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Derek Pesta: Tailoring Financial Solutions for Silicon Valley’s Tech Professionals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

Silicon Valley, California, is the center of the tech world. It’s a landscape continually reshaped as companies create innovative technology, from cool gadgets to powerful software.That’s why Silicon Valley enterprises are different from regular businesses. They require specialized financial plans that understand their rapid growth, big ideas, and global ambitions. They require a different approach to help them use money wisely and stay ahead of the innovation curve.Derek Pesta, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioner, CEO, and Financial Advisor of Pesta & Pesta Wealth Management has carved out a niche by addressing the unique financial needs of tech professionals. He shares why companies in the Valley require a different financial plan.Rapid Growth:Silicon Valley is all about quick growth. Businesses can go from being small startups to massive empires in no time. Regular financial plans might not keep up with their speedy growth. So, they need special financial plans that ...

Brewery Day Trip: Oakland’s Jack London brewing district

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

The latest installment on my Bay Area brewery tour took me to two newer breweries inside what’s becoming known as Oakland’s Jack London brewing district: Cellarmaker Brewing’s Oakland outpost and Dokkaebier.If you plan to make a day of it, you might check out some of the other breweries in the district, which I’ve written about previously, include Buck Wild Brewing (which makes all gluten-free beers), Black-owned brewery Hella Coastal, Line 51 Brewing, Oakland United Beerworks, and Original Pattern Brewing.Cellarmaker Brewing OaklandCellarmaker Brewing Company’s Oakland location near Jack London Square offers a selection of beer, Detroit-style pizza and snacks along with indoor and outdoor seating. (Courtesy Jay R. Brooks) Founded by Connor Casey, Tim Sciascia and Kelly Sciascia in San Francisco in 2013, Cellarmaker opened its new Cellarmaker Oakland in August in the former Blue Bottle roastery. Their beers are unfiltered and dry-hopped, hazy before hazy...

Plastic surgeon sentenced to 15 days in jail in Colorado teen patient’s death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

A Colorado plastic surgeon convicted of attempted reckless manslaughter in the death of a 19-year-old patient was sentenced to 15 days in jail, community service and a fine in Arapahoe County District Court on Thursday.Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 54, faced a maximum of three years in prison for the death of Brighton teenager Emmalyn Nguyen, who went to Kim’s clinic in Greenwood Village for a breast augmentation surgery in August 2019, when she was 18.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | California restaurant worker pleads not guilty to killing woman with a fire extinguisher Crime and Public Safety | California man charged with filming himself kill homeless man during jog Crime and Public Safety | Two arrested in Oakland shooting that killed mother of two who was struck by stray bullet Crime and Public Safety | Emotional Oakland court hearing sees pleas for mercy from murder victim’s family, then a life sentence Crime a...

Former office manager faces 30 years in federal prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

(KRON) – Jairo Tomas Santos pleaded guilty in San Francisco federal court to bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp on Monday.Santos, 42, admitted to embezzling more than $1.1 million from his employer, a San Francisco-based law firm. Santos worked as the office manager for the law firm. As a part of the scheme, Santos obtained checks from the law firm, filled out the payee line of those checks, addressed them to “Jairo Santos,” and signed each check with the signature of the law firm’s senior partner despite the fact that Santos was not authorized to do so. Santos then deposited these checks into his personal checking accounts at Wells Fargo Bank.  Verdict reached in San Carlos samurai sword murder trial According to his plea agreement, Santos began embezzling from his employer in March 2016 and continued through February 2023.According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Santo...

Silicon Valley congresswoman Anna Eshoo expected to retire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

(BCN) -- For the first time in two decades, a Silicon Valley congressmember is poised to retire and shake up the South Bay's political landscape -- with many local Democrats reportedly eyeing the seat.Multiple sources in Sacramento and Silicon Valley told San Jose Spotlight that Rep. Anna Eshoo plans to end her three-decade congressional career at the end of her term in 2024. Sources said the official announcement is coming in a matter of weeks. Former office manager faces 30 years in federal prison Eshoo, who earned notoriety for spearheading cybersecurity, innovation and high-tech legislation, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 after serving on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for a decade.Her retirement marks a monumental shift in Silicon Valley politics. Eshoo is a powerhouse politician who rose through the ranks as a senior member earning coveted committee assignments in Washington on health care, energy and commerce. As news spread about Eshoo'...

Serbia and Croatia expel diplomats and further strain relations between the Balkan neighbors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia and Croatia each have expelled a diplomat from the other country, a move that further strains relations between the two former wartime foes and Balkan rivals.The Serbian Foreign Affairs Ministry said Monday that the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade was proclaimed persona non grata for his alleged “gross stepping outside the framework of diplomatic norms” during his service.In a reciprocal move, Croatia expelled a Serbian diplomat on Tuesday.“We have decided that the adviser of the Embassy of Serbia in Croatia, Petar Novakovic, should be declared persona non grata in Croatia,” Croatia’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said.Media close to the populist Serbian government said the Croatian diplomat, identified as Hrvoje Snajder, is accused of “spying activities” and “recruiting” of people for Croatian secret services.The Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs rejected the grounds for the diplomat’s expulsion a...

A vehicle rams into a victory celebration for Liberia’s president-elect, killing 3 and injuring 17

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — A speeding vehicle rammed into jubilant supporters of President-elect Joseph Boakai at a victory celebration, killing at least three people and injuring at least 17 others, authorities said Tuesday.Police made an arrest following the crash late Monday but withheld the name of the suspect pending their investigation, said Col. Melvin Sackor, deputy police inspector general for operations.It was not immediately known whether the crash at the headquarters of the Unity Party in Monrovia was politically motivated. However, it took place hours after election officials formally declared Boakai the winner of a Nov. 14 runoff presidential election.According to the National Elections Commission, Boakai won with 50.64% of the second round balloting while incumbent President George Weah took 49.36%.Weah already conceded defeat several days earlier based on the release of provisional results, and urged his supporters to respect the vote’s outcome.Source

Las primeras medidas anunciadas por Javier Milei como presidente electo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

(CNN Español) — A menos de 24 horas de ganar con más de 11 puntos de ventaja sobre el oficialista Sergio Massa, el presidente electo de Argentina, Javier Milei, comenzó a dar sus primeras definiciones de lo que serán las medidas de su gobierno a partir del 10 de diciembre cuando asuma el cargo.Ya lo había anticipado en su discurso de este domingo por la noche. “No hay lugar para el gradualismo, para la tibieza, ni para medias tintas. Si no avanzamos rápido nos dirigimos a la peor crisis de toda nuestra historia”, advirtió tras los resultados que le dieron el triunfo.¿Quién fue Juan Bautista Alberdi, el pensador liberal en el que se inspira Milei?En declaraciones a medios locales este lunes, comenzó a dar sus primeras definiciones sobre la posible privatización de empresas y medios públicos, un sistema de “voucher” en salud y educación, cepo cambiario, tarifas y también planteó los primeros nombres de su equipo.Además, anticipó que antes de asumir la presidencia, vi...

South African leader accuses Israel of war crimes. Putin and Xi strike more cautious note at meeting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accused Israel of war crimes and acts “tantamout to genocide” in Gaza during a virtual meeting of leaders of developing countries including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Ramaphosa also condemned Hamas for its attack on Israeli civilians that sparked the conflict and said both sides were guilty of violating international law.“The collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime,” Ramaphosa said at the start of the meeting of leaders and top diplomats from the BRICS bloc of countries. “The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide.”“In its attacks on civilians and by taking hostages, Hamas has also violated international law and must be held accountable for these actions,” Ramaphosa said.Putin and Xi struck more cautious notes, calling for a cease-fire and th...

2 Riverdale Elementary School students fatally struck in Prince George’s Co. crosswalk identified

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:41:09 GMT

The scene of a crash nearby Riverdale Elementary School on Nov. 20.(Courtesy 7 News/SkyTrak7) The scene of a crash nearby Riverdale Elementary School on Nov. 20.(Courtesy 7 News/SkyTrak7) A 5-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl died Monday after being struck by a van while walking to their elementary school in Prince George’s County, Maryland.During a news conference Tuesday, police identified the children as Shalom Mbah, 10, and Sky Sosa, 5, both of Riverdale.The Riverdale Elementary School students were in a crosswalk at the intersection of Riverdale Road and Taylor Road with a male relative when they were hit by a van attempting to make a left turn at around 8 a.m.Officers provided medical attention to th...