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SAN JOSE – Logan Couture scored two goals Saturday night as the San Jose Sharks raced to a 4-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in front of 17,189 fans at SAP Center. The win pushed San Jose to 7-6-1 in home games this season. The Sharks,...

Shiny blue street signs are popping up like wildflowers in South

SAN JOSE – San Jose struck for two goals in the third period Saturday night to upend the New York Islanders 3-1 at sold-out SAP Center.The victory gave the Sharks seven of eight possible points over the past four games and moved them into a tie with Vancouver in second place in the Pacific Division. Vancouver comes to SAP Center Thursday before the Sharks embark on a seven-game road trip.The Islanders brought a 6-4 mark into the game, including a 3-2 effort on the road. The visitors managed to skate into the first intermission with a 1-1 deadlock, but after a scoreless second period the Sharks were able to solve goaltender Jaroslav Halak for two goals.New York earned the game’s first goal 8:06 into action. Defenseman Nick Leddy controlled the puck along the left boards into San Jose’s zone before dropping the puck to Kyle Okposo. The right wing slid past one defender and snapped a shot inside the left post past goaltender Antti Niemi.San Jose drew even at 10:23 on a power play. Matt Nieto was able to chip the puck away from Isles defenseman Johnny Boychuk at the New York endboards. Tommy Wingels controlled the loose puck and found Tomas Hertl open for a slapshot from the low slot past an off-balance Halak."(Tomas) had a little more of an intensity in his game," said coach Todd McLellan of Hertl's play. “We were able to keep our shifts short and keep the puck out of our net,” said Wingels of the Sharks’ defensive play.After the teams combined for 11 shots in the second period, San Jose scrambled for a pair of even-strength goals in the third.Logan Couture took the team lead in goals with six when he redirected Justin Braun’s pass over Halak’s left shoulder from a tough angle at the 11:50 mark.James Sheppard connected for his first goal of the season at the end of a 3 on 2 rush at 15:35. Rookie defenseman Mirco Mueller ignited the rush by denying a New York charge into the San Jose zone. Andrew Desjardins came up with the puck and headed up ice. Burnish took a Desjardins pass at right wing, then threaded a pass past one defenseman to a streaking Sheppard for the point-blank goal.Notes: Scott Hannan was honored in a pre-game ceremony for playing his 1,000th NHL game on Oct. 14 in Washington. Hannan was injured in the first period after six shifts and did not return to action…San Jose has won 13 of the past 19 games against the Islanders…Barclay Goodrow was activated Saturday and suited up at forward for his second NHL game.

The numbers of Gilroy residents without homes has changed little, while Santa Clara County’s homeless population increased over the past two years, according to a county report released July 18. The 2019 “Homeless Census and Survey” conducted country-wide in January and February showed a 2...

Perhaps some of the public has a negative stereotype of motorcyclists. Hearing their loud engines, seeing them splitting lanes while speeding down the freeway and reading about the drugs and violence associated with some bike clubs can be rather intimidating.

A local business woman found an innovative way to repurpose an accessory now used by many people and to give back to nonprofit organizations at the same time.Lanyards - thin pieces of cord usually found draped around the necks of students and attached to their school IDs - are  common sights on school and business campuses around the world. An easy way to keep ID cards from being lost, they serve a simple purpose.Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez had the idea to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.A handy way to keep track of those important items, lanyards serve a simple purpose..But Gilroy resident Jamie Hernandez cm to put them to another good use by creating a lanyard that can serve as a safety tool in emergency situations. In return, the lanyards helped Hernandez in her own time of need when she was recovering from a debilitating illness.“I get migraines and I became paralyzed,” she said. “I was in a wheelchair for two and a half years. Then I got better and I wanted to do something that kept me busy.”Hernandez, who is originally from Morgan Hill, taught herself how to knot and tie paracord to create colorful lanyards, key chains, jewelry and other accessories.Paracord - or parachute cord - is a thin rope made of nylon or polyester most commonly used as suspension lines for parachutes, according to www.paracordplanet.com. For each lanyard, Hernandez uses about 30 feet of paracord 550, which can hold up to 550 pounds. The cord never mildews, according to Hernandez.As a former athlete, she knew the safety value of the lanyards.I did a lot of rock climbing before, but then I got sick,” Hernandez said. “A few years ago in 2007 I broke my hand, so I feel fortunate to be able to do this.”Starting as a hobby, Hernandez’ lanyard creations eventually became a business when her daughter, Jasmine Yanez, was on the Gilroy High School wrestling team. The school lost its funding for buses, Hernandez said, so she sold her lanyards at the Mid-California Wrestling Championship Tournament to raise funds for team transportation. She also made all the first place lanyards for each of the 14 weight classes in the two-day tournament.“It’s rewarding because if (the wrestlers) win first place, they get the lanyard and I’ve seen them around town,” Hernandez said. “We put a dog tag on it with their (place) and their class. To see the kids still wearing it, and using it and coming back for more is good.”Hernandez’ new business endeavor, InkBlossom Designs, became a big hit when her daughter left home to pursue her business management degree at Menlo College in Atherton. Yanez took the paracord lanyards to sell to fellow students. By then, Hernandez had added another safety feature: whistles to use to attract attention in case of emergency.The rest of her family also became involved in the business. Hernandez’ son, Solar, helps his mom by measuring and cutting the paracord before she begins knotting the cords for lanyards. And her husband, Steven Hernandez, is charge of sales and marketing.“My husband is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.  “He saw something I like to do and I’ve made it my own.”As her business grows, Hernandez continues to donate 40 percent of her profits to community organizations. To date, InkBlossom Designs has donated a total of more than $3,000 to the Fallen Hero Memorial Scholarship Fund, South Valley Middle School wrestling and cross-country teams, Santa Clara Valley Wrestling Association, Los Gatos Rugby Club, Pop Warner football leagues and Christopher High School sports.“If I can help bring a smile to someone’s face and help an organization, that’s the best thing for me to do,” she said.But Hernandez’ community outreach doesn’t end with InkBlossom Designs. She also volunteers as an assistant coach at South Valley Middle School and created the school’s annual Sumo Feast Fundraiser with dinner, live music and inflatable sumo suits for wrestling.Her contributions are greatly appreciated by the South Valley Middle School staff.“Ms. Hernandez is always around to lend a hand and is a valuable team player,” Athletic Director Jami Reynolds said.

For those of you wondering, as I have been lately, when exactly Daylight Saving Time starts, it’s Sunday, March 9 at 2 a.m. That’s when the clock springs forward for some inexplicable reason and, voila, an extra hour of daylight appears magically and the days grow longer marching toward summer. Leave the clock alone would be my preference. It’s just a weird cultural fluke from days gone by at this point.

I woke on a Wednesday morning in early November with an odd feeling that, like Alice, I had stepped through the looking glass into a strange alternate reality. It was an uneasy feeling, but one for which I knew the perfect tonic: getting out.