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Public meetings across the Bay Area are being ‘Zoom bombed’ with hate speech–and no one knows how to stop it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

When Kevin Wilk faced antisemitism for the first time in the East Bay, it was broadcast through the speakers inside Walnut Creek’s council chambers.Wilk, the first Jewish resident to be elected to the Walnut Creek City Council in the city’s 102-year history, was bewildered when people from what he describes as the “underbelly of society” disrupted two separate June meetings with hate speech.Local governments began using Zoom to sustain participation in public meetings during the pandemic, and three years later, the vital tech is still improving resident access around the Bay Area. But it’s also become a way for bigots and trolls to interject anonymous racist and homophobic messages into city proceedings.“Now to see it in our backyard, and have people calling in to just spew antisemitism and derogatory statements towards me, purely because I’m Jewish, is stunning,” Wilk, who joined the Council in 2016 has lived in the area off and on for 50 years, said in an intervi...

Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

(KRON) -- A small plane crash occurred Saturday night at the Smith Ranch Airport in San Rafael.Just before 11 p.m., a plane struck power lines and crashed in a marsh at the east end of the runway, creating a power outage in the surrounding areas, according to the San Rafael Fire Department.  Underground vault fire leads to explosion in SF’s Pacific Heights Two people were extricated from the plane and transported to local hospitals with conditions unknown at this time. Shortly before midnight, PG&E arrived to begin resolving the power outage. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }This is developing news. Stick with KRON4 for updates.

Pedestrian struck, killed by car in San Jose

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

(KRON) -- A pedestrian is dead after being struck by a car Saturday night in San Jose. The crash was reported around 9:45 p.m. in the area of Capitol Expressway and Monterey Road.The pedestrian, a woman, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. She ultimately succumbed to her injuries, authorities said. Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport Police closed the westbound lanes of Capitol Expressway from Seven Trees Boulevard to Snell Avenue for several hours.  KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }This incident mark’s San Jose’s 24th fatal collision and 25th traffic death of the year.

High-rise fire on Market Street leaves no injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

(BCN) -- No one was injured in a fire on the 19th floor of the 29-story Fox Plaza building in the Civic Center area Saturday night, the San Francisco Fire Department said. Plane strikes power lines, crashes at San Rafael airport The fire was reported at 9:36 p.m. and was under control at 9:51 p.m., Capt. Jonathan Baxter said. The building at 1390 Market Street is located near Fell Street, Polk Street and Hayes Street. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }It has apartments on the upper floors and office space on the lower floors. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Montgomery Co. teen shot, killed while on vacation in Puerto Rico

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

A dream vacation turned deadly for a Maryland teen on vacation in Puerto Rico.Tommy Grays III, 17, of Olney, was with his uncle and stepfather on the Isla Verde Beach in Puerto Rico for their Fourth of July vacation when one of his family members got into an argument with another man. The argument turned fatal.The teen’s father spoke to NBC 4, saying the initial dispute was calmed by Tommy.“My son had actually stopped the situation from happening. He then walked back to the beach and was in the water with his stepfather when the guy came running back up, shooting at them,” said Tommy Grays Jr.All three were hit, but only Tommy was killed. His stepfather is still in the hospital.Grays Jr. said his son was a very happy soul who had dreamed of enjoying the beaches in Puerto Rico, and was getting ready to start his final year at James Hubert Blake High School.“He was so excited about it and he won’t see his first day as a senior,” Grays Jr. said.In a letter obtained by...

Coach of Zambia Women’s World Cup team accused of sexual misconduct, report claims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

The coach of the Zambia team preparing to make its debut at the Women’s World Cup has been accused of sexual misconduct and the case was referred to world body FIFA last year for investigation, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper.Bruce Mwape was accused of coercing players into having sex with him if they wanted to keep their place on the team, according to the report published by the British newspaper on Saturday.Other Zambian coaches and officials were also accused of sexual misconduct and investigated, including the Under-17 girls’ team coach, according to the paper.In line with protocol, FIFA said Sunday its independent ethics committee would not comment on whether or not there was an investigation currently underway into any allegations.Zambia’s soccer association launched its own investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in its women’s teams last year but didn’t name any officials, coaches or players involved. The investigati...

Paris Saint-Germain signs France defender Lucas Hernández from Bayern Munich

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain added a fifth player to its squad since the start of the summer transfer window by signing France defender Lucas Hernández from Bayern Munich on a five-year contract on Sunday after a long spell on the sidelines with injury.Hernández hasn’t played a competitive game since injuring his knee while playing for France against Australia at the World Cup in November.“I’m really excited! I’ve been waiting to join PSG for a long time, and it’s finally happened. It’s a very special day for me and I’m very happy to be here,” Hernández said in a statement from PSG.No official figures was given for the deal but French newspaper L’Equipe said it was worth around 40 million euros ($44 million).Hernández won the Bundesliga title in each of his four seasons at Bayern and the Champions League in 2020, though he was an unused substitute when Bayern beat PSG 1-0 in the final.“We would like to thank Lucas Hernández for four very successful years together. He alway...

Strikeout numbers are still stubbornly high in MLB despite rules changes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Major League Baseball has made the games faster, the bases bigger and defense a little bit harder.Now, if it could only do something about those stubborn strikeouts.“Just move the mound back to about — oh, I don’t know — second base? Maybe fastballs only?” Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jake McCarthy said, laughing. “I just think these pitchers are really good.“No one likes to strike out, but that’s how it goes.”There’s little doubt that MLB’s expansive new rules package this season has been a success, particularly when it comes to speeding up the action. But the sport is also hunting for a little more offense these days and, to be honest, the league-wide offensive output of 2023 still looks pretty similar to 2022 in several areas.Batting average is up modestly to .248 through Friday’s games, rising from .243 last season. So is OPS, rising to .730 from .706. Stolen bases also have jumped substantially, thanks in part to a new rule ...

‘This was a miracle.’ — Father, daughter survive harrowing car crash, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

A father and daughter are lucky to be alive after they were hit by a car in Southeast D.C.Around 1 p.m. on Saturday, D.C. police were called to the 3200 block of 4th Street Southeast, where a car lost control, jumping a curb and crashing into a house.Emergency personnel found a man at the scene after being hit by the car and a 5-year-old girl trapped under the vehicle, according to preliminary reports. The girl was conscious and breathing when she was evacuated by helicopter to a local hospital with serious injuries.Just got to the scene where a car crashed into two pedestrians and a house. DC Police tell me an adult male and a juvenile female were hit by a car. The child – who was trapped under the car – was conscious and breathing: https://t.co/mBMiBcCDWq pic.twitter.com/OcAqXU9R6I— Christian Flores (@CFloresNews) July 8, 2023Her father faced critical injuries and was taken to the hospital on the ground by an ambulance.Ward 8 Council member Trayon White, who was at Chi...

Bumblebee, the Cookie Monster, you name it, Virginia man dresses in costumes to make people smile

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:54 GMT

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — A woman balanced a toddler on her hip while standing on the porch of the Jump’n Jellybeans daycare on a recent Thursday morning. She stared at what was walking down the sidewalk on the other side of Portsmouth Boulevard.So did the toddler. Then he leaned forward, frantically waving an outstretched arm at the slow-moving creature.It was Bumblebee, the bright yellow, friendly, talking robot from the “Transformers” comic books, TV show and movies.Aaron Jackson, the 24-year-old inside the Bumblebee costume, saw the toddler and knew he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do that morning: Make people smile.Sometimes two or three times a week, Jackson steps out of his Portsmouth home and walks the boulevard dressed as the Marvel character Black Panther or as the Android phone logo. Or as Pac Man or the Cookie Monster. No matter the getup, Jackson always waves and acknowledges — depending on the personality and mannerisms of the character he’s portraying — anyone who ...