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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Many Americans staying in Mexico are flying home Tuesday night after cartel violence shut down travel — and many of them are heading back to the Bay Area.
People flying into San Francisco International Airport Tuesday evening said they were relieved to be home after their Mexico vacation took a dangerous turn. Violence broke out after the Mexican army killed one of the world’s most powerful drug cartel leaders.
“We were safe and removed from it all, but on our way out we saw businesses that were burned. Their lives were disrupted,” said Arthur, who flew home from Puerto Vallarta. “It was like pandemic vibes, except for smoke and fear.”
David Kennedy was visiting from San Francisco. Kennedy said he could hear gunfire from his resort about two miles from downtown Puerto Vallarta. He said one of his favorite destinations was then blanketed in smoke from cars and businesses set ablaze. Kennedy said when flights were canceled, he worried he wouldn’t make it home in time for a funeral.
“Wow, what a crazy trip. I went down to Puerto Vallarta like I have been for 20-plus years,” said Kennedy. “Never imagined something like this would happen. Saturday night I was up late — I’m a night owl. I heard all these fireworks — they were gunshots. You could see smoke and flames coming from downtown. The supermarket I was at the day before, where I always stop and get supplies, was on fire — that very same store I was in not 12 hours before. It was two days of intense stress.”
Sarah Kahn said she was staying at a resort that went into lockdown, forcing guests and employees to shelter in place.
“We were trying to go to the other pool in our resort, and they barricaded all the doors,” said Kahn. “Yeah, we are safe, but it was a little gnarly. Everything got very quiet very quickly. All of a sudden, we saw helicopters overhead — that’s when we knew it got serious.”
Some travelers said they worry about how this could impact tourism in Mexico.
“Everybody we talked to was like, ‘this has never happened before, and this is totally crazy.’ So, 100% it’s going to affect tourism going forward, but hopefully they can bounce back because it really is an incredible place,” said a traveler named Hannah.
“I’ll go again, but I don’t know. It was scary as hell,” added Kennedy.
The U.S. State Department has placed five Mexican states on a “Do Not Travel” list.
Travelers are urged to use increased caution across Mexico due to threats of terrorism, crime and kidnapping. However, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico says the security situation has stabilized and airline operations are normal.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) loudly heckled President Trump as he made a number of divisive comments about Somali immigrants during the State of the Union address.
Omar could be heard calling Trump a liar as the president said he would ignite a “war on fraud” he pinned on the Somali immigrant community.
“When it comes to the corruption that is plundering America, there has been no more stunning example than Minnesota—where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer,” Trump said.
“The Somali pirates who ransack Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings those problems right here to the USA,” Trump said.
The comments sparked an outburst from Omar, who was heard calling Trump a liar as she shouted back in the chamber.
The Somali community has been under scrutiny by the Trump administration in part due to a massive pandemic-era fraud scheme that stole hundreds of millions from a federally funded nutrition program. As much as $1 billion is reported to have been stolen in separate plots.
A viral December video about alleged fraud at Somali-run day care centers in the state further inflamed the administration’s response, including launching a massive immigration raid in Minneapolis.
As Trump talked about illegal immigration and the border, Rep. Rashida Talib (D-Mich.) yelled at Trump, “You’re killing Americans.” Omar also yelled, “You have killed Americans.”
Other Democrats wore pins and held up signs with protest messages. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) held up a two-sided sign with the photos of two Americans killed by immigration officers, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was escorted out of the House chamber shortly after Trump began delivering his address, holding up a sign that read, “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES.”
The Redwood City School District turned to renewable energy as a way to save money during a budget deficit, and it is now entering Phase 2 of its project.
Brandon Matthews is a parent in the Redwood City School District. He and his daughter, Jessamyn, are spending time in her school’s garden.
“Classes come out, and they can plant things in the garden or harvest and eat things from the garden,” Matthews told CBS News Bay Area.
But funding for programs like these could be in jeopardy, as the school district is facing a $5.25 million budget shortfall for the next academic year.
As one solution to cutting costs, the district installed solar canopies at four campuses in Phase One. Currently, the district is going through Phase Two of the project, where crews are building canopies at nine more schools.
The entire project cost the district about $13.33 million. District leaders said they’re also receiving a $3.75 million reimbursement from the Investment Tax Credit allocated for the project. They expect to save more than $30 million total over the next 25 years.
“It frees up that money to do things like pay teachers and higher educational assistance. It shows that the district is responsible with the money they’ve got and can use that savings to defray other costs as they come,” Matthews said.
David Williard, the principal for NV5 Clean Energy Group, is the energy consultant for the school district.
“Having canopies on the school site provides shade and also power for the school. Clean energy, it’s generated on-site,” he told CBS News Bay Area. “(For Phase Two) we are projecting approximately $26 million in savings for the district over 25 years. That’s the estimated life for the system.”
“In the first five years, we’ve already saved $875,000,” he added.
He said that each campus will use 80% to 90% of the energy generated through these canopies, which are also installed in parking lots.
“They are able to use their bond funding to pay for these facility upgrades. And that actually reduces their costs for their General Fund,” Williard said.
“Doing the right thing for the environment and saving money for public schools and the community,” he added.
Williard said that the planning and permitting process takes about two and a half years, followed by about six months for canopy construction.
“Constructed over a parking lot, and it provides shade for the cars that are parking here, for staff parking,” he said.
As for Matthews, who sends his daughter to a Spanish immersion school, he hopes to see the positive impact both environmentally and financially.
“Every cent helps and by being able to defray some of the costs from rising energy costs is going to be key to be able to fund things like this,” he said. “Knowing that as energy rates are rising and our costs are going up, they are able to benefit from the investment the district made a few years ago, makes me really, really happy.”
A district spokesperson said they expect to complete Phase Two of the project by the summer.
NEW ORLEANS – Tuesday night’s promotion at Smoothie King Center was “Y2K,” where Usher’s music blasted through the speakers and the half-empty crowd were given 2000s-style bird hats to wear.
On the court, the Warriors and Pelicans decided to also pay homage to that low-scoring era of hoops by throwing up copious amounts of bricks in the Warriors’ 113-109 loss to New Orleans.
Golden State shot just 40% and 23% from behind the arc, while the Pelicans had a 43% accuracy rate from the field.
The Warriors got as close as 104-103 with 1:47 left in the game, but Saddiq Bey pushed the lead back to four with a scooping and-one reverse layup. Three De’Anthony Melton free throws got the deficit back to three after another Pelicans score, but the Pelicans held on for the win after a few empty Warriors possessions.
Melton scored a season-high 28 points and threw down a shocking poster dunk in the second half, while Moses Moody continued to shoot well and scored 24. Brandin Podziemski came off the bench to score 16 and grab 16 rebounds. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 26 points.
The Warriors were without Steph Curry (runner’s knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) as neither man made the trip with the team.
That lack of firepower was apparent in the first half, as the visitors shot just 31.3% from the field and made a ghastly 23% of their triples over the first 24 minutes. Melton’s off-the-bounce game and some timely shotmaking by Moody were the only things keeping the Warriors offense afloat.
It was only through sheer effort – and ineptitude from the cellar-dwelling Pelicans – that the Warriors were down just 46-39 at halftime.
The Warriors even took a 58-57 lead with six minutes left in the third, but a Derik Queen layup gave the Pelicans back the advantage with three minutes remaining. The Pelicans led 77-72 while Dejounte Murray played his first game of the season.
The Warriors ran out of steam down the stretch, while the talented but raw Pelicans made enough shots to stretch out the advantage.
The Warriors (30-28) will play at Memphis on Wednesday, and then have two days off before facing LeBron James and the Lakers on Saturday.
Draymond Green returns
After missing Monday’s game with lower back soreness, Draymond Green made his return to the starting lineup against New Orleans. The results were uneven in the first half.
On one side of the floor, Green was his vintage self while matchup up against Williamson. He denied the Pelicans star advantageous position while also flying around as a weakside help defender.
But on offense …. It was a night to forget for Green. Yes, he scored 11 points, but the Pelicans did not care. Green’s defender routinely sagged 5-to-10 feet off Green even when he had the ball, inviting harmless drives into the paint.
That changed in the second half, when Green handled the ball far less but remained active as a screener and option for layups in the dunker’s spot.
Green ended the night a plus-5 while shooting 5-of-11 to go with seven rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.
Former Warriors on Pelicans
A couple of familiar faces dotted the Pelicans roster when the Warriors tipped off. Center Kevon Looney and guard Jordan Poole lined up against the team they helped win a championship.
Looney did not play a single minute, having been surpassed in the rotation by Queen and DeAndre Jordan. Poole got more playing time, coming in off the bench and scoring 12 while grabbing six rebounds.
Kuminga’s Hawks debut
After almost three weeks of waiting and anticipation, former Warrior Jonathan Kuminga made his debut for the Hawks on Tuesday night.
The Warriors had sent Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta in exchange for Porzingis. In his first game back from a bone bruise that had sidelined him since January, Kuminga wowed the Hawks crowd.
He scored 27 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting from the field, coming off the bench and sparking the offense in a 119-98 Atlanta victory. Hield did not play.
An unidentified person fell to their death at San Mateo County’s Devil’s Slide Tuesday morning at about 11:45 am, with witnesses saying the person may have suffered a medical emergency just before the fall. The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined the cause of death, and will not release the victim’s identity until they’ve notified next of kin. [KRON4]
Stunning and sad news for San Francisco Symphony fans, as we’re now learning that former conductor Michael Tilson Thomas’s husband and longtime partner Joshua Robison died in his sleep this past Sunday night. The Chronicle describes Robison as “a constant at Tilson Thomas’ side — not only as spouse but as manager, adviser and strategic partner.” He was 79. [Chronicle]
The Sonoma County wildlife park Safari West is transitioning into nonprofit, after having operated as a privately owned wildlife preserve for the last 33 years.Details of why this reorganization is happening are scarce, and the park’s founder Dr. Nancy Lang vaguely said in a statement that “By moving forward under nonprofit stewardship, we are strengthening the foundation that will allow Safari West to serve wildlife and our community for generations to come.” [KRON4]
National:
Trump’s State of the Union is tonight, and he’s expected to ramble on for quite some time, while the Democrats have new Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivering the response, and our own California Senator Alex Padilla is delivering the Democrats’ Spanish-language response. [AP News]
A potential Epstein bombshell for Trump, as it turns out the Justice Department withheld certain files that covered allegations that President Trump had once sexually abused a minor. [NPR]
A wacky Tuesday afternoon snowball fight in blizzard-ravaged New York City pissed off some cops after they were hit with snowballs, and the police appear to want to turn this into a fight with Mayor Mamdani for not being angry enough about it. [NY Times]
Image: MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 19: Alysa Liu of United States gold medal celebrates at the end of the Woman Figure Free Skating on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)
Raising Cane’s, the fast-food outfit that specializes in fried chicken of the boneless variety, is planning to open a new location in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, a stone’s throw from In-N-Out.
San Francisco was already going to get its first outpost of Raising Cane’s at Stonestown Galleria, set to open this summer — which first made the news last March, almost a full year ago. And soon we’ll be rolling in chicken fingers, with a second Raising Cane’s set to open at 211 Jefferson Street near Pier 39, as KRON4 reports.
Construction is reportedly set to begin next month, and a real estate listing for the remainder of the building suggests that Raising Cane’s will be open for business in “Summer 2026.”
Unlike a lot of fast-food chains, Raising Cane’s keeps its menu very simple, with combo meals featuring three, four, or six chicken fingers, each coming with Cane’s Sauce, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, and Texas toast. There is a fried chicken sandwich on the menu, but that is about it for options.
The company was founded in Baton Rouge in 1996 and has been in major expansion mode nationwide for several years, now counting over 940 US locations as of January 2026. 200 of those locations are spread across Texas, but California is catching up with 129 so far.
And Fisherman’s Wharf itself is undergoing something of a rebirth, with a new waterfront plaza coming where the former Alioto’s restaurant once stood, and multiple new restaurants recently open or set to open. Those include the new boozy Taco Bell Cantina, which opened in January to great fanfare, and a new location of Oakland’s own Everett & Jones BBQ. One of the Wharf’s oldest restaurants, Castagnola’s, is also planning a reopening, possibly this year.
We’ll update you when we learn more about the Fisherman’s Wharf opening timeframe.
President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history Tuesday night, touting his administration’s economic policies and immigration enforcement, while condemning Democrats and the previous administration.
Trump also made a series of exaggerated, misleading and false claims throughout the course of the evening on topics ranging from the economy to crime to elections.
Here’s what the president got right — and wrong — in his address.
Did Trump lift millions off food stamps?
“We have lifted 2.4 million Americans — a record — off of food stamps,” Trump said.
Verdict
This needs context.
Analysis
Nearly 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, informally known as food stamps.
Around 2.4 million people are expected to lose eligibility for the program because of new work requirements passed in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, according to the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank.
But the timeline for making sure that people meet those requirements varies by state, so some of the cuts haven’t happened yet. And there is no proposed federal program to supplement the loss of food assistance.
Under the new work requirements, adults ages 55 to 64 and parents whose youngest children are at least 14 years old must document 80 hours per month of work, education or volunteering to maintain SNAP benefits. Without such documentation, they are eligible for food stamps for only three months within a three-year period. The law also gets rid of exemptions for veterans and people experiencing homelessness.
Did the ‘Warrior Dividend’ money come from tariffs?
“Every service member recently received a Warrior Dividend of $1,776. They put it on my desk. We got the money from tariffs and other things. A lot of money we have,” Trump said.
Verdict
The claim that “Warrior Dividend” payments came from tariffs is false.
Analysis
According to a Pentagon release in December, the money to pay 1.28 million active-duty service members and 174,000 reserve members $1,776 each came from a supplemental housing fund that Congress appropriated as part of Trump’s massive domestic spending bill last summer.
The funds were delivered to recipients “as a nontaxable supplement to their regular monthly housing allowance,” the internal Pentagon News Service reported in December.
As part of the announcement, Jules W. Hurst III, the acting comptroller for the Defense Department, said at the time, “We are grateful to President Trump, Chairman [Roger] Wicker, Chairman [Mike] Rogers and the other members of Congress who have made this Warrior Dividend possible through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Trump says there’s almost ‘no crime anymore’ in D.C.
“[W]e have almost no crime anymore in Washington, D.C. How did that happen? In fact, crime in Washington is now at the lowest level ever recorded, and murders in D.C. this January were down close to 100% from a year ago,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is exaggerated.
Analysis
Crime in Washington has fallen in all but one category in 2026 so far, according to data published by the Metropolitan Police Department. (Assault with a dangerous weapon is the only category that has increased in 2026.) That data also showed declines in 2025 from 2024 in all violent crime and property crime categories.
But it is not accurate to say there is “almost no crime” in Washington.
Since Jan. 1, there have been nine homicides, 126 assaults with a dangerous weapon and 322 motor vehicle thefts in the city. Year-to-date, homicides are down 67%.
Trump claims other presidents failed to lower drug prices
“I am also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs. Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could. They didn’t even come close,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is false.
Analysis
In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, capping insulin at $35 a month for people on Medicare, placing a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for people on Medicare and, for the first time, allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of some of its most expensive medications. On Jan. 1, the first negotiated prices took effect, including for the blockbuster blood thinner Eliquis and the cancer drug Imbruvica. After the law capped insulin costs for Medicare patients, drugmakers also extended $35 monthly caps to privately insured patients.
By contrast, Trump has stuck voluntary deals with at least 16 drugmakers in exchange for tariff relief. He launched the self-pay platform TrumpRx, which so far offers cash prices on 43 medications. Most of those deals, however, don’t change what people with private insurance or Medicare pay at the pharmacy counter. Medicaid patients already tend to pay little or nothing for prescriptions. And many of the drugs listed on TrumpRx have generic versions that cost less than the advertised prices.
Was inflation at record levels when Trump assumed office?
“The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years, and in the last three months of 2025 it was down to 1.7%,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is false.
Analysis
Inflation is not typically measured in just three-month periods. The consumer-price index, the most cited inflation metric, includes food and energy. While energy prices have been dropping, food prices have been on the rise over the last year.
On an annual basis, inflation when Trump took office was 2.9%, which is not a record high level.
Inflation fell as low as 2.3% in April before it spiked again after his sweeping worldwide tariffs were introduced.
Recent record inflation was experienced in 2022 when it hit 8.9%. The highest inflation ever experienced happened in the 1980s, when it reached as high as around 14%.
Trump said more Americans are working now than ever before
“More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.” Trump said.
Verdict
This is true.
Analysis
The statement is correct, though the labor market’s rate of growth has slowed sharply since Trump took office, and 2025 was the worst year for job creation since 2020. Excluding recessions, 2025 was actually the worst year for job creation since 2003.
A total of 584,000 jobs were created last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s down significantly from more than 2 million in both 2024 and 2023. In 2022, as the economy bounced back from the pandemic, more than 4.5 million jobs were created. The pace of job creation is also slower than it was in each of the first three years of Trump’s first term.
President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday, touting his administration’s policies on immigration and trade.
Did Trump secure $18 trillion in investments in U.S.?
“I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion, pouring in from all over the globe,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is false.
Analysis
While a number of companies, such as tech firms, semiconductor companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, have made public commitments to invest in the U.S., many of those commitments are either only slight increases from previous announcements or in line with previous plans. In addition, the commitments and investments the White House touted on its own website total $9.7 trillion.
A review of the White House list also found the $9.7 trillion figure to be misleading. More than $2.5 trillion of that is not investments, Bloomberg Economics found in November. About $3.5 trillion of that comes from opaque sovereign pledges, and another $3.5 trillion is corporate investments. Of those corporate investments, $2.9 trillion is planned for data centers.
“More than $250 billion of the White House pledges were announced or planned before Trump retook office in January,” Bloomberg Economics researchers also found.
Many of the commitments are also over the long term and are likely to be subject to change. For example, it recently took drugmaker Fujifilm Biotechnologies five years to open one factory in North Carolina.
Did Trump eliminate taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security?
“We held strong, and with the Great Big Beautiful Bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors,” Trump said.
Verdict
This needs context.
Analysis
It’s true that Trump cut taxes for seniors and hourly workers with the bill he signed into law last year, but he didn’t eliminate all the taxes he mentioned here. Some workers can now deduct overtime and tips, though there are income caps and maximum deduction limits. While some seniors may pay less in tax thanks to a new deduction, Social Security income is still taxed.
Trump says the murder rate is the lowest it’s been in 125 years
“Last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history. This is the biggest decline, think of it, in recorded history, the lowest number in over 125 years,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is true.
Analysis
This is true, according to an analysis of crime data published last month by the Council on Criminal Justice, an independent, nonpartisan group.
The group’s January analysis predicted that “when nationwide data for jurisdictions of all sizes is reported by the FBI later this year, there is a strong possibility” that the homicide level “would be the lowest rate ever recorded in law enforcement or public health data going back to 1900, and would mark the largest single-year percentage drop in the homicide rate on record.”
Trump says the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ was the largest tax cut in history
“Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cut in American history, and our Republican majority delivered so beautifully,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is false.
Analysis
Trump is referring in this statement to his “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he signed into law in July. The law cut taxes for many people and businesses while also significantly cutting an array of federal programs.
Trump says 70,000 new construction jobs have been added
“We have added 70,000 new construction jobs in just a very short period of time,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is exaggerated.
Analysis
From January 2025 to January 2026, 44,000 construction jobs were added, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, far fewer than the 70,000 Trump touted.
Did Biden allow millions of migrants, including murderers, into the U.S.?
“They poured in by the millions and millions — from prisons, from mental institutions. There were murders — 11,888 murders. They came into our country. You allowed that to happen,” Trump said, in reference to Biden.
Verdict
This needs context.
Analysis
It’s true that 10 million people entered the U.S. illegally under the Biden administration, but there’s no evidence that millions of migrants were coming from prisons and mental institutions, as Trump claims.
As for the claim about 11,888 murders, there are more than 13,000 convicted murderers without legal status who are not in ICE custody, but that figure can’t be blamed exclusively on Biden. It’s not clear when those migrants arrived in the U.S. — they could have entered at any point over the last four decades or even earlier, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The 13,000 number also includes noncitizens in state and federal prisons.
Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota shouted in dissent at President Trump as he urged the House to prohibit sanctuary cities.
Trump claims $19 billion in fraud committed in Minnesota
“When it comes to the corruption that is plundering, it really is plundering, America, there’s been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion dollars from the American taxpayer. We have all the information, and in actuality, the number is much higher than that,” Trump said.
Verdict
This lacks evidence.
Analysis
The figure far exceeds estimates from the Justice Department, which has so far charged 98 people in Minnesota, 85 of whom are Somali, with $1 billion of fraud. The House Oversight Committee has estimated the fraud “could exceed $9 billion” as investigations continue.
Federal prosecutors, who began investigating the fraud allegations during the Biden administration, have also indicated that the total amount of federal taxpayer money that was misused could be as much as about $9 billion. That number stems from a federal prosecutor’s public statement that estimated that half of the $18 billion in federal funds paid out to 14 programs in the state may have been fraudulent.
Trump says egg and beef prices are declining
“The price of eggs is down 60%,” Trump said. “And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly.”
Verdict
This needs context.
Analysis
Egg prices came down over the last year — dipping around 48% from January 2025 to January 2026, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Meanwhile, beef prices keep hitting all-time highs — with ground beef reaching a fresh record at $6.75 per pound last month, up nearly 22% from the year before, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Has Trump ended 8 wars?
“I ended eight wars,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is exaggerated.
Analysis
There is no consensus about how many wars or potential wars Trump has ended. And where peace has prevailed, Trump’s impact as a mediator is up for debate.
Trump has claimed credit for ending conflicts between Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Thailand and Cambodia, Serbia and Kosovo, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and India and Pakistan.
In some cases, fighting has resumed after declarations of peace or ceasefires, including between Thailand and Cambodia and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And in other cases, there was no shooting war in the first place, as with Egypt and Ethiopia, but Trump’s envoys sought to defuse tensions that could trigger a conflict over a dam project.
Trump has claimed that in his first term, a U.S.-brokered economic secured peace between Serbia and Kosovo. The two sides have not been in a shooting war since the 1990s, but deep political tensions persist, despite the deal agreed upon during Trump’s first term.
Some of the countries’ leaders have said Trump helped end the fighting, including between Israel and Iran, Thailand and Cambodia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Pakistan and India. Pakistan has described Trump as having played an instrumental role in ending a war with India. But India’s government has denied that the U.S. played a role in negotiating the ceasefire, saying the fighting ended as a result of direct talks between the two countries.
Israel and regional experts have credited Trump with helping end a 12-day war between Israel and Iran after he ordered airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump is now threatening another U.S. air attack on Iran depending on the outcome of diplomatic talks with Iranian officials Thursday.
Even some of Trump’s critics have praised his role in helping broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, though the ceasefire remains fragile.
Will the SAVE America Act get rid of mail voting?
“I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act,” Trump said. “It’s very simple. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship. No more crooked mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military or travel.”
Verdict
Trump’s comments about mail-in ballots are false.
Analysis
The SAVE America Act, which was approved by the House but has not passed the Senate, proposes adding significant new proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements, but it wouldn’t eliminate mail voting.
Trump claims cheating in elections is ‘rampant’
“Cheating is rampant in our elections. It’s rampant,” Trump said.
Verdict
This is false.
Analysis
There is no evidence of widespread fraud in American elections. The conservative Heritage Foundation has collected only dozens of cases of fraud in key swing states amid tens of millions of ballots cast over decades.
Aria Bendix , Dan De Luce, Kayla Steinberg, Julia Ainsley, Berkeley Lovelace Jr. , Steve Kopack and Christina Wilkie contributed.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union address, slamming the White House over cost of living concerns.
BABYLON, New York — Two dogs were rescued by a plow driver on Long Island during the height of the blizzard.
Kenny McGowan, a Department of Public Works employee, was out plowing roads near Town Hall in Babylon, New York, when he spotted the dogs running down the westbound side of Sunrise Highway.
So, he followed them in his vehicle for about a mile where he was able to safely block traffic so the animals were out of harm’s way.
McGowan then called a fellow DPW worker Jason Koza, who came with a leash, and they were able to get the dogs into Koza’s truck.
In addition, officials say several other good Samaritans, including a truck driver who had a rope to secure the dogs, and a mother and daughter who wrapped a blanket around the dogs, assisted in the rescue.
Officials say one of the dogs had a microchip.
They were taken to an animal shelter where staff was able to track down their owners.
Earlier this month I started getting emails from animal lovers saying, “Did you know that the Oakland city shelter is going to start euthanizing dogs because they’re running out of room?” So I checked it out and called Joe DeVries, the new director of Oakland Animal Services. Relax, folks. No one’s going to be killing anything.
Despite a successful recent adoption weekend, Oakland Animal Services still has dozens of dogs available for adoption, such as Baldwin above. For information about him, visit oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt/dogs. (photo courtesy of Oakland Animal Services)
“We had a huge influx of dogs at the beginning of the year. We had 105 dogs come through in 12 days, and we were well over capacity, particularly for big dogs,” he explained. “Our shelter capacity is about 65, and we were about 90, and that doesn’t even include the dogs we have in our foster program.
“So our social media team put out an urgent call-out saying we had a number of dogs facing instant euthanasia if we didn’t get our numbers under control,” DeVries said. “Two local news stations picked up the story, and that led to an amazing adoption weekend! We adopted out 39 dogs and also had 27 transferred to rescue organizations, and that brought us back down to a safe level so none of these dogs are at risk now.
“We still have 60 big dogs in our shelter who still need a home and 80 more dogs in foster care that also need a home. We want to thank Oakland for coming through and encourage people to keep looking to us if they need a dog. All the dogs we offer have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and our adoption fees are extremely low, just $20 out the door.”
That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s almost springtime, and you know what that means: kitten season. All unspayed female cats are pregnant or about to be. This includes the outdoor stray or feral you are feeding and your own female house cat who sometimes goes outside. It will continue through summer and fall.
The gestation period is nine weeks, so you may start seeing babies any time now. If you don’t see kittens, don’t assume there aren’t any out there. They will leave the nest and follow Mom when they’re about six weeks old.
However, help is a phone call away. Search online for “cat rescue groups” or “low cost spay/neuter,” followed by the name of your city, or call your local animal shelter or rescue group. Call more than one group, and call more than once. Most only ask for a small donation. It’s so much easier and more economical to spay one cat, as opposed to an entire litter of up to six.
So why bother? Because for every kitten not born, that’s one more cat not in danger of being euthanized at a shelter — not to mention the hunger, diseases, starvation and accidents that befall homeless cats. Be on the lookout for any cat you’re feeding or happen to see.
Do the right thing and make that call. If you own a cat that you can’t keep, please don’t think you’re doing it a favor by dumping it in a nearby cat colony to save it from being euthanized in a shelter. For one thing, responsible shelters move heaven and earth to avoid euthanasia. Oakland Animal Services, for instance, has one of the lowest euthanasia rates in the state. For online information, visit oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt.
For another, studies show that the maximum life span for a homeless cat is two years, tops, and it’s even shorter for former house cats that suddenly find themselves outside, where they are easy prey for hawks, owls, falcons, coyotes and the most dangerous animal of all — us.
That accords with my own experience feeding the ferals in my neighborhood. I started out with four, but as word got out that there was a soft touch living on my block (me), it soon mushroomed to two dozen. Then they started disappearing one-by-one until they were all gone. That’s the reason why I never let my cat Betty go outside, much as she’d love to.
Finally, in much happier news, let me add my voice to all those who are still dazzled by watching the East Bay’s own Alysa Liu win figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics. Boy, did we need that! Her strength, daring, artistry and sheer joy almost make up for Oaktown losing the A’s, Raiders and Warriors. To quote my former editor Craig Lazzaretti, “We should throw her a parade around Lake Merritt and end this fairy tale at Fairyland!”
Emergency crews are responding to a reported deadly crash in Oakley.
The fiery multi-vehicle collision, which left at least three people injured, occurred on the intersection of Laurel Road and O’Hara Avenue, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a vehicle on fire.
Two patients were taken to the hospital by ambulance. The third was transported by helicopter.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
People living at a homeless encampment on 8th and Harrison Streets in Berkeley are wondering what’s next after city officials called off a planned sweep.
The city posted notices last week saying they would be cleaning up the encampment on Tuesday. Monday, it was delayed. Still, Thomas Parnett was trying to figure out what’s next.
“I have no idea,” Parnett said.
Everything he owns is at the encampment. He was trying to clean and pack it up, just in case the sweeps do happen. He fears losing everything.
“Some of us have some items we’d like to keep,” Parnett explained. “We can’t transport them.”
A sign posted on the pole right near his belongings says, “lodging prohibited, violators subject to arrest,” but attorney for the Berkeley Homeless Union Anthony Prince says there’s no ordinance against living in this specific area.
“There is no city-wide camping ban,” Prince explained. “But nevertheless, the city has found numerous excuses, one after another, to break up encampments.”
Prince said the 8th and Harrison encampment is one of the longest-standing camps in Berkeley, and there used to be a dumpster, but the city removed it last June.
In January, city and county health officials confirmed positive tests for leptospirosis in dogs and rats within the encampment. The city says they posted signage about the potentially deadly disease, removed debris, and handed out hygiene kits to residents.
Prince said if they sweep the camp, more must be done first.
“The fact of the matter is that the court ordered the city to identify at least three locations where people can go safely to camp, and they refused to identify those locations,” Prince stated. “So, we’re fighting in the street.”
He said they’ll go back to court to protect the homeless union members if they have to.
Amber Whitson is a homeless advocate and lives on the streets herself. She used to live at 8th and Harrison, but moved to a more stable location.
“This is the kind of trauma people end up with after being on the streets long enough,” said Whitson. “This whole, ‘We’re going to sweep you tomorrow’, ‘Oh, we’re not going to sweep you this week’. ‘Who knows when we’re going to sweep you again?’”
Parnett is dealing with those feelings right now.
“There’s less and less hope as this goes on,” Parnett explained. “You get pushed here and then pushed there and the hope part kind of goes.”
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Robert Carradine, the actor known for his roles in “Revenge of the Nerds” and “Lizzie McGuire,” has died at the age of 71.
Carradine battled with bipolar disorder for nearly two decades, which ultimately claimed his life, his family said in a statement to Deadline.
“We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness,” the Carradine family said.
Robert belonged to the famed Carradine acting family. He was the son of actor John Carradine and a brother of actors David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Christopher Carradine, a former vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering.
For younger generations, Carradine is known for playing Hilary Duff’s father on “Lizzie McGuire.”
“This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents,” Duff wrote on Instagram. “I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Carradine had a long career in television and film. He played Lewis in the long-running “Revenge of the Nerds” movie franchise, and also appeared in the Oscar-winning film “Coming Home” in 1978.
The actor made his film debut in 1972 in “The Cowboys” with John Wayne.
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA told the players’ union that it needs to get a deal in place by March 10 to start the season on time at a virtual collective bargaining agreement negotiating session Monday, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
With an expansion draft for two teams needed to get done, as well as 80% of the league free agents, there’s plenty to get accomplished and little time to do it. A delay would hurt both sides.
The season is supposed to start May 8 and every game missed is lost revenue, sponsorships, television money and fan support. Monday’s meeting was the first between the sides that involved players and the league since they met at the WNBA offices on Feb. 2. Because of the winter storm that hit New York, it was decided to hold the meeting virtually.
Over 50 players were on the call, which lasted nearly two hours, the person said.
The two sides are still far apart on revenue sharing and housing, and the clock is ticking. The league said in the meeting on Monday that it would need to have at least a handshake agreement by March 10 for there not to be a delay to the start of the season.
The league, in its latest proposal that was sent Friday, offered 70% net revenue for the players. That came after the union had asked for an average of 27.5% of the gross revenue over the course of the CBA, beginning with 25% in the first year of the new deal. In its previous offer, the union had asked for an average of more than 30%.
The league at that point said in a statement the revenue sharing percentage remained unrealistic and would cause “hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams.”
Also on Monday, the union confirmed to the AP that the WNBA will give its players $8 million from revenue sharing from last season as the league generated enough to trigger revenue sharing for the first time in league history. ESPN was the first to report the move.
The players will decide how much each player will receive from that distribution. The union has 60 days from Feb. 9, when it was officially notified of the revenue sharing money, to come up with how it will disperse the funds.
That money will be distributed by the teams, which will then be reimbursed by the league. Under the 2020 CBA that has since expired, players received 50% of shared revenue — defined in the CBA as the amount of revenue that’s above a predetermined threshold amount minus 30% for expenses.
Neither the league nor the union would say what that threshold is. The league has had in nearly all of its proposals that it would do away with the threshold needed to be reached for revenue sharing.
In its latest offer, the league said teams would continue to pay for housing for all players this season, another person familiar with the negotiations told the AP on Saturday. The person also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
After that, franchises would pay for housing for players on minimum salary contracts, rookies in their first season and the two developmental players teams would be allowed to have.
The union had asked for teams to continue paying for housing for players in the first few years of the new agreement, but in the last two years of the CBA the franchises would no longer have to pay for housing for players who are making near the maximum salary.
The cartel leader whose death set off vengeful chaos around Jalisco, Mexico Sunday, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, aka El Mencho, began his criminal career in San Francisco. As the Associated Press and others are reporting, Oseguera Cervantes’s first documented arrest was in 1986 on the streets of SF, for drugs, and he was arrested here again in 1992 selling heroin to an undercover officer. [Associated Press/KRON4]
The pro-cars-on-the-Great-Highway crowd just announced that they filed their ballot measure paperwork on Friday, and they’ll now begin collecting signatures to put it on the November ballot. [Examiner]
Oakland is finally getting around to looking for new police chief, once again, and it has retained an executive search firm. [KTVU]
National:
CNN now has details about how the ambush of El Mencho went down, with the help of an inside person, a “trusted man” of one of the cartel leader’s lovers. [CNN]
FedEx is one of the big companies now coming to the federal government for a tariff refund. [New York Times]
Food delivery bikes are still out there delivering food around New York City, despite blizzard conditions. [New York Times]
Video:
ICYMI, here’s local wunderkind and Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu having a fun time skating to Pink Pantheress’s “Stateside” at the Exhibition Gala in Milan on Saturday.
A measly dime-bag of pot deal gone wrong left three men dead in Oakland last month, and now the marijuana dealer has been arrested too, but boy did he have a lengthy list of priors.
That senseless loss of life becomes even more senseless, as new information has come to light. The Bay Area News Group is now reporting that the entire conflict that left three men dead was “motivated by a conflict over a $10 marijuana deal.”
As KTVU explains, that new information is coming to light because a third man has been arrested in connection with the triple-homicide. That suspect is the alleged marijuana street dealer, 58-year-old Jamaal Myers. Myers did not pull the trigger or kill anyone, but he was carrying a gun on him at the time. According to KTVU, “Myers has nine prior felony convictions, including two for assault, and several prior gun convictions, and is legally barred from possessing guns.”
Myers has pleaded not guilty, and has been released after posting $100,000 bail.
The man who allegedly did pull the trigger, and is accused of killing the three victims, is 40-year-old Darrell Tatmon. Tatmon is facing three counts of murder, and could potentially face life in prison with enhancements.
A third suspect, 37-year-old Angelo Lemelle Pharr, was also arrested and has been charged with assault.
Two of the victims killed were brothers, Luis Valdez-Gomez and Kevin Andrew Valdez-Gomez, who were buying the marijuana outside the liquor store. The brother Kevin reportedly did draw his own gun once the conflict between the dealer and the customers started. The third victim, 54-year-old Miguel Ramirez, was merely an innocent bystander who happened to be shopping in the store at the time, and was caught in the crossfire.
NEW YORK — Six planets are linking up in the sky at the end of February, and most will be visible to the naked eye.
It’s what’s known as a planetary parade, which happens when multiple planets appear to line up in the sky at once. The planets aren’t in a straight line, but are close together on one side of the sun.
Skygazers can usually spot two or three planets after sunset, according to NASA. Hangouts of four or five that can be glimpsed with the naked eye are less common and occur every few years. Last year featured lineups of six and all seven planets.
When will they be visible?
On Saturday, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye if clear skies allow. Uranus and Neptune can only be spotted with binoculars and telescopes.
What time is optimal for viewing?
Go outside about an hour after sunset and venture away from tall buildings and trees that will block the view. Look to the western sky and spot Mercury, Venus and Saturn close to the horizon. Jupiter will be higher up, along with Uranus and Neptune.
How to know if you’ve spied a member of the parade?
“If it’s twinkling, it’s a star. If it is not twinkling, it’s a planet,” said planetary scientist Sara Mazrouei with Humber Polytechnic in Canada.
The parade should be visible over the weekend and in the days after. Eventually, Mercury will bow out and dip below the horizon.
At least one bright planet is visible on most nights, according to NASA.
Glimpsing many in the sky at once is a fun way to connect with astronomers of centuries’ past, said planetary scientist Emily Elizondo with Michigan State University.
Ancient astronomers used to make sense of the universe “just by looking up at the stars and the planets,” Elizondo said, “which is something that we can do today.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Authorities say the body of a man who was apparently abducted in Tracy last week was found at Lake Berryessa.
Avtar Singh was reported missing on Feb. 17, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office says, from the Sikh temple in Tracy.
Surveillance video reviewed by detectives showed Singh being put into a white SUV, apparently against his will, by three unidentified people earlier that day.
The sheriff’s office says detectives believe Singh wasn’t the original target of the suspects.
Then, on Feb. 20, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office alerted that a body had been found near Lake Berryessa matching the description of Singh.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office has since confirmed that the body was indeed that of Singh’s.
No cause of death has been released by authorities at this time, but detectives noted that the incident appeared to be isolated and there was no threat to the public.
Detectives have not made any arrests in connection with Singh’s death.
Singh leaves behind a wife and triplets under the age of one, the sheriff’s office says.
An East Bay mother is voicing her concerns about a field trip her daughter’s class is scheduled to attend San Ramon’s One Room School Program.
The mother is concerned about certain aspects of the field trip and has contacted the San Ramon Unified School District.
The One Room School Program, which is operated by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, aims to give third graders a realistic taste of a day in 1888, which is when the school house opened.
Kids are encourage to dress in 19th century clothing and are given names and lessons from that timeframe.
The problem the mother has expressed is that the kids are told to address the teacher as “master.” The mother said students are also stripped of their real names and that experience is all too close to slavery.
The parent said the program does not acknowledge that Black and Brown students would not have been allowed to attend school during that time, and glosses over those important details of history.
The mother also said giving the kids new names with name tags placed around their necks and asking them to call their teacher master triggers painful memories of what African Americans actually experienced during that time.
NBC Bay Area reached out to the school district, which said it wants to ensure their field trips provide a positive and inclusive environement.
“While the field trip to the One Room School House offers a hands-on look at education in 1889, we recognize that certain historical reenactments may not reflect our modern values of inclusivity,” the district said in a statement. “We will collaborate with Museum SRV to explore these matters further, as we remain committed to providing educational experiences that are both historically meaningful and respectful of every child in our community.”
The program’s executive director said the parent’s complaint is the first of its kind in the more than 20 years they have held the experience. The executive director said he would be happy to meet with the parents and talk about possible alterations to the program that would make it more inclusive.
Welcome to the latest installment of the Hotline’s Pac-12 men’s basketball power rankings, our weekly assessment of the reconstituted conference using results, analytics and a dash of common sense. The power rankings will be published each Monday through the end of the regular season. Here is last week’s edition, which examined how three Big Ten teams are undermining Gonzaga’s resume.
A brutal week for San Diego State was, consequently, the worst week of the season for the future Pac-12.
The Aztecs dropped two games they should have won and slid onto the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, leaving the conference that doesn’t exist (yet) staring at just two bids for March Madness.
Gonzaga is a lock. The only unknown for the Zags is whether they can claim a No. 2 seed.
And Utah State, despite a loss at Nevada, appears safe for the time being.
San Diego State was the only other member of the rebuilt nine-team Pac-12 with a reasonable chance to qualify for the at-large field.
But after a face plant at home against Grand Canyon and a road loss to Colorado State — both count as Quadrant II defeats — the Aztecs could miss the NCAAs for the first time since 2019.
Their NET ranking (44) is in the danger zone, largely because they have just one Quadrant I victory.
Perhaps more concerning is their position (54) in wins-above-bubble ranking, which measures how each team has performed against its schedule compared to how an average bubble team would fare. (The WAB was added to the selection process last season.)
All of which leaves the Pac-12 reliant upon upsets in the conference tournaments in order to send a third future member into the upcoming NCAAs:
— It needs Washington State or Oregon State to win the West Coast Conference and claim the league’s automatic bid. That seems unlikely: They are 0-6 against the WCC’s powers, Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s, and only one of the six games was close.
— Or it needs San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State or Boise State to win the Mountain West. Unreasonable? Hardly. The conference is wide open. But that means one of the schools not headed to the Pac-12 could be the last one standing.
— Or it needs Texas State to win the Sun Belt title, an outcome that appears far more plausible today than it did a few weeks ago. The Bobcats have won seven of their past eight and defeated several of the frontrunners during their late-season run.
That would be quite the twist: A school invited to join the Pac-12 entirely because of its football value providing a boost on the basketball side.
To the power rankings …
(Results and NET rankings through Sunday)
1. Gonzaga (27-2)
Results: won at San Francisco 80-59, beat Pacific 71-62 NET ranking: No. 5 Comment: The Zags could not have asked for better results elsewhere in their pursuit of the highest possible seed in the NCAA Tournament. Losses by UConn, Iowa State, Nebraska, Houston, Kansas (and others) all allowed Gonzaga to improve its position relative to the top group. (Previous: 2)
2. Utah State (23-4)
Results: beat Boise State 75-56, lost at Nevada 80-77 NET ranking: No. 24 Comment: Another loss in conference play could nudge the Aggies uncomfortably close to the bubble. In our view, their impressive NET ranking is a false indicator. Drill down on the metrics that matter, and their resume has some flaws. (Previous: 1)
3. Boise State (16-11)
Results: lost at Utah State 75-56, beat San Jose State 84-69 NET ranking: No. 62 Comment: The Broncos don’t have enough quality wins to counteract all their bad losses. The net impact on their NET ranking is decidedly negative. (Previous: 4)
4. San Diego State (18-8)
Results: lost to Grand Canyon 73-63 and at Colorado State 83-74 NET ranking: No. 44 Comment: The Aztecs are stout as ever defensively under coach Brian Dutcher but rank 108th nationally in offensive efficiency, according to the Pomeroy ratings, which measure points-per-possession adjusted for opponents. (Previous: 3)
5. Colorado State (17-10)
Results: won at UNLV 91-86, beat San Diego State 83-74 NET ranking: No. 88 Comment: The Rams have won five in a row and will finish February with Fresno State (home) and San Jose State (road), so they very well could carry a seven-game winning streak into March. And as we noted, the Mountain West tournament is wide open. (Previous: 8)
6. Oregon State (15-14)
Results: beat Pepperdine 83-73 NET ranking: No. 183 Comment: The Beavers will enter the West Coast Conference tournament as one of the most difficult teams to project. Unless they face Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s, any outcome is possible. They have looked surprisingly stout at times and predictably poor at others. (Previous: 5)
7. Washington State (12-17)
Results: beat Pacific 87-70, lost to Saint Mary’s 83-67 NET ranking: No. 130 Comment: Hard to believe but a top-four seed in the WCC tournament is a distinct possibility for the Cougars, who close the regular season at Pepperdine and LMU. (Previous: 6)
8. Texas State (18-12)
Results: won at South Alabama 90-82, lost at Louisiana 67-54 NET ranking: No. 240 Comment: We’ll know far more about the Bobcats at the end of the week. They host first-place Appalachian State on Thursday in the regular-season finale. (Previous: 9)
9. Fresno State (12-15)
Results: lost at Wyoming 92-82 and to New Mexico 80-78 NET ranking: No. 133 Comment: The Bulldogs are last here because of their season-long resume. But if the new Pac-12 existed today, we might pick them to win a game in the conference tournament. (Previous: 7)