WALNUT CREEK -- A 27-year-old man has been charged with trying to kidnap a child earlier this month at a downtown Walnut Creek library and possessing hundreds of images of child pornography, authorities said Thursday. Marc Alexander Simon is accused of attempting to kidnap and molest a child on April 11 at the Walnut Creek Library on North Broadway. Simon, a transient from Walnut Creek, was identified as a suspect and arrested on April 16, police said. He was charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office with two counts of a lewd act upon a child, attempted kidnapping and posse ..read more

A man was sentenced earlier this week to 12 years and eight months in prison after he was convicted last year of molesting two children, Sonoma County prosecutors said. A jury found Robert Herrera guilty in August 2023 of six charges of child molestation; two charges related to crimes Herrera committed against one child when she was younger than 14; and four charges for conduct with the other victim when she was 14 and 15 years old, prosecutors said Thursday. Herrera's charges stemmed from a report of abuse in 2021 by one of two child victims. At a jury trial in August 2023, both victims testi ..read more

PLEASANTON -- An East Bay community was in shock after a solo-vehicle crash Wednesday night killed a family of four, including two children under the age of 15. Friends of the family stopped by the crash site on Foothill Road in Pleasanton Thursday to mourn the loss. The accident happened around 9 p.m. on Foothill Road near Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton. A neighbor told KPIX the family was on their way home after visiting friends. Something happened to make the driver veer off the road, hit a post and slam into a tree.  Friends of the family stopped by the crash site to mourn the loss on ..read more

BERKELEY -- Malak Afaneh, a law student at the University of California and the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, was among over a hundred pro-Palestinian protesters who have set up camp outside Sproul Hall on the Berkeley campus. Their message is clear: they demand a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment action by UC. "It is absolutely ridiculous that the university that prides itself on diversity, equity and inclusion refuses to stand on the side of justice and divest," Afaneh said. This Thursday marks the fourth day of their demonstration. The group has outlined some key demands. "One -- that ..read more

If you're sick of scrolling through streaming services to find a movie to watch on your couch, the North Bay might be your next destination. Thomas Brungardt and Tony Bernasconi, owners of the a vintage store in Benicia called the Traveling Museum, recently took their huge selection of VHS tapes and DVDs and launched the town's first ever Free Blockbuster - similar to a community lending library box, but with movies instead of books.   Since then, the old newspaper box - painted in Blockbuster's iconic blue and yellow colors - has quickly become the hottest ticket in town. "As a kid, I ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO BAY -- Bay Area scientists are using cutting-edge technology to better understand the decline in bird populations while finding ways to help species that are challenged. In the past 50 years, nearly 30% of the birds in North America, some 3 billion birds, have vanished due primarily to habitat loss, pollution, and now climate change.  At the southern edge of the bay surrounded by urban sprawl, native and migratory birds have found a haven on a tiny strip of forest. Wildlife tracking program KPIX "This is a little island of natural habitat for everything that lives here, spec ..read more

Mayor London Breed returned from her trip to China last weekend and is now making a visible push to fight for her job as she faces a tough re-election fight with several high-profile challengers. Each candidate is campaigning on promises of change, touting their own solutions to the city's problems ranging from crime to the housing crisis. San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin became the latest figure to enter the race earlier this month. Candidates have made it a strategy of getting out into the city's neighborhoods to hear from voters directly. On Thursday, Mayor Breed paid a visit to the Po ..read more

Several Bay Area law enforcement agencies collaborated on a months-long retail theft investigation that last week led to the arrest of an Oakland man and netted suspected stolen merchandise worth over $326,000. The California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division posted a press release about the joint operation on their Facebook page. The investigation involved the CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) as well as the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and the San Ramon Police Department (SRPD) has led to the recovery of suspected stolen merchandise valued at over $326,000 and the arrest ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO – Parking control officers rallied outside San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency headquarters Thursday, fearing for their safety as the city ramps up its crackdown on parking violations. Officers told CBS News Bay Area that they've always felt at risk while doing their jobs. Now that SFMTA has announced that they'll be cracking down on parking enforcement, officers like Mishan Schexnayder feel like there's a bigger target on their back. "It's very stressful. I have anxiety and it's scary," she said. Two years ago, Schexnayder she had an experience she'll never forget. She ..read more

Concord police are looking for a man who allegedly grabbed the arm of a middle school student near a parked car on Wednesday. Police said the girl was walking to school in the area of Nuala Street and Dartmouth Way around 7:10 a.m. when a man reportedly grabbed her arm while trying to open the door to a parked vehicle. The girl said she was fought the man off and notified school staff and police. She was not physically injured. The suspect was described as a shorter white man who is about 50 years old with a bald head and heavy build. He was associated with a small black sedan. Detectives are ..read more