mercurynews--2020-02-22--CCS stunner: No. 7 St. Francis upsets No. 2 Riordan in Open Division

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SUNNYVALE — St. Francis didn ’ t fear Archbishop Riordan prior to Friday night ’ s tip-off in their Central Coast Section Open Division boys basketball quarterfinal .
It didn ’ t matter that the seventh-seeded Lancers lost both regular-season meetings with No .
2 seed Riordan , a tri-champion in the West Catholic Athletic League .
Third time proved to be the charm as St. Francis never trailed in a 66-60 upset at Fremont High in Sunnyvale .
“ I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ ve been there before , ” St. Francis coach Mike Motil said .
“ It is zero fun when you ’ ve beaten somebody in this league twice and you ’ ve got to go play them a third time .
That ’ s a rough one.
” A week ago , the Lancers ( 15-10 ) led going into the fourth quarter at home against Riordan , which rallied for a 69-62 victory in Mountain View .
This time around the Crusaders ( 20-5 ) found themselves behind 55-46 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barely two minutes later , Nevada-bound Je ’ Lani Clark drained a pair of free throws to pull his team within 55-54 .
Off a timeout , St. Francis drew a play for sophomore Vince Barringer .
The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter sank his fifth 3-pointer of the night from the top of the key with 1:13 left , then the Lancers iced the game from the free-throw line .
“ I caught it , didn ’ t think about it and hit it , ” Barringer said .
“ I knew it was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that shot .
“ Vince only needs a second to let it go , and when he ’ s feeling it you just tell that it ’ s going in , ” Motil said .
“ He hit a huge 3 at the end when we were reeling and that had to just stick a dagger in them.
” “ It was a big game by him , ” Riordan coach Joe Curtin said .
“ He didn ’ t really go off in the first two games we played him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I think we just let him get his footing early and he kept it going.
” St. Francis closed out the regular season on a four-game skid , including a 56-33 loss Tuesday night at home to No .
3 seed Bellarmine — its opponent in next week ’ s Open Division semifinal .
But the Lancers didn ’ t lack for confidence out of the locker room and led 31-25 at intermission .
“ All I wrote on the board was commitment to rebound , commitment to each other and communication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we went in at halftime and we pointed to it — and that was it.
” The St. Francis backcourt of Harlan Banks and Isaiah Kerr , both sophomores , relentlessly attacked the basket \despite a height discrepancy in the paint .
“ I knew before the game that I going to have to come out and find the gaps and get in the lanes for my team ” Banks said .
Sam Houston State-bound Bryce Monroe hit a pair of desperation 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds to keep hope alive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not enough .
“ It was nice to see that refusal to concede the game , ” Curtin said .
“ But it was too little , too late .
We had to come out with that urgency , and we didn ’ t. ” • Praise Santa Maria : Big game from deep lifts No .
5 Monte Vista over No .
4 Moreau Catholic in NCS playoffs About the only negative for the Lancers ?
Ryan Daly , a 6-foot-5 senior , separated his shoulder with five minutes left in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loose ball .
“ I ’ m going to give my boys the weekend off , ” Motil said .
“ They ’ ve earned it .
”

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SUNNYVALE — St. Francis didn’t fear Archbishop Riordan prior to Friday night’s tip-off in their Central Coast Section Open Division boys basketball quarterfinal.
It didn’t matter that the seventh-seeded Lancers lost both regular-season meetings with No. 2 seed Riordan, a tri-champion in the West Catholic Athletic League.
Third time proved to be the charm as St. Francis never trailed in a 66-60 upset at Fremont High in Sunnyvale.
“I feel for them, that’s rough. I’ve been there before,” St. Francis coach Mike Motil said. “It is zero fun when you’ve beaten somebody in this league twice and you’ve got to go play them a third time. That’s a rough one.”
A week ago, the Lancers (15-10) led going into the fourth quarter at home against Riordan, which rallied for a 69-62 victory in Mountain View.
This time around the Crusaders (20-5) found themselves behind 55-46 with 3:40 left in the game. Barely two minutes later, Nevada-bound Je’Lani Clark drained a pair of free throws to pull his team within 55-54.
The Lancers didn’t blink.
Off a timeout, St. Francis drew a play for sophomore Vince Barringer. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter sank his fifth 3-pointer of the night from the top of the key with 1:13 left, then the Lancers iced the game from the free-throw line.
“I caught it, didn’t think about it and hit it,” Barringer said. “I knew it was going in.”
Both coaches understood the importance of that shot.
“Vince only needs a second to let it go, and when he’s feeling it you just tell that it’s going in,” Motil said. “He hit a huge 3 at the end when we were reeling and that had to just stick a dagger in them.”
“It was a big game by him,” Riordan coach Joe Curtin said. “He didn’t really go off in the first two games we played him, but he was feeling it tonight. And I think we just let him get his footing early and he kept it going.”
St. Francis closed out the regular season on a four-game skid, including a 56-33 loss Tuesday night at home to No. 3 seed Bellarmine — its opponent in next week’s Open Division semifinal.
But the Lancers didn’t lack for confidence out of the locker room and led 31-25 at intermission.
“All I wrote on the board was commitment to rebound, commitment to each other and communication,” Motil said. “Then we went in at halftime and we pointed to it — and that was it.”
The St. Francis backcourt of Harlan Banks and Isaiah Kerr, both sophomores, relentlessly attacked the basket \despite a height discrepancy in the paint.
Banks finished with a team-high 23 points, while Kerr contributed 11.
“I knew before the game that I going to have to come out and find the gaps and get in the lanes for my team” Banks said.
Sam Houston State-bound Bryce Monroe hit a pair of desperation 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds to keep hope alive for the Crusaders, but his 24 points were not enough.
Clark recorded a double-double — 13 points, 12 rebounds — for Riordan.
“It was nice to see that refusal to concede the game,” Curtin said. “But it was too little, too late. We had to come out with that urgency, and we didn’t.”
About the only negative for the Lancers?
Ryan Daly, a 6-foot-5 senior, separated his shoulder with five minutes left in the fourth quarter while diving for a loose ball.
“I’m going to give my boys the weekend off,” Motil said. “They’ve earned it.”


mercurynews--2020-02-22--3 dead, 18 injured in bus rollover in San Diego County

A charter bus rolled down an embankment off a San Diego County highway Saturday , Feb. 22 , killing three people and injuring at least 18 others , authorities said .
Emergency crews rescued several people trapped in the wreckage after the bus crashed around 10:20 a.m. on the southbound 15 Freeway south of the 76 Freeway , about 45 miles north of San Diego , the North County Fire Protection District said .
The California Highway Patrol log said a person was still trapped at 11:16 a.m. and would not be able to be rescued until a tow truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not available .
NBC/7 in San Diego said the bus was headed from the Los Angeles area to San Ysidro , citing the CHP .
The bus landed on its roof .
Three people died at the scene , and 18 others were transported to hospitals , the district said on Twitter .
Their conditions have not been released .
Some of the injured were taken to two hospitals in the Inland Empire — Inland Valley Medical Center and Temecula Valley Hospital , according to NBC/7 .
Neither hospital would say how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions .
The driver apparently survived .
CBS/8 in San Diego said the CHP was interviewing him .
The bus is registered to El Monte-based Executive Lines Inc. , which does business as Lineas Ejecutivas , according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration online records .
The company employs 11 drivers for its fleet of seven buses .
The bus is licensed for interstate passenger travel .
This particular bus has been inspected 18 times in the past 24 months and as a result , was taken out of service once for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or when the bus failed the inspection .
The bus has not been involved in a crash in the past 24 months , records show .
The bus was last rated in 2017 and was given a “ satisfactory ” rating .
An Executive Lines employee reached by phone Saturday said she could not comment but took a phone message for company officials .
Traffic on the southbound 15 was severely impacted because the right lane was closed .
The cause of the wreck was under investigation .
Rain was falling in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it was not immediately clear whether that contributed to the crash .
From 0.36 to 0.60 inches had fallen in the past 24 hours as of noon Saturday , the National Weather Service said .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

A charter bus rolled down an embankment off a San Diego County highway Saturday, Feb. 22, killing three people and injuring at least 18 others, authorities said.
Emergency crews rescued several people trapped in the wreckage after the bus crashed around 10:20 a.m. on the southbound 15 Freeway south of the 76 Freeway, about 45 miles north of San Diego, the North County Fire Protection District said.
The California Highway Patrol log said a person was still trapped at 11:16 a.m. and would not be able to be rescued until a tow truck arrived. The patient’s condition was not available.
NBC/7 in San Diego said the bus was headed from the Los Angeles area to San Ysidro, citing the CHP.
DEVELOPING: A deadly bus crash has killed at least three people and left 18 others injured. Officials say the vehicle veered off the side of Interstate 15 near San Diego, CA ; the cause of the crash has not yet been determined. https://t.co/8d7IPbpFgC pic.twitter.com/QAPfqILxcD — World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) February 22, 2020
The bus landed on its roof.
Three people died at the scene, and 18 others were transported to hospitals, the district said on Twitter. Their conditions have not been released. Some of the injured were taken to two hospitals in the Inland Empire — Inland Valley Medical Center and Temecula Valley Hospital, according to NBC/7.
Neither hospital would say how many patients they received or describe their conditions.
The driver apparently survived. CBS/8 in San Diego said the CHP was interviewing him.
The bus is registered to El Monte-based Executive Lines Inc., which does business as Lineas Ejecutivas, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration online records. The company employs 11 drivers for its fleet of seven buses. The bus is licensed for interstate passenger travel. This particular bus has been inspected 18 times in the past 24 months and as a result, was taken out of service once for a violation. It was not clear why or when the bus failed the inspection.
The bus has not been involved in a crash in the past 24 months, records show. The bus was last rated in 2017 and was given a “satisfactory” rating.
An Executive Lines employee reached by phone Saturday said she could not comment but took a phone message for company officials.
Traffic on the southbound 15 was severely impacted because the right lane was closed.
#FreewayIC (Final): We had 21 total patients. 18 have been transported. We are brokenhearted to report we have 3 deceased on scene. We would like to thank our automatic partners for your assistance on this call. @CALFIRESANDIEGO, @OFA3736, @Vistafire, Pala Fire, and MCP FD. — North County Fire (@NorthCountyFire) February 22, 2020
The cause of the wreck was under investigation. Rain was falling in the San Diego area on Saturday morning, but it was not immediately clear whether that contributed to the crash. From 0.36 to 0.60 inches had fallen in the past 24 hours as of noon Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--‘I’m getting used to the new normal’: Steph Curry on his left hand and his eventual return to the Wa

‘I’m getting used to the new normal’: Steph Curry on his left hand and his eventual return to the Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — It took nearly four months , two surgeries and pain-staking work , but Steph Curry went through his first full-contact practice since suffering a broken bone in his left hand in late October .
After ramping up his on-court work over the last few weeks , Curry was told Saturday morning that he would participate in his first full-contact scrimmage .
When his teammates found out , they cheered , and then got to work .
“ It was fun , ” Curry said of playing in the scrimmage that included six other teammates and three assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re used to , again , just playing basketball .
I ’ ve done every rehab skill you can think of by yourself in the gym .
“ To work on your conditioning and skill work and all that type of stuff , that ’ s all fun and you know there ’ s a purpose to it .
But there ’ s nothing like just playing basketball and competing and having fun out there the way I like to do.
” A few minutes after that scrimmage , Curry sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the practice floor at Chase Center and fielded questions from the gathered media .
He discussed the lingering nerve damage in his left hand , his thoughts on trading for Andrew Wiggins and what he expects for the final part of the season .
Q : Do you have a game yet that you ’ re definitely targeting ?
“ It ’ s always been March 1 .
But that is just to give you a target .
You have to have something to work toward in the rehab process because it gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what you ’ re building toward .
I haven ’ t had any set-backs along the way .
This has always been a very long , strenuous rehab process and something I haven ’ t been through before .
Q : Do you think you ’ ll play that night ?
“ I still hope so .
It ’ s still a week away so I don ’ t know.
” Q : Have there been any moments during this process when you doubted March 1 ?
“ No , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you just have to stay positive through .
Broken hands are all different types and this was a serious one that had a lot of nuances to it , with the two surgeries and the nerve damage that I ’ m still dealing with .
“ So , again , everything was new .
If it was an ankle thing , I ’ d tell you exactly what was happening every step of the way .
Never any doubts but you just understand how hard rehab is , how monotonous it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guys that have gone through it or are going through it right now , so I ’ m not the only one experiencing it .
Just keep working.
” Q : What ’ s the nerve stuff like ?
Is there sensation , tingling ?
“ All that stuff .
When you have 280 pounds land on your hand , it ’ s bound for something like that to happen .
Thankfully it ’ s responding , it ’ s just a slow process.
” Q : Is there any worry that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it was ?
“ I ’ m getting used to what the new normal is .
It definitely feels different than the right ( hand ) but you can try to get it to the point where , when you ’ re actually playing basketball , you don ’ t think about it .
Whether it feels all the way the same or not , it really doesn ’ t matter as long as I ’ m not worried about the things I ’ m trying to do , the strength part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the next day after pushing it , whether it ’ s contact-type stuff and all of that .
So you have to pay attention to all of that type of stuff .
“ But , to answer your question , it is going to feel different .
Anybody that ’ s been through surgeries knows it takes a long time for it to get back to true normal .
So I ’ m just trying to , functionally speaking , when I ’ m out there on the court , not thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m trying to get to.
” Q : Your game is so much about touch , feathery stuff around the rim .
Do you feel like even with the left it ’ s what it was ?
Q : How was it to scrimmaging alongside Andrew Wiggins ?
“ It was fun .
I mean , I ’ ve been watching obviously and been seeing what he ’ s capable of on a nightly basis .
He ’ s a walking 20 points , for sure .
And the intangibles he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the cutting , his length on defense , all those things , it ’ ll be a fun process to build that chemistry .
“ Honestly , this is a 15-month journey to hopefully in Spring of next year when we ’ re at a high clip in terms of what we ’ re about .
But you got have that perspective every day of trying to build toward something , and hopefully I get some games with him and start that process as soon as possible.
” Q : This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to you since that move .
What did you think ?
Obviously it was a seismic decision by the front office and this direction that you ’ re going in .
“ Yeah , I mean , there was obviously talk from last summer and you try to block that out and just play basketball and understand the team that you have is what you ’ re working with .
The business of the NBA , front offices and teams have to make decisions like that .
You look at our lineup and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the position that he plays and the skillset that he brings and , with me and Klay ( Thompson ) coming back healthy , trying to predict what that would look like .
“ He ’ s shown some bright spots of what he ’ s going to be able to do out there on the floor and I ’ m excited about it the same way I was [ last ] summer .
This is the situation we have and I ’ m excited to get out there and play , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How much different is this team that you ’ re coming into now compared to the one you were coming into the start of the season ?
“ It ’ s just different in terms of the context of what we ’ re building toward this year .
At the end of the season , you want to end on a high note , win as many games as possible and try to build the right habits and , as I try to get back out there on the floor , see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like and whatnot .
Obviously you imagine what that ’ s going to be like with Klay , as well , going into next year .
“ But , really , right now , it ’ s about trying to build the right habits because where we are in the standings with ( 26 ) games left , that ’ s really the only thing you can hold onto right now .
We want to have our own excitement .
We want to enjoy coming to work and playing for something .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the stretch will be good for us.
” Q : What do you say to the people who say ‘ Oh , Steph is coming back , he ’ s going to screw up the lottery odds ?
’ “ I ’ m going to do what ’ s right for me , and that ’ s about it.
” • Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins ’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No .
1 pick • Warriors longtime foil Russell Westbrook goes all alpha male at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by small-ball and 2 more thoughts from 135-105 loss to Rockets Q : What ’ s it going to be like to play , knowing you ’ re not going to be competing for a title this season ?
“ Pretty much came to grips with that already.
” Q : When did you come to grips with it ?
“ I don ’ t know exactly , but when you ’ re injured you kind of see everything from an outside perspective .
That alone is different .
For four months you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it on the court and we had injuries all across the board .
Draymond , the last man standing out there pretty much for most of the season , just feeling for him and what he ’ s emotionally and physically been through this last five-year run and even this season .
So that ’ s the hardest part .
“ In terms of me , I just want to play .
After that I know , come April , it will be a longer vacation .
But , again , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 months is going to be like .
Finish the year on a strong note .
We ’ ve got a lot to work on and focus on down the stretch of the season .
Handle the offseason the way we need to , hopefully play this summer ( in the Tokyo Olympics ) and then come back and hit the ground running , trying to get back to where we ’ re supposed to be , chasing championships .
That ’ s really the focus right now.
” Q : When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going into next year fresh one of the things you think about ?
“ Yeah , because that ’ s the situation , that ’ s the reality .
If I wasn ’ t hurt , who knows what it would be like and what I ’ d be saying right now , sitting in this chair dealing with what that reality was going to be .
But injuries happen .
You understand how long I was going to be out and the team trying to just be competitive and build the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are where we are right now and we know what ’ s ahead .
It ’ s been a long year , it ’ s been tough for a lot of different reasons .
We ’ ve had a hell of a run and we know we have a lot more in the tank .
“ At the end of the day , this is going to be good for me to get back out there and try to help bring some positivity , some energy , some joy to what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we ’ ll be trying to go back to the drawing board over the summer.
” Q : You ’ ve been through injuries before , but how has this one been with the long hours in the gym and the last time we saw you , you had the brace on , how did you deal with your boredom , how did you deal with being out of your routine for so long ?
“ It came in waves .
This is the first time I ’ ve been out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way back when during the summer , so nobody else was playing , so it wasn ’ t like I was missing anything .
When I first got hurt , it was tough because I was just getting into that competitive mode and , four games in , there was a lot of excitement in general and that ’ s taken away .
So the first two weeks were rough in terms of your routine , the shock-factor of that , the surgery and all that .
And then I tried to settle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team or at home with my family .
“ Then it was all about the rehab process and understanding that was going to dictate where I needed to be and how long I needed to be where and what I was focused on on a daily basis .
But I ’ ve had a really good time getting a fresh perspective on how all this stuff works .
On the court , in the locker room , upstairs , you get to see a lot and hear a lot more when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game and winning or losing .
“ So I ’ ve taken all those learnings and I think I ’ ve grown a lot , for sure , over the last four months with my perspective of where we are and what we ’ ve accomplished and what we ’ re trying to go after going forward .
I ’ m going to use that to my advantage for sure .
”

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SAN FRANCISCO — It took nearly four months, two surgeries and painstaking work, but Steph Curry went through his first full-contact practice since suffering a broken bone in his left hand in late October.
After ramping up his on-court work over the last few weeks, Curry was told Saturday morning that he would participate in his first full-contact scrimmage. When his teammates found out, they cheered, and then got to work.
“It was fun,” Curry said of playing in the scrimmage that included six other teammates and three assistant coaches. “That’s what you’re used to, again, just playing basketball. I’ve done every rehab skill you can think of by yourself in the gym.
“To work on your conditioning and skill work and all that type of stuff, that’s all fun and you know there’s a purpose to it. But there’s nothing like just playing basketball and competing and having fun out there the way I like to do.”
A few minutes after that scrimmage, Curry sat in a chair to the side of the practice floor at Chase Center and fielded questions from the gathered media. He discussed the lingering nerve damage in his left hand, his thoughts on trading for Andrew Wiggins and what he expects for the final part of the season.
Q: Do you have a game yet that you’re definitely targeting?
“It’s always been March 1. But that is just to give you a target. You have to have something to work toward in the rehab process because it gives you a barometer for each week, for what you’re building toward. I haven’t had any set-backs along the way. This has always been a very long, strenuous rehab process and something I haven’t been through before.
Q: Do you think you’ll play that night?
“I still hope so. It’s still a week away so I don’t know.”
Q: Have there been any moments during this process when you doubted March 1?
“No, but there’s always difficult parts of rehab that you just have to stay positive through. Broken hands are all different types and this was a serious one that had a lot of nuances to it, with the two surgeries and the nerve damage that I’m still dealing with.
“So, again, everything was new. If it was an ankle thing, I’d tell you exactly what was happening every step of the way. Never any doubts but you just understand how hard rehab is, how monotonous it is at times. We have a lot guys that have gone through it or are going through it right now, so I’m not the only one experiencing it. Just keep working.”
Q: What’s the nerve stuff like? Is there sensation, tingling?
“All that stuff. When you have 280 pounds land on your hand, it’s bound for something like that to happen. Thankfully it’s responding, it’s just a slow process.”
Q: Is there any worry that the hand won’t get back to what it was?
“I’m getting used to what the new normal is. It definitely feels different than the right (hand) but you can try to get it to the point where, when you’re actually playing basketball, you don’t think about it. Whether it feels all the way the same or not, it really doesn’t matter as long as I’m not worried about the things I’m trying to do, the strength part of it, and how it bounces back the next day after pushing it, whether it’s contact-type stuff and all of that. So you have to pay attention to all of that type of stuff.
“But, to answer your question, it is going to feel different. Anybody that’s been through surgeries knows it takes a long time for it to get back to true normal. So I’m just trying to, functionally speaking, when I’m out there on the court, not thinking about it. That’s what I’m trying to get to.”
Q: Your game is so much about touch, feathery stuff around the rim. Do you feel like even with the left it’s what it was?
“We’ll find out.”
Q: How was it to scrimmaging alongside Andrew Wiggins?
“It was fun. I mean, I’ve been watching obviously and been seeing what he’s capable of on a nightly basis. He’s a walking 20 points, for sure. And the intangibles he can bring in terms of the speed, the cutting, his length on defense, all those things, it’ll be a fun process to build that chemistry.
“Honestly, this is a 15-month journey to hopefully in Spring of next year when we’re at a high clip in terms of what we’re about. But you got have that perspective every day of trying to build toward something, and hopefully I get some games with him and start that process as soon as possible.”
Q: This is the first time we’ve talked to you since that move. What did you think? Obviously it was a seismic decision by the front office and this direction that you’re going in.
“Yeah, I mean, there was obviously talk from last summer and you try to block that out and just play basketball and understand the team that you have is what you’re working with. The business of the NBA, front offices and teams have to make decisions like that. You look at our lineup and it obviously makes sense in terms of the position that he plays and the skillset that he brings and, with me and Klay (Thompson) coming back healthy, trying to predict what that would look like.
“He’s shown some bright spots of what he’s going to be able to do out there on the floor and I’m excited about it the same way I was [last] summer. This is the situation we have and I’m excited to get out there and play, and I know he is too.”
Q: How much different is this team that you’re coming into now compared to the one you were coming into the start of the season?
“It’s just different in terms of the context of what we’re building toward this year. At the end of the season, you want to end on a high note, win as many games as possible and try to build the right habits and, as I try to get back out there on the floor, see what some of the rotations might look like and whatnot. Obviously you imagine what that’s going to be like with Klay, as well, going into next year.
“But, really, right now, it’s about trying to build the right habits because where we are in the standings with (26) games left, that’s really the only thing you can hold onto right now. We want to have our own excitement. We want to enjoy coming to work and playing for something. So I think finding whatever motivation that is down the stretch will be good for us.”
Q: What do you say to the people who say ‘Oh, Steph is coming back, he’s going to screw up the lottery odds?’
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Q: What’s it going to be like to play, knowing you’re not going to be competing for a title this season?
“Pretty much came to grips with that already.”
Q: When did you come to grips with it?
“I don’t know exactly, but when you’re injured you kind of see everything from an outside perspective. That alone is different. For four months you can’t really do anything about it on the court and we had injuries all across the board. Draymond, the last man standing out there pretty much for most of the season, just feeling for him and what he’s emotionally and physically been through this last five-year run and even this season. So that’s the hardest part.
“In terms of me, I just want to play. After that I know, come April, it will be a longer vacation. But, again, it’s going back to what these next 15 months is going to be like. Finish the year on a strong note. We’ve got a lot to work on and focus on down the stretch of the season. Handle the offseason the way we need to, hopefully play this summer (in the Tokyo Olympics) and then come back and hit the ground running, trying to get back to where we’re supposed to be, chasing championships. That’s really the focus right now.”
Q: When you look for positives through this process, is going into next year fresh one of the things you think about?
“Yeah, because that’s the situation, that’s the reality. If I wasn’t hurt, who knows what it would be like and what I’d be saying right now, sitting in this chair dealing with what that reality was going to be. But injuries happen. You understand how long I was going to be out and the team trying to just be competitive and build the right habits in that process.
“We are where we are right now and we know what’s ahead. It’s been a long year, it’s been tough for a lot of different reasons. We’ve had a hell of a run and we know we have a lot more in the tank.
“At the end of the day, this is going to be good for me to get back out there and try to help bring some positivity, some energy, some joy to what we do and finish the year strong, and we’ll be trying to go back to the drawing board over the summer.”
Q: You’ve been through injuries before, but how has this one been with the long hours in the gym and the last time we saw you, you had the brace on, how did you deal with your boredom, how did you deal with being out of your routine for so long?
“It came in waves. This is the first time I’ve been out for this duration. The ankle surgery was way back when during the summer, so nobody else was playing, so it wasn’t like I was missing anything. When I first got hurt, it was tough because I was just getting into that competitive mode and, four games in, there was a lot of excitement in general and that’s taken away. So the first two weeks were rough in terms of your routine, the shock-factor of that, the surgery and all that. And then I tried to settle in and be productive, either around the team or at home with my family.
“Then it was all about the rehab process and understanding that was going to dictate where I needed to be and how long I needed to be where and what I was focused on on a daily basis. But I’ve had a really good time getting a fresh perspective on how all this stuff works. On the court, in the locker room, upstairs, you get to see a lot and hear a lot more when you’re not just so focused on the game and winning or losing.
“So I’ve taken all those learnings and I think I’ve grown a lot, for sure, over the last four months with my perspective of where we are and what we’ve accomplished and what we’re trying to go after going forward. I’m going to use that to my advantage for sure.”


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Steph Curry participates in first full-contact practice Saturday

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry participated in his first full-contact practice Saturday since suffering a broken left hand in late October .
After being cleared for contact in the morning , Curry will be involved in more full practices and scrimmages in the coming weeks before his expected return for the Warriors ’ game against the Wizards on March 1 at Chase Center .
“ He got an ovation today when I told the group he was going to scrimmage with us , ” head coach Steve Kerr said .
“ Everyone was excited .
It ’ ll be good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s like to play with him , and vise-versa.
” Over the last four months , Curry , 31 , has undergone two surgeries and an arduous rehab process to recover from a broken bone in his left hand he suffered when Suns center Aron Baynes landed on him during Golden State ’ s Oct. 30 loss to Phoenix .
For Curry , who has had multiple ankle surgeries in his career , this has been a new process as he has had to regain strength in his off shooting hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still dealing with lingering nerve damage that could affect how he plays .
• ‘ I ’ m getting used to the new normal ’ : Steph Curry on his left hand and his eventual return to the Warriors • Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins ’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No .
1 pick • Warriors longtime foil Russell Westbrook goes all alpha male at the end of a Houston blowout • Warriors blitzed by small-ball and 2 more thoughts from 135-105 loss to Rockets “ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal is , ” Curry said a few days after participating in non-contact drills .
“ It definitely feels different than the right but you can try to get it to the point where when you ’ re actually playing basketball , you don ’ t think about it .
“ Whether it feels all the way the same or not , it really doesn ’ t matter as long as I ’ m not worried about the things I ’ m trying to do.
” If Curry returns as expected , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several new teammates , including Andrew Wiggins , who the team acquired in a trade-deadline deal for D ’ Angelo Russell and two others .
“ A big part of the final third of the season is everyone playing together , acclimating together , ” Kerr said .
“ The trade for Andrew , the young guys , Steph coming back , these games matter .
”

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Warriors gathered for practice on Saturday morning, Steve Kerr told the team the good news.
Stephen Curry, for the first time since suffering a broken left hand in late October, would be a full-contact participant in today’s scrimmage. His teammates celebrated with an uproar of cheers, Kerr said, and then got to work.
A few minutes after scrimmaging with teammates and assistant coaches, Curry told assembled media that he, indeed, aims to return for the Warriors’ game against the Wizards on March 1 at Chase Center.
“It’s always been March 1,” he said.
Over the last four months, Curry, 31, has undergone two surgeries and an arduous rehab process to recover from a broken bone in his left hand he suffered when Suns center Aron Baynes landed on him during Golden State’s Oct. 30 loss to Phoenix.
Though Curry has had multiple ankle surgeries during his career, he said this has been a new process as he has had to regain strength in his off shooting hand. According to him, there is still lingering nerve damage that could affect how he plays.
“I’m getting used to what the new normal is,” Curry said. “It definitely feels different than the right but you can try to get it to the point where when you’re actually playing basketball, you don’t think about it.
“Whether it feels all the way the same or not, it really doesn’t matter as long as I’m not worried about the things I’m trying to do.”
Curry is right-handed, but often used his left hand to execute a collection of ambidextrous floaters and layups near the rim. For someone whose game is predicated on touch, getting the full use out of that left hand will be key to him returning to an MVP-level.
A March 1 return would not only give Curry 22 games to regain that confidence and feel, but also valuable time to play alongside several new teammates.
That includes Andrew Wiggins, acquired in a trade-deadline deal for D’Angelo Russell and two others, who and has impressed early on.
“I’ve been watching and been seeing what he’s capable of on a nightly basis,” Curry said of Wiggins. “He’s a walking 20 points, for sure. And the intangibles he can bring in terms of the speed, the cutting, his length on defense, all those things, it’ll be a fun process to build that chemistry.” Related Articles Golden State Warriors | Here’s the Warriors’ schedule for NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament
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With Wiggins in the lineup, Curry and Klay Thompson can reestablish their successful backcourt pairing.
“You look at our lineup and it obviously makes sense in terms of the position that he plays and the skillset that he brings,” Curry said.
For Wiggins, Curry, a three-time champion, will be the most decorated teammate he’s ever played with.
“He was great, man,” Wiggins said of Curry. “Making shots, making plays. … He’s a game-changer. Once he steps on the floor, the game changes.”
Since Curry last played, Golden State traded six players, lost 41 of 52 games and shifted its focus to building for next season. Curry’s return will provide the organization with a valuable sample size of information as they approach a pivotal offseason.
“It’ll be good for our young guys to feel what it’s like to play with him, and vise-versa,” Kerr said. “A big part of the final third of the season is everyone playing together, acclimating together … these games matter.”


mercurynews--2020-02-22--After learning of Whitey Bulger LSD tests, juror has regrets

EASTHAM , Mass .
— One of the jurors who convicted notorious crime boss James “ Whitey ” Bulger says she regrets her decision after learning that he was an unwitting participant in a covert CIA experiment with LSD .
Bulger terrorized Boston from the 1970s into the 1990s with a campaign of murder , extortion , and drug trafficking , then spent 16 years on the lam after he was tipped to his pending arrest .
In2013 , Janet Uhlar was one of 12 jurors who found Bulger guilty in a massive racketeering case , including involvement in 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mobster was helped by corrupt agents in the Boston office of the FBI .
But now Uhlar says she regrets voting to convict Bulger on any of the murder charges .
Her regret stems from a cache of more than 70 letters Bulger wrote to her from prison .
In some , he describes his unwitting participation in a secret CIA experiment with LSD .
In a desperate search for a mind-control drug in the late 1950s , the agency dosed Bulger with the powerful hallucinogen more than 50 times when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — something his lawyers never brought up in his federal trial .
“ Had I known , I would have absolutely held off on the murder charges , ” Uhlar told The Associated Press in a recent interview .
“ He didn ’ t murder prior to the LSD .
His brain may have been altered , so how could you say he was really guilty ?
” At the same time , Uhlar says she would have voted to convict Bulger on the long list of other criminal counts , meaning he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Uhlar has spoken publicly about her regret before but says her belief that the gangster was wrongly convicted on the murder charges was reinforced after reading a new book by Brown University professor Stephen Kinzer : “ Poisoner in Chief : Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control.
” The book digs into the dark tale of the CIA ’ s former chief chemist and his attempts to develop mind control techniques by giving LSD and other drugs to unsuspecting individuals , including colleagues , and observing the effects .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t losing my mind , thinking this was important , ” Uhlar said .
“ It told me , this is huge .
I mean , how many lives were affected by this ?
We have no idea.
” Gottlieb ’ s secret program , known as MK-ULTRA , enlisted doctors and other subcontractors to administer LSD in large doses to prisoners , addicts and others unlikely to complain .
In Bulger ’ s case , the mobster and fellow inmates were offered reduced time for their participation and told they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a cure for schizophrenia .
“ Appealed to our sense of doing something worthwhile for society , ” Bulger wrote in a letter to Uhlar reviewed by the AP .
But nothing could have been further from the truth .
“ The CIA mind control program known as MK-ULTRA involved the most extreme experiments on human beings ever conducted by any agency of the U.S. government , ” Kinzer said .
“ During its peak in the 1950s , that program and it ’ s director , Sidney Gottlieb , left behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minds across three continents.
” After Bulger was found guilty by Uhlar and the other jurors , a federal judge sentenced him to two life terms plus five years .
But his life behind bars ended a little more than a year ago , at age 89 , when he was beaten to death by fellow inmates shortly after arriving in his wheelchair at the Hazelton federal prison in Bruceton Mills , West Virginia .
No criminal charges have been filed .
Although much had been written about the CIA ’ s mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Uhlar said she knew nothing about them until she began corresponding with the renowned gangster following his conviction .
Uhlar started writing Bulger , she said , because she was troubled by the fact that much of the evidence against him came through testimony by former criminal associates who were also killers and had received reduced sentences in exchange for testifying against their former partner in crime .
“ When I left the trial , I had more questions , ” she said .
After Bulger started returning her letters , Uhlar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time he had started writing in his tight cursive style .
“ He always seemed to be writing at one , two , or three in the morning and when I asked him why he said it was because of the hallucinations , ” Uhlar said .
When Uhlar asked him to explain , Bulger revealed what he had already told many others : that since taking part in the LSD experiments at a federal prison in Atlanta , he ’ d been plagued by nightmares and gruesome hallucinations and was unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time .
“ Sleep was full of violent nightmares and wake up every hour or so — still that way — since ’ 57 , ” he wrote .
“ On the Rock at times felt sure going insane , ” he wrote in another letter , referring to the infamous former prison on Alcatraz Island , in San Francisco Bay , where he was transferred from Atlanta .
“ Auditory & visual hallucinations and violent nightmares — still have them — always slept with lights on helps when I wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mobster also recalled the supervising physician , the late Carl Pfeiffer of Emory University , and the technicians who would monitor his response to the LSD , asking him questions such as , “ Would you ever kill anyone ?
Etc.
, etc.
” That question struck a nerve with Uhlar .
After hearing from Bulger about MK-ULTRA , “ as if I should have known about it , ” she visited him at a Florida federal prison on three occasions to discuss the experiments and started reading everything she could find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she reviewed the 1977 hearings by the U.S. Senate Committee on Intelligence , which was looking into MK-ULTRA following the first public disclosures of the top-secret program .
The hearings included testimony from CIA director Stansfield Turner , who acknowledged evidence showing that the agency had been searching for a drug that could prepare someone for “ debilitating an individual or even killing another person.
” “ That ’ s just horrifying , in my opinion , ” Uhlar said .
“ It opens up the question of whether he was responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least two of the several books written about Bulger and his life of crime , associates including corrupt former FBI agent John Morris said they assumed Bulger would use the LSD experiments to mount an insanity defense if he were ever caught and tried .
But in 2013 Bulger ’ s Boston attorneys , J.W .
Carney Jr. and Hank Brennan , unveiled a novel defense in which they admitted Bulger was a criminal who made “ millions and millions of dollars ” from his gangland enterprise but was enabled by corrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Boston office of the FBI .
Neither Carney nor Brennan would comment on their decision — attorney-client privilege outlasts a client ’ s death .
But Anthony Cardinale , a Boston attorney who has represented numerous organized crime defendants , said he would have opted for an insanity defense , in part because of the abundant evidence against Bulger .
“ I would have had him come into court like Harvey Weinstein , all disheveled , and in a wheelchair , ” he said .
Still , Cardinale acknowledged there would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the fact that Bulger spent 16 years outwitting several law enforcement agencies before he was captured in 2011 in Santa Monica , where he ’ d been living quietly with his longtime girlfriend while on the FBI ’ s Ten Most Wanted List .
“ The problem is , he lived for a very long time on the lam in a very secretive and a very smart way , ” Cardinale said .
“ But that doesn ’ t diminish the notion that , based on the LSD experiments , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have convinced himself of things that were not true , including that he had immunity from prosecution and could do whatever he wanted.
” To his dying day , Bulger insisted he ’ d received criminal immunity from a deceased federal prosecutor who once headed the New England Organized Crime Strike Force .
John Bradley , a former Massachusetts federal prosecutor and assistant district attorney , agreed that defense lawyers would have faced high hurdles waging an insanity defense , noting that most end in convictions .
“ The flip side is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than legality , ” he said .
“ The whole shtick that the government played a role in creating this monster , uses him as an informant and then goes after him — that ’ s an argument that could affect one or two jurors.
” And it only takes one to vote not guilty on all the criminal charges to produce a hung jury , Bradley noted , forcing prosecutors to decide whether to retry a case .
Given Bulger ’ s decades as a crime boss who corrupted the Boston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and doing favors in exchange for information that helped him thwart multiple investigations , a retrial would have been a near certainty .
Nevertheless , Cardinale said , a hung jury in the Bulger case “ would have been a monster victory ” for the defense .
Even if Bulger were convicted on the other criminal charges and received a sentence that would have kept him behind bars for life , a refusal to find him guilty on the murder charges would have meant anguish for family members of his victims .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder , a conviction of the perpetrator helps family members obtain closure and move on with their lives , ” said Paul V. Kelly , a former federal prosecutor who has represented the family of one of Bulger ’ s murder victims .
“ An acquittal of Whitey Bulger on the murder charges would have just caused additional pain and anguish.
” Uhlar has written about the Bulger trial in “ The Truth be Damned , ” a fictionalized account she published in 2018 and advertises on her website .
She also gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers and libraries .
During her correspondence and visits with Bulger , Uhlar said , she grew fond of the gangster , though he often warned her that he was a criminal and “ master manipulator.
” When asked if Bulger might have manipulated her , she said , “ I ’ ve asked myself that many times .
I ’ ll finish reading a letter and say , ‘ Could he have ?
’ ” Bulger often wrote to Uhlar as if she were a friend , even joking with her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more menacing message inscribed to her on the back of a photo taken of him on “ the Rock , ” at a time when he was fending off LSD-induced nightmares while contemplating his return to Boston ’ s violent criminal underworld .
• Nevada Democrats getting their say in picking 2020 nominee “ At end of Alcatraz , getting more serious and capable of about anything , ” he wrote .
“ Hard time makes hard people.
” AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report .

By Michael Rezendes | Associated Press
EASTHAM, Mass. — One of the jurors who convicted notorious crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger says she regrets her decision after learning that he was an unwitting participant in a covert CIA experiment with LSD.
Bulger terrorized Boston from the 1970s into the 1990s with a campaign of murder, extortion, and drug trafficking, then spent 16 years on the lam after he was tipped to his pending arrest.
In2013, Janet Uhlar was one of 12 jurors who found Bulger guilty in a massive racketeering case, including involvement in 11 murders, even after hearing evidence that the mobster was helped by corrupt agents in the Boston office of the FBI.
But now Uhlar says she regrets voting to convict Bulger on any of the murder charges.
Her regret stems from a cache of more than 70 letters Bulger wrote to her from prison. In some, he describes his unwitting participation in a secret CIA experiment with LSD. In a desperate search for a mind-control drug in the late 1950s, the agency dosed Bulger with the powerful hallucinogen more than 50 times when he was serving his first stretch in prison — something his lawyers never brought up in his federal trial.
“Had I known, I would have absolutely held off on the murder charges,” Uhlar told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “He didn’t murder prior to the LSD. His brain may have been altered, so how could you say he was really guilty?” At the same time, Uhlar says she would have voted to convict Bulger on the long list of other criminal counts, meaning he still would likely have died in prison.
[vemba-video id=”van/batchfeed/2020/02/18/wbz_057c3da0-5249-11ea-9eb7-7f59b5fade04″]
Uhlar has spoken publicly about her regret before but says her belief that the gangster was wrongly convicted on the murder charges was reinforced after reading a new book by Brown University professor Stephen Kinzer: “Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control.” The book digs into the dark tale of the CIA’s former chief chemist and his attempts to develop mind control techniques by giving LSD and other drugs to unsuspecting individuals, including colleagues, and observing the effects.
“It was encouraging to know I wasn’t losing my mind, thinking this was important,” Uhlar said. “It told me, this is huge. I mean, how many lives were affected by this? We have no idea.”
Gottlieb’s secret program, known as MK-ULTRA, enlisted doctors and other subcontractors to administer LSD in large doses to prisoners, addicts and others unlikely to complain. In Bulger’s case, the mobster and fellow inmates were offered reduced time for their participation and told they would be taking part in medical research into a cure for schizophrenia.
“Appealed to our sense of doing something worthwhile for society,” Bulger wrote in a letter to Uhlar reviewed by the AP.
But nothing could have been further from the truth.
“The CIA mind control program known as MK-ULTRA involved the most extreme experiments on human beings ever conducted by any agency of the U.S. government,” Kinzer said. “During its peak in the 1950s, that program and it’s director, Sidney Gottlieb, left behind a trail of broken bodies and shattered minds across three continents.”
After Bulger was found guilty by Uhlar and the other jurors, a federal judge sentenced him to two life terms plus five years. But his life behind bars ended a little more than a year ago, at age 89, when he was beaten to death by fellow inmates shortly after arriving in his wheelchair at the Hazelton federal prison in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. No criminal charges have been filed.
Although much had been written about the CIA’s mind control experiments before Bulger’s trial, Uhlar said she knew nothing about them until she began corresponding with the renowned gangster following his conviction.
Uhlar started writing Bulger, she said, because she was troubled by the fact that much of the evidence against him came through testimony by former criminal associates who were also killers and had received reduced sentences in exchange for testifying against their former partner in crime.
“When I left the trial, I had more questions,” she said.
After Bulger started returning her letters, Uhlar noticed he often dated them with the time he had started writing in his tight cursive style. “He always seemed to be writing at one, two, or three in the morning and when I asked him why he said it was because of the hallucinations,” Uhlar said.
When Uhlar asked him to explain, Bulger revealed what he had already told many others: that since taking part in the LSD experiments at a federal prison in Atlanta, he’d been plagued by nightmares and gruesome hallucinations and was unable to sleep for more than a few hours at a time.
“Sleep was full of violent nightmares and wake up every hour or so — still that way — since ’57,” he wrote.
“On the Rock at times felt sure going insane,” he wrote in another letter, referring to the infamous former prison on Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay, where he was transferred from Atlanta.
“Auditory & visual hallucinations and violent nightmares — still have them — always slept with lights on helps when I wake up about every hour from nightmares.”
The mobster also recalled the supervising physician, the late Carl Pfeiffer of Emory University, and the technicians who would monitor his response to the LSD, asking him questions such as, “Would you ever kill anyone? Etc., etc.”
That question struck a nerve with Uhlar. After hearing from Bulger about MK-ULTRA, “as if I should have known about it,” she visited him at a Florida federal prison on three occasions to discuss the experiments and started reading everything she could find about them.
At one point, she reviewed the 1977 hearings by the U.S. Senate Committee on Intelligence, which was looking into MK-ULTRA following the first public disclosures of the top-secret program.
The hearings included testimony from CIA director Stansfield Turner, who acknowledged evidence showing that the agency had been searching for a drug that could prepare someone for “debilitating an individual or even killing another person.”
“That’s just horrifying, in my opinion,” Uhlar said. “It opens up the question of whether he was responsible for the murders he committed.”
According to at least two of the several books written about Bulger and his life of crime, associates including corrupt former FBI agent John Morris said they assumed Bulger would use the LSD experiments to mount an insanity defense if he were ever caught and tried.
But in 2013 Bulger’s Boston attorneys, J.W. Carney Jr. and Hank Brennan, unveiled a novel defense in which they admitted Bulger was a criminal who made “millions and millions of dollars” from his gangland enterprise but was enabled by corrupt law enforcement officers, especially those in the Boston office of the FBI.
Neither Carney nor Brennan would comment on their decision — attorney-client privilege outlasts a client’s death. But Anthony Cardinale, a Boston attorney who has represented numerous organized crime defendants, said he would have opted for an insanity defense, in part because of the abundant evidence against Bulger.
“I would have had him come into court like Harvey Weinstein, all disheveled, and in a wheelchair,” he said.
Still, Cardinale acknowledged there would have been challenges to presenting an insanity defense, including the fact that Bulger spent 16 years outwitting several law enforcement agencies before he was captured in 2011 in Santa Monica, where he’d been living quietly with his longtime girlfriend while on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List.
“The problem is, he lived for a very long time on the lam in a very secretive and a very smart way,” Cardinale said. “But that doesn’t diminish the notion that, based on the LSD experiments, and the doses he was experiencing, he could have convinced himself of things that were not true, including that he had immunity from prosecution and could do whatever he wanted.”
To his dying day, Bulger insisted he’d received criminal immunity from a deceased federal prosecutor who once headed the New England Organized Crime Strike Force.
John Bradley, a former Massachusetts federal prosecutor and assistant district attorney, agreed that defense lawyers would have faced high hurdles waging an insanity defense, noting that most end in convictions.
“The flip side is that jurors are sometimes swayed by morality more than legality,” he said. “The whole shtick that the government played a role in creating this monster, uses him as an informant and then goes after him — that’s an argument that could affect one or two jurors.”
And it only takes one to vote not guilty on all the criminal charges to produce a hung jury, Bradley noted, forcing prosecutors to decide whether to retry a case.
Given Bulger’s decades as a crime boss who corrupted the Boston office of the FBI, paying cash and doing favors in exchange for information that helped him thwart multiple investigations, a retrial would have been a near certainty. Nevertheless, Cardinale said, a hung jury in the Bulger case “would have been a monster victory” for the defense.
Even if Bulger were convicted on the other criminal charges and received a sentence that would have kept him behind bars for life, a refusal to find him guilty on the murder charges would have meant anguish for family members of his victims.
“As in any case involving a tragic murder, a conviction of the perpetrator helps family members obtain closure and move on with their lives,” said Paul V. Kelly, a former federal prosecutor who has represented the family of one of Bulger’s murder victims. “An acquittal of Whitey Bulger on the murder charges would have just caused additional pain and anguish.”
Uhlar has written about the Bulger trial in “The Truth be Damned,” a fictionalized account she published in 2018 and advertises on her website. She also gives occasional talks on the trial at community centers and libraries.
During her correspondence and visits with Bulger, Uhlar said, she grew fond of the gangster, though he often warned her that he was a criminal and “master manipulator.” When asked if Bulger might have manipulated her, she said, “I’ve asked myself that many times. I’ll finish reading a letter and say, ‘Could he have?’ ”
Bulger often wrote to Uhlar as if she were a friend, even joking with her. But in one letter he also enclosed a more menacing message inscribed to her on the back of a photo taken of him on “the Rock,” at a time when he was fending off LSD-induced nightmares while contemplating his return to Boston’s violent criminal underworld.
“At end of Alcatraz, getting more serious and capable of about anything,” he wrote. “Hard time makes hard people.”
AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Job fair at SJSU matches black students with Silicon Valley’s tech giants

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device SAN JOSE — Like a lot of job fairs on college campuses , the event that brought tech-industry recruiters to San Jose State University on Saturday featured plenty of eager students and company-branded swag : Amazon foam footballs , eBay water bottles and Salesforce socks .
But unlike a lot of tech-industry job fairs — and unlike Silicon Valley itself , which has long been criticized for its lack of diversity — most of the prospective employees , and the recruiters from some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black .
“ It ’ s really cool to see that , to see representation at all of these companies like Facebook , Apple , Salesforce , ” said Harrison Peters , a sophomore finance major at Santa Clara University who is on the hunt for a summer internship .
“ You don ’ t know what you want until you see it , in a sense.
” Organizers of Saturday ’ s African-American Career Fair , where about 90 local college students and graduates met with recruiters from a dozen tech firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressing the stubborn problems Silicon Valley has had in recruiting and retaining black workers .
“ We have seen an explosion of opportunity that tech has created in the global economy for some , ” said Rep. Ro Khanna , D-Santa Clara , whose office put on the event .
Meanwhile , Khanna added , “ There are a lot of people in East San Jose and South San Jose that haven ’ t had the opportunity to even visit places like Apple and Google , let alone to work there.
” Industry-wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees in 2015 were black , according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office study , which found that percentage had not significantly changed in the previous decade .
Just 2.9 percent of Salesforce ’ s workers in the United States identify as black , according to Tony Prophet , the company ’ s chief equity officer , who spoke to students before the job fair began .
“ We are not putting those data out there because we ’ re proud of them , ” Prophet said .
“ We are putting those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to create a benchmark for the future.
” Several students said they appreciated being able to talk with recruiters in a smaller and more intimate setting , where they could learn more about what jobs the big tech firms are hiring for .
At other job fairs he has attended , recent Columbia University graduate Robert Boyle said , things were a lot less personal .
“ It was really just , ‘ Give us your resume , and we ’ re not really going to talk to you because there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are behind you , ' ” Boyle said .
“ This is definitely a much better opportunity.
” Charlotte Kaninda , a student in the informatics master ’ s program at San Jose State who has a bachelor ’ s degree in computer science , said she has applied for plenty of tech jobs and gone to other career fairs , but so far hasn ’ t received the type of offers she ’ d hoped to receive for full-time positions .
For now , Kaninda said , she is doing data analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search continues , Kaninda said she appreciated getting to talk with recruiters about how to improve her resume and , she hopes , stand out from crowds of other applicants .
“ I know how well I work , how well I can do the job , and I ’ m thinking with the right opportunity I ’ ll do wonders , ” Kaninda said .
“ At the end of the day it ’ s about skills , but you might be overlooked for some reason — this is an opportunity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And the fair was not just aimed at those students seeking jobs and internships .
It was also an effort to reach actual tech companies , which might focus recruiting efforts on the small handful of elite colleges where well-connected students already have a leg up in nabbing the industry ’ s high-paying jobs .
An institution like San Jose State turns out plenty of graduates who have the skills those companies are looking for , President Mary Papazian and other university leaders noted , but are much more likely to be people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family to go to college .
So Khanna and others said they hope the fair becomes an annual tradition at San Jose State and other local colleges .
“ Not all of the talent is at Stanford and MIT , ” Khanna said .

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device
SAN JOSE — Like a lot of job fairs on college campuses, the event that brought tech-industry recruiters to San Jose State University on Saturday featured plenty of eager students and company-branded swag: Amazon foam footballs, eBay water bottles and Salesforce socks.
But unlike a lot of tech-industry job fairs — and unlike Silicon Valley itself, which has long been criticized for its lack of diversity — most of the prospective employees, and the recruiters from some of the sector’s biggest firms, were black.
“It’s really cool to see that, to see representation at all of these companies like Facebook, Apple, Salesforce,” said Harrison Peters, a sophomore finance major at Santa Clara University who is on the hunt for a summer internship. “You don’t know what you want until you see it, in a sense.”
Organizers of Saturday’s African-American Career Fair, where about 90 local college students and graduates met with recruiters from a dozen tech firms, described it as one step toward addressing the stubborn problems Silicon Valley has had in recruiting and retaining black workers.
“We have seen an explosion of opportunity that tech has created in the global economy for some,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara, whose office put on the event. Meanwhile, Khanna added, “There are a lot of people in East San Jose and South San Jose that haven’t had the opportunity to even visit places like Apple and Google, let alone to work there.”
Industry-wide, less than 7 percent of tech employees in 2015 were black, according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office study, which found that percentage had not significantly changed in the previous decade.
Just 2.9 percent of Salesforce’s workers in the United States identify as black, according to Tony Prophet, the company’s chief equity officer, who spoke to students before the job fair began.
“We are not putting those data out there because we’re proud of them,” Prophet said. “We are putting those data out there to be held accountable and to create a benchmark for the future.”
Several students said they appreciated being able to talk with recruiters in a smaller and more intimate setting, where they could learn more about what jobs the big tech firms are hiring for. At other job fairs he has attended, recent Columbia University graduate Robert Boyle said, things were a lot less personal.
“It was really just, ‘Give us your resume, and we’re not really going to talk to you because there’s a line of 50 people that are behind you,'” Boyle said. “This is definitely a much better opportunity.”
Charlotte Kaninda, a student in the informatics master’s program at San Jose State who has a bachelor’s degree in computer science, said she has applied for plenty of tech jobs and gone to other career fairs, but so far hasn’t received the type of offers she’d hoped to receive for full-time positions.
For now, Kaninda said, she is doing data analysis as a contract worker. As her search continues, Kaninda said she appreciated getting to talk with recruiters about how to improve her resume and, she hopes, stand out from crowds of other applicants.
“I know how well I work, how well I can do the job, and I’m thinking with the right opportunity I’ll do wonders,” Kaninda said. “At the end of the day it’s about skills, but you might be overlooked for some reason — this is an opportunity for someone to take a second look.”
And the fair was not just aimed at those students seeking jobs and internships. It was also an effort to reach actual tech companies, which might focus recruiting efforts on the small handful of elite colleges where well-connected students already have a leg up in nabbing the industry’s high-paying jobs.
An institution like San Jose State turns out plenty of graduates who have the skills those companies are looking for, President Mary Papazian and other university leaders noted, but are much more likely to be people of color or the first in their family to go to college. So Khanna and others said they hope the fair becomes an annual tradition at San Jose State and other local colleges.
“Not all of the talent is at Stanford and MIT,” Khanna said.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Report: Sharks’ Joe Thornton hasn’t closed door on trade, return next season

Sharks center Joe Thornton told The Athletic on Saturday he hasn ’ t closed the door on a move to a contending team before the trade deadline and added he doesn ’ t feel this will be his last NHL season .
Thornton , in his 22nd NHL season and his 15th with the Sharks , will need to waive the ‘ no move ’ clause in his contract for Sharks general manager Doug Wilson to execute a trade before the deadline , which is Monday at noon ( PT ) .
Late Friday , Boston Hockey Now reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams he would be willing to go to : the Colorado Avalanche , Boston Bruins , Tampa Bay Lightning , Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins .
Thornton , 40 , was drafted first overall by the Bruins in 1997 and spent the first seven-plus seasons of his NHL career with the team before he was traded to the Sharks in Nov. 2005 .
He and Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic were both on Team Canada ’ s Olympic team in 2006 and he was teammates with Penguins star Sidney Crosby at the 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medal .
Of course , he was also teammates with Stars forward Joe Pavelski with the Sharks from 2006 to 2019 .
The Sharks ( 26-30-4 ) play the New York Rangers on Saturday night and at the New York Islanders on Sunday .
For complete Sharks coverage follow us on Flipboard .
“ It would have to be an absolute perfect situation , I think , ” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said about a potential Thornton trade Saturday morning .
“ Jumbo ’ s the kind of guy , he expects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants the coaches to do the same and put trust in him , and he wants to play .
“ I think he wants to play an important role and help the team .
I don ’ t think that situation , I ’ m not sure if it ’ s out there .
But if it did happen , it would have to be a situation where , my impression of talking to him , is a situation where he comes in and he can help the team and make a difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he doesn ’ t feel this will be his last year in the NHL , Thornton , on a one-year contract , could allow a trade to a contending team and potentially re-sign with the Sharks in July once he is an unrestricted free agent .
Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news , commentary and conversation .
Thornton has 25 points and is averaging 15 minutes and 15 seconds of ice time in 60 games this season .
With both Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture out with injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games this month and is averaging close to 17 minutes per game .
“ Jumbo , in the last month-and-a-half , two months , I thought he ’ s played some of his best hockey of the year , ” Boughner said .
“ Energy ’ s never an issue with him .
People obviously talk about his age and everything else , but he ’ s playing second line minutes , sometimes first line minutes .
Seventeen , 18 minutes a night .
• ‘ I ’ m getting used to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his left hand and his eventual return to the Warriors • Oregon ’ s Sabrina Ionescu will speak at Kobe Bryant memorial Monday , then face Stanford “ He ’ s still the anchor on that line and he ’ s still a catalyst for our offense .
I know he ’ s got a lot left in the tank .
Hopefully , for me , I ’ m hoping he stays here , selfishly.
” ▪ Melker Karlsson , injured Thursday when he blocked a shot in the Sharks ’ game with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday ’ s game with a lower body injury , Boughner said .
Karlsson considered day-to-day .
▪ Evander Kane , who leads the Sharks with 21 goals this season , returns from his three-game suspension Saturday .
The Sharks were 1-2-0 and scored six goals in his absence .

Sharks center Joe Thornton told The Athletic on Saturday he hasn’t closed the door on a move to a contending team before the trade deadline and added he doesn’t feel this will be his last NHL season.
Thornton, in his 22nd NHL season and his 15th with the Sharks, will need to waive the ‘no move’ clause in his contract for Sharks general manager Doug Wilson to execute a trade before the deadline, which is Monday at noon (PT).
Late Friday, Boston Hockey Now reported that Thornton has a five-team short list of teams he would be willing to go to: the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Thornton, 40, was drafted first overall by the Bruins in 1997 and spent the first seven-plus seasons of his NHL career with the team before he was traded to the Sharks in Nov. 2005. He and Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic were both on Team Canada’s Olympic team in 2006 and he was teammates with Penguins star Sidney Crosby at the 2010 Olympics, where Canada won the gold medal.
Of course, he was also teammates with Stars forward Joe Pavelski with the Sharks from 2006 to 2019.
The Sharks (26-30-4) play the New York Rangers on Saturday night and at the New York Islanders on Sunday.
For complete Sharks coverage
follow us on Flipboard.
“It would have to be an absolute perfect situation, I think,” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said about a potential Thornton trade Saturday morning . “Jumbo’s the kind of guy, he expects a lot out of himself and he wants the coaches to do the same and put trust in him, and he wants to play.
“I think he wants to play an important role and help the team. I don’t think that situation, I’m not sure if it’s out there. But if it did happen, it would have to be a situation where, my impression of talking to him, is a situation where he comes in and he can help the team and make a difference on a night-to-night basis.”
By saying he doesn’t feel this will be his last year in the NHL, Thornton, on a one-year contract, could allow a trade to a contending team and potentially re-sign with the Sharks in July once he is an unrestricted free agent.
Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation.
Thornton has 25 points and is averaging 15 minutes and 15 seconds of ice time in 60 games this season. With both Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture out with injuries, Thornton has five assists in eight games this month and is averaging close to 17 minutes per game.
“Jumbo, in the last month-and-a-half, two months, I thought he’s played some of his best hockey of the year,” Boughner said. “Energy’s never an issue with him. People obviously talk about his age and everything else, but he’s playing second line minutes, sometimes first line minutes. Seventeen, 18 minutes a night.
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Editorial: California should ban tackle football in high school Sports | Todd Kent retires as UCSC’s winningest women’s basketball coach “He’s still the anchor on that line and he’s still a catalyst for our offense. I know he’s got a lot left in the tank. Hopefully, for me, I’m hoping he stays here, selfishly.”
▪ Melker Karlsson, injured Thursday when he blocked a shot in the Sharks’ game with the New Jersey Devils, will miss Saturday’s game with a lower body injury, Boughner said. Karlsson considered day-to-day.
▪ Evander Kane, who leads the Sharks with 21 goals this season, returns from his three-game suspension Saturday. The Sharks were 1-2-0 and scored six goals in his absence.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Albuquerque: Homeless woman’s death ruled homicide

ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. ( AP ) — A homeless woman found dead in a tent was a homicide victim , @ @ @ @ @ The woman had signs of trauma to her torso but wasn ’ t immediately identified @ @ @ @ @ were conducting interviews and canvassing the area for witnesses , police said .
• After @ @ @ @ @ tests , juror has regrets • Nevada Democrats getting their say in picking 2020 nominee @ @ @ @ @ commercial area southwest of the junction of Interstates 25 and 40 .

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A homeless woman found dead in a tent was a homicide victim, Albuquerque police said Saturday.
The woman had signs of trauma to her torso but wasn’t immediately identified, police said.
Detectives were conducting interviews and canvassing the area for witnesses, police said.
The location is in a commercial area southwest of the junction of Interstates 25 and 40.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Photos: Bellarmine bests Sacred Heart Prep in CCS boys basketball quarterfinals

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device SANTA CLARA – Bellarmine ’ @ @ @ @ @ important role .
The senior guard regularly draws the toughest assignment on defense , a @ @ @ @ @ his shooting .
Friday night , there was no effect .
Piro buried three 3-pointers @ @ @ @ @ two more in the third .
He finished with 17 points to help lead the @ @ @ @ @ victory over No .
6 seed Sacred Heart Prep in the CCS Open Division quarterfinals @ @ @ @ @ For more coverage of Friday ’ s CCS basketball playoffs by Darren Sabedra and Vytas @ @ @ @ @ : //bayareane.ws/3bX7tKf

SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 21: Bellarmine's Ian Elam (32) drives to the hoop against Sacred Heart Prep's Emmer Nichols (3) and Charlie Selna (42) in the first period of a Central Coast Section Open Division boys basketball quarterfinals game at Santa Clara High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Authorities: Boat crash kills 1, injures 1 in Florida Keys

KEY WEST , Fla. ( AP ) — A Pennsylvania man out fishing with another man in the Florida Keys @ @ @ @ @ auto-pilot ran into their anchored vessel , authorities said Saturday .
The Florida Fish and @ @ @ @ @ a news release that the other man who operated the anchored fishing boat sustained minor @ @ @ @ @ afternoon near Big Pine Key __ northeast of Key West .
The agency said a @ @ @ @ @ New York was traveling west on auto-pilot when it ran into the fishing boat .
@ @ @ @ @ identified as Robert Strickler , 83 , of York , Pennsylvania .
The operator of @ @ @ @ @ from New York .
• After learning of Whitey Bulger LSD tests , juror has @ @ @ @ @ their say in picking 2020 nominee The crash happened during daylight , authorities said .
@ @ @ @ @ the boat traveled was not clear .
The investigation is ongoing and authorities have not @ @ @ @ @

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man out fishing with another man in the Florida Keys died when a boat on auto-pilot ran into their anchored vessel, authorities said Saturday.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news release that the other man who operated the anchored fishing boat sustained minor injuries in the crash Friday afternoon near Big Pine Key __ northeast of Key West.
The agency said a boat carrying two men from New York was traveling west on auto-pilot when it ran into the fishing boat.
The man who died was identified as Robert Strickler, 83, of York, Pennsylvania. The operator of the fishing boat also was from New York.
The crash happened during daylight, authorities said. But the speed at which the boat traveled was not clear. The investigation is ongoing and authorities have not discussed any possible charges.


mercurynews--2020-02-22--Photos: Archbishop Mitty beats Menlo School in CCS basketball quarterfinals

CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device SANTA CLARA — Archbishop Mitty @ @ @ @ @ about its basketball history , one steeped in tradition and championships .
But one game @ @ @ @ @ among its greatest hits .
Friday night , the Monarchs made sure there would be @ @ @ @ @ a second consecutive upset in the first round of the Central Coast Section Open Division @ @ @ @ @ of No .
8 seed Menlo School at Santa Clara High .

SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 21: Menlo School's Davis Mead (4) pulls down a rebound against Archbishop Mitty in the third period of a Central Coast Section Open Division boys basketball quarterfinals game at Santa Clara High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. Archbishop Mitty would go onto beat Menlo School 69-38. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)


mercurynews--2020-02-23--Letter: It scares me to see how Trump is running the U.S.

It ’ s scary to see how Trump is running U.S. Where is our land going ?
Everything that I @ @ @ @ @ United States standing for is being buried .
Trump is running over the United States @ @ @ @ @ conscience ; truth ; faith ; virtue ; courage ; ethics ; values and compassion @ @ @ @ @ Sanders captures nomination on first ballot … • Letter : Does aiding the needy ‘ @ @ @ @ @ not to be ?
• Letter : When is San Jose going to address homelessness @ @ @ @ @ .
It scares me to see what is being cultivated from our land .
When @ @ @ @ @ Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

It’s scary to see how
Trump is running U.S.
Where is our land going?
Everything that I grew up believing and the United States standing for is being buried. Trump is running over the United States like a steamroller burying : conscience; truth; faith; virtue; courage; ethics; values and compassion.
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Lillian Taddei
Alameda
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mercurynews--2020-02-23--Q&A: His name’s on the menu. But this Walnut Creek restaurant owner might bus your table, or carry o

Q&A: His name’s on the menu. But this Walnut Creek restaurant owner might bus your table, or carry out your pie

Walnut Creek ’ s Rocco Biale grew up in the restaurant industry .
He ’ s held just about every job in food service , from busboy to owner .
Biale recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of his restaurant , Rocco ’ s Ristorante & Pizzeria , where he spends each day , alongside his three adult children , who also work at the Ygnacio Valley Road eatery .
In between serving pizza to hungry patrons , Biale sat down with this news organization to talk about the future of his industry and the challenges of running a full-service restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How did you get into the restaurant business ?
A : I ’ ve been in the restaurant business my whole life .
My parents were in the restaurant business .
My dad owned restaurants in San Francisco and my uncle owned restaurants in San Francisco and Hawaii , where I worked for a couple years .
It ’ s really all I ’ ve ever done .
I ’ ve never had another job .
I ’ m one of those old-story busboy , waiter , bartender , manager … and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance , rolled the dice back in 1999 and here we are .
Q : What are the biggest challenges the restaurant industry faces today ?
It ’ s a very labor-intensive business .
The Bay Area is a very expensive place to live .
Finding labor is becoming harder and harder , keeping labor is becoming harder and harder , but really the pressure has been on wages .
It ’ s not so much a comment on the minimum wage going up , but it ’ s the trickle-up effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a high school junior with no experience coming into the workforce at soon-to-be $ 15 and hour — that doesn ’ t seem like very much money but multiply that by a very labor-intensive restaurant and it adds up .
Now , you got a worker that ’ s been here five , seven , eight , 10 , 12 years going … ‘ I need $ 25.
’ The pressure on wages is a challenge for keeping full-service restaurants open .
Q : You mentioned full-service restaurants .
What does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A : You ’ ll notice a lot of places that have opened up recently really don ’ t have full service .
It ’ s my belief that , in time , the restaurant industry is going to slowly morph into a non-service model because it ’ s an unsustainable business model when you have to pay food servers — who , by the way , earn every penny they make .
Q : What is the pay disparity between the visible restaurant workers and the kitchen staff ?
A : It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house can make three to even six times as much .
Seven places opened up across the street here .
Not one has service .
They are all counter models .
You either get a buzzer or a beeper or something like that .
In time , with more pressure on wages , I think you are going to see fewer and fewer restaurants open up that have a full service business model .
Some will survive and most won ’ t , in my opinion .
I think that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage facing the industry .
Q : How have you held on , even as other East Bay Italian restaurants haven ’ t in recent years ?
A : We have a good thing going here .
My family all works here — it is literally a family-owned-and-operated restaurant .
All three of my adult kids work here .
I ’ m the hands-on general manger .
I ’ m here seven days a week .
That allows us that cushion , if you will , that buffer .
As for the closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high rents , that ’ s a factor , but in my opinion it ’ s the pressure on wages .
A : There ’ s a fine line between going out to dinner and getting something to eat .
To me , at a burger lounge , you are just getting something to eat .
Going to a restaurant , there is somebody else taking care of you and there is a social interaction component .
That , in time , is what I see being lost .
Due to costs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to be the actual waiter or waitress .
Tipping is going to go by the wayside , you are going to see , service charges added to the check , or surcharges or both , and that extra money [ will ] be divvied up among the staff .
The fact that the California Legislature doesn ’ t recognize tips as wages , as is the case in 45 other states will , in my opinion , slowly , over time , reduce or eliminate full-service dining in this state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your secrets ?
A : Being here every day .
Customers like to see the owner busing a table , answering the phone , seating somebody , serving a dish .
There ’ s a certain level of respect or admiration .
Family : Wife of 30 years , Jacquie , sons Dante and Dominic , daughter Nina and grandson Scotty .
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ROCCO BIALE • His family has a home in Sassello , Italy , passed down through the family for more than 400 years .
It still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been playing competitive bocce with his sons for 18 years • In what little spare time he has , he makes furniture in his wood shop • Biale lived in a hotel in Waikiki with his brother for three years while working at Rudy ’ s Italian Restaurant , owned by his uncle , Rudy Biale • Every November , he runs a local trivia contest with 200-plus contestants

Walnut Creek’s Rocco Biale grew up in the restaurant industry. He’s held just about every job in food service, from busboy to owner. Biale recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of his restaurant, Rocco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria, where he spends each day, alongside his three adult children, who also work at the Ygnacio Valley Road eatery. In between serving pizza to hungry patrons, Biale sat down with this news organization to talk about the future of his industry and the challenges of running a full-service restaurant in the Bay Area.
Q: How did you get into the restaurant business?
A: I’ve been in the restaurant business my whole life. My parents were in the restaurant business. My dad owned restaurants in San Francisco and my uncle owned restaurants in San Francisco and Hawaii, where I worked for a couple years. It’s really all I’ve ever done. I’ve never had another job. I’m one of those old-story busboy, waiter, bartender, manager … and then saved up my money, took a chance, rolled the dice back in 1999 and here we are.
Q: What are the biggest challenges the restaurant industry faces today?
It’s a very labor-intensive business. The Bay Area is a very expensive place to live. Finding labor is becoming harder and harder, keeping labor is becoming harder and harder, but really the pressure has been on wages. It’s not so much a comment on the minimum wage going up, but it’s the trickle-up effect on the restaurant business. You’ve got a high school junior with no experience coming into the workforce at soon-to-be $15 and hour — that doesn’t seem like very much money but multiply that by a very labor-intensive restaurant and it adds up. Now, you got a worker that’s been here five, seven, eight, 10, 12 years going … ‘I need $25.’ The pressure on wages is a challenge for keeping full-service restaurants open.
Q: You mentioned full-service restaurants. What does the future hold for restaurants like yours?
A: You’ll notice a lot of places that have opened up recently really don’t have full service. It’s my belief that, in time, the restaurant industry is going to slowly morph into a non-service model because it’s an unsustainable business model when you have to pay food servers — who, by the way, earn every penny they make.
Q: What is the pay disparity between the visible restaurant workers and the kitchen staff?
A: It’s stunning. The front of the house can make three to even six times as much. Seven places opened up across the street here. Not one has service. They are all counter models. You either get a buzzer or a beeper or something like that. In time, with more pressure on wages, I think you are going to see fewer and fewer restaurants open up that have a full service business model. Some will survive and most won’t, in my opinion. I think that’s the biggest challenge along with the labor shortage facing the industry.
Q: How have you held on, even as other East Bay Italian restaurants haven’t in recent years?
A: We have a good thing going here. My family all works here — it is literally a family-owned-and-operated restaurant. All three of my adult kids work here. I’m the hands-on general manger. I’m here seven days a week. That allows us that cushion, if you will, that buffer. As for the closure of restaurants, people talk about the high rents, that’s a factor, but in my opinion it’s the pressure on wages.
Q: What’s lost in the counter-service model?
A: There’s a fine line between going out to dinner and getting something to eat. To me, at a burger lounge, you are just getting something to eat. Going to a restaurant, there is somebody else taking care of you and there is a social interaction component. That, in time, is what I see being lost. Due to costs, something has got to give and it’s going to be the actual waiter or waitress. Tipping is going to go by the wayside, you are going to see, service charges added to the check, or surcharges or both, and that extra money [will] be divvied up among the staff. The fact that the California Legislature doesn’t recognize tips as wages, as is the case in 45 other states will, in my opinion, slowly, over time, reduce or eliminate full-service dining in this state.
Q: Tell us one of your secrets?
A: Being here every day. Customers like to see the owner busing a table, answering the phone, seating somebody, serving a dish. There’s a certain level of respect or admiration.
ROCCO BIALE PROFILE
Position: Owner, Rocco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
Age: 58
Birthplace: San Francisco
Residence: Walnut Creek
Education: Mt. Diablo High School, Concord
Family: Wife of 30 years, Jacquie, sons Dante and Dominic, daughter Nina and grandson Scotty.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ROCCO BIALE