Category: Bay Area

Clemson became the fifth and final conference champion to qualify for the College Football Playoff with a dramatic victory over SMU in the ACC championship on Saturday night that placed the selection committee in the most difficult position possible: Whether to pick SMU or Alabama for the final at-large spot. The stakes are enormous, both for the 2024 CFP field and the future of the event. Clemson’s win — on a walk-off, 56-yard field goal — came moments after Oregon fended off Penn State for a 45-37 victory in the Big Ten title game that secured the No. 1 overall seed for the undefeated Ducks. Oregon and Georgia, the SEC champion, are guaranteed opening round byes in the 12-team event, with the Ducks assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Bulldogs to the Sugar Bowl. Three teams are in contention for the final two byes: Clemson, Boise State, which won the Mountain West, and Arizona State, which claimed the Big 12 title. One of them will be the odd-team-out and open the playoffs on the road in two weeks, likely against Texas, Penn State or

Breaking News High School Sports | Syrian government appears to have fallen, ending Assad’s 50-year rule Sports High School Sports Analysis, News Analysis, News Based on factual reporting, although it Incorporates the expertise of the author/producer and may offer interpretations and conclusions., Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. NorCal Division 1-A football championship 2024: Central-Fresno’s Brandon Smith scores five touchdowns to end St. Ignatius’ season St. Ignatius quarterback Soren Hummel (18) looks to pass against Archbishop Riordan in the first quarter of their game at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) By Joseph Dycus | jdycus@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: December 7, 2024 at 9:30 PM PST NorCal Division I-A football championship 2024: Central-Fresno’s Brandon Smith scores five touchdowns to end St. Ignatius’ season. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

By Bassem Mroue and Zeina Karam | Associated Press BEIRUT — The Syrian government appeared to have fallen early Sunday in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family after a lightning rebel offensive. The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said President Bashar Assad had left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus after a stunning advance across the country. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government. “I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said in a video statement. He said he would go to his office to continue work in the morning and called on Syrian citizens not to deface public property. He did not address reports that Assad had left the country. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight Sunday from Damascus. State television

Pearl Harbor Survivor Earl “Chuck” Kohler, 100-years-old, was a 17-year-old Seaman 1st Class when he charged across Ford Island base in the center of Pearl Harbor the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, with bombs and machine gun bullets raining down on him as he grabbed a .50 caliber machine gun, hopped into an aircraft and started firing into the sky. Now he’s a Concord resident and fixture at the annual beacon lighting, which this year marked the 83rd anniversary of the surprise attack that killed 2,403 Americans and thrust the U.S. into the second World War. From a press release – “the Beacon lighting is a tribute to those individuals that lost their lives at Pearl Harbor,” remarked Earl “Chuck” Kohler, Pearl Harbor Survivor. The rotating lantern was installed in the late 1920s to assist transcontinental aviation. To ease fears that the beacon would be used as a navigational aid by enemy submarines, the system was deactivated during World War II, and only reignited on Pearl Harbor Day for one night only in 1964 at the suggestion of retired Admiral Chester Nimitz, wartime commander of

A column of smoke will be seen Monday for miles across parts of the Bay Area. But it’s not an emergency. CalFire crews have scheduled a controlled burn Monday along the San Mateo County coast near Pescadero as a way to reduce fire risk while conditions are favorable. The 45-acre fire will be at TomKat Ranch, the location of a similar 49-acre controlled burn that CalFire crews completed last month. The 1,800-acre ranch, owned since 2002 by financier and former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer and his wife, philanthropist Kat Taylor, has been the site of numerous other controlled burns in recent years. The goal is to reduce fire risk in the community and regenerate fire-tolerant plant species, such as native grasslands. “We work to create a patchwork of burned areas that are burned under our control,” said Cecile Juliette, a CalFire spokeswoman. “We feel like it’s better to do that and help our firefighters and reduce the amount of vegetation that can burn. Dealing with one day of smoke is less dangerous than a major wildfire that burns cars and houses and buildings.” The

ATHERTON — When you walk around Atherton, it’s not often that you’ll run into a bear. Much less a entire pack of them. But that’s exactly what Sacred Heart Prep found itself up against on Saturday afternoon at its home field. These Bears were physical, balanced and executed plays up and down the field. They came from Summerville, and if you haven’t heard of it, you should know it now. The Bears traveled 140 miles from Tuolumne, a small town near Yosemite National Park, and handled Sacred Heart Prep 45-28 in the CIF NorCal 6-A championship game. “The mentality was bring Tuolumne tough, bring some foothills toughness down,” Summerville coach Sean Leveroos said. “That was the game plan.” Sacred Heart’s Jack Barton (42) tackles Summerville’s Bryce Leveroos (3) in the fourth quarter during the CIF NorCal 6-A championship game at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)  The Bears (13-1) brought their trademark grit to Atherton all game, but it was actually SHP (7-7) that struck first. After getting a stop on their first defensive possession

Grant 32, St. Francis 30 See a photo you like? Click here to see these and more and to purchase high-quality prints or a keepsake photos on mugs, buttons, greeting cards and more. Grant’s Tyron Carter breaks up a pass intended for St. Francis’ Grant Righellis #18 in the fourth quarter of the NorCal Div. 2-AA championship game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  St. Francis’ Grant Righellis #18 scores a touchdown against Grant’s Tyron Carter #5 in the fourth quarter of the NorCal Div. 2-AA championship game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  St. Francis’ Motu Keanaaina #47 runs in a touchdown against Grant’s Julian Bruno #6 in the second quarter of the NorCal Div. 2-AA championship game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  Grant’s Koby Shabazz #2 tries to get around St. Francis’ Kevin Keanaaina #34 during the NorCal Div. 2-AA championship game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024

BERKELEY — Maxime Raynaud continued his early run at ACC Player of the Year on Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion, dropping 20 points as Stanford staved off a late comeback effort from Cal, winning 89-81 in Bear Territory. Graduate guard Jaylen Blakes impacted the ballgame as both a scorer and passer, finishing with six assists. Oziyah Sellers, who was born in Hayward and attended Prolific Prep, contributed 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Andrej Stojakovic, a transfer from Stanford, had a game-high 25 points while taking a career-high 25 shots. Stanford took early control, opening up the ballgame on a 14-4 run over the game’s first five minutes. Cal gradually found its groove on offense, finally tying the game back up at 29 apiece with a little under five minutes remaining before halftime, but the Cardinal proceeded to close out the half on an 18-2 run. The Cardinal held control for much of the second half, but the Bears cut the deficit to as little as six points with 1 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation. The effort proved to be too little, too late.

By Cara Anna | Associated Press Opposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capital in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria’s army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these opposition fighters? If they enter Damascus after taking some of Syria’s largest cities, what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year civil war reignites. The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in

By Tom Murphy and Devi Shastri | Associated Press For years, patients in the U.S. health care system have grown frustrated with a bureaucracy they don’t understand. Doctors are included in an insurer’s network one year but not the next. Getting someone on the phone to help can be next to impossible. Coverage of care and prescriptions is often unceremoniously denied. This week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has unleashed a wave of public feeling — exasperation, anger, resentment, helplessness — from Americans sharing personal stories of interactions with insurance companies, often seen as faceless corporate giants. In particular, the words written on ammunition found at the shooting scene — “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers dodge claim payouts — amplified voices that have long been critical of the industry. “All of a sudden, I am fired up again,” said Tim Anderson, describing how his wife, Mary, had to deal with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2022. Anderson said they couldn’t get coverage for machines to help

By Bay City News Telecommunications company Frontier has agreed to pay $3.5 million for penalties and costs after settling allegations of hazardous waste management, the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta and district attorneys in Alameda and San Mateo counties announced. The improper handling of hazardous materials allegedly violated the Hazardous Waste Control Law and Unfair Competition Law, according to authorities. Additionally, Frontier is required to take a series of actions to prevent future violations and reduce risks associated with improper handling and disposal of hazardous materials, a news release on Thursday noted. “For years, Frontier’s careless and unlawful hazardous waste disposal practices jeopardized the health and environmental well-being of California communities,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today’s settlement holds them accountable for breaking the law and implements strict measures to prevent them from putting Californians and our environment at risk in the future.” The settlement is a result of over 12 waste inspections conducted from 2011 to 2013, during which more than 300 potentially hazardous items were recovered from regular trash dumpsters at 10 Frontier facilities, authorities said. These items included batteries, remote

One man is dead following a go-kart crash Friday in Brentwood, officials said. The incident occurred at 4:26 p.m. on Sellers Avenue, north of Sunset Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. A male go-kart driver, who was the only occupant in the vehicle, was traveling northbound on Sellers when he drove across southbound lanes. The kart left the roadway, then crashed into a nearby power pole. The driver was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. This crash is under investigation by the CHP. The agency is requesting anyone who witnessed the crash or the events leading up to it to contact CHP Contra Costa in Martinez at 925-646-4980 or email 320Investigations@chp.ca.gov to be contacted by the investigating officer. Originally Published: December 7, 2024 at 11:54 AM PST

From Pittsburg’s amazing comeback against Folsom to gut-wrenching losses by St. Francis, Acalanes, this night will be remembered for quite some time. Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara (12) lifts up the first place plaque after defeating Folsom during their CIF NorCal Division 1-AA regional championship game at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Pittsburg defeated Folsom 28-27. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) From Pittsburg’s amazing comeback against Folsom to gut-wrenching losses by St. Francis, Acalanes, this night will be remembered for quite some time. Originally Published: December 7, 2024 at 9:20 AM PST

A small aftershock rumbled near Petrolia Friday evening, a day after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Humboldt County and prompted a tsunami warning for the state’s northern coast. The shock was measured at a magnitude of 3.3 and occurred at about 5 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS reported the quake was located about 22 miles northwest of Petrolia. The quake’s depth was about 8 miles. No injuries or damage were immediately reported. The earlier 7.0 quake struck at 10:44 a.m. Thursday and was estimated to be a half-mile underneath the Pacific Ocean, about 40 miles off the coast of the town of Ferndale, near the Eel River Valley in humboldt County. The strongest shaking occurred in Ferndale and the small towns of Rio Dell, Fortuna and Petrolia. The National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning at 10:49 a.m. and then canceled it roughly an hour later, at 11:54 a.m.

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   Which clinic is best for hair transplant? Smile Hair Clinic stands out as one of Turkey’s best hair transplant clinics. It has been featured on international platforms such as ABC News, BBC Health Tourism Documentaries, and ABC Australia, showcasing its global reputation. The clinic’s doctors are involved in every step of the procedure, ensuring patients receive the highest level of care and expertise. Where do celebrities go for a hair transplant? Many celebrities, including NBA stars, professional boxers, and politicians, choose Smile Hair Clinic for their hair restoration

DUBLIN — Jury service isn’t a well-paying job, but one juror recently ended up $1,200 poorer after she failed to secure her cellphone while reporting for duty, police say. The woman briefly left her cellphone unattended in her vehicle, and was in such a hurry to get into the East County Hall of Justice she didn’t remember whether she locked her car. When she returned to her vehicle the phone was gone, police say. Despite the theft, the woman went back inside and completed her jury duty for the day. When she came back home she learned someone had stolen her $1,000 phone and transferred himself $200 on Venmo. Police say they’re tracking the suspect but no charges have yet been filed. The case is a good reminder to lock and hide valuables in your car, even in a location frequented by police and a few yards away from the county jail. The incident occurred in October, but remains under investigation. Since then, courts across California have warned potential jurors of a much more pervasive scam; fraudsters who call people and pretend to be court

By Audrey McAvoy | Associated Press PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Bob Fernandez thought he’d go dancing and see the world when he joined the U.S. Navy as a 17-year-old high school student in August 1941. Four months later he found himself shaking from explosions and passing ammunition to artillery crews so his ship’s guns could return fire on Japanese planes bombing Pearl Harbor, a Navy base in Hawaii. “When those things go off like that, we didn’t know what’s what,” said Fernandez, who is now 100. “We didn’t even know we were in a war.” Two survivors of the bombing — each 100 or older — are planning to return to Pearl Harbor on Saturday to observe the 83rd anniversary of the attack that thrust the U.S. into World War II. They will join active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for a remembrance ceremony hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. Fernandez was initially planning to join them but had to cancel because of health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. Nearly half, or 1,177, were sailors and

You’ve got to be a pretty big deal to get an arena like SAP Center to blow up its entire concessions menu. Billie Eilish is that big of a deal. When the Grammy and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter brings “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” to San Jose for two sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday, fans will find only vegan and vegetarian options, in line with Eilish’s advocacy for plant-based diets. So what does that mean? Vegan hot dogs, chicken tenders and pizza will be on the menus, along with popcorn, pretzels and chips and salsa. Vegan Mob will be offering vegan soul food options; Arteaga’s will be making its burritos and tacos with sofritas or veggies and serving them with vegan cheese and sour cream; and Sushi Confidential will be offering veggie rolls, teriyaki veggie bowls and fried tofu for at least Tuesday night. Even the soft serve ice cream at Sugar + Ice will be made out of oat milk. And, the suites will get in on the action, too, by serving a non-meat menu with vegan chicken tenders, Impossible sliders and a crudite

TODAY’S WORD — EPHEMERAL EPHEMERAL: ih-FEM-uh-rul: Lasting a very short time. Average mark 47 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 60 or more words in EPHEMERAL? The list will be published Monday. YESTERDAY’S WORD — GYNECOID: genic gone yogi nice node edgy eying ceding code coding coed coin coined cone conge coying once iced icon decoy deign deny dice dicey dine ding dinge dingo dingy dogie doing done doyen dyeing dying dyne 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 live with my partner of two years and his family (mother, younger siblings and mother’s boyfriend). Yesterday, his mother confided in me that the abusive and domineering man my partner knows as his semi-estranged father is not his biological father. My partner is not aware of this. I’m also not sure if any of his family knows. The man who helped conceive my partner hasn’t been in the picture since before my partner was even born. While I can appreciate that my partner’s mom trusts me enough to confide in me, I didn’t want to know this info, and now that I know, I wish I didn’t. I’m not planning on sharing this secret with my partner because it isn’t mine to share, but it also doesn’t feel right to keep it from him. I’m also worried about the potential fallout of telling him now or having it come out later from someone else (especially if my partner finds out that I knew but didn’t tell him). I don’t want to hurt him, and I don’t want to damage our relationship or

DEAR HARRIETTE: My roommate and his girlfriend constantly bicker, and I always end up being dragged into the middle of their arguments. It’s frustrating because I feel like I’m being forced to pick sides when I don’t even want to be involved at all. To make matters worse, I can’t help but feel bad for his girlfriend because, frankly, my roommate is wrong most of the time. He’s selfish, dismissive of her feelings and stingy when it comes to sharing expenses or treating her to a nice date. I can tell she’s unhappy with how he treats her, but for some reason, she stays with him. The other day, my roommate came to me asking for advice about their relationship, and I felt conflicted. On one hand, I want to be honest with him and tell him he’s the problem, but I also don’t want to ruin our friendship by being too blunt. I’ve always tried to stay neutral, and I made a rule for myself not to give people advice about their relationships because it never ends well, but now I feel trapped because