The Chicago Bears cast their hooks in many directions this month as they navigated the waters of their coaching search. The team announced interviews with 17 candidates over a period of 12 days — from Mike Vrabel to Eddie George. And that did not include college coaches Matt Campbell and Marcus Freeman, with whom the Bears also reportedly had interest in meeting. It also didn’t include the rumored call they made to inquire about a potential trade for Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. In the end, the Bears wound up hooking the biggest fish in this hiring cycle, reeling in…
Author: MAK Gojar
President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard before their terms are up and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. Trump’s immigration policy changes drew the most attention at Homeland Security, but he is also making changes at the rest of the massive agency. Members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee received a memo Tuesday saying that the department is eliminating the membership of all advisory committees as part of a “commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and…
The votes are in and the winners of the third annual “You Name a Snowplow” contest have been named. The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation announced the six winners Tuesday. One snowplow in each of the city’s six snow districts will receive signage with one of the winning names, joining the snowplow fleet that was first announced in 2023. The winning names are: Bozo the Plown Lollaplowlooza My Kind of Plow Snower Wacker Scoop, There It Is! Bean There, Plowed That For the past three years, Chicagoans have been asked to submit names for the contest. Department staff members…
WASHINGTON — Senators vetting the nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary received an affidavit Tuesday from a former sister-in-law alleging that the onetime Fox News host was abusive to his second wife, to the point where she feared for her safety. Hegseth denies the allegations. The sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was formerly married to the nominee’s brother, and in an affidavit obtained by The Associated Press she said she believes that Pete Hegseth is “unfit” to run the Defense Department based on what she witnessed and heard. She said she first relayed her allegations to the FBI in December but…
Illinois joined three Western states on Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. “The children born in the U.S. to immigrants are entitled to the rights and privileges that go along with U.S. citizenship,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a news release. A separate lawsuit against the order, aimed at the children of non-U.S. citizens, was filed in Massachusetts by 18 other states. Raoul’s office didn’t immediately respond to a question about why he signed onto the lawsuit filed in federal court in Seattle along with the states of…
As California smolders in the wake of devastating wildfires that burned 12,000 homes and left billions of dollars in damage, insurance rates are set for another double-digit rise 2,000 miles away in Illinois. Climate change-related weather events roiling insurance markets across the U.S. may well connect the dots between California and Illinois, according to industry analysts. Allstate is increasing homeowners insurance rates in Illinois by 14.3% beginning Feb. 24, according to a filing with the state last month. The rate hike applies to a “portion” of Illinois customers, with some seeing lesser increases or no changes, an Allstate spokesperson said…
President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown took effect immediately Tuesday, ending a Biden-era program that allowed immigrants to cross the border legally. Local 10 News spoke with a family who is among the last to cross under the now-discontinued program. The Garzon family waited in Mexico for three months, using the CBP One app to legally enter the United States. Now, they’ve realized they are among the last to benefit from the program. As then-former President Trump announced an expected border crackdown, the app was shut down, and all appointments were canceled. Oscar Garzon explained that the program, launched by the…
The Justice Department has reassigned key senior officials across multiple divisions as part of a leadership shakeup ahead of the expected confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi. Among those moved to other positions inside the department is Bruce Swartz, the longtime head of the Justice Department’s office of international affairs, which handles extradition matters, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss personnel moves. The person also said that as many as 20 or so officials had been reassigned. Another affected official is…
President Donald Trump says his administration will move to revoke the security clearances of the more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” The action is an early indication of the president’s determination to exact retribution on perceived adversaries and is the latest point of tension between Trump and an intelligence community of which he has been openly disdainful. The sweeping move, announced via executive order Monday, also sets up a potential court challenge from ex-officials seeking to maintain access to…
President Donald Trump moved quickly to remake the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday, firing the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard before their terms are up and eliminated all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. Trump’s immigration policy changes drew the most attention at DHS, but he is also making changes at the rest of the massive agency. Members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee received a memo Tuesday saying that the department is eliminating the membership of all advisory committees as part of a “commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and ensuring…
Angel Leal is among the attorneys in South Florida who believe President Donald Trump’s order against birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. Leer en español Leal, who practices immigration law from his Doral office, said the new order Trump signed on Monday has prompted fear and panic. “It will create chaos in the immigrant community,” Leal said. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Trump’s executive order excludes those whose mothers were not legally in the U.S., whose fathers were…
President Donald Trump on Tuesday talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. “It’s big money and high quality people,” said Trump, adding that it’s “a resounding declaration of confidence in America’s potential” under his new…
A winter storm sweeping through the U.S. South on Tuesday was dumping snow at levels millions of residents haven’t seen before. A winter storm sweeping through the U.S. South on Tuesday was dumping snow at levels millions of residents haven’t seen before. A winter storm sweeping through the U.S. South on Tuesday was dumping snow at levels millions of residents haven’t seen before. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico was combining with a low-pressure system and chilly air to drop significant amounts of snow in some spots. That included 10.5 inches near Lafayette, Louisiana by Tuesday afternoon — within striking…
The residents who question whether Norfolk Southern’s $600 million settlement offers enough compensation for the East Palestine train crash don’t plan to let a judge’s order requiring an $850,000 bond derail their appeal. The residents who question whether Norfolk Southern’s $600 million settlement offers enough compensation for the East Palestine train crash don’t plan to let a judge’s order requiring an $850,000 bond derail their appeal. Residents challenging Norfolk Southern’s $600 million settlement for the disastrous East Palestinetrain crash have asked a court to reject a judge’s order requiring them to put up an $850,000 bond to continue their appeal…
Bay Area boys high school basketball rankings: California cracks Top 10. Dougherty Valley, Valley Christian, Menlo-Atherton, Acalanes rise. Palo Alto, Clayton Valley enter rankings. Dougherty Valley’s Cole Roque (5) celebrates with teammate Xayne Mojaddidi (10) after defeating De La Salle during their game at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Dougherty Valley defeated De La Salle 59-48. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Bay Area News Group boys basketball Top 20 (Mercury News & East Bay Times) (Records through Monday) No. 1 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (13-1) Previous ranking: 1 Since last ranking: Beat Serra…
Curious about taprooms and beer bars around the Bay Area? Check out these favorites in Fremont and Hayward. Longtime Hayward brewpub Buffalo Bill’s Cerveceria has been brought back after closing in 2022. Shown here are district manager Luis Angel Herrera and owner Alejandro Gamarra. (Courtesy Jay R. Brooks) I’ve spent the last couple of years exploring the Bay Area’s vibrant brewery scene, dropping in on taprooms from Santa Cruz to Walnut Creek. A few weeks ago, I headed south to Fremont and Hayward, where I found several breweries well worth a visit. Jack’s Brewing, Fremont This Fremont Hub brewery originally…
Phish is heading back to California, with dates set at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and Hollywood Bowl. Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio performs at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., on Monday, April 17, 2023. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Phish, the world’s greatest jam band, has announced a West Coast tour for April. The trek brings the Vermont quartet — consisting of vocalist-guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman and keyboardist Page McConnell — to California for five dates. Phish performs two nights — April 22 and 23 — at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco…
The 22 trees planted in the arboretum are part of a larger Cal Fire grant to add 312 trees across the Ravenswood City School District Volunteers Ken Wang, left, Mary Dateo, center, and Cairo Simmons, right, plant trees at Los Robles Ronald McNair Academy on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in East Palo Alto, Calif. The tree planting event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will qualify Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy as California’s first accredited arboretum on a K-12 public school campus. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) An empty plot of land at Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy is being transformed into…
Brown, who has two years of eligibility remaining, will compete with freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for the Bears’ starting quarterback job. FILE – Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown looks to pass against Missouri during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game, Dec. 29, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) BERKELEY — Ohio State backup quarterback Devin Brown is transferring to California. Brown entered the transfer portal in December but stayed with the Buckeyes through their run to the national championship that ended with a win Monday night over Notre Dame. Cal announced Tuesday that Brown…
A Bay Area bookseller whose roots stretch back to the mid-19th Century has filed for bankruptcy. (Google Maps) Books Inc. store at 1491 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. A Bay Area bookseller whose roots stretch back to the mid-19th Century has filed for bankruptcy, saying its in-store sales have yet to recover from their coronavirus-induced maladies. Books Inc. has filed to reorganize its finances under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, according to court records. Books Inc. store at 317 Castro Street in Mountain View. (Google Maps) The retailer will shut its Berkeley store next month. Other stores might close depending…