Category: Bay Area

The ongoing drama engulfing the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office continued Monday, with the county’s top prosecutor saying a deputy who was accused of time card fraud had committed no crime, and the Deputy Sheriff’s Association calling for a civil rights investigation into the Sheriff’s Office. Carlos Tapia, who serves as president of the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, had surrendered to be booked on the charges Nov. 12. In ordering the arrest, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said at the time that she had “consulted” with San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe on the charges, which included felony grand theft. But in a statement Monday, Wagstaffe said the sheriff’s investigation into the alleged time card fraud was “extraordinarily limited” at the time Tapia was booked and the case was sent to the DA’s office. The acting assistant sheriff who conducted the investigation acknowledged in his report that the investigation was incomplete, according to the DA’s press release. “We concluded that there just simply wasn’t a crime here,” District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in an interview. The DA’s office conducted a “thorough”

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Oakland must release film incentive funds When a film production receives $1 in financial incentives, it spends $13.66 in the local economy. Let that sink in. That’s a return on investment of more than 1,000%. In Oakland, we have an opportunity to transform a modest investment into a robust economic engine — and we’re hesitating. What if the path to economic recovery is not through backpedaling and austerity, but through targeted strategic investment? The City Council unanimously approved an incentive July 16. Now, they need to release the money. This film incentive helps Oakland do more with more. It costs less than $600,000 to implement, and there are already signed letters of intent worth tens of millions of dollars spent here … if they receive the incentive. This kind of ROI is back-to-basics finance. Please reach out to your council member and ask them to release the Film Incentive funds at their Tuesday meeting. Max Blum Oakland BART benefits riders, non-riders alike Re: “Don’t tap burdened taxpayers for BART” (Page A6

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden is closing the book on her teaching career at a Virginia community college. The first lady, who has taught in classrooms for 40 years, announced Monday that she had taught her final class ever at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. The surprise announcement came during a virtual “thank you” event with teachers tuning in from around the country. “Being your first lady has been the honor of my life. But being your colleague has been the work of my life,” she said. “Last Thursday, I taught my last class of the semester and my final class ever at Northern Virginia Community College.” “I will always love this profession, which is why I continued to teach full time while serving as your first lady,” said Jill Biden, who has taught English and writing at NOVA for 15 years. She was the first woman to continue her professional career outside the White House while serving the United States as first lady. The announcement comes as she and President Joe Biden are preparing to leave the White House in

On Saturday, as a powerful winter storm headed toward the Bay Area, San Francisco residents received a tornado warning from the National Weather Service. But no tornado touched down. Yet 50 miles to the south, Scotts Valley, in Santa Cruz County, didn’t receive a tornado warning and a tornado did hit the community, flipping seven cars, breaking trees and causing five injuries. What happened? Despite computer models, radar systems and modern satellites, the event highlighted how predicting the precise location of extreme weather events still can be difficult, experts said Monday. Officials from the National Weather Service said conditions in San Francisco and Santa Cruz County were very similar Saturday. The storms came from the same system. Radar images showed similar patterns. And the winds turned out to be similar — with gusts to 80 mph toppling trees at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and the tornado in Scotts Valley later in the day reaching 90 mph. The tornado never touched down in San Francisco. But the conditions in the atmosphere with wind speed and direction were right, said Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist

In the span of three days, while dealing with the loss of his starting quarterback to the transfer portal and preparing for an LA Bowl appearance, Cal coach Justin Wilcox rebuilt his offensive braintrust with two fascinating moves. First, he hired Bryan Harsin as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. Then, he added Nick Rolovich as a senior offensive assistant. What a pairing. Harsin and Rolovich, who were involved in COVID vaccine controversies during the 2021 season, will be employed by the football program that faced the most stringent restrictions in the country. This might cause the Calgorithm to crash. For those unfamiliar, Harsin coached with Wilcox at Boise State under Chris Petersen in the 2000s. But in the fall of 2021, he was Auburn’s boss — and very publicly declined to divulge whether he received the vaccine. A year later, he was gone. In a statement on Harsin’s termination, Auburn indicated the team’s poor performance was the reason. Rolovich’s issues with the COVID vaccine were far more public, and impactful. As the head coach at Washington State in the fall of 2021, Rolovich declined to receive

DUBLIN — A rape case against a Dublin man lasted less than all of two weeks, after prosecutors moved to dismiss charges “in the interest of justice” against the man accused of sexually assaulting a sex worker. Ricardo Tijero, 38, was charged on Nov. 22 with rape and forcible oral copulation of a woman he reportedly admitted to meeting through a prostitution website. But on Dec. 2, prosecutors dismissed the charges and indicated to the court they’d throw out a parole revocation petition against Tijero as well, records show. The case against Tijero was spurred by a woman who called police to report that her sister was being held against her will at Tijero’s home on 7th Street in Union City – the sister had managed to send a coded text alerting her. The alleged victim later accused Tijero of sexually assaulting her, which he denied, records show. The alleged incident occurred on Nov. 3. But it was the second time in the previous month that Union City police had been called to the home for a suspicious incident involving prostitution, court records show. On

Sacramento State is reportedly talking with former NFL star quarterback Michael Vick to be its next head football coach. The Hornets, who are building a new football stadium and are planning to move up to FBS, are in discussions to lure Vick to their program, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, the 44-year-old Vick is also in talks with Norfolk State , which also has a head coach opening. Should Vick land either job it would be his first experience coaching in college football. Schefter also reported Sacramento State has more than $50 million in NIL funds, which puts the school in good financial shape to build up its football program. The Hornets have been searching for a head coach since former head coach Andy Thompson left two weeks ago to join Stanford’s staff as an associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator for head coach Troy Taylor, whom Thompson replaced two years ago. Sacramento State had an 11-14 record during Thompson’ two years in Sacramento. The Virginian-Pilot reported Monday that Vick, who served 18 months in prison for dog fighting while in the prime of

WHICH KIDS’ SNOWBOARD BOOTS ARE BEST? Snowboarding is among those wonderful sports and activities where all ages and skill levels are welcome to take to it and foster their curiosity. Young children especially, with the right equipment, can learn quickly and develop a love that may last their entire life. The equipment, and in particular the snowboard boot, is vital to safely enjoy boarding, particularly at a younger age where discomfort or falls can deter kids. Our guide will take you through all that you should consider when shopping for kids’ snowboard boots. We also have a couple of recommendations at the end, including our top pick, the HEAD Jr. Boa Snowboard Boots, which is a comfortable and stylish pair from one of the top brands in snowboarding. WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY KIDS’ SNOWBOARD BOOTS Flexibility Snowboard boots should allow for a kid to safely and comfortably twist, turn, and flex with their fit. They should be snug, but comfortable, with enough support that you can’t hurt your ankles from falling, but not so much that the boot feels overly stiff and rigid. The ideal

Welcome to the Bay Area News Group ( Mercury News & East Bay Times ) girls  Athlete of the Week poll. For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner. This week, we consider performances from Dec. 9-14 . Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting. Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted. Scroll to the bottom for the poll. Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections. Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians. On to the nominees: Maya Abughosh, Campolindo soccer: The senior scored a goal and had two assists in a 3-1 victory over Berkeley, helping the Cougars start the season 6-0. Olivia

FREMONT — A Sunnyvale man has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter in connection with a May 3 crash that happened while he was allegedly driving the wrong way down a city street while drunk. Hung Vuu, 59, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the crash that killed 26-year-old Taniela Finau Hafoka Malekamu, of Oakland. An online fundraiser for Hafoka Malekamu says the father of three was killed while “heroically” pushing a co-worker out of harm’s way as Vuu drove down the wrong side of the road. Vuu pleaded not guilty at a Dec. 5 court hearing. He has been released on $150,000 bail, court records show. Police say the crash occurred at around 11:30 p.m. on May 3, near Industrial Drive and Fremont Boulevard in Fremont. At least three vehicles reportedly swerved out of Vuu’s way as he careened down Fremont Boulevard, then eventually struck a sidewalk, killing Hafoka Malekamu. Vuu’s Honda Accord continued another 1,000 feet and only came to a rest because it struck a light pole, according to police. Prosecutors have not filed hit and run charges

Which anti-fatigue kitchen mat is best? Whether you find kitchen chores relaxing or dread them, standing on your feet long enough to cook every meal or wash every dish can take a toll on your body. An anti-fatigue kitchen mat is an easy way to lessen the strain on your body from daily chores. Because the mat’s surface is flexible, your leg muscles contract lightly to keep you balanced. This keeps your leg muscles active, which keeps your blood flowing as you stand for long periods. Many different anti-fatigue kitchen mats are available, so it is important to consider the options to find the perfect mat to give you the most relief. The Kangaroo Anti-Fatigue Cushioned Floor Mat is a top choice for hours of standing. What to know before you buy an anti-fatigue kitchen mat Design Anti-fatigue mats come in several different designs, though the flat ones are by far the most common. Flat anti-fatigue mats are the standard, as they are inexpensive to make and comfortable to stand on. A perfect entry-level choice, these mats are rectangular, flat all over and usually 1-2 inches thick. Many have

Welcome to the Bay Area News Group ( Mercury News & East Bay Times ) boys  Athlete of the Week poll. For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner. This week, we consider performances from Dec. 9-14 . Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting. Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted. Scroll to the bottom for the poll. Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections. Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com. We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians. On to the nominees: Grayson Boustead, Northgate basketball: The senior led the way with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting as the Broncos turned back Antioch 66-44. Earlier in the month, he

Breaking News Restaurants, Food and Drink | After more rain Monday, Bay Area expected to dry out until end of work week Things To Do Restaurants, Food and Drink News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. King Arthur Baking just released its first-ever cookbook that’s all about bread Scoring a batard, featured in “The Big Book of Bread,” released in Oct. from King Arthur Baking Company (photo by Ed Anderson, courtesy of King Arthur Baking Company). By Jason Mastrodonato | jmastrodonato@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 16, 2024 at 9:00 AM PST King Arthur released its first-ever cookbook that’s all about bread. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

It’s been a year of adventures and plenty of globetrotting for our readers, who have celebrated major anniversaries and fulfilled dreams from California to Paris — hey, Mickey! — Norway and Fiji. Each week, our Wish You Were Here feature has followed them on their adventures and made us wish we were indeed there. Today, we’re rolling out a Wish You Were Here extravaganza of 10 bucket list trips — exploring the fjords of Flam, diving with whale sharks and channeling a little royalty, too. Fiji celebrations Campbell residents Paulette and Brent Wilkinson celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in September with a 12-day trip to Fiji. “We visited the Coral Coast of the main island of Viti Levu and then stayed at the Likuliku resort on Malolo island,” Paulette says. “While on Viti Levu, we visited Natadola Beach, considered the most beautiful beach in Fiji. We also learned about and helped support the endangered Fijian Crested Iguana at the Kula Wild Adventure Park. Campbell residents Paulette and Brent Wilkinson, at right, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in Fiji on a trip that included a Kava

Fruitcake has been having a moment. Now this stollen from King Arthur Baking Company is ready for its spotlight. Martin Philip, one of the authors of “The King Arthur Baking Company Big Book of Bread: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker,” (Simon Element, $30), released Oct. 22, said the recipe provided in this book is the one he bakes every year around the holidays. “It’s a traditional German holiday bread with soaked dried fruits, and on the inside, it has an incredible piece of marzipan, almond paste,” Philip said. “After the bake, you take the loaf and submerge it in butter and run it over with some confectioner’s sugar. It’s one of my favorite things to eat in the world for sweets.” Philip sat down recently to share some bread-baking tips and discuss his path from Opera San Jose to King Arthur Bread Company. Among the recipes in this book are some classic holiday treats, including a caramelized apple and honey challah, the “most-chocolaty” babka and King Arthur’s twist on a traditional German stollen. Philip offered his advice for anyone making these three breads at home:

SANTA CLARA – De’Vondre Campbell’s expulsion from the 49ers will come via an unpaid suspension for their final three games, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. That discipline is expected later today as the 49ers (6-8) reconvene after Thursday’s dramatic defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, a 12-6 loss in which Campbell refused to come off the bench and play a single snap. Campbell has not commented publicly since the game. By suspending him, the 49ers will avoid paying him $261,666 in salary and per-game bonuses, and they can try recouping $111,666 of his $3.35 million signing bonus for games missed, according to spotrac.com. By the 49ers not releasing him or terminating his contract, Campbell can not join another team, if the 31-year-old wanted to extend his career. The 49ers will practice at 1:30 p.m. today ahead of Sunday’s penultimate road game at the Miami Dolphins. Neither coach Kyle Shanahan nor general manager John Lynch are slated to speak to the media; players will be available to reporters in the locker room at approximately 2:40 p.m. Campbell walked to the locker room early in the

Watch 6 days of free holiday movies at the historic Orinda Theatre The free movies run from December 19 to December 26 and include afternoon, evening and Christmas Day showings. “A Christmas Story” was released in 1983 and featured a young Peter Billingsley. (Warner Bros./TNS) The free movies run from December 19 to December 26 and include afternoon, evening and Christmas Day showings. Originally Published: December 16, 2024 at 6:30 AM PST

A bird perches on a picnic table. (Getty Images) By Joan Morris, Correspondent PUBLISHED: December 16, 2024 at 6:30 AM PST Do patterns scare away birds? Or is something else going on? Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

TasteFood: Make a beef tenderloin for that holiday feast Reverse searing is the (super easy) key to this impressive dish Reverse searing is the (super easy) key to this impressive dish. Originally Published: December 16, 2024 at 6:26 AM PST

As a healthy youngster, Leslie Roberts loved spending time in her father’s grocery store in Iowa, where she excelled at stocking supplies and balancing atop crates to reach fresh lettuce. Now, recovering from years lost to manic depression, addiction and homelessness, she’s a grocery expert once again. At California Clubhouse, a San Carlos-based sanctuary where those with serious mental illness can be people, not patients, Roberts is responsible for planning, shopping and cooking daily meals for 20 other members. She also shares her food skills — teaching Clubhouse members how to read food labels, compare prices, take measurements, use utensils and safely cut with knives. California Clubhouse member Leslie Roberts makes boxes of Mexican chicken salad with beans and rice on Oct. 15, 2024, in San Carlos, Calif. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)  “It gives me a purpose, so I’m not just sitting in my apartment by myself,” said Roberts, 67, with a quick smile and chestnut hair. Her illness is controlled. She long ago quit alcohol, opioids, cannabis and American Spirit menthol cigarettes. “It makes you feel good,” she said, “to see people sitting

TODAY’S WORD — SAPONIFY SAPONIFY: suh-PON-ih-fye: To convert into soap. Average mark 15 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 18 or more words in SAPONIFY? The list will be published tomorrow. SATURDAY’S WORD — NYMPHALID: nail nymph madly maid mail main mainly manly many mild mind myna paid pail pain palm palmy pima piny plaid plain plan play hail hand handily handy haply hind hymn hymnal amid amply aphid lady laid lain lamp land lapin layin limn limp limy lymph idly imply inlay inly daily damn damp damply dial dimly dimply 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