Latest news with #AmberKTVU
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WWII memorabilia stolen from Oakland man whose family served in military for generations
The Brief WWII memorabilia was stolen from an Oakland Hills home over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Surveillance video shows thieves breaking in on Saturday while homeowner and wife were sleeping. Great -grandfather's dog dogs, owner's cat, Kingsley, are missing. OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland homeowner is trying to recover priceless World War II memorabilia belonging to his family, marking generations of military service to this country, which were stolen over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Forrest Spellman said this collection is about family pride and history. Adding to the loss, his cat, Kingsley, has been missing since the break-in. "A ton of WWII memorabilia belonging to my grandfather and also awards and medals belonging to my father as well," Spellman told KTVU on Monday. Four generations of his family served in the U.S. military. "That military history has always meant so much to how much my upbringing was and who I am today and those articles meant a lot-as a symbol of that, who I am, my identity," said Spellman. Surveillance video shows that on Saturday at about 4:45 a.m., the driver of a white older-model pickup truck pulled up to the driveway of Spellman's home. He said it appears the thieves broke in through a side door. "It's very upsetting. It takes away from my sense of peace and security up here, and I just hope to reclaim that back." Spellman said he and his wife were asleep in their bedroom when thieves were rummaging through their prized possessions, just steps away in a second bedroom. "My wife and I woke up and heard footsteps right outside our bedroom door, and I was terrified," said Spellman. He got up, opened his bedroom door, and saw silhouettes exiting the front door. Spellman said his great-grandfather's dog tags engraved with his name Philip Buck, including one marked in red for his allergy to penicillin, have great sentimental value. He said his great-grandfather served in WWII and wore those tags during the Battle of the Bulge."I think about them not only today, but all days of the year," Spellman said. "I really hope to get those back, just memorialize that thought physically." Surveillance video shows the thieves driving away, and their truck has a black replacement fender on the front passenger side. Spellman said he had just moved into the home earlier in the week, and that there were numerous people going in and out of the house doing work. But he said he has no idea who the thieves are. Spellman said he's optimistic because the police responded quickly and that his new neighbors have been helpful. Anyone who has information about the theft and recovers any of the stolen items should contact Oakland police. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oakland mayoral candidates make last minute push to get votes
Oakland - Oakland voters will make their voices heard in the special election on Tuesday. Loren Taylor and Barbara Lee were out meeting Oakland voters and supporters on the eve of the special election. "Your vote is your voice," said Lee as she spoke with supporters. The former congresswoman visited voters in the East Oakland foothills on Monday afternoon. "It's important that we understand that Oakland is at a crossroads now. This is a really defining moment for Oakland, whether we're going to go forwards or backwards," said Lee. Taylor, a former Oakland city council member, stumped for votes at the MacArthur BART station in North Oakland. "This is a critical time for Oakland. We've got to turn this city around. Oaklanders are fed up. They're frustrated with not being served, paying significant taxes and not getting the resources," said Lee. . Many Oaklanders told KTVU they were waiting until election day to decide which candidate to vote for. "For me, it's just being comfortable with what you're used to knowing. But like I said, I want to give the other candidate, Loren another chance, what he's more about, because I've always supported Barbara Lee," said voter Rosemary Moseley. "No shade to Barbara Lee. She's a total legend. But I'm impressed by what I've heard from Mr. Taylor. That's the way I'm leaning so far. I'll be voting tomorrow," said Erich Miller, an Oakland voter. Both candidates say public safety is a priority. "We've got to make sure people in Oakland have a city government that responds to them. Right now, people get the run-around," said Lee. "I'm an outsider with just enough experience inside City Hall to know what's working well, what's not, and how to fix it," said Taylor. Both candidates are expected to do last-minute campaigning on election day. Voting centers are open from 7am to 8pm. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Alleged Oakland hit-and-run driver gets out to inspect own vehicle, then leaves, victim says
OAKLAND, Calif. - An East Oakland woman injured in a hit-and-run crash hopes that video captured by witnesses will help identify the suspect. What they're saying Sara, who wished to withhold her last name for fear of retaliation, said she shared her story and the video to prevent the driver from harming someone else. The hit-and-run crash happened on Friday and the victim said she is now afraid to drive. Neighbors said drivers running red lights in broad daylight is a common sight on busy Macarthur Boulevard at 106th Avenue, where the crash occurred. "People don't abide by the rules," said Tamika Stallings, who lives in the area. "It's sad, just being a person living in Oakland. You have to be cautious of your every movement." Sara is struggling to recover from injuries to her leg and back. "It destroys me. It destroys my hope. If he's still out there, it could be someone else. I got lucky enough to survive this incident," she said. She recalled that she was driving to run errands when a speeding driver cut in front of several cars by using the left turn lane then ran a red light and crashed into her car. The crash totaled her car. She shared with KTVU the video taken by a witness of the suspected hit-and-run driver. Dig deeper The victim showed the man walking around the front of a black Lexus that he was driving. He appeared to check if there was damage his car before getting back in it and driving off. Residents in the area said hit-and-run crashes and reckless driving are common in this area. "It happens out no code of integrity out here. Everyone is all for themself," one neighbor said. Sara hopes the video will help police identify and arrest the suspect. She's grateful that five bystanders came to her aide. "There was a lady specifically praying for me, holding my hand. There was a man working for PG&E who came over and helped me take deep breaths since I'm asthmatic," she said. Sara also thanked the people who helped her. She wanted the suspect to apologize not to her, but the people who witnessed what happened. "Everyone who was there, I can remember and see, visually see, the stress and the shock," said Sara. Police have not made an arrest. The victim said doctors told her that it will take about three months to recover from her physical injuries, but she's still struggling mentally about the ordeal. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU. The Source Interviews with the victim and neighbors
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SF Pride faces financial difficulties after losing 5 corporate sponsors
SAN FRANCISCO - SF Pride, the nonprofit that puts on the annual parade and two-day street fair, is facing financial difficulty after a handful of corporate sponsors have pulled their financial support. Suzanne Ford, its executive director, said she's looking for other companies and people to sponsor the annual pride celebration, concerned that more sponsors may pull out. Pride weekend is a highly anticipated annual celebration in San Francisco. "I like to watch the parade. Often do things with friends. Come here to the Castro and stroll around," said Ryan Jones, a San Francisco resident and co-owner of Hot Cookie, a popular shop in the Castro. But SF Pride said five corporate sponsors have pulled out after years of supporting the annual celebration. They include Comcast, Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, an alcoholic beverage company that makes many popular brands, including Johnny Walker and Guinness, and La Crema, a wine company owned by Jackson Family Wines. "I'm very concerned. Obviously, there's pressure from the federal government," Ford said all the companies that withdrew their support cited a lack of funds. Ford suspected the Trump Administration's policy against diversity, equity and inclusion programs played a role. "The tone has changed in this country. Businesses already hedge their bets, and I think people who, this isn't their hard core value of their corporation, maybe they're rethinking their investment," said Ford. She said the loss of five corporate sponsorships adds up to $300,000 out of the $1.2 million she still needs to raise. "We gays, we know how to survive. We'll figure out a way to maintain our community through all of this, including financial hardships for things like pride," Jones said. Ford said this year's Pride festivities will go on as planned, but moving forward, what the pride celebration will entail is uncertain. And small businesses that now benefit may be impacted. "We're going to have to be creative and adapt, and find new ways of doing things with less, and doing it just as well. That's going to be a challenge for sure," said Jones. Ford said the city is a magical place for the LGBTQ community, and that it's important to maintain that luster. "The whole world will be watching to see if San Francisco still has those values. That they can come here and live their authentic lives," said Ford. KTVU reached out to the companies that had withdrawn their financial support but had not heard back in time for this report. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Mother killed by suspected DUI driver in Concord while on way to work
CONCORD, Calif. - A mother was on her way to work in Clayton when she was killed by a suspected drunk driver this past weekend. What they're saying Her heartbroken husband spoke about their loss and their message to others not to drink and drive. "I miss my wife," said Armando Sanchez. He is struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his wife, Eva Rodas. "We eat together at the same time. We wake up; we go to work together; come back together at the same time; everything together," Sanchez said. He said his life would never be the same. Rodas was driving from her home in Oakley early Saturday just before 3 a.m. She was on Kirker Pass Road in Concord, just north of Hess Road, when her vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver. What we know CHP said the driver was going the wrong way when it crashed head-on into Rodas's Toyota 4-runner. Both she and the other driver died at the scene. Her husband said she was two minutes from her job at the Safeway in Clayton. "How do people drink and drive? Right now, you can use a lot of apps. Use Lyft, Uber," said Sanchez. Rodas' coworkers said she was well-loved and described her as being sweet. Her husband said he uses a tracking app on his phone to make sure his wife gets to work safely. They both worked at Safeway, but he was off that day. He shared a screenshot of the app when it indicated their SUV had stopped moving that morning. Sanchez said he knew something was wrong when she didn't respond to his messages. He rushed to the scene to find their vehicle had turned into a mangled pile of metal. Rodas's father, German Rodriguez, said the loss of his daughter is unbearable and that his heart is broken now. SEE ALSO: Relative says 3 family members killed in San Leandro house fire Sanchez said he and his wife saved their money and bought their dream home in Oakley five years ago. He said they had a happy marriage for more than 20 years. They were raising their 17-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter. He's worried about how to make mortgage payments on a single salary and raising their two children without his wife. "It was a beautiful life for me. She was the best. She was everything for me," said Sanchez. In their home, a single candle was lit in her honor. Her husband has started an online fundraiser to help pay for funeral expenses. The GoFundMe page can be found here. Funeral services for the 40-year-old Rodas are scheduled for April 3. Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU. The Source Interviews with relatives of the victim
