Stanford and Cal began competing in college sports over a century ago. Membership in a conference based thousands of miles away was unthinkable for 99 percent of their athletic careers. It’s now critical. The Cardinal and Bears are desperately seeking invitations to either the ACC or the Big Ten following the implosion of their longtime…

OAKLAND, Calif. — An 18-year-old woman was kidnapped in broad daylight off International Boulevard as she walked the block as a sex worker, allegedly by men who blamed her for $11,000 that went missing days earlier, according to police. According to court records, one of at least three suspects has been arrested and charged with…

Our tour of the Elkhorn Slough, a biodiverse tidal estuary on Monterey Bay, begins on a sunny summer afternoon. Pupping harbor seals, endangered birds, and the world’s densest concentration of southern sea otters – including a rogue otter who has learned a lethal new trick – call the slough home. You may have heard of…

When students return to school on August 16, many will have new principals, as well as part-time assistant principals at two of the district’s elementary schools. The latter will devote the other half of their time to supporting programs for students with special needs. Anne Ajlouni, principal of Blackford Elementary School, retired in June and…

The Offspring drew a large crowd to their concert at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre on Saturday (Aug. 5). How massive is it? That’s exactly what Noodles (aka Kevin Wasserman) wanted to know, so he inquired about the attendance figure. And he was astounded by what he, ahem, heard back. “It’s a world record here at…

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Six hours before declaring a mistrial in the sexual assault trial of San Jose State’s former head athletic trainer, the federal judge called the exasperated, deadlocked jurors back into the courtroom and urged them to continue deliberating in good faith. Still, she said in that Thursday morning session, if your opinion…

Here’s how the pandemic changed the way we all commuted. Almost a million Bay Area workers have shifted to working from home. Many parts of the Bay Area saw commute times cut by 10 minutes or more. Our commuter trains are now less than half as crowded as they were previously. But beware: there are…

ANTIOCH, FRANCE — Three people were injured in a multi-car crash early Sunday morning, and an SUV crashed into the city’s marina, among a slew of accidents that occurred after authorities dispersed a late-night sideshow. Around 3 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the sideshow at the intersection of 9th and G streets in Antioch, which…

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has changed its strategy to avoid starting another devastating wildfire as the state enters its peak wildfire season: it is focusing less aggressively on trimming trees that pose hazards near electrical wires and relying more on technology to quickly de-energize damaged lines. The pivot at Northern California’s beleaguered utility giant…