(KRON) -- Sticker shock for some PG&E customers. Even for people who knew the utility was raising rates this year, January bills more than doubled for some.
Rate increases for PG&E customers have piled up in the last year and another could be coming in March. Even some customers doing the math say their bills just don’t add up.
The start of the New Year hasn’t been easy on the wallets of PG&E customers. Despite warnings about rate increases, social media is full of posts like this.
Bay Area customers complain about their monthly bills, and one even regrets their choice to get an electric vehicle.
Executive Director of The Utility Reform Network (TURN) Mark Toney says many PG&E customers are having to choose between heating their homes or feeding their families.
“More and more people are falling behind and are in danger of being disconnected," Toney said. "Many of whom are going to end up on the street homeless because they are going to be evicted from their properties.”
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a rate increase of 13 percent this month and is considering another 7.2 percent hike for March. If approved, PG&E Customers will pay about $48 more a month. TURN is pushing for new legislation that will cap future rate increases.
“At no more than the cost-of-living adjustment provided by social security on an annual basis,” Toney said.
According to PG&E, a majority of the money from the rate hikes will reduce wildfire risks, replace gas pipelines and improve infrastructure. PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian says there were also unexpected costs to cover.
“Things like the storms that we experienced last year -- the impact to our equipment," Sarkissian. "There’s a lot of costs that come with those.”
To help customers cover the costs, PG&E has expanded its Reach Program to provide more support to low-income households in 2024, increasing bill credits from $500 to $1,000 for qualifying customers.
Toney says if the company lowered rates, there would be less need for customer assistance programs.
“People don’t like to be told, do the right thing for the environment, spend extra money to replace your appliances and your reward is that your monthly bills will be higher than before,” Toney said.
This year’s rate hikes aren’t the only frustrations TURN has. They say last year the CPUC approved enough rate hikes to increase customer’s bills by 33%
(KRON) -- The San Francisco 49ers play the Detroit Lions on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. While ticket prices to last week's game against the Packers were described by an expert as "fair," they are significantly more expensive for Sunday's conference title game.
On SeatGeek Thursday evening, the cheapest ticket was going for $382 before fees. For the Packers game, a ticket could be had for $180 before fees.
However, fees make a significant difference. After they are included, the $382 ticket on SeatGeek becomes $518.
Prices on other secondary markets were comparable to SeatGeek. On TicketMaster, the cheapest seat was $440 before fees and $532 after fees. On StubHub, the cheapest seat was $436 before fees and $555 after.
Sitting closer will cost more money. The cheapest 100-level ticket on SeatGeek was going for $894 after fees in section 125, behind an end zone. Prices were similar on other sites.
SeatGeek offered front-row tickets behind the end zone for $1,665 apiece. For those really looking to splurge, two tickets were listed on StubHub for $9,200 each offering unlimited food, "Tunnel Club" and VIP Lounge access. Those seats are field-level behind the end zone.
Tickets to get into the NFL's other championship game are even more expensive. Fans wanting to see Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs play in Baltimore against Lamar Jackson's Ravens would have to pay at least $641 after fees based on Thursday's prices, and tickets below $700 are hard to come by.
The 49ers and Lions game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. PT.
(BCN) -- A shooting left a man dead in the parking lot of a Rohnert Park shopping center on Thursday evening, police said.
Around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, officers from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety were alerted to a report of gunshot in the 900 block of Golf Course Drive. Upon arrival, they learned from a passerby that what sounded like a gunshot was heard in the vicinity of the Mountain Shadows Plaza.
Officers then found a man on the ground in the parking lot of the shopping center with a gunshot wound to his chest. First responders tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead on the scene later.
The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety withheld the identity of the man.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety at (707) 588-3597 and refer to case #24-0293.
(KRON) -- Heavy police presence was reported at a Rohnert Park Walmart on Thursday night.
The Rohnert Park Police Department confirmed that officers responded to 901 Golf Course Drive, which is the location of Walmart Neighborhood Market. Police have not confirmed the nature of the police activity.
This is a developing story. Stick with KRON4 for updates.
DUBLIN, Calif. (KRON) -- Educators across the East Bay announced Wednesday that they are preparing to strike. The coalition is made up of over 18 California Teachers Association chapters, with many who claim management in these districts are not prioritizing students or faculty.
The East Bay Coalition for Student Success said it’s seeking smaller class sizes, a better environment for students all around and a better way to retain teachers. The coalition said that some teachers cannot afford to live in the same area they teach, which leads them to quit and creates larger class sizes for those who stay.
As of Wednesday, 98 percent of Martinez Education Association members voted yes to an authorized strike, with 96 percent of the Association of Piedmont Teachers also voting yes. This follows 98.5 percent of the Association of Pleasanton Teachers and 98.8 percent of Dublin Teachers Association members also voting yes to the authorized strike.
Overall, the group said the principle behind the strike is that all students deserve a supportive environment with the tools and conditions they need to thrive. The coalition is calling on district management to “get their act together.”
Four decades of more than 9,000 wishes, KRON4 takes a look back at what that organization has meant for the kids.
There are five wish opportunities for kids who qualify. "I wish to have, I wish to be, I wish to go to, I wish to meet, or I wish to give. It tugs at the heartstrings every time you see a wish come true."
Nine thousand six hundred (9,600) wishes have been granted through Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area -- dating back to the first wish for a little boy in Union City in 1984.
There may be thousands since, but CEO Betsy Biern says each one is an opportunity to provide a support system for a kid who needs it most.
“You see a marathon and you see those people on the sides of the roads, cheering people on, or handing them Gatorades, wrapping them in those blankets at the end of the race. That’s make a wish," Biern said.
A cheering squad that Amy Vaughn of Vacaville needed six years ago when she was battling Burkitts Lymphoma -- a cancer that came with monthly blood work, doctor’s visits and worst of all: chemo.
“Chemo is really painful, it’s really unpleasant, it hurts,” Vaughn said.
She was just 12 years old and a social worker at the hospital decided to send in an application to Make-A-Wish. Vaughn qualified and wished to go to Paris, France—a place where her, her brother, mom and dad were able to get away from the pain of cancer.
“It was a celebration of my entire family coming together and being whole again,” she said.
Vaughn is 18 years old now, cancer-free and a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but she still thinks about the Make-A-Wish volunteers that made it possible for her to see the Eifel Tower.
“Brought a sense of life back into a time where I had to be an adult, I had to focus on adult-size problems instead of just being a kid," Vaughn said.
From Paris to Disney World, Make-A-Wish grants around 350 wishes a year in Northern California.
Make-A-Wish has the ability to help a kid, family, volunteer and entire communities.
“We hope it’s the kind of process that is so life-changing that it is giving you hope as you’re going through whatever treatment that is and you’re also meeting a community that may not know you from Adam," Biern said.
“It’s one of my favorite memories of my entire life, and I’m forever grateful for everything Make-A-Wish did for me,” Vaughn said.
More than 800 volunteers dedicate their time to granting wishes in the greater Bay Area and the organization is always looking for more. Click here if you'd like to volunteer.
LONDON (AP) — Online retailer eBay Inc. will cut about 1,000 jobs, or an estimated 9% of its full-time workforce, saying its number of employees and costs have exceeded how much the business is growing in a slowing economy. It marks the latest layoffs in the tech industry.
CEO Jamie Iannone said in a message to employees on Tuesday that the company also will reduce how many “contracts we have within our alternate workforce over the coming months.”
Those who are being laid off will be told through Zoom calls with their bosses, Iannone said, requesting that people work from home Wednesday to allow privacy for those conversations.
“We need to better organize our teams for speed — allowing us to be more nimble, bring like-work together, and help us make decisions more quickly,” he said in the note, which was posted online.
“These changes are difficult, but I’m confident that by working together we will become stronger than ever,” Iannone added.
San Jose, California-based eBay is the latest tech company to roll out a series of layoffs after quickly ramping up hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic while people spent more time and money online.
Now, companies from Google to Amazon have been making painful job cuts to reduce costs and bolster their bottom lines.
Just this month, Google said it was laying off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams, while TikTok said its shedding dozens of workers in ads and sales and video game developer Riot Games, behind the popular “League of Legends” multiplayer battle game, was trimming 11% of its staff.
Meanwhile, Amazon said this month that it is cutting several hundred jobs in its Prime Video and MGM Studios unit.
The online retail giant owns two other companies that announced major layoffs in January: Audible, the online audiobook and podcast service, which is trimming about 5% of its workforce, and streaming platform Twitch, which is cutting more than 500 jobs.
Other tech companies, including Spotify, Microsoft, Meta and IBM, also have recently cut jobs.
They're running into a slowing economy following rapid interest rate hikes unleashed by central banks around the world to combat soaring inflation.
The head of eBay pointed to those concerns in the need to trim its workforce: “Despite facing external pressures, like the challenging macroeconomic environment, we know we can be better with the factors we control,” Iannone said.
The company has also faced internal problems that hurt its business. The online retailer will pay a $3 million fine to resolve U.S. criminal charges over a harassment campaign waged by employees who sent live spiders, cockroaches and other disturbing items to the home of a Massachusetts couple, according to court documents this month.
The Justice Department charged eBay with stalking, witness tampering and obstruction of justice more than three years after the employees were prosecuted in an extensive scheme to intimidate a couple who produced an online newsletter called EcommerceBytes that upset eBay executives with its coverage.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KRON) – This weekend’s NFC Championship Game between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium is trending to be the most expensive conference championship ticket in over a decade,
It is also expected to bring thousands of people to Santa Clara and boost the local economy.
“One of the hotel owners was talking about the game and said the time we’re always booked up is when the Niners are in the playoffs or having big games,” said Ravinder Lal with the Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce.
Lal says the South Bay will feel the economic boost way ahead of gameday.
“People eat out, people are going out on the town, and enjoying themselves the night before the game, so bars and restaurants of all the local cities all have a big effect,” he said.
According to StubHub, roughly 10% of tickets for Sunday’s game have already been sold to people from Michigan.
Above: FOX 5's Kasia Gregorczyk on flooding in San Diego's Southcrest neighborhood.
SAN DIEGO -- California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in San Diego County on Tuesday to aid recovery efforts following massive flooding from a winter storm.
The proclamation directed the state Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to local governments in San Diego and Ventura counties, both of whom were devastated by the storm.
According to the order, this includes opening up fairgrounds to shelter displaced residents, short-term changes to provide unemployment benefits for impacted residents, and the temporary waiving of fees to replace records like driver's licenses and birth certificates.
The proclamation follows similar declarations by elected officials in San Diego County Monday evening due to the extreme flash flooding.
First responders had to rescue hundreds of people stranded in their homes and cars throughout the day on Monday, as floodwaters surged to multiple feet in height in some places.
Areas of southeastern San Diego, South Bay and near the Tijuana River Valley were hit particularly hard by the storm, with nearly four inches of rain falling in those areas within a matter of hours as the storm's core moved directly overhead.
About 2.73 inches of rainfall was recorded through midnight at sites in the City of San Diego, passing the previous record for the wettest January day by 0.2 inches. According to the National Weather Service, it came in fourth to the wettest day on record for the city.
On Tuesday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria toured the aftermath of the extreme flooding in San Diego alongside fire officials.
"We knew it was going to rain, but no one told us that we were going to get four inches of rain right here in Point Loma," Gloria told FOX 5 during his tour. "What that did was overwhelm our city's stormwater drainage system to the point where we see an extraordinary amount of flooding all across the city, but particularly impacted our southeastern communities that today are now cleaning out and cleaning out for many days to come."
"This is a disaster … Some of these people will lose their homes over this and this is very tragic and we have to do everything we possibly can to support them," he continued. "When you see a magnitude of this impact, the unprecedented nature of this disaster, we need the additional help."
Gloria is set to join the city's leadership team at 1:30 p.m. to discuss next steps for supporting the recovery efforts.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
(KRON) -- Several high schools in the South Bay will have extra police presence on Wednesday after officials received an anonymous email making threats, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said.
The email threatened Fremont (Sunnyvale), Homestead (Cupertino), Lynbrook (San Jose) and Monte Vista (Cupertino) high schools. Additional police presence will be at all of these campuses, the Fremont Union High School District said.
Police are trying to uncover who sent the threatening message. Law enforcement agencies do not have any reason to believe the threat is credible, the school district said.
All FUHSD students received an email with information about this situation. Sunnyvale DPS, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and the San Jose Police Department are working on investigating the threat.
Anyone with information is asked to call Sunnyvale DPS at (408) 730-7110.
OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – Another business owner in Oakland is frustrated after falling victim to countless crimes. The latest was a burglary over the weekend at a wine bar.
Thieves broke down the door of Snail Bar, stealing all its money and causing thousands of dollars of damage. The owner says he is feeling hopeless and wants more support from the City of Oakland.
Andres Giraldo-Florez says he dreamed of owning a bar, and that dream came true three years ago when Snail Bar opened on 51st Street and Shattuck Avenue in Oakland. But sadly for Giraldo-Florez, he also knows owning a business in this community is dangerous.
"That Walgreens gets robbed at gunpoint once a week, two people have been shot at this gas station on the corner. Multiple car thefts. All of my staff have gotten their cars broken into, and this happens every single day,” he said.
His own wine bar has already been a target of several break-in attempts and vandalism. On Saturday - the place got burglarized.
"So, they stole all our cash, they also broke the backdoor to our cellar,” Giraldo-Florez said. “About $5,000 in damage, which is like the last thing we needed because right now everything is really tough in the restaurant business."
On top of it all, Giraldo-Florez says he received a notice from the city saying they would bill him for their services after they boarded up the broken door.
"It's like kicking me when I'm down,” he said. “I just got robbed. All our cash is gone. Burglarized our whole restaurant and then on top of that I'm getting charged for getting robbed."
While getting his bar repaired, he heard about In-N-Out Burger closing its Oakland location due to ongoing crime. Giraldo-Florez wondered how small businesses like his could survive if a big chain restaurant couldn’t.
Councilmember Treva Reid represents the district where In-N-Out is located. She agrees more needs to be done to protect businesses and hold organized criminals accountable.
”We got to get these new license vehicle readers deployed. We supported them. We lead out with making sure they are a priority and yet we are not seeing them being delivered on the ground,” she said.
Reid also says she’s working on getting the city more state funding for public safety and continuing to have more California Highway Patrol officers patrolling. But if things don't change for the better, Giraldo-Florez says, "There's going to be no restaurants."
Councilmember Reid is hopeful the city can work on safety solutions to convince businesses like In-N-Out to stay.
KRON4 asked her about the invoice Snail Bar received for securing their broken window. She said she’s never heard of that happening. She’s very concerned and plans to talk with the owner as well as the councilmember in that district.
(KRON) -- Chubba Purdy, the younger brother of San Francisco 49ers star quarterback Brock Purdy, previously committed to play football at San Jose State, a move that would bring him to the Bay Area with his brother. Now, it appears that is not happening.
The switch comes after San Jose State's previous head coach Brent Brennan moved to the University of Arizona. Without the coach who recruited him to the South Bay, Purdy opted to find a different home.
In Brennan's place, San Jose State tapped Ken Niumatalolo to be its new coach. Niumatalolo coached football for the United States Naval Academy from 2007-22.
Chubba Purdy started his career at Florida State and spent the last two seasons at Nebraska. Nevada will be the third stop of his collegiate career.
For his career, he's completed 52.1% of his passes, and thrown six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He will join a Nevada team that went 2-10 last season.
SAN DIEGO -- Several San Diego roads and schools are closed after heavy rain and flash flooding was reported across the county Monday. First responders have been urging people to stay off the streets as there have already been several rescues.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria Monday evening declared a State of Emergency in the City of San Diego due to the extreme rainfall and flash flooding.
Conditions have been improving in many areas as the day goes on and the rain is subsiding, however many highways and roads still remain flooded.
Flash floods were reported all over San Diego County. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Swift Water Rescue team and firefighters performed 24 rescues Monday, pulling people from their vehicles at flooded intersections and from the San Diego and Tijuana rivers.
Hundreds of people were rescued from their flooded homes on Beta Street in San Diego. First responders used inflatable boats and rescue boards to get people to safety, some were even on their roofs waiting to be rescued.
A flash flood warning is in place for the San Diego River at Fashion Valley until midnight. NWS posted a photo Monday afternoon showing water up to the roof of a car in Fashion Valley.
A flood watch remains in effect until 9 p.m. Monday.
Paddleboarders and kayakers have been seen all over the county on the flooded roads. A viewer also sent us a photo of a sink hole that formed in their backyard in Lemon Grove.
Flooding between Logan Avenue and 49th Street. (Courtesy of Rod Lagace)Paddleboarder on highway in San Diego County (KSWB)
The City of Coronado posted on X there is heavy flooding in the area and are urging drivers to stay off the roads. The City says sandbags are available at the Cays Fire station. As you can see in the photos below, Village Elementary School in Coronado has significant flooding through the whole building.
Flooding at Village Elementary School in Coronado (KSWB)Flooding at Village Elementary School in Coronado (KSWB)
The Monarch School is dismissing students early because of a power outage
SDCOE Community Schools 37ECB, SOUL Academy, Bridges, and Escondido Community School are dismissing early
Schools in the Jamul-Dulzura School District also closed early due to flooding
The Julian Union High School District has cancelled their after-school ASSETs activities due to flooding
The Warner Unified School District cancelled transportation for their afterschool program due to flash flood warnings and the potential for rock/mud slides on bus routes.
On Tuesday, schools in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, the KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy and the Monarch School will be closed, according to the San Diego County Office of Education.
The City of San Diego posted on X the following City streets are closed for safety concerns due to flooding -- San Diego Mission Road between Fairmount & Caminito Yucatan, Ward Road at Camino Del Rio N, and Avenida del Rio between Riverwalk Dr. and Camino de la Reina.
The Port of San Diego reports many areas are beginning to reopen, however these bayfront areas remain closed -- Pacific Hwy between Ash and Broadway, and W. Harbor between Kettner and Pacific Hwy.
FOX 5 has a crew downtown, this is the scene just before noon Monday:
According to the City of San Diego, rescues happened all over Monday morning after drivers stalled out on flooded roadways.
There are also reports of major flooding at I-805 and Home Ave. According to the County of San Diego Public Works, Quarry Road is closed between SR-125 and Lakeview Drive, and Country Club Dr. is closed in both directions at Harmony Grove Rd. due to flooding.
Also closed due to flooding according to CHP -- River Walk Drive near Fashion Valley Mall, I-5 exit to Hawthorne to San Diego International Airport, and Eastbound State Route 78 near El Camino Real.
View just before noon of SR-78 in San Diego County
A special weather statement was issued for San Diego, Chula Vista and El Cajon until noon Monday with up to 50 mph wind gusts expected. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning with hail and strong wind was issued for South Bay areas until 11:15 a.m.
In the City of La Mesa, University Avenue is closed from Harbinson Avenue to 69th Street, and Alvarado Road is closed from Guava Avenue to the 70th Street trolley station.
The entrance to Fiesta Island is also closed at this time.
San Diego State University announced Canyon Crest Drive between Parking Lot 15 and Aztec Circle was closed due to falling rocks caused by heavy rain and flooding. The roadway reopened Monday just before 5 p.m. SDSU remains open.
The Naval Base San Diego is reporting flooding in multiple areas on the base. Only essential personnel are recommended to enter the base at this time. They are asking everyone else avoid the base until further notice. Those on the base are asked to stay in place until the flooding levels go down.
One of the City of San Diego's inclement weather shelters, Living Water Church of the Nazarene, has some flooding and is not expected to open Monday evening.
Flooding has also impacted the 16th & Newton homeless shelter and the 20th & B Safe Sleeping site. Those people are being moved to the Balboa Park Activity Center and the Municipal Gym.
Do not drive around road closure signs or barricades. Never drive on flooded streets. Here are some tips to stay prepared in a storm.
As always with rain events in San Diego, a general rain advisory is in effect for coastal waters for 72 hours following rain due to contamination from runoff.
You can call the City's emergency dispatch center at 619-527-7500 to report flooding. Sandbags are available in limited supply and can be picked up at nine recreation centers in the City of San Diego. Sand is not provided.
(BCN) -- A fallen tree shut down a roadway in San Mateo's Baywood-Aragon neighborhood early Monday morning, police said.
The tree blocked traffic on West Fourth Avenue from Dartmouth Road to El Camino Real, the San Mateo Police Department said in an advisory around 5:10 a.m.
The affected roadway is expected to be closed until approximately 1 p.m. Monday or until the tree can be removed. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route.
San Mateo police reminded travelers to drive carefully in the rain and watch out for falling branches and debris that can cause damage to vehicles, windows, buildings, houses or anyone walking or driving in the area.
(BCN) -- Downtown San Jose's Pacific Motor Inn is transforming from a hotel that once used to shelter people from COVID into a massive mixed-income apartment complex.
Mayor Matt Mahan announced the final plans for the project last week alongside other city and nonprofit leaders. Once completed, the development will bring nearly 500 apartments into the downtown area, consisting of permanent supportive, affordable and market-rate homes. During development, the original 72-rooms of the hotel will act as temporary housing for homeless residents living on the streets.
"This is the first time that supportive housing for families, affordable housing and market-rate housing will be built on one lot in California -- but it won't be the last," Mahan said at a news conference. "This project shows that innovation is possible when the public, private and nonprofit sectors come together to solve our homelessness crisis."
The Pacific Motor Inn, located at 455 S. Second St., was recently acquired by PMI Partners LLC, a joint venture between PATH Ventures and Westbank. The hotel, which housed homeless residents during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, has long been eyed as a site that can be transformed into housing.
In 2021, San Jose requested dollars from California's Project Homekey -- a $2.75 billion grant program to transform hotels and motels into housing. San Jose secured $19 million in state funds and is providing $25 million in city funds to support the project.
Over the next five years, the site will be redeveloped to include affordable housing, including 140 affordable apartments, 72 of which would be permanent supportive housing, owned and operated by PATH Ventures. A high-rise building on the same lot will have 360 market-rate apartments, owned and operated by Westbank.
Westbank will also develop the lot next to the Pacific Motor Inn to house approximately 500 market-rate apartments, for a total of 1,000 mixed-income homes between the two lots.
"San Jose is setting an example by creating collaborative and innovative solutions that can be replicated by other communities throughout the state," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
This is not the first time San Jose has used state dollars to transform hotels into housing. The 61-room Pavilion Inn, a former hotel on North Fourth Street in San Jose, is currently under construction to create affordable, supportive housing for foster youth. The newly renovated Arena Hotel was filled with residents on the first day it opened last September.
San Jose also used to own SureStay -- the city's first repurposed hotel project purchased with nearly $12 million of Project Homekey dollars. The site changed ownership, however, after several residents complained about deplorable conditions -- dirty water pouring out of faucets, mold and holes in the ceiling, and in some instances people who died were discovered because of the smell coming from their rooms.
The city also requested state dollars to transform South San Jose's Residence Inn into a 150-room apartment complex.
Anthony Bahamondes, chief housing officer for PATH Ventures, said he's proud and excited to soon open yet another affordable housing site in San Jose. PATH Ventures also operates PATH Villas on 4th Street, which just opened and offers supportive housing to 93 formerly homeless seniors, and Villas on the Park at 280 N. Second St. near St. James Park, which opened in 2020. The apartment complex is dedicated entirely to more than 80 formerly homeless individuals. Both are located in downtown San Jose.
"The communities we've built are not just units, they are homes," Bahamondes said. "We look forward to welcoming people home as soon as we can.
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) -- The city of Half Moon Bay held a remembrance ceremony to honor the lives of seven farm workers killed in a mass shooting last year.
“We also recognize and remember that farm workers have been victims of crimes.”
A few hundred people packed the Boys & Girls Club in Half Moon Bay, honoring and remembering the lives of seven farm workers who were shot to death last year.
Now the community wants to remember and make a better place for farm workers.
“Addressing the lack of decent housing for farm workers in the community, not be threatening to other people in the community, they are a part of this community,” Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said.
The families of the victims were there. Eshoo, along with other politicians, pledged more support and dollars for housing. Another issue Eshoo says more needs to be done at a federal level on gun violence.
“There will be a congress that puts gun violence at the top of their agenda, addresses it for the safety of every single community in our country," Eshoo said.
The remembrance ended with a candlelight vigil and hopes that such a tragedy could make the community a stronger safer place.
President Joe Biden posted on social media Sunday, honoring the seven victims in the Half Moon Bay mass shooting. “Jill and I pray for the families of the victims,” Biden wrote on X.
(KRON) -- A big rig and an SUV crashed Sunday night in the area of I-80 eastbound and I-780 westbound highways, according to California Highway Patrol. Around 8:08 p.m., the big rig jackknifed on the transition ramp where an Audi then struck the truck.
The driver of the Audi was injured, although the extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. CHP says the crash is weather-related as rain began to pour across the Bay Area on Sunday.
Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the crash. As of 9 p.m., officers remain at the scene investigating the crash. No other information was immediately available.
(KRON) – A Santa Rosa resident was arrested on several weapon charges after allegedly loitering, the Santa Rosa Police Department said.
SRPD Special Enforcement Team officers say they witnessed two subjects loitering at the 900 Block of Sunset Avenue at 9:20 p.m. on Jan. 20.
The officers contacted the subjects and said there was probable cause for a weapons search. According to the police, one of the subjects was in possession of a loaded, concealed, Glock Model 21 45 caliber handgun. The subject was identified as 22-year-old Santa Rosa resident Jose Rubio. According to the police investigation, Rubio is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Rubio was arrested and booked on multiple felony weapons charges.
The other subject was a minor and was not charged with any crime, police said.
(KRON) -- A Honda CR-V crashed into sand barrels Saturday night on northbound I-280 near the US-101 southbound connector ramp, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP). The crash happened around 7:40 p.m., and a person exited the SUV.
A white van, which was trying to avoid the debris from the sand barrels crash, struck the Honda and the person who was on foot on the highway, CHP said. The victim was taken to the hospital with "major injuries."
As of 10 p.m., the connector ramp from the crash scene remains closed. Caltrans is cleaning up the debris from the sand barrels.
(Map courtesy of 511)
Travelers in the area were told to expect delays. It is unknown if the crash was weather-related as rain poured across the Bay Area on Saturday.
(KRON) -- 49ers win! San Francisco advances to its third straight NFC Championship after a thrilling 24-21 win over the Green Bay Packers Saturday night at Levi's Stadium.
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw sealed the game with an interception of Packers quarterback Jordan Love with 52 seconds left in the game. Green Bay had a chance to tie the game with a field goal on its final drive that began with just over a minute left in regulation.
Down 21-14 heading into the final quarter, San Francisco outscored Green Bay 10-0 to seal the victory. Running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for a 6-yard game-winning touchdown with 1:07 left -- capping off a night in which he rushed 17 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
Brock Purdy completed 23-of-39 passes for 252 yards and one touchdown to George Kittle in the second quarter. However, wide receiver Deebo Samuel was ruled out in the second half with a shoulder injury.
San Francisco now awaits the winner of Sunday's Buccaneers-Lions game in Detroit. The NFC Championship will be in Santa Clara next Sunday, Jan. 28. The 49ers look for a different outcome in their last two seasons that ended in an NFC Championship loss.
49ers Consecutive NFC Championship Appearances
2021 at Los Angeles Rams (L)
2022 at Philadelphia Eagles (L)
2023 versus TBD (?)
Saturday's win marks the 49ers third playoff win over the Packers in the last five seasons. San Francisco beat Green Bay on the road in the 2022 divisional game and at home in the 2020 conference title game.
The 49ers will play in their fourth NFC Championship in the last five seasons.
A vehicle overpass has officially opened above a busy intersection in Los Angeles County that California officials once called the "most dangerous" train crossing in the entire state.
The overpass is located at the intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt avenues in Santa Fe Springs.
A bicyclist crosses the tracks at the intersection of Rosecrans Ave. and Marquardt Ave. in Santa Fe Springs Thursday, October 30, 2003. The rail lines at this intersection is one of the most perilous crossings in the state. (Photo by Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
It opened to vehicle traffic on Monday, bringing an end to years of dangerous and unwanted interactions between vehicles and trains.
From 2013 to 2019, trains and vehicles collided on 31 occasions at the intersection, resulting in six deaths and seven injuries. Additional incidents have taken place at the intersection, including a fatality last year, but finding the most recent data is difficult.
Investigators on the scene where a Metrolink train collided with a motorhome that stalled at the intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt Avenues in Santa Fe Springs on Nov. 22, 2019. (Getty Images)
In 2016, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, aka Metro, announced it would be improving the dangerous corridor by building an overpass for vehicles.
The $156 million project broke ground in June 2022. While the bridge is open to vehicle traffic, construction continues to add new sidewalks and pavement on three of the roads. Utility work, landscaping, striping and signage will also be taking place throughout the year with full completion estimated around 2025.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority was a major funding partner in the project, as its trains will be sharing the corridor as part of its Los Angeles to Orange County route.
The chief executive of the agency heading California's ambitious Bay Area to L.A. bullet-train project is stepping down from the position as it shifts from policy to operations.
Brian Kelly, who has served as CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority since 2018, submitted a formal letter of resignation Thursday.
Kelly inherited a mired down and politically unpopular project when he took the reins of CAHSR.
Under his leadership, the embattled high-speed rail project has seen more than its fair share of successes.
Brian Kelly, California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO, photographed Sept. 29, 2021 in Fresno, California. Kelly announced he was stepping down from his position on Jan. 18, 2024. (Getty Images)
The project just received its biggest federal boost yet in the form of a $3.1 billion grant from the Biden Administration, which will be instrumental in launching the service's "initial operating segment."
That 171-mile stretch connecting Merced to Bakersfield is expected to begin operation around 2030 and construction has been moving along steadily with a number of massive infrastructure projects, including bridges, viaducts and grade separations, completed just in the last 12 months.
As of October 2023, the California High-Speed Rail has completed 43 structures, started work on 32 more and completed 56 miles of guideway. Work is beginning to expand from the current 119 miles of active construction to the full 171 miles of double-track electrified rail that will comprise the initial operating segment.
The vast majority of the project has received full environmental clearance, with only a handful of remaining sections outstanding. The full Bay Area to Los Angeles segment that comprises "Phase 1" could have environment clearance by early this year.
FILE - The high-speed rail viaduct is seen under construction over the San Joaquin River near Fresno, Calif., on Oct. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
New financial data released Thursday showed that the construction project has produced $18 billion in economic output, $7 billion in labor income and construction jobs in the Central Valley grew from 2,500 in 2018 to to 12,200 in 2023.
But the biggest turning of the tide for Kelly may be public opinion. Recent polling by UC Berkeley found that the majority of Californians still support funding the high-speed rail project, even on its current timeline.
The project also has the support of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was less enthused about the ballooning cost of the project when he assumed office in 2019. He has since come around and is one of the project's most ardent and vocal boosters.
In his resignation letter addressed to CAHSR Chair Tom Richards, Kelly said the Authority was in a strong position to advance to the next stage of operations.
"My goal when I took this position in 2018 was to help stabilize the organization and improve performance such that policymakers would once again consider investing in the project. While there is more work to do, this goal has largely been achieved," his letter reads in part.
Dusk side view of a high-speed train (California High-Speed Rail Authority)
Kelly previously spent decades working in transportation and infrastructure policy. He says his resignation opens the door for someone to take the helm whose expertise lies in passenger rail operations.
At the time of his appointment six years ago, Kelly indicated he only intended on holding the position for a few years. The job is tasking and Kelly described it as the most challenging of his 30-year public service career. He also called it the most satisfying.
Kelly gave no exact timeline for when he planned to exit the Authority, instead saying he was committed to helping the board with a smooth transition to new leadership.
A recent string of residential burglaries in Ventura County have been linked to a common denominator: open access from the backyard.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office issued a warning Thursday saying several burglaries have been reported during the evening hours in and around Camarillo at homes that back up to open spaces such as golf courses or hiking trails.
Most of the crimes tend to happen between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. when the homes are unoccupied, the Sheriff's Office said.
The warning comes days after two homes in the same Camarillo neighborhood were burglarized within hours of one another. A community park and multiple winding hiking trails are located in that neighborhood with some of the hiking trails having almost direct access to the home's backyards.
Masked thieves caught on home surveillance breaking into a house in Camarillo on Jan. 12, 2024.
One of those burglaries was caught on home security camera and shows a group of masked burglars smashing a sliding glass door to get inside and ransack they home. The group stole cash and thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry, electronics and other devices before fleeing.
That family was out of town at the time of the break-in. The victims of the other burglary weren't home at the time either and both crimes are believed to be connected, according to the Ventura County Star.
The Sheriff's Office is urging residents in Camarillo and beyond to be diligent and look out for one another and report any suspicious activity to authorities.
"Residents know their streets and neighborhoods more than anyone else," officials said in a news release. “If you see something, say something."
When leaving your home unoccupied, the Sheriff's Office says the following tips can help keep your home safe while you're away.
Leave indoor lights or televisions on to make it appear the home is occupied
Close and lock all windows and doors
Activate alarm systems when leaving the house, even if you won't be gone long
Alarm systems should consist of door sensors, window sensors and glass break sensors for all windows and doors on the first and second stories of the house
Consider permanently securing safes, storing valuables in heavy, well-constructed safes, safe deposit boxes or other secure locations
Residents who observe suspicious activity are asked to report it to the Ventura County Sheriff's Dispatch at 805-654-9511.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Running a marathon is an impressive accomplishment, but imagine winning! A runner from San Francisco won the non-binary race category of last year’s New York City Marathon.
Only to find out that they are ineligible for the prize money that’s supposed to come with the title.
Cal Calamia is a non-binary, trans-masculine runner who has dealt with several obstacles in their long-distance sport. Most recently, going head-to-head with the organizers of the New York City Marathon.
With support from their friends and family on the sidelines of the New York City Marathon, Calamia made a great time in the 26.2-mile race in November.
Calamia finished first in the non-binary race category. The New York City Marathon is the first major marathon to offer prize money to non-binary runners.
“It’s really important for me to have a space to compete in that acknowledges the fullness of my identity," Calamia said.
They received their first-place medal for the win but not the $5,000 prize money that’s supposed to come with it. Calamia reached out to the New York Road Runners (NYRR) that puts on the marathon to find out why.
“They told me that I was not eligible for the prize money because they added a new stipulation for the prize money following the registration period," Calamia said.
New York Road Runners sent KRON4 a statement saying this.
Cal was not eligible for the NYRR member division, non-binary prize money as they did not complete the six fully scored races required. The prize money and eligibility requirements for the non-binary category were published on our website at the same time as all the other categories, six months before the race.
New York Road Runners
In order to win the money, Calamia would have had to run six NYRR races in the year leading up to the New York City Marathon -- a rule that was posted to the marathon’s website three months after the non-binary runner registered.
“Would obviously require me to living in NYC," Calamia said. "I can’t fly out there six times to go do races, so I was really surprised by this being added and really really disappointed.”
Calamia says they tried to settle the matter with NYRR privately, but that didn’t work.
"The one thing they said is that they empathize with me expecting something and then something else happening, but they didn’t say hey it was our mistake we should communicated better," Calamia said.
They would of course like the $5,000 they ran for to come in the mail but is also hoping the New York Marathon changes the rules for future races.
"Making things fair so that trans and non-binary athletes can show up to spaces, we can be ourselves (and) have a fair share to compete,” Calamia said.
NYRR says there were six non-binary runners who met the finish time criteria, Calamia included. The $5,000 was awarded to the second-place runner in that category who did meet the necessary six-race requirement.
