Category: Bay Area

UNION CITY — When she met 34-year-old Roberto Reyes, 15-year-old Jane Doe didn’t have anything in the world but a sidewalk to sleep on and a pet dog she traveled around San Francisco with, searching for shelter, according to police. After being introduced through a friend, Reyes offered to get the girl and her canine a motel room in Fremont, which she took as a sign her luck was about to change, authorities say. But before long she came to learn she was being groomed by a Hayward man who told her she could bring in money by attracting “grown a– men,” as an underage — and unwilling — sex worker, authorities said in court records. “U gonna be ready for tomorrow nite (sic) I already got a couple people that want a piece of u,” Reyes allegedly texted the girl during one exchange. One of the first things Reyes did, according to Union City police, was separate the dog from Doe and threaten to kill her pet if she ran away. But after a four-day ordeal in which she says she was nearly raped

Five skiers were injured when two ski-lift chairs apparently collided at a resort near Lake Tahoe Monday. The lift chairs seemingly collided with one another on the Comet Express Chairlift at Heavenly Valley Ski Resort, according to a photo of the incident posted online. The image showed emergency personnel in red jackets gathered at the base of the lift, with the two chairs sitting together near one of the lift’s poles. Crews from the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District responded to the incident shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, said Michelle Turner, public information officer for the fire district. The incident occurred near Stagecoach Lodge, and the response included two fire engines and three rescue ambulances, Turner said. One eyewitness told CNN that was waiting in line for a chairlift when he heard someone yell, “Oh my God!” Travis Faanes told the news outlet that he turned, he saw people fall and hit the ground. “The chair slid backwards with people on it into the chair behind it,” Faanes told CNN. “The people in the front chair fell off.” The five patients were transported to Renown Regional

Jeannette Neumann | (TNS) Bloomberg News The Nordstrom family is joining forces with a Mexican retailer to take its namesake department store private in an all-cash transaction valued at about $6.25 billion, including debt. The founding family is betting that the century-old retail chain will be more successful without the scrutiny and demands of the public market after shares in Nordstrom Inc. plunged 40% in the last five years. During the same period, the S&P 500 rose 84%. As part of the transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025, the family and Mexican department-store chain El Puerto de Liverpool SAB will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Nordstrom. The Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake in the company of 50.1%, with Liverpool owning 49.9%. Nordstrom common shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock they hold under the terms of the agreement, the company said Monday. That’s roughly in line with where shares were trading on Monday. Shares in Nordstrom fell as much as 1.3% on Monday in New York. The

WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton was discharged from a Washington hospital on Tuesday and will be home for Christmas after he was admitted the day before with a fever. Clinton is being treated for the flu, Angel Urena, Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, said in a statement about his release. “He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and are touched by the kind messages and well wishes he received,” Urena said. “He sends his warmest wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to all,” Urena said. The 78-year-old Democrat was hospitalized on Monday afternoon for testing and observation. Clinton served two terms as president from January 1993 until January 2001. He addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer, and campaigned in the fall for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump in November. Clinton recently published his newest book, “Citizen,” a memoir about his life after the White House and the role of philanthropy in it. Originally Published: December 24, 2024 at

Tenant advocates suffered a big defeat this fall when California voters decided against expanding cities’ ability to limit rent increases. But a state law set to take effect Jan. 1 will give renters facing eviction a little more breathing room. The law doubles the time tenants have to respond after receiving an eviction notice from five business days to ten. Lawyers who work with renters say that what may seem like a minor procedural change could make a big difference in allowing people to stay in their homes. RELATED: Landlords are using AI to raise rents; California cities are leading the pushback Tenants who are served an eviction notice and don’t respond in writing within the legal timeframe can lose their case by default, potentially incurring financial penalties and a black mark on their record that affects their future ability to obtain housing. That’s true even if a tenant has a valid legal defense – for example, if their landlord increased the rent above state limits or refused to fix problems like lack of heat or broken door locks. About 40% of California tenants lose

A freaky vampire with an obsession and a sexually repressed CEO finding a spark with a new intern get their their stories told on screen beginning this week, with somewhat different degrees of success. Here are our reviews. “Nosferatu”: Old-school horror fans go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief. From the first second of Robert Eggers’ spellbinding adaptation of the Bram Stoker/F.W. Murnau vampire classics, it’s apparent those nagging concerns that the detail-obsessed director behind “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse” might muck up one of your all-time favorites are unwarranted. With an ominous Gothic look that borders on the painterly and bustling with striking period production designs and costumes, “Nosferatu” will all but seduce you with its blood-chilling eye candy and erotic underpinnings. From a purely visual and technical standpoint, Eggers’ nightmare is a triumph in every conceivable way. The fact that he doesn’t futz around with or try to redefine the Dracula legend illustrates Eggers’ respect for the source material. He’s created a movie that’s certain to appease purists in love with the silent film classic as well as the George Melford/Bela Lugosi

Welcome to a new weekly feature on the Hotline. We’ll break down Big 12 basketball using key metrics (NET rankings, KenPom ratings, etc.), our observations and a dose of old-fashioned sarcasm (when needed) — all in the name of providing fans with the state-of-play in one of the nation’s toughest conferences. (Results listed for games in the past week.) 1. Iowa State (10-1) Results: beat Morgan State 99-72 Best win: Marquette Worst loss: Auburn NET ranking: 8 Comment: The Cyclones open conference play Dec. 30 with a trip to Boulder, a difficult assignment because of the altitude. They are undoubtedly aware, having lost decisively in Provo last season. 2. Kansas (9-2) Results: beat Brown 87-53 Best win: Duke Worst loss: Creighton NET ranking: 12 Comment: Michigan State is doing its part to prop up KU’s resume with five consecutive wins. North Carolina? Not so much. 3. West Virginia (9-2) Results: beat Mercyhurst 67-46 Best win: Gonzaga Worst loss: Louisville NET ranking: 33 Comment: The Mountaineers need to hold their own through the first half of conference play, then stack wins when the schedule eases in

The king is not dead, but he is somewhat diminished. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, the most influential voice in college football, has experienced a rough season. A rough 13 months, actually. Herbstreit’s controversial position in December 2023 regarding Florida State’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff — he did not believe the undefeated Seminoles deserved an invitation — led to relentless social media attacks by FSU fans. Herbstreit even suggested recently that he received death threats. (The experience prompted him to back away from appearances on ESPN’s weekly CFP ranking shows each Tuesday during November.) This month, he’s back in the eye of the sport’s postseason storm, both for his criticism of Indiana’s participation in the CFP and of what he termed the “lunatic” Ohio State fans who pillaged coach Ryan Day after the loss to Michigan. (Herbstreit played for OSU and has a personal relationship with Day.) Those positions drew a barrage of criticism from fans and sports media members alike, who have accused Herbstreit of bowing to ESPN’s conference partner, the SEC, which pushed for Alabama to make the CFP over Indiana. He has

Getting a new surfboard for Christmas? This will not be the week to hit the waves to learn to surf – and even experienced surfers should use extreme caution in the water. Big waves are slamming the Southern California coast this week, with massive surf showing up on Sunday, Dec. 22, and strong swells continuing through the week. RELATED: Santa Cruz Wharf partially collapses; 3 rescued from water “It’s going to be a better time to wait a few days after Christmas to bring your new board down,” Seal Beach Marine Safety Lt. Nick Bolin said. “This is not the week to come down and test out the surf. It’s very large, powerful and dangerous.” Surfers take to the water as big waves hit the shore in Seal Beach, CA, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) 1 of 10 Surfers take to the water as big waves hit the shore in Seal Beach, CA, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) Expand The National Weather Service put out a high surf warning, as well as

The key to fixing the 49ers is Kyle Shanahan’s old calling card The 49ers thrived because they could run the ball and stop the run. Now they’re struggling because they can’t do either A.P. Photo San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) How does coach Kyle Shanahan “re-invent” himself? Restore the running game, as well as stopping the run. Originally Published: December 24, 2024 at 9:15 AM PST

This past year may have been the most consequential year for Disneyland in more than two decades. Disneyland did not build any major new construction projects in 2024, but it still might have been the resort’s most important year since the Disney California Adventure expansion in 2001. This year, Anaheim approved the DisneylandForward initiative, which changed the rules that have governed land use at the resort since that expansion. Under the new rules, Disney can develop attractions and hotels on land previously reserved for parking. That opens up hundreds of acres of land for expansion that would not have been possible at Disneyland without the changes. So what’s coming next at the resort? Disneyland fans got their first official glimpse at the D23 event in Anaheim last August. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro introduced several new attractions that would be coming to Disney California Adventure in the near-ish future, including two new rides in Avengers Campus and new boat rides themed to Coco and Avatar. Still, legal clearances and concept plans are not enough to make fans’ dreams come true. People make the magic at

A suspect accused of defrauding a Greenbrae resident is now facing a federal case in addition to a local one. Qingyun Chen, 30, of San Leandro was arrested last month on allegations she stole more than $50,000 from a 79-year-old woman through an internet scam. The Marin County District Attorney’s Office charged her with grand theft and theft from an elderly adult. Since then, federal authorities have charged Chen with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. An FBI affidavit says the victim received an online alert that claimed that her laptop was frozen and that she needed to call an 800 number to unfreeze it. Chen conned the victim into paying couriers money to fix the computer, the FBI alleges. In the Marin case, Judge Kelly Simmons set a hearing for March 6 to take Chen’s plea and get an update on the federal case. Originally Published: December 24, 2024 at 6:46 AM PST

The rain that began Monday night in the Bay Area is expected to end before noon on Christmas Eve. The updating radar map above shows current areas of precipitation in green, with greater intensities indicated by yellow and orange. Rainfall was light to moderate over most of the Bay Area. A coastal flood warning in effect Tuesday morning was a response to a big swell, with waves breaking at 25 to 35 feet. The National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions” off beaches from Sonoma to Monterey counties and advised people to stay off jetties and piers. The Yosemite area was under warnings Tuesday for flooding as well as a winter storm, with up to 10 inches of snow expected above 6,000 feet elevation. Less snow was expected at Lake Tahoe — about 2 inches at lake level, the weather service said. After Tuesday’s rain, dry weather is forecast for the Bay Area on Christmas. Originally Published: December 24, 2024 at 6:39 AM PST

Breaking News Election | Person dies after being trapped by debris at Santa Cruz County beach News Politics Election News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Election | Crowded field of candidates eyeing District 3 seat as city seeks Torres replacement At least 10 candidates have requested nomination paperwork to run in special election San Jose City Hall lies between S. 4th and S. 6th streets on Santa Clara St. in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group) By Devan Patel | dpatel@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 24, 2024 at 6:15 AM PST At least ten candidates have requested nomination paperwork from the city clerk’s office to run in special election to fill the San Jose City Council’s District 3 seat. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

SAN JOSE — When 11-year-old Destiny Hernandez broke her glasses while playing ball with the other kids at school, her grandmother struggled to get her a replacement pair. Susana Trejo Martinez — Destiny’s legal guardian — said her granddaughter’s needed glasses since she was five years old for nearsightedness and recalled how she often complained about headaches, pain behind her eyes and redness when she didn’t have her glasses for just a few days. But although Trejo Martinez had vision insurance for the family and could see a doctor to ask for another pair of glasses, the insurer declined her request, saying it wasn’t time for Destiny to get a new pair. Trejo Martinez reached out to Healthier Kids Foundation on the recommendation of a teacher. The foundation staff spoke with the doctors and her insurance provider and were able to get Destiny a new pair of glasses in just three days, much to their delight. “I’m immensely grateful for the foundation and the people (who helped us). When I needed it most, they helped me,” Trejo Martinez said in Spanish. “In this case, I

What is solarpunk? Inside an audaciously hopeful environmental movement that’s thriving in the Bay Area The Bay Area Solarpunk movement has a vision for a harmonious future between humanity and nature – if the public dares to support its boldest ideas. Solar Punk Farms cofounders Spencer Scott, left, and Nick Schwanz look on from the greenhouse they built as part of their bioregional regenerative and sustainable movement at their property in Guerneville, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The quickest adopters of the movement’s values seem to be in the Bay Area, where a local solarpunk chapter formed this year and ventures like Solar Punk Farms in Sonoma County are working as a functional model for its lifestyle of ecological sustainability.

TODAY’S WORD — DIASPORA DIASPORA: dye-AS-por-uh: People settled far from their homelands. Average mark 18 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in DIASPORA? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — YOUNGER: yore young your ogre urge gone goner gore gory grey gurney gyre gyro ergo euro rogue roue rouge rune rung To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Dear Eric: I read the letter from “At a Crossroads,” who felt that she’d been unkind to her husband after his traumatic brain injury. I wonder if the wife needs as much counseling or more than her husband. Almost four years ago, at the height of COVID, I was hit by a car. I was in a hospital for several months clinging to life. My wife was told the first week that it was unlikely I would make it, and, because of COVID, she was barred from seeing me. She was supportive while I was undergoing numerous surgical procedures to save my life. When I finally left the hospital, I was a very bitter person. What I realized was, although I was the one in unmanageable pain, she too suffered great emotional pain and suffering. We talked about splitting, too. Our relationship forever changed. However, we never gave up and today we are grateful we never gave up on each other. It takes faith and time to overcome tragedies, especially when the pain cuts so deep, it’s hard to cope with. – Been at the

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been putting off a big project — the design for our new municipal hall — for weeks, and now the deadline is fast approaching. I am in charge of drafting the design, which needs to be revised before the builders begin the construction process. I’m feeling paralyzed by the pressure and overwhelmed by the thought of failure. As the deadline draws closer, I feel more and more stuck, and it’s becoming difficult to get started. I know this is something I need to do, but the fear of not doing it perfectly is holding me back. At times, it feels like I’m making no progress, and at other moments, the pressure becomes too much to bear. I want to push through this procrastination, but I’m unsure how to break the cycle. — Overcoming Procrastination DEAR OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION: Break your project down into small components of the big picture. Figure out what you can do each day to get you closer to your goal. Check off each accomplishment as you move along. This will give you energy and motivation to keep moving. Make

DEAR ABBY: I have been happily single for most of my life, and I treasure the friendship and company of my women friends. My question concerns a situation that happens frequently when one of them starts dating or marries. They seem to feel I should enjoy the company of both of them together from then on. My response has been to refuse any invitations, but it feels rude and impolite. I would appreciate your advice, and thank you! — SINGLE LADY IN THE MIDWEST DEAR SINGLE LADY: Running away isn’t the answer. Instead of cutting off these women without explanation when they become involved in a romantic relationship, it would make more sense to point out to them that women (and men) communicate differently when members of the opposite sex are present. It’s the truth. Couples don’t have to be joined at the hip 100% of the time, and, in fact, it’s healthier for their relationship when they sometimes socialize as individuals. DEAR ABBY: Six months ago, I began seeing a man I like very much but don’t want to be intimate with. We are

ALBANY – In one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, Salesian showed why it is the top team in the East Bay.  The Richmond school pummeled East Bay Athletic League powerhouse Dougherty Valley 75-58 at Albany High School on Monday night behind hot shooting and lockdown defense.  The Pride never trailed at any point of Monday’s game and have now won nine of their last 10 contests.  Salesian’s Carlton Perrilliat (21) takes a shot against Dougherty Valley’s Alonzo Walker III (33) in the second quarter at Albany High School in Albany, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)  Carlton Perrilliat led the way for Salesian with 15 points. Leon Powe added 13 points and Elias Obenyah had 10.  Dougherty Valley guard Rylan Sevilla had 10 points in the loss.  Dougherty Valley was without star forward Jalen Stokes for the 11th consecutive game. He was ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season just over a week ago, but the school is in the process of appealing the North Coast Section’s decision in hopes of getting the former Dublin