And then, there's a bearded fetus.

Posted by Nate Gartrell

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/after-federal-prison-sentence-feds-accuse-nicks-lighthouse-owner-of-lying-to-judge/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387614

SAN FRANCISCO — The owner of a popular Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant has been sentenced to federal prison in a bribery scheme, but prosecutors are now accusing him of getting a lighter prison term through deceit.

On Nov. 20, Nick’s Lighthouse owner Min Ki Paik, also known as James Paik, 65, was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and tax evasion, court records show. But now federal prosecutors have filed court papers asking him to be taken into custody immediately for allegedly lying to the court about the restaurant’s closure.

“Paik stood before this Court and said that he had had accepted responsibility for his crimes, he was remorseful, and that he had ‘learned a lesson I will never forget,'” according to a Dec. 16 prosecution motion. “Mr. Paik’s actions here demonstrate that none of that was true.”

Chief among Paik’s alleged lies were that his restaurant and sole source of income was closed, prosecutors said. But on Nov. 25, the FBI staked out the joint and saw Paik sweeping the floors of his still-open eatery, the motion says. Later, prosecutors learned Paik had an additional source of income in the form of a second restaurant, according to court records.

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin, who sentenced Paik, gave him until March to turn himself in, court records show. Prosecutors want that date bumped up to now, and are set to appear in court on Jan. 8 to argue it.

Paik and his wife, Hye Paik, 62, were charged in late 2023 with paying cash bribes on four separate occasions during their bid to acquire the vacant properties that once housed Pompei’s Grotto and Lou’s Fish Shack, two popular restaurants that announced they were closing that year.

“I fully understand the seriousness of my actions. This case forced me to reflect on my choices and take a honest look at myself and who I want to be for the rest of my life,” James Paik said in an apology letter to the court. “I live every day with regret and a strong desire to make things right. I am committed to taking responsibility and rebuilding the trust I have broken.”

His representation that he’d lost his restaurant and income was “one of the primary reasons” the federal probation office recommended a lower sentence from his guideline range of 18-24 months, prosecutors said in court filings.

Charges against Hye Parik are still pending. On Nov. 26, the day after the FBI stakeout of Nick’s Lighthouse, the SF Standard reported that the Port of San Francisco terminated the restaurant’s lease and it had been vacated.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/after-federal-prison-sentence-feds-accuse-nicks-lighthouse-owner-of-lying-to-judge/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387614

Posted by Rick Hurd

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/measles-case-confirmed-in-contra-costa-county-walnut-creek-lafayette/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387489

MARTINEZ — A person who was out in public in the days before Christmas and who visited a hospital emergency room in Walnut Creek has been confirmed to have measles, health officials in Contra Costa County said Monday.

RELATED: Vaccines, masks and more: What CDC recommends for holiday travelers

The exposure to the public came from Dec. 17 to Dec. 24. Those who are unvaccinated, pregnant or immunocompromised and exposed could develop measles within one to three weeks of their exposure.

In a statement, Contra Costa Health Services said the person may have exposed others to the disease in six Walnut Creek stores. The person was at the Anthropologie in the 1100 block of South Main Street on Dec. 17 or 19. On Dec. 18, the person visited the Apple Store in the 1200 block of South Main Street and ALO and Macy’s in the 1200 and 1300 blocks of Broadway Plaza, respectively.

The person went to the STAT Med urgent care in the 3700 block of Mount Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette on Dec. 21. On Dec. 23 and 24, the person was at the Kaiser Permanente emergency room in the 1400 block of South Main Street.

Health officials advised anyone who visited those locations on those days to confirm with their healthcare provider that that have been fully vaccinated against measles or have had a measles infection previously. Those who develop symptoms were urged to stay home and call a healthcare provider immediately.

Those officials also urged anyone without a vaccination to get immunized with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. The respiratory virus lingers in the air or on surfaces for more than an hour after a contagious person leaves the area, they said

Anyone symptom-free for more than 21 days after exposure is considered no longer at risk.

The United States has seen outbreaks of measles recently in West Texas and South Carolina as more people choose not to receive vaccinations or give them to their children.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/measles-case-confirmed-in-contra-costa-county-walnut-creek-lafayette/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387489

Posted by Steven Finacom

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/berkeley-a-look-back-citys-streets-mostly-calm-on-new-years-eve-1925/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387499&preview=true&preview_id=12387499

A century ago, Berkeley had a fairly calm New Year’s Eve, which fell on a Thursday that dawned with fair weather and “not much change in temperature, light variable winds,” according to the Berkeley Daily Gazette’s front page.

Most rowdy New Year’s Eve celebrations were in San Francisco and Oakland — and more than a few Berkeleyans traveled to each to partake — but local streets were calm. There were no traffic accidents, but five drivers were cited for going over the speed limit early New Year’s Day. One inebriated man was found wandering the streets without trousers, and the police obligingly helped him find his way home without a citation.

This week’s column includes a photo of the top of the Gazette’s Jan. 1,1926, front page so readers can see what the local boosterish press was highlighting as 1925 accomplishments. Among them were the rapid pace of home building and a large expansion in factory production. Back then, Berkeley still emphatically saw itself as a manufacturing and business center.

Thank you: As I do each year, I want to note the origins of this weekly column. Carl Wilson began writing it for the Berkeley Voice back in the 1980s. Carl was followed by Kenneth Cardwell, who ably continued the work. Cardwell eventually asked for someone to take over the column’s summer editions since he spent that season away from Berkeley in Inverness.

I volunteered and after a few summer sessions transitioned to writing the column year-round. Wilson and Cardwell served in the role of the Berkeley Historical Society’s archivist. Both were careful researchers and writers and made significant contributions to the study and preservation of local history.

How many years have I written the column? As a community historian, I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember exactly which summer I began working on it (I will look it up some time), but it now feels like it’s been a quarter-century or more. I would guess I’ve researched and prepared more than 1,300 columns. That seems like a huge amount but wasn’t so difficult when you research and write them to exactly 600 words one at a time.

I’ve made only one major change to the column approach, and that was switching from the original “75 years ago” format to a century past a few years ago. That was done for practical reasons, since access to physical copies of the old Berkeley Gazette is difficult past the mid-1940s, but it also let me delve back into an era that’s of major interest, the period when Berkeley grew so quickly right after “the Great War” (World War I).

All through that process a succession of Berkeley Voice editors have been excellent partners in this history work. I very much value a good editor, one who can ask the right questions, spot mistakes that need correction and remain friendly, firm and encouraging with a wide variety of writers. All the editors I’ve worked with at the Voice have been in that mold, up to and including the current Nate Jackson.

I also appreciate the Bay Area News Group for providing space for the column for so many years, an era when print journalism has faced so many changes and challenges. I also thank the Berkeley Historical Society and Museum’s Tom Edwards, who saves hard copies of the Voice for me each week.

Finally, thank you to the readers who like the column and find it enjoyable. You are a major reason I continue to enjoy doing it. I hope in 2026 it will remain an intriguing and useful read.

Bay Area native and Berkeley community historian Steven Finacom holds this column’s copyright.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/berkeley-a-look-back-citys-streets-mostly-calm-on-new-years-eve-1925/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387499&preview=true&preview_id=12387499

Posted by Darren Sabedra

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/vote-now-bay-area-news-group-boys-athlete-of-the-week-175/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12386643

Editor’s note: We prohibit the use of bots and any other artificial methods of voting. Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll. No voting by email: Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.

Welcome to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) boys athlete of the week poll.

For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner.

This week, we consider performances from Dec. 22-27.

Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting.

Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.

Scroll to the bottom for the poll.

Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections.

Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.

We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday.

We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.

On to the nominees:

Bernardo Chaparro, Hillsdale soccer: The senior scored the only goal in a 1-0 nonleague victory over Leland, which improved the Knights’ record to 4-1-2.

Isaiah Clendinen, Moreau Catholic basketball: The junior finished with 26 points — one off his season high — to lead Moreau to a 57-52 victory over Madison-San Diego. The win improved the Mariners’ record to 9-1.

Alberto De Bernardis, Sacred Heart Prep basketball: The junior scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting as the Gators defeated Bear Creek 59-51 to snap a four-game losing streak.

Cooper Largent, Alhambra basketball: The 6-foot-3 senior had 29 points as the Bulldogs edged Stuart Hall 60-57 to win the South City tournament. Alhambra improved to 8-3.

Dionysis Maroudas, Los Gatos basketball: The senior scored 15 points to lead the red-hot Wildcats to a 74-45 rout of Hillsdale. Los Gatos began this week 8-1 on the season.

Ahmari Otis, Pinole Valley basketball: The senior averaged 17 points in wins over Vallejo, Vacaville, Oak Park and San Luis Obispo as Pinole Valley improved to 11-0. He had 23 points in a 77-51 rout of Oak Park.

Aztlan Santana, Fremont-Sunnyvale basketball: The junior led the way with 15 points as the Firebirds rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Capuchino 52-46 in nonleague play. Fremont trailed 42-32 after three quarters.

Devin Turner, St. Francis basketball: The junior had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, four assists and three rebounds as the Lancers defeated Watsonville 70-52 in a nonleague game. St. Francis began this week 7-2 on the season.

Alexander Villarce, Ygnacio Valley soccer: The senior scored two goals in a 4-1 victory over Freedom in nonleague play. The result improved Ygnacio Valley’s record to 4-1.

Romyn Waugh, Oakland basketball: In wins during the week over Fort Lauderdale-Florida, Clark-Las Vegas, Envision Academy and Campolindo, the 6-7 senior averaged 16.8 points per game as the Wildcats improved to 9-3.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/vote-now-bay-area-news-group-boys-athlete-of-the-week-175/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12386643

Posted by John Metcalfe

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/cirque-du-soleils-echo-provides-thrills-strange-animals-one-big-cube/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12380144

High-flying acrobats, insane puppetry and performers clad in weird animal masks – so many animal masks, from rams to koalas to parrots – you know that Cirque du Soleil is back in town.

For its production of “Echo,” on tour since 2023, the Canadian entertainment troupe has settled on San Francisco’s Oracle Park for its wonderment headquarters. How to describe the plot of this surreal show? Well, the heroes seem to be a woman named Future and Dog, her human-canine hybrid companion. They’re wandering through a world populated by beasts of nature and extraordinary physical savants, and everyone seems to be in thrall of The Cube – a literal and mysterious box hunkered at stage center that will, in time, reveal a stupendous secret.

Does that make sense? Does anything in the modern world? What is certain is the 125 minute-long “Echo” provides the thrills people have come to expect from Cirque du Soleil, from tight-rope walking to body-juggling gymnasts to a balancing act that’ll give you new respect for the humble cardboard box.

The show is produced to the fine detail, designed to awe and — given the risky antics of its performers — one you hope provides good health-care benefits.

Details: Runs until Jan. 18 at Under the Big Top, Oracle Park, Parking Lot A, San Francisco; tickets start at $58, for info visit cirquedusoleil.com

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/cirque-du-soleils-echo-provides-thrills-strange-animals-one-big-cube/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12380144

Posted by Curtis Pashelka

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/team-canada-exec-talks-macklin-celebrini-as-final-olympic-roster-decisions-loom/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387030

SAN JOSE — Sharks center Macklin Celebrini was the youngest of the 42 men’s players invited to take part in Hockey Canada’s National Teams Orientation Camp in Calgary this summer, the first step for most toward gaining a precious spot on the country’s star-studded Olympic roster.

Four months later, after a historic start to the season, Celebrini’s place on what’s sure to be a stacked Canadian team appears all but assured.

Entering the Sharks’ game against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, Celebrini, 19, is third in the NHL in scoring with 57 points in 38 games. He’s either scored or assisted on roughly half of the Sharks’ goals this season and has arguably been the biggest reason why the team began the day in a playoff spot.

Celebrini had 55 points before Christmas, tying an NHL record set by Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby in 2006-07 for the most points by a teenager before the holiday break.

In other words, with Canada’s 25-man roster set to be revealed Wednesday morning, what more could he have done?

“He’s an amazing young player,” said Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill, also one of the assistant GMs for Canada’s Olympic men’s team, of Celebrini. “He’s got a great future ahead of him.”

Still, there are plenty of reasons to believe Celebrini can help Canada win a gold medal now.

Nill and other members of Canada’s management group, or anyone else who has followed Celebrini throughout this season or during his burgeoning NHL career, know that his game is not all about offense. His 200-foot game, backchecking, and compete level make him a player who doesn’t necessarily have to score to be effective, making him a good fit for a Canadian team that will not lack offensive firepower.

“He’s becoming one of the top players in the league scoring-wise, but it’s the other intangibles that he does,” Nill told Bay Area News Group earlier this month. “He plays the game the right way, and that’s, for a young guy, you don’t see very many young guys who play like that.”

Celebrini, of course, didn’t just come out of nowhere in his bid to earn an Olympic roster spot. Although Celebrini was tied for second in rookie scoring last season with 63 points in 70 games, league scouts and executives had known for years that he was going to be a special player.

In 2022-23, Celebrini was the USHL’s leading scorer with 86 points in 50 games. Then, a few months before he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Sharks in June 2024, Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in men’s college hockey after an outstanding freshman season at Boston University.

Canadian general manager Doug Armstrong explicitly said in August that there wasn’t an age requirement to be named to the Olympic roster. Still, has Nill been surprised by what Celebrini has been able to do this season?

“It surprises you, but it’s not surprising,” Nill said. “I’ve seen him ever since he was a younger lad for the draft and stuff. He’s just got those intangibles. He plays the game the right way, does the right things on and off the ice.

“He’s in the mix. We’ve still got some tough decisions to make, but he’s definitely put himself in the mix, which is a compliment to him, for sure.”

Celebrini, of course, would be honored to represent his country in Milano-Cortina once the Olympic Games begin in February. But he’s tried to avoid thinking about the possibility too much, with his focus being on helping the Sharks win games.

“Throughout this process, I haven’t really thought about it because I can’t control what they’re going to do and the decisions they make,” Celebrini said on Hockey Night in Canada after the Sharks’ 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. “All I can control is the way I kind of approach every day and trying to help my team win night in and night out.”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/29/team-canada-exec-talks-macklin-celebrini-as-final-olympic-roster-decisions-loom/

https://www.mercurynews.com/?p=12387030