Latest news with #SanFranciscoInternationalAirport
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Alex the Great, sports' cherished therapy bunny, dead after cancer battle
SAN FRANCISCO — A beloved therapy bunny named Alex The Great, who provided snuggles and comfort from ballparks to NBA arenas, airports, farmers markets and even Easter egg hunts and NASCAR races, has died. He was 4. A floppy-eared Flemish giant who was larger than life in both size and spirit, Alex suffered complications from cancer treatment and died early Monday, his owners said. The rabbit had undergone care at the renowned UC Davis Veterinary Hospital in recent days. Alex appeared June 4 sporting his signature cap for Padres-Giants at Oracle Park. At 4 months old, he attended his first Giants game in April 2021 — believed to be the first bunny in the stands at the waterfront ballpark. Kei Kato and Josh Row pose with their therapy bunny Alex The Great during an Arizona Fall League Game at Scottsdale Stadium, Nov. 6, 2021. AP He loved wearing bow ties and riding in his remote-controlled car, which Alex did in November 2021 following an Arizona Fall League appearance at Scottsdale Stadium where he saw now-Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe as a rising prospect. Owners Kei Kato and Josh Row saved Alex from a slaughterhouse — but, really, it was the bunny who saved them. They took Alex on all their trips and he spent hours at San Francisco International Airport with a golden retriever friend offering travelers emotional support. 'He saved us and saved so many people,' Kato said via text message Monday. 'All the stories people are sharing are so overwhelming.' Fans stopped in awe when they saw Alex The Great wherever he went, often surprised by his size and always eager to snap a photo or selfie. Kato and Row were thrilled to share him with the world because Alex had brought them so much love and joy and they wanted to spread that to anyone who might need a lift or a smile. Or provide a chance to pet Alex's soft orange fur or give him a hug. 'We remember him well for his surprise frequent visits to the ballpark,' Giants CEO Larry Baer said in a text message. 'We remember the comfort he brought those who loved him and the joy he brought so many.' Kato lost her brewery restaurant during the pandemic and adopting Alex provided her with a new purpose. He helped Kato deal with the anxiety and stress of no longer having her main source of income and the fulfillment her business brought. 'I lost it all because of COVID, so I've been really stressed a lot,' Kato said at the ballpark that spring night in 2021. 'We support local. I was a local. He's well trained, too.' Alex, a Flemish giant therapy rabbit, waits in his jeep to greet travelers at San Francisco International Airport. MediaNews Group via Getty Images When Alex became such a hit on the big screen, quick-thinking Daniel Kurish of the Marlins' media relations staff went to find the bunny in the seventh inning to deliver some Miami gear. Less than a month later, in May 2021, Alex appeared at a Suns-Warriors game at Chase Center. Of course, they loved him there, too. He'd also pop up outside the arena in Thrive City every now and then to greet fans before games. 'Let his legend continue,' Kato and Row wrote on Alex's social media, 'he was very loved.'
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
TSA ends shoe removal rule at SFO and other major airports
In a significant shift to a post-9/11 security measure, the Transportation Security Administration will now allow passengers to keep their shoes on during general security screenings at many major airports across the United States — including San Francisco International Airport. A memo distributed to TSA officers nationwide last week outlined the policy change. 'The new policy will allow all passengers to keep their shoes on in all screening lanes at many airports across the country,' it states. A spokesperson for SFO confirmed that the new procedures were in effect at the airport as of Tuesday morning. The update marks the end of a rule that has defined air travel for nearly two decades. The TSA began requiring passengers to remove their shoes in 2006, five years after Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes aboard a transatlantic flight in December 2001. Until now, only travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck were typically allowed to keep their shoes on. According to the memo, the agency plans to expand the policy to all U.S. airports soon. However, passengers whose footwear sets off alarms at scanners or magnetometers will still be asked to remove their shoes for additional screening. 'TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture,' TSA public affairs said in a statement. 'Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.' The White House Press Secretary called the change 'big news' in a post on the social platform X, sharing the report from the Department of Homeland Security.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Maps show how the Bay Area has been unusually cold this summer
Summer in the Bay Area hasn't been this mild in decades. As heat waves roast much of the West, the Bay Area has been spared from extreme temperatures over the course of the last two months. San Francisco International Airport has measured its coldest first half of summer since 1965. The average maximum temperature at the airport was just 67.6 degrees from June 1 through July 15. Summer is also off to a cooler-than-normal start in Oakland, Santa Rosa and San Jose. These cities are trending slightly warmer than 2023, which began extraordinarily chilly throughout California before a hot finish. This summer has been a stark contrast from 2024, which shattered temperature records across the state. July was historically hot in the Bay Area. Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties had their hottest month on record. Thirty-eight of the first 45 days this summer in San Jose have been cooler compared to the same time period in 2024. That includes Independence Day, which was 93 degrees last year but just 76 degrees this year. The big difference this summer is the lack of a persistent high-pressure system over the West, a feature generally associated with hot, dry weather. Last year, the area of high pressure was anomalously strong over Northern California, yielding many 100-degree days in the valleys. Subtle dips in the upper atmosphere this year have kept chilly ocean breezes continuously blowing into the Bay Area. So far this summer, NorCal has been in a sort of "goldilocks zone" for synoptic (large-scale) weather patterns. Our two sources of big summer heat, the Four Corners high and the offshore high, have stayed in their places allowing onshore winds to dominate. — Heather Waldman (@KCRAHeather) July 15, 2025 Unlike 2023 — when the first half of summer was cool across almost all of California — the chilly conditions have been confined to the Bay Area in 2025. The upper atmospheric pattern in 2023 chipped away at the Four Corners high-pressure system and prevented heat waves from building across the Southwest. With mid-range forecasts favoring cooler-than-normal weather through late July, it would likely require a scorching hot August for the Bay Area to catch up to average summer temperatures. This year is an anomaly amid an era of rapid warming. Bay Area temperatures warmed by an average of 1.7 degrees from 1950 to 2005 and are predicted to increase by several more degrees by the end of the century as human-caused climate change continues.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
United flight from SFO to London turns back mid-flight due to technical issue
A United Airlines flight bound for London was forced to return to San Francisco late Tuesday after a technical issue disrupted its journey mid-flight, resulting in an eight-hour round trip to nowhere for more than 200 passengers. Flight UA948, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, departed San Francisco International Airport at 4:41 p.m. local time on July 15, en route to London Heathrow. According to data from aviation tracker FlightAware, the aircraft made a wide U-turn near the U.S.-Canada border northwest of Winnipeg, roughly halfway through its planned transatlantic route, and began the return trip to California. In a message to passengers sent via its mobile app, cited by the aviation site Aviation A2Z, United Airlines cited a technical issue as the reason for the diversion. The airline emphasized that the decision was made out of precaution and that there was no immediate threat to safety. United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for more information. The 15-year-old aircraft, which had been scheduled to land in London at 10:25 a.m. local time on July 16, instead touched down in San Francisco just after midnight — more than eight hours after its original departure. United canceled a rescheduled flight that was scheduled to depart at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday, with a revised arrival time in London later that evening. 'Your flight is canceled because we needed to take the plane out of service to address a technical issue,' its website said. 'Your safety is our priority and we're sorry for the inconvenience.' The incident echoes a similar episode earlier this month. On July 7, United flight UA82 from Newark to Delhi was forced to turn back due to a failure in the aircraft's electronics cooling system. That flight, operated on a Boeing 787-9, also landed safely, and no injuries were reported.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-07-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Report: Turkish Airlines flight to San Francisco diverted after passenger dies mid-flight
A passenger died on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to San Francisco on Sunday, causing the transatlantic flight to divert to Chicago, according to a report from the flight journal Aviation A2Z. Data from aviation tracker FlightAware showed Flight TK79, operated by an Airbus A350-941, departed Istanbul at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time on July 13, en route to San Francisco International Airport. While cruising over Greenland, the crew was alerted to a passenger experiencing a medical emergency. The aircraft entered a holding pattern over the region as flight attendants administered CPR and consulted medical personnel on the ground. 'This maneuver is a standard procedure that provides time to assess the passenger's condition, coordinate with medical professionals via radio, and evaluate diversion options,' according to Aviation A2Z. Initially, the crew considered diverting to Keflavik Airport in Iceland, a common emergency stop for transatlantic flights. However, after the passenger was pronounced dead mid-flight, the crew opted to continue toward North America. The aircraft was rerouted to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, due to its medical and logistical capabilities, where it landed safely nearly 12 hours after its initial departure.
