Three teenagers from Petaluma were arrested in the Tuesday stabbing death of a man in San Rafael, police said on Friday.
In a press release, the San Rafael Police Department said it received multiple 911 calls about a man who had been injured in an assault in the area of Mill and Hoag streets in the city’s Canal neighborhood. A police drone was deployed to locate the injured victim, which arrived at the scene faster than responding officers, and the drone pilot coordinated the initial emergency response with police and fire personnel, the department said.
First responders treated the 44-year-old at the scene and the San Rafael Fire Department took him to a hospital where he later died of his injuries. The Marin County Coroner’s Office will release his identity after his family is notified.
Following an investigation, three juveniles from Petaluma were identified as the suspects, and over the past two days, they were located, apprehended, and booked into Marin County Juvenile Hall on homicide charges, police said.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that the stabbing was gang-related, but the motive remained under investigation, police said. The department said investigators believe that all the suspects involved in this incident are now in custody.
Increasing inventory continues to be a challenge for some used car dealerships.
“Normally, these spots would be filled, with a row of cars here and the garage packed,” said Omid Khalili of Marin Motors, a used car dealership in San Rafael.
Khalili has been selling cars for 17 years and says the numbers aren’t where they should be. His co-worker Don Davis is in his 47th year.
“Every car sale is unique. It’s one of a kind,” said Davis.
They both say the inventory at online auctions is relatively low.
“It’s slim pickings. It’s not the same anymore. The inventory is not there,” said Khalili.
The latest data from CARFAX shows that average used car prices have climbed to their highest point in 18 months to just under $25,000.
That means shoppers are paying around $1,300 more for the average used vehicle than they would have just a year and a half ago.
Car prices in the Bay Area are even higher.
Brian Moody is Executive Editor at Kelley Blue Book Autotrader.
“The San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose area at those prices being about 4.5% higher than the rest of similar-sized cities across the country,” said Moody.
“On a list of 50, the San Francisco Bay Area is about number nine in terms of higher-than-average prices for used cars,” said Moody.
The ripple effects of reduced new-car sales during the pandemic mean there are fewer used cars today, according to CARFAX.
That means it could be a good time to sell, especially if you have an extra car.
“Any dealership would be happy to take a car that someone’s looking to sell. Bring it to a dealership,” said Khalili.
Industry experts say typically, a three-year-old car loses about 40% of its value.
Analysts at CARFAX say the price gap between new and used cars right now is “unusually narrow” for some models and that buying new could be the better option.
Khalili and Davis just sold this 2019 Mercedes-Benz.
“I think it’s great. Hopefully it fits me well,” said one customer at Marin Motors.
However, the numbers fluctuate, they say they’re focused on making their customers feel whole when leaving the lot.
“If you’re not having fun and you’re not enjoying it and the people that are selling in the car aren’t feeling like they’re with you, don’t spend your hard-earned money there,” said Khalili.
They’ve been in the used car business long enough to navigate the ups and downs of the market.
Industry insiders say don’t assume “used” is cheaper right now.
If a new car’s price is close to the older model, consider the value of fewer miles, newer features, full factory warranties, interest rates, and lower maintenance costs.
The California Highway Patrol said that a crash on Monday was affecting traffic on Highway 101 in San Rafael.
Just before 5 p.m., CHP said southbound Highway 101, just south of Freitas Parkway, was closed due to a crash. Around 5:40 p.m., Caltrans said two right lanes had reopened, with the two left lanes still closed.
***TRAFFIC ALERT*** SOUTHBOUND US-101 JUST SOUTH OF FREITAS PKWY, ALL LANES BLOCKED DUE TO TRAFFIC CRASH, UNKNOWN ETO, EXPECT DELAYS. pic.twitter.com/bSynz3g4qk
Jose Fabian is a web producer for CBS Bay Area where he reports on local crime, politics and breaking news. He studied political science and journalism at Sacramento State and was born and raised in Northern California.
San Rafael Police on Saturday asked the public for help as they investigate a “suspicious” fire that destroyed an apartment complex on Thursday.
The fire at 516 Canal Street, between Harbor and Hoag streets, destroyed the building, and a body was later found in the ruins of the apartment.
Police are now asking residents for any photos or videos they may have from between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Thursday taken in the area of 516 Canal Street. Calls about the fire first began around 5:36 a.m., Sgt. Justin Graham said on Saturday.
During a briefing, Graham said their two biggest priorities were to locate the missing individuals and continue with recovery efforts. The body found was not confirmed to be one of the two missing people.
Graham said that the structural damage to the building impeded their work on Friday evening and that Marin County crews were helping make the structure safe.
He also gave more information about one of the people who was injured during the fire. Graham said crews had rescued a person who jumped out of a window and had broken their leg. They have since been released from the hospital and are recovering.
The fire displaced 55 adults, Omar Carrera, the CEO of Canal Alliance, said.
Carrera said the affected residents are now staying at a hotel, and that there are high school students and one baby among the displaced. He said they are getting help from other nonprofits and the San Rafael School District.
He went on to say that some of the people affected have lost documents, immigration papers, and money in the fire. One of their next steps is to get them into permanent housing, which could take four to six weeks, Carrera said.
Anyone with photos or video is asked to submit it to reportit.com, call police at 415-485-3000, or call the ATF hotline
Jose Fabian is a web producer for CBS Bay Area where he reports on local crime, politics and breaking news. He studied political science and journalism at Sacramento State and was born and raised in Northern California.
A body was found Friday in the ruins of a San Rafael apartment complex destroyed in a fire on Thursday, authorities said.
Investigators have not confirmed whether the remains found were one of the two people listed as missing following the fire.
Earlier Friday, authorities said that investigators looking into the cause of the fire said investigators are now treating the fire as suspicious in nature. The fire at the three-story complex on Canal Street injured several people and displaced dozens of residents.
All 19 units at the complex were destroyed, officials said.
A fire investigator enters the rubble of a San Rafael apartment building destroyed by fire, August 22. 2025.
KPIX
“As of this morning, based on preliminary information obtained by the Marin County Fire investigation team, the cause of this fire is changing from unknown to suspicious,” said San Rafael Deputy Fire Chief Robert Sinnott at a press conference Friday morning.
San Rafael police Sgt. Justin Graham said that the fire was suspicious based on how the fire burned and how fast it burned.
“We will make every effort to get answers, as our first priority is to be able to provide those answers to the victims that were affected, said Graham. “But it’s going to take some time, and as we go through this process, we ask for patience.”
Graham said investigators had to wait to fully enter the building because it was unstable after being gutted by the fire. Cadaver dogs were being used to help find the missing residents, while other canines were being deployed to search for traces of any accelerants.
The Marin County Fire Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigation, Graham said.
One person who was seriously injured in the fire and two others who suffered non-serious injuries were taken to a hospital. Five others were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
One officer was minorly injured during the operation to rescue residents during the fire; he was expected to recover and return to work shortly, Graham said.
Members of the public who had any information about the fire or who may have cellphone video to contact authorities.Anyone seeking to help displaced residents was urged to provide cash donations or gift cards, which can be dropped off at Canal Alliance at 91 Larkspur Street in San Rafael, instead of physical items.
Californian burrito lovers are fed up with higher prices.
While some thought Chipotle would be able to pass along higher costs to its loyal following once the FAST Act took effect in April, CFO Jack Hartung said customers across the industry pulled back.
“It’s not because the Chipotle burrito costs a little more. There’s really a reduced spending across the restaurant industry [in California],” Hartung told Yahoo Finance, “When we’ve looked at it, restaurant companies that took a very high increase had a impact on sales, about the same as what we’ve seen. Restaurants that have taken no increase had the same kind-of reduction in sales.”
The FAST act mandated food chains that have at least 60 locations nationwide to raise their minimum wage for restaurant employees to $20 per hour, up from $16. As a response, Chipotle raised prices in California by 6.5% to 7% in April, Hartung said.
The “best offense” to combat the slowing growth in foot traffic is with “great operations,” Hartung said.
“It’s high quality food, it’s big portions, it’s a fast experience, and it’s the food that they crave,” Hartung said of Chipotle’s recipe to success, regardless of the macro environment.
SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 01: Workers fill food orders at a Chipotle restaurant on April 01, 2024 in San Rafael, California. A new minimum wage law went into effect in California today that calls for fast food restaurants with at least 60 locations nationwide to pay employees a minimum of $20 per hour at their stores in California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)
In its latest quarter, the company beat Wall Street estimates for revenue, earnings, and same store sales.
For Q3, the company expects labor cost “to be in the low 25% range due to seasonally lower sales with wage inflation to remain at about 6%,” Hartung told investors on the earnings call. California accounts for around 15% of Chipotle locations.
“About half of the wage inflation is due to the nearly 20% step-up in wages in California as a result of the increase in minimum wage for restaurant companies like ours that took effect in April,” he added.
Foot traffic jumped 8% in the quarter, more than the 6.3% expected, with growth across all income cohorts. That’s compared to a 0.6% decline in the industry, according to a note to clients from Bernstein analyst Danilo Gargiulo.
“Market share gains despite burger wars reinforce our view of Chipotle’s enduring value superiority,” Gargiulo wrote. “Wth the normalization of trends and on the back of the pricing resistance encountered in California,” Gargiulo expects fiscal year 2024 to end with 7.8% sales growth.
Gargiulo said the company will still be able to increase prices, if the fall return of another limited-time offering — smoked brisket — surpasses expectations, and the inflationary environment persists.
Hartung said this limited-time offering will likely bring in more customers, but is more expensive for the company than its current Chicken Al Pastor special.
The industry at large has been keeping tabs on the impact California’s higher wages.
“We continue to see visitation trends for most QSR and fast-casual restaurant chains in California lag the national average since the implementation of the $20 minimum wage increase in the state (and subsequent menu price increases by many operators),” R.J. Hottovy, Placer.ai’s head of analytical research, told Yahoo Finance in an email.
Chipotle’s year over year weekly foot traffic growth in California lags behind the company’s national average by more than 5% since April 1, according to Placer.ai.
Domino’s Pizza CEO Russell Weiner told Yahoo Finance, “We haven’t had closures [in California], we haven’t had to lay off our drivers, like some of our competition has, but it’s a long haul, and in the short term, you’re definitely going to lose orders when you increase prices.”
The pizza chain’s Q2 results “benefitted from 1.5%” of price increases, “which was inclusive of high single digits [increase] in California,” CFO Sandeep Reddy said on the earnings call.
McDonald’s is set to report its Q2 earnings on Monday, July 29, but Yahoo Finance previously reported one McDonald’s franchise owner that made the decision to close one location.
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Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com.
