Category: Bay Area

The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley is set to kick off its 2024 concert season with two upcoming shows. The first concert takes place on April 21 and is a 60th birthday celebration for Maynard James Keenan, who is best known for his work with the Grammy-winning L.A. rock act Tool. The singer-songwriter will appear at this Sessanta event, performing with his two other acclaimed bands — A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Also set to take the stage during that April 21 show is the Bay Area’s own Primus, the El Sobrante-born act led by Les Claypool. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are $49.50-$159.50. Next up is country music legend Willie Nelson, who visits Berkeley on April 24. It should be a real treat to see the iconic singer-songwriter-guitarist — who is set to turn 91 just five days after his Greek Theatre gig — perform such classic tunes as “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” and “You Were Always on My Mind.” Asleep at the Wheel opens. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $49.95-$149.95. Other upcoming

CONCORD — Prosecutors have charged four people in connection with a retail theft ring that allegedly hit nearly 100 stores during a two-month period last year, court records show. The four defendants — three women and a man — were charged with a mix of retail theft, identity theft and mail theft charges, including multiple felony and misdemeanor counts. All four have active arrest warrants and have not yet shown up in court, records show. The defendants include a 21-year-old Richmond woman — who police say was the ringleader — as well as her mother and her mother’s fiance, court records show. The investigation started in March 2023, when the 21-year-old woman and a female accomplice allegedly stole $10,000 worth of sunglasses from a business in the Sunvalley Mall. The 21-year-old woman was identified through surveillance pictures and arrested just a week after the mall theft, in a car full of stolen items. Police tied many of the items to a sporting goods store, and were contacted by a business owner who claimed the duo stole a bunch of beanies from his store, after police

By Jennifer Peltz and Michael R. Sisak | Associated Press NEW YORK — A New York appeals court judge Tuesday rejected Donald Trump’s latest attempt to delay his hush money criminal trial, taking just 12 minutes to swat aside an argument that it should be postponed while the former president fights a gag order. Justice Cynthia Kern’s ruling was the second time in as many days that the state’s mid-level appeals court refused to postpone the trial, set to begin next week, further narrowing any plausible path to the delay that Trump’s legal team has repeatedly sought. Trump’s lawyers wanted the trial delayed until a full panel of appellate court judges could hear arguments on lifting or modifying a gag order that bans him from making public statements about jurors, witnesses and others connected to the hush-money case. They argue the gag order is an unconstitutional curb on the presumptive Republican nominee’s free speech rights while he’s campaigning for president and fighting criminal charges. “The First Amendment harms arising from this gag order right now are irreparable,” Trump lawyer Emil Bove said at an emergency

ANTIOCH — A man wanted in the shooting death of another man found inside his car last month has been arrested, police said Tuesday. Police on Monday arrested 29-year-old Jacob Crooks in Walnut Creek on suspicion of killing 36-year-old Frank James, Antioch police said in a statement. The arrest came after a traffic stop by Walnut Creek police. Authorities found James dead inside his vehicle on March 27. Contra Costa Fire Protection District crews dispatched for a medical emergency found him in the 600 block of E. 18th Street at about 5:22 a.m. Antioch police said detectives used undisclosed hi-tech tools and city cameras to identify Crooks as the suspect. Detectives obtained a search warrant for him and told other police agencies in the area to be on the lookout for him. Police did not say where in Walnut Creek the traffic stop took place. James’ death was the fourth homicide investigation by Antioch police in 2024. Please check back for updates.

When musicians describe David Bowie as a visionary, they’re not usually referring to a prophecy he made about their own music. For New York saxophonist Donny McCaslin, collaborating with the protean artist on his final album, 2016’s “Blackstar,” led to a prescient prediction that continues to shape his high-velocity plugged-in sound. The Santa Cruz native returns to California next week for a series of quartet gigs with synthesizer expert Jason Lindner, playing April 14 at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, April 15 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, April 16 at Yoshi’s and April 17 at the Hammer Theatre as part of the San Jose Jazz Black Cab Jazz series in the Hammer4 Studio. Already one of the leading tenor saxophonists of his generation when he connected with Bowie via Grammy Award-winning jazz composer and orchestra leader Maria Schneider, McCaslin found his sonic trajectory radically altered by the “Blackstar” project. One remark in particular has continued to resonate. After a session in the studio Bowie “looked at me and said, ‘Something I see for you is improvising with electronics on the saxophone in your

Anna Claire Vollers | (TNS) Stateline.org HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — About a year ago, veterinarian Melissa Ezell started noticing subtle changes at the midsized animal clinic in Huntsville, Alabama, where she works. She said she and other vets were feeling pressure from management to make a certain amount of money from every appointment. If a pet owner wasn’t going to spend enough, the message from management was to offer more services. She was urged to pack in more patients outside of normal business hours. “Before, I never felt any pressure to be making a certain amount of money in a day,” Ezell, who started working at the clinic in 2021, told Stateline. “It was just, ‘Fill your schedule, practice good medicine, everything else will come.’” The clinic is owned by National Veterinary Associates, one of the largest veterinary chains in the nation. In 2020 the company was acquired by JAB Consumer Partners, a global private equity firm based in Luxembourg. By early 2023, Ezell said, she felt a shift in atmosphere at the clinic and a greater focus on increasing profits. Private equity’s foray into the

New court documents in Alec Baldwin’s upcoming trial in the “Rust” shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins show that prosecutors plan to lean into the actor’s reputation as an arrogant, bullying “rage monster,” as the New York tabloids have occasionally labeled him. The Baldwin portrayed in the scathing 32-page court filing may be be familiar to many who have read stories over the years about the film and TV veteran’s public displays of anger, his scuffles with paparazzi and the scandal in 2007 when he was caught in a voicemail recording, calling his 11-year-old daughter a “rude, thoughtless little pig.” As Baldwin faces trial for involuntary manslaughter in Santa Fe, New Mexico in July, prosecutor Kari Morrissey has detailed how she intends to argue that Baldwin’s inability to control his emotions on the set of “Rust” — screaming and cursing at himself and others “for no apparent reason” — contributed to safety failures. Baldwin was both the star of the low-budget Western and one of its producers. He also was a seasoned veteran of many action films, who was nonetheless inattentive during firearms training and

News Lotto jackpot winning ticket sold at San Jose business The Fantasy 5 jackpot winning ticket worth $173,260 was sold Monday night at a bottled water supplier SAN JOSE — Someone can buy a lot of liquids and more after purchasing the Fantasy 5 lottery game jackpot ticket worth $173,260 at a bottled-water supply business Monday night, officials said. The ticket was purchased at NT Pure Water, 3005 Silver Creek Rd., officials said. The player was the only one statewide to pick all five winning numbers, which were 24, 25, 30, 35 and 39. It is not known if the winning player has come forward yet. They have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their money. Fantasy 5 is played every night of the week.  Tuesday night’s minimum jackpot was to be at least $74,000.

SAN JOSE — Buyers flocked to an auction to purchase ten condominiums in a downtown San Jose housing tower built by a troubled developer, despite court proceedings to delay the foreclosure and auction. The hours-long auction of ten condominiums within the housing tower at 188 West St. James Street in downtown San Jose encountered numerous delays from the start of the proceedings on April 8. 188 West St. James, a double-tower residential complex at the corner of West St. James Street and North San Pedro Street in downtown San Jose. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group) China-based Z&L Properties, the owner of the double-tower housing complex at 188 West St. James, recently won a court-issued restraining order to temporarily delay a foreclosure proceeding to auction off several condos in one of the highrises. The homeowners association for the two-tower residential complex had scheduled the auction after Z&L Properties became delinquent in paying HOA maintenance dues for the ten condos. The auction was held to sell the units to owners who would begin paying the HOA fees. Housing towers at 188 West St. James Street in downtown San

Just call her the Don Corleone of elastic. That’s one of the many cheeky titles proudly worn by the master of the quirky quip behind “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord.” This 100-minute solo show generates plenty of giggles amid the panic as Wong, an actor with a zingy standup vibe, transports you back in time to the terrifying early days of the pandemic. Everybody weathered Covid differently but for many of us, the memories remain painful. One of Wong’s recurring questions, amid repeated public health policy failures, is: “Is America a banana republic disguised as a democracy?” Wong lionizes the efforts of her posse of Asian aunties and other progressive pals who banded together to sew masks to protect folks against the plague. The government wasn’t riding to the rescue anytime soon so Wong stepped up to do her damnedest. Looking back, mask efficacy might seem like just another hot-button issue dividing society but at the time it was a deadly serious matter for some of us. Tautly directed by Chay Yew, this cathartic one-woman show keeps you thinking as hard as you laugh. Wong, a

SAN JOSE — Landon Jacobs, the former Branham athletic director who was relieved of his position last month, said he did not accept a reassignment offer to teach history at Del Mar. In a text message to the Bay Area News Group on Monday, Jacobs said the school district had given him until this past Friday to accept the position. “I declined,” he wrote. Jacobs was Branham’s athletic director for 14 years. He was dismissed on March 22 because of reasons that were performance based, Jacobs said he was told. During Jacobs’ tenure as AD, the San Jose school’s sports teams were consistently competitive, winning eight Central Coast Section and 57 league championships.  Jacobs’ removal has rocked the Branham athletic community. More than 1,300 people have signed a petition to reinstate the longtime administrator and hundreds of Jacobs’ supporters attended the Campbell Union High School District board meeting last week to voice their displeasure with the decision.  Branham posted its opening for the vacant athletic director position on Friday. The current posting has the salary slated at $75,815 to $124,028 and has responsibilities that range

The pickup truck of a driver allegedly fleeing police ended up in Monterey Bay, along with its four occupants. The green Chevrolet pickup was noticed around 1:30 a.m. Sunday by Monterey police officers on foot; it had turned the wrong way onto a one-way street. The foot officers notified a patrol unit, and that officer pulled over the truck on Municipal Wharf 2. The driver initially stopped for the officer but then sped off toward the end of the wharf, the police said. The officer drove down the wharf, didn’t see the truck and assumed it had pulled behind a building. More officers arrived and began searching the wharf — and then heard yelling from the water. The officers saw four people in the bay and “assumed they had jumped into the water to escape,” the police department said. Flotation devices were tossed to the four, and a rescue crew was called. “It was not until the officers could not find the truck that they realized the truck had driven off of the wharf and into the ocean,” said the police report. All four people

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Bay Area News Group Baseball Top 20 ( Mercury News & East Bay Times ) (Records through Monday) No. 1 GRANADA (16-0) Previous ranking: 1 Since last ranking: Beat Reno 4-3, Legend 10-1, St. Rita 12-0, San Ramon Valley 9-4 Up next: Wednesday vs. Amador Valley, 4 p.m. No. 2 ACALANES (14-0) Previous ranking: 2 Since last ranking: Beat Vintage 7-1 Up next: Tuesday at Northgate, 4 p.m. No. 3 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (15-2) Previous ranking: 3 Since last ranking: Beat Palma 9-3, Hollister 2-1 (8 innings) Up next: Tuesday vs. Serra, 4 p.m. No. 4 SERRA (13-2) Previous ranking: 4 Since last ranking: Beat St. Mary’s-Stockton 10-1 Up next: Tuesday at Valley Christian, 4 p.m. No. 5 DE LA SALLE (9-3) Previous ranking: 6 Since last ranking: Beat Freedom 24-1, Granite Bay 17-1 Up next: Wednesday at Foothill, 4 p.m. No. 6 ST. IGNATIUS (12-3) Previous ranking: 5 Since last ranking: Beat St. Mary’s-Berkeley 3-1, The King’s Academy 3-2 Up next: Tuesday at Archbishop Mitty, 4 p.m. No. 7 LOS GATOS (11-3) Previous ranking: 8 Since last ranking: Lost to Homestead 7-6, beat Homestead 3-1

This April, the biggest show in town just might be two ferocious birds hatching eggs on a big screen in Berkeley. Hatch Day, as it’s been deemed, will arrive on April 24 and will feature UC Berkeley’s famous peregrine falcons, which nest in the university’s Campanile bell tower. This year, Annie and her new mate Archie have manifested four eggs, and scientists have somehow predicted the exact date of their cracking. To celebrate the momentous occasion, the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive will livestream the hatching via the falcon’s Nest Cam on a huge screen from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the corner of Addison and Oxford streets. “There will be an information booth with falcon experts stationed along the screen,” says A.J. Fox, the museum’s media-relations manager. “So if people have questions about what they’re watching or about falcons in general, they can ask qualified ornithologists literally while the hatching is happening. So we’re very excited about that.” For those not familiar with these renowned raptors, Annie moved into the bell tower in 2016 and ever since has led a

Sunnyvale is planning to roll out a rideshare service that would provide locals with affordable transportation within the city and beyond. Similar to companies like Uber and Lyft, the service would be run by the city, and would allow residents, employees and visitors to catch a ride to nearby destinations, but at a fraction of the cost of the giant ride-hailing apps. “Our residents have been asking for it,” said Mayor Larry Klein. “These are high school students who are trying to get home from after-school activities, seniors who are reticent to drive. It can help unhoused residents get county services, and there are a lot of small businesses that set up their own shuttle services for their own employees.” Similar rideshare programs have already been established in Palo Alto and Milpitas. Mountain View has MVgo’s Mid-Day Mobility Program, which offers reimbursements of up to $15 for Uber, Lyft or taxi rides that start or end in the city between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The most well-known local rideshare service, and the one the city hopes to join, is the Silicon Valley (SV) Hopper.

TODAY’S WORD — NECTAR (NECTAR: NEK-ter: A sweet liquid secreted by flowers.) Average mark 26 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 32 or more words in NECTAR? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — INTENSE inset nene nest nine teen tennis tense tine seen seine sennet sennit sent sine site snit stein 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.

Players can fall victim to what I call the “What If?” syndrome. They decide on a line of play, then start to worry about an unlikely lie of the cards and talk themselves into an inferior line. Today’s South might have bid 3NT at his third turn. At four spades, he won the first heart, led a trump to dummy and tried a club to his queen. West took the king and led a second heart, and East won and shifted to the queen of diamonds. South took the ace, cashed his ace of clubs, led a trump to dummy and ruffed a club. When West discarded, South lost two diamonds. Down one. TRUMP SHIFT “Lead the ace of clubs at Trick Two, then the queen,” North said. “You win a trump shift in dummy, ruff a club, lead a trump to dummy, ruff a club and get back with a trump for the good fifth club.” “I saw that possibility,” South shrugged, “but I look silly if East has K-x in clubs and four trumps.” South’s comment was an extreme example of “What If?”

Dear Amy: “Puzzled Parents” insisted that their daughter had to get A’s and B’s in college. I think you were off-base in calling this rule “dumb.” College is ridiculously expensive. We told our daughters: “If I am getting out of bed every morning to earn money to pay your tuition, you are getting out of bed to go to class and get at least a B. Or you will foot that bill.” All four of our daughters were held to this standard. Not all of them believed us until they were due to pay their loans. The thing is, college isn’t for everyone. And, in particular, college isn’t for everyone aged 18. After a year, if the child/adult isn’t sure she can get good grades, she should be examining other life choices and education. These parents are not dumb or wrong, but trying to raise a responsible person. – Not Puzzled Dear Not Puzzled: You make great points – thank you. Dear Amy: I have a 49-year-old daughter who is an elementary school teacher. She became an alcoholic during COVID. She has a master’s degree

DEAR HARRIETTE: As a daughter, it’s tough for me to deal with finding out about my mom’s past actions that led to how my family is today. I feel a mix of emotions — sometimes I want to be mad at her, but I also love her as my mom, even though I barely felt her affection and support as I was growing up. It’s hard to balance these feelings. I’m not sure how to move forward in our relationship with all of these conflicting emotions. Any advice on how to figure out what to do next would really help me. — She’s Still My Mom DEAR SHE’S STILL MY MOM: Your mother deserves your respect as your mother, regardless of her past actions. That does not mean that she gets a pass for hurting you or the family. Assess where things are now. What do you and your other family members need that your mom isn’t providing? Do you think it’s possible for her to offer those things? Do you have a way of becoming independent from her or of finding ways to engage

OAKLAND – The Posey Tube was closed Monday night following a vehicle fire, according to authorities. The fire was reported around 7:30 p.m., the Alameda Fire Department said in a social media post. Oakland and Alameda fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze and ushered drivers and passengers to safety, according to authorities. No injuries were reported. As of 8:30 p.m., a tow truck was at the scene and working to remove the vehicle, which was described as a pickup truck, the Oakland Fire Department said in a social media post. The tunnel was open again as of 9:10 p.m. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.