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San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay Area radio legend seeks ‘crucial' donations amid health, financial struggles
Celebrated Bay Area radio personality Ronn Owens is reupping fundraising efforts to help with mounting medical expenses due to ongoing health issues. The former KGO host reshared the link to a GoFundMe campaign via Facebook on Sunday, June 8. It was initially launched on New Year's Eve to assist him as he continues to deal with the financial challenges that come with living with Parkinson's disease and his other 'health battles.' The 79-year-old has had four bouts with cancer, most recently colon cancer, according to the GoFundMe created by 'Ronn's Friends and Family.' Owens noted that the fundraiser 'remains a crucial source of support.' 'I've considered my KGO listeners to be more than just an audience — you've been an extended family,' he wrote. 'The messages, memories, and kindness you've shared with me have been a profound source of strength, especially during these recent health and financial challenges.' The renewed plea comes a month after his daughter, Laura, was indicted in an unrelated high-profile paternity case. He made no mention of her or the scandal in the post. Laura was indicted in Arizona in May with seven felony charges, including fraud and perjury. They stem from a 2023 lawsuit involving 'The Bachelor' star Clayton Echard, during which Laura claimed she had become pregnant with twins after meeting the reality TV star. Echard denied the allegations, stating that their sexual interactions did not involve intercourse. She later said she had a miscarriage. But officials soon discovered Laura had fabricated evidence, including altering an ultrasound image, and lied under oath. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In January, shortly after the GoFundMe campaign went live, Owens' Arizona home was raided by police, because Laura was living in a casita at the back of the property. While the GoFundMe campaign lists Owens as the beneficiary, with donations going directly to his medical expenses, some have questioned whether he's dipping into the funds to help pay Laura's legal bills. 'Must be a coincidence it aligns with likely pricey criminal defense bills, right?' wrote X user @ClaytonsJustice with regards to Owens' recent Facebook post. The verified account, which has 2,054 followers and a mission 'seeking justice for all victims of Laura Owens,' is one of several social media accounts closely following the case. Owens, who could be heard on Bay Area airwaves for five decades, retired in 2021 just before KGO's longtime news-talk format was discontinued. He has since been open about his financial and physical hardships on Facebook. 'It's been a rough road, and honestly, it's hard to admit that the financial strain has become overwhelming on top of everything else,' he wrote in a Dec. 31 post. As of Tuesday evening, Owens has raised more than $125,000 of his $140,000 goal.
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Thousands rally in San Francisco against ICE raids
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of people marched through San Francisco's Civic Center and Mission neighborhoods on Monday night in protests that were 'overwhelmingly peaceful,' police said. Demonstrators rallied against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country and expressed solidarity with immigrant communities, CNN affiliate KGO reported. 'At the very end of the night, two small groups broke off and committed vandalism and other criminal acts,' the San Francisco Police Department said. Police said they detained multiple people who refused to comply with orders, made arrests, and are currently addressing one unresolved situation. 'I'm deeply concerned about what's going on in Los Angeles and all around the country. California, we are better because of our diversity, and for people to be torn away from school graduations, torn away from their children, that's not right. We have to come out here and tell people that's not right,' Holly Minch, who marched with a sign that read 'MELT ICE,' told KGO. The police said they coordinated with public safety agencies under the leadership of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to 'protect numerous First Amendment actions' in the affected Sunday, about 150 people, including some under the age of 18, were arrested near the Immigration Services building. Police said the arrests were made after protesters ignored dispersal orders and engaged in acts of violence and protests have popped up around the country, including in New York, Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas and Louisville. — CNN
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Police arrest about 60 people in San Francisco after protests on ICE's raids turn violent
LOS ANGELES — Around 60 people, including people under the age of 18, were arrested Sunday in San Francisco after protests outside the Immigration Services building turned violent, authorities said. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside ICE's offices to rally against the agency's raids and deportations across California and the US, CNN affiliate KGO reported. The demonstration, initially peaceful, escalated into a tense standoff with San Francisco police officers in riot gear. 'We've been watching what's going on in LA, and we're like, no,' Nancy Kato, one of the protesters, told KGO. 'The whole thing about going after immigrants and people who are undocumented, the most vulnerable of our populations that is so wrong.' The protests began near Sansome and Washington streets — close to the city's Financial District — around 7:01 p.m., where San Francisco Police officers were monitoring the demonstration, the department said. The gathering escalated as some protesters, according to police, vandalized property, committed assaults, and caused other damage. Authorities declared the event an 'unlawful assembly,' leading many to leave, though some stayed behind. Two officers were injured, and one was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The group eventually made its way to Market and Kearny streets, where protesters damaged buildings and an SFPD patrol car. A smaller group later gathered on Montgomery Street and refused to leave after being ordered to disperse. Police moved to detain people they say didn't comply. Police said it recovered one firearm at the scene. 'Individuals are always free to exercise their First Amendment rights in San Francisco,' the SFPD said in a statement. 'But violence — especially against SFPD officers — will never be tolerated.' The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details. Police are urging businesses and residents in Downtown Los Angeles to report 'any vandalism, damage or looting,' hours after police said they were investigating possible looting in the city's Financial District. On X, the LAPD said reporting the incidents will allow the department to officially document damage that occurs during the ongoing protests. 'Please photograph all vandalism and damage prior to clean up,' the LAPD wrote. Meanwhile, a British news photographer is recovering from emergency surgery after being struck by a non-lethal round while covering protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles, PA Media, the UK's national news agency, reported on Monday. Nick Stern was documenting a standoff on Saturday between protesters and police outside a Home Depot in Paramount, a city in Los Angeles County known as a hiring site for day laborers, when a 14mm 'sponge bullet' tore into his thigh, the agency reported. 'My initial concern was, were they firing live rounds?' Stern told PA. 'Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg.' After receiving first aid from a medic who urged him to seek hospital care, Stern says he passed out from the pain. He is now recovering at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Stern, who emigrated to the United States in 2007, said he typically makes himself 'as visible as possible' while working in hostile environments. 'That way you're less likely to get hit because they know you're media.' He says he sustained 'substantial' bruising after being struck by another round during the George Floyd protests in 2020. 'An outside organization like ICE coming in and removing — whatever you want to call it, removing, kidnapping, abducting people from the community — is not going to go down well at all,' he said. 'I intend, as soon as I am well enough, to get back out there,' he said. 'This is too important, and it needs documenting.' — CNN
New York Post
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Calif. teacher accidentally leaves $5K tip at vape shop
This slip-up was a real tipping point. A special education educator inadvertently left a $5,000 tip at a vape shop — and reportedly spent the next several months fighting with her bank to smoke out the eye-watering number. Linda Mathiesen, a Peninsula single mother who struggles with shoulder pain, made a $129.28 purchase for CBD gel to help with the nagging issue at a Bay Area shop last year — and wanted to leave an additional token of appreciation, according to a KGO report Wednesday. She told the station she only wanted to leave a $5 tip, but struggled to see the credit card pad on the tall checkout stand even on her tippy toes. Advertisement 3 Linda Mathiesen left the huge tip at a vape shop by accident. ABC 7 'He says enter a tip — so I did… I push what I thought was only two zeroes. Ended up being three zeroes,' Mathiesen claimed. 'But, there's no decimal point… I'm like, 'Wait, I want to delete this.'' Advertisement The clerk processed the charge and then claimed to Mathiesen he didn't know how to void it, she said. The employee also claimed the tip never went through, but Mathiesen's bank statement said otherwise, the station reported. 'Who would ever?' Mathiesen reportedly said. 'Like, $5,000? I don't have that kind of money.' The mother of two grown sons claimed she contacted her bank, Wells Fargo, 22 times, including calling them five minutes after leaving the store. Advertisement She was left frustrated for months to the point of tears before the bank recently stepped in after KGO reached out to them, the station reported. 3 Wells Fargo eventually refunded the money. Kristina Blokhin – The bank reportedly contacted Mathiesen and told her they would refund her the shocking figure, as well as interest. Wells Fargo told People in a statement Friday that when it became aware of the problem, it worked to 'resolve this situation.' Advertisement 3 She has been sifting through piles of paperwork. ABC 7 'We are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues,' the bank also said. The Post has sought comment from Wells Fargo late Friday. Meanwhile, a worker at the vape shop told KGO that ownership changed in January and had no comment.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Special Education Teacher Thought She Was Leaving $5 Tip, but It Was Actually $5,000
Linda Mathiesen said she accidentally left a $5,000 tip instead of a $5 tip at a California vape shop about a year ago She then claims she spent months trying to dispute the transaction before her bank refunded her Wells Fargo tells PEOPLE that they "resolved this situation" and "are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues"A California woman said she felt generous after shopping at a vape store and decided to leave a $5 tip — then realized she accidentally left three extra zeros. Special education teacher Linda Mathiesen told ABC affiliate KGO that about a year ago, she went to San Bruno Exotic to purchase a couple of items to help with her shoulder pain, including CBD relief gel. In a giving mood, she decided to leave a $5 tip, but Mathiesen told KGO that she couldn't fully see what she was doing at the tall checkout stand. "I push what I thought was only two zeros. Ended up being three zeros," Mathiesen said. Once she realized those zeros were in front of the decimal point, and not behind it, she tried to rectify her mistake, but the clerk reportedly said he didn't know how and processed the tip instead. Mathiesen alleged to KGO that she began the process of disputing the transaction with Wells Fargo that same day, but after dozens of attempts to try and reach them over several months, the matter hadn't been solved. However, the outlet claimed that after they reached out to the bank, Wells Fargo did respond to Mathiesen, promising to refund the tip plus interest. When reached for comment, a bank spokesperson told PEOPLE that after learning about what happened to her, they "resolved this situation." "We are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues," they added. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to KGO, the smoke shop, which now goes by Exotic Vapes, and a clerk they spoke with, who otherwise had no comment, claimed new owners took over in January. When PEOPLE reached for comment on Friday, June 6, the phone number was not in service. Mathiesen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on People
