Category: Bay Area

SAN RAMON — Jalen Stokes has made an early case as the East Bay Athletic League’s top player after another sensational performance on Friday night.  In a highly-anticipated matchup against Oklahoma commit Alec Blair, Stokes exploded for 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Dougherty Valley to a 59-48 win over De La Salle. Dougherty Valley’s defense stepped up in a big way as the Wildcats used a 2-3 zone to stifle the usually high-powered De La Salle offense.  “It’s always a battle against Blair,” Stokes, a UC Davis commit, said. “We’re both the top players on our respective teams and it’s definitely a battle I love to have. I’m just glad we got to pull this win out as a team.” De La Salle’s Alec Blair (33) goes up for a basket against Dougherty Valley’s Jalen Stokes (2) in the third period of their game at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Dougherty Valley defeated De La Salle 59-48. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)  Stokes’ 32-point game comes just a week after he scored 47

DUBLIN – Prosecutors on Friday announced charges against a 21-year-old man accused of carjacking a woman in Fremont and then using her vehicle to run her over. George Green is charged with one count each of carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident, unlawful driving or taking a vehicle, and receiving stolen property, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release. If convicted of the charges, Green faces up to 22 years and eight months in state prison. The alleged crime happened on Nov. 8, 2024. Prosecutors said Green used “force and fear” to take the victim’s vehicle and ran her over with it, injuring her in the process. Green was either on probation, mandatory supervision, post-release community supervision or parole when the alleged crime happened, according to the district attorney’s office. Green was scheduled to be arraigned Friday at the East Hall County of Justice in Dublin. Check back for updates.

Bay Area Home Report 728 East Angela Street – Google Street View The spacious property located in the 700 block of Angela Street in Pleasanton was sold on Oct. 22, 2024. The $1,625,000 purchase price works out to $717 per square foot. The house, built in 1960, has an interior space of 2,266 square feet. This single-story home offers a spacious layout with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In addition, the house comes with a garage. Situated on a spacious 8,036-square-foot lot, the property offers ample outdoor space. Additional houses have recently been sold nearby: In May 2023, a 1,698-square-foot home on Neal Street in Pleasanton sold for $1,750,000, a price per square foot of $1,031. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A 2,051-square-foot home on the 4300 block of Mirador Drive in Pleasanton sold in August 2022, for $1,620,000, a price per square foot of $790. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On East Angela Street, Pleasanton, in July 2023, a 1,452-square-foot home was sold for $1,588,000, a price per square foot of $1,094. The home has 3 bedrooms and

SAN JOSE – A man was killed in a shooting Monday night on Interstate 280 in San Jose, according to authorities. Just before 10 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a crash in the center divide north of De Anza Boulevard, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release. The driver and sole occupant of the car had injuries that appeared to be related to the crash, but doctors later discovered he had also been shot in the head, the CHP said. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office will release his identity after it is confirmed and his next of kin is notified. As of Friday, detectives were still working to determine a motive for the shooting and identify a suspect. According to the CHP, witnesses who called 911 said the victim was possibly involved in a road rage incident or a race prior to the crash. Anyone with information related to the case can contact the CHP investigative tip line at 707-917-4491. Check back for updates.

OAKLAND — Among the many allegations of corruption in indictments filed Friday against ex-Mayor Sheng Thao is the notion she was bribed to influence the appointment of a city official who could help secure funding for Thao’s alleged co-conspirators. Federal prosecutors do not accuse the official, who isn’t identified in the indictment documents, of being knowingly involved in an alleged scheme by the former mayor and her accomplices to trade political favors for guaranteed access to lucrative city contracts. But city documents indicate that the official — who is identified by city records and a source with direct knowledge as city staffer Larry Gallegos — was installed in his position by the conspirators in the sprawling bribery plot outlined in Friday’s charging documents. Thao, who was recalled by voters last November, has pleaded not guilty, along with her romantic partner Andre Jones and father-son business duo David and Andy Duong, who own a longtime family recycling company contracted by the city of Oakland. An unnamed co-conspirator has not been charged or named in documents, but all details listed about the individual line up neatly with

The year ended with the lowest number of migrant encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border in a long time, with San Diego no longer the busiest crossing route in December as traffic spiked in Texas, according to the latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It’s an outcome that the Biden administration on Friday took one last opportunity to tout — days before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House and is expected to issue orders cracking down on the border. RELATED: Immigration raid in Bakersfield has ‘chilling effect’ on community, United Farm Workers says In December, the number of migrant encounters between ports of entry along the Southwest border dropped to about 47,300 — the lowest level since August 2020, said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a press call Friday. Mayorkas said the decline has been a “consistent trend” since Biden’s executive order to restrict asylum eligibility for those who cross the border illegally went into effect in June. The number of migrant encounters within the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego sector dropped 60% from June to December, and 72% from April

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Facing fires’ tragedy, GOP offers nastiness On Jan. 12, Margaret Brennan interviewed Wyoming Republican Sen. John Barrasso on “Face the Nation.” When asked about the horrific California fires, he replied that Wyoming did send help and immediately blamed the California government for being unprepared. Can he or anyone else control 100 mph winds caused by climate change, which he, Donald Trump and Trump supporters in and out of Congress deny? They cannot. These fire victims are now homeless and their lives have been shattered. They need compassion, encouragement, physical help, shelter, food, clothing, etc., not meanness and criticism of their California government. First responders, those who opened their homes to strangers, those who are providing meals, clothing, shelter and donations are “working with the angels” to help those in such dire need. To Sen. Barrasso, Donald Trump, et. al., stop it. Stop the nastiness, have a heart, do what’s right because it’s the right thing to do. Ramona Krausnick Dublin Pleasanton to offer more of the same on deficit Re: “Council

Fresh from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry being called “disaster tourists” for visiting the smoldering ruins of people’s homes lost in the Eaton fire, the couple face new scrutiny over the personal, professional and reputational challenges they’ve dealt with in the five years since they left royal life and moved to California. Unfortunately for the Montecito-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex, “American Hustle,” a new cover story in Vanity Fair, confirm previous reports about Meghan being a “terrible,” “difficult” and even “bullying” boss to her employees. For the 8,000-word piece, the magazine spoke to dozens of people, a number of whom could only be interviewed anonymously because they were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. While Harry can be “charming,” if giving off the air that he “has no inner life” other than polo, Vanity Fair reported that Meghan seems eager to be “a good person” and to engage “in world-improving (if also brand-building) activities.” And yet, the former TV actor has become a polarizing figure in America. She also tends to engage in what writer Anna Peele described as retaliatory behavior against “people so below

Bay Area Home Report 95 Kimberlin Heights Drive – Google Street View A spacious house located in the first block of Kimberlin Heights Drive in Oakland has new owners. The 2,004-square-foot property, built in 1956, was sold on Oct. 25, 2024. The $1,650,000 purchase price works out to $823 per square foot. This single-story house provides a generous living space with its four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In addition, the house includes a two-car garage, ensuring ample room for parking and storage. The property encompasses a generous 0.3-acre of land. Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include: A 1,300-square-foot home on the first block of Rishell Drive in Oakland sold in June 2022, for $1,600,000, a price per square foot of $1,231. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On Rishell Drive, Oakland, in June 2024, a 1,452-square-foot home was sold for $1,440,000, a price per square foot of $992. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In October 2024, a 2,087-square-foot home on Crestmont Drive in Oakland sold for $1,600,000, a price per square foot of $767. The home

Content oversight and quality assurance provided by Bay Area News Group. Bay Area News Group advertising leadership oversees sponsored, native, and paid content on this platform, ensuring its quality, relevance, and helpfulness for our audience. Articles attributed to this byline are authored by paying advertisers. The editorial team did not contribute to these pieces, and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editorial staff. Refer to our partner statement to better understand the nature of the relationship. The sponsor retains responsibility for the content and holds the copyright to their material. SPONSORED CONTENT What Is Delta-8 THC? Delta-8 THC is a psychoactive compound found in cannabis, similar to delta-9 THC, which is responsible for the high. However, Delta-8 is derived from hemp and is much milder than delta-9. It offers potential benefits such as helping with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and stress relief. How Does It Work? Delta-8 THC interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates functions like emotions, sleep, and pain. It binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and nervous system, much like delta-9 THC, but with a

Content oversight and quality assurance provided by Bay Area News Group. Bay Area News Group advertising leadership oversees sponsored, native, and paid content on this platform, ensuring its quality, relevance, and helpfulness for our audience. Articles attributed to this byline are authored by paying advertisers. The editorial team did not contribute to these pieces, and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editorial staff. Refer to our partner statement to better understand the nature of the relationship. The sponsor retains responsibility for the content and holds the copyright to their material. SPONSORED CONTENT Delta-8 THC is a psychoactive compound that has gained significant popularity as a legal alternative to marijuana. However, it’s crucial to understand that some Delta-8 products may lead to potentially worrisome side effects. TREHouse stands out as one of the leading Delta-8 products on the market today. Below, we’ll explore TREHouse alongside five other top Delta-8 brands, evaluating them based on product quality, safety standards, potency, and customer satisfaction. Additionally, we’ll delve into what Delta-8 is, how it differs from other THC products, and key information you should know

Bay Area Home Report 3518 Shadow Creek Drive – Google Street View A 2,660-square-foot house built in 1990 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 3500 block of Shadow Creek Drive in Danville was sold on Dec. 6, 2024, for $1,850,000, or $695 per square foot. This single-story house boasts a generous living space with four bedrooms and two baths. Additionally, the house includes an attached two-car garage, ensuring ample room for parking and storage. The lot of the property is substantial, measuring 0.3-acre. Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby: In September 2024, a 3,237-square-foot home on Walnut Creek Court in Danville sold for $2,401,000, a price per square foot of $742. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. On Kaitlyn Lane, Danville, in June 2023, a 3,406-square-foot home was sold for $2,350,000, a price per square foot of $690. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. A 3,237-square-foot home on the 300 block of Sun Stream Court in Danville sold in September 2023, for $2,251,000, a price per square foot of $695. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3

Fresh layoffs have jolted the Bay Area, staffing reductions that are poised to eliminate about 600 jobs in the retail, grocery, tech, biotech, and food manufacturing industries, official state labor notices show. Safeway, Draeger’s Supermarkets, AppLovin, IGM Biosciences, Aurora Solar and Columbus Manufacturing have revealed plans for job cuts that will affect workers in the South Bay and the East Bay, on the Peninsula, and in San Francisco, according to WARN letters sent to the state Employment Development Department. Draeger’s Market grocery store at 222 East 4th Street in San Mateo. (Google Maps) All told, the staffing cuts will eliminate 599 Bay Area jobs, the EDD documents show. Here are the details for the recent staffing reductions in the Bay Area: Columbus Salame Co. signs are visible outside of the company’s meat processing center at 30977 San Antonio Road in Hayward. (Google Maps) — Safeway, 156 job cuts at two office locations in Pleasanton. These are all corporate positions and none are at Safeway supermarkets. The layoffs are due to occur Feb. 22. — Columbus Manufacturing, a producer of meats such as salami, 125 layoffs in Hayward

The San Jose Earthquakes announced on Friday morning that PayPal Park will host an international friendly between Liga MX rivals Atlas FC and Chivas de Guadalajara on Mar. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Clásico Tapatío, the name of the rivalry between Atlas and C.D. Guadalajara, started in 1916, making the rivalry the oldest in Mexican football history. This match will mark the first time the two clubs have met at PayPal Park since Nov. 2015 when Atlas defeated Chivas, 1-0, in front of a sellout crowd. Alejandro Zarate, a second-half substitute, delivered the match’s lone goal. “It’s always great here when we come to the United States for games,” Zarate said at the time. “Chivas is a great rival. They kind of had the home-field advantage tonight with their fans. We put a good effort in. It was great to get a win. It’s never friendly with our two teams.” Prior to the match, PayPal Park will also host a four-hour Tapatío Fan Fest featuring food and live mariachi. Presale for Earthquakes season ticket holders begins on Jan. 23 at 10 a.m., while fans who previously

The Hotline mailbag publishes weekly. Send questions to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on the social media platform X: @WilnerHotline Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity. How are the cross-country traveling teams doing in basketball so far? — @CelestialMosh About how you would expect: poorly. Is this due to the travel, the matchups or a talent deficit? Probably all of it. And context is essential. First, here are the numbers (conference games only). — The new ACC teams (Cal and Stanford) are 0-6 combined when crossing multiple time zones, with both scheduled to play on the East Coast on Saturday. — The new Big Ten teams (UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington) are 3-6 when playing in the Central and Eastern Time Zones. — In our view, the point spread is a better gauge of performance because it accounts for disparities in talent and expectations. In that regard, the six West Coast teams are 4-11 when playing on the other side of the country (based on odds published by vegasinsider.com). Now, let’s dive into the context. The sample size

OAKLAND — Federal authorities indicted four people including former Mayor Sheng Thao on Friday, marking a stunning escalation in a sweeping grand jury inquiry that appeared to target the highest levels of the East Bay’s political scene. The indictments capped a sprawling investigation that sprung into public view in late June with a series of raids targeting the homes of Thao, as well as the owners of California Waste Solutions, the city’s recycling contractor. Since then, FBI agents have cast a wide net while investigating Oakland’s City Hall — a dragnet that, federal prosecutors now say, was focused on a bribery and kick-back scheme, alleged backroom election-season dealings and secret payments from the city’s recycling contractor to the then-Oakland mayor’s romantic partner. Here’s a look at the players involved: Andy Duong, left, California Waste Solutions Director, and David Duong, president and CEO of California Waste Solutions. (Bay Area News Group and Facebook)  David Duong: The patriarch of California Waste Solutions, David Duong came with his siblings from Vietnam to start a new life — one that began with his family picking up cardboard from San

WASHINGTON (AP) — The pageantry and parties surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration kick off this weekend with fireworks and a rally before Monday’s inaugural ceremony, parade and balls. A look at the lineup of official inaugural events for the four days surrounding Trump’s second inauguration as president. It’s unclear how the decision to move Trump’s swearing-in indoors to the Capitol Rotunda might affect the scheduled lineup for the ceremony: Saturday Cabinet dinner: Vice President-elect JD Vance will attend an evening reception for incoming Cabinet members and host a dinner in Washington. Fireworks show: Trump will host an evening reception and fireworks show at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia. Sunday Arlington ceremony: The president-elect will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. MAGA rally: In the evening, Trump will hold a campaign-style “MAGA Victory” rally at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C. The rally is set to include performances by Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Village People, Lee Greenwood and a Liberty University choir that will pay tribute to the attempted assassination of Trump

What’s on this weekend (besides the return of “Severance”)? How about a violent old West series, an animated Netflix show featuring the voice of a talented San Francisco native who just keeps winning awards, and the return of wonderfully clueless Philomena Cunk? Read on. “American Primeval”: Nothing sentimental nor kind happens in director/ executive producer Peter Berg and creator/writer/executive producer Mark L. Smith’s grimy, bloody and grueling six-episode Western series. Nor should it. What you get from this 1857-set “How the West Was Mean” Netflix offering are brutal scalpings, killings, non-graphic sexual assaults, zinging arrows thunking into heads and other  forms of violent human cruelty, all inflicted on a vast cast of mostly unsympathetic, scurrilous characters. “Primeval” focuses mostly on two people: hot-tempered grieving frontiersman Isaac Reed (an unrecognizable Taylor Kitsch) and momma bear Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) who’s hiding a secret. After much pestering, a reluctant Issac consents to guide Sara and her son through the volatile Utah Territory to meet up with her hubby. But getting from the uncouth and rotten cesspool of Fort Bridger in Wyoming to her destination requires tenacity and

By MARYCLAIRE DALE | Associated Press EAST BERLIN, Pa. — An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said “So I raped you” was ordered held without bail Friday during a court hearing in Pennsylvania. The appearance by Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, came a day after he arrived back in the U.S. He was detained in April in Metz, France, after a three-year search, and a French appeals court later said he could be extradited. He appeared by video and without a lawyer at the preliminary arraignment. District Judge Tony J. Little in East Berlin made the detainment decision, citing a request by the Adams County District Attorney’s Office, which argued that Cleary had no ties to the area and had been in France with no work or permanent address. Prosecutors also noted financial resources available to him through his family. Cleary appeared relatively calm during the hearing and spoke only briefly to answer questions from the judge. The next hearing was scheduled for Jan. 29. Former Gettysburg University student Shannon

MARTINEZ — A former Diablo Valley College track coach pleaded guilty to one count of attempted human trafficking and has been sentenced to formal felony probation after his four-year prison sentence was suspended, authorities said. Kyle Whitmore entered his plea in late 2024, according to court records. Prosecutors originally charged him with nine felonies in relation to human trafficking and other sex-related crimes, authorities said. Prosecutors alleged that Whitmore trafficked two victims to commit crimes of prostitution, authorities said. The guilty plea to the one count involved the two victims, according to Contra Costa District Attorney spokesperson Ted Asregadoo. “The resolution reflects the complexities of the case, including victim input, evidentiary challenges, and the defendant’s lack of prior criminal history,” Asregadoo wrote in an email. The agreement also includes a 10-year-protective order for the victims and prohibits Whitmore from entering the campuses at DVC, Los Medanos College and Contra Costa College, Asregadoo said. Whitmore’s probation conditions include the right for authorities to search and seize his property, including electronic devices), mandatory participation in sex addiction therapy if deemed appropriate by the Contra Costa County probation

By Eliyahu Kamisher, Laura Curtis and Kara Carlson | Bloomberg As the smoke clears from devastating Los Angeles wildfires, efforts to clean up the affected areas are being complicated by burnt-out electric and hybrid vehicles and home-battery storage systems. Lithium batteries from Tesla Inc., along with those from other carmakers, have added to the mix of toxic materials requiring specialized removal in the wake of the fires, delaying the fire victims’ return to their properties. RELATED: Huge fire at Moss Landing battery plant spurs evacuations, road closures, sends out plumes of toxic smoke “A lot of the cars in the evacuation area were lithium batteries,” said Jacqui Irwin, a state assembly member representing the Pacific Palisades, one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires. “We’ve heard from firefighters that those lithium batteries burned fires near homes – like those with power walls – for much longer.” The LA wildfires, which began Jan. 7, have taken at least 27 lives and destroyed thousands of homes. While the dry, dangerous winds are forecast to end — a lack of rain and another possible round of winds next