Bay Area woman celebrates helping more than 1,000 seniors find assisted housing
A young woman who dedicated her life to helping older adults across the Bay Area is marking an important career milestone. Anita Varelas launched Neighborly Senior Placement two years ago in San Bruno and has helped more than 1,000 older adults find housing at various assisted care facilities across the Bay Area, free of charge. KTVU's Heather Holmes and Alex Savidge speak with Varelas about her years of experience with senior living facilities starting when she was just 15 years old.
New online test aims to analyze brain fog causes and potential solutions
Most people have experienced "brain fog" or difficulties with memory and concentration but it is especially common for women going through menopause. Research published in the World Journal of Psychiatry found nearly 63% of middle-aged women report struggling with symptoms. Midi Health, a Bay Area company focusing on menopause and women's health care is rolling out a new online test that can help people learn more about what's behind their brain fog. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Midi Health's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kathleen Jordan about how it works and who can benefit from it.
AI innovation and the altering economic landscape
A number of the world's greatest scientists and engineers are gathering in San Jose for the Nvidia GTC Conference and AI is at the center of nearly every economic conversation. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes discuss the overall economic impact of AI and Nvidia's success in the field with Anastassia Fedyk, Assistant Professor of Finance at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
Hundreds of adoptable big dogs ready for forever homes
This weekend, Oakland Animal Services is hosting an Adopt-a-thon to help find as many dogs their forever homes as possible. The organization says it has taken in hundreds of dogs each month this year and many are also available to foster. To help reduce overcrowding, adoption hours are being extended and adoption fees are being waived all weekend. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Crystal Bailey are joined live in studio by Ann Dunn, Director of Oakland Animal Services as well as Chicken and Daisy; two adoptable foster dogs very ready to find their forever homes.
Measles exposure renews concerns over vaccine hesitancy
A number of recent measles outbreaks across the country are renewing concerns over the potentially deadly but preventable disease. The recent cases spikes come as more parents are delaying getting their children vaccinated. According to the CDC, the percentage of kindergartners fully immunized against the measles dropped from 95% in 2020 to 93% in 2023. KTVU's Alex Savidge speaks with Dr. Kai Kai Lam, Chief of Pediatrics at Kaiser Permanente about the increasing trend of vaccine-hesitant parents.
San Francisco gearing up for 173rd St. Patrick's Day parade
This year's annual St. Patrick's Day parade and celebration will take place on Saturday March 16th in downtown San Francisco starting at 11:30 am on 2nd and Market Streets. The parade ends at City Hall and is followed by a free music festival from 2:00-6:00 pm at Civic Center Plaza. The event is hosted by the United Irish Societies. For more on the fun and festivities, KTVU's Cristina Rendon speaks with the president of the organization, Liam Frost.
SpaceX Starship hits several milestones, is lost re-entering atmosphere
Today's third test flight of the SpaceX megarocket Starship achieved several key milestones but the spacecraft was lost as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. KTVU's Alex Savidge discusses today's launch and flight with Abhishek Tripathi, Director of Mission Operations at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Lab.
Empowered Voices: Women Leaders Shaping the Bay Area
Tonight a panel of women will be speaking at The Academy, an LGBTQ+ social club in San Francisco near the Castro about how they are making an impact in their fields of work. KTVU's Cristina Rendon is joined by one of tonight's panelists, San Francisco Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford to discuss her experience as the first transgender woman to hold her office.
New, modern transportation center coming to Hercules
The "Hercules Hub", a new transit center that has been in the works for decades, is now getting an important influx of federal funding. This week, President Biden signed a spending bill that allocates $850,000 for cars, buses, passenger trains and ferries at the planned center. KTVU's Alex Savidge discusses the latest developments in the project with current Hercules City Councilmember and former Mayor Alex Walker-Griffin.
Oakland Tech Bulldogs celebrate State Championship
For the first time in school history, the Oakland Tech Men's Basketball Team are the reigning state champs. KTVU's Alex Savidge and Claudine Wong are joined live in studio by the Bulldogs and Head Coach Karega Hart to celebrate their big win.
Sacred piece of Ohlone land returning to indigenous trust
A landmark agreement has been reached between the City of Berkeley and Ohlone Tribal leaders over a historic, local piece of land. Berkeley city leaders announced a plan to return the Ohlone Shellmound Village Site in West Berkeley to an indigenous trust after the city council unanimously approved a settlement to purchase the 2 acre site from the developer Reugg & Ellsworth.
Cybersecurity expert weighs in on potential TikTok ban
KTVU's Claudine Wong and Alex Savidge discuss the pros and cons of the proposed bipartisan TikTok ban with Checkpoint's Global Chief Information Security Officer Pete Nicoletti.
Maintaining good sleep health and hygiene
KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Kaiser Permanente Sleep Specialist Dr. Steven Russo about the most effective ways to improve your sleep hygiene and discusses which habits could be getting in the way of your rest.
Insurance carriers leaving California, no longer writing new policies
Due to climate change and wildfire risk, many insurance carriers are either leaving California or no longer offering to write new policies. State Farm insures 27% of the properties in California but last year it decided to stop writing new policies for both personal and business properties. The insurance giant reported a record $12 billion under-writing loss for 2022 and $13 billion in 2023, but overall insurance companies are still making money. KTVU's Frank Mallicoat speaks with Karl Susman, President of Susman Insurance Services in Southern California about how that works and what lies ahead for consumers.
Annual March for Meals campaign kicks off in the Bay Area
Meals on Wheels is a national program that works to connect seniors living alone with the outside world by delivering meals and smiles to those most in need. This month, MOW kicks off its annual "March for Meals" campaign to raise awareness about the services it provides and ramp up fundraising efforts to keep them going. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Executive Director Charlie Deterline and Chief Operating Officer Cadre Mandy of SOS Meals on Wheels based in San Leandro about the exciting efforts underway this month in the East Bay.
Recognizing atypical eating disorders and patterns
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, more than 28 million people will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, but they can often be hard to recognize. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with Dr. Jackie Shiels, Clinical Psychologist with Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek about what causes different types of eating disorders and the common misconceptions perpetuated about the conditions.
Local festival explores merging the worlds of creativity and AI
The annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival kicks off March 7th in Silicon Valley this week with a focus on storytelling and technology. KTVU's Alex Savidge speaks with festival co-founder Halfdan Hussey about this year's theme, "Uplift" and how the rapidly changing AI industry fits into the world of film and television.
Women's History Month: A major league soccer milestone
Coach Erin Ridley is the first woman to ever become head coach of a Major League Soccer Academy team. Ridley got into coaching with the San Jose Earthquakes' now-defunct Girls Academy before moving over to lead the Under-13 Boys team in 2020. She is now both the Under-15 Boys' head coach and assistant coach for the Under-17 team; both firsts in MLS history. KTVU's Heather Holmes is joined live in studio for a conversation with Ridley about the professional obstacles she faces that her male colleagues rarely share and the accomplishments she's most proud of.
Public heeds travel warning, avoids highways ahead of blizzard
KTVU's Alex Savidge and Heather Holmes speak with Jeremy Linder, CALTRANS spokesperson for Placer, Nevada and Sierra Counties as a massive winter storm moves through the Lake Tahoe area.
Women leaders from around the world gather in Santa Clara
Thousands of women from around the world gathered at the Santa Clara Convention Center this week for the fourth annual California Conference for Women. Attendees took part in a variety of career and personal development workshops focused on amplifying the voices women and building self-confidence. KTVU's Heather Holmes speaks with the California Conference for Women Board President Hillary Weingast about how the conference has evolved and how anyone who missed out this year can get involved in the future.