Nov 24, 2022

An orange sun sets in a hazy sky near the Bay Bridge on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, in Alameda, Calif.

Yalonda M.James/The Chronicle 2021

High levels of wood smoke pollution were expected to make air quality unhealthy Friday, leading regional air quality officials to ban most fires.

The Spare the Air Alert prohibits using fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits, chimneys or other wood-burning devices. The ban doesn’t apply to households with no other heat source.

Wood smoke accounts for about one-third of fine particulate matter pollution in the Bay Are during winter months, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

For more information, visit https://www.sparetheair.org/

Julie Johnson (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com

Julie Johnson covers the changing climate, sea level rise and strategies to stem California’s wildfire crisis. Before joining The Chronicle, she spent 11 years as a staff writer at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, where she had a leading role on the breaking news team awarded the 2018 Pulitzer for coverage of the 2017 Wine Country fires. Julie has covered murderous pot deals, police corruption and marijuana’s rocky path from a black-market trade to a legitimate industry.

The post Bay Space will see a Spare the Air alert Friday appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Hundreds march in SF May Day rallyLabor union members across the Bay Area marched to San Francisco City Hall to celebrate International Labor Day or May Day. Shawn Chitnis reports. (5-1-22)

13 minutes ago

Oakland police investigate fatal stabbing in troubled Lake Merritt neighborhoodPolice in Oakland are investigating a fatal early morning stabbing Sunday in a Lake Merritt neighborhood that has seen multiple homicides in recent months. Da Lin reports. (5-1-22)

32 minutes ago

First Alert Weather Sunday Night ForecastBrian Hackney has the work week forecast. (5-1-22)

1 hour ago

First Alert Weather Sunday Morning ForecastKPIX 5 Meteorologist Darren Peck says weather will warm up significantly by Wednesday in the coming week (5-1-2022)

8 hours ago

Families call for justice, accountability from Antioch policeDa Lin reports on a protest outside Antioch police headquarters by family members who lost loved ones in police-custody incidents (5-1-2022)

11 hours ago

Pelosi visits Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in KyivDevin Fehely reports on Speaker Pelosi confirming she met with the Ukrainian president on a diplomatic mission (5-1-2022)

11 hours ago

PIX NowKPIX 5 Morning News headlines for Sunday, May 1, 2022.

12 hours ago

PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (4-30-22)

23 hours ago

First Alert Weather Saturday Night ForecastMeteorologist Darren Peck has the Bay Area forecast for Sunday and the start of the work week. (4-30-22)

1 day ago

2 dead after truck plunges over cliff into ocean at Pescadero State BeachAt least two people died early Saturday at Pescadero State Beach after a driver roared past a stop sign, crossed Highway 1 and plowed into the ocean. Shawn Chitnis reports. (4-30-22)

1 day ago

Spring rain wipes out early strawberry crop in Monterey CountyChanging weather patterns have profoundly affected California farmers who grow one crop in particular — organic strawberries. John Ramos reports. (4-30-22)

1 day ago

Beloved Coach: Taka Sugimoto retires at age 89Taka Sugimoto has coached at Westmont High for decades. Friday night was her final game

1 day ago

First Alert Weather Forecast For Saturday morningSunny, warm weekend

1 day ago

PIX NowSaturday morning headlines from the KPIX newsroom

1 day ago

Coastal Tragedy: At least two people die after car crashes into ocean at Pescadero State BeachCoast Guard is searching for possible third victims

1 day ago

Suspicious Fires: Raw video of suspicious wildfires near MartinezContra Costa county firefighters battled at least two suspicious wildfires near 680 early Saturday

2 days ago

Widespread work-from-home policies may empty San Francisco officesThe work-from-home policy adopted by Airbnb and other tech companies could reshape downtown San Francisco. Betty Yu reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

Seismic retrofit may shake students out of affordable housing at UC BerkeleyAffordable student housing is extremely hard to find in Berkeley. Now the Berkeley Student Cooperative fears one of its most affordable complexes will be forced to raise rents. Andrea Nakano reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

Striking Oakland teachers pick Port of OaklandStriking teachers blocked longshoremen from working the night shift by picketing at the entrances to the Port of Oakland. Da Lin reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

New Oakland Police Academy graduates ready to serveOn Friday morning, the Oakland police department welcomed 26 new officers to its ranks. Shawn Chitnis reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

Oakland teachers stage one-day strike protesting school closuresThere were no classes at any of the Oakland Unified Schools Friday as teachers participated in a one-day strike and district administrators asked students to stay home. Andria Borba reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

Wildfire insurance costs soar for North Bay residentsWith wildfires now a recurring, yearly threat the cost of living in fire country continues to grow. Wilson Walker reports. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

First Alert Weather Friday Night ForecastChief meteorologist Paul Heggen has the weekend forecast. (4-29-22)

2 days ago

The post First Alert Climate Sunday Morning Forecast – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Sculptor Cheryl Derricotte Creates 12-Foot Tall, Glass Monument To Harriet TubmanSculptor Cheryl Derricotte has been commissioned to create a 12-foot tall, glass monument to Harriet Tubman. She invited BR’s Jan Mabry to her studio in San Francisco to see her work-in-progress.

38 minutes ago

New Oakland Holistic Wellness Clinic Offers Patients Benefits Of Hyperbaric Oxygen TherapyCEO Alex Williams talks to BR’s Jan Mabry about the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Her clinic, the first of its kind in Oakland, is located at 5764 Lowell St., Suite 8. For more information, visit hh-bayarea.com.

1 hour ago

Don’t Miss Soloman Hughes In ‘Winning Time, The Rise & Fall Of The Lakers Dynasty’A former Cal basketball player is playing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the HBO series ‘Winning Time.’ Vern Glenn introduces us to Soloman Hughes.

1 hour ago

Winning Warriors Remniscent Of Old Oracle Days For Fans At ChaseThe Warriors playoff games were a shot in the arm for fans and businesses at Chase Center. Kenny Choi says the energy is reminiscent of the old days at Oracle.

1 hour ago

Wrongfully Convicted Bay Area Man Finally Free After 32 Years In PrisonKPIX 5 anchor Sara Donchey talks to a man who spent 32 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit. Joaquin Ciria says he will devote his life to helping others who are doing time for crimes they didn’t do.

1 hour ago

RAW: Sara Donchey Interviews, Joaquin Ciria. Man Exonerated in 1990 SF HomicideKPIX anchor and reporter Sara Donchey speaks with Joaquin Ciria hours after he was officially exonerated of the homicide that put him behind bars for 32 years.

2 hours ago

Non-Toxic Plant Looks Like A Carpet Growing On Lake Anza In BerkeleyLake Anza in Tilden Park has undergone a strange transformation thanks to a tiny plant that is thriving there. John Ramos shows us.

3 hours ago

Die-Hard A’s Fans Come Out For Season OpenerMonday was a big night for the Oakland A’s and their die-hard fans. Devin Fehely has more on the season opener.

3 hours ago

Jackson Square Lunch Spot That Survived Pandemic Faces Rent HikeReed Cowan reports on a popular downtown San Francisco restaurant dealing with a new financial challenge after surviving the pandemic (4-18-2022)

5 hours ago

PIX NowKPIX 5 Evening News headlines for Monday, April 18, 2022.

5 hours ago

Man Wrongfully Convicted In 1990 San Francisco Murder ExoneratedKiet Do reports on Joaquin Ciria being exonerated after spending 32 behind bars for SF homicide (4-18-2022)

6 hours ago

Monday Night First Alert Weather Forecast With Paul HeggenExpect rain to start in the North Bay Monday night, spreading south into Tuesday morning. Skies should clear Tuesday, but another round of rain is expected to arrive Wednesday evening. Paul Heggen has the forecast. (4/18/22)

6 hours ago

Over A Century Later, Point Reyes Trail Still Shows Scars From 1906 EarthquakeThere are some lasting pieces of the 1906 earthquake tucked around San Francisco, but to see what it did to the earth itself you need to go a bit farther north, to a spot where the ground literally ripped apart.

7 hours ago

Court Documents Reveal New Details About Sacramento Mass Shooting SuspectsJulie Watts reports on violent criminal history of Sacramento mass shooting suspects revealed in court documents (4-18-2022)

7 hours ago

Judge Overturns Mask Mandate, But Many Plan to Continue Wearing ThemShawn Chitnis reports on local reaction to a federal judge overturning the mask mandate for air travel and public transit (4-18-2022)

7 hours ago

San Jose Police Arrest 6 Suspected Members of ‘Prolific’ Smash-and-Grab Jewelry Store Robbery CrewSix members of a robbery crew San Jose police described as “prolific” were arrested following a months-long investigation of smash-and-grab robberies at jewelry stores across the Bay Area. Len Ramirez reports. (4/18/22)

7 hours ago

PIX NowKPIX 5 Noon News headlines for Monday, April 18, 2022.

12 hours ago

San Francisco Officials Announce Plans for In-Person 4/20 CelebrationAnne Makovec reports on Golden Gate Park hosting the first in-person 4/20 gathering since the pandemic began (4-18-2022)

12 hours ago

Russian Attacks Intensify in Eastern UkraineSkyler Henry reports on Ukrainian defenses making a final stand in Mariupol (4-18-2022)

12 hours ago

Oakland A’s Fans Gear Up For Home Opener at ColiseumJustin Andrews reports on anticipation for Oakland A’s home opener (4-18-2022)

12 hours ago

Game Day: Warriors Make Statement In Game 1 Win Against DenverVern Glenn and San Francisco Chronicle Warriors beat writer CJ Holmes breakdown the Warriors Game 1 win over the Denver Nuggets Saturday night at Chase Center. (4-18-22)

13 hours ago

Game Day: Chase Center Dressed For SuccessFans attending playoff games at Chase Center will receive special “Gold Blooded” T-shirts. Vern Glenn interviews the man responsible with making sure every seat in the arena has a t-shirt. (4-18-22)

14 hours ago

Game Day: Lexie Hull Joins Indiana FeverLexie Hull was selected with the 6th overall pick in the WNBA draft just days after Stanford’s loss in the Final Four. Vern Glenn interviewed Hull before her first practice with the Indiana Fever. (4-18-22)

14 hours ago

Local Doctor Discusses Impact of Pandemic on Mental HealthCBS News Bay Area morning anchor Amanda Starrantino talks to Dr. David Spiegel with Stanford Health Care about the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of adolescents

15 hours ago

The post Monday Night time First Alert Climate Forecast With Paul Heggen – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Spate of Hillsborough Burglaries Possibly Linked to ‘Criminal Tourism’Hillsborough has seen an increase in burglaries over the past four months and police say the culprits are likely foreign members of “criminal tourism” operations. Betty Yu reports. (3-13-22)

2 hours ago

The Tenderloin: State of EmergencyCBS News Bay Area’s Wilson Walker and Allen Martin talk about the challenges in the San Francisco neighborhood, and the debate over how to best confront them

5 hours ago

First Alert Weather Sunday Night ForecastBrian Hackney says there is finally some real rain headed our way as the work week wears on. (3-13-22)

5 hours ago

PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (3-13-22)

6 hours ago

Beloved Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien to Be Made Sea-Worthy AgainBig plans are in motion for the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, the liberty ship in San Francisco that survived D-Day and escaped a recent waterfront fire. Allen Martin reports. (3-13-22)

6 hours ago

Residents Slam Plan to Charge Tolls on Cars Entering Treasure IslandTransportation officials are close to voting on a proposal to charge a toll for cars stopping at Treasure Island. Some residents say that plan would cause profound harm to their community. John Ramos reports. (3-13-22)

6 hours ago

Benefit Concert in San Francisco Raises Funds for War-Torn UkraineA benefit concert to help the people of Ukraine wrapped up Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. Da Lin reports. (3-13-22)

6 hours ago

USF Dons, St. Mary’s Gaels Awarded Berths in NCAA Men’s TournamentBoth the University of San Francisco Dons and St. Mary’s Gaels made it through Selection Sunday and into the brackets. Vern Glenn reports from USF. (3-13-22)

7 hours ago

Community Blowback Follows CoCo Sheriff’s Support for Convicted DeputyAfter a Danville deputy was sentenced to six years in prison for killing a man the Contra Costa County sheriff blasted the district attorney and the judge. Shawn Chitnis reports on the community response. (3-13-22)

7 hours ago

Tips to Save Money on Fuel CostsCBS News Bay Area’s Juliette Goodrich asks AAMCO’s Kim Johnson about some tips to save costs on fuel

7 hours ago

Weather Extra: La NinaCBS News Bay Area Meteorologist Darren Peck takes a look at sea surface anomalies during this La Nina, and what this could mean for our rain chances for the remainder of our wet season

8 hours ago

Raw Video: USF, St. Mary’s Head to NCAA TournamentA selection of reactions from the USF Dons and St Mary’s Gaels after they made it into the brackets on Selection Sunday. (3-13-22)

8 hours ago

Sunday Ukraine War News WrapAn American journalist was killed, a Russia missile attack kills scores in western Ukraine near Poland and Bay Area residents weigh cost of foreign war. Team coverage from Debra Alfarone and Devin Fehely. (3-13-22)

8 hours ago

Increased threat of cyber attacksCBS News Bay Area anchor Ryan Yamamoto talks to California’s head of cybersecurity, Vitaliy Panych, about how the state is trying to protect assets amid the increased cyber threat. Panych is also from Ukraine

8 hours ago

First Alert Weather Sunday Morning ForecastDid you remember to spring forward? Brian Hackney has the forecast for the first Sunday of Daylight Saving Time. (3-13-22)

17 hours ago

Stanford Soccer Star Remembered at Somber VigilRick Montanez reports on a memorial held at Stanford soccer star Katie Meyer’s high school in Ventura County (3-13-2022)

17 hours ago

Median Price For a Home in the East Bay Tops $1.2 MillionDa Lin reports on how families in the East Bay are struggling to find homes with the rising price of real estate (3-13-2022)

17 hours ago

PIX NowKPIX 5 Morning News headlines for Sunday, March 13, 2022.

18 hours ago

Family of Missing 8-Year-Old Hayward Girl Devastated After Child’s Body FoundBetty Yu reports on heartbroken family members calling out failures of Child Protective Services after body believed to be that of a missing eight-year-old girl was found (3-12-2022)

18 hours ago

PIX NowHere’s the latest from the KPIX newsroom. (3-12-22)

1 day ago

First Alert Weather Saturday Night ForecastDon’t forget to spring forward! Brian Hackney has the forecast for the first Sunday of Daylight Saving Time. (3-12-22)

1 day ago

Crews Begin Moving Crashed Caltrain Off Tracks in San BrunoInvestigators with the National Transportation Safety Board gave Caltrain the all-clear to begin removing the train that was involved in a fiery crash on Thursday from the tracks in San Bruno. Max Darrow reports. (3-12-22)

1 day ago

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Returns to SF After Pandemic PauseSaturday morning, downtown San Francisco was a sea of ​​green with a touch of the blarney as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade returned from a two-year hiatus. John Ramos reports. (3-12-22)

1 day ago

Uber Adds Surcharge as Gas Prices SpikeUber announced it will add a per-trip surcharge for both riders and deliveries, as skyrocketing gas prices put pressure on the people behind the wheel. Shawn Chitnis reports. (3-12-22)

1 day ago

The post First Alert Climate Sunday Morning Forecast – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

San Franciscans may soon want to pay more attention to text messages from unknown numbers. Starting this week, an annoying notification could alert them that their vehicle is about to be towed.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has launched an initiative that will send a text message to customers whose vehicles are to be towed for one of four parking violations: parked more than 72 hours; block driveways; building zones; Temporary no-parking zones, such as B. Special events or moving trucks.

Together, these categories accounted for 12,500 vehicle towings, or 27% of towed cars, in 2020.

Typically, a full-price first-time tow costs a whopping $500 to retrieve the vehicle, although there are a number of discount programs for eligible individuals. Recovering the car also requires the owner to pay any outstanding ticket debt.

“It touched me because it’s a fundamental quality of life issue,” said SFMTA Board Director Manny Yekutiel, who spearheaded the initiative. “It’s a very expensive city to live in, and it’s a difficult city in many ways, so how can we make things a little easier in our city?”

The idea for a text-before-tow program came from a chance encounter with a generous neighbor.

As Yekutiel tells the story, the battery on his Vespa scooter was dead in Bernal Heights when a guy stuck his head out the window, offered to drop jumper cables, and invited Yekutiel upstairs for a beer. They struck up a conversation, and the neighbor told Yekutiel about an idea he once had for a text-to-tow program.

It seems so simple, but San Francisco will be the first major city in the country to offer this type of service.

The goal of SFMTA is not to make life easier for drivers at the expense of transit. Director Jeffrey Tumlin has made it clear that towing is a necessary tool to ensure pedestrian safety, the proper operation of Muni service, and to prevent misconduct by car owners.

Vehicles will still be towed without a prior text warning if they are parked in, for example, rush hour tow lanes, drive-thru lanes and other curb areas where parking is clearly prohibited.

But the four types of violations selected by the Department of Transportation for this program represent those more likely to be the result of a benign error, forgetfulness, or a misunderstanding of ever-changing road signs in transient events.

“It is quite reasonable that you accidentally parked here,” said Yekutiel, who mentioned that he had been towed many times. “It makes sense to start in those categories to give people a little more grace.”

SFMTA hopes these warnings will shift at least some of the burden of road clearance from the traffic agency to motorists themselves.

“We hate having to tow cars to make the transit go smoothly,” Tumlin said in a statement. “We can clear the streets faster and serve our customers better just by sending a text message so motorists can move their cars.”

The SFMTA’s towing policy has come under scrutiny during the pandemic for the disproportionate impact it has had on people of color, people living in their cars and low-income earners.

Though the city has struggled to provide discounts and extended notice periods to eligible individuals, this program could give some of the most vulnerable residents another opportunity to avoid the costly and often disastrous experience of having their vehicle towed.

To receive an SMS, residents must fill out a short online form to register their license plate number and phone number. Notifications alert the person that a tow truck is approaching, but don’t include an estimated time of arrival. If the vehicle owner arrives before the tow truck, towing fees will be waived, but parking fees will still apply.

cgraf@sfexaminer.com

The post San Francisco drivers to get textual content alert earlier than being towed appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Gomez, Donovan

To conserve water under drought conditions nationwide, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission announced Thursday that it is expanding a leak warning program that will notify customers of uninterrupted water usage.

The program now notifies both commercial and industrial buildings as well as apartment buildings if they have been using water continuously for three days, which could indicate a leak.

The program will continue to serve single-family and small apartment buildings as it did before, SFPUC officials said.

“I applaud SFPUC for this proactive move to expand the city’s Leak Alert program at such a critical time,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “Given the historic drought, we must do everything we can to fix leaks, protect our water supplies, and cut costs for our residents and local businesses.”

“As long as this drought persists, we need to save the best we can of water, and often that simply means fixing leaky pipes, faucets and toilets,” said Michael Carlin, deputy director general of SFPUC.

In addition to the expansion, the SFPUC will also examine industrial and multi-family houses with more than three units for an increase in water consumption of 50% and more within the last 90 days as well as for peaks in night-time use.

SFPUC officials estimate the Leak Alert program saved 47 million gallons of water in the past fiscal year.

As drought conditions continue to intensify across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom urged all Californians last month to voluntarily reduce water use by 15%.

The post San Francisco Public Utilities Fee expands leak alert program | Bay Space appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – Air District officials extended a Spare the Air Alert through Monday, urging Bay Area residents not to drive on the holiday weekend to reduce smog buildup.

The air alarm for smog is paired with an air quality warning for smoke, which will also be extended until Monday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said.

CONTINUE READING: COVID pandemic boosts automation boom to fill jobs in the service sector

A combination of high temperatures, vehicle exhaust and forest fire smoke is expected to increase smog or ozone build-up.

“Restricting driving this holiday weekend can help reduce the build-up of harmful smog pollution,” said Veronica Eady, Air District senior deputy executive officer.

When a spare-the-air alarm goes off, outdoor exercise should only be done in the early hours of the morning, when ozone levels are lower, air district officials advise.

CONTINUE READING: BottleRock closes with Foo Fighters, Megan Thee Stallion

If temperatures allow, residents should stay indoors with the windows and doors closed until the smoke subsides. If it’s too hot inside, people should go to an air cooling center or other building that provides filtered air.

The Air District also recommends that people affected by flue gas air conditioners and car ventilation systems recirculate to prevent outside air from getting inside.

Air quality measurements are available at baaqmd.gov/highs.

To find out when a spare-the-air alarm is in effect, residents can sign up for SMS notifications by sending the word “START” to 817-57, or sign up for email AirAlerts at www.sparetheair Register .org, 1 (800) HELP AIR, download the Spare the Air app or connect to Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

MORE NEWS: 1 dead, 4 injured in a frontal crash on Route 84 in Sunol

© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The post Spare the Air Alert Prolonged By way of Labor Day – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

If you’ve ever dreamed of moving into a lighthouse on a tiny island, this may be your only chance to get paid for it. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the current caretakers of the East Brother Light Station in San Francisco are looking for two people to take over the historic site. The only catch is you have to be willing to keep running them as a bed and breakfast.

The lighthouse was built in 1874 on a tiny island in San Pablo Bay (in the northern part of San Francisco Bay) and 100 years later it was saved from planned demolition by a group of conservationists. The site has since been included in the national register of historic sites and converted into an inn with five rooms.

The current operators, Che Rodgers and Jillian Meeker, do whatever is necessary to keep the site up and running, including greeting guests, serving meals, conducting supply runs, and keeping the place clean. Each of these tasks will be passed on to the new lighthouse keepers, who will also have to transport guests back and forth by boat from the inn, so that at least one of the new employees must have a US Coast Guard captain’s license.

The couple, willing and able to meet these requirements, will receive a total annual salary of approximately $ 130,000 and a new home in the East Brother Light Station. Qualified applicants are encouraged to submit this application. The position will start sometime in April.

[h/t The San Francisco Chronicle]

The post Dream Job Alert: Get Paid $130,000 as a Lighthouse Caretaker in San Francisco Bay appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.