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Tag: san benito county

  • Suspect dead, San Jose officer injured by gunfire in violent carjacking spree

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    A San Jose police officer was shot in the downtown area Wednesday while responding to an armed carjacking, according to the police department. Officials said the suspect is dead.San Jose police said the officer was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive.Sgt. Jorge Garibay of the San Jose Police Department said the “violent spree” began around 2 p.m. when the suspect stole a vehicle from a dealership. A law enforcement helicopter then tracked the suspect, who drove into San Benito County. In Hollister, more than 40 miles away from San Jose, the police department there said its officers, around 3 p.m., were involved in a pursuit that included gunfire. Hollister police said the suspect, allegedly driving a stolen green Corvette, abandoned the stolen vehicle in the city and “engaged with officers with the firearm” before running away. No Hollister police officers were injured, officials said.The suspect was then found by San Benito deputies, Hollister police said. Another shootout occurred involving the suspect and deputies, with no deputy injured. The suspect did, however, steal another vehicle at gunpoint. The suspect then led officers and deputies in a second pursuit outside the city limits and into Santa Clara County, Hollister police said. He was also firing shots out of the vehicle. Garibay said the chase ended on Julian Street near the intersection with Terraine Street in San Jose. That intersection is steps away from Highway 87.The suspect then got out of the stolen vehicle and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement, Garibay said. The suspect then tried to carjack another vehicle at that intersection when he was hit by an officer’s vehicle.San Jose police said the suspect in the incident was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s not clear if the suspect died from gunfire or from being hit by the vehicle. Garibay said the medical examiner would determine the cause of the suspect’s death.The California Highway Patrol said Highway 87 was shut down in both directions at Julian Street due to the law enforcement activity. This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SAN JOSE, Calif. —

    A San Jose police officer was shot in the downtown area Wednesday while responding to an armed carjacking, according to the police department. Officials said the suspect is dead.

    San Jose police said the officer was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive.

    Sgt. Jorge Garibay of the San Jose Police Department said the “violent spree” began around 2 p.m. when the suspect stole a vehicle from a dealership.

    A law enforcement helicopter then tracked the suspect, who drove into San Benito County.

    In Hollister, more than 40 miles away from San Jose, the police department there said its officers, around 3 p.m., were involved in a pursuit that included gunfire.

    Hollister police said the suspect, allegedly driving a stolen green Corvette, abandoned the stolen vehicle in the city and “engaged with officers with the firearm” before running away.

    No Hollister police officers were injured, officials said.

    The suspect was then found by San Benito deputies, Hollister police said. Another shootout occurred involving the suspect and deputies, with no deputy injured. The suspect did, however, steal another vehicle at gunpoint.

    The suspect then led officers and deputies in a second pursuit outside the city limits and into Santa Clara County, Hollister police said. He was also firing shots out of the vehicle.

    Garibay said the chase ended on Julian Street near the intersection with Terraine Street in San Jose. That intersection is steps away from Highway 87.

    The suspect then got out of the stolen vehicle and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement, Garibay said. The suspect then tried to carjack another vehicle at that intersection when he was hit by an officer’s vehicle.

    San Jose police said the suspect in the incident was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s not clear if the suspect died from gunfire or from being hit by the vehicle. Garibay said the medical examiner would determine the cause of the suspect’s death.

    The California Highway Patrol said Highway 87 was shut down in both directions at Julian Street due to the law enforcement activity.

    This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Several earthquakes jolt area south of San Jose on Thanksgiving

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    A number of earthquakes — the strongest registering in at a magnitude of 4.0 — struck south of San Jose on Thursday

    The earthquakes happened near San Juan Bautista in San Benito County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

    Here are the specific earthquake details, listed in descending order on the magnitude scale, according to information provided by the USGS:

    1) 4.0 earthquake hit at 12:57 p.m. 5 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    2) 3.9 earthquake hit at 12:48 p.m. 6 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    3) 2.7 earthquake hit at 12:10 p.m. 6 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    4) 1.9 earthquake hit at 4:36 p.m. 5 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    5) 1.4 earthquake hit at 1:02 p.m. 6 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    6) 1.4 earthquake hit at 12:12 p.m. 5 KM south of San Juan Bautista

    7) 1.3 earthquake hit at 12:23 p.m. 6 KM south of San Juan Bautista

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    Jim Harrington

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  • Palo Alto environmental group buys three farms for $7.8 million

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    Hoping to restore wildlife and preserve farming in a part of the Bay Area that has seen growing development pressure in recent years, a Palo Alto environmental group announced Monday that it has completed the purchase of 668 acres of farmland along the border of Santa Clara and San Benito counties for $7.8 million.

    The three contiguous properties are located on the east side of Highway 101 about 3 miles south of Gilroy along the Pajaro River.

    The Peninsula Open Space Trust, the non-profit group that bought the farms from willing sellers, said it plans to restore areas along the river for birds, fish and other wildlife, while continuing to lease much of the acreage for farming.

    Since 1977, the trust, which has been funded over the years by large Silicon Valley donors like the Packard, Hewlett and Moore foundations and other wealthy Bay Area benefactors, has preserved 93,000 acres of open space — an area three times the size of the city of San Francisco — mostly in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

    Although some of the lands it has preserved have become parks and open space preserves on the San Mateo County coast and in the Skyline-Summit area, the group is increasingly buying farms and ranches in and around southern Santa Clara County. Those include properties in Coyote Valley south of San Jose, and larger areas, like parts of Sargent Ranch along Highway 101 south of Gilroy. The goal is to keep properties on Silicon Valley’s southern edges as working agricultural land.

    “There’s a lot of development pressure along the 101 corridor from Santa Clara County to San Benito County,” said Marian Vernon, wildlife linkages program manager with the Peninsula Open Space Trust.

    “Our concern is that increased development there could make it more difficult for animals to move from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Diablo Range. We want to retain the connection. Preserving undeveloped open space for both agriculture and wildlife habitat is super valuable.”

    The Peninsula Open Space Trust, an environmental group based in Palo Alto, announced Monday Oct. 6, 2025 that it has purchased three farms totaling 668 acres for $7.8 million about three miles south of Gilroy along the Pajaro River near the Santa Clara-San Benito county line. (Photo: Peninsula Open Space Trust)
    The Peninsula Open Space Trust, an environmental group based in Palo Alto, announced Monday Oct. 6, 2025 that it has purchased three farms totaling 668 acres for $7.8 million about three miles south of Gilroy along the Pajaro River near the Santa Clara-San Benito county line. (Photo: Peninsula Open Space Trust) 

    The three adjacent properties are the 185-acre Bloomfield South Farm, located in Santa Clara County, which the trust purchased for $2.4 million; the 318-acre Ojeda Ranch, in San Benito County, which the trust purchased for $4.7 million; and the 165-acre Gonzales Ranch, which straddles the border of both counties, and the trust purchased for $665,000.

    All the funding came from the trust’s donors, Vernon said.

    The first two properties were purchased from farming families. The third was purchased from the Nature Conservancy, another conservation group that bought it from farmers in 2012, restored a 130-foot buffer along the river for wildlife, and rented the rest to a rancher who grazes the property with beef cattle.

    Tomatoes and hay currently grow on the Ojeda Ranch. On the Bloomfield South Farm, celery, beets, snap peas, cilantro, and dill are grown.

    Kathy Fehlman, whose family owned Ojeda Ranch for 30 years, said she is pleased it will continue as open space, wildlife habitat and agriculture.

    “It’s an enduring legacy that is a really great outcome for everyone,” she said.

    Vernon said the trust will work for the next several years to develop restoration plans for the properties to enhance wetlands, encourage trees and other plants, and make the landscape more attractive for wildlife, while also maintaining rental agreements with farmers currently working the properties.

    During wet winters, the Pajaro River floods frequently — both near its headwaters in the area where the properties were purchased and farther downstream near Watsonville, where the most recent flood in March 2023 displaced nearly 3,000 people, and caused damage to 273 homes and more than 600 other buildings, including classrooms at Pajaro Middle School.

    “This area forms a seasonal lake in wet winters,” Vernon said of the three farms the trust purchased. “The water sits there in the flood plain. If it was paved over with concrete it would send that water downstream and exacerbate the flooding in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.”

    The area also is populated with considerable wildlife, she added, including coyotes, foxes, bobcats and other animals, along with the occasional steelhead trout.

    “Every time I go out there I see northern harriers,” she said. “There are kestrels, barn owls, red-winged blackbirds. Red-tailed hawks. It can be very wet and green out there. In the winter sometimes there are ducks.”

    Finding a balance between development, farming and wildlife preservation has become an increasingly high-profile issue in the southern Santa Clara-northern San Benito County area in recent years.

    Last November, voters in San Benito County, a mostly rural area where towns like Hollister and San Juan Bautista are becoming bedroom communities for Silicon Valley commuters, approved Measure A, a slow-growth measure aimed at curbing Silicon Valley sprawl.

    Under Measure A, approval by San Benito County voters is now required before land zoned for farms or ranches there can be developed. It was endorsed by Save Mount Diablo, Green Foothills and other environmental groups, and opposed by the San Benito County Farm Bureau, developers and some labor unions.

    Meanwhile, in June, the Peninsula Open Space Trust  spent $25.1 million to buy 2,467 acres of Sargent Ranch, a vast 6,500-acre property south of Gilroy where the owners, Sargent Ranch Partners LLC, based in San Diego, had proposed to build a gravel quarry, sparking a protracted land use battle. Last October, the trust also spent $15.6 million to purchase another 1,340 acres of the ranch from the investor group. It now owns nearly two-thirds of the entire property and is in discussions about the future of the rest.

    The Peninsula Open Space Trust, an environmental group based in Palo Alto, announced Monday Oct. 6, 2025 that it has purchased three farms totaling 668 acres for $7.8 million about three miles south of Gilroy along the Pajaro River near the Santa Clara-San Benito county line. (Photo: Peninsula Open Space Trust)
    The Peninsula Open Space Trust, an environmental group based in Palo Alto, announced Monday Oct. 6, 2025 that it has purchased three farms totaling 668 acres for $7.8 million about three miles south of Gilroy along the Pajaro River near the Santa Clara-San Benito county line. (Photo: Peninsula Open Space Trust) 

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    Paul Rogers

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  • Win or go home: Valkyries face monumental Game 2 vs. Lynx

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    SAN JOSE — The Valkyries’ season hangs in the balance. 

    Down 1-0 in their first-round series against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, Golden State faces a win-or-go-home Game 2 at SAP Center on Wednesday. 

    The expansion team has lost each of its last five games against the Lynx, and most recently suffered one of their worst losses of the season in Game 1 on Sunday in a 29-point defeat. 

    But while the Valkyries will be clear underdogs playing in an arena they haven’t called home, the gritty first-year team is confident anything can happen in front of their favorable crowd.

    “It’s win or die time,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said after Tuesday’s practice. “We understand that, but we’ve been approaching it every game since the time we played the L.A. Sparks (Aug. 9) and we made it a thing. In order to make the playoffs, it’s a must win mentality.

    “We don’t think of it potentially being our last, we just think it’s a must win. And then we got to do our job. Minnesota did their job at home and we got to take care of doing our job here at home. It’s a must win.”

    Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, right, drives past Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig) 

    With the season on the line, the Valkyries will be playing in front of a sold out crowd on Wednesday night. Golden State opted to stay in San Jose and held practice at SAP Center on Tuesday.

    Here are three keys for the Valkyries going into Game 2:

    Stopping guard penetration 

    While Napheesa Collier is the driving force of Minnesota’s offense, it’s been the guard duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the viral steaming pair called the StudBudz, that have given Golden State’s vaunted defense problems. 

    Williams, the steady floor general, has a knack for finding a way to get into the paint to score or dish to shooters. The veteran point guard is a threat to pull up from the 3-point line or in the mid-range as she has averaged 13.2 points per game on 40.3% shooting from the field and 38.1% from the 3-point line. 

    Point guard Natisha Hiedeman has torched the Valkyries coming off the bench. The sixth woman of the year candidate has scored 24, 21, and 18 points in the last three games against the Valkyries and has routinely been the spark plug for Minnesota in stopping the Golden State’s runs. 

    Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a three point shot against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
    Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a three point shot against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig) 

    On Sunday, Hiedeman posted the second-highest plus-minus rating in Lynx postseason history with a +32. 

    “We really need to try to be more solid on defense, but as a unit,” Valkyries center Iliana Rupert said. “Be more aware when to shift and try to help more. Even if there’s a lot of rotations, at least not letting them get easy buckets. So we saw all of that on the video, and hopefully tomorrow will get even better.”

    Make open looks

    This one is simple. The Valkyries need to hit more shots. 

    After a hot start in which they hit nine of their first 18 shots, and five of their first eight 3-pointers in the first quarter, the Valkyries finished the game making just 11 more field goal attempts. 

    In the five games the Valkyries played against the Lynx this season, they shot just 36% from the field and 25.7 from beyond the arc. 

    A common thread in each of the five losses has been Golden State’s inability to stop Minnesota when it gets on a roll. The Valkyries have kept the game close in spurts, but the Lynx have always been able to deliver a crushing run that puts the game out of reach, 

    “We have to respond better,” Valkyries shooting guard Kate Martin said. “We have to know that basketball is about a game of runs, and they’re a really good team. So they’re gonna go on their runs. We’re gonna have to limit that as much as possible and make adjustments quicker.”

    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots against Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter in game one of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)
    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots against Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter in game one of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) 

    A big factor going into Wednesday’s game will be if the Valkyries could get consistent scoring out of sharpshooting forward Cecilia Zandalasini. 

    Zandalasini will be playing in her fourth game since coming back from a calf injury that kept her sidelined for eight contests. She shot just 3-of-10 from the field and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line on Sunday. 

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Why Laver Cup conflict looms over potential Valkyries postseason home game

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    SAN FRANCISCO — If the Valkyries reach the postseason in their inaugural year, one of the biggest questions will be where they will actually play. 

    A scheduling conflict with the Laver Cup — an international tennis tournament that includes stars Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz as well as legend Andre Agassi as a coach — presents Chase Center’s biggest hurdle in trying to accommodate a Valkyries playoff game. 

    In all likelihood, the Valkyries will not get a Top 4 seed in order to host two games in the first round, meaning their possible lone postseason game will take place either on Sept. 16 or 17. 

    The Laver Cup runs from Sept. 19-21, but setting up the state-of-the-art tennis court and allowing players time to practice before the tournament starts is the biggest challenge. The event was booked before the Valkyries became a franchise. 

    Golden State officials said an update on a decision on where the team will play will be coming in the next few days. 

    “We are finalizing details regarding our potential playoff venue and will share a comprehensive update with fans and season ticket holders in the coming days,” the Valkyries said in a statement sent to this news organization on Thursday. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through the logistics of the possibility of a historic inaugural playoff run and pre-existing scheduling conflict at Chase Center.”

    A Golden State Valkyries fan wears a winged helmet while sitting courtside in the fourth quarter of their WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Washington Mystics 99-62. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Valkyries’ issues with scheduling their playoff game hasn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the league. 

    “You want to think that you’re past it,” Stewart told SFGATE on Monday. “We want to think that we’re, like, better than this. Listen, sometimes it’s out of the control of everyone involved. But it’s just … You don’t see it happening with the NBA.”

    The Valkyries will have other venues to consider should Chase Center not be available. 

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Valkyries keep defending champion Liberty in check, extend win streak to four

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    SAN FRANCISCO — The Valkyries looked as connected as they have all year on Tuesday night. 

    Playing the star-studded New York Liberty, Golden State made all the right plays, hit all the necessary shots and kept the visiting team’s high-powered offense in check.  

    The result: The expansion team played perhaps its best game of the season, defeating the defending champion Liberty 66-58 in front of its 20th consecutive sellout crowd of the season. 

    “I think when we’re communicating and we’re executing the game plan, I think, like I said, we’re pretty dangerous,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “Credit to our players for believing, trusting and executing.”

    Temi Fágbénlé led the Valkyries with 16 points and five rebounds. Janelle Salaun had 10 points. Kate Martin came off the bench and scored 11 points.

    Monique Billings made her return to the lineup after missing the last 14 games with a right ankle sprain. She played 20 minutes, scored five points and grabbed three rebounds.

    Guard Natasha Cloud was a bright spot for the Liberty, leading New York with 19 points. Walnut Creek native Sabrina Ionescu missed Friday’s game with a toe injury. 

    The Valkyries held the Liberty to 31.6% shooting and didn’t allow the Liberty to get to the line consistently in the first half, holding the visiting team to two free throw attempts. Breanna Stewart saw only four of her 15 shots go through the basket, but got most of her points at the free throw line. 

    “We stayed very connected throughout the whole game, through the ups and downs, through the runs. That’s the main thing,” Fágbénlé said. “Communicating throughout the whole game really helped us, and sticking with the schemes.”

    With the win, the Valkyries now have a one-game lead over the Indiana Fever for the sixth seed. A Los Angeles Sparks loss against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday and a Valkyries win over the Dallas Wings on Thursday would clinch a playoff spot for Golden State. The Valkyries are also a game and a half behind the Liberty for the fifth seed.

    Golden State fell behind by four points after the first quarter, but an offensive explosion in the second period gave the Valkyries a comfortable halftime lead. 

    Martin scored all 11 of her points in the second quarter, hitting 3-of-6 of her 3-point attempts to lead the Valkyries in the first half. 

    The Valkyries held the Liberty to 32.3% shooting through the first two quarters and led 40-26 going into the intermission. 

    New York’s eight second-quarter points is tied for the fewest points a Valkyries’ opponent has scored all season. 

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Golden State Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün (13) celebrates her 3-point basket against the New York Liberty in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Golden State ballooned its lead to 24 early in the third period, but the Liberty finished the quarter strong by forcing seven Valkyries turnovers. The home team went into the final 10 minutes of play with a 12-point lead. 

But much like they have done during this home stand, the Valkyries didn’t let up in the fourth quarter.

Golden State’s inside-out attack paced its offense against a more athletic Liberty defense. On the other end, the Valkyries got timely stops and didn’t allow New York’s trio of post players consisting of Stewart, Emma Meesseman and last year’s Finals MVP Jonquel Jones to get going.

During this home stand, the Valkyries have beaten teams by average of 19 points.

The Valkyries will play their final two home games on Thursday and Saturday, starting with a matchup with the Dallas Wings followed by the regular season finale against the Minnesota Lynx two days later. 

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Nathan Canilao

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  • 3.8-magnitude earthquake near Hollister reported

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    The US Geological Survey reported a 3.8-magnitude earthquake near Hollister around 1:26 p.m. today.

    The quake was about three miles deep and a little over 7 miles southwest of Tres Pinos, a San Benito County community along Highway 25 situated between Hollister and Paicines.

    As of the time of reporting, around 100 people in nearby communities reported experiencing weak shaking during the quake.

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    Kate Bradshaw

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  • Clock issues can’t stop Valkyries in win over Caitlin Clark-less Fever

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    SAN FRANCISCO — Chase Center turned into a glorified night club on Sunday night. 

    After electrical issues caused multiple shot clocks to malfunction, and choppy officiating gave way to numerous review stoppages, the fan cam inside the arena was put to work. 

    The basketball game almost seemed like background noise as fans were asked to dance to a mix of Bay Area classics and new age pop music with each game stoppage. Both the Valkyries and the visiting Indiana Fever were both visibly frustrated by the start-stop nature of Sunday’s game that took two hours and 38 minutes to complete.

    But what mattered most is that the Valkyries gave the sold out crowd of 18,064 something to dance for after the game ended.

    Golden State Valkyries’ Iliana Rupert (12) scores a 3-point basket against Indiana Fever’s Aerial Powers (23) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Valkyries won their third straight game, beating the injury-plagued Indiana Fever 75-63 behind a hot shooting start. The 158-minute game was the longest contest that ended in regulation since the Chicago Sky played the Dallas Wings in a two-hour, 41-minute game on Aug. 6, 2023, per Elias Sports Bureau. Sunday’s game had five clock stoppages in the first half. 

    The Valkyries attributed the clock malfunctions to a power outage that occurred at Chase Center on Sunday morning. 

    Iliana Rupert posted a career-high 21 points and hit 5-of-8 shots from the 3-point line. Rookie Janelle Salaün had 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. Veronica Burton finished with eight points, 13 assists and seven rebounds.

    “I think it was the first time in all of our lives that we had so much stuff (go on), but it’s not stuff that you can control,” Rupert said after the game. “We really just tried to stay together.  The fans obviously helped a lot because you can lose energy really quickly, and they were pushing us.”

    A broken shot clock above a basket during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    A broken shot clock above a basket during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Fever were without superstar Caitlin Clark, who missed her 18th straight game with a left groin injury. Former Valkyries guard Aerial Powers scored 17 points off the bench and Kelsey Mitchell had 14 points in the loss. 

    The Valkyries held the Fever’s other star, Aliyah Boston, to just four points.

    “We really tried to be physical with her and try to make the night hard,” Rupert said. “I think we did that really well. So yeah, I’m happy of the work because it was really a team effort to stop her.”

    After two different clock stoppages forced a 25-minute delay in the first quarter, the Valkyries went on a run. Golden State hit seven of its eight 3-pointers and took a 25-14 lead after the first 10 minutes. 

    More stoppages allowed Indiana to get back within striking distance, but Golden State kept the high-paced offense at bay. 

    The Valkyries led by as much as 20 in the first half behind a 75% shooting quarter from beyond the arc. Rupert and Salaün accounted for 21 of the Valkyries’ 44 first-half points, and the home team led 44-32 after two quarters. 

    With all the stoppages, the first half lasted a whopping 92 minutes but Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said the breaks in action helped the Valkyries regroup. 

    Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) talks to Golden State Valkyries' Temi Fagbenle (14) during their game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) talks to Golden State Valkyries’ Temi Fagbenle (14) during their game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    “We did get to talk about defensively, continuing to focus on our game plan and our execution in terms of the defense and what was hurting us,” Nakase said. “We just tried to make it an advantage as best we can.”

    Indiana made headway in the third quarter, cutting the Valkyries’ lead to seven going into the final 10 minutes. 

    Powers cut the Golden State advantage to just five with a layup at the 7:37 mark of the fourth quarter, giving the Fever a much-needed momentum swing.

    But just as Indiana was on the verge of cutting the lead to a single possession, Powers fouled Clark’s former Iowa teammate Kate Martin on a 3-pointer right in front of Indiana’s bench and the second-year guard swished the shot to erupt the Chase Center crowd.

    Golden State Valkyries' Kate Martin (20) heads to the basket against Indiana Fever's Lexie Hull (10) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    Golden State Valkyries’ Kate Martin (20) heads to the basket against Indiana Fever’s Lexie Hull (10) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    Martin finished with 10 points.

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Kaila Charles finds redemption with Valkyries in career night vs. Wings

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    Twice this year, the Dallas Wings told Kaila Charles she wasn’t good enough to keep a roster spot. 

    Her WNBA journey looked about finished for the 2025 season until the Valkyries gave her an opportunity just after the All-Star break after a plethora of injuries left the expansion team shorthanded. Now, the Valkyries can’t imagine a rotation without her. 

    Following three hardship contracts, the Valkyries guaranteed the 27-year-old shooting guard’s contract for the rest of the season. 

    On Sunday, she had her best game of the season as she locked up former teammate and rookie of the year candidate Paige Bueckers while tying a career-high 16 points in a 90-81 win over the Wings. 

    “I think it was a full circle moment,” Charles said after Sunday’s win. “I started the season here, and to be cut was sad, but it also gave me the opportunity to get film and get picked up by the (Valkyries). So even though it didn’t work out here like I wanted to, it gave me another opportunity where I fit in a little bit more.

    “So it just shows that everything happens for a reason, and I’m really glad that I was able to win with my team and do well and help them.”

    Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) loses control of the ball against Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero) 

    When the Valkyries first signed Charles on Aug. 1, the former University of Maryland standout was tasked with learning a new system and teammates on a team that’s in the midst of trying to make a playoff push. 

    On the morning she joined the team, Charles boarded a plane to Chicago and had a few hours to learn the Valkyries’ playbook before a 7 p.m. tipoff against the Sky. The Valkyries coaching staff quickly briefed Charles before the game and the shooting guard was immediately in the rotation that night. 

    That night against, Charles played 17 minutes, scored five points, grabbed five rebounds and closed the fourth quarter in her first game with the team. 

    “Sometimes it’s on the fly,” assistant coach Landon Tatum told this news organization in a recent interview about how they fit players like Charles into their rotation the day of a game. “We know this person can do this really well. So, let’s see if this works. I wouldn’t necessarily say we know ahead of time going into games this is going to for sure work, but I think because we do a solid job of knowing what players do well, we can kind of plug and play specific people with certain people.” 

    Since then, Charles has been a rotation regular. She’s played in every game and been a valuable piece off the bench for Nakase as a defensive stopper and consistent catch-and-shoot player. 

    In her first start with the Valkyries on Sunday, Charles was tasked with guarding Bueckers, who came into the game with a streak of 30 consecutive double-digit scoring games. 

    Charles shadowed Bueckers for every minute she was in the game. Her active hands bothered the rookie star and her quick feet kept Bueckers away from the basket. 

    Charles held Bueckers scoreless in the first half and eventually limited her to just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. 

    “Credit to Kaila for coming and doing what she does,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “Locking people up, and also on the offensive end, just being confident in her shot making. She makes quick decisions, taking it hard to the basket. Credit to Kaila because she’s really only had two practices with us.”

    With the injuries the Valkyries have, Charles’ role will only get larger in the coming weeks as the Valkyries try to secure a playoff spot. 

    Golden State is currently in eighth place with a half-game lead over the ninth-place Los Angeles Sparks for the final playoff spot. The Valkyries are also a half game behind the sixth-place Indiana Fever and seventh-place Seattle Storm with matchups against both franchises in the coming weeks. 

    The battle to make the playoffs makes Charles’ presence, and her ability to step in when her team needs her most, all the more valuable.  

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Bay Area Non-Profit Hope Services, Re-Opens and Welcomes Back Clients With Developmental Disabilities & Mental Health Needs to In-Person Programs

    Bay Area Non-Profit Hope Services, Re-Opens and Welcomes Back Clients With Developmental Disabilities & Mental Health Needs to In-Person Programs

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    Press Release
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    updated: Jun 18, 2021


    SAN JOSE, Calif., June 18, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Hope Services, the leading provider of programs and services for the developmentally disabled and those with mental health needs in the Silicon Valley and the Central Coast, announced it will begin re-opening in-person programs this month to approximately 3,200 clients and 900 program staff & employees. The re-opening starts June 15 and will happen in three phases through September 2021 to ensure safety and proper protocols are in place.

    “These next steps will be difficult, and it will take a lot of work to continue to follow the guidance for keeping our community safe, but Hope Services is committed to the safety of our clients and staff. We appreciate the tremendous support and understanding as we venture forward to reinvent our programs to optimize learning for our clients.”

    “Chip” Huggins, President/CEO of Hope Services

    Hope Services has made tremendous adjustments since the onset of the pandemic, and re-opening will require continued resilience. Shortly after the shelter in place took effect Hope’s in-person therapy, programming, and services had to cease, Hope Services made the necessary pivot to create and implement From Hope to Home™; a virtual service delivery system developed completely in-house, and approved by the Regional Center. The continuity of services through the program helped clients maintain a needed structure and a daily connection to the Hope community in such a challenging time. The first phase of welcoming clients back begins with a hybrid model, blending in person services and distance learning.

    At one point the challenge of going from lockdown to full re-opening seemed almost unsurmountable. However, just as they did 15 months ago when the pandemic began, the Hope community got to work to identify challenges and solutions.

    Hope Services recognizes that although there is excitement to be together in-person, there may also be some anxiety around these changes. To help with this transition Hope continues to offer weekly staff sessions with the mental health team.

    The behind the scenes efforts of caring, creative, and dedicated staff, eager clients & client families, and community partners provides the opportunity to re-open, and once again welcome back Hope.

    Supporting link: http://www.hopeservices.org

    About Hope Services: Since 1952, Hope Services has provided programs and services to people with developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Hope serves more than 3,200 people and their families, and provides a broad spectrum of services for infants through children’s services (age 0-5); day services; employment and job training through local companies including The Home Depot, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, and Google; mental health services; senior services; and community living services. Hope Services is accredited by CARF International, the most prestigious accreditation agency in the disability sector. Hope also operates HopeTHRIFT, which supports the organization’s services and helps with job training skills.

    Contact: Stacy Houston – Marketing Manager, shouston@hopeservices.org

    Source: Hope Services

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