Category: Bay Area

SAN JOSE – Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of a South Bay resident on suspicion of trafficking in ghost guns. The suspect was taken into custody on Dec. 18 and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of manufacturing, selling and discharging illegal firearms, San Jose Police Department spokesperson Stacie Shih said in a news release. The investigation kicked off in late October when detectives came across a social media account that was being used to buy and sell illegal firearms, many of which were privately made, according to Shih. Detectives identified the suspect as a 19-year-old San Jose man and discovered he was also importing high-capacity magazines from Florida and Nevada to sell in San Jose, Shih said. To entice potential buyers, the suspect took videos of himself shooting the guns in East Palo Alto and San Jose, including open fields and a school campus, according to Shih. A photo posted to the social media account also showed the suspect brandishing a firearm at a mall in San Jose, Shih said. Anyone with information related to the case can contact

Sports High School Sports Analysis, News Analysis, News Based on factual reporting, although it Incorporates the expertise of the author/producer and may offer interpretations and conclusions., Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Dougherty Valley basketball player Jalen Stokes could make his debut on Friday night in Santa Barbara Dougherty Valley’s Jalen Stokes (2) sits on the bench before their game against Salesian at Albany High School in Albany, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) By Joseph Dycus | jdycus@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 27, 2024 at 5:05 PM PST Dougherty Valley basketball player Jalen Stokes could make his debut on Friday night in Santa Barbara Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Death penalty mistakes are forever Re: “Families, advocates react to Biden’s commutations” (Page A4, Dec. 24). President Biden recently commuted 37 federal death penalty cases to life in prison. This action received mixed reactions from the public. I support the president’s action for these three reasons: First, because execution is final and mistakes by witnesses, police officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and jurors cannot be corrected. In such a case the death penalty is just as wrong as the crime that was charged. Second, it is just as immoral for society to kill a person as for an individual to do so. We cannot claim to be a Christian or even a moral nation and still kill people. However, incarceration to protect society is justified. Third, death penalty trials, appeals and special jail arrangements cost too much money. Our taxes are better invested in education, drug diversion and rehabilitation of those who someday will be returning to society. Ed Green Oakland Mother Nature will dictate wharf’s future Re: “Official says

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Alcoholism affects every family member Re: “It’s time to talk about America’s alcoholism” (Page A9, Dec. 22). Alcoholism is a disease, like diabetes. I advocate for increased awareness and research. I am an adult child of an alcoholic, with many alcoholics in my life. In my early adulthood, I moved away, obtained an education, entered therapy and started a family. But one never really escapes the effects of alcoholism. What I found in my 50s was Al-Anon, a program for family and friends of alcoholics. After being in Al-Anon for 10 years, I have found a profound sense of serenity, peace and community. It’s the best gift I’ve ever given myself. Whether or not my loved ones choose recovery, I have found peace. I believe AA and Al-Anon are the most profound social movements of the century. However, you have to want recovery for yourself. It’s a disease, and denial is a killer. Patricia Bartz San Jose City must make homeless units safe Re: “Homeless providers under scrutiny” (Page B1

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Associated Press NEW YORK — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in

OAKLAND — The Lucky Supermarket in Montclair was targeted twice in three days this week by pre-dawn burglars, who used a vehicle to smash through an entrance before taking merchandise in one break-in and some cash from an ATM in the other, authorities said. Police are investigating the possibility some of the same suspects were involved in both burglaries, based on the method used and video surveillance. The first burglary happened about 4:40 a.m. Tuesday at the store, which is at 1963 Mountain Blvd. Police said four suspects used a Lexus sedan to back into the store through a front entrance. They apparently were able to make off with cigarettes and other merchandise before fleeing in the vehicle. An attempt to steal an ATM inside the store was unsuccessful. The store was able to open for business later in the day. At about 4:44 a.m. Thursday, four vehicles entered the store parking lot. Seven suspects got out of the vehicles while another rammed a vehicle into the store through the same entrance as Tuesday. This time, the thieves were able to open the ATM and

ANTIOCH — A local resident has been sentenced to 21 years in state prison as part of a plea deal for killing her next door neighbor, when both she and her victim were dating the same man. Serico Justice, 39, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the Dec. 27, 2022 shooting death of 31-year-old Hannisha Willis. In exchange, Justice was sentenced to 21 years in state prison, followed by a probation term. Willis was fatally shot on Mandarin Way in Antioch, where she lived next door to Justice. Police said at the time that Justice was the one who called 911, claimed that the shooting was an accident, and appeared “visibly upset” when officers arrived to find her in the front yard. With Willis dead from a gunshot wound on the front lawn, Justice claimed that Willis had been “harassing” her for sometime and that it culminated with a verbal dispute and shooting in their front yards. Police soon learned the motive: Both women had been dating the same man, who was also living on the block and would sneak back and forth to visit

SANTA CRUZSanta Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley on Friday said it would be “irresponsible” to rebuild the 150 feet at the end of the city’s wharf that fell into the ocean Monday without having serious discussions first about whether the structure can withstand the stronger storms and turbulent waves climate change is expected to bring in the coming years. “Nobody has made a decision yet,” Keeley said during a press conference at Cowell’s Beach with the Santa Cruz Wharf behind him. The wharf has been closed off to the public since Monday’s high surf. “To say we’re simply going to put it back, is much more risky and frankly irresponsible than having a very serious conversation,” he said. The 110-year-old, 2,745-foot wharf claims to be the longest fully wooden wharf in the western hemisphere. It’s unclear if it still maintains that title after the end section dropped into the ocean. That portion had already been closed off to the public for nearly a year, after it was damaged in back-to-back storms in recent years. The city had been in the midst of a $4 million repair

By Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, FamilyTravel.com (TNS) Here are five ideas from the literary world that may help shape your next adventure. The Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam Tourists line up inside the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam on July 5, 2024, to see the tiny annex where Anne and her family stayed for nearly two years during the Nazi occupation. (Colleen Thomas/Tribune News Service/TNS)  Anne Frank’s story of her Jewish family’s ordeal during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands became an international bestseller and an iconic example of the bravery exhibited by many during a horrific time. The book was later translated into more than 70 languages and adapted for stage and screen. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, the only surviving member of his family, hoped that readers of the diary would become aware of the dangers of discrimination, racism and hatred of Jews. Today, visitors to Amsterdam can visit the Secret Annex where Anne hid for two years, writing about the experience in her diary, before being discovered and sent to a concentration camp. The Anne Frank House museum shares the powerful story through

The composer David Raksin once described his film music as melodically tricky enough that ideally, he joked, the listener should skip the first hearing and try the second. The same applies, for me at least, to “Babygirl.” The first time I saw “Babygirl” I couldn’t really get the hang or the pitch of it. Richly complex in terms of tone, it eluded easy categorization or response, and a lot of it felt uneasy in both right and wrong ways. Yet the richer elements of Dutch writer-director Halina Reijn’s film took hold and went further – all the way there, wherever “there” was for the actors, Nicole Kidman especially. A second viewing revealed more, like most second encounters. Its examination, with weirdly comic swerves, of one woman’s risky road to sensual fulfillment lands on some good, old-fashioned values, capping a relationship between a formidable robotics firm CEO, played by Kidman, and her seductive, strategic intern, played by Harris Dickinson. In the broad terms of the BDSM realm, the boss is the submissive to the intern’s dominator. Now, this may be familiar territory for you, or it

Sharks without key forward for game vs. Golden Knights NHL: San Jose Sharks begin post-Christmas schedule with game against Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights San Jose Sharks’ William Eklund (72) waits for a face-off against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of their preseason game at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) NHL: San Jose Sharks begin post-Christmas schedule with game against Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights Originally Published: December 27, 2024 at 11:39 AM PST

By KATE BRUMBACK and JEFF AMY ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as part of a inquiry into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump but is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers’ demands are overly broad. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram filed the order Monday, telling Willis she has until Jan. 13 to submit arguments over whether the subpoenas seek legally shielded or confidential information. Ingram wrote that the would issue a final order later saying what Willis had to respond to. Willis, though, wants the ruling overturned. “We believe the ruling is wrong and will appeal,” former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, who is representing Willis in the case, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. A state appeals court earlier this month removed Willis from the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others, citing an “appearance of impropriety” that might not typically warrant such a removal. The Georgia Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1

By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: Hollywood stars and child influencers California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. Social media limits New social media restrictions in several states face

California is one of only a handful of states that allows what’s called medical aid in dying, the option for people diagnosed with a terminal illness — and who meet a tight set of criteria — to end their lives with doctor-prescribed drugs. But should the nearly decade-old law be expanded to include more people, particularly someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia? That’s the conversation Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, plans to have in 2025. California’s law, called the End of Life Option Act, allows for an adult California resident who is diagnosed with a terminal illness that is expected to result in death within six months to request an aid-in-dying drug from a physician that will be self-administered. Since the law went into effect in mid-2016, 6,516 people were written prescriptions for these drugs and 4,287 (65.8%) have taken them, as of the state’s latest data report, issued for 2023. Of those who took the drugs, 91.2% were receiving hospice and/or palliative care, according to the state. California law mandates that a request for an aid-in-dying drug must

Niles Lichtenstein, CEO of Nestment, is photographed at his office in San Francisco, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) By Kate Talerico | ktalerico@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 27, 2024 at 8:00 AM PST Nestment is helping families and groups of friends buy up houses together. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

By Jason Gale | Bloomberg As Covid swept across California in early 2020, pediatric infectious diseases physician Karin Nielsen grew alarmed by the crisis erupting in maternity wards. Pregnant women were placed on life support, undergoing emergency C-sections as the virus triggered severe complications. Some died. Nielsen had just finished a research project on how the emerging infectious disease Zika was causing severe birth defects. Concerned the new coronavirus might have a similar impact, she began recruiting expectant mothers who tested positive for a new study. Soon after the study’s participants began giving birth, Nielsen’s colleagues at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital noticed an unusual number of their newborns requiring intensive care. Nielsen recalls another doctor stopping her to ask, “What’s wrong with the babies in your study?” RELATED: Bay Area health officials planning for respiratory virus season and second Trump administration Sure enough, when researchers analyzed videos of the children lying on their backs in what’s called the General Movement Assessment, 14% of the infants showed signs of developmental problems. The test evaluates early motor functions and is often used to assess the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders

M2 is one of more than 45 wineries participating in this year’s Lodi Wine & Chocolate festival weekend in February. (VisitLodi.com) The post-holiday period may be a tad quieter, but there’s still plenty to do in Wine Country. Here’s just a sampling of wine-centric events, spirited gatherings and zero-proof tours to explore in the coming months.Napa Zero Proof Tours: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekends January through April, downtown Napa. Take a three-hour zero-proof tasting tour […]

14 new California laws to watch for in 2025 Big changes to cannabis, workplace benefits, AI and housing law next year (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The dome of the state Capitol glows in Sacramento, Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers passed a slew of laws that go into effect in 2025. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers passed big changes to laws this year, and many go into effect in 2025. Here’s a list of some of the most impactful. Originally Published: December 27, 2024 at 6:00 AM PST

Being a ‘bedroom community’ comes at a cost for those south of Silicon Valley While communities to the south send thousand to jobs, many struggle with lower revenue and changing lifestyles Dan Honda/Staff archives Traffic at the Highway 101-92 interchange during the morning commute on Monday, June 7, 2010. Local and regional transportation officials are about to spend $450,000 to study how to loosen up the traffic during morning and evening commutes. (Dan Honda/Staff) This region is becoming the “bedroom” of Silicon Valley, local leaders says that comes with a cost. Originally Published: December 27, 2024 at 6:00 AM PST

Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that’s still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion, evoking headlines and likely luring more people to convenience stores with dreams of private spacewalks above the earth. It doesn’t seem to matter that the nation’s top 10 jackpots — not including this one — already have boasted 10-figure payouts. For many of us, something stirs inside when a number ticks one dollar above $999,999,999. “The question lurking is, what happens when $1 billion becomes routine and people don’t care about it anymore?” said Jonathan D. Cohen, author of the 2022 book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” “There’s no easy round number after a billion,” Cohen said. “But also, how much money can one person possibly, possibly, possibly need?” Meanwhile, Mega Millions’ ticket prices will rise from $2 to $5 in April. The increase will be one of many changes that officials say will result in improved jackpot odds, more frequent giant prizes and