SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – Police are investigating why a tow truck in San Francisco attempted to snatch a moving vehicle with people inside.

On Thursday we will learn new details about the towing company.

It was a terrible experience that Joanne and her husband are still coming to terms with.

“We freaked out, called, rolled down the window and said, 'Hey, what are you doing? You can't do that,'” Joanne said.

EXCLUSIVE: Couple shocked after tow truck tries to grab their moving car in San Francisco

An East Bay couple describes the horrific turn of events when a tow truck attempted to tow them while they were driving through downtown San Francisco.

A yellow tow truck backed up and tried to hook up her vehicle. Joanne said they were waiting at a red light in San Francisco.

“He started reversing, his lever came down and basically he was just reversing and trying to cling to our car,” Joanne said.

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu confirmed that the towing company Specialty Towing was already known to his agency for violating state law prior to this incident.

“This company appears to be the same towing company that my office previously requested be suspended and barred from city contracts,” Chiu said.

After watching the video, Chiu said the latest incident was illegal.

“It could likely violate a number of laws – possibly even criminal ones,” Chiu said. “The fact that we've once again seen this company violate the law is unfortunately not surprising, but the video is shocking nonetheless.”

Prior to this incident, the city had received complaints from several victims who allegedly had been defrauded by Specialty Towing.

MORE: New program in San Francisco sends you a text message when your car is towed

The city subsequently banned Specialty Towing and two other towing companies under the same ownership from cooperating with the city in enforcing parking laws.

“Specialty Towing is an affiliate of a company called Auto Towing. They are basically all part of the same company. Auto Towing was illegally towing cars from a private property without getting permission from the property owner. In addition, they strictly limited the times cars could be picked up and pressured owners to pay in cash,” Chiu said.

ABC7 News called the Specialty Towing phone number listed on one of the trucks and the employee hung up. We went to Auto Towing in Bayview and looked for answers.

We were told over the phone that Auto Towing is no longer in business and the person on the phone said they are not affiliated with Specialty Towing.

The SFPD is now calling on other victims to come forward.

“It's crazy. We ask victims to contact the police immediately if something like this has happened to them,” said Officer Paulina Henderson of the San Francisco Police Department.

The prosecutor said Specialty Towing also allegedly defrauded San Francisco taxpayers to receive welfare benefits.

In this case, it is still unclear why the couple was targeted. The couple said they filed a report with police and confirmed that the car and registration were paid off.

If you use the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – It is this industry that is expected to contribute to the revitalization of San Francisco by attracting the major players in artificial intelligence to the city center.

But on Monday, Replit, an AI company valued at over $1 billion, announced its withdrawal from the city.

Despite the move, Replit says it won’t go far.

They just move down the peninsula to Foster City.

“A single company is not a trend. That is my opinion,” said Ahmed Banafa.

MORE: San Francisco currently has 35% office vacancy rate, highest ever: Data

Banafa is a technology expert at San Jose State University.

He says the move doesn't change the fact that San Francisco remains the undisputed AI capital – not just here in the Bay Area, but around the world.

It's not clear how many employees Replit has, but Banafa says he would be concerned if larger companies like OpenAI decided to leave.

“They're called anchor companies that everyone cares about. But when you have companies that are just starting out or new to the field, there are thousands of AI companies,” Banafa said.

Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, shared this view.

MORE: Experts explain how OpenAI's leadership shakeup could impact San Francisco

Because the Bay Area economy largely functions as a single unit, San Francisco will still benefit from Replit's proximity, Wunderman says.

“The fact that a company is in the middle of the action in San Francisco itself, in Silicon Valley, in San Jose or in San Mateo County, each has its own clear advantages. But the company's location also benefits those outside of that region,” Wunderman said.

But leaving San Francisco is only part of the story, said the company's CEO, who explained his reasons in a thread on X.

It states, among other things:

“The 'why' we're leaving is boring, sad, and predictable (crime, dysfunction, etc.), so instead let me tell you why we chose Foster City.”

MORE: Biden's executive order sets new rules for AI. Here they are.

In the rest of his article, he describes what he finds attractive about the city on the peninsula.

Namely the safe environment, the ideal location and the high standard of living.

Foster City officials say they are happy about this and hope that more companies will follow in Replit's footsteps.

“We are a prime location for offices and we have this technology center, this biotechnology center, all coupled with the beautiful residential and recreational amenities that the city has to offer,” said Marlene Subhashini, deputy city manager of Foster City.

If you use the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

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AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — Which U.S. cities saw the most people move to – and move away from – in the last year?

Moving and storage company PODS has released its data showing which cities across the country attracted the most new residents and which saw the most people packing up and moving away.

You may have seen the Florida-based company's shipping containers on driveways in your neighborhood. Founded in 1998, the company lets movers fill the PODS with their belongings and then ships them to the new address.

Cities with the most departures

1. Los Angeles, California (ranked 1 in 2023)
2. San Francisco and surrounding areas, Northern California (ranked 2nd in 2023)
3. Greater Miami, South Florida (ranked 5th in 2023)
4. Long Island, New York, serves parts of New York City (ranked 4th in 2023)
5. Austin, Texas (not listed in 2023)
6. Central Jersey, New Jersey (ranked 6th in 2023)
7. Chicago, Illinois (ranked 3rd in 2023)
8. San Diego, California (ranked 14th in 2023)
9. Stockton-Modesto, California (ranked 9th in 2023)
10. Hudson Valley, New York (ranked 11th in 2023)
11. Santa Barbara, California (ranked 10th in 2023)
12. Denver, Colorado (ranked 18th in 2023)
13. Boston, Massachusetts (not listed in 2023)
14. Baltimore, Maryland (ranked 12th in 2023)
15. Hartford, Connecticut (ranked 20th in 2023)
16. Portland, Oregon (not listed in 2023)
17. Fresno, California (not listed in 2023)
18. Bakersfield, California (not listed in 2023)
19. Northern New Jersey, serving parts of New York City (ranked 15th in 2023)
20. Minneapolis, Minnesota (not listed in 2023)

According to PODS data, California has the highest concentration of out-migration of any U.S. state, with seven cities or regions represented in the PODS top 20 rankings.

In Texas, the once-hot Austin market made its first appearance in the PODS rankings. Dwindling affordability and inaccessibility of housing are two of the factors contributing to these declines, according to PODS data. The analysis also suggested that current uncertainty and layoffs in the tech industry – a major industry that moved operations and staff to the Texas capital during the pandemic – may also be making residents hesitant about whether to continue living in Austin.

The moving company also pointed to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau that showed Austin saw a smaller net increase in new residents based on July 2023 estimates.

Census data shows two cities rise on the list of the 15 largest cities in the U.S.

Another Texas city, Houston, is experiencing an influx of new residents. Houston ranks third among cities with the most new residents according to PODS.

Among these rankings, there was a clear trend toward moves to the Carolinas. PODS data found that the cost of living in both states is in line with the national average, while the regions offer beaches, mountains, green spaces and strong metropolitan areas, as well as four-season weather and a strong arts and culture scene.

Cities with the most new arrivals

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina (also ranked No. 1 in 2023)
2. Ocala, Florida (ranked 4th in 2023)
3. Houston, Texas (ranked 5th in 2023)
4. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (ranked 10th in 2023)
5. Charlotte, North Carolina (ranked 16th in 2023)
6. Raleigh, North Carolina (ranked 20th in 2023)
7. Phoenix, Arizona (ranked 18th in 2023)
8. Knoxville, Tennessee (ranked 7th in 2023)
9. Jacksonville, Florida (8th in 2023)
10. Asheville, North Carolina (ranked 17th in 2023)
11. Boise, Idaho (ranked 15th in 2023)
12. Portland, Maine (ranked 13th in 2023)
13. Nashville, Tennessee (ranked 11th in 2023)
14. Atlanta, Georgia (not listed in 2023)
15. Johnson City, Tennessee (not listed in 2023)
16. Huntsville, Alabama (not listed in 2023)
17. Dover, Delaware (not listed in 2023)
18. Orlando, Florida (3rd place in 2023)
19. Savannah, Georgia (ranked 19th in 2023)
20. Greensboro, North Carolina (not listed in 2023)

More details on PODS analysis can be found online.

The post San Francisco one in every of prime ‘move-out cities,’ in line with PODS shifting firm appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Kelsey Thompson and Jeremy Tanner

1 day ago

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — Which U.S. cities saw the most people move to – and move away from – in the last year?

Moving and storage company PODS has released its data showing which cities across the country attracted the most new residents and which saw the most people packing up and moving away.

You may have seen the Clearwater, Florida-based company's shipping containers on driveways in your neighborhood. Founded in 1998, the company lets movers fill the PODS with their belongings and then ships them to the new address.

Cities with the most departures

1. Los Angeles, California (ranked 1 in 2023)
2. San Francisco and surrounding areas, Northern California (ranked 2nd in 2023)
3. Greater Miami, South Florida (ranked 5th in 2023)
4. Long Island, New York, serves parts of New York City (ranked 4th in 2023)
5. Austin, Texas (not listed in 2023)
6. Central Jersey, New Jersey (ranked 6th in 2023)
7. Chicago, Illinois (ranked 3rd in 2023)
8. San Diego, California (ranked 14th in 2023)
9. Stockton-Modesto, California (ranked 9th in 2023)
10. Hudson Valley, New York (11th in 2023)
11. Santa Barbara, California (ranked 10th in 2023)
12. Denver, Colorado (ranked 18th in 2023)
13. Boston, Massachusetts (not listed in 2023)
14. Baltimore, Maryland (ranked 12th in 2023)
15. Hartford, Connecticut (ranked 20th in 2023)
16. Portland, Oregon (not listed in 2023)
17. Fresno, California (not listed in 2023)
18. Bakersfield, California (not listed in 2023)
19. Northern New Jersey, serving parts of New York City (ranked 15th in 2023)
20. Minneapolis, Minnesota (not listed in 2023)

According to PODS data, California has the highest concentration of out-migration of any U.S. state, with seven cities or regions represented in the PODS top 20 rankings.

In Texas, the once-hot Austin market made its first appearance in the PODS rankings. Dwindling affordability and inaccessibility of housing are two of the factors contributing to these declines, according to PODS data. The analysis also suggested that current uncertainty and layoffs in the tech industry – a major industry that moved operations and staff to the Texas capital during the pandemic – may also be making residents hesitant about whether to continue living in Austin.

The moving company also pointed to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau that showed Austin saw a smaller net increase in new residents based on July 2023 estimates.

Census data shows two cities rise on the list of the 15 largest cities in the U.S.

Another Texas city, Houston, is experiencing an influx of new residents. Houston ranks third among cities with the most new residents according to PODS.

Among these rankings, there was a clear trend toward moves to the Carolinas. PODS data found that the cost of living in both states is in line with the national average, while the regions offer beaches, mountains, green spaces and strong metropolitan areas, as well as four-season weather and a strong arts and culture scene.

Cities with the most new arrivals

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina (also ranked No. 1 in 2023)
2. Ocala, Florida (ranked 4th in 2023)
3. Houston, Texas (ranked 5th in 2023)
4. Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (ranked 10th in 2023)
5. Charlotte, North Carolina (ranked 16th in 2023)
6. Raleigh, North Carolina (ranked 20th in 2023)
7. Phoenix, Arizona (ranked 18th in 2023)
8. Knoxville, Tennessee (ranked 7th in 2023)
9. Jacksonville, Florida (8th in 2023)
10. Asheville, North Carolina (ranked 17th in 2023)
11. Boise, Idaho (ranked 15th in 2023)
12. Portland, Maine (ranked 13th in 2023)
13. Nashville, Tennessee (ranked 11th in 2023)
14. Atlanta, Georgia (not listed in 2023)
15. Johnson City, Tennessee (not listed in 2023)
16. Huntsville, Alabama (not listed in 2023)
17. Dover, Delaware (not listed in 2023)
18. Orlando, Florida (3rd place in 2023)
19. Savannah, Georgia (ranked 19th in 2023)
20. Greensboro, North Carolina (not listed in 2023)

More details on PODS analysis can be found online.

The post San Diego amongst high ‘move-out cities,’ based on PODS shifting firm appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Kathleen Anne Hughes Anderson. Photo courtesy of Diantha Stensrud.

BY EMILY MIBACH
Editor of the Daily Post

Atherton's former arborist has been identified as the woman found stabbed to death in her Menlo Park home.

Kathleen Anne Hughes Anderson, 62, was the arborist for the City of Atherton for 22 years, from November 1989 until her retirement in November 2011. She was the widow of Billy “Andy” Anderson, who owned Dahl Plumbing on Alma Street in Palo Alto. Andy Anderson died in 2007.

Before his death, the two were married for about 30 years and had no children.

Anderson was from Decatur, Illinois, and came to California to attend school in the 1980s, said her brother-in-law, Barry Anderson, who also works for the post office. The couple were regulars at the Alpine Beer Garden in Portola Valley.

Anderson was known for her green thumb at work and at home. Barry Anderson said her garden at her home at 925 Valparaiso Ave. was “amazing.”

Atherton Town Clerk Theresa DellaSanta said Anderson “was very passionate about her work as an arborist.”

Franz Wolke

“She had a deep passion for landscaping and trees, and she shared that love with many of our town residents by spending time with them in their gardens and giving them insight into tree pruning and planting,” DellaSanta wrote. “It was the little things Kathy did around town that residents remember and came to love about her. Kathy was a beacon of positivity to all who came into contact with her, and her impact on the trees in Atherton will last for many generations to come.”

Police found Anderson stabbed to death in her home on Wednesday (Dec. 12) after receiving a 911 call from Daniel Baggett, a former tenant of Anderson's. Baggett told police to The Post he stopped by at 5 p.m. on Wednesday after driving by and noticing her garbage cans were still on the side of the road a day after garbage collection. He also saw that her bedroom window, which was normally open, was closed, he said.

Baggett said he saw the back door was open and went into the house. He spotted Francis Wolke, 36, of Cincinnati, Ohio, at the top of the stairs. Baggett called 911. Police arrested Wolke on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Was there a connection between the three people?

District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Friday that his office and Menlo Park police are still investigating the connection between Wolke, Baggett and Anderson, if there is one. Wagstaffe said the relationship between Anderson and Baggett was not rosy and that investigators are “digging” into the pasts of the three people to find a connection.

Wolke had an arrest warrant issued by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office for prowling and drug possession from a 2014 case.

While police believe Wolke's current address is in Cincinnati, records indicate he was living in San Francisco in 2014. Wagstaffe said Wolke has not made any statement about why he allegedly murdered Anderson.

Wagstaffe said Anderson died as a result of being stabbed in the head with a “sharp object,” but because the investigation is ongoing, he could not yet identify the object.

Wolke is in prison without bail.

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SAN FRANCISCO — A California couple is detailing the horrific turn of events when a tow truck attempted to tow them away as they drove through downtown San Francisco earlier this week.

“We were at a stoplight minding our own business,” said Joanne, who gave only her first name. She described running errands with her husband on Tuesday morning.

While the couple was stopped, they thought the yellow Specialty Towing truck was moving toward a nearby Waymo autonomous vehicle. But soon it became too close for comfort.

“It came from the side. I thought he was turning right. It started in reverse and all the lights came on. We thought, 'Hey, something's really wrong. His lever fell down,'” she said.

In a video captured by a witness, the tow truck can be seen making multiple attempts to attach itself to his 2017 Toyota Corolla.

On video, a witness can be heard shouting: “What the hell are you doing?”

When the traffic light turns green, the Waymo drives off alongside Joanne and her husband. Then the couple realizes that they are stuck in front of a black limousine.

“We completely freaked out. The first instinct was to get away,” Joanne said.

RELATED: Woman rescued from dump truck after falling into dumpster and was driven away while trash was being picked up

Luckily, the black car reverses and Joanne's husband can drive away. Then the tow truck begins chasing them for several blocks.

“It's definitely really scary,” said Joanne, who looks back on the incident and wonders what would have happened if the tow truck had managed to attach itself to her car.

ABC San Francisco affiliate KGO reached out to Special Towing via email and phone but received no response.

The company, along with two other companies, was indicted by prosecutor David Chiu in February on charges of fraud and illegal towing of parked cars. His office called the company “unscrupulous” in an online press release. Specialty Towing is now prohibited from offering or accepting city contracts.

Joanne and her husband said they were eventually able to get rid of the tow truck and drove back home to the East Bay. They claim they did nothing wrong and are still baffled as to why they were targeted.

“Full disclaimer: I definitely paid off my car. I paid for my admission,” she said.

Joanne plans to file a police report soon and is sharing her story to make other drivers aware.

“Be more careful when they're driving around and make sure you do your best to protect yourself if something doesn't look right,” she said.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

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The artificial intelligence company unveiled its new voice engine technology on Friday, just over a week after filing a trademark application for the name.

The company claims that it can recreate a person's voice with just 15 seconds of recording that person speaking.

OpenAI says it plans to test it with early testers, but “will not generally release this technology at this time” due to the risk of misuse.

“We recognize that producing speech that resembles people’s voices poses serious risks, which are particularly great in an election year,” the San Francisco company said in a statement.

In New Hampshire, authorities are investigating robocalls sent to thousands of voters just before the presidential primary that featured an AI-generated voice imitating President Joe Biden.

A number of start-up companies are already selling voice cloning technology, some of which are available to the public or to select business customers such as entertainment studios.

OpenAI says its initial voice engine testers agreed not to impersonate a person without their consent and to disclose that the voices are AI-generated.

The company, best known for its chatbot and image generator DALL-E, took a similar approach when it announced but did not widely release its video generator Sora.

However, a trademark application filed on March 19 shows that OpenAI is likely aiming to get into the speech recognition and digital voice assistant business.

Ultimately, improving this technology could help OpenAI compete with other voice products like Amazon's Alexa.

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BERKELEY — Blame it on the pandemic or the rising cost of inflation, but whatever the cause Bay Area animal shelters are in crisis. 

And across the region, people are stepping up to help like the workers at  L.J. Kruse Plumbing in Berkeley.

Every Thursday morning, Marie McLean, who works at the century old-plumbing company, walks a few blocks to the Berkeley Humane Society shelter.  

 “It’s a joy to everyone in the office,” said McLean, who has worked at the plumbing company for 15 years. “We love the dogs. You feed a dog, you walk a dog, you play with it a little bit and then you go on a break and it’s at the gate crying for you. That’s amazing.” 

 Berkeley Humane has been in partnership with Kruse for a while. On this day, McLean picked up a 1-year-old terroir mix named Hugo, who was found abandoned in Oakland. 

The sweet-natured pup spends a few hours in the plumbing company offices, winning over the hearts of all who work there.

“The hope is that this dog will find a loving home,” McLean told KPIX. 

 Will Kruse is the vice president and service manager. He loves having dogs like Hugo in the office.   

 “We care about animals and recusing animals here,” said Kruse.  “Berkeley Humane is just a couple blocks away so it’s a natural partnership” 

 Over the last decade. Kruse says some of his workers and even customers have adopted dogs that they’ve brought into the office.  

 This is special because Will grew up down the street and actually volunteered at Berkeley Humane when he was a kid.  

 “Means a lot for me as an adult and businessowners to give back to the community that I grew up in,” said Kruse. 

 Kruse Plumbing has a donation program going right now.  Every $3 of every service call will be donated to Berkeley Humane. 

More from CBS News

Justin Andrews

Justin Andrews joined the KPIX 5 news team in May 2021. You can catch his reports on the morning and noon newscasts.

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