H-1B visa: South Bay executives must be re-charged with visa fraud, judges rule

Two South Bay executives who temporarily escaped prosecution over alleged H-1B visa fraud are back in the hot seat again, after an appeals court reversed a lower-court ruling that tossed out their indictment. The criminal charges against Namrata Patnaik of Saratoga and Kartiki Parekh of Santa Clara must be reinstated, a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday. The pair were charged in 2022 with allegedly submitting, from 2011 through April 2017, fraudulent applications for the H-1B, a highly sought-after visa in Silicon Valley, intended for workers with specialized skills. Patnaik also was accused of money laundering purported fraud proceeds. Federal prosecutors claimed the two falsely stated in 85 visa applications that prospective H-1B holders would work on-site on internal projects at their San Jose computer chip business, PerfectVIPs. Patnaik and Parekh instead contracted the workers out to client companies, prosecutors alleged. In 2023, a judge in San Jose U.S. District Court threw out the charges, pointing to a 2020 ruling in another district court that said the visa-issuing agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), cannot ask

FBI raids San Leandro councilman’s home

SAN LEANDRO — The FBI on Wednesday raided the home of a San Leandro City councilman who was among several officials who visited Vietnam two years ago alongside targets of an ongoing corruption investigation in the East Bay. In a brief statement, an FBI spokeswoman confirmed agents conducted “law enforcement activity” on Wednesday at the Dillo Street residence of Councilman Bryan Azevedo, who was elected in 2020 and secured a second term last year. Reached Wednesday afternoon, Azevedo declined to share anything when asked whether the FBI had raided his house. “I have no comment at this time,” Azevedo said. “I am innocent until proven guilty.” A San Leandro city spokesperson said City Hall was “aware of the FBI activity at Councilmember Bryan Azevedo’s home” and “will fully cooperate with all law enforcement authorities.” The FBI has not say whether Wednesday’s raid is related to an ongoing corruption investigation in the East Bay. But Azevedo was one of several East Bay officials who attended a 2023 trip to Vietnam sponsored by a business group led by David Duong, owner of the Oakland-based company California Waste

How The LA Fires Will Effect Cannabis Crops

By Terry Hacienda, The Fresh Toast It is devastating to Los Angeles and everyone in and around it – and it is going to hurt small mom and pop businesses including those in cannabis. Los Angeles is one of the pillars of the cannabis industry with one of the largest concentration of sales and some of the most important grows within 200 miles of downtown LA. And like the residents of the City of Angels, they are effected by the horrific fires which have suddenly engulfed the area. The Palisades Fire, the largest of four life-threatening wildfires currently wreaking havoc across the county, alone is expected to be the costliest wildfire in history, according to Daniel Swain, climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. It has burned more than 3,000 acres and numerous homes, businesses and landmarks in Pacific Palisades. But long term, it is going to damage the region. Here is how the LA fires will effect cannabis crops. Wildfire smoke can have significant and complex effects on crops, including cannabis, with both negative and positive impacts depending on various factors. Smoke from wildfires primarily affects crops by reducing sunlight

Four-bedroom home in Pleasanton sells for $1.9 million

Bay Area Home Report 5380 Mallard Drive – Google Street View A house located in the 5300 block of Mallard Drive in Pleasanton has new owners. The 1,975-square-foot property, built in 1972, was sold on Oct. 15, 2024. The $1,880,000 purchase price works out to $952 per square foot. This single-story house offers a capacious living environment with its four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Outside, the home presents roofing composed of wood shake roofing / shingles materials. Inside, there is a fireplace. In addition, the house includes a garage. The lot of the property is substantial, measuring 7,616 square feet. These nearby houses have also recently been sold: On Turnstone Drive, Pleasanton, in September 2022, a 2,135-square-foot home was sold for $1,560,000, a price per square foot of $731. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. A 2,100-square-foot home on the 2700 block of Turnstone Drive in Pleasanton sold in May 2023, for $1,800,000, a price per square foot of $857. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. In June 2022, a 2,128-square-foot home on Blackbird Drive in Pleasanton sold for $1,750,000, a

Police seek driver in fatal East Bay hit-and-run

ANTIOCH — A person died Tuesday night in what police called a hit-and-run near a highway. Antioch police Lt. Joe Njoroge in a statement said police are searching for the driver who hit the unidentified female in the 3000 block of Wilbur Avenue, about a half-mile west of state Highway 160. Authorities did not have her age. The collision happened about 6:10 p.m., as the person either walked or ran on Wilbur Avenue, Njoroge said. Officers arrived to find her on the ground and unresponsive. She died at the scene. The driver drove away from the crash. Njoroge said police have not determined how the collision happened. Police need help to find the driver and urged anyone with information to contact Sgt. Robert Green at rgreen@antiochca.gov or 925-779-6864. Those with information also can contact Antioch police at 925-778-2441.

Former Cal star Alex Mack selected to College Football Hall of Fame on first ballot

Alex Mack reveled in the largely anonymous life of an offensive lineman. But notoriety always seemed to find Mack, whether it was helping lead Cal to its most productive run in the modern era or during his 13 seasons in the NFL, the last coming with the 49ers. Wednesday, Mack was selected as part of the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. It was his first time on the ballot. Former coaches Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, and former players Michael Vick and Michael Strahan also are among the 18 players and four coaches who will be inducted Dec. 9 during an awards dinner in Las Vegas. The Hall of Fame is located in Atlanta. Mack is the 17th former Cal player and the program’s 23rd member in all to be enshrined in the Hall. The most recent addition was quarterback Steve Bartkowski in 2012. California’s Marshawn Lynch, top, celebrates with his teammate Jeff Fritch, left, and Alex Mack, right, after California defeated Brigham Young 35-28 in the Las Vegas Bowl college football game Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jae

Celebration of life for Rickey Henderson, greatest Oakland A’s player, will be held at the Arena

The Athletics announced on Wednesday afternoon that a celebration of life for the late Rickey Henderson will take place at the Oakland Arena on Feb. 1 from 1-3 p.m. The event is open to the public. Ticket registration begins on Jan. 20. Henderson, the greatest Oakland A’s player of all time, died at 65 due to complications from pneumonia in December only days away from his 66th birthday. A graduate of Oakland Tech High School, Henderson played 14 of his 25 major-league seasons in Oakland across four different stints. Henderson, widely considered the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, is baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases (1,406), runs scored (2,295) and non-intentional walks (2,129). He also owns the single-season record for stolen bases (130). Henderson’s resumé includes the 1990 AL MVP, a Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers, 10 All-Star appearances and two championships — one with the A’s in 1989 and one with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. In 2009, Henderson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2018, Henderson was part of the team’s inaugural Hall of Fame class, which

College Football Playoff: Is there a better way to pick the teams? Basketball analytics experts weigh in

Breaking News College Sports | Qatari prime minister says Gaza ceasefire goes into effect on Sunday. Israel says details in flux Sports College Sports Analysis Analysis Based on factual reporting, although it Incorporates the expertise of the author/producer and may offer interpretations and conclusions. College Sports | College Football Playoff: Is there a better way to pick the teams? Basketball analytics experts weigh in Should the CFP create its own version of the NET rankings used in basketball? By Jon Wilner | jwilner@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: January 15, 2025 at 11:03 AM PST Two of the smartest people in college basketball offered solutions for the highly-flawed, deeply-subjective CFP selection process. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.

DA charges Oakland man who officer shot in the shoulder during foot chase

OAKLAND — Prosecutors here have charged a local resident with firing a gun and resisting police, crimes he allegedly committed before and after being shot in the shoulder by a police sergeant. Reggie Lacy, 25, of Oakland, was charged with negligent discharge of a firearm, unlawful firearm activity, gun possession, and resisting a peace officer. He is being held at Santa Rita Jail, where he was transferred after being treated for his gunshot wound, court records show. Oakland police Sgt. Jared Blue-Lowry shot Lacy in the shoulder just two days after Lacy started a house arrest term for a prior gun possession conviction, court records show. Prosecutors allege that Lacy fired a gun outside his apartment on the 6600 block of MacArthur Boulevard and that Blue-Lowry, who was within earshot, ran over to arrest him. The sergeant reportedly shot Lacy during a foot chase. Despite the wound, Lacy was able to barricade himself in his apartment but eventually surrendered to police, authorities said. Police haven’t released any video of the shooting. The terms of Lacy’s house arrest included a specific provision that he not possess

Pittsburg Planning Commissioner Arlene Kobata appointed to city council 

PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg City Council welcomed a new member Monday as Arlene Kobata was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Shanelle Scales-Preston, who was recently elected to represent District 5 as a Contra Costa County supervisor. During a special meeting, the council unanimously appointed Kobata, who was among the four final candidates identified out of the 23 who had submitted their applications to fill the seat left by Scales-Preston. Councilmembers were previously given the option to either hold a special election or fill the vacancy via appointment through an application and interview process. In December, the council unanimously passed a motion to fill the seat through the appointment process due to the projected costs of a special election – which was estimated between $453,156 and $700,332. On Jan. 6, the council held an interview process for the 23 candidates who had thrown in their names to fill the vacancy. However, only 18 showed up for the interview. Councilmembers Juan Antonio Banales, Dionne Adams and Angelica Lopez had named Kobata as their pick. However, Mayor Jelani Killings proposed Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce CEO Wolfgang

Elon Musk accused by SEC of cheating Twitter investors out of millions

By Nicola M. White and Chris Dolmetsch | Bloomberg Elon Musk cheated Twitter shareholders out of more than $150 million by waiting too long to disclose his growing stake in the company as he prepared a takeover bid, the US Securities and Exchange Commission claimed in a lawsuit filed days before the Trump administration takes over. The agency’s complaint, which was immediately disputed by a lawyer for Musk, accuses the billionaire of failing to promptly report that he had amassed more than 5% of the social-media platform’s stock in early 2022 — a revelation that would have sent the stock’s price up. “Because Musk failed to timely disclose his beneficial ownership, he was able to make these purchases from the unsuspecting public at artificially low prices,” the regulator said in its civil suit filed in federal court in Washington, DC. “Investors who sold Twitter common stock during this period did so at artificially low prices and thus suffered substantial economic harm.” Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Musk, said the action is “an admission” that the SEC cannot bring an “actual case,” because Musk “has done

Meta to lay off more than 3,600 workers in latest shakeup

Meta is planning to lay off 5% of its workers, a total of more than 3,600 employees. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the job cuts come ahead of what will likely be an “intense year” as the company continues its focus on artificial intelligence and smart glasses. “I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg wrote in a memo on Tuesday. “We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.” The lost jobs are the latest shakeup at the company, which recently added UFC boss Dana White to its board of directors and eliminated its fact-checking system, replacing it with user-written “community notes.” Zuckerberg pointed to Donald Trump’s reelection as the underlying reasoning behind those decisions and others, including ending DEI programs. “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech, so we’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our polices and restoring free expression on our

BottleRock Napa announces daily lineups: When is Green Day playing?

The daily lineups for the 2025 BottleRock Napa Valley have been released. Bay Area pop-rock act Green Day is set to headline on Day 1 (May 23), while hitmaker Justin Timberlake and the increasingly popular Noah Kahan take top billing on Day 2 and Day 3, respectively. Single-day tickets for the festival — which is set for Memorial Day weekend at the Napa Valley Expo in downtown Napa — start at $233 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 16, bottlerocknapavalley.com. There is also a layaway plan for single-day general admission tickets that starts at $50. BottleRock Napa Valley is also matching every dollar donated by fans for the first $50,000 to support FireAid, a benefit concert dedicated to aiding those affected by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. To donate to FireAid, click the donate button at BottleRockNapaValley.com. Here are the daily lineups: Friday, May 23 Green Day, Sublime, Kaskade, SOFI TUKKER, Public Enemy, Remi Wolf, E-40, Mon Laferte, The Story So Far, Beach Bunny, DOPE LEMON, BALTHVS, Iann Dior, Mallrat, Bad Nerves, Miya Folick, Spiritual Cramp, Caloncho, Husbands, Ultra Q, The Alive

FDA follows California in banning red dye No. 3 from foods

By JONEL ALECCIA U.S. regulators on Wednesday banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk. Food and Drug Administration officials granted a 2022 petition filed by two dozen food safety and health advocates, who urged the agency to revoke authorization for the substance that gives some candies, snack cakes and maraschino cherries a bright red hue. The agency said it was taking the action as a “matter of law” because some studies have found that the dye caused cancer in lab rats. Officials cited a statute known as the Delaney Clause, which requires FDA to ban any additive found to cause cancer in people or animals. California had already banned the dye, in legislation to take effect in January 2027. The dye is known as erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3 or Red 3. The ban removes it from the list of approved color additives in foods, dietary supplements and oral medicines, such as cough syrups. More than three decades ago, the FDA declined to authorize use of Red

California businessman pleads guilty in $10 million Medicare kickback scheme targeting cancer patients

A Riverside man has admitted to his role in an elaborate $10 million Medicare kickback scheme that targeted elderly cancer patients. Adam Wayne Owens, 44, pleaded guilty last week in U.S. District Court in New Jersey to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute, which prohibits health care providers from advising patients for financial gain. Owens, who owned several California companies, was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2022. From November 2018 to January 2020, prosecutors allege, he participated in a kickback and bribery scheme with a clinical laboratory in Florida and affiliated businesses that arranged for at-home cancer genetic tests. Information was not available about where Owens’ companies were located. Several alleged co-conspirators are from New Jersey. Owens and co-conspirators generated patient leads by making cold calls and using other means to identify and target elderly Medicare beneficiaries throughout the U.S., the indictment states. Personal and medical information about the Medicare beneficiaries was then sent to the Florida lab, which sent testing kits to the beneficiaries, according to a plea agreement. After receiving qualified patient leads, the testing companies allegedly

A new show in Berkeley explores Mumbai’s poor tenement housing

Evidence of Mumbai’s colonial past can be found in the city’s chawls, rickety tenement flats stacked upon each other like depressing LEGO blocks. The structures sprung up around the city to house the poor working class, such as the laborers who toiled for the success of the East India Company through the 1800s. Chawls were typically crowded, unsanitary and structurally perilous – of course, the British merchants themselves lived in huge bungalows out of sight of such things. Today in Mumbai you can still find chawls in poorer areas of the city. You can also find their influence in a fascinating new exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. India-born artist Amol K. Patil has altered the museum walls to look rough and weathered, mimicking the layers of old paint in chawls. Hanging throughout are paintings and strange sculptures of blobby, organic masses, made from clay cast in bronze, with hands and feet jutting out as if in protest. Through such alien yet familiar art, the museum writes, Patil “shines light on the social and political injustices these communities face and the

Friedman: Trump’s reckless Greenland comments are not a joke

Late-night comedians have had a field day with Donald Trump’s musings about his administration possibly seizing Greenland and the Panama Canal. Hahahahahaha! That Trump — such a funny guy — you never know what will come out of his mouth next. Pay no attention. You know him, he’ll just say something else outrageous tomorrow! Well, I’ll tell you who I am certain is paying attention: President Xi Jinping of China. If the U.S. president can decide that he wants to seize Greenland and explicitly refuses to rule out the use of force to do so, that is like a giant permission slip for China to seize Taiwan, which has strong emotional, historical, linguistic and national connections to mainland China. It took only a few days after Trump’s remarks for this joke to start circulating among China specialists: Question: “What does Xi Jinping feel when Trump starts talking about taking Greenland and the Panama Canal?” Answer: “Hungry” — for Taiwan. Trump’s remarks are reckless stupidity beyond belief. Imagine what happens when his choice for ambassador to Beijing, David Perdue, takes up his post and, in response

What to know about Trump’s attorney general pick Pam Bondi as she faces questioning on Capitol Hill

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, is set to face questions on Capitol Hill on Wednesday over her loyalty to the Republican president-elect, who has vowed to use the agency to pursue revenge on his perceived political enemies. The former Florida attorney general and corporate lobbyist would be one of the most closely scrutinized members of Trump’s Cabinet if she’s confirmed to lead the department that prosecuted the once and future president in two separate criminal cases that never went to trial. Here’s what to know about Bondi ahead of her confirmation hearing: She’s a close Trump ally and long-time defender Bondi has been a fixture in Trump’s orbit for years, and a regular defender of the president-elect on news programs amid his legal woes. She’s likely to face many questions over her public statements criticizing the criminal cases against Trump, given his threats to seek retribution against those he believes have wronged him. “The Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted — the bad ones,” Bondi said in a 2023

Palisades, Eaton fires held in check; winds not as fierce as predicted

Neither the Eaton nor the Palisades fire expanded through Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 14, with firefighters catching a break thanks to the less-than-expected winds. Containment of the Palisades fire, burning in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga and Mandeville canyons, continued to trend upward, as officials reported 18% containment, up from 14% Monday night. The fire’s footprint from Monday night into Tuesday afternoon remained at 23,713 acres, according to Cal Fire. Meanwhile, crews inched forward on the Eaton, getting to 35% containment, up from 33% Monday, and holding the fire at 14,117 acres, the Angeles National Forest said. The National Weather Service had warned that northern Los Angeles and eastern Ventura counties could experience high wind speeds — but that forecast was downgraded. Winds could still kick up on Wednesday, Jan. 15, though. “We still have expectations for some moderate Santa Anas developing across the (Palisades) fire tonight and during the day tomorrow,” Rich Thompson, National Weather Service meteorologist, said. “The red flag warning has not been an issue. We are hopeful that it will stay that way; We are confident it will stay that way again

John Ratcliffe, tapped by Trump to lead the CIA, will face questioning in the Senate

By DAVID KLEPPER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday will question President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA on his vision for America’s premier spy agency. John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, is a former federal prosecutor and conservative member of Congress representing a district in Texas. He was a fierce defender of Trump during his first impeachment proceedings in the House. His hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee is part of a weeklong marathon as the Republican-led Senate rushes to have some of Trump’s nominees ready to be confirmed by the full Senate as soon as Inauguration Day on Monday. If approved, Ratcliffe will succeed outgoing CIA Director William Burns. Trump first tapped Ratcliffe to serve as director of national intelligence in 2019, but he quickly withdrew from consideration after lawmakers raised questions about his qualifications. He was ultimately confirmed by a sharply divided Senate after Trump resubmitted the nomination. As director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe oversaw and coordinated the work of more than a dozen spy agencies. Among other duties

Rubio vows to place US interests ‘above all else’ as Trump’s top diplomat

By FARNOUSH AMIRI and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is promising to implement President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” vision as secretary of state, vowing in his confirmation hearing Wednesday that the incoming administration will forge a new path by placing American interests “above all else.” “Placing our core national interests above all else is not isolationism,” Rubio will tell the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to an opening statement obtained by The Associated Press. “It is the commonsense realization that a foreign policy centered on our national interest is not some outdated relic.” “The postwar global order is not just obsolete; it is now a weapon being used against us,” Rubio says. It’s a remarkable opening salvo from Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, and who, if confirmed, would become the first Latino ever to serve as the nation’s top diplomat. The confirmation hearing begins a new chapter in the political career of the 53-year-old Florida Republican, whose relationship with Trump has evolved over the last decade. Once rivals trading schoolyard insults as they campaigned for