When a photographer donated two drones to Cal Fire's San Benito-Monterey Unit in 2021, the act of generosity launched a drone program that would break records and save lives. A team of Cal Fire drone pilots uses specialized technology to conduct prescribed burns, search for missing or injured individuals and keep emergency responders safe. The first pair of drones came without any guarantee that a drone program would get off the ground, figuratively or literally.
There is a special place in hell for people who abuse animals, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a statement. This was not an act of rage. This was a clear plan to kill a defenseless animal, and when he executed his plan, he drove off, leaving the animal's body in the alley for someone else to discover the horror of what he had done.
A man fleeing a Sacramento-area home where a child had been killed was fatally shot Tuesday by a California Highway Patrol officer. The man was identified as Marvin Morales, 40 the child's father and a former Sacramento County sheriff's deputy. According to police in Elk Grove, a woman called them just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, to say she was worried about the safety of her two children, who were at home with their father.
Someone stole approximately 66 items worth about $2,000 in a store on South Bascom Avenue. The person who reported the theft discovered it after noticing bare shelves in the store. Possession of Stolen Property, Possession of a Controlled Substance to Sell: A peace officer stopped two suspects on East Campbell Avenue and determined they were in possession of stolen merchandise. One was found to be in possession of a controlled substance for sale and in possession of someone else's private identifying information.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. -- Firefighters in California's San Bernardino County responded to a crash near China Lake that involved an F-16 fighter jet. The incident reportedly happened near Trona Airport, close to the San Bernardino/Inyo County line. At about 10:45 a.m., a "Thunderbird pilot ejected safely from a F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft during a training mission over controlled airspace," the U.S. Air Force said in a statement. The pilot is in stable condition and receiving care, according to the Air Force.
Much like a fatal stabbing involving teenagers at San Jose's other large mall, Santana Row, back in February, the alleged shooter in this case did not actually know the men he allegedly intended to shoot, but he perceived them to be members of a rival street gang, just because of the colors they were wearing. (The 15-year-old boy killed in February, who was not a gang member, was allegedly targeted because he was wearing a red jacket on Valentine's Day.)
Breathing, shooting and snorting fire, rolling, dancing and marching, Star Wars characters, deranged motor contraptions and, of course, the Mad Hatter and his tea partiers will hit the streets Saturday in what is arguably Vallejo's signature event. Berkeley had its How Berkeley Can You Be parade, San Francisco has the Pride Parade and Vallejo has the Mad Hatter Parade, now in its 15th year.
There's no settling for average or ordinary this basketball season for Redondo Union coach Reggie Morris Jr. He has high expectations, and when several of his starters didn't come out performing on Tuesday, he quickly pulled them. "We try to develop good habits," Morris said. The Sea Hawks (4-0), ranked No. 3 in the Southland by The Times, responded with a blitz that indicated his players got the message.
The 1890s regulator clock at Oak Street's Saratoga Elementary School shows 12 noon on the day of my visit while my iPhone clock flashes 2:57 p.m. Time does stand still in the quaint town of Saratoga, especially when you're on a self-guided historic walk through its thoroughfares. In all, the walk takes us through 26 stops, each showing us how Saratoga, nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has preserved its character while evolving with the times.
The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, aims to crack down on online sweepstakes casinos and certain fantasy sports operators that have long existed in a regulatory gray zone. Backed strongly by tribal nations and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), AB 831 signals a growing push to bring more clarity and control to how online gaming functions in the state.
After the abrupt resignation of the county's 30-year former assessor, Larry Stone, a special contest to manage the county's $700 billion real estate roll is headed for a Dec. 30 runoff between Kumar, a former Saratoga councilmember, and Los Altos Vice Mayor Neysa Fligor - who also serves as an assistant assessor. Kumar faces an uphill battle against Fligor's commanding lead of 37% of the vote in the Nov. 4 special election. Still, it wasn't enough to win outright and avoid a runoff.
I have a knot in my stomach every single day, said Rachel Rosekind, 49, an El Cerrito mother whose monthly premium will go from $0 to $2,500 a month for her family of four. Rosekind, a self-employed freelancer, said she was fortunate during the pandemic to qualify for a $0 premium for a Kaiser high-deductible plan through the state's health insurance exchange.
Over the next six weeks, Oakland plans to install 18 speed cameras that will lead to the automatic ticketing of drivers who exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour. They will be the first speed cameras in the city in 11 years, since a handful that had been installed were turned off or taken down after privacy advocates successfully argued that their use risked violating residents' civil rights.
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Four people were injured after an AC Transit bus crashed into a building in Oakland on Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials. The crash happened just before 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Foothill and 68th Ave. SKY7 was over the scene, which showed the front of the bus several feet inside a building. Fire officials say the crash trapped the bus driver, who had to be rescued by crews.
The company appears to have since addressed all the problematic monitors, and regulators are reviewing those fixes to ensure that they are in working order, the district said. Requiring Chevron to install and maintain its own monitors provides additional emissions data and further supports compliance and transparency, Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District, said in the news release. Chevron's upgrades to its monitoring systems are an important step toward strengthened accountability and accessible information for the communities surrounding the refinery.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Northbound Highway 87 in San Jose is closed just north of Curtner Avenue after a serious wreck late Tuesday morning. CHP confirms that at least one person was killed. They say the crash happened at 10:51 and involved three vehicles, including two Teslas. SKY7 was above a deadly crash and fire involving three vehicles on Hwy. 87 in San Jose, Calif. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.
Already an associate justice, Waste had served earlier as a member of the state Assembly from Berkeley and as an appeals court judge. Waste was active in Berkeley civic affairs, including the downtown YMCA and various service clubs and organizations. He was a California native who came to UC Berkeley for college and stayed to live permanently. He was appointed by another Berkeleyean, then-Gov. Friend Richardson.
Seth Adams, a director of Save Mount Diablo, said Judge Michael Markman's Nov. 19 decision was a "huge victory" and "one of great holiday cheer." "You've got to stand up to bullies," said Adams, whose organization was one of two groups who sued the city, including another group called Friends of Livermore. "Dublin has been a bully in this situation."
Martin Garcia was cooking dinner Friday night when two terrified girls rang the doorbell. Confused but wanting to help, he let them in. And the people behind them. And the ones behind them. Before long, a steady stream of about 50 people were sheltering at the family's house near Westfield Valley Fair. He had no idea there just had been a shooting that injured three people.
Caltrain is refusing to report to the public when people are killed by trains on their tracks. They've imposed a news blackout on the deaths. They don't want any mention of suicides in the news out of fear it will result in copycats. They say that whenever a suicide is mentioned in print, the risk of another person taking their life increases, especially among teenagers.
A motorcyclist has died after a crash Saturday afternoon on the portion of Interstate 80 through Berkeley. The motorcyclist, who has not yet been identified, was involved in a crash with two other vehicles in the highway's eastbound lanes shortly near University Avenue after 3 p.m., according to a California Highway Patrol spokesperson. Medics pronounced the rider dead at the scene, police said.
Police said Taylor Steven Brindley drove his Jeep through a stop sign on Center Road and struck a Ford F-150. The crash severely injured the driver of the Ford and two passengers. Novato police arrested Brindley, then 24, on suspicion of intoxicated driving, reckless driving causing injuries, blowing a stop sign and driving with a suspended license for a prior DUI case. The injured driver, 70-year-old Jimmy Lee Hogges of Novato, died at a hospital the next day.
