Summer’s just around the bend. At long last, we can collectively exhale in anticipation — and hope — that Summer 2021 will be different from Summer 2020. Here’s to rediscovering old places, delighting in new ones and reconnecting with friends and family with greater appreciation as we recapture time lost and settle into a new normal that just might be better than before.

Yearning to bond 

So much time lost. So many of us wanting to gather with loved ones again. What’s it been like and where do we go from here? Julia Prodis Sulek describes the longing to reconnect after more than a year in pandemic isolation, as hearts swell with hope. And, with Memorial Day upon us and pandemic restrictions being lifted, many are anxious to re-embrace their summer traditions. Family reunions on the beach. Backyard barbecues. Block parties. Maybe even a parade.

Our new normal  

With the pandemic turning our lives upside down, our social life has taken quite a hit. How has it changed, what have we done to adapt, and what pandemic habits have become new social norms? Not to mention that for many, anxiety still lingers. And, of course, let’s not forget those ever so important social guidelines we should heed as we return to some semblance of normalcy. Martha Ross explains all this and more with tips on how to deal with those awkward social situations.

Shows, lights, action 

So we really can finally go out and enjoy concerts, theaters and other fun things? Jim Harrington says yes. We explore what to expect as we return to in-person entertainment and learn what we can look forward to this summer.

Alfresco anyone?

As restaurants adapt to the pandemic mode of dining, more people are expected to continue feasting outdoors — a trend likely to remain — at least through the near future as many are still dealing with unprecedented changes in staffing, safety, menus, hours and business models necessitated by COVID-19 rules. And those popular parklets that became omnipresent during the pandemic, have you ever wondered just how they get built? We tell you how here in a Q&A with an expert.

Retail rebound

For the past year, retail stores — large and small –– have been forced to become creative to stay afloat, trying new ideas that they hope attract customers to return. And, while the pandemic left many stores reeling, there has been a bit of a silver lining ”  Marisa Kendall tells us what it is and what’s in and what is out.

Staying Covid-safe

Sure, many restrictions are lifted, but there are definitely precautions you should be mindful of as you travel and venture out this summer, as Lisa Krieger writes. Should you travel? And how?

Emily DeRuy also explains how the pandemic has affected our health –– physical, mental and emotional and how to move forward from here.

And, ouch, that chair, laptop and makeshift desk. So many sudden aches and pains as we work from home. Maggie Angst interviews an expert who shares her tips on how to improve our work space.

Coming Wednesday 

Let’s play ball  — and cricket

Jon Becker recounts what parents — and players — missed most about playing ball, as Elliott Almond describes how the pandemic affected the passionate game of cricket in the Bay Area.

…Plus

Festivals and fairs — yes, some of our old favorites will be back, albeit in a different mode in certain cases…and others, unfortunately,  won’t. Let’s find out what. And, learn the inventive ways festival organizers are planning for the coming summer.

Korb had served as assistant county counsel since 2010.

“Orry is the right choice at the right time. He offers stability and expertise for the Office of County Counsel,” said Board of Supervisors President Ken Yeager in a news release.

In a statement, Korb said, “I welcome the opportunity to serve as the Board of Supervisor’s chief legal advisor, and it is a privilege to work with the staff of one of the best public law offices in the nation.”

As assistant county counsel, Korb supervised several attorneys and advised the board on a broad range of issues, from land use to environment.

During his Santa Clara County tenure, Korb has supervised redevelopment-related litigation. He also represented the county in its successful opposition to a petition seeking to remove Measure A from the ballot of the November 2012 general election, where the measure was approved by the voters.

Before coming to Santa Clara County, Korb, 57, who lives in Santa Cruz County, served for 13 years as the attorney for Los Gatos. He also previously worked as as the city attorney in Galt.

Pedro Castellon Medina, 31, is being sought in the killings of Marybel Jimenez, 27, and Pedro Jimenez, 28, whom authorities officially identified on Wednesday.

Medina, a San Jose resident, may already be in Los Angeles, San Fernando, or San Diego, said police, who also think he may be attempting to flee to Mexico and using aliases to avoid detection.

Wednesday, the family said that Medina had previously dated Marybel Jimenez. The Jimenezes had broken up and recently united.

“She just met this guy, but then they decided to go back together and I think that’s when things happened,” said Espinoza, adding that she met the suspect a couple times but they did not have much conversation.

“He looked kind of like he was not all there, but my sister never really said anything about it,” Espinoza said.

“I wish I could have done more, but unfortunately sometimes things happen like that. I just hope he’s caught and pays for what he’s done.”

Authorities found the couple just before dawn at their apartment on the 300 block of N. 7th Street as neighbors consoled the pair’s three children who were inside when the assailant struck.

Monday’s shooting was San Jose’s 21st and 22nd homicides this year.

If the suspect is spotted, authorities say, people, should call 9-1-1 and not try to stop him as he is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Stewart Davies or Detective Brian Spears in the San Jose Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (408)277-5283. Those who want to remain anonymous may call Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at (408)947-STOP(7867) or visit www.svcrimestoppers.org and be eligible for a reward.

“A seizure of this magnitude is extremely rare,” said Special Agent Casey Rettig, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Palo Alto police made the discovery during an investigation of stolen iPads Thursday.

After receiving a tip about the stolen items, Palo Alto police went to The Woods apartment complex in the 4400 block of The Woods Drive in San Jose and noticed a large amount of methamphetamine during an initial search of the residence.

They immediately contacted San Jose police, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and the DEA.

Armed with a search warrant, authorities uncovered what they believed was a methamphetamine conversion laboratory, in which the drug is converted from powder to an “ice” or crystal form. Ice methamphetamine has an appearance that is often described as that of broken glass or shattered ice and is ingested by smoking.

DEA chemists, suited up in protective gear, processed the drugs at the apartment.

The drugs were then transported in large boxes to DEA labs where they were further analyzed.

Several undisclosed stolen items also were confiscated, and three people, whose names were not released, were arrested on drug violations, Rettig said. “It’s still a very fluid situation, so we’re not releasing more information.”

Last Friday, police received a report that Michael Evans of Morgan Hill had been sexually involved with the girl during a three-week span. So officers devised a plan to meet him at Starbucks. Once there, police asked him to return to the department for questioning.

Evans then told police “he could not go back to jail,” and suddenly bolted, forcing police to chase him on foot, according to police.

Evan ran in front of a van on Highway 101 and was struck but managed to get up and run again, police said.

He was finally apprehended a short time later.

Evans was subsequently booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Morgan Hill Police Department Detective Carson Thomas at 408-779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at 408-947-7867.

His identity was not released.

Monday’s strike comes after a national report indicated that planes flying in and out of Mineta San Jose International Airport were struck 80 times last year — the third most targeted airport in the country.

It’s unknown how big of a problem laser pointing is at Reid Hillview. But a recent Federal Aviation Administration report said the number of incidents dealing with lasers being pointed at planes and helicopters in the U.S. nearly doubled in 2010.

Experts say pointing pen-sized lasers at cockpits can temporarily blind pilots or even permanently damage their eyesight.

Monday’s incident happened at 6:36 p.m. when a green laser about a mile away struck a small aircraft, said San Jose Police Sgt. Jason Dwyer.

When the pilot notified airport officials, police were immediately called. A police helicopter was able to isolate the suspect location after the laser struck the chopper.

Officers subsequently went to the 1200 block of Pipe Dream, where they took the suspect into custody, and he could possibly be charged with a felony.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued Tuesday night for Jose Esteban Rodriguez, 27 after he abducted Juliani Cardenas in Patterson, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities plan Friday to use sonar to continue searching a canal in Stanislaus County for the car linked to the kidnapping of the boy.

Authorities, initially thought Rodriguez was headed to San Jose because his mother lives here, but so far a search for him has turned up empty and the search has widened to the rest of the state.

“I’m really scared and nervous because I don’t know what’s going to happen to my son,” Donna Avila told the San Francisco television station, KPIX.

Rodriguez allegedly pulled into the driveway of a Patterson home and abducted Cardenas while he was with his grandmother in the garage. The boy’s mother and Rodriguez had been together for two years, but she had not seen Rodriguez for six months, according to Stanislaus County Sheriff’s spokesman Royjindar Singh.

Authorities do not have a possible motive for the abduction.

Singh said Rodriguez is not the boy’s father and has an extensive criminal history.

Juiliani is 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 40 pounds. He was last seen dressed in dark pants and a light blue shirt.

Rodriguez is described as 5-feet 9 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 180 pounds. He was wearing a white and black shirt, checkered shorts and a beanie.

The suspect was driving a silver Toyota Corolla, with a California license plate of 6HBW445.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department at (209) 380-6015.

Sheriff’s deputies are set to resume searching the Delta-Mendota Canal near Patterson later Friday morning. They say the sonar will help them comb a section of the canal divers were unable to reach.

A statewide Amber Alert is still in effect

Deputies have already spent two days searching the canal after a witness reported seeing a vehicle that fit the description of the car used in the kidnapping go into it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

“We look forward to having all our campers back,” said Mona Favorite-Hill, a spokesman for the city’s Department of Recreation, which runs the camp.

The camp — an annual family tradition for many locals in the area — was closed last year because of a crumbling foundation in the old dining hall.

In recent summers, contaminated drinking water forced the 40-acre camp to close temporarily at least four times. But last year it closed primarily due to the deteriorated foundation of the dining hall — where hundreds of adults and children gather daily for meals.

Favorite-Hill said Wednesday repairs to the foundation are expected to be finished before the camp re-opens in June for the summer.

“It’s such a wonderful and unique camp experience we want to make sure everyone has a chance to take advantage of it,” she said.

Originally opened by the city of Oakland in 1921, the camp has been one of San Jose’s most enduring recreational venues for the past 42 years where families make annual trips to the wilderness.

Though it will open this year, its future is far from certain as the city decides whether it will operate the camp in future years,

Favorite-Hill said the city is struggling to balance its desire to keep the camp affordable for all and the costs of running the camp.

In 2009, it cost the city $795,140 to run the camp while it brought in $641,649 in revenues.

For more information about the camp visit sanjoseca.gov/prns/familycamp.

Juliani Cardenas was abducted about 4 p.m. by Jose Esteban Rodriguez, 27, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

Rodriguez, 27, allegedly pulled into the driveway of a Patterson home and abducted Cardenas while he was with his grandmother in the garage. The boy’s mother and Rodriguez had been together for two years, but she had not seen Rodriguez for six months, according to Stanislaus County Sheriff’s spokesman Royjindar Singh.

Authorities do not have a possible motive for the abduction.

Singh said Rodriguez is not the boy’s father.

“The suspect has an extensive criminal history,” Singh said. “The boy could be in danger.”

Juiliani is 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 40 pounds. He was last seen dressed in dark pants and a light blue shirt.

Rodriguez is described as 5-feet 9 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 180 pounds. He was wearing a white and black shirt, checkered shorts and a beanie.

The suspect was driving a silver Toyota Corolla, with a California license plate of 6HBW445.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department at (209) 380-6015.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The identity of the 45-year-old man was not released.

“We don’t know why he was there, whether he was homeless and trying to stay warm or was looking at the fact that no one was in the house and was trying to break in,” said San Jose police Officer Jose Garcia.

What is known is that the home on the 200 block of Lanier Lane had recently been fumigated and was covered with a tent when the man broke in, said Garcia. Authorities do not know when the man might have entered the house, but he was last seen Saturday evening.

When employees from the exterminator company returned to finish up the work at about 3:20 p.m. Monday, they found the man overcome with fumes inside. The house was temporarily vacant during the fumigation.

San Jose firefighters, who were called to the house, entered wearing special suits and masks and carried the body of the man outside where he was pronounced dead.

It is unclear what kind of chemicals were used to fumigate the home. But in the past methyl bromide was commonly used in structural fumigation. However, it has been largely phased out because of stricter state pesticide regulations and replaced with Vikane — sulfonyl fluoride.

Fumigation, also known as tenting, is a method of pest control that completely gets rid of pests within the area being fumigated.

Typically, signs are posted at the site warning of the dangerous fumes. And, in this case, authorities said, signs were properly posted indicating the danger.

Contact Sandra Gonzales at 408-920-5778.