Women's basketball: record ratings and attendance numbers in 2024
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Women's basketball is more popular than ever, with record ratings and attendance numbers in 2024. Iowa sharpshooter Caitlin Clark has been instrumental in growing the sport's popularity, but she's far from the only major talent in the WNBA draft this year. KTVU's Heather Holmes and Alex Savidge speak with former WNBA player and current Oakland Tech Athletic Director Alexis Gray-Lawson about this boost we've seen in the league this year.

Exploring South Asian culture in the Bay Area and beyond
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A new exhibit at San Jose State University's King Library highlights the historical and cultural contributions of South Asian communities in the Bay Area. "South Asians in Silicon Valley" features the stories of communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, focusing on food, religion, activism and the game of cricket. KTVU's Alex Savidge speaks with Mantra Roy, Collection Strategy Librarian and Curator of the exhibit about all it has to offer.

Oakland's First Fridays returns after hiatus

Oakland's First Fridays are back, but organizers say the monthly event needs financial support.

West Coast Wrap: April 12, 2024
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Vice President Kamala Harris is focusing on the abortion debate with a visit to the West. Tonight -- how she's trying to put the issue front and center to help President Biden's reelection bid. Plus -- former President Trump leaning into the debate; his latest comments. Plus, Seattle police officers share video showing of how a suspected car thief almost crashed into a family. See how they got him into custody and found him in the first place.

California salmon season canceled for 2nd year in a row
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Governor Newsom is requesting a federal emergency, as California's salmon season has been canceled for the second year in a row. The Pacific Fishery Management Council made the request this week due to the continued low number of Chinook Salmon. The governor says the emergency request will help bring financial support to the affected fishing communities, while those in the local salmon fishing industry blame the state for what they call "irresponsible" water policies. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Jana Katsuyama speak with Scott Artis, Executive Director of the Golden State Salmon Association about the decision to close the season.

Black Maternal Health Week
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KTVU's Jana Katsuyama speaks with Kaiser Permanente East Bay OBGYN Dr. Carla Wicks about some of the steps we can take to correct racial bias and disparity in women's healthcare.

West Coast Wrap: April 11, 2024
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We'll continue our look back at the life of OJ Simpson. After his release from a Nevada prison following a robbery conviction, he used social media to connect with the public. We'll show you how those posts offer insight into the later years of life. And, a private security camera captures a terrifying confrontation with one homeowner. We'll show you what happened when he approached someone he believed was trying to steal from his car.

San Francisco closing designated site for Mission street vendors

Illegal street vending in San Francisco heavily contributed to the city losing businesses whose merchandise became targets for thieves to resell, mainly on Mission Street and other locations.

Legacies of The Great Migration opens this weekend in Berkeley
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A powerful art exhibition will be on display at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) focused on one of the largest movements of people in our country's history starting this weekend. From the early 1900's through the 1970's, more than 6 million Black people moved from the South to other regions of the country in pursuit of better economic and educational opportunities. KTVU's Alex Savidge is joined in studio by BAMPFA Senior Curator Anthony Graham for more on "A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of The Great Migration".

Stanford researchers make critical COVID-19 discovery
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After 5 years with COVID-19, health experts say there is still much to learn about the virus that causes the disease. At the height of the pandemic, hospitals were overwhelmed with patients with severe cases of the respiratory virus including life-threatening complications. It was believed that a certain type of lung cell made some people more susceptible to severe infection but now that is no longer the case. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Stanford scientists Catherine Blish and Mark Krasnow about their critical new research that found a different suspected source of vulnerability. Illustration by Emily Moskal.

Teen national anthem singer loses father days after performance

An Oakland teen who performed the national anthem at a pro soccer game is reeling from the death of her father days later.

West Coast Wrap: April 10, 2024
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Tempers flare on Arizona's house floor today; Tonight on West Coast Wrap, some democratic lawmakers chant "shame", as Republicans block an effort to repeal the state's near-total ban on abortion. We'll break down where the heated debate goes from here. And, a new crackdown at the southern border targets drug smugglers. We'll show you what's being down to catch people bringing fentanyl into the U.S.

Trans athletes barred from participating in women's sports
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The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) which oversees more than 200 smaller colleges and universities announced a new policy this week that essentially bans transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The policy states that "only athletes who were assigned female at birth and have not begun hormone therapy" can take part in competition; it is believed to be the first college sports governing body to take such a step. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes discuss the move and its future implications with Shaun Fletcher, Professor of Public Relations and Sport Communication at San Jose State University.

Celebrating the achievements of Stanford legend Tara VanDerveer
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Legendary Stanford Women's Basketball Coach Tara VanDerveer helped take college basketball to new heights, spending 45 years coaching her team to victory. She led The Cardinal to three national championships, 14 final fours and in total the Hall of Fame coach racked up more wins than any other coach in college basketball history. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes take a look at her incredible career at Stanford and beyond with Shaun Fletcher, Professor of Public Relations and Sport Communication at San Jose State University.

Popular pub and restaurant at San Jose's Santana Row to close after 20 years

A longtime woman-owned restaurant and pub in San Jose announced it is closing this month. "The harsh realities of running a restaurant after the pandemic were too great for this small female run family business to continue," the owner said.

California hasn’t been tracking homeless programs’ effectiveness, audit finds

California spent $24 billion to tackle homelessness over a five-year period but didn’t consistently track the outcomes or effectiveness of its programs, according to state audit released Tuesday.

Minimally-invasive surgeries now available to treat esophageal cancer
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According to the American Cancer Society, more than 22,000 Americans are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year, but it doesn't have to be a death sentence. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Kaiser Permanente Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Velotta and his patient Francisca Ortiz about her fight against esophageal cancer at age 61 and how she found out something was wrong in the first place.

Oakland Zoo recognized as "gold standard" in zoological profession
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For the 36th year in a row, Oakland Zoo has received accreditation from The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is considered the world "gold standard" for zoological facilities. A team from the AZA recently reviewed all of Oakland Zoo's operations including animal welfare, safety and security, veterinary care and conservation efforts. This accreditation renewal process must happen every 5 years to remain up to date and comes as the Oakland Zoo begins its 101st year in operation. KTVU's Alex Savidge discusses the achievement with Oakland Zoo CEO Nik Dehejia.