Before we head into 2025, take a look back at some of the headlines NBC Bay Area covered this year.
Slain Oakland police Officer Tuan Le remembered
Oakland police Officer Tuan Le, 36, was fatally shot in Dec. 2023 while working an undercover burglary operation at a cannabis grow house where marijuana plants had been stolen in previous burglaries that night. Thousands remembered his life and service during a memorial held for him in January.
1 killed, 3 injured in avalanche at Palisades Tahoe ski resort
An avalanche roared through a section of trails designed for expert skiers at Palisades Tahoe ski resort in January, sweeping up four people and killing one as a major storm swept across the region.
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Second avalanche hits Tahoe slopes near where skier was killed day earlier
A day after the aforementioned Tahoe avalanche, a second avalanche struck near where the skier was killed. No employees or guests were injured, though ski patrol searched the area with probes, beacons and a dog team.
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Small plane crashes into ocean off Half Moon Bay, leaving no survivors
Authorities in January found no sign of survivors after a small plane crashed off the coast of Half Moon Bay. Investigators believed there were four people in the plane at the time of the crash.
Driverless Waymo car vandalized, set on fire in San Francisco's Chinatown
A Waymo autonomous vehicle was set on fire in San Francisco's Chinatown after it was vandalized by a group of people in February. Video of the incident went viral on social media.
49ers lose Super Bowl in overtime nail-biter to Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid, repeated as Super Bowl champions in February, this time defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime.
Macy's announced it is looking to close and sell its Union Square property
As part of a company-wide initiative to close 150 stores nationwide, Macy's in February announced that it was looking to close and sell the Macy's San Francisco Union Square property. This comes as another loss to San Francisco's retail industry, on top of Westfield's plan to give up its mall along Market Street at $1.2 million. Mayor London Breed deflected claims that theft was a big reason why the retailer is choosing to leave the iconic location.
Tire falls off United plane after takeoff from SFO, damages cars in parking lot
A tire fell off a United Airlines plane taking off from San Francisco International Airport in March, damaging several vehicles in a nearby airport employee parking lot. The Japan-bound flight was diverted to Los Angeles.
Protesters shut down Golden Gate Bridge for nearly 5 hours
Dozens of activists protesting the war in Gaza shut down the Golden Gate Bridge on a mid-April morning, halting the commute into San Francisco and resulting in multiple arrests. The protesters stopped their vehicles and blocked all southbound lanes of the span, demanding that the U.S. stop arming and funding Israel, organizers said.
8-alarm fire rips through under-construction building in Redwood City
In early June, flames gutted an affordable housing complex under construction in Redwood City. No injuries were reported in the eight-alarm blaze, which also sparked an air quality advisory.
San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays dies at 93
San Francisco Giants legend and baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays died in June. He was 93. The two-time Major League Baseball most valuable player and 24-time All-Star is regarded by many as one of the best baseball players ever.
Federal agents search Mayor Sheng Thao's home and other Oakland locations
Federal agents searched the home of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao in June, along with several properties owned by men linked to a recycling company that contracts with the city. Law enforcement sources told NBC Bay Area there were four search warrant executions in Oakland as part of a larger operation. Agencies involved in the warrant operation included the FBI, IRS, and United States Postal Inspection Service, a source told NBC News.
Bay Area Olympians shine bright in the City of Light
From the swimming pool to the basketball court, Bay Area Olympians put on quite the show during the Paris Olympics, collecting medals across several events.
Harris makes history at DNC, accepting Democratic party nomination
Kamala Harris made history on the last night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in August, becoming the first Black and South Asian woman named the presidential nominee of a major party. In her speech, the Bay Area native touched on her local roots and how coming from a middle-class family influences her decisions.
Mother, son killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 85 in San Jose
A 47-year-old mother and her 14-year-old son were killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 85 in San Jose in late August. The boy, identified by his father as Charlie, and his mother, Rebecca Joanne Olsen, were heading northbound on Highway 85 near Highway 87 when they were struck head-on by a pickup truck driver going the wrong way on the highway. Rebecca and Charlie died at the scene. The pickup truck driver was taken to a hospital with major injuries.
49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall shot during robbery attempt in San Francisco
San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco's Union Square in August. After recovering, Pearsall made his NFL debut in October.
A's beat Rangers 3-2 in final home game at Coliseum
In September, the Oakland Athletics went out with a win in their final scheduled game at the Coliseum. Fans chanted “Sell the team!” and “Let's go Oakland!” amid the mixed emotions and nostalgia at the Coliseum, where the A's had played since 1968. The A’s plan to play the next three years in Sacramento with hopes of opening a new ballpark in Las Vegas ahead of the 2028 season.
Bay Area veteran asked to deplane Delta flight due to ‘threatening' shirt
A Bay Area veteran said she was removed from a Delta Air Lines flight at San Francisco International Airport in October because of the T-shirt she was wearing. The shirt read, "Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide."
Over 500 people evacuated due to Oakland Hills Keller Fire
A five-alarm brush fire near Interstate 580 sparked evacuation orders in the Oakland Hills in October amid a red flag warning. Over 500 residents were evacuated and at least two homes were impacted by the flames, but no injuries were reported. Firefighters were able to contain the fire within three days.
Bay Area voters recall 2 East Bay leaders, select new San Francisco mayor in November election
Bay Area voters made their voices heard in the November election, recalling Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, electing Daniel Lurie as the next mayor of San Francisco, and sending former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to Congress as the 16th District representative.
San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres resigns after arrest
Disgraced San Jose Councilman Omar Torres resigned in early November after his arrest on suspicion of sex crimes involving minors. Filling his vacated seat will be up to voters after the city council voted in favor of a special election.
3 college students killed, 1 injured in fiery Piedmont crash
Three college students from the East Bay were killed in a fiery crash in Piedmont the day before Thanksgiving. Another student was injured in the solo-vehicle wreck.
Strong earthquakes hit Northern California, triggering tsunami warnings
A series of high-magnitude earthquakes struck Northern California in December, including a magnitude 7.0 offshore in the Pacific Ocean that triggered a tsunami warning along coastal areas from Santa Cruz into Oregon. Aftershocks were also felt in Sacramento and the Bay Area. The tsunami warnings sent phone alerts across the Bay Area, but areas like Half Moon Bay and San Francisco held off on turning the sirens on.
Tornado touches down in the Santa Cruz Mountains
A rare tornado whipped through the Santa Cruz County community of Scotts Valley in mid-December, toppling trees and flipping cars. Multiple people were injured.
Nima Momeni found guilty of second-degree murder in Bob Lee's death
Following days of deliberations, a San Francisco jury in mid-December found tech consultant Nima Momeni guilty of second-degree murder in the 2023 stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee. Momeni faces 16 years to life in prison.
