Category: Bay Area

OAKLAND — One of the 14 people wounded in a mass shooting near Lake Merritt last month was charged Tuesday after authorities say he was among the gunmen in a shootout that left a large crowd of people scrambling for safety, court records show. JaJuan Kelly, 23, of Oakland, was charged with four felony counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm in the June 19 shooting, according to court documents. He was transferred to Santa Rita Jail on Monday from a hospital where he had been recovering from his wounds. He is being held in lieu of $1,630,000 bail. It is still unclear whether he actually hit anyone in the shooting on June 19. He also was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. Kelly was identified as one of the suspected shooters through video and other evidence, authorities said. According to court records, he and several other people were at Lake Merritt, which had been the site of a peaceful Juneteenth celebration, when they spotted another group of people walking nearby. A shootout ensued

Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories have been issued for parts of the Bay Area as several cities approach peak recorded temperatures. Alexis Clouser, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said a high-pressure system is moving over the region, resulting in very hot temperatures. An excessive heat warning for interior cities was put in effect until Tuesday. A heat advisory was also announced for coastal cities surrounding San Francisco Bay until Tuesday, but the advisory in San Francisco is expected to end Thursday. Clouser said temperatures in several Bay Area cities are forecast to either nearly reach or exceed record highs. San Rafael is expected to hit 100 degrees, which would break the 2001 record high of 99. In Oakland, temperatures are expected to hit 92, just one degree cooler than the record high of 93, which was set in 2001. The high in Livermore could reach 108, just under the previous record of 109, which was set in 2001. San Jose is expected to reach a high of 98, and downtown San Francisco’s temperature is forecast to peak at a mild 83. The lows Wednesday

By JULIA FRANKEL, Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved the largest seizure of land in the occupied West Bank in over three decades, a settlement tracking group said Wednesday, a move that is likely to worsen already soaring tensions linked to the war in Gaza. Israel’s aggressive expansion in the West Bank reflects the settler community’s strong influence in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the most religious and nationalist in the country’s history. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a settler himself, has turbocharged the policy of expansion, seizing new authorities over settlement development and saying he aims to solidify Israel’s hold on the territory and prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. Authorities recently approved the appropriation of 12.7 square kilometers (nearly 5 square miles) of land in the Jordan Valley, according to a copy of the order obtained by The Associated Press. Data from Peace Now, the tracking group, indicate it was the largest single appropriation approved since the 1993 Oslo accords at the start of the peace process. Settlement monitors said the land grab connects Israeli settlements along a key corridor

SAN JOSE — Two East Bay men have been charged with an alleged scheme in which one used a credit card skimmer to illicitly buy thousands of gallons of fuel from a Safeway gas station, then resold it to the second man’s trucking company, authorities said. Yuniel Cordero, 40, of Oakland, and Henry Umana, 44, of San Leandro, were charged in the past week by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. They last appeared in court Monday, when a judge granted them supervised release. “These defendants were criminally filling up their fuel tanks and their pockets, using the stolen property of others,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. Prosecutors allege that Cordero used an electronic skimming device to steal credit card information from customers at undetermined businesses in the Bay Area. He then allegedly used those credit cards to buy diesel fuel from a Safeway gas station in South San Jose and pump it in a “makeshift bladder” he installed in the back of a truck. From there, investigators accuse Cordero of selling the stolen fuel to Umana’s trucking company in San

When neighbors give me fresh figs from their heavy-laden trees, most go straight into my mouth, barely making it into my kitchen for playing with. But this recipe — a bright, nutty, creamy salad that doesn’t use any dairy — is worth saving 3 or 4 colossal figs for. Peppery arugula tops a creamy cashew base that mimics a decadent cheese, studded with fresh, juicy figs. Briny Castelvetrano olives and toasted almonds give it a gourmet finish. This salad is filling enough to be an entree for two, or it can be split by four or more as an appetizer or side dish for a seasonal brunch, lunch or supper. Be sure to use figs at their prime, their thin skins oozing their honeyed insides. Figs with Cashew Cream, Arugula and Olives Serves 2 to 4 INGREDIENTS 1 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight and then drained ½ cup water 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic 1 teaspoon salt Fresh cracked black pepper 2 cups arugula 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar 3 to 6 ripe figs

Weeks before it was scheduled to go before a federal jury, San Diego County has agreed to a strikingly expensive end to a long-running lawsuit that stemmed from a chilling jail death nearly five years ago. The county and one of its private healthcare contractors will pay $15 million to the family of Elisa Serna, a 24-year-old pregnant woman who died in the Las Colinas jail after a sheriff’s deputy and medical worker watched her collapse in her cell and left her alone to die. San Diego County taxpayers will bear the brunt of the monetary damages, absorbing $14 million of the agreed-upon amount. The Coast Correctional Medical Group, which provides medical professionals to treat people in jail, will pay $1 million. “The parties will immediately file a notice of settlement with the United States District Court and will jointly move to dismiss this case with prejudice and the pending appeal within three days of the settlement payment,” the agreement states. The plaintiffs and their lawyers said the deal was reached Friday night after a negotiating session that stretched more than 12 hours. They plan

Nearly a decade after Suki Waterhouse dated Bradley Cooper, the British model, actor and singer has made some intriguing comments about what is was like to date the “Maestro” star. In an interview with British Vogue, the singer talked about “the story behind her relationship” with the Hollywood superstar, describing that time as being “dark and difficult.” Waterhouse and Cooper dated from 2013 to 2015, starting when she was 21 and he was 38. She’s now in a relationship with “The Batman” star Robert Pattinson, and they welcomed a baby daughter in March. British Vogue said Waterhouse’s relationship with Cooper “propelled her to the murky heights of tabloid fame.” When they began dating, Waterhouse was mainly known as a model who hung out with other “It girl” London models like Georgia May Jagger and Cara Delevingne. Cooper’s star, meanwhile, was on the rise after he starred in “The Hangover” and nabbed his first Oscar nomination by acting opposite Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook.” Waterhouse and Cooper dated for two years. During that time, they were serious enough that he brought her as his date

Where are Cupertino’s fireworks? The city’s annual show typically takes place at a local park and is a highlight for residents every Fourth of July. But this year it’s fizzling out. Cupertino cancelled it to help close a multi-million dollar budget deficit, leaving some residents disappointed. Cupertino resident Tom Sanford had been attending the shows for 15 years, ever since his now-adult children were little. He appreciated how close the display was to his home, compared to nearby ones at Santa Clara or Mountain View. “We usually went to Creekside and had a blanket set up,” he said. “You wouldn’t believe how many people were in there.” In approving its $146.6 million budget for fiscal year 2024-25, the Cupertino City Council slashed $8.7 million in operations and maintenance, infrastructure projects and city-sponsored community benefit events — like the fireworks — to meet a $15 million shortfall. The city will experience a $30 million decline in sales tax revenue in the upcoming years. Last year, the City Council eliminated more than a dozen vacant staff positions and decreased its contract services and special projects to help

“I couldn’t understand how my seatbelt worked — and then something clicked.” — graffiti. What we call “card sense” is an ability to visualize and manipulate an array of cards. Some people are born with it, but it can be learned. Against today’s 3NT, East wins the first diamond with his king and returns the nine. Declarer’s jack covers, and West takes the ace and leads the ten. When South takes his queen, he can win at least nine tricks if the spade finesse works. But when West took the ace of diamonds, he indicated an entry; without one, he would duck the second diamond to keep communication. Can declarer visualize a winning line of play? THREE CLUBS South cashes three clubs. When West follows, South takes a fourth club and then the K-A of hearts. At the 10th trick, he leads his last diamond. West can take two diamonds but then must lead a spade from his king, giving South a free finesse and his game. Did something click when you read the account of the play? DAILY QUESTION You hold: S Q J

TODAY’S WORD — LANTERN (LANTERN: LAN-turn: A light in a transparent protective case.) Average mark 25 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 32 or more words in LANTERN? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — BLITHELY bell belly belt bile bill billet bite blithe byte libel lilt lily lite lithe lithely illy tell they tile till hell hill hilly hilt yell 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 am 54 and have to start looking for a job again due to outsourcing. My previous job was part-time. Now I have this fabulous full-time job opportunity. However, my friends and family think full-time will mentally break me. I feel I’m up to the challenge. What should I do? – Ready to Work Dear Ready: Ask them why they think this way about your working full-time. It would be different if one person was expressing reservations, but since you’re hearing this from friends and family, perhaps you should give their concerns some credence. They may have insight into your life or behavior that’s illuminating for you, even if it’s hard to hear. They may also misunderstand the truth of your situation. A conversation about why you’re excited about this job and why you feel ready may help change their minds. After you’ve heard what they’re thinking, if you decide to keep pursuing the job, ask them if they’d be willing to help you succeed. What are the ways that having full-time employment might create more stress for you or drain your energy?

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve dedicated nearly a decade to the tech industry, diligently working for the same company. Recently, however, I’ve felt increasingly dissatisfied and unfulfilled in my role. Despite my apprehensions, I gathered the courage to draft a resignation letter. Now, uncertainty clouds my thoughts. What if I struggle to secure another position in this competitive field? Will I regret leaving behind the stability and routine I’ve relied on for so long? Balancing these concerns with my current living situation — a mortgage to pay and a growing family of four to support — makes this decision even more daunting. I would appreciate any advice you could offer in this career crossroads. — Uncertain in My Career DEAR UNCERTAIN IN MY CAREER: Take a pause before you do anything. I recommend that you do your research to determine what you want to do next. Is there another company that interests you in your field? Perhaps you can find excitement for your work if you take your talents to a different company that may value you more. You should look for a job while you still

More than 11,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers in the East Bay lost power Tuesday night as a heat wave washed over the region. The outage, which was not planned, started around 6:15 p.m. and affected 11,214 customers in Castro Valley, Dublin, Pleasanton and San Ramon, said PG&E spokesperson JD Guidi. A total of 7,070 customers remained in the dark as of 9:45 p.m., Guidi said. There was no time estimate for when service would be fully restored. The cause of the outage is under investigation. The outage came as temperatures soared into the triple digits. Highs included 107 degrees in Concord, 106 degrees in Livermore, 99 degrees in Hayward, 98 degrees in Redwood City and 96 degrees in Fremont, according to the National Weather Service. Oakland set a new record of 90 degrees, breaking the high of 89 previously set in 2001. Records also fell in the North Bay. San Rafael and Kentfield both recorded a high of 103 degrees, toppling their previous records of 101 set in 1991. And Santa Rosa reached 105 degrees. That was two degrees warmer than the previous

FREMONT – A pedestrian died in a hit-and-run traffic collision over the weekend in Fremont, police said. The fatal crash happened around 3:20 a.m. Sunday in the area of Christy Street and Stewart Avenue, the Fremont Police Department said in a news release. The pedestrian, identified as a 48-year-old Fremont woman, died of her injuries at the scene. The pedestrian was pushing a shopping cart in northbound lanes of Christy Street when she was hit by a driver, police said, adding that she appeared to have been struck by a second driver while lying in the roadway. Neither driver stopped at the scene. The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau will release the woman’s identity once it is confirmed and her next of kin is notified. The death marked the city’s fourth fatal traffic collision of the year. Anyone with information related to the crash can contact the police department at 510-790-6760. Check back for updates.

OAKLAND — As Lawrence Butler roamed around Oakland’s dugout fresh off hitting a three-run home run, he sought out bench coach and director of hitting Darren Bush. While the team was in Arizona, Butler, Bush and manager Mark Kotsay had a meeting of the minds. They collaborated. Butler adapted. With the fruits of that collective labor having just paid off, Butler responded with a show of affection. A surprise hug. “It was spur of the moment,” Butler laughed. “I was just really appreciative of him. He’s always believed in me, so I just wanted to let him know that I’m appreciative of him.” “I don’t know why he didn’t hug me,” Kotsay, standing right next to Bush during the interaction, joked. This moment between Lawrence Butler and Darren Bush 💚 pic.twitter.com/TOCmYltjT5 — A’s on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) July 3, 2024 Behind a key mechanical tweak, Butler recorded two hits, one being a three-run shot, as the A’s began their second series against the Angels in as many weeks with a 7-5 win on Tuesday at the Coliseum. “It felt good,” said a smiling Butler. “Me and

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo challenged his team to stay sharp and energized through every physical and emotional moment against mighty Brazil, all the way through two scorching-hot halves of soccer and nearly another 10 minutes of stoppage time. “This was a match that we all wanted to have our strong moments of play, and I think we have taken another step forward,” Lorenzo said. “With Brazil, you cannot be careless not even one second.” Daniel Muñoz scored the tying goal in the first-half stoppage time, and Colombia won its first-round group at the Copa America with a 1-1 draw against Brazil on Tuesday night that extended its unbeaten streak to 26 games. Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas saved Brazil’s final chance on a shot by Andreas Pereira in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Colombia plays Panama in a quarterfinal on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, while Brazil fell into what appears to be a more difficult game against Uruguay later that night at Las Vegas. “There’s a sense of satisfaction after playing such a strong opponent,” Lorenzo said. “Now we

OAKLAND — A week ago, the A’s were swept by the Angels in Anaheim, scoring eight total runs in the process. Back in the Bay Area, Oakland landed its own punch — and found its offense, too. Led by Lawrence Butler’s three-run home run and Brent Rooker’s solo shot, the A’s bounced back from a quiet offensive weekend to beat the Angels, 7-5. Those seven runs were more than enough for Mitch Spence, who recorded his first win since May 28 as he allowed one earned run across 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. The outing was a rebound for Spence after he allowed a career-high six earned runs to these same Angels exactly a week prior. The A’s did not appear destined for a big offensive night out the gates. José Soriano didn’t allow a hit in his first three innings of work, recording four strikeouts in the process. In the fourth, Oakland’s offense awoke. Rooker put the A’s on the scoreboard with a solo home run to center field, his 16th of the season. After Shea Langeliers singled and Zack Gelof walked, Butler

Hayden Birdsong’s first big-league win came in a big-time road debut Tuesday night. Sure, the rookie right-hander gave up back-to-back solo home runs, but the Giants matched that feat against the majors’ ERA leader in Reynoldo López, then they pulled away for a 5-3 win at Atlanta’s Truist Park to open a six-game road trip. “It’s very special. It will settle in later I’m sure. Now I’m in the books,” Birdsong told reporters, as broadcast by NBC Sports Bay Area. “I can’t really thank this team enough for being behind me and playing as hard as they can. It’s been awesome.” Jorge Soler and LaMonte Wade Jr. hit the fifth-inning home runs to wipe out the Giants’ 2-0 deficit. Another Giants’ solo home run — Heliot Ramos’ opposite-field shot over the right-corner wall in the ninth — secured the Giants’ sixth win in eight games, after they had lost five straight away from Oracle Park. Perhaps more impressive, Ramos made a diving catch and landed hard on his right shoulder to record the first out for closer Camilo Doval, who struck out the Braves’ next two

Bay City News Service A baby was pronounced dead Monday afternoon after officials attempted to resuscitate the child that morning on the Stanford University campus. At approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday, the Stanford University Department of Public Safety notified the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office that a 5-month-old infant was not breathing at an apartment along Barnes Court on the university’s campus, sheriff’s officials said. Upon arrival, first responders attempted to resuscitate the child, but the baby ended up being transported to a hospital. The baby was pronounced deceased one hour later, at about 12:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office added. A preliminary investigation determined there was no foul play in the case and suggested the baby’s death was an accident, sheriff’s officials said. A spokesperson for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office was not immediately available to comment further on the baby’s death.

By Hillel Italie | Associated Press NEW YORK — Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of “Shampoo,” “The Last Detail” and other acclaimed films whose work on “Chinatown” became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, has died. He was 89. Towne died Monday surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. In an industry which gave birth to rueful jokes about the writer’s status, Towne for a time held prestige comparable to the actors and directors he worked with. Through his friendships with two of the biggest stars of the 1960s and ’70s, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, he wrote or co-wrote some of the signature films of an era when artists held an unusual level of creative control. The rare “auteur” among screenwriters, Towne managed to bring a highly personal and influential vision of Los Angeles onto the screen. “It’s a city that’s so illusory,” Towne told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview. “It’s the westernmost west of

Headed out of town for the Fourth of July? Expect long delays on the roads and at the airport security lines during what is expected to be a record-breaking holiday travel week. Independence Day arrives just as a week-long heat wave has begun scorching California, prompting warnings for drivers to prepare for 90-plus degree temperatures on their way to the coast, the mountains or just about anywhere else in the state. Bay Area CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said holiday traffic has already ramped up across the region. He anticipates the roadways to become even more crowded as the long weekend gets underway. “Anybody who ventures out in the next few days needs to plan for extended drive times,” Barclay said. “Please practice patience and understand there’s going to be traffic.” By Tuesday afternoon, traffic was already backing up on Interstate 80 toward Tahoe, eastbound 580 over the Altamont Pass and Highway 1 through Santa Cruz, according to Caltrans’ live traffic map. Nationwide, AAA projects that a record 60.6 million people will travel by car during the Fourth of July week. That’s a 5% increase from