San Francisco local headlines

26+ min ago (916+ words) FREMONT " The families of two women who plummeted to their deaths in a Fremont apartment fire this year have filed lawsuits against the complex's management, claiming they had no way to escape and their deaths could have been prevented. Two separate lawsuits filed in Alameda County Superior Court accuse the firm that manages the Waterstone Apartments of negligence and failing to keep the 530-unit apartment complex safe. Two women " 62-year-old Lori Long and 54-year-old Charlotte Holguin " died after falling four stories from'Long's balcony during an April 6 fire that fire officials say erupted sometime around 2:50 a.m. Meanwhile, newly obtained Fremont Fire Department records show the blaze originated in Long's apartment and likely started after someone either left a cigarette burning on a combustible surface, or tampered with a butane lighter that caught something ablaze in the living room. Fire inspection records released…...

26+ min ago (677+ words) Generosity is a word we hear a lot about during the holiday season. We appreciate others" generosity toward us, and we hope we"re being just as generous. This year in wealthy Silicon Valley, we saw an increased level of food insecurity, exacerbated by the six-week federal government shutdown that threatened SNAP benefits and made the prospect of the holidays potentially bleak for our neediest neighbors. That spurred a wave of generosity from everyday people, nonprofit organizations and other businesses " especially restaurants " helping out. So in my annual Thanksgiving list of the people I"m grateful for, I want to shine a spotlight on Diana and Al Vallorz, who own Tony & Alba"s Pizza and Pasta on Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose. When SNAP benefits expired Nov. 1, they immediately announced they"d serve free meals to families with SNAP…...

27+ min ago (759+ words) The line of people waiting their turn for free boxes of food from Santa Maria Urban Ministry on the edge of downtown San Jose used to snake out the parking lot and down a full block. Most were low-income immigrants with children trying to get by in high-priced Silicon Valley. But ever since the Trump Administration cracked down on people living in the country illegally early this year and sent masked federal agents'to make sweeping arrests in immigrant-heavy communities, the families are too fearful to gather in the open. The line is gone. Operations Director Alfonso Mendez tried to reassure them that if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed up, he would rush them into the building and lock the doors. Still, they weren't convinced. "I'm very sad because everybody has the right to receive food," said Mendez, who relied on…...

56+ min ago (483+ words) OAKLAND " Within just one hour, the same group of thieves pulled up in a stolen black Dodge Durango to two different stores here, smashed through the front, and unloaded thousands of dollars in cash, lottery tickets, cigar wraps and other merchandise before making a getaway. By November, police had identified and arrested just one of the four masked suspects in the September break-ins. But when they raided his Fremont home, they found evidence of more crimes: Dodge key fobs and a simple key reprogrammer kit that is the primary tool of the trade for car thieves across the state, according to court records. Key reprogrammers can be hooked into plugs behind panels of modern cars" from the expensive and stylish to clunkers " and are used to aid owners who've lost their keys. But the technology is ripe for misuse, according…...

1+ hour, 27+ min ago (154+ words) Locals can work off the turkey and stuffing after Thanksgiving at one of the East Bay's 73 regional parks that will be open and free to the public as part of "Green Friday." The East Bay Regional Park District will waive all entrance and park use fees on Friday " including parking, boat launching and fishing, in addition to access to Ardenwood Historic Farm " as an alternative to Black Friday shopping. "Green Friday is a healthy and meaningful way to spend the day after Thanksgiving," East Bay Parks Volunteer Program Supervisor Jessica Sloan said in a press release. "It's a chance to enjoy time with family and friends in the outdoors or give back by participating in one of our volunteer clean-up projects." Green Friday activities at East Bay regional parks include: "However you choose to spend it, the day is all…...

1+ hour, 42+ min ago (323+ words) Mother, you can never have too much glitter!" I laughed as I remembered Chelsea telling me that. She was putting the finishing touches on a middle school art project, and I was lecturing her on moderation, especially when it came to glitter. And then something wonderful happened. It was a glitter party! And that memory also made me smile. I was looking back, not in pain but in joy. I'm so glad I kept Chelsea's clothes and precious objects in my garage. It isn't much of a memorial, but it served the purpose of turning my thoughts away from darkness and toward the light. In much the same way, some of the Ghost Ship families are in the planning stages of creating a memorial for the old Ghost Ship warehouse site. We are honoring our loved ones by coming together…...

2+ hour, 12+ min ago (258+ words) Two stories anchor our oldest holiday. Both took place in times of division and deprivation. And both offer a hopeful note about who we can be when we try. One can practically hear today's political media racing each other to call such a message "out of touch." But what Lincoln understood was that the practice of giving thanks could bridge chasms that politics and war had torn open. He offered hope that acknowledging our common blessings might preserve the union when little else could. The peaks and valleys of American history are commonly defined by our wealth and our power. But as these stories remind us, the true character of America is found in our capacity as a pilgrim people to find reasons for hope and gratitude and share those blessings with others. So, what might those moments suggest for…...

2+ hour, 26+ min ago (739+ words) CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alison Pill, 40; Jaleel White, 49; Fisher Stevens, 62; Kathryn Bigelow, 74. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Control your emotions and gather the facts. Taking the time to research, formulate your thoughts and put a plan in place is essential if you want to move forward with confidence. Don't fear being different or doing things differently. Living life your way is what's best for you. Follow your heart and ease your stress, and you'll gather momentum. 4 stars GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep life simple. Don't overload your plate, promise more than you can deliver or let your emotions get you into trouble. Focus inward, and choose healthy activities that help you look and feel your best. Personal gain is in your best interest, and your relationships and who you associate with today will determine the outcome. 2 stars CANCER (June 21-July 22): Learn from…...

2+ hour, 39+ min ago (524+ words) SAN FRANCISCO " The Warriors had six players in double figures but still fell to the Houston Rockets 104-100 on Wednesday evening at Chase Center as Steph Curry suffered a poor shooting night and left the floor limping late in the fourth quarter. Curry scored 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, committed six turnovers and headed to the locker room in the final minute of the fourth quarter after hobbling for several minutes. This game marks just the fifth time this season that Curry, who scored 103 points over his last three games entering play, has failed to score at least 20 points. Houston guard Reed Sheppard led the Rockets by scoring a career-high 28 points on a career-high 25 shots from the field. Houston forward Kevin Durant missed a second straight game due to personal reasons. Entering play, the Rockets" season-high for offensive rebounds was 20, but Houston…...

2+ hour, 59+ min ago (745+ words) Dear Eric: I allowed the daughter of a cousin, with whom I am not close, to move in with me while she finishes college. When she moved in last January it was supposed to be for a semester, but this is the longest semester I have ever seen. We had an incident where she left gobs of hair all over my bathroom, which I had to clean up. I told her via text I didn't like it. She walked around my house for weeks so angry with me, and when I said something to her as she was leaving the house, she slammed the door in my face. There were other incidents. When she moved in, she had at least nine big boxes in my living room. I have been asking for around seven months for her to move them,…...