NorCal’s Top 12 Stories Of 2022: Musk, Omicron, NBA Champs, And Quake

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA— As we close the book on 2022, here's a look back at the top Northern California news stories of the year on Patch.

John Madden: Date Set For East Bay Memorial
Jan. 7, 2022

A public memorial service would be held Feb. 15 in Oakland in honor of John Madden, a Hall of Fame football coach and iconic sports commentator.

"The Madden family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support during the difficult time following John Madden's passing," according to a statement from NFL.

Madden, 85, of Pleasanton died the morning of Dec. 28. He retired in 2009 at 73 after a four-decade career in football.

More CA Children Hospitalized In Omicron Surge Amid Low Vax Rates
Jan. 18, 2022

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COVID-19 hospitalizations among California’s children — especially those too young to go to school — were the highest they've been since the pandemic began.

Chalk it up to the highly contagious omicron variant, kids exposed during in-person instruction at school and other public places, and infants and preschoolers being ineligible for vaccination.

The state tallied nearly 850,000 cases of COVID among kids 0 to 17 since the beginning of the pandemic. Of those, 44 had died — equivalent to an entire school bus filled with kids.

CA's 100-Year Record-Low Rainfall Worsens State's Drought
March 2, 2022

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The Golden State was on its way to a third year of drought as January and February turned out to be two of the driest months in more than 100 years in California, state water officials said.

The state experienced record-breaking heat waves and only light rain in the first two months of 2022, squashing hopes that a wet October and December raised in 2021.

Just one month remains in California's wet season, and no major storms were in the forecast. The state's top water official warned that Californians should strap in for a third year of drought conditions.

Third Arrest Made In Deadly Sacramento Mass Shooting
April 5, 2022

A third man was arrested and faced gun charges in connection with the mass shooting in downtown Sacramento early Sunday that left six people dead and 12 others wounded.

Hours after police said Smiley Martin, 27, was arrested, they announced that Daviyonne Dawson, 31, was arrested and charged with unlawful gun possession.

Dawson, police said, unlawfully carried a gun in the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting.

Detectives found a handgun and arrested him late Monday.

Elon Musk Offers To Buy Twitter For $43 Billion
April 14, 2022

Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and the world's richest man, offered to buy Twitter for more than $43 billion.

Twitter said in a regulatory filing Thursday that Musk, who recently became the company's largest shareholder, proposed buying the platform's remaining shares that he doesn't already own at $54.20 per share, according to The Associated Press.

Musk, who has criticized Twitter on its free speech principles, said the company needs to be transformed as a private company. He called the price his best and final offer, but provided no financing details. The offer was non-binding and subject to financing and other conditions.

BART OKs Requiring Riders To Wear Masks With 'Limited Exceptions'
April 28, 2022

The BART Board of Directors on Thursday approved a temporary amendment to require riders to wear a mask in paid areas of the system.

BART, which carries about 170,000 passengers per week, said the measure comes with "limited exceptions."

"This requirement applies to trains and all portions of stations beyond fare gates," BART tweeted.

The rule is effective until July 18, though the board could extend the masking requirement. Free masks will be available at station agent booths and from safety staff.

NorCal Residents Reel From Highest Gas Prices In The Country
June 1, 2022

Bay Area drivers continued to reel as gas prices soared to new records over the weekend.

On Saturday, the average price of regular gasoline in California rose to more than $6 a gallon for the first time in the state’s history, according to AAA.

Drivers in the Bay Area and rural Northern California saw some of the most eye-popping prices in the entire country. The average price in the United States as of Tuesday was $4.67, compared to $6.19 in California.

Photos: Golden State Warriors Take Home 7th NBA Title
June 17, 2022

The Golden State Warriors took home their fourth NBA championship in the last eight years and the seventh overall for the franchise with Thursday night's NBA Finals victory, rebounding this season after having their worst record two seasons earlier.

The Warriors accomplished that by defeating the Boston Celtics in Game 6, 103-90. Steph Curry was named the Finals MVP, partly with a performance Thursday night in which he scored 34 points including back-to-back 3-pointers in the third quarter.

See photos of the game and the Golden State Warriors celebrating their win.

Protests Planned Across Bay Area After SCOTUS Overturns Roe V. Wade
June 24, 2022

People dismayed by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States, organized protests around the Bay Area.

Demonstrations were held in San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo, Napa, San Rafael, San Leandro, Oakland and Hayward.

Man Accused In Attack On Nancy Pelosi's Husband Identified
Oct. 28, 2022

The man who attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of the speaker of the House and longtime Democratic congresswoman from California Nancy Pelosi, was identified by police as 42-year-old David Depape.

Paul Pelosi, 82, was violently assaulted at the couple's home in San Francisco with a hammer by a man who broke into the residence, according to the speaker's office and authorities. Paul Pelosi was at a hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.

Elizabeth Holmes, Disgraced Theranos Founder, Gets 11 Years In Prison
Nov. 18, 2022

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of disgraced medical startup Theranos who was found guilty of investor fraud in January, was sentenced to 11.25 years in prison on Friday.

Her prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release and Holmes will be required to self-surrender on April 27, NBC's Scott Budman reported from the courtroom.

"I am devastated by my failings," Holmes said just before sentencing, according to Budman. "I have felt deep pain for what people went through, because I failed them ... To investors, patients, I am sorry."

2 Dead, 11 Hurt After 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes NorCal
Dec. 20, 2022

Two people died following a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Northern California early Tuesday morning. The quake knocked out power to 72,000 customers, damaged roads, bridges, businesses and homes, and triggered dozens of aftershocks.

Approximately 11 people were injured, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said in an early afternoon statement. Officials noted there were two deaths as result of “medical emergencies” during or just after the quake.

The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services initially tweeted that there were reports of “widespread damages to roads and homes,” but authorities subsequently indicated there were pockets of significant damage but overall it was less than what might be expected from the size of the temblor.