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Olivia Harden

California-based Journalist, Communications Strategist and Digital Creative

SFGATE •

Increasingly rare pod of pilot whales spotted off Newport Beach

Erica Page, a captain of the whale-watching company Newport Coastal Adventure, was the first to spot a pod of 70 short-finned pilot whales. They were discovered 5 miles from the shore of Newport Beach, Jessica Rodriguez, education manager at Newport Landing and Davey’s Locker Whale Watching, told SFGATE in an email.

Erica Page, a captain of the whale-watching company Newport Coastal Adventure, was the first to spot a pod of 70 short-finned pilot whales. They were discovered 5 miles from the sho...
SFGATE •

El Dorado Hills woman admits decade-long $18M theft from Bay Area boss

A California woman who stole nearly $18 million from her boss has pleaded guilty, federal prosecutors said Monday.

A California woman who stole nearly $18 million from her boss has pleaded guilty, federal prosecutors said Monday.

Beginning in September 2015, Lizbeth Guadalupe Sherman of El Dorado Hills worked for a Bay Area venture capitalist as an executive assistant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California said in a news release. For the next decade, Sherman, who was...
SFGATE •

A deteriorating levee is the weak link as king tides roll into Marin County

A Marin County neighborhood with a deteriorating coastal barrier is already feeling the impacts of king tides and coastal flooding sweeping into the Bay Area this week.

A Marin County neighborhood with a deteriorating coastal barrier is already feeling the impacts of king tides and coastal flooding sweeping into the Bay Area this week.

The National Weather Service has extended a sweeping coastal advisory for Northern California until Sunday at 6 p.m. The North Bay started to feel the effects e...
SFGATE •

Toxic algae outbreak poisons over 300 marine mammals in Calif. this year

The Marine Mammal Center announced Wednesday it had documented more than 300 cases this year of domoic acid poisoning in marine mammals. The Sausalito-based organization, which covers 600 miles of California coastline, said it typically only sees 75 to 90 cases per year.

The Marine Mammal Center announced Wednesday it had documented more than 300 cases this year of domoic acid poisoning in marine mammals. The Sausalito-based organization, which covers 600 miles of California coastline, said it...
SFGATE •

Oakland named one of the US's best cities, confirming what locals already knew

On Oct. 6, Condé Nast released its Reader’s Choice Awards and crowned Oakland the sixth best big city in the United States. The outlet surveyed travelers between April 1 and June 30, and Oakland was one of only three California cities, along with San Francisco and San Diego, to make the list (Healdsburg and Santa Barbara made the outlet’s list of the best small cities).

On Oct. 6, Condé Nast released its Reader’s Choice Awards and crowned Oakland the sixth best big city in the United States. Th...
SFGATE •

Caltrans warns San Francisco drivers of 45-minute delays due to weekend closure

San Francisco drivers should brace themselves for a weekendlong closure of a major section of Interstate 80 just south of the approach to the Bay Bridge.

San Francisco drivers should brace themselves for a weekendlong closure of a major section of Interstate 80 just south of the approach to the Bay Bridge.

At 11 p.m. Friday, Caltrans will close all westbound lanes of the Bayshore Freeway from Fifth Street to 15th Street until 6 a.m. Monday. Caltrans spokesperson Pedro Quintana told SFGATE that...
SFGATE •

Deadly fungus rears its head at Glacier National Park for the first time

For the first time, a highly dangerous fungus has been detected in several bats at Glacier National Park, the National Park Service said this week.

For the first time, a highly dangerous fungus has been detected in several bats at Glacier National Park, the National Park Service said this week.

In a Wednesday news release, park officials confirmed that a little brown bat found dead in the Saint Mary area of the park in May tested positive for white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a fungus c...
SFGATE •

$4M allocated to fix 360-foot crack threatening Pacific Coast Highway

On Monday, Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff took to social media to announce Caltrans’ three-phase plan to fix a long coastal crack that had developed alongside a key stretch of Pacific Coast Highway. Officials first noticed the large fracture within the roadside coastal bluff in the Laguna Beach and Crystal Cove area earlier this month. The crack, which Caltrans estimates to be hundreds of feet long and 2 feet wide, was likely caused by a mix of environmental issues, including an extraordina...
SFGATE •

San Diego man, 12-year-old nephew go missing on Baja fishing trip

A San Diego man and his 12-year-old nephew went fishing in Mexico and have not returned.

A San Diego man and his 12-year-old nephew went fishing in Mexico and have not returned.

On Oct. 10, 40-year-old Oscar Ulloa headed out on a boat with his nephew to go fishing off Baja California. They were only supposed to be gone for a couple of hours, but they have not been heard from since, KNSD-TV first reported.

On Oct. 10, 40-year-old Oscar Ulloa headed out on a boat with his nephew to go fishing o...
SFGATE •

Officers in Santa Cruz chase after world's second largest bird

California Highway Patrol officers had a highly unusual task this week — catching the second-largest bird in the world.

California Highway Patrol officers had a highly unusual task this week — catching the second-largest bird in the world.

California Highway Patrol officers in Santa Cruz received several calls about an emu walking into traffic at Harper Street and 17th Avenue. The big bird had escaped from its owner and traipsed its way in and out of traffic.

California Highway Patrol officer...
SFGATE •

Sacramento man driving Tesla allegedly falls asleep, injures officers

On Tuesday, just before midnight, dashcam footage captured a car driving straight into a California Highway Patrol vehicle in Fairfield on Interstate 80 near the Air Base Parkway, Bay City News Service reported. Officers allege that the driver, a 22-year-old man from Sacramento, told them that he fell asleep behind the wheel while using the vehicle’s autonomous driving setting.

On Tuesday, just before midnight, dashcam footage captured a car driving straight into a California Highway Patrol veh...
SFGATE •

A Fairfield woman has been missing for 3 months. Her brothers plan to find her.

Chantel Brooks, 37, went missing on July 17 — nearly three months ago. Security cameras at her job at Le Nain Hotel, a single-room occupancy supportive housing complex in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, captured her after she left work around 12:20 a.m. She was wearing a brown, multicolored brimmed hat, a red zip-up sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and a pair of brown furry boots, the Fairfield Police Department wrote in a Facebook post on Aug. 5, its first post about her disappearance.

Cha...
SFGATE •

Black bear steals honey from Calif. library on 'Winnie-the-Pooh' anniversary

On Wednesday, a little after 6 a.m., the black bear entered the library and enjoyed staff refreshments: peanut butter, peach cups, cookies and a jar of honey, Mono County Free Libraries posted on Facebook.

On Wednesday, a little after 6 a.m., the black bear entered the library and enjoyed staff refreshments: peanut butter, peach cups, cookies and a jar of honey, Mono County Free Libraries posted on Facebook.

“This morning the Mammoth Lakes Library had a special visitor before the doors opened...
SFGATE •

Richmond man allegedly stabs co-worker in Marin County strip mall

On Monday around 1 p.m., the San Rafael Police Department and the San Rafael Fire Department responded to a call about an unconscious man in the 700 block of Las Gallinas Avenue near the Northgate shopping center, the San Rafael Police Department said in a news release.

On Monday around 1 p.m., the San Rafael Police Department and the San Rafael Fire Department responded to a call about an unconscious man in the 700 block of Las Gallinas Avenue near the Northgate shopping center, the San Rafael...
SFGATE •

Inside Hollywood Burbank Airport's $1.3 billion terminal, decades in the making

And yet, even with the substantial passenger growth the airport has experienced since the project was first approved (more than 2 million more passengers since 2016), airport officials and the general public were adamant that the airport still needed to give travelers what they’ve loved about it for years all while solving a big problem: It must preserve the convenience and approachability of the old terminal while fixing safety issues that the Federal Aviation Administration has been pointing o...
SFGATE •

Santa Rosa man who asked officer for the time arrested in car theft

Police arrested a man in Sonoma County on suspicion of stealing a Mini Cooper after he asked an officer for the time.

Police arrested a man in Sonoma County on suspicion of stealing a Mini Cooper after he asked an officer for the time.

On Wednesday, the Healdsburg Police Department received an alert that a vehicle reported stolen had entered the city, as a Flock automated license plate reader detected its license plate, the department said in a Facebook post.

On Wednesday, the Healdsburg Poli...
SFGATE •

Chef arrested in San Diego 14 years after allegedly fleeing kidnapping charge

The chef of a trendy San Diego restaurant was arrested on allegations that he fled prosecution for an alleged kidnapping and assault 14 years ago.

The chef of a trendy San Diego restaurant was arrested on allegations that he fled prosecution for an alleged kidnapping and assault 14 years ago.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Brian Anthony Williams, 50, on suspicion of fleeing Iowa, where he’d been charged in October 2012 with participating in the kidnapping, assault and shooting...
SFGATE •

Search and rescue personnel find missing kayaker dead at Clear Lake

A kayaker who went missing in Lake County has since been found deceased.

A kayaker who went missing in Lake County has since been found deceased.

Karmagit Singh, 37, from Sutter County left his home on Sept. 17 to take his kayak to Clear Lake, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office told the Lake County News. Later that morning, his was found parked at an East State Highway 20 turnout in Lucerne, the outlet reported.

Karmagit Singh, 37, from Sutter County left his home on Sept. 17 to take his kayak...
SFGATE •

Dolphin dies after pod gets stranded on California mudflats

The common dolphins were swimming at Cuesta Inlet when the tide lowered in the late afternoon, Marine Mammal Center spokesperson Danielle Flores told SFGATE in an email. Three adults and one juvenile became stuck in the mudflats and couldn’t move back into the shallower parts of the bay. A fifth dolphin, an adult, was stranded at Shark Inlet, also in Morro Bay.

The common dolphins were swimming at Cuesta Inlet when the tide lowered in the late afternoon, Marine Mammal Center spokesperson Daniel...
SFGATE •

Rescue team saves two fishers swept away at Santa Cruz County beach

Multiple government agencies helped save two adults swept away by waves at a Santa Cruz County beach.

Multiple government agencies helped save two adults swept away by waves at a Santa Cruz County beach.

On Tuesday, two people were fishing on rocks near Panther Beach when waves carried them out to sea, Cal Fire wrote in a Facebook post. The agency was the first to arrive.

On Tuesday, two people were fishing on rocks near Panther Beach when waves carried them out to sea, Cal Fire wrote in a Fa...
SFGATE •

LA sheriff investigates double homicide at dilapidated Lancaster greenhouse

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a potential double homicide in the county’s high desert.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a potential double homicide in the county’s high desert.

Deputy Alejandra Parra, a sheriff’s department spokesperson, told SFGATE in an email that the remains of two people were found in the area of 50th Street East and Avenue F in Lancaster while investigators from the department’s homicide bureau were following up i...
SFGATE •

SF bar owner charged with assault, robbery after alleged parking space dispute

The owner of two Haight-Ashbury bars was arrested Saturday after allegedly attacking the employee of a neighboring business with a baseball bat the previous night, following a clash over a parking spot.

The owner of two Haight-Ashbury bars was arrested Saturday after allegedly attacking the employee of a neighboring business with a baseball bat the previous night, following a clash over a parking spot.

Cyril Hackett, the owner of Mad Dog in the Fog and Kezar Pub, is currently in custody on sus...
SFGATE •

'Like a horror movie': Woman recounts sea lion attack in Monterey Bay

On Tuesday, around 8 a.m., Capitola resident Heather Gray was paddleboarding between Capitola Wharf and Privates Beach by Pleasure Point when a sea lion attacked her, NBC Bay Area (KNTV) first reported.“It was like a horror movie,” Gray told the outlet.

On Tuesday, around 8 a.m., Capitola resident Heather Gray was paddleboarding between Capitola Wharf and Privates Beach by Pleasure Point when a sea lion attacked her, NBC Bay Area (KNTV) first reported.“It was like a horror movie,” Gray told the...
SFGATE •

Endangered sea turtle lays eggs in Calif. for first time in recorded history

On Wednesday, lifeguards spotted an olive ridley sea turtle digging a nest and laying her eggs near Seal Beach, Aquarium of the Pacific President Jeff Flocken told SFGATE. Three days later, visitors spotted an olive ridley sea turtle near the Huntington Beach Pier, though it’s unclear whether it was the same animal.

On Wednesday, lifeguards spotted an olive ridley sea turtle digging a nest and laying her eggs near Seal Beach, Aquarium of the Pacific President Jeff Flocken told SFGATE. Three day...
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