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Latest line: A good week for firefighters, a bad week for Mark Ridley-Thomas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

FirefightersDue to one of the wettest winters in decades, and a snowpack that remains in much of the Sierra, acres burned in California wildfires are half of last year’s total for early July, and just 14% of the state’s 5-year average.    Mark Ridley-ThomasFormer state senator and assemblyman-turned L.A. city councilman loses bid for a new trial after bribery conviction for promising to steer millions of dollars in contracts to USC if his son got a scholarship and teaching job.   Public TransitAgencies that run buses and trains, like MUNI, BART, VTA and others, win $5.1 billion bailout over 4 years in new state budget. But will it be enough to offset the big drops in ridership due to work-from-home? 

They said it: Endless winter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

“Nine months of skiing. A season to remember….It’s been quite the run.”— Andrew Hays of Olympic Valley, on the joys of being able to ski until Fourth of July, thanks to the state’s incredible snowpack.

Readers’ ideal driving test? Parallel parking at top of the list: Roadshow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

Q: In response to the ideal driving test, how about bringing back parallel parking? I cringe every time a neighbor “parallel parks” by driving slightly into his driveway, then down the sidewalk, before dropping his right front wheel off the curb back into the street.Robert Turner, San JoseA: A reader recently described her ideal driving test. Today, a few more.Q: I grew up in San Francisco and learned to drive on a manual transmission car there. My dad wouldn’t let me get my license until I could go up the Fillmore Street hill, stop and start up again without any problem.I still can drive one in my 70s.Also, whatever happened to learning to parallel park? People have a hard time doing that, even with backup camera assistance.Barbara BriccaA: And…Q: My requests: Handling a busy four-way stop, merging onto a freeway, knowing what to do when you miss your turn/exit (go straight, then make a U-turn), parallel parking, and fast-lane driving (move over if you’re a ...

Public meetings across the Bay Area are being ‘Zoom bombed’ with hate speech–and no one knows how to stop it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

When Kevin Wilk faced antisemitism for the first time in the East Bay, it was broadcast through the speakers inside Walnut Creek’s council chambers.Wilk, the first Jewish resident to be elected to the Walnut Creek City Council in the city’s 102-year history, was bewildered when people from what he describes as the “underbelly of society” disrupted two separate June meetings with hate speech.Local governments began using Zoom to sustain participation in public meetings during the pandemic, and three years later, the vital tech is still improving resident access around the Bay Area. But it’s also become a way for bigots and trolls to interject anonymous racist and homophobic messages into city proceedings.“Now to see it in our backyard, and have people calling in to just spew antisemitism and derogatory statements towards me, purely because I’m Jewish, is stunning,” Wilk, who joined the Council in 2016 has lived in the area off and on for 50 years, said in an intervi...

Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

(KRON) -- A small plane crash occurred Saturday night at the Smith Ranch Airport in San Rafael.Just before 11 p.m., a plane struck power lines and crashed in a marsh at the east end of the runway, creating a power outage in the surrounding areas, according to the San Rafael Fire Department.  Underground vault fire leads to explosion in SF’s Pacific Heights Two people were extricated from the plane and transported to local hospitals with conditions unknown at this time. Shortly before midnight, PG&E arrived to begin resolving the power outage. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }This is developing news. Stick with KRON4 for updates.

Pedestrian struck, killed by car in San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

(KRON) -- A pedestrian is dead after being struck by a car Saturday night in San Jose. The crash was reported around 9:45 p.m. in the area of Capitol Expressway and Monterey Road.The pedestrian, a woman, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. She ultimately succumbed to her injuries, authorities said. Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport Police closed the westbound lanes of Capitol Expressway from Seven Trees Boulevard to Snell Avenue for several hours.  KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }This incident mark’s San Jose’s 24th fatal collision and 25th traffic death of the year.

High-rise fire on Market Street leaves no injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

(BCN) -- No one was injured in a fire on the 19th floor of the 29-story Fox Plaza building in the Civic Center area Saturday night, the San Francisco Fire Department said. Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport The fire was reported at 9:36 p.m. and was under control at 9:51 p.m., Capt. Jonathan Baxter said. The building at 1390 Market Street is located near Fell Street, Polk Street and Hayes Street. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }It has apartments on the upper floors and office space on the lower floors. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Montgomery Co. teen shot, killed while on vacation in Puerto Rico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

A dream vacation turned deadly for a Maryland teen on vacation in Puerto Rico.Tommy Grays III, 17, of Olney, was with his uncle and stepfather on the Isla Verde Beach in Puerto Rico for their Fourth of July vacation when one of his family members got into an argument with another man. The argument turned fatal.The teen’s father spoke to NBC 4, saying the initial dispute was calmed by Tommy.“My son had actually stopped the situation from happening. He then walked back to the beach and was in the water with his stepfather when the guy came running back up, shooting at them,” said Tommy Grays Jr.All three were hit, but only Tommy was killed. His stepfather is still in the hospital.Grays Jr. said his son was a very happy soul who had dreamed of enjoying the beaches in Puerto Rico, and was getting ready to start his final year at James Hubert Blake High School.“He was so excited about it and he won’t see his first day as a senior,” Grays Jr. said.In a letter obtained by...

Coach of Zambia Women’s World Cup team accused of sexual misconduct, report claims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

The coach of the Zambia team preparing to make its debut at the Women’s World Cup has been accused of sexual misconduct and the case was referred to world body FIFA last year for investigation, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper.Bruce Mwape was accused of coercing players into having sex with him if they wanted to keep their place on the team, according to the report published by the British newspaper on Saturday.Other Zambian coaches and officials were also accused of sexual misconduct and investigated, including the Under-17 girls’ team coach, according to the paper.In line with protocol, FIFA said Sunday its independent ethics committee would not comment on whether or not there was an investigation currently underway into any allegations.Zambia’s soccer association launched its own investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in its women’s teams last year but didn’t name any officials, coaches or players involved. The investigati...

Paris Saint-Germain signs France defender Lucas Hernández from Bayern Munich

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:52 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain added a fifth player to its squad since the start of the summer transfer window by signing France defender Lucas Hernández from Bayern Munich on a five-year contract on Sunday after a long spell on the sidelines with injury.Hernández hasn’t played a competitive game since injuring his knee while playing for France against Australia at the World Cup in November.“I’m really excited! I’ve been waiting to join PSG for a long time, and it’s finally happened. It’s a very special day for me and I’m very happy to be here,” Hernández said in a statement from PSG.No official figures was given for the deal but French newspaper L’Equipe said it was worth around 40 million euros ($44 million).Hernández won the Bundesliga title in each of his four seasons at Bayern and the Champions League in 2020, though he was an unused substitute when Bayern beat PSG 1-0 in the final.“We would like to thank Lucas Hernández for four very successful years together. He alway...