Local:
- Four in-home caregivers are being sued for draining an elderly woman’s bank accounts out of millions of dollars. The alleged victim is the deceased Geraldine Clark, who was 91 when she died in 2023, with only $200 to her name. But her family set up accounts so she should have had $9 million, and four caregivers are accused of check-forging their way through that fortune. [Chronicle]
- The “Year of the Snake” statues are now up in San Francisco to celebrate the impending Lunar New Year festivities, a tradition that dates back to the pandemic year of 2021 when the parade was canceled. That said, this year there are only two statues, compared to six in 2022, and five in 2023 and 2024. But you can find them at Union Square and at the Chase Center’s Thrive City. [Chinese New Year Festival & Parade]
- The JCPenney department store at San Bruno’s The Shops at Tanforan confirmed it will be closing permanently. The store’s final day in business will be Sunday, May 25. [NBC Bay Area]
National:
- Donald Trump has revoked the security details for his own former CIA director and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, plus others he has political scores to settle with, despite ongoing assassination threats against them from Iran. [CBS News]
- A federal judge in Seattle has blocked Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, after a lawsuit from 18 states, including California. [NY Times]
- While Pete Hegseth’s Secretary of Defense confirmation hearing is likely tomorrow, CNN has dug up the dirt that he paid a woman $50,000 in hush money over his 2017 sexual assault case in Monterey County. [CNN]
Video of the Day:
- With the recent loss of SF newspaper racks, a group called Community News Lab is proposing digital news kiosks like the one seen below, providing news, job listings, and reminding people of their rights during the Trump administration. They were out at 24th and Mission Streets today with a prototype, seen below, and there may be more of these to come.
Image: “Warrior Serpent” by Deyi (Robin) Zhao, photo by Joe Kukura, SFist
