Category: Bay Area

FREMONT – A pair of juveniles was arrested in connection with a carjacking last week in Fremont, police said. The incident happened around 4:45 p.m. on April 2 at an apartment complex on Stevenson Boulevard, the Fremont Police Department said in a news release Thursday. The victim told officers the suspects pushed her to the ground and took her car. She was not injured. Near the scene, officers found an unoccupied vehicle with the engine running. It was previously reported as stolen, police said; investigators believed the suspects drove it to the scene. Officers later located and pursued the carjacked vehicle into Oakland. During the chase, an Alameda County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew reported seeing the suspects running from the car. Police said the suspects were eventually arrested on suspicion of carjacking and evading police by driving in the opposite direction of traffic. They were booked into juvenile hall.

By Daniela Sirtori | Bloomberg California’s historic wage hike for fast-food workers drove McDonald’s Corp. to unusual lengths to help franchisees overcome rising costs. Bagel sandwiches — a fan-favorite breakfast item — have been reintroduced at McDonald’s locations in California as part of a plan to boost store traffic. The burger chain is also spending $15 million on local advertising, even though it’s rare for the company to invest in promoting its products in a single state. The moves reflect the urgency across the industry to cope with California’s mandatory 25% pay bump. One McDonald’s franchisee group has characterized the law as a “devastating financial blow,” estimating it would cost each location $250,000 without any mitigation strategies. California required employers to start paying fast-food workers at least $20 an hour beginning April 1, only six months after the minimum-wage bill was signed into law. Franchisees, who own about 95% of McDonald’s US locations and set their own prices, were worried that simply charging more for menu items would scare off customers. Some franchisees felt they had been left out of negotiations with lawmakers, straining their

HAYWARD — A big rig trailer truck overturned early Friday on a South Bay freeway, the second straight day that an overturned truck has turned the commute in that area into a mess. The crash happened when the truck jack-knifed on southbound Interstate 880 just north of state Highway 92 and smashed into the center divider about 4:25 a.m., the California Highway Patrol said. The CHP said the driver was OK and that no other vehicles were involved. All four lanes of I-880 were blocked, and the CHP said there was no estimate for when any of them would be open. The agency diverted traffic from the freeway onto the Winton Avenue on-ramp to get around the wreck. No other information was available immediately. Please check back for updates.

Dublin track and field athlete Joshua Arevalo is the Bay Area News Group’s boys athlete of the week for April 1-6. In online voting that ended at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Arevalo had 46.67% of the votes to finish ahead of Homestead baseball player Logan Thompson, who placed second at 39.73%. Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition. Arevalo took first place in the 100- and 200-meter races at the Amador Valley Spring Fling. The senior ran the 100 in 11.31 seconds and 200 in 22.61. To nominate an athlete for next week’s poll, email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com by Monday at 11 a.m. Please include stats and team results. We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps.com by coaches/team statisticians for consideration. Winners are announced each Friday on the Mercury News & East Bay Times websites and in the print edition of the Mercury News and EB Times sports sections.

A new Mexican restaurant is generating buzz in Martinez. Mi Casita Mexican Cuisine celebrated its grand opening late last month and has already received nominations for the city’s “Best of Martinez” award. The restaurant is a collaboration among a trio of people who worked together in Danville before starting their own business together: Alexandra Romero, Jorge Romero and Jose Moran. Whenever they had downtime at their previous job, Jorge and Moran would cook Mexican food together, drawing inspiration from their hometown roots in Michoacán, Mexico. Alexandra Romero, who’s from Colombia but loves Mexican food, took note. The includes wet burritos ($13-17), enchiladas ($14-18), tacos and other dishes you might expect, paired with an impressive dessert menu. “I’ve never worked in a place that sells so many desserts,” Alexandra says. Her favorite is the fried plantains ($9) with horchata ice cream, condensed milk and caramel sauce, but there are also apple empanadas, churros, flan and lava cake on the lineup.  On weekends, the restaurant also offers brunch along with bottomless mimosas and micheladas. Details: Opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday at 3210 Pacheco Blvd. in

BERKELEY — Four candidates have entered the May 28 special election to fill a vacant seat on the Berkeley City Council, with each of them arguing they are the best suited to address the city’s most pressing issues. In the race for the District 4 council seat are Rubén Hernández Story, chief of staff for District 2 Councilmember Terry Taplin; Rent Board Commissioner Soli Alpert; community volunteer Elana Auerbach and Igor Tregub, policy director at Reimagine Power. District 4, which covers downtown and central Berkeley, was previously represented by Kate Harrison until she unexpectedly resigned in late January, citing concerns with the city process. Harrison was the second council member to abruptly depart earlier this year. Councilmember Rigel Robinson stepped down just weeks before and suspended his mayoral campaign. Harris has continued her run for mayor. The four candidates vying to replace Harrison say they are committed to addressing housing affordability and protecting renters, revitalizing downtown Berkeley, supporting small business owners and improving public safety, according to their candidate filing documents and campaign websites. Before joining Taplin’s staff, Hernández Story worked for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown

TODAY’S WORD — UTENSIL (UTENSIL: yoo-TEN-sil: An implement used in a household, especially in a kitchen.) Average mark 38 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 48 or more words in UTENSIL? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — ALGEBRA able agar ager aglare alga algae arable area areal lager large gable gala gale garb garble gear glare grab earl bagel bale baler bare barge bear berg blare blear brag rage rale real regal 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.

Alfred Sheinwold, who originated this column more than 60 years ago, once described an “uppercut” — a strategy that creates a trump trick for the defenders — in terms of a company of soldiers of different ranks. Today’s South jumped to four spades at his second turn and looked like a favorite to make it. He seemed to have two diamonds and the ace of trumps to lose. West led the king of diamonds, and East correctly overtook with the ace and returned a diamond. ONLY CHANCE West saw that the defense could get no heart or club tricks; their only chance was to win two trump tricks. So at Trick Three, West led a low diamond. East duly ruffed with the seven of trumps, and declarer had to overruff with the jack. West’s six of trumps saluted and moved up one rank. South then led the queen of trumps. West rose with his ace and led a fourth diamond, and East obliged by ruffing with his ten. South had to overruff again, so West’s six got another promotion — and won the setting trick.

Dear Amy: I’m a widower, and my significant other, “Siena,” is a widow. Long ago, we dated in college (semi-seriously) for a couple years, but “life” got in the way and we drifted apart. We married other people. Both of our spouses are deceased. Decades later, we are now in a wonderful relationship. Last year I brought Siena to my daughter’s big annual family get-together. We had a great time. We felt welcome (we thought); but this year, it all changed. I received a text from my daughter inviting me, but not Siena, to the party. I texted back, “What about Siena?” She replied that some of her husband’s family members were uncomfortable with Siena’s attendance. Here’s the “kicker”: Siena had polio long ago (as a child), completely paralyzing both of her legs, and she uses long-leg braces and forearm crutches to walk. I was told that “some” of last year’s attendees were “worried” that she’d trip over the young children scurrying about, but we believe that wasn’t the real reason. At last year’s party, somebody asked Siena if she had been vaccinated against polio as

DEAR HARRIETTE: I had a baby two weeks ago, and my mother-in-law has graciously offered to come stay with my husband and me for two months to help with our newborn. While I appreciate her willingness to lend a hand, I’m worried about her tendency to be overly controlling. I’ve heard stories from friends about how their mothers-in-law took over the household and parenting duties when they came to visit, leaving them feeling sidelined and undermined. I fear that my mother-in-law might try to impose her parenting style and routines on us, disregarding our wishes as parents. I want to maintain a good relationship with her and appreciate her assistance, but I also want to assert myself as the primary caregiver for my child. How can I communicate my concerns without causing friction or hurt feelings? What steps can my husband and I take to ensure we remain in control of our parenting decisions while still benefiting from her help? — Seeking Balance DEAR SEEKING BALANCE: Try to remember that she will be there for only two months. Perspective is key here. Talk to your

PALO ALTO — A member of the Palo Alto Stormwater Management Oversight Committee is facing a litany of criminal charges stemming from an online child exploitation investigation, according to authorities. The suspect — identified as Robert K. Wenzlau, 67, of Palo Alto — was arrested Thursday at his home in Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Police Department said in a news release. Police said Wenzlau first came to their attention on March 5, when authorities in Georgia told them a man had used a “mobile anonymous communications app” to correspond with an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl. The man, who claimed to be 55 years old, provided his cell phone number and used it to first send photos of himself and then child sexual abuse material to the officer, police said. Police did not release the name of the mobile app, citing the ongoing investigation. Palo Alto detectives identified the owner of the cell phone number and determined it was the same person who had corresponded with the undercover officer in Georgia, police said. They also determined he was a 67-year-old resident of

Baseball No. 2 Acalanes 9, Northgate 1 Acalanes extended its unbeaten start to 16 games after blowing out Northgate at home.  The Dons scored four runs in the first and three runs in the third inning as the Lafayette school had eight hits and five walks.  Acalanes third baseman Gavin Bender went 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Branson Smith , Jake Colaco , Isaac Copen and Austin McManamon combined to strike out seven and allow four hits and a run.  Connor Weitl scored the Broncos’ lone run on a wild pitch in the second inning.  After Granada’s loss to Amador Valley on Wednesday, Acalanes is now the only team without a loss in the Bay Area News Group rankings. Northgate dropped to 3-12. No. 8 San Ramon Valley 6, California 1 The Wolves jumped ahead of Granada in the East Bay Athletic League standings by snagging a road win over California. The Grizzlies took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but it was all SRV after that. The Wolves scored six runs from the second inning to the sixth in a solid offensive

Slow and sloppy for three quarters, the Golden State Warriors finally came to life in the fourth quarter on Thursday night. Playing against one of the NBA’s worst teams, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Warriors looked lost until the very end, when Steph Curry turned it on and Kevon Looney came off the bench to lift the Warriors to a 100-92 win. “It was a tough night for us, we did not execute very well,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Portland. “But we pulled through in the end.” Looney hasn’t played much this season and was a healthy scratch on Tuesday night, but when the Warriors were getting buried by Portland’s second-chance points, Looney entered the game and turned things around. “Loon just saved us, like he has dozens of times in his career here,” Kerr said. “He’s kind of been on the outside of the rotation for the last six weeks or so. And he always stays ready. He came in and changed the game. We were really getting bullied on the glass early in the game. I thought he came in

It’s fair to say San Jose Sharks goalie Devin Cooley is looking more comfortable in his NHL surroundings with each passing game. Perhaps more than that, the Los Gatos native looks like he belongs at this level. Cooley set a new personal record as a professional with a remarkable 49 saves Thursday — including 19 in a busy first period — in the Sharks’ 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, giving San Jose its first victory at Climate Pledge Arena in five tries. “I saw a few shots early on, and that helps you get into the flow of things,” Cooley said of making 10 saves in the first 7:26 of the first period. “Once I made the first couple of saves, I felt good.” Luke Kunin, Kyle Burroughs, and Fabian Zetterlund all scored and William Eklund had two assists as the Sharks (19-51-9) won for the third time in the last seven games and avoided being locked into 32nd and last place in the NHL’s overall standings. Mikael Granlund assisted on Zetterlund’s goal at the 15:37 mark of the second period and now has

It’s fair to say San Jose Sharks goalie Devin Cooley is looking more comfortable in his NHL surroundings with each passing game. Perhaps more than that, the Los Gatos native looks like he belongs at this level. Cooley set a new personal record as a professional with a remarkable 49 saves Thursday — including 19 in a busy first period — in the Sharks’ 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, giving San Jose its first victory at Climate Pledge Arena in five tries. Luke Kunin, Kyle Burroughs, and Fabian Zetterlund all scored and William Eklund had two assists as the Sharks (19-51-9) won for the third time in the last seven games and avoided being locked into 32nd and last place in the NHL’s overall standings. The 49 saves Cooley made are a record for any Sharks goalie in his first road win. Coming off a 34-save performance against the St. Louis Blues last Saturday when he earned his first NHL win, Cooley stopped 33 of the first 34 shots he faced. In the third period with the Sharks killing an interference penalty to Burroughs

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — A man was arrested on suspicion of hate speech and other crimes at a Gaza cease-fire rally held Monday in South San Francisco, according to police. The incident happened just after 6 p.m. at the intersection of El Camino Real and Chestnut Avenue, the South San Francisco Police Department said in a news release. Citing witness statements, police said a 57-year-old South San Francisco man with “opposing viewpoints approached the group and made threats to a participant based on their perceived ethnicity.” The man then attacked some of the participants, causing minor injuries, according to police. The suspect was arrested at the scene. Police said he was booked into San Mateo County jail on charges of battery, threats and hate speech. Anyone with information related to the case can contact Sgt. Amy Sariotti at 650-877-8900 or tips@ssf.net.

PALO ALTO – When Lauryn Selvaraj smacked the ball deep into the outfield, it was obvious she was guaranteed a double. But after the Santa Clara defender had trouble corralling the ball, the Gunn senior motored ahead for a triple.  And when it was clear a throw into the plate wouldn’t get there in time, an alert Selvaraj turned on the jets and sprinted across home plate for an inside-the-park home run.  Great hitting, alert baserunning, and some iffy fielding by the other team led to a lot of smiles in the dugout in a blowout victory. Everything went right for scorching-hot Gunn, which run-ruled visiting Santa Clara 14-3 in five innings to win its 13th game in a row.  “We’re putting in a lot of work in practice, and we’re really seeing that come out in the games,” Selvaraj said. Gunn is better known for being one of the top public schools in the state than for its teams’ athletic prowess.  But the Titans softball program has quietly been a solid team in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division for several

OAKLAND — Despite an uproar from politicians and tourism executives, officials who oversee Oakland International Airport voted Thursday to add “San Francisco Bay” to the transit hub’s name. The change is meant to spur economic growth in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and create a higher profile for the least busy of the Bay Area’s three major airports. But the controversial move may also unleash a legal war. The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the name change to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport. “We are going all-in with Oakland,” Barbara Leslie, president of the port’s board, said before voting for the new moniker. “We want to keep money in the local economy.” A vehicle rides past the Oakland airport and Port of Oakland signage near the Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Oakland Airport officials say they are concerned that many people who want to travel to the Bay Area are flying into San Francisco International Airport — which actually is located in San Mateo County and not

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Private-equity practice is bad for patients Re: “Hospitals cash in on a private equity-backed trend: concierge physician care” (April 5) The concierge physician care highlighted in the article does more harm than good for patients. Hospital consolidation drives inequities by increasing the cost of care without corresponding increases in quality. Furthermore, concierge physician care reduces the availability of primary care physicians as each concierge physician serves a few hundred patients versus thousands. Patients should not have to face 30% to 50% higher spending for their health care without any difference in their health outcomes. Health policy should address the increasing rise in hospital consolidation to ensure that Americans are getting the care at the price and quality they deserve. Proposed bills such as AB 3129 are crucial for addressing health care system consolidation and tackling issues such as this. These private equity-backed practices cannot continue without oversight and intervention. We must ensure that patient care comes above all and that health systems are accountable. Navya Pariti Berkeley Justice doesn’t seem to

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor. Only more housing will solve homelessness Re: “Homelessness issue brings divisiveness” (Page B1, April 8). Requiring shelter or housing before clearing homeless encampments is a humane way to deal with homelessness. More than $20 billion has been allocated in California to solve this growing problem. Despite all these efforts, the unhoused population is climbing. More than 80% of Californians feel it is a serious issue. What are the main drivers of this problem? Unaffordable housing, stagnated income for the working poor and mental health are the major drivers. The recently passed Proposition 1 addresses the last issue. Booming job creation may lift the wages of the working poor. Unless we quickly build more affordable housing, the homelessness problem is here to stay. Mohan Raj San Jose PG&E disingenuous on executive pay Re: “PG&E CEO, other execs land huge payouts” (Page A1, April 6). Patricia Poppe earned $17 million in cash compensation in 2023 along with $24.4 million in restricted stock gains. Ten other key PG&E executives similarly received huge compensation

BAY POINT — A series of police raids, methamphetamine seizures and felony cases can all be tied back to Aug. 18, 2022. That’s the date Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputies arrested 45-year-old Robert Brown and seized two cellphones from his Corvette after a police chase in Bay Point. The discovery gave local drug investigators a glimpse into several suspected drug and gun rings around the county and led to a new federal case against a man Brown allegedly supplied with drugs, who fainted at his first court appearance and ended up hospitalized with cancer, according to court records. The two phones weren’t all deputies pulled from the Corvette. They also reportedly found 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine, a silencer, roughly 1,000 fentanyl pills and almost two ounces of heroin, along with two guns and 13 round of ammunition, authorities said in court records. In late March, Brown pleaded guilty to federal gun possession and drug distribution charges. He’s awaiting sentencing later this year, court records show. The large-scale investigation started when investigators found a contact listed as “Grandma” in Brown’s phone. But the things they said weren’t