Justin Andrews joined the KPIX 5 news team in May 2021. You can catch his reports on the morning and noon newscasts.

Justin comes to the Bay Area after spending more than five years in his home-market of St. Louis, Missouri as the lead morning reporter and fill-in anchor. Justin’s reporting has gained him national exposure including live reports on CNN, CBS This Morning and HLN while in St. Louis.

Before moving to St. Louis, Justin spent years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, anchoring and reporting for KWWL. During his time in eastern Iowa, several of his stories hit the national spotlight including a 17-year-old who was killed after he was swept into a storm sewer drain during flooding. There was public outcry over the safety of the uncovered storm drains. After aggressively going after city leaders, they finally added safety upgrades, following Justin’s reporting.

Justin made stops in Kirksville, Mo as the weekend evening anchor and started his career in Kansas City, Mo as a morning producer and fill-in assignment desk editor.

With more than a decade of television experience, Justin is thrilled to call the Bay Area home! Hi move is one he’s always dreamed of. Justin enjoys mentoring, church, brunching, anything outdoors and tasting all the food options the Bay Area has to offer.

If you see Justin out and about say hi, he’d love to chat!

The post Justin Andrews – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SUISUN BAY (KPIX) — Two Bay Area oil refineries looking to convert to processing biofuels are facing what some might consider unlikely opposition.

On the edge of Suisun Bay is Marathon’s Martinez refinery. Marathon would like to convert the facility into a renewable fuels manufacturing facility. Environmental groups have filed an appeal.

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“56 years I’ve lived near the refinery,” said Pat Hendrickson of Rodeo. “Right across the street from me. I’ve never had any problems with them.”

For some longtime neighbors like Henderickson, the Phillips 66 Refinery in Rodeo is just another neighbor. Several KPIX spoke with Monday said they were not very familiar with the plans to convert this facility to biofuels.

“Well I don’t understand, totally, what the difference is going to be,” she said. “But I feel like, at this point, there’s really not much I can do about it.”

“These biofuel projects are a boondoggle,” said Hollin Kretzmann of the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s greenwashing, plain and simple. Unfortunately the county has brought into it so far.”

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The Center is one of more than a dozen environmental groups that have appealed to the changes. For example. they reject claims by Marathon that the conversion will significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and water use.

“Feedstocks, the soybeans and the corn oil, that are going to have to feed these huge massive facilities have to come from somewhere,” Kretzmann said.

The county planning commission has approved the conversions, opponents say that process was faulty. The Board of Supervisors will hear that appeal Tuesday.

“You know, we should not be making decisions on what types of stuff to burn into the air,” Kretzmann said of longer-term climate goals. “We should be moving away from this wholesale, and decommissioning these dirty facilities.”

“If there was a vote, I’d educate myself on what the difference might be,” Hendrickson said of the discussion. “But I don’t think there’s going to be a vote. What happens happens.”

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The board will take up the issue Tuesday morning.

The post Environmentalists Skeptical About Changing East Bay Refineries into Biofuel Vegetation – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

OAKLAND (KPIX) — Police in Oakland are investigating a fatal early morning stabbing Sunday in a Lake Merritt neighborhood that has seen multiple homicides in recent months.

Police said a man was stabbed multiple times just after 3 am near 1200 Lakeshore Avenue.

That makes four homicides on the same lakeside street in less than six months.

“I heard a big commotion and I came outside on the balcony and I saw, like, about five people beating up this guy,” said a woman who declined to provide her name for fear of retaliation.

She said the attackers were two women and three men.

“They just were really beating him up, beating him up and, all of a sudden, the women said ‘Oh, let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!’ So they all jumped into a car. The (victim) got up, then he stumbled, then he fell,” she said.

She said the victim had blood all over his chest and that there were other people standing nearby, including a security guard for her condo building. Those witnesses tried to help the victim after the attackers left.

Oakland police said it’s the fourth homicide on this long dead-end street since Nov. 2021. It is unclear what motivated the stabbing. Police said the previous homicides, involving guns, were over robberies.

“Unfortunately, not surprised because there’s been so much of it,” said Michael Ziolkowski, who lives on the block.

“It’s really discouraging sometimes. I still love the neighborhood but I don’t think I would be comfortable sitting on a bench here after dark, honestly,” said neighbor Krista Sumida.

Area residents said they are fearful to leave their home at night. In addition to the four homicides, the East Bay Times reported there have been seven non-fatal shootings in the cul-de-sac since May 2021.

“We need a greater police presence on this cul-de-sac,” Sumida said.

“If (the police) drive through with their lights flashing, that kind of makes a lot of the cars move and get out,” Ziolkowski said.

One neighbor was seen with a large moving truck on the block moving out. He said he was tired of the violence and shootings.

“We’ve had three neighbors just moved out of this building in the last eight months,” Sumida said.

The dead end stretch of Lakeshore Avenue is a popular hang-out spot for young people to park their cars and party at night. Neighbors said that makes those people easy targets for robbers and some of those parties have led to fights and shootings.

“My message to our mayor is to please step up, pull your leaders together and come up with a viable way where we can be safe,” said neighbor Colette McPherson.

Police hadn’t released the victim’s identity by Sunday evening, pending notification of next of kin. The man suffered multiple stab wounds and died after being transported to a hospital. He was in his 30s.

Police were still looking for the suspects.

Sunday evening, Oakland city council president Nikki Fortunato Bas called on the city to do more

“Enough is enough,” Fortunato Bas tweeted. “Last night, another life was lost to violence in the Lakeshore cul-de-sac. I’m calling for immediate action. Parking restrictions must be enforced, including ticketing + towing to help prevent violence from occurring.”

The District 2 councilmember wrote that she wants the city to expedite the process for residents of the area to use the current no-parking zone “and help prevent harmful activities.”

She also said Oakland police should increase patrols in the area and better coordinate with private security. She also called for gun reform and “accountable, neighborhood-based policing.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPD Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821 or the TIP LINE at 238-7950.

© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report

The post Oakland Police Examine Deadly Stabbing in Troubled Lake Merritt Neighborhood – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

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

ANTIOCH (KPIX) — Families demonstrated in front of the Antioch Police Department on Saturday to demand transparency and accountability related to in-custody deaths.

This came as the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney announced last month it had launched an investigation into multiple Pittsburg and Antioch police officers.

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“We’ve joined the club that nobody wants to be a member of,” said Robert Collins, stepfather of Angelo Quinto, who died in police custody on December 23, 2020.

About 30 people gathered to listen and share stories of alleged police brutality. Some families accused Antioch police of killing their loved ones.

“When Angelo was killed, there were two crimes committed that night. One was his actual death. And the second one was the cover up,” said Collins.

Quinto’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Antioch. They claimed an officer put his knee on the 30-year-old man’s neck for almost five minutes, cutting off his oxygen.

“This process of grief that’s always going to be prolonged because we don’t have any sense of closure,” said Quinto’s sister, Bella Quinto Collins.

The family said it trusted the police. That was why they called the police for help when Quinto was dealing with mental illness.

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“Such a life-changing moment that you will never forget that,” cried Quinto’s mother, Cassandra Quinto-Collins.

Some demonstrators are even asking for the ouster of the Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston.

“We are calling for Sheriff Livingston to resign in light of his irresponsible and dangerous remarks made following the sentencing of Andrew Hall. If he doesn’t resign, we’re calling on the Board of Supervisors to at least publicly censor him. And if neither of those happens, we’re calling on the public to vote him out this June,” said Veronica Benjamin, co-founder of police watchdog group Conscious Contra Costa.

The FBI and the Contra Costa County district attorney are investigating multiple Pittsburg and Antioch police officers. Pittsburg police said three officers are on paid leave during the investigation.

But Antioch has so far to decline to say how many of its officers are under investigator. The DA’s office and the FBI declined to say what the investigation was about or answer any questions.

Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe said he fought for police reform and will work with the new interim police chief to bring change to the department.

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“We are moving in advancing police reform and I know change doesn’t happen overnight. And I know some people are frustrated,” said Mayor Thorpe.

The post Households Name for Justice, Accountability from Antioch Police – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

GILROY (KPIX 5) — California’s high-speed rail project is moving ahead with the approval of the San Jose-to-Merced section by way of Gilroy.

The approval by the state High-Speed ​​Rail Authority board of directors was cheered by Gilroy officials who envisioned building a transit hub around the rail stop.

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“I believe this will be transformative for the Gilroy community,” said Mayor Marie Blankley.

The approved alignment for the San Jose-to-Merced segment which will take tracks through the Gilroy station, before heading across Pacheco Pass into the Central Valley.

“This will be a connector for bus and rail to Monterey, to the east, to San Jose and it’s going to really help people who are going to be needing transportation to get to jobs as we increase the housing supply in California,” Blankley said .

Gilroy resident James Suner says it all looks good on paper.

“It would be like having an airport terminal in town, it acts as a hub, brings in transit-oriented development and would be a catalyst for the next century for Gilroy,” he said.

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But given the high-speed rail project’s history, Suner is skeptical it will actually happen.

Although construction of rail infrastructure is ongoing in the Central Valley, there are no firm plans for when the San Jose-Gilroy-Pacheco Pass segments would be built.

“High-speed rail is the biggest boondoggle in the history of the state,” Suner said.

Others like bike shop owner Ro Gaeta are hopeful that it will help make Gilroy more of a destination.

“We’re just a little bit of a secret town that people know as for the Garlic Festival, but I think that would be a plus for this town if it actually happens, and it sounds like it eventually will,” Gaeta said.

Mayor Blankley said she’s been told to expect pre-construction activity to begin sometime within the next two years.

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OAKLAND (KPIX 5) – A federal judge is set to ease decades of federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department. While even one of the department’s harshest critics says progress has been made, others are skeptical of the possible move.

For nearly 20 years, a federal monitor has been overseeing the department. “The Riders” police scandal in the early 2000s led to the arranged federal oversight agreement, and the city paying out millions to plaintiffs because of police misconduct.

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Bishop Bob Jackson has been leading a church congregation in East Oakland for nearly 40 years. He’s seen how street violence has torn the community apart.

“The bullets are flying everywhere. Innocent people being hit a lot of times. I mean, it’s almost like Ukraine right about now,” said Jackson.

He believes recent changes within the Oakland Police Department are making a difference.

“It’s better now because they’ve added a new district and added more police officers so they’re able to do more with fighting crime,” said Jackson.

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Bishop supports the removal of the federal oversight and thinks that money can be better spent to support communities like East Oakland.

But Kat Brooks, who founded the Anti-Police Terror Project after the killing of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART Station in 2009, is wary of the move.

“They’re not capable of stopping their officers from brutalizing our community members, and I have concerns,” Brooks told KPIX 5. “There’s a whole global movement around policing in America and the brutality of it.”

Civil rights attorney John Burris, whose work helped set up the federal oversight arrangement, told KPIX 5, “I think the department is on the right track. It’s a department with a lot of different moving parts. It’s not perfect and it probably never will be perfect.”

Burris said OPD has addressed issues like racial profiling, unnecessary use of force, and other requirements under the federal agreement.

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When asked how the department is today compared to the 10, 20 years ago, Burris said, “It’s a different department in that sense. They have policies and procedures in place to hold people accountable, when in fact they don’t follow the basic rules.”

The post Combined Views In Oakland Amid Doable Easing Of Federal Oversight Of Police – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF/BCN) – Sonoma County officials announced this week they are ramping up efforts to recruit foster parents and adoptive families to address a shortage of foster homes in the county.

County officials announced an expansion of a partnership with the national group RaiseAChild to recruit families willing to take in foster children, according to a news release issued Friday.

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The county has entered into a $25,000 contract with RaiseACild for a year-long campaign of community events and multimedia promotions to raise awareness of the needs of local children in foster care.

Fifty to 75 local children are in temporary housing in the county, most at Valley of the Moon Children’s Center — the county’s emergency shelter for youth — according to Meg Easter-Dawson, program development manager for the county’s Department of Human Services’ Family, Youth and Children’s Division.

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“We are experiencing a shortage of foster homes for the children and teens in need,” Easter-Dawson said in the statement. “Valley of the Moon Children’s Center is meant to only provide temporary housing for up to 10 days. But we have children, especially teens, who must stay much longer because we don’t have a foster home for them to go to. Not having a stable foster home just furthers their trauma and makes it harder for them to heal.”

Learn more about the benefits of becoming a foster or foster-to-adopt parent by attending a free informational meeting on Zoom. The next webinar in English will be held on Thursday, May 12 at 6 pm and the next webinar in Spanish will be held on Wednesday, May 11 at 6 pm

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For more information, see Advocate@RaiseAChild.org or call (877) 417-1440. More events and information are on the nonprofit’s website.

© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The post Sonoma County Rising Efforts To Discover Foster Dad and mom, Adoptive Households – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — Excess light cast into the sky is now seen as a form of pollution with real impacts on the environment. The State of California is now considering a bill that would be a first step in bringing darkness back to the night.

When the sun goes down, the lights of San Francisco come on and the city is at its most beautiful. But from the East Bay hills you can see the huge dome of light enveloping the entire area. That’s not a thing of beauty to Ruskin Hartley, Executive Director of the International Dark Sky Association.

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“We have flooded the night with light and it’s accelerated,” he said. “In the last 25 years, we estimate the light pollution has grown globally, probably around 100 percent.”

All that light, much of it aiming up into the sky, is taking its toll on nature – especially the birds.

“Birds are adapted for flying at night in darkness, not in light,” said Glenn Phillips, Executive Director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society. “And their vision at night actually depends on darkness in order to actually sense the magnetic fields of the earth. And when it’s too light, they can’t sense them and they get disoriented.”

So, many end up in places where they face the dangers of an urban environment. The Bay Area is right in the middle of the Pacific Flyway, the main migratory route for millions of birds moving south in the fall and north in the spring. But a satellite map displaying luminance shows the entire Bay is ringed with a solid glow of artificial light.

“And so, all those birds are coming through our area and they can’t avoid the light. They can’t go around it. They have to go through it,” said Phillips.

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It’s a problem scientists have only recognized in the last few years, prompting South Bay Assemblyman Alex Lee (D-Milpitas) to introduce AB 2382.

“The bill, simply put, requires that all State buildings have a light shield, so basically, a physical shield, or are motion activated so they’re not constantly on,” said Lee. “And that will reduce our energy consumption and reduce light pollution.

“It’s a small change,” said Lee. “Kind of perceived as a small change, but it actually has immense impact on the natural and built environment, too.”

The bill doesn’t require retrofitting, just a change in future construction or when fixtures are replaced. The bill has already passed one committee and Lee says, so far, he knows of no organized opposition to it.

Hartley said the best thing about the fix – unlike other kinds of pollution – as soon as the light is eliminated, so is the problem.

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“We can solve this one,” said Hartley. “We can solve it tomorrow. It saves money, it makes sense, and it’s great to see California’s taking these first steps.”

The post California Meeting Invoice Would Restrict Mild Air pollution From State Buildings – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.