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Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii talks history-making election, pride and more

Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii talks history-making election, pride and more

Yahoo31-05-2025
Newly elected Mayor of Berkeley, Adena Ishii— the youngest woman to ever be elected to the role—spoke KTVU's André Senior to discuss her first few months in office.
Mayor Ishii is only 34 years old, and she's the first Asian American to serve as mayor in the East Bay city.
Calling the role "the best job I've ever had", Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii says she sees the job of being the first Asian American in the role as a big responsibility.
"I've heard from some young folks that it's been very inspiring to see someone that looks like them serve in this office, and it's been very exciting to pave the way," Ishii said. "And also a responsibility…and make sure that I'm not the last one, making sure that I'm the first of many."
Ishii discussed the history of the Asian Americans who lived in South Berkeley in formerly red-lined neighborhoods. She hopes that her being in office gives more people a chance to hear the rich history of Asian Americans, especially in the Bay Area.
"I'm someone who cares a lot, making sure that we have enough housing in our city, that we have safe streets for everyone. And I think that these are issues that really resonated with folks, not just my identity, I think that's potentially a part of it, but the issues that I care about," Ishii said.
Ishii discussed issues of homelessness, housing affordability as well as public safety. She says she hopes the community can tackle those issues with compassion.
"I'm very proud to be able to represent younger generations and also my community." -Mayor Adena Ishii
The Mayor invited the community to join the City of Berkeley in celebrating LGBTQ Pride for the first time this coming August.
"I think it's so important that we celebrate, especially now, having a federal administration that has been very critical and threatening of the LGBTQ community. I'm excited that we can share that pride and that joy. That in itself is a kind of rebellion. I'm thrilled that our city is going to be able to provide that safe space to have that celebration," Ishii said.
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Mayor Adams vetoes bills boosting NYC grocery delivery worker wages after lobbying by Amazon, Instacart
Mayor Adams vetoes bills boosting NYC grocery delivery worker wages after lobbying by Amazon, Instacart

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time18 minutes ago

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Mayor Adams vetoes bills boosting NYC grocery delivery worker wages after lobbying by Amazon, Instacart

Mayor Adams vetoed two City Council bills late Wednesday that would boost minimum wages for grocery delivery workers to more than $20 an hour — a move that came after his top aide, Randy Mastro, launched an internal advocacy effort against the measures, according to sources familiar with the matter. The mayor, whose own Department of Consumer and Worker Protection commissioner lauded the bills as recently as late last year, had until midnight Wednesday to veto the measures or they would have lapsed into law. With just over six hours to go until the deadline, Adams announced he had used his veto pen to block both bills, arguing they would result in higher grocery prices — an issue that has become a big focus on this year's mayoral campaign trail. In a statement, Adams argued the increased wage requirements would result in grocery delivery companies jacking up prices on their customers, which he said includes seniors, people with disabilities and SNAP beneficiaries. 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Targeting officials in Adams' office and at the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, Amazon and Instacart have made the same argument that the measures would result in higher grocery prices for their customers and also warned of potential layoffs of delivery workers. 'We thank Mayor Adams for recognizing this reality,' Tom McNeil, Instacart's senior government affairs manager, said after his vetoes. Council Democrats passed the two bills with veto-proof majorities, meaning they could move to override the mayor's attempt to block them. Julia Agos, a spokeswoman for Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, said after the vetoes that the chamber's Dems are 'considering our next steps' and 'will always stand up for workers in our city.' Agos also accused the mayor of 'parroting inaccurate talking points' about increased grocery costs. Supporters of the bills have argued third-party delivery platforms would face increased costs, not grocery stores. 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Judge Orders ICE Facility To Stop Forcing Detainees To Sleep On The Floor
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Taylor Swift joins Travis and Jason Kelce on ‘New Heights' podcast: What we learned
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time20 minutes ago

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Taylor Swift joins Travis and Jason Kelce on ‘New Heights' podcast: What we learned

In one of the most highly anticipated sports and pop culture crossovers of the year, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce hosted his girlfriend, pop megastar Taylor Swift, on a new episode of his podcast 'New Heights,' with his brother, Jason. With more than 1 million people on the podcast's YouTube channel, the conversation veered between Swift's discussion of her new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl.' It has been a big week for both Swift and Travis Kelce: On Tuesday morning at 12:12 a.m. ET, Swift announced the upcoming release of her new album. Later that morning, GQ dropped its September cover, featuring Travis Kelce, along with a long profile and a dozen highly stylized photos. Advertisement The Athletic counts dozens of Swifties among its staff. To make sense of the episode and increase your 'sports x culture' social currency throughout the discourse following the episode's release, Jayna Bardahl, Charlotte Carroll and Hannah Vanbiber provided these key takeaways: Taylor knows ball Finding out that Swift is the one who told Kelce the Chiefs drafted Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 draft is exactly the football info I needed from this episode! That she became 'obsessed' with the sport is even more exciting for all of the football loving Swifties and those who embraced the sport as a result of her – which we know there were quite a few fans who became Kansas City and NFL followers because of her. It's quite wild hearing her journey to finding the sport when I reported a piece on the crossover after she attended her first appearance at a Chiefs game back in September 2023. This quote from Ian Trombetta, NFL SVP of social and influencer marketing, still feels so relevant: 'We knew it was going to be a culture moment like we haven't seen (in some time).' Two years later, that moment is still in progress. – Charlotte Carroll Swift's football fandom (with an Easter Egg?) We got a good laugh out of Swift admitting her lack of football knowledge when she first met Travis. 'I thought it was like Jared Goff is here and Josh Allen is here, and they blow a whistle and they go at each other,' Swift said. But I also think we can take a lot from Travis' reaction. He didn't belittle her. He smiled with her and said he understood why she wouldn't know the rules if she didn't follow the sport before. That's a great way to welcome new fans to sports, or any of our interests, for that matter. And then of course, Swift had to flex the football IQ she's gained since then: 'We're talking about Cover 2, Cover 4, Cover 0, man coverage,' she said. 'I'm not ready to be an analyst right now, but give me 16 months.' Was that an Easter Egg? Swift is rarely random in her comments, especially with numbers. Mark Dec. 2026 on the calendar, the month of her 37th birthday. — Jayna Bardahl Taylor Swift says she "became obsessed" with the NFL since she started dating Travis Kelce. Exhibit A: — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 13, 2025 Sports documentary? I feel kind of how I felt when I watched 'The Last Dance': A unique, new look behind the scenes of an all-time great. Taylor Swift has written about love for her entire career. This is the first time we're seeing her actually in love in real time. It's quite a moment for a lifelong Swiftie. But then, too, there's something here for everyone, where they smartly frame their connection around their competitive natures. Advertisement 'Who would be that stubborn?' Taylor asks about her re-recording project, to knowing laughter from both Kelces. 'I knew she had that bad kid in her,' Travis says, with Jason correcting him: 'Savvy kid.' — Hannah Vanbiber Pop star = Athlete, competitor, elite performer A lot of the pod was about the connective tissue between being a star athlete and being a pop star. You can almost hear them correcting the idea that being a pop star isn't one of the most physically and mentally grueling jobs in the world: Being an elite athlete and an elite performer is hard, it takes grit, it takes perfectionism, it takes defiance and a crazy competitive drive. Travis emphasized the dedication, intelligence and grit he sees in Taylor's approach to her work — like any athlete who wants to be the GOAT in their sport. 'I've seen how you make music. The effort, the strategy behind even one album. And you've been doing this your whole life.' 'We compare physical therapy stories,' Taylor said, comparing the conditioning and physical demands of being on tour to Travis being in season with the NFL. When she insisted she was not an athlete, both Kelces immediately cut her off: 'Don't say that.' 'Field, stage, they're the same thing, we just call them different things,' Swift said. 'In the Eras tour and seeing the power skip, I knew you were an athlete,' Travis said. 'Not everybody can power-skip in heels.' I'd like to see an NFL player perform for three hours in heels. And then do it again the following night. – Vanbiber Super Bowl Halftime Show mentioned Swift is talking about her introduction to sports, which was mostly hearing her dad yell about the Eagles (she's from Pennsylvania) while she was upstairs writing music and learning guitar. She said she would go to sporting events as a kid to sing the national anthem. And that she watched every Super Bowl HALFTIME, but not the game. I'd like to see her do either on the NFL field. — Bardahl Advertisement Travis Kelce: A man of the people Travis was playing video games when Taylor walked in to tell him she'd bought back her masters. He put his headset down and said, 'Guys, I gotta go.' I love how the brothers so deeply understood her quest to get back her masters; from one competitor to another: 'It's how your legacy is shaped.' They love seeing her win. She got that dog in her. — Vanbiber 'Swiftie Semiotics' 🤝 Sports Analytics The only thing in the world that compares to the intensity of Swiftie Easter-egg hunting, numerology, signs and symbols? (I call it 'Swiftie Semiotics.') People in their fantasy football league. — Vanbiber Travis — who has played in stadiums around the world — says it was nothing like being on stage during the Eras Tour. Taylor brought him out on stage at Wembley in London. He said he felt as small as an ant and basically blacked out. 'Don't drop her, just don't drop her,' he said. — Vanbiber Taylor watched Jason meet the Royal Family Oh, to be a fly on that wall! She says she just looked on as he tried to decide whether or not to put a beer down; the beer is more authentic, but could be disrespectful?? Lmao — Vanbiber One benefit of Swift being on-screen during NFL games? Travis finally got to see his family in the suite! — Vanbiber Both emphasize family It hits me yet again that Taylor, like me, is a Millennial, entering into the stage of life where it becomes necessary to care for parents. Even the most famous woman in the world gets those scary calls in the middle of the night. Loved her saying her dad, after surviving a huge heart surgery, joked: 'I come from a competitive family.' — Vanbiber 'Are you bready for it?' Swift revealed in her free time from the Eras tour – somehow in the middle of releasing her 12th album in the same 24 hours that we all have — that she's gotten into sourdough. She's just like us, wonderful bread puns included. Except she's sending her loaves to Travis at training camp. Swift is even workshopping funfetti sourdough for Jason's daughters who love the rainbow colors. As Swift said herself, 'It's a loaf story, baby just say yeast.' – Carroll Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle

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