highest of our list of cool latest things this weekend? Well, it comes all the way down to a romantic comedy from Lindsay Lohan and a compelling have a look at a famous racing driver. Heck, you possibly can at all times see each.

7 SIP: A bar for the birds… within the truest sense of the word

Oakland has a cool latest watering hole called Little Bird that can appeal to lovers of our superb feathered friends and cucumbers. Here is a summary.

Originally published: November 28, 2024 at 6:45 am PST

By KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders announced an agreement Sunday on a short-term spending bill that might fund federal agencies for about three months, averting a possible partial government shutdown when the brand new fiscal 12 months begins Oct. 1 and delaying final decisions until after the November election.

Temporary budget laws normally keep agencies funded at their current levels. However, following the 2 assassination attempts on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, an extra $231 million was made available to strengthen the Secret Service. Additional funds were also made available to support the presidential transition, amongst other things.

The legislator has fought to get thus far, as the present fiscal 12 months ends at the tip of the month. At the urging of essentially the most conservative members of his party, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) had tied the temporary funding to a provision that might have required states to require proof of citizenship when registering voters.

But Johnson abandoned this approach so as to reach an agreement, though Trump insisted that there ought to be no interim solution without compulsory voting.

Shortly thereafter, serious negotiations between the parties began, and leadership agreed to increase funding through mid-December, giving the present Congress the chance to draft a full-year budget proposal after the November 5 election, slightly than passing that responsibility on to the following Congress and president.

In a letter to his Republican colleagues, Johnson said the budget proposal could be “very narrow and limited to the bare minimum” and would “include only those expansions that are absolutely necessary.”

“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most sensible course of action in the current circumstances,” Johnson wrote. “As history teaches and recent polls confirm, it would be an act of political malpractice to shut down the government less than 40 days before a fateful election.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would review the bill in its entirety before voting this week, but with the agreement, “Congress is now on a bipartisan path to avoid a government shutdown that would harm ordinary Americans.”

The chairman of the House Budget Committee, Tom Cole, said on Friday that the talks were going well.

“Nothing has happened so far that we can't handle,” said Cole, Republican of Oklahoma. “Most people don't want a government shutdown and they don't want it to affect the election. So nobody is saying, 'I have to have this or we're leaving.' It's just not like that.”

Johnson's earlier attempt failed within the Democratic-dominated Senate and faced opposition within the White House, however it did provide the speaker with a chance to indicate Trump and the conservatives on his caucus that he was fighting for his or her cause.

The final result—government funding virtually on autopilot—was exactly what many had predicted. With just weeks to go before the election, few lawmakers in either party had any appetite for the risk-taking politics that usually result in a shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the identical agreement might have been reached two weeks ago, but “Speaker Johnson chose the MAGA route and wasted valuable time.”

“As I have said throughout this process, there is only one way to get things done: with bipartisan, bicameral support,” Schumer said.

Now, a bipartisan majority is predicted to pass the short-term measure this week. But agreement on the short-term measure doesn’t mean it should be easy to pass a final budget bill in December. The election consequence could also affect political calculations if one party fares significantly higher than the opposite, potentially pushing the fight back to early next 12 months.

However, the Secret Service's funding is conditional: lawmakers have made it contingent on the Department of Homeland Security providing certain information to a House task force and a Senate committee investigating the assassination attempts against Trump.

In a recent letter, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding deficit was not the explanation for Trump’s security lapses when a shooter climbed onto an unsecured roof on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire. But acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had an “immediate need” and that he was talking to Congress.

Originally published: September 22, 2024 at 2:12 p.m.