Category: Bay Area

Bay Area Home Report 1182 Curtiss Avenue – Google Street View A 2,356-square-foot house built in 2004 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 1100 block of Curtiss Avenue in San Jose was sold on Nov. 5, 2024, for $1,980,000, or $840 per square foot. This two-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and three bathrooms. In addition, the house comes with an attached two-car garage, allowing for convenient vehicle storage and additional storage space. The lot of the property covers an area of 4,972 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently changed hands: On Bird Avenue, San Jose, in May 2024, a 3,198-square-foot home was sold for $2,556,500, a price per square foot of $799. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. A 1,030-square-foot home on the 1200 block of Cristina Avenue in San Jose sold in June 2024, for $2,137,000, a price per square foot of $2,075. The home has 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom. In September 2024, a 1,080-square-foot home on Curtiss Avenue in San Jose sold for $1,526,000, a price per square foot of $1,413.

SANTA CLARA — A 66-year-old San Jose man was killed and two other people were injured when two vehicles collided Tuesday in Santa Clara, according to authorities. The fatal crash happened around 12:20 p.m. near the intersection of Stevens Creek Boulevard and Tyler Street, Santa Clara police Lt. Mike Crescini said in a news release. An investigation indicated a 20-year-old San Jose man was speeding westbound on Stevens Creek Boulevard in a pickup truck when he collided with an SUV making a left turn from eastbound Stevens Creek Boulevard into a driveway, Crescini said. Officers arrived to find the driver of the SUV, the 66-year-old San Jose man, on the ground, Crescini said. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries. The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office will release his identity after it is confirmed and his next of kin is notified. The man’s passenger, a 65-year-old San Jose woman, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured, but his passenger, a 19-year-old San Jose man, was taken to a

OAKLAND — Several clergy abuse victims confronted the Diocese of Oakland’s bishop in a U.S. bankruptcy courtroom on Friday, describing in searing detail how they were groomed, raped and “terrorized” for decades by Catholic priests across the East Bay. The testimonials capped a two-day hearing for 15 clergy sexual assault victims to air their allegations in court while the Diocese of Oakland seeks to settle roughly 350 lawsuits filed against it in recent years. Last month, the diocese’s proposed paying at least $117 million into a trust for those victims over the next several years — an offer the victims’ attorneys roundly panned as “a scam and a sham.” On Friday, several abuse victims stared directly at Bishop Michael C. Barber — sitting mere feet away — while imploring the diocese to do right by the hundreds of victims suing the church. Some of them had not yet told their own families of the horrors they endured. One woman described being molested by a priest during a confessional in Pinole while just 7 years old, leading her to use drugs to numb the memory of

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Oakland should invest in young athletes’ dreams Oakland has a proud history of producing legendary athletes like Bill Russell, Rickey Henderson, Marshawn Lynch, Gary Payton and Damian Lillard. These individuals have not only excelled in their respective sports but also serve as role models for young athletes in our city. However, for the next generation to follow in their footsteps, they need spaces to play, grow and thrive. I urge our community and local leadership to prioritize increased funding and support for Oakland sports programs and teams. Oakland is home to countless young and talented athletes with immense potential. By investing in their development and providing them with the necessary resources, we can ensure they have every opportunity to succeed both on and off the field. Let’s not hold them back — let’s champion their journeys and celebrate their achievements. James Kimball Oakland Investing advice is fraught with naivete Re: “Alameda County should invest ethically” (Page A6, Dec. 10). Some people ignore history. When Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941

A 32-year-old woman shot by police as she fled a brief struggle last month bled profusely while continually asking a BART officer why he shot her as rescuers — including the officer who fired — attended to her in the parking lot of the transit system’s Union City station. Those details and others from the Nov. 18 shooting, which followed a report of reckless driving in a parking lot, emerged in body-camera video that BART released Friday. Officials also announced an independent third-party investigation of the incident, which came under quick criticism from outside experts who watched the video. The footage came from the body-worn cameras of the two officers who confronted 32-year-old Jasmine Gao to ask about reports of a driver spinning out in the parking lot before the shooting. BART Police identified the officer who did the shooting as Officer Nicholas Poblete, a 6½-year veteran of the department. Gao, 32, survived the shooting and has been discharged from a hospital, BART officials said Friday. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has not publicly announced any charges filed against Gao in connection with the

The California Coastal Commission, a powerful state agency that regulates development along the state’s 1,100-mile coastline, can deny property owners permits to build seawalls if their homes or businesses were constructed after 1977, a state appeals court has ruled. The closely watched case, centered on 10 townhouses near Half Moon Bay, could affect thousands of property owners and beaches visited by millions of people, particularly as the Pacific Ocean continues to rise due to climate change. In a published opinion released Thursday, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco sided with the Coastal Commission and environmental groups, who have increasingly argued that sea walls cause public beaches to erode and eventually disappear. “We’re very pleased that the court upheld a commonsense reading of the Coastal Act,” said Kate Huckelbridge, executive director of the Coastal Commission. “Numerous studies have shown that continued shoreline armoring will result in massive losses to California’s iconic beaches as sea levels rise, cutting off public access to the coast,” she added. “This ruling will help ensure that coastal landowners and governments prioritize less harmful approaches.” Thomas Roth, an attorney

FREMONT — Kabir “Kabeezy” Kanhaya Singh’s friends and fellow comics remember him as a natural talent — someone with untold potential who could hilariously command any room he stepped into. Singh, who grew up in Fremont, died Dec. 4 at the age of 39, just under four weeks shy of his 40th birthday. His sister, Sonya Singh, told NBC News that he died in his sleep in Pleasanton, after his mother found him unconscious at home. According to the report, Singh had congenital heart disease and previously had two surgeries due to the condition. The late comedian, Kabir “Kabeezy” Singh, left,, is pictured in the courtesy photo with fellow Fremont friend and comic Sammy Obeid, right.  Singh most recently performed a set of shows in early November at Deaf Puppy Comedy Club in Manteca for a sold-out crowd, according to his Facebook page. His first show ever was in the early 2000s at Mission Pizza & Pub in Fremont, according to his close friend and Palestinian American comic Sammy Obeid. The two attended Mission San Jose High School in Fremont at the same time, with

Long-time Cupertino City Councilmember Liang Chao is the city’s new mayor, with Councilmember Kitty Moore now serving as vice mayor after winning unanimous approval by their colleagues. Unlike nearby cities like Sunnyvale where residents vote for the next mayor, Cupertino’s top leadership positions are decided every year by the council. Chao succeeds Sheila Mohan while Moore takes the torch from Councilmember J.R Fruen. Both Mohan and Fruen will continue to serve on the council until 2026. At the special meeting Thursday, the council also welcomed former planning commissioner Ray Wang, who recently won the second council seat over former mayor Rod Sinks with just 64 votes. Moore, who ran for reelection, secured the first with 25.14% of the vote. Wang takes the spot of outgoing Councilmember Hung Wei to round out the five-member council. Addressing the council and residents Thursday, Chao said she is hopeful that she, Wang and Moore can restore the city’s democratic process — which Chao asserted was recently undermined by a lack of transparency and community engagement. “This is the leadership I pledge to you, one rooted in understanding, collaboration and respect,”

By ZACH ALLEN Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss said Friday he is being treated for cancer and is recovering from major surgery. In an appearance on Instagram Live, Moss, aided by a cane, introduced himself as a cancer survivor and thanked his “prayer warriors” for their support. Moss said a cancerous mass was found in his bile duct, between his pancreas and liver. He said he had surgery to put a stent in his liver on Thanksgiving and then underwent a 6-hour procedure about a week ago to remove the cancer. He said he was hospitalized for six days and released on Friday. The surgery was a Whipple procedure, Moss said. The operation involves removing the head of the pancreas, part of the small intestine, the gallbladder and the bile duct, according to the Mayo Clinic. “I didn’t think I would ever be in a position like this, as healthy as I thought I was,” Moss said. Moss said he will undergo radiation and chemotherapy. “All the prayers, the well wishes, I really felt that, my family felt that,” Moss said

RICHMOND — He boasts that he can ring up Snoop Dogg on speed dial. Samuel L. Jackson depicted him in a Hollywood blockbuster. He commands speaking fees in all corners of the country, carrying trading cards and copies of his own book that he autographs for anyone who asks (and even some who don’t). And on Thursday night, Ken Carter was one of about two dozen people inside a basketball gym, where the only signs a game was taking place were the squeaks of sneakers and four buzzers to signal the end of each quarter. The stands were empty. There was no band, no students but for a few stragglers on their cell phones. Coach Carter is back at Richmond High School. Now 65, a grandfather and 25 years removed from the 1999 season depicted in the 2005 box-office hit, he faces a distinctly different challenge this time around. Look no further than the final score in his first game back on the bench, a 55-31 loss to a seven-player team from a small private Oakland academy. “Back in the day, the stands were full.

Which anti-aging night cream is best? Aging gracefully is easier said than done. That’s because no one enjoys looking in the mirror and seeing more fine lines and wrinkles than they had on their previous birthday. If your skincare routine has the right anti-aging night cream, though, you can help slow the hands of time from affecting your face. A night cream is one of the most intensive anti-aging treatments and can help soften fine lines and wrinkles, lighten age spots, improve skin elasticity and smooth crepey texture while you sleep. Anti-aging night creams are often hit-or-miss, so you need to know what to look for to find an effective formula. Our buying guide is full of handy tips to help you choose the best anti-aging night cream for your skincare routine. We’ve also included some specific night cream recommendations, such as our top choice, the Murad’s Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream, which contains retinol and red algae extract to help reduce lines, improve elasticity and brighten the skin. What to know before you buy an anti-aging cream Water-based vs. oil-based Water-based anti-aging night creams

Which winter coat is best? A coat that provides insulation and protection from the elements is essential in a winter wardrobe. But with thousands of options online and in stores, it can be tough to make the right pick. Wearability, price and quality are important factors that exist in the decision-making process of this purchase. What to know before you buy a winter coat Type of climate near you When shopping for a winter coat, you may want to consider how cold it is where you live or where you’re traveling to if this purchase is for an upcoming trip. Not all coats can handle sub-zero temperatures or mild to moderate winter weather, so researching the average cold weather near you and selecting the coats made for that area is recommended with this purchase. What features you are looking for Some coats have a hood, zipper closures and lots of pockets, while others may not have a hood or have buttons instead of a zipper. Knowing what features and accessories you want in a coat will help narrow down these options. How it’s manufactured Winter coats

Damon Jones, 49, agreed to a 92-year prison term without fully understanding its consequences due to a severe, lifelong developmental disability, his attorney wrote in court filings. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here. Originally Published: December 13, 2024 at 12:28 PM PST

Somewhere over the rainbow there exists a magnificent movie version of Gregory McGuire’s 1995 wonderfully revisionist, not to mention delightfully feminist, fantasy novel “Wicked.” Alas, Jon M. Chu’s big, bland, and bloated journey through the glittering land of Oz is not it, my pretties. The two-part, $320 million film adaptation thoroughly lacks the pluck and spirit of the blockbuster Broadway musical, which made its debut in San Francisco in 2003. As a longtime theater critic, I hate to pour a bucket of water on this almost-three-hour movie adaptation. But despite its undeniable star power. this empty-headed screen adaptation melts in the imagination. Pop singer Ariana Grande does indeed sparkle as Galinda, the soon-to-be Good Witch, and she’s certainly a superb hair flipper, but she lacks sassiness and there’s zilch chemistry between her and the green goddess Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as two college frenemies who grow into the mythical witches of lore. Erivo is suitably likable as the hated Elphaba but there’s no sign of a formidable power lurking within. A lot of the plucky numbers sputter. Grande’s cutie-pie wardrobe is a real stunner, a cheeky

OAKLAND — Three men have accepted plea deals in the 2022 attack of a gambling den patron who was allegedly stripped nude and beaten to a pulp inside the illicit casino. Christopher Darby, 36, pleaded no contest to an assault charge for a four-year prison term, while co-defendants Terrance Hadnot, 24, and Wai Hoang, 33, both received two-year prison sentences with similar pleas. In exchange for their pleas, prosecutors dismissed torture charges against the trio, court records show. Prosecutors also dismissed the case against a fourth defendant, 49-year-old Jenevieve Ramirez, who had been charged with being an accessory. Hadnot and Hoang have been allowed to complete their prison terms on house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet, court records show. The three were charged with allegedly beating and stripping down a patron inside an illegal gambling den on 17th Avenue in Oakland. Police said the 2022 attack lasted about six minutes, and that the victim suffered a “large amount” of blood loss and went unconscious. The plea deals were reached just a few days after an Oakland police surveillance team witnessed Hoang at the 17th

By The Associated Press A nonprofit leader who supports at-risk New Orleans youth. A social worker who fosters animals. A counselor and recovery coach who volunteers at organizations that fight sexual assault and domestic violence. They are among the roughly 1,540 people whose sentences were commuted or who were pardoned by President Joe Biden on Thursday in what was the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history. But not everyone was pleased by Biden’s decisions. A Republican state senator said a commutation for a woman who stole $54 million from a small town in Illinois was “a slap in the face” to residents. Here are some of their stories: TRYNITHA FULTON, 46, OF NEW ORLEANS Fulton was pardoned after pleading guilty to participating in a payroll fraud scheme while serving as a New Orleans middle school teacher in the early 2000s. She was convicted of a felony and sentenced to three years of probation in 2008. Fulton, who has two children and works as an elementary school teacher, said that for years she had lived with “a sense of embarrassment and shame” about the

CHICO — The smoke that hovered throughout Chico on Wednesday morning carried small pieces of the city’s history after leaving only a charred skeleton of the local icon, the Bidwell Mansion. In the wake of the mansion burning, the city is left to grapple with the loss of more than a century of history. “It’s really sad,” said Steve Schoonover with the Bidwell Mansion Association. “You know, people don’t realize how unusual it is to have the house of the town’s founder still standing in the middle of the town. It’s prime real estate. Those things typically get torn down pretty fast. Having John and Annie’s house in the middle of town was a real gift that we lost.” RELATED: Historic Northern California mansion destroyed by fire John Bidwell founded the city of Chico in 1860. According to the Bidwell Mansion Association, Bidwell was one of the first to cross the Sierra Nevada at age 22. By the time he created Chico, Bidwell had purchased 30,000 acres of land. The mansion wasn’t the first home owned by Bidwell in Chico. In fact, it was the fourth.

It was a big week for Dick Van Dyke. He turned 99. A Coldplay music video in which he stars was released. And he had to flee his home because of the Malibu wildfire. Van Dyke said in a Facebook post that, with the help of neighbors, he and wife Arlene Silver evacuated their home in the Serra Retreat neighborhood, in lower Malibu Canyon, because of the Franklin Fire. He said they managed to round up all their pets except for a cat named Bobo; a family friend later said on social media that Bobo had been found safe. Van Dyke’s house is the setting of the Coldplay video released on Friday, Dec. 13 — the actor’s 99th birthday. As Coldplay’s Chris Martin plays the piano and sings “All My Love,” Van Dyke dances barefoot on the patio. An expanded version of the video, directed by Spike Jonze and Mary Wigmore, includes more scenes of Van Dyke’s iconic work in movies and television as well as images of memorabilia in the home. Appearing with Van Dyke last week on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Martin said they

By MARY CLARE JALONICK | Associated Press WASHINGTON  — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi, 84, was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip. He did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details. Pelosi “looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon,” Krager said. Pelosi stepped down from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November. Originally Published: December 13, 2024 at 8:59 AM PST

A California couple visiting Mexico for the holidays was shot and killed on Wednesday in the state of Michoacan, according to local authorities. The woman, 51, died inside the vehicle and the husband, 53, died in a nearby hospital where he was taken, Michoacan Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Magdalena Guzman told CNN. The couple had been in Michoacan — a state along the country’s Pacific coast — “a few days for the December holidays,” Guzman said. Guzman did not identify the couple nor the California town they were from. Investigators began probing the incident “as soon as it was reported,” but there is currently no indication of who shot the couple, she said, adding that her office would be in touch with US authorities. CNN has reached out to the US Embassy in Mexico for comment. This is a developing story. The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Originally Published: December 13, 2024 at 8:37 AM PST

By JAIMIE DING | Associated Press LOS ANGELES — A former Syrian military official who oversaw a prison where alleged human rights abuses took place has been charged with several counts of torture after being arrested in July for visa fraud charges, authorities said Thursday. Samir Ousman al-Sheikh, who oversaw Syria’s infamous Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008 under recently ousted President Bashar Assad, was charged by a federal grand jury with several counts of torture and conspiracy to commit torture. “It’s a huge step toward justice,” said Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the U.S.-based Syrian Emergency Task Force. “Samir Ousman al-Sheikh’s trial will reiterate that the United States will not allow war criminals to come and live in the United States without accountability, even if their victims were not U.S. citizens.” Federal officials detained the 72-year-old in July at Los Angeles International Airport on charges of immigration fraud, specifically that he denied on his U.S. visa and citizenship applications that he had ever persecuted anyone in Syria, according to a criminal complaint. He had purchased a one-way plane ticket to depart LAX on July