Back in 1999, while Prince was partying, the NBA played a 50 game strike-shortened season that ended with the San Antonio Spurs being crowned champions. That first title for the Spurs began their odd dynasty as they would win the NBA Finals in only odd number years (2003, ‘05, and ’07). The only two figures who have been there from the beginning is power forward Tim Duncan and head coach Gregg Popovich. Although Duncan at 36 years old is still looking spry and rejuvenated enough to play a few more years, this may his and his more aged cohorts Tony Parker (30) and Manu Ginobli (34), who both have won three titles, best last chance to win another ring.

The last time the Spurs won the title in 2007 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t even exist. The franchise known as the Seattle Supersonics two weeks after the 2007 Finals would draft Kevin Durant. After playing one more year in the Pacific Northwest, the team moved to the Southwest and, boom, the Sonics became the Thunder. That same year, the Sonics/Thunder drafted Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka.

The history of these franchises may play a larger part in the outcome of this series than the recent three game regular season series won by the Spurs 2-1. The Spurs will rely on their reservoir of past championship experiences that got deeper with the mid-season return of swingman Stephen Jackson, who left via free agency after winning a ring in 2003. The Thunder will rely on its recent draft history that includes Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and James Harden, who was drafted in 2009.

Set up like a Hollywood showdown, this series pits the Old West versus the New West. Although it’s not an odd year, an omen for the Spurs is that it’s a labor-shortened season similar to when the team won their first title. Omen spelled backwards is Nemo, as in Finding Nemo, and the Thunder is ready to show the world that they’re young but ready like the movie titular’s clownfish character.

SPURS ADVANTAGES

Home Court: The Spurs as the No. 1 seed have the home court advantage over the No. 2 Thunder and, as so often in a series between closely matched teams, it could come down to that extra home game. In a Game 7, the home team wins 80% of the time. The Spurs have not lost since a regular season game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 11. That is 18 consecutive games including the playoffs sweeps over the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. Like Newton’s first law of motion states that things in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, the Spurs are playing with a confidence that the force of the Thunder is not enough to stop its winning ways.

Three-Point Shooting: During the regular season, the Spurs were second in the league for three-points made per game (8.4) and led in three-point shooting percentage (.393). Along with Manu Ginobli, rookie small forward Kawhi Leonard, shooting guard Danny Green and power forward Matt Bonner, and reserve guard Gary Neal, the Spurs have a lethal deep shooting team. This lethal weapon has only become deadlier in the playoffs with increases in made threes to 8.9 and shooting percentage spiking at .423. However, the Thunder three-point shooting in the playoffs has become less dependable. Their three-points made has dropped from 7.2 to 6.4 per game and shooting percentage has dipped from .358 to .354.

Coaching: This is no disrespect to Thunder head coach Scotty Brooks, but Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is playing chess while Brooks is playing checkers. Although, Brooks has to be given credit for quickly turning around the Thunder after taking over early on in the 2008 season as the team labored under former coach P.J. Carlesimo. Also, Brooks engineered perhaps the turning point of the Lakers’ series in Game 2 by springing Durant on Kobe Bryant late in that game, which forced the turnover that got the Thunder rolling to the victory. However, Popovich brings the steel nerves earned through Air Force intelligence training. He never is afraid to do the unorthodox that could create advantages like in the Clippers’ series fouling Reggie Evans, a poor free throw shooter, to thwart a comeback. Beyond that, he has created a system that, although anchored by self-less superstar Duncan, gets the best out of each individual player.

X-Factor: Contain Russell Westbrook. The prevailing thought is that the Spurs have no one to defend 6’-10” Durant on the wing, but may try with 6’-7” rookie Kawhi Leonard. But Westbrook sets the agenda and if he gets off early, the Thunder is primed for victory. Specifically, the Spurs must make Westbrook drive rather than give him the opportunity to make his mid-range jumper. He has become proficient in this area of the court, whereas drives to the basket increases chances of a turnover or passing to an interior player like Serge Ibaka or center Kendrick Perkins, who are not offensive threats. That means Tony Parker may be relied on more for his defense than his offense.

THUNDER ADVANTAGES:

Transition Offense: The Thunder offense is based on its three perimeter players Durant, Westbrook and Harden making outside shots or driving to the basket. But the Thunder becomes explosive and almost unbeatable if they are running in transition. This not only get its big offensive weapons quick points, but allows the role players like Ibaka or three-point shooter reserve Daequan Cook to contribute offensively. The best way to achieve this is to force its opponent to take and miss perimeter shots. With its big three hovering on the perimeter defending, any long rebound from an outside shot will ignite the break. Missed threes by the Spurs will be like lighting fluid to the Thunder offensive firepower.

Tuned-Up: While the Spurs have had an easy time battling an overachieving Jazz and less experienced and run-down injured Clippers, the Thunder faced more formidable challengers from defending champions Dallas Mavericks and Lakers. The Thunder showed mettle squeaking out two early wins at home versus the Mavs bolstering its confidence that it could win close games. Just as Durant made a game-winning shot versus the Mavs, he did that and more against the Lakers with his late defensive actions guarding Bryant and steals that played a big role in two wins.

Interior Defense: The defense of Perkins, Ibaka and Nick Collison off the bench was key in controlling the Lakers frontcourt of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. They will not be charged with as challenging of a task in this series with priority given to just Duncan and can almost ignore the other inside players in Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter. With so little concern for the Spurs’ post play, the Thunder’s back-up center Nazr Mohammed may not even play much. Nonetheless, the presence of these interior defenders on Duncan can help the Thunder primary perimeter defenders like Thabo Sefolosha and Derek Fisher remain snug with the Spurs’ three-point shooters.

X-Factor: The Thunder must find a way to keep in check the Spurs’ wildcard Manu Ginobli. He will fill whatever role is necessary to win: three-point shooter, distributor, perimeter defender or just overall menace. However, the Thunder have yet to see him in action all year as he missed all three regular season games between the two teams due to injuries.

OKC IN 6

Martin Sumners is an NBA columnist for IamaGM.com. Find out more about Martin at sumsoul.com and follow him on Twitter @sumsoul.

The big-rig appeared to have crushed a Honda sedan at the eastbound McKee Road on-ramp to northbound I-680, CHP Officer Kevin Bartlett said. The crash was reported at 9:57 a.m.

A Sig-alert was issued for the on-ramp at 10:07 a.m., Bartlett said.

An occupant of the Honda was killed, and the coroner was called to the scene at 10:12 a.m., Bartlett said.

No other injuries have been reported, Bartlett said.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Jacqueline Rivera entered the plea to charges of attempted murder, arson and burglary on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said the 21-year-old man awoke to his bed on fire on April 26 and screamed for his father, who put the flames out with a garden hose. He suffered minor burns on his arms and hands.

He and Rivera had apparently dated for several months, but Rivera was upset because she thought he had been unfaithful.

She allegedly showed up at his house on the day of the incident to talk about their relationship.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Obama departed from Moffett Field in Air Force One at about 10:20 a.m., just 16 hours after he arrived.

The president wrapped up his Bay Area visit Thursday morning with an 8:30 a.m. fundraiser at the Fairmont San Jose hotel, with tickets priced at $35,800 per person.

After arriving at Moffett Field just before 6:20 p.m. Wednesday, Obama headed to a fundraising dinner at the Atherton home of philanthropists Lisa and Doug Goldman.

Obama then continued on to Redwood City’s Fox Theatre for a campaign rally, where he was greeted by hundreds of supporters and several groups of protesters outside. Tickets started at $250, with premium seating for the event ranging from $1,000 per person to $12,500.

The president is now headed to Iowa, with stops planned in the cities of Newton and Des Moines.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The carjacking was reported at about 1:40 a.m. near the intersection of Battery and Washington streets in the Financial District.

The suspects broke the window of the woman’s car and ordered her out of the vehicle while simulating that they had a handgun, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.

The suspects then took the vehicle, which was spotted a short time later traveling east on the Bay Bridge, Esparza said.

Authorities tried to stop the car but it continued into Oakland and exited the highway at West Grand Avenue. One of the suspects then got out of the car and tried to run away, but was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit, Esparza said.

The driver continued for a short distance but then stopped at Maritime Street and was taken into custody as well, according to Esparza.

Police have not yet released the identities of the two suspects.

The woman was not injured in the carjacking, and no one was hurt during the pursuit.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

At about 1:10 p.m. last Wednesday, police received a report of a woman who brandished a knife at a store in the El Cerrito Plaza shopping center in the 6500 block of Fairmount Avenue, police said.

Police Cpl. Gilbert Tang said that when the woman attempted to leave the store without paying for some merchandise she had taken, employees there tried to restrain her.

That prompted the suspect to brandish a knife, which she waved threateningly at store employees before fleeing the store while pushing a stroller with a baby inside, police said.

Officers located the woman, 29-year-old Booshondia Daniel, at the nearby El Cerrito Plaza BART station, Tang said.

Daniel was identified as the suspect in the armed theft and was arrested and booked into jail in Martinez, police said.

During a search, police found her to be in possession of a burglary tool and a glass pipe, according to police.

She has since been charged with second-degree robbery and an enhancement for use of a deadly weapon, a Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman said.

The infant’s father took custody of the baby at the El Cerrito Police Department.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Officers responded to reports of a reckless driver on northbound U.S. Highway 101 near Bicentennial Avenue at 2:55 p.m.

The CHP then received reports that the vehicle, a 1981 Datsun 280ZX, had parked across a curb on Old Redwood Highway at Ursuline Road, and that the driver was seen stumbling away.

CHP officers arrived and found a woman lying in the dirt about 30 feet from the car.

The woman was so intoxicated she was unable to stand on her own, and officers helped her to her feet and escorted her back toward her car, according to the CHP.

As they were walking with her, she attempted to break away from the officers. She was then arrested on suspicion of DUI. The CHP identified her as Ellen Underwood, 32, of Oakland.

Once in the back of the patrol car, she again attempted to escape, kicking at the car’s windows, according to the CHP.

After arriving at the Sonoma County Jail, Underwood kicked an officer in the leg and torso as he was preparing paperwork, and continued to resist jail personnel violently, CHP officials said.

Underwood has a prior conviction for DUI, according to the CHP.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Devils turned a stellar first nine minutes and an opportunistic final five into a stirring victory over the Rangers that moved New Jersey within one win of a trip to the Stanley Cup finals.

Suddenly, No. 1 seed New York is on the brink — again.

No one would have guessed when Travis Zajac scored 9:49 in to give the Devils a three-goal lead that they would be desperately looking for one more late in the third to hold off the Rangers, who had fought back to tie and appeared to have every bit of the momentum.

But the game, and perhaps the entire Eastern Conference finals, changed in the blink of an eye when Ryan Carter put the Devils in front to stay.

Carter snapped a tie with 4:24 left, and New Jersey survived en route to a 5-3 victory over New York after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

The rugged fourth-line forward, who had only four goals and four assists in 72 games with Florida and New Jersey, already has three goals in the playoffs, including two in the East finals.

The Devils, who led 3-0 before the first period was half over, have a 3-2 edge in the series and can advance to face the Los Angeles Kings in the finals with a win at home on Friday night. If the Rangers can stay alive, Game 7 would be back in Madison Square Garden Sunday.

“It’s a good feeling,” goalie Martin Brodeur said of the Devils’ status. “We worked really hard to get in that position. (There’s been) a lot of unsung heroes and guys producing at different times. Players are playing well. We’ve just got to keep going.

“Nothing is done yet.”

The Devils seemed primed for an easy win when Stephen Gionta and Patrik Elias scored within the first 4:13. Travis Zajac made it 3-0 before the Rangers woke up and began chipping away.

Brandon Prust brought New York within 3-1 before the first period was over, and Ryan Callahan made it a one-goal game in the first minute of the second. The Garden really rocked when Marian Gaborik tied it at 3 just 17 seconds into the third.

But the comeback was for naught. Carter put the Devils back in front, and Zach Parise sealed it with an empty-net goal.

“I thought,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said, “we probably played our best game of the series.”

Once Gaborik tied it with an unassisted goal that ricocheted in off the skate of Brodeur, it appeared the Rangers would ride the comeback all the way to one of the most stirring wins in team history — one that would rival victories over New Jersey in the classic 1994 East finals when the Rangers erased a 3-2 series hole behind Mark Messier’s guarantee.

Carter made sure it wouldn’t happen.

“You have to (keep it together) this time of year,” Gionta said. “You have to have a short memory. Fortunately we did and came out with the victory.”

Ilya Kovalchuk knocked Michael Del Zotto off the puck in the right corner, and Gionta sent a pass in front to Carter — who had just charged in front from the bench — for a quick shot that beat Henrik Lundqvist.

“A great play by Kovy to separate their (defensemen) from the puck,” Carter said. “Gio scooped the puck up, took a look and made a fantastic pass to me. All I had to was redirect it.”

New Jersey was outshot 28-17 overall and had only six shots in the third period, but two of them went in. Now the Devils are on the verge of their first Cup finals appearance since they won their third title in 2003.

Brodeur, the backbone of every New Jersey title, kept his focus throughout the third when he was loudly taunted with chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” after New York got even.

“It was a mistake,” Brodeur said of Gaborik’s goal. “I’m pretty happy that the boys bounced back and made this a win for us. It would have been tough and people would have blamed that mishandle.”

The Rangers were ultimately done in by another terrible start. For the 13th straight game in these playoffs, the team that scored first in New York’s contests has gone on to win. The Rangers had been on a pattern of win-one, lose-one, but now they are on the verge of elimination with their second two-game losing streak in a series this year.

The only time the Rangers have won two straight in a playoff series is when they overcame a 3-2 hole in the first round and knocked out Ottawa. They have faced elimination three times already this postseason.

“We have to. There is no other way around it,” Lundqvist said of the Rangers’ comeback chances. “We have to bring all the good things we did and keep doing them in the next game. We played really well in the second and third period.”

They couldn’t say the same about the first.

“It’s different when you go down 3-0. You don’t have a whole lot to lose,” Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. “It was good nonetheless. Now it’s 3-2. Now we have to win two. That’s the bottom line.”

The Rangers burned their timeout early, and Devils coach Peter DeBoer spent his with 10:17 left. Parise implored his teammates on the bench to, `Come on boys.’ and the messages from the coach and the captain did the trick.

New Jersey surely never thought it would be in this kind of fight after storming in front early.

“It wasn’t pretty by any means, what we did tonight,” Parise said. “But we’re going home with a 3-2 lead.”

Not only didn’t the Rangers have the strong start they craved and insisted they needed, they were practically run out of their building less than 10 minutes in.

The same problems that plagued New York in its 4-1 loss in Game 4, when the Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, cropped up again in front of the home fans that grew frustrated and angry early.

Gionta got the Devils going 2:43 in when he gathered a rebound of Mark Fayne’s shot right in front of Lundqvist, steadied himself without any pressure from the defense, and slipped in his third goal of the playoffs to start the barrage.

Elias made it 2-0 just 1:30 later on New Jersey’s fourth shot of the night.

After Kovalchuk fumbled the puck just inside the blue line, he dived to keep it from leaving the Rangers’ zone. The puck eventually came to Adam Henrique at the right point for a shot that was stopped by Lundqvist. Elias got it in front and scored his fourth.

Tortorella used his timeout then, but it made little difference. He appeared to be calm as he moved back and forth behind the bench while talking to his players. Whatever the message was didn’t sink in.

The Devils shrugged off a few scoring chances by the Rangers, and padded their lead again.

Just 5:26 after Elias’ goal, Zajac made it 3-0 with his seventh of the playoffs. Bryce Salvador wiped out Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the New Jersey end and started the play going the other way. Zajac got a clean shot from just inside the right circle that sailed past Lundqvist and beat him inside the left post at 9:49.

The tide began to turn the Rangers’ way the rest of the period as they allowed only one shot the rest of the period and began cutting into the deficit.

Prust, making his return following a one-game suspension for an elbow he delivered to the head of Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in Game 3, showed off a bit of scoring touch when he converted on a breakaway with 4:19 left in the first.

The Rangers outshot the Devils 9-6 in the lopsided first period, but continued their sudden defensive dominance well into the second. Then they cut the Devils’ lead down to a goal just 32 seconds into the second.

Brandon Dubinsky, back from a foot injury, fired a shot from the left point that was deflected in front and caromed toward the left corner. Artem Anisimov flung the puck back toward the crease and it struck the left skate of the driving Callahan and got past Brodeur. The goal stood up after a brief video review.

New Jersey didn’t record its first shot of the period, and its second since its third goal, until Henrique put a puck in on Lundqvist at 6:23.

Lundqvist, who had stopped 94 percent of the shots he faced in the playoffs before Wednesday, made just 12 saves. The Rangers allowed five goals one game after allowing four for the first time in this postseason.

To make the finals now, New York will have to win a third consecutive seven-game series. The Rangers have already played 19 postseason games.

“We have to have a short memory,” McDonagh said. “We’ve been in this position before in this playoffs and we found a way to get it done. We don’t want to look ahead. We have to win two games, but we just have to focus on winning one.”

Notes: Dubinsky had been sidelined since he was injured in the Rangers’ victory over Ottawa in Game 7 of the first round. He sat out all seven games of the second round against Washington and the first four against New Jersey. John Mitchell was scratched to make room in the lineup. Prust’s return forced D Steve Eminger to sit out after he played the two previous games. … Kovalchuk has 10 assists in the postseason. … Prust scored his first career NHL playoff goal in his 23rd game. … The game was played on the 18-year anniversary of Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, in which the Devils won, 4-1, took a 3-2 series lead, and prompted the Messier guarantee the following day.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

New York, on the brink of elimination, headed to New Jersey for Game 6.

The comparisons to 1994 were apparent before this series even started — now it’s near a crescendo. All that’s missing is a guarantee from the Rangers captain.

Just don’t tell that to the Devils.

“We won’t worry about it,” forward Patrik Elias said. “Who cares what happened way back then?”

The Devils are concerned with 2012, not what happened in a different millennium, when Rangers great Mark Messier delivered — and came through on — his stunning guarantee.

“That’s 15, 20 years ago. I don’t care,” said captain Zach Parise.

Meanwhile, Parise & Co. never could have imagined they would have a three-goal lead on New York less than 10 minutes into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at hostile Madison Square Garden. Their shock was even greater when that advantage was gone, and they were suddenly locked in a tie game in the opening minute of the third period.

In the end, it all worked out for the Devils, who got another surprising goal from fourth-line forward Ryan Carter in the closing minutes and escaped with a win that put New Jersey on the verge of a spot in the Stanley Cup finals.

Carter’s third goal of the playoffs with 4:24 remaining was the difference in the Devils’ 5-3 victory over New York on Wednesday night. The Devils have a 3-2 edge in the series, but if the top-seeded Rangers can stay alive on Friday night in New Jersey, Game 7 would be back in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

“It’s a good feeling,” goalie Martin Brodeur said of the Devils’ status. “We worked really hard to get in that position. (There’s been) a lot of unsung heroes and guys producing at different times. Players are playing well. We’ve just got to keep going.

“Nothing is done yet.”

If the Rangers fall short, their best season in years will come to a crashing end and the Devils will move on to face the Western champion Los Angeles Kings. New York hasn’t been to the finals since 1994, when the Rangers knocked out New Jersey in the semis and then beat Vancouver for the title.

The Devils are one win away from playing for the Cup one season after their run of 13 straight postseason appearances was snapped. New Jersey went to the finals four times between 1995 and 2003 and won three championships.

“It’s a great position to be in,” Elias said. “Hopefully, we can play a better game at home. Hopefully, we’ll be the team that dictates the energy and the pace out there.”

When Travis Zajac scored 9:49 in to make it 3-0, the Devils seemed ready to cruise to victory. But the Rangers roared back and appeared to have every bit of the momentum.

Then the game, and perhaps the entire series, changed in the blink of an eye when Carter put the Devils in front to stay. Parise added an empty-net goal to make sure the Rangers had no chance for another comeback.

Carter had only four goals and four assists in 72 regular-season games with Florida and New Jersey. He has two goals in the East finals.

“They’ve been great the whole playoffs,” Elias said of the fourth line. “It’s not always the top guys who win you hockey games.”

Stephen Gionta and Elias scored within the first 4:13 before Zajac made it 3-0. Then the Rangers woke up.

Brandon Prust brought New York within 3-1 before the first period was over, and Ryan Callahan made it a one-goal game in the first minute of the second. The Garden really rocked when Marian Gaborik tied it at 3 just 17 seconds into the third.

But the comeback was for naught.

“We probably played our best game of the series,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said.

Once Gaborik tied it with an unassisted goal that ricocheted in off Brodeur’s skate, it appeared the Rangers would ride the comeback all the way to one of the most stirring wins in team history — one that would rival victories over New Jersey in the classic 1994 East finals when the Rangers erased a 3-2 series hole behind Mark Messier’s guarantee.

Carter made sure it wouldn’t happen.

“You have to (keep it together) this time of year,” Gionta said. “You have to have a short memory. Fortunately we did and came out with the victory.”

New Jersey was outshot 28-17 overall and had only six shots in the third period, but two went in.

Brodeur, the backbone of every New Jersey title, kept his focus throughout the third when he was loudly taunted with chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” after New York got even.

“It was a mistake,” Brodeur said of Gaborik’s goal. “I’m pretty happy that the boys bounced back and made this a win for us. It would have been tough and people would have blamed that mishandle.”

The Rangers were ultimately done in by another terrible start. They had been on a pattern of win-one, lose-one, but now they are on the verge of elimination with their second two-game losing streak in a series this year.

The only time the Rangers have won two straight in a playoff series this postseason is when they overcame a 3-2 hole in the first round and knocked out Ottawa.

“We have to bring all the good things we did and keep doing them in the next game,” Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “We played really well in the second and third period.”

They couldn’t say the same about the first.

“It’s different when you go down 3-0. You don’t have a whole lot to lose,” Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. “It was good nonetheless. Now it’s 3-2. Now we have to win two. That’s the bottom line.”

The Rangers burned their timeout early, and Devils coach Peter DeBoer spent his with 10:17 left. Parise implored his teammates on the bench — “Come on boys!” — and the messages from the coach and the captain did the trick.

“It wasn’t pretty by any means,” Parise said. “But we’re going home with a 3-2 lead.”

Not only didn’t the Rangers have the strong start they craved and insisted they needed, they were practically run out of their building.

The same problems that plagued New York in its 4-1 loss in Game 4, when the Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, cropped up again in front of the frustrated fans.

Gionta got the Devils going 2:43 in, and Elias made it 2-0 1:30 later on New Jersey’s fourth shot.

Tortorella used his timeout, but it made little difference. He appeared to be calm as he moved back and forth behind the bench while talking to his players. Whatever the message was it didn’t sink in.

The Devils shrugged off a few scoring chances by the Rangers, and padded their lead again.

Just 5:26 after Elias’ goal, Zajac made it 3-0 with his seventh of the playoffs. Zajac got a clean shot from just inside the right circle that beat Lundqvist inside the left post.

The tide began to turn the Rangers’ way, and they allowed only one shot the rest of the period.

Prust, making his return following a one-game suspension for an elbow he delivered to the head of Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in Game 3, showed off a bit of scoring touch when he converted on a breakaway with 4:19 left in the first to make it 3-1.

The Rangers outshot the Devils 9-6 in the lopsided period, but continued their sudden defensive dominance well into the second. Then they cut the Devils’ lead to a goal just 32 seconds into the second.

New Jersey didn’t record its first shot of the period, and its second since its third goal, until Adam Henrique put a puck in on Lundqvist at 6:23.

Lundqvist, who had stopped 94 percent of the shots he faced in the playoffs before Wednesday, made just 12 saves. The Rangers allowed five goals one game after giving up four for the first time in this postseason.

To make the finals, New York will have to win a third consecutive seven-game series.

“We have to have a short memory,” Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “We’ve been in this position before in this playoffs and we found a way to get it done. We don’t want to look ahead. We have to win two games, but we just have to focus on winning one.”

What’s your prediction for Game 6? Sound off in the comments below!

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

No team has won consecutive games in a series where neither team has played well enough to seize control.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo could be playing their last game together Saturday night if they can’t find a way to hang onto the ball and put away a Sixers team that won’t quit.

Former 76ers All-Star Allen Iverson earned a roaring standing ovation when he presented the game ball. By the end, the fans were on their feet for Holiday, Brand and Andre Iguodala.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Supervisors on Tuesday approved a non-binding resolution urging the Navy to name a ship after slain supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

Supervisor John Avalos told the San Francisco Chronicle that before voting, he believes he made contact with Milk’s spirit and that Milk spelled out letters indicating: “Good riddance to don’t ask, don’t tell.”

The quip made national news as an example of San Francisco wackiness.

However, Avalos now says he was just kidding and the closest he’s gone to the occult is reading all the Harry Potter books.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The bill would reduce the penalty for simple drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor, a classification already in place in more than a dozen states.

KCBS’ Anna Duckworth Reports:

“And what we found in those 13 states which already do this is they have higher rates of drug treatment participation and lower rates of drug use, not surprisingly, because we know the treatment works,” said Leno.

A new poll by Tulchin Research in San Francisco shows that there is overwhelming support for a reform in California’s drug laws.

Pollster Ben Tulchin said it shows 87 percent of likely voters believe the state’s prison system is overcrowded and 70 percent support reducing simple possession punishment.

“Not surprisingly, the Bay Area offers the highest support for this reform at 82 percent,” said Tulchin.

Opponents to the bill include several law enforcement organizations and the California District Attorney’s Association, which argue it would be a disincentive to treatment and could lead to an increase in crime.

The non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said the law could save counties $159 million a year and the state $64 million annually.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The Earthquakes (8-2-3) went into the 75th minute down 2-0, but Steven Lenhart scored off a corner kick and Khari Stephenson converted a penalty kick to tie the score. Just seconds before time expired. Gordon finished a bouncing cross for the winning goal.

“I just was following up the play, I think there may have been a little bit of hesitation on their part and I was just seeing the play through,” said Gordon after scoring his fourth goal of the season. “They hesitated, I didn’t, I finished it. Forwards get lucky sometimes, I got lucky, who cares, I put it in, end of story period.”

Hector Jimenez and Mike Magee scored for Los Angeles.

The Galaxy went ahead in third minute when Jimenez sent a

close-range shot past San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch for his first MLS goal.

Los Angeles played a man down after Jimenez received a red card in the 60th minute for a tackle on Earthquakes defender Steven Beitashour. Still, the Galaxy doubled their lead on Magee’s goal in the 73rd minute.

In the 76th, Lenhart scored off Marvin Chavez’s corner kick. Just six minutes later, Stephenson tied it on a penalty kick that was set up when referee Jair Marrufo called a handball on David Beckham in the box.

The comeback was complete four minutes into stoppage time when a Galaxy turnover led to in a Jason Hernandez cross that Gordon headed in for the game winning goal.

After extending their winless streak to six matches, the defending MLS Cup champion Galaxy (3-7-2) were left searching for answers.

“We know we played well but also we’re extremely disappointed.

We can’t be up 2-0 at home and they get three unanswered goals. That’s just unacceptable,” defender Sean Franklin said. “It just seems like we can’t get any luck to go our way—a bounce, a call, something. It just seems like things aren’t going the way we wanted them to go.”

The Earthquakes scored in th 88th minute or later for the fifth time this season—with four of those ending in either a win or a draw.

“We just like to make the game exciting. Goonies never say die,” Lenhart said. “I think we are prepared this year. We have put in the work in training and we like each other, we show up every day and we all know we are committing to the 90 minutes, to play together and work for each other. It may not look that pretty but we know we are going to get the most out of our guys at the end of the day.”

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Air Force One flew in from Colorado Wednesday evening and touched down at Moffett Field in Mountain View at 6:18 p.m.

The president, clad in a dark suit and blue tie, waved and smiled at the crowd of dozens awaiting his arrival before greeting local officials, including NASA Ames Research Center Director Simon Pete Worden, Sunnyvale Mayor Tony Spitaleri, Mountain View Mayor Mike Kasperzak and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto.

Mr. Obama shook hands with members of the crowd before getting into his town car and driving off in his motorcade.

One attendee who shook the president’s hand was 10-year-old Kyle Chomaker of Pleasanton. The Fairlands Elementary School student was stunned by the gesture saying, “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Video: President Obama At Redwood City Fundraiser
Watch Part 1 | Watch Part 2

Sheila Johnson, a community relations coordinator for NASA Ames Research Center, said she has met three presidents in her lifetime but her excitement hasn’t waned.

“It is an absolute thrill and joy to be privileged to be here to shake his hand,” she said.

Obama arrived at a fundraising dinner at the Atherton home of philanthropists Lisa and Doug Goldman around 7:10 p.m. Tickets for the dinner cost $35,800 per person.

Following the Atherton fundraiser, Obama spoke at a sold-out rally at  Redwood City’s Fox Theatre. Premium seating for the event started at $1,000 per person with some paying as much as $12,500.

On Thursday, the president is expected to attend a fundraiser at the Fairmont San Jose. Twenty people are expected to attend the 8:30 a.m. event, which cost $35,800 per person.

He is scheduled to fly out from Moffett Field Thursday around 10 a.m.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Professor Dennis Wall of the Harvard Medical School created a test that requires just seven questions and a quick home video.

“Being able to detect something as early as possible and intervene with therapy as early as possible is something that I’m very passionate about,” Wall said.

Related Links:
The Wall Lab At Harvard
Wall Lab – Short Survey For Autism Diagnosis
Submit A Video To the Wall Lab

His passion comes from his sister-in-law, who has autism, and he has seen firsthand the impact the disorder can have on a family.

Getting kids needed therapy as early as possible is the goal at the Wall Lab. Currently the average diagnosis age for autism is around five years old.

“Getting diagnosed at five means that you’ve passed through critical developmental windows where early behavioral therapy would have had an impact,” Wall explained.

The traditional autism diagnosis takes hours. Families have to go to a doctor’s office, fill out lengthy forms, and be evaluated throughout the day. Wall’s approach is completely online with no waiting.

At the Wall Lab, the key is access. Anyone can send in the home videos and answer a survey online. Wall and his team of trained researchers score the videos while they watch.

A computer program then crunches the numbers to get an instant diagnosis.

“We can do this for a much greater percentage of the population and do so repeatedly,” Wall said.

Wall said kids are normally more relaxed at home than in the doctor’s office.

“Because he or she is operating within and behaving within their home environment, with their siblings and so on, we are able to see the signs much more easily and much more rapidly,” he said.

Right now the Wall Lab is still testing the program. So far, it’s been right nearly every time.

Bill Skillman would have jumped at the chance to have had access to a program like this when his daughter was young.

Katie is now 25 years old and Skillman remembers meeting with specialists for hours when she was little.

“It was like sculpting the fog. You struggle through and you do the best you can,” said Skillman.

Katie never received an official diagnosis as a child, but the family believes it is autism. Skillman said Wall’s approach “provides an avenue to just get there early and start to make a difference in your kid’s life.”

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Meat clerk Ryan Young intervened when he saw the man pushing and then kicking the woman who is six months pregnant at a Safeway in Del Rey Oaks on April 21.

The announcement by Safeway comes after a public-relations nightmare for the Pleasanton-based grocery chain in the wake of the suspension. Petition-hosting site Change.org said it received nearly 200,000 online signatures urging Safeway to reinstate Young.

In a statement contained in a press release from Change.org, Young said he was grateful for the support. “Knowing that I had all these people standing behind me and that I wasn’t alone really helped me through this difficult time, ” said Young.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 Ron Lynd said Safeway managers agreed Wednesday let Young go back to work.

The union had filed a grievance on behalf of Young, who also was commended by the Del Ray Oaks’ police chief and applauded by Monterey County residents for stepping in to defend the pregnant customer on April 21.

Until Tuesday, Safeway had defended its decision, saying that Young was suspended for unspecified actions caught on a store surveillance video during the confrontation.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Speaking in Spanish through a translator, Mariela Castro addressed about 50 medical professionals and transgender advocates at San Francisco General Hospital on Wednesday.

She has an international reputation as an outspoken gay rights advocate and lobbied her father’s government to cover sex reassignment surgery under the national health plan, which it has since 2008, and to legalize same-sex marriages, which so far it has not.

“If we don’t change our patriarchal and homophobic culture…we cannot advance as a new society, and that’s what we want, the power of emancipation through socialism,” she said . “We will establish relationships on the basis of social justice and social equality…It seems like a Utopia, but we can change it.”

Castro, director of Cuba’s National Center for Sex Education, or CENESEX, spoke about transgender health care in Cuba. Wednesday’s speech was part of her multiday visit devoted largely to meeting with gay and transgender rights activists and an academic conference where she is scheduled to chair a panel on sexual diversity.

She was one of at least 60 Cuban scholars who were granted U.S. visas to attend Thursday’s meeting of the Latin American Studies Association.

A number of Cuban-American politicians have criticized the State Department—which provided special agents as Castro’s security detail in San Francisco—for issuing Castro an entry visa. They noted that U.S. rules prohibit Communist Party members and other high-ranking Cuban government officials from entry without special dispensation. Aside from kinship, Mariela Castro has no official link to the government, although CENESEX is part of Cuba’s public health ministry.

She credited her late mother, Vilma Espin, who served as president of the Federation of Cuban Women and was a member of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, with inspiring her to seek equal rights for Cuba’s marginalized citizens. Espin died in 2007.

“I promised her we would be able to achieve that, and I can’t let go because the process is not complete,” she said.

Castro described Cuba’s Communist Party as an increasingly good ally in advancing gay rights. The party approved a statement earlier this year advocating the elimination of all remaining forms of discrimination in Cuban society, a position which can be used to push for policies that benefit gay and transgender people, she said.

“What helped is we went to the Communist Party, the leaders, and told them our ideological context of this,” she said. “It was very difficult to have this internal division in the Communist Party, but it seems like they are becoming more and more relaxed.”

During her 90-minute appearance at San Francisco General, she said she wanted her audience to hear a Cuban’s perspective on the half-century of animosities between Havana and Washington because it helps explain why the nation’s growth on issues like gay rights has sometimes been stunted.

“The Revolution has grown in Cuba, and it’s been more than 50 years now,” she said. “The Cuban people have been the victims of state terrorists, of the economic blockade against Cuba, campaigns to…misinform the world’s population about the power of a revolution.”

She also criticized Cuban exiles who oppose her father’s regime and that of her uncle, former president Fidel Castro, and support economic and travel restrictions between the U.S. and her country.

Castro also visited the United States in 2002 during Republican President George W. Bush’s administration. She obtained a visa to attend an event in Los Angeles, and also stopped in Virginia and Washington.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Now Lee and his booming leg will be a part of the 49ers even longer.

San Francisco signed the three-time All-Pro punter to a six-year contract extension Wednesday that will keep him keep him with the franchise through the 2018 season.

“Sometimes it’s underestimated probably,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said of his punter. “Andy is one of those guys that wins games for our football team. And it’s great to see guys that play all the games, play all 16, 17, 18 games and help our football team win games, get rewarded with a new contract. So we’re all really excited and happy for Andy about that.”

Lee has been a major—if not often overlooked—asset since San Francisco drafted him in the sixth round in 2004.

The 29-year-old has played in 128 games for the 49ers and holds team records in punts (723), yards (33,069), gross average (45.7), net average (38.9) and punts downed inside the 20-yard line (209). Since 2007, Lee’s gross punting average (47.9) and net average (40.7) rank second in the NFL.

Lee also set the NFL single-season record last year in net punting average (44.0) and his gross average (50.9) ranked third in league history.

“They did a good job signing other guys to just keep this team intact so we can make a run at the Super Bowl,” Lee said. “It makes me feel really good and makes me feel respected by this team and organization.”

Lee always expresses appreciation for long snapper Brian Jennings and his fellow special-teamers for the success.

David Akers—who set a single-season NFL record with 44 field goals last year—made the All-Pro team. And special teams coach Brad Seely has been a big part of the unit’s success, too.

Lee, who was set to become a free agent after this season, was thrilled he’ll stay a part of the close-knit group beyond this year.

“I think it’s a great thing to know where I’m going to be and be able to plan our future and know my family is going to be financially secure with certain things,” he said. “It was a good thing to get worked out. I gave a little on my part, I think they gave a little bit on their part. It’s a good feeling for both sides.”

Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Police say a witness saw the man, identified by officials as William Ferris, struggling with his wheelchair around 6 p.m. Tuesday before he disappeared in the water.

The witness jumped into the water to try to save Ferris. She was joined by an off-duty firefighter. Police say they were able to pull Ferris out of the water, but when paramedics arrived at the scene, they were unable to revive him.

Ferris died after being taken to a hospital. Police say the incident is being investigated as an accident.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) — Hundreds of children didn’t get the chance to play baseball this year in San Francisco because there were simply not enough fields to accommodate demand.

Despite heroic efforts by both San Francisco Little League and San Francisco Youth Baseball League, the little league dream of so many kids was just that, a dream.

Then one day, two coaches from SFYBL, Victor Reed and Brian Ingram, decided to do something about it. They agreed to coach a team that would include 12 kids from the waiting list. While this didn’t answer the prayers of the majority of kids without a team, it did give a handful the chance to play ball. And so, the Spiders were born.

From the beginning, the challenge was a laborious study in fundamentals and patience for coaches Reed and Ingram. After all, this was the first time several of the kids had played baseball. Most couldn’t judge a fly ball, catch a ground ball, or hit a pitch.

The losses mounted, but not the frustration of the coaches. Sometime around the sixth week, the team’s uniforms finally arrived. And ironically, so did their ability.

Remember the fabled movie, “The Bad News Bears?” An outfielder named Lupus finally makes a catch in the outfield. It’s a startling revelation when he discovers the baseball sticking in his glove. A symbolic change occurred on the team and the Bears go on to the little league championship game. And like the movie, one of the Spiders players is girl, the team’s center fielder.

One of the great joys of watching little league kids and coaching them, is the moment that they learn how to catch a fly ball, field a ground ball, or whack a base hit. The look in their eyes is a priceless look into the wonderment of life. An astonishing discovery that, “yes, I can do this.”

This week, the Spiders will play in the SFYBL Championship game. Twelve kids who wouldn’t have had the chance if not for Victor Reed and Brian Ingram.

And this story is why I love my job.

See you on TV.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Antolin Garcia-Torres, who was arrested Monday evening on suspicion of murder and kidnapping, is being held without bail at the Santa Clara County Main Jail. He was scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Sierra, a 15-year-old student at Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill, was last seen the morning of March 16.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said at a news conference Tuesday morning that investigators believe Sierra was murdered by Garcia-Torres after being abducted by him. She said it does not appear the two knew each other.

A sheriff’s dive team resumed its search of local reservoirs and waterways Wednesday, and were focusing on the Uvas Reservoir. Volunteer searchers are scouring the area around the reservoir, Klaas Kids Foundation volunteer coordinator Teresa Casillas said.

KCBS’ Matt Bigler Reports:

Earlier this month, the sheriff’s office seized a red Volkswagen Jetta that investigators now say belongs to Garcia-Torres.

Garcia-Torres has been under 24-hour surveillance since March 28, when the sheriff’s office linked him to the Sierra LaMar case through DNA evidence left on articles of clothing in Sierra’s discarded purse, which was found about 2 miles from her house days after her disappearance.

Smith said no blood was found in the car or on her clothing, and investigators do not have a murder weapon or a motive.

Tom DiVittorio, the owner of Maple Leaf RV Park at 15200 Monterey Road in Morgan Hill, said this morning that Garcia-Torres lived there with his mother and sister.

DiVittorio said the mother had lived there about two years, but said she is now looking to move. He said he had never had any problems with the family.

A woman in the bakery department at a Safeway store at 100 Tennant Ave. in Morgan Hill said Garcia-Torres had worked at the grocery store, but not for some time.

An assistant manager at Famous Dave’s BBQ in Gilroy said Garcia-Torres’ sister Lucero Garcia works at the restaurant and also holds another job. He characterized her as a hard worker.

He said Lucero Garcia’s coworkers are all praying for her, adding, “She is the sweetest thing.”

The manager said he had never met her brother, Garcia-Torres.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Donyella Lamons spent years working in retail and banking. But when she was laid off, she wanted a more stable career, so she studied information technology.

“It was all foreign to me,” she remembered.

Now, as a tech specialist for Alameda County, she supports her four children by building computers and trouble shooting problems.

“You have to chase what you want,” Lamons said. “You have to have faith and courage and belief in yourself.”

For her success, Lamons credits The Stride Center and its executive director, Barrie Hathaway. For the last eight years, Hathaway has led the Oakland-based Stride Center. It offers classes on five campuses that prepare low income students for financially successful careers in information technology.

“Usually students don’t say to me, ‘Thanks for those technical skills,’” Hathaway explained. “They say, ‘I have hope now. I have a direction that can sustain me and my family,’ and that’s really what it’s all about”

Hathaway says those who complete the program are 60% likely to get a job. It’s 75% if they get a second certification. Of the 450 students each year, about 75 get paid internships. The Stride Center itself offers internships through its store, ReliaTech, where interns repair and refurbish computers and supply tech support.

“If they have work experience through one of our businesses or one of our internships, then their likelihood of getting a job goes up to almost 90%,” Hathaway said proudly.

23-year-old Leemar Smith’s last job was in food preparation. But now, he’s about to graduate from The Stride Center to pursue a career in the video game industry.

“They really believe in me,” Smith said. “It feels so good to know the staff is behind you.”

CJ Johnson supervises three Stride Center alumni, including Lamons. He says its graduates are well-prepared for professional careers, thanks to Hathaway’s leadership.

“He has a good heart,” Johnson says of Hathaway. “He knows when people are in need. But instead of just a handout, (he) gives these people skills.”

Hathaway himself has spent 25 years as a high tech executive. But when he first started, he was a single father who received support from others.

Today, his mission is to give back: “I want to be that hand that says to our students, ‘If you want to do this, we’ll help you do it.’”

So for helping students make strides into high tech careers, this week’s Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Barrie Hathaway.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Police cleared a meeting of the City Council’s public safety committee on Tuesday after protesters began yelling that the measure would infringe their rights. Some swore, shouted down a speaker and hinted at violence if the measure passed.

The ordinance would allow police to arrest demonstrators carrying shields, clubs and defensive sprays.

Councilmember Pat Kernighan said the proposal is modeled after similar laws in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. She said she might present the proposal to the full City Council at its next meeting.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Facebook Inc.’s stock climbed $1, or 3.2 percent, to close at $32 on Wednesday. But the gain was only a small reprieve for shareholders. The stock’s rocky inaugural trading day Friday was followed by a two-day decline. The stock is still trading nearly 16 percent below its $38 IPO price.

The initial public trading of Facebook’s stock was tarnished Friday morning by a half-hour delay, caused by glitches on the Nasdaq Stock Market. It was marred further this week as investors began accusing the banks that arranged the IPO of sharing important information about Facebook’s business prospects with some clients and not others.

Related Stories:
Regulators Probe Bank’s Role In Facebook IPO
Facebook Reportedly Looking To Move Stock To NYSE After Botched IPO

Several shareholders who bought stock in the IPO have filed lawsuits against Facebook, its executives and Morgan Stanley, the IPO’s lead underwriter. At question is whether analysts at the big underwriter investment banks cut their second-quarter and full-year forecasts for Facebook just before the IPO, and told only a handful of clients about it.

One suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, claims Facebook’s IPO documents contained untrue statements and omitted important facts, such as a “severe reduction in revenue growth” that Facebook was experiencing at the time of the offering. The suit’s three plaintiffs, who bought Facebook stock on its first day of trading May 18, claim they were damaged in the process.

Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Facebook said the lawsuit is without merit.

Another lawsuit, filed in San Mateo County Superior Court, holds Facebook and underwriters liable, claiming that Facebook’s IPO documents misled investors. Both suits seek class action status on behalf of investors who bought Facebook stock on Friday and lost money.

“No one gets it perfect, as far as saying what the financial results are,” said Anthony Michael Sabino, professor at John’s University’s Peter J. Tobin College of Business. The bottom line, he added, is whether Facebook or the underwriter had material information about Facebook’s finances that was not disclosed publicly.

“At this moment, it’s still too early to say,” he said. “We don’t know enough, but this could turn out to be an issue.”

What is known is that beginning in March, Facebook began meeting with analysts at the underwriting firms. The gatherings are a customary part of the IPO process and are designed to help analysts understand the company’s business so they can make accurate financial projections.

On May 9, day-three of Facebook’s pre-IPO roadshow to meet with prospective investors, the company filed an amended IPO document that said its mobile users were growing faster than revenue. According to a person familiar with the matter, Facebook then had another meeting with analysts and told them that based on the new information in the filings, the analysts’ forecasts should be at the low end of the range that the company gave them in April. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not publicly authorized to discuss the matter.

Adding to the day’s events, Facebook was in talks with the New York Stock Exchange to move its stock from the Nasdaq Stock Market after the botched offering, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The news of the talks was first reported by Reuters.

NYSE spokesman Rich Adamonis said: “There have been no discussions with Facebook regarding switching their listing in light of the events of the last week, nor do we think a discussion along those lines would be appropriate at this time.”

A Nasdaq spokesman declined to comment.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Jarrod Parker had his strongest outing yet for the Athletics in a 3-1, 11-inning defeat to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, yet he didn’t get enough support from the offense.

“We’re not stringing hits together and getting guys on base,” Melvin said. “We have to swing the bats better. We’re going to face a lot of good pitchers. There’s no excuse. We got four hits.”

Alberto Callaspo delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the 11th against Justin Norberto (0-1).

Kendrys Morales drew a one-out walk in the 11th and was lifted for pinch-runner Peter Bourjos, who moved to third on Howie Kendrick’s two-out single. Callaspo then drove them both home with a double to left.

Jordan Walden (1-1) pitched a 1-2-3 10th, and Ernesto Frieri finished by striking out the side for his first major league save on a day the Angels couldn’t provide enough offense to back starter Jered Weaver.

Frieri hasn’t given up a hit while striking out 19 in 8 2-3 innings since he was acquired from San Diego on May 3.

“I was waiting for this for a long time with the Padres, and they wouldn’t give me a chance,” said Frieri, a 26-year-old righty who has pitched in parts of four major league seasons. “The Angels trust me a little more. Mentally, I was ready.”

Parker struck out a career-best eight and walked one in seven innings, allowing one run and five hits. The right-hander is winless in four starts since beating Boston at Fenway Park on May 1 for his lone victory. Parker’s one walk was a positive sign, considering he had issued at least four in each of his previous three outings.

Making his first career start against the Angels, Parker bounced back with a solid day after he was tagged for a career-high six runs in a career-low two innings in Friday’s 8-6 loss at San Francisco.

“I wanted to get out there and have a good one after the last one,” Parker said.

Melvin called it Parker’s “best stuff of the year.”

Weaver allowed one run and three hits in eight innings but missed a chance to become the majors’ first seven-game winner.

Weaver surrendered a tying solo home run to Seth Smith on a changeup in the sixth and gave the Angels another strong performance following a one-hitter by C.J. Wilson and Frieri a night earlier in a 5-0 win.

Scott Downs also pitched a hitless inning of relief—giving the Angels plenty of options in their suddenly reliable bullpen late in the game.

“It was only a matter of time before those guys turned it around,” Weaver said.

Maicer Izturis hit an RBI single in the third inning against A’s starter Jarrod Parker, but that wasn’t enough to hold up for Weaver. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA in his last three starts at the Coliseum.

Oakland has been without its best bats with Brandon Inge and Yoenis Cespedes both on the disabled list, and Melvin said before the game suspended slugger Manny Ramirez might not be ready to be promoted from his Triple-A stint on May 30 — his 40th birthday—as planned when he’s eligible. Ramirez has been dealing with a wrist injury.

“Offensively we have to get a lot better. We’re putting a lot of weight on our starting pitchers,” Oakland’s Jonny Gomes said. “We’re not getting run out of the stadium every day. It’s not like it’s 10-9. It’s 2-1 or 1-0. We’re in every game. We need to find ways to get guys on base.”

Albert Pujols went 1 for 4 and recorded a hit for 11th time in his last 12 games. The slugger singled in the sixth but was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base on Morales’ single.

The Angels won for just their third time in the last eight meetings with the AL West rival A’s. Oakland leads the season series 5-4.

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar had most of the day off to rest a day after he was hit in the right knee by a pitch in the seventh inning. He flied out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th. Aybar said he feels much better and expects to start Thursday at Seattle.

Los Angeles rookie Kole Calhoun doubled in the fifth for his first major league hit. He made his big league debut Tuesday night as a ninth inning defensive substitute in right field for Mark Trumbo.

NOTES: Injured A’s CF Cespedes tested his strained left hand with 40 swings off a tee. … The Angels have scored 18 runs over their last eight games vs. Oakland. Los Angeles heads to Seattle for four games to finish its 10-game road trip, and is expected to get RF Torii Hunter back from the restricted list next week after he returned to Texas following the arrest of his teenage son. … Pujols is batting .378 (14 of 37) with five doubles, a home run and four RBIs in seven games vs. the A’s this year.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

At a hearing in North Carolina Tuesday, intended to start the process of writing rules to govern the rapidly expanding industry, Consumer Financial Protection Board Director Richard Cordray warned about the high fees that catch many consumers by surprise.

“If a company charges a fee for withdrawing money or checking a balance, or calling customer service, consumers should know about it,” Cordray said.

Cordray and other consumer advocates at Wednesday’s hearing warned that many cards offer few, if any, of the protections offered by traditional debit cards.

The market for prepaid debit cards is rapidly expanding. The business is expected to grow 40% this year, and many big banks including JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo are now offering the reloadable cards.

A number of websites including Nerdwallet offer comparisons of cards fees and features.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The streamlining announced Wednesday represents HP’s largest payroll purge in its 73-year history. The reductions will affect about 8 percent of HP’s nearly 350,000 employees by the time the overhaul is completed in October 2014.

The cuts come eight months after HP hired Meg Whitman as CEO to turn the company around.

HP hopes to avoid as many layoffs as possible by offering early retirement packages.

KCBS’ Rebecca Corral Reports:

The company expects to save $3 billion to $3.5 billion annually from the job cuts and other austerity measures.

Word of the mass layoff had leaked out in media reports late last week, so the news didn’t come as a surprise.

Nevertheless, the sobering details overshadowed the release of HP’s latest quarterly results. Although HP’s earnings and revenue declined from a year ago, the numbers were better than analysts had projected. HP also delivered another pleasant surprise by offering a forecast that raised hopes that HP may be poised to bounce back.

“While I wouldn’t say we have turned the corner, we are making real progress,” Whitman told analysts during a conference call.

Echoing comments she made three months ago, Whitman cautioned that “turning HP around is going to be a lot of hard work. It’s going to take time. But we know what needs to be done.”

Investors were pleased, although it wasn’t clear whether their glee had more to do with the cost-cutting or the company’s performance during its fiscal second quarter, which ended in April.

HP shares surged $1.97, or more than 9 percent, to $23.05 in Wednesday’s extended trading. That’s still about half their value before HP parted ways with Mark Hurd, a cost-costing specialist who stepped down in 2010 amid a scandal revolving around the nature of his relationship with a former actress who worked as an HP contractor. An investigation into it uncovered inaccurate expense reports.

The current troubles at HP have been traced both to Hurd, who cut research and development to boost profits, and his successor, Leo Apotheker, who didn’t respond to the threat posed by a shift to computing on smartphones and tablets.

Whitman’s plan calls for less bureaucracy so the company can respond more quickly to customer needs. She also wants to boost research and development to spur more innovation.

HP, which is based in Palo Alto, has been struggling to sell more personal computers and printers, partly because they aren’t needed as much now that people are spending so much time surfing the Web on phones and tablets such as Apple Inc.’s iPad. The company’s efforts to sell more business software and consulting services have been stymied by competition from the likes of IBM Corp. and Oracle Corp.

“Work force reductions are never easy,” Whitman said Wednesday. “They adversely impact people’s lives, but in this case, they are absolutely critical to the long-term health of the company. Our goal is simple: a better outcome for the customers at reduced cost for HP.”

Whitman plans to funnel most of the savings from the job cuts into product development. Some of the extra cash will go toward boosting HP’s earnings, too.

HP’s workforce has undergone several other reorganizations during the past decade. Two of the biggest occurred during Hurd’s regime. HP announced 14,500 job cuts in 2005 in one of his first big acts as CEO. HP also announced 24,600 cuts in 2008 after buying technology consulting service EDS for $13.9 billion.

HP did not say where the latest cuts would come from. HP is combining its printers and PCs division, which could reduce some overhead.

As part of the latest crackdown, Whitman is changing the leadership at HP’s recently acquired Autonomy division, which makes software that finds and analyzes data within companies and government agencies.

Bill Veghte, HP’s chief strategy officer, is replacing Autonomy founder Mike Lynch in an effort to boost the division’s financial performance. The shake-up is likely to amplify investor questions about whether HP blundered last year when it paid $11 billion to buy Autonomy. That deal was announced in August by Apotheker, just a month before he was fired.

Whitman told analysts she still believes the Autonomy acquisition was smart.

The company earned $1.6 billion, or 80 cent per share, in the February-April quarter. That represented a 31 percent decline from $2.3 billion, or $1.05 per share, at the same time last year.

If not for several items unrelated to HP’s ongoing business, the company said it would have earned 98 cents per share. That figure topped the average estimate of 91 cents per share among analysts surveyed by FactSet.

Revenue fell 3 percent from last year to $30.7 billion. That was about $800 million above analyst projections.

To pay for severance and other restructuring costs, HP expects to take a pre-tax charge of about $1.7 billion in the current fiscal year, which ends in October. About $1 billon of those charges will come in the current quarter ending in July. HP expects to take charges of an additional $1.8 billion through fiscal 2014.

The company also expects to register a charge of $1.2 billion to account for the declining value of the Compaq computer brand. HP bought Compaq a decade ago in a deal that many shareholders, including the son of a company founder William Hewlett, tried to block.

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The career home run leader filed a 60-page brief on May 3 with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the government’s response had been due June 4.

The court granted the request prosecutors filed Wednesday and gave Bonds until 14 days after the government brief to file his optional reply. The delay likely pushes back oral arguments until October or November, and decision by a three-judge panel until late 2013 at the earliest.

Bonds was convicted in April 2011 of one count of giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating illegal steroids distribution.

A jury deadlocked on three counts charging him with making false statements.

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Hochschild decided to research a phenomenon after she found herself fully immersed in it, scrambling to hire someone who could care for her aging mother on the other side of the continent.

“She didn’t have children. She was a one-room school teacher in a rural Maine town. How was I going to take care of her, make sure she was OK?” Hochschild said.

KCBS’ Susan Leigh Taylor Reports:

She did eventually find just the right person, and acknowledges the necessity of a professional service that barely existed a generation ago when families were less spread out geographically.

“It worked out, and I needed the market. But I found myself in an everything-for-sale world,” she said, and proceeded to catalogue it.

Her book, The Outsourced Self: Intimate Life in Market Times, introduces a bewildering array of for-profit industries—coaches and experts at navigating all variety of interpersonal relationships from parenting to the workplace.

Hochschild found even the most intuitive and emotional of human acts had become work for hire, “name-ologists, potty trainers, wantologists who help us figure out what we want.”

In all fairness, the want-ologist was a trained psychologist who focused on desire. And Hochschild points out that in at least one case, the clinician helped the client realize she didn’t need to buy a bigger house to be happy.

“It really raised for me the question, not of meeting real needs,” she said. “We do have real needs for market services, but what kind of a world are we moving into?”

Hochschild believes the outsourcing of personal services has become a source of malaise in modern life because professionalizing things that had been part of family life has forced a reexamination of what activities give us joy and meaning.

She recounted the story of a father who chose to throw a birthday party for his 5-year-old daughter himself rather than hire a birthday party planner.

“He lived in an upscale world where people were hiring birthday party planners,” she said, adding that a routine part of such packages is a professional entertainer.

“So he put on a 10-gallon hat and pretended to be Crocodile Dundee,” she said. “After a while, he ran out of things to say, and these girls started to fidget.”

Hochschild said even the other parents weren’t sure how to salvage a party for children accustomed to much more structured group activities.

“And a neighbor came up and said, ‘Michael, leave it to the experts. The experts know what 5-year-olds think is funny.’”

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That was the sentiment at the United States High-Speed Rail Association Conference, which is being held in San Francisco this week.

KCBS’ Jeffrey Schaub Reports:

“I want to thank Governor Brown and the California High-Speed Rail Authority for bringing forth a new business plan that really responds to the earlier criticisms and sets us on the right track,” said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

Despite that optimism, Lee said he understands the magnitude of the project and importance of it’s success for both California and the nation.

“It’s a huge infrastructure but it’s absolutely necessary for our future,” he said.

The project will come to a head on July 1 when the state legislature decides on whether to come up with more than $3 billion in funds for high-speed rail. If the state doesn’t come up with the funding, it will lose another $3 billion in matching federal funds.

“There’s already a lot of support. The governor is fully supportive of it,” said U.S. High-Speed Rail Association President Andy Kunz. “Much of the state legislature is supportive of it. It’s a matter of them really focusing on and understanding the deadline and that if they miss the deadline, they could actually lose their federal funding.”

The conference continues through Thursday in San Francisco.

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The school districts that could be in financial trouble include Berryessa Union, Evergreen Elementary and Ravenswood City.

Alum Rock Union Elementary School District is also on the list and Superintendent Jose Manzo blames state education cuts for their plight.

KCBS’ Mike Colgan Reports:

“About 80 percent of most district’s budget is on personnel,” Manzo said. “So when you have significant reductions in revenue, eventually it’s going to get to that level where it’s going to impact the lives of the people in terms of jobs.”

Manzo said that despite staffing cuts, the district has still been able to maintain a 20-to-1 student-teacher ratio in many classes.

“Despite all of those things, our teachers and our staff have really done an exemplary job in trying to bear the brunt of all of these challenges so there isn’t an impact to student learning,” he said. “We’ve doubled the API growth for the state the last three years in Alum Rock. Last year, we tripled the API growth.”

Manzo said the challenge now will be to maintain the status quo with further budget cuts threatened.

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Wednesday’s verdict comes about two weeks after the same jury, with two additional members, failed to agree on a pivotal issue in Oracle’s copyright-infringement case against Google. As a result, Google Inc. faced maximum damages of only $150,000 – not the hundreds of millions of dollars that Oracle Corp. was seeking.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup dismissed the jury, skipping the damages phase that had been originally scheduled. Had Oracle been able to pursue damages, confidential documents detailing how much money Google makes from its Android software might have become public.

The outcome ends, for now, a showdown pitting two Silicon Valley titans in a courtroom duel that brought Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Google CEO Larry Page to the witness stand during the 5 1/2-week trial.

In vindicating Google, the jury delivered a humbling setback to Oracle. The world’s leading maker of database software had accused Google of building Android around Oracle’s copyrighted and patented Java programming system. Oracle inherited the rights to Java in a $7.3 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2010.

During the copyright phase of the trial, the jury ruled against Google on a key question related to Java’s “application programming interfaces,” or APIs, that provide the blueprints for making much of the software work effectively. Although the jury found that Google infringed on those APIs, it reached an impasse on whether Google was covered under “fair use” protections in U.S. law. The lack of a fair-use determination hobbled Oracle’s ability to extract huge sums from Google.

The jury found that Android infringed on nine lines of Java coding, but the penalty for that violation is confined to statutory damages no higher than $150,000.

In the second phase of the trial, the jury considered Oracle’s allegations that Android violated two Java patents. The jury said Wednesday that Google had violated neither. The patent case was considered to be worth far less to Oracle than the allegations of copyright infringement.

In a statement, Google said Wednesday’s verdict “was a victory not just for Google but the entire Android ecosystem.” Oracle countered with a statement asserting it had “presented overwhelming evidence at trial that Google knew it would fragment and damage Java.” Oracle didn’t say whether it intended to appeal the jury’s verdict.

Although Alsup dismissed the jury, the case still has a few potential twists.

Google has filed for a mistrial on the API ruling. Google argues that the law doesn’t allow an infringement finding if the fair use question isn’t answered. If mistrial is granted, the allegations could be re-examined by a new jury.

Alsup also will rule on whether the law even allows APIs to be copyrighted – an issue being closely watched by computer programmers. If Alsup finds APIs can be copyrighted, Oracle could still pursue a portion of Google’s Android profits, but obtaining a large award might still be difficult as long as the fair-use question is unresolved.

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The shooting occurred shortly after 1 p.m. near Ellis and Leavenworth streets. The victims were found near the Comida Yucateca Dona Martha eatery at 499 Ellis St.

Police spokesman Sgt. Daryl Fong said three people were injured, but a lieutenant at the scene said he was only aware of two shooting victims.

The victims were shot in the lower parts of their bodies and were taken to San Francisco General Hospital, Fong said. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Police Lt. Joe Cordes said it appears the shooter may have known the victims.

A witness, Darnell William, said he was a block away at Eddy and Leavenworth streets and saw a white or gray van speed up Leavenworth. He said he heard gunshots then saw the van speeding away.

William said the person or people in the van “seemed like they were on a mission.”

Shortly before 2 p.m., fire crews were washing a pool of blood off of the sidewalk outside the restaurant. A restaurant employee said police had confiscated footage from a surveillance camera outside.

The 400 block of Ellis Street was briefly shut down after the shooting but has since reopened.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the Police Department’s anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.

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Complete Game Box Score | Giants Team Page

Zito (3-2) allowed eight runs—four earned—five hits and four walks in three innings, dropping to 0-4 with a 7.67 ERA in eight starts at Miller Park.

Jose Veras (3-1) struck out three over two hitless innings in relief of Marco Estrada, who left after injuring his right leg while running out a first-inning double. John Axford pitched the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.

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Manager Bob Melvin says the A’s want to make sure Ramirez is fully prepared and comfortable with his swing before he plays in major league games following his stint with Triple-A Sacramento. Melvin still hopes that could be on time.

Ramirez turns 40 on May 30, the day he could come back in Minnesota. His 100-game suspension for a second positive drug test was cut to 50 games after he sat out most of last year.

The dreadlocked designated hitter is a .312 hitter with 555 homers and 1,831 RBIs. The 12-time All-Star faced a 50-game suspension for a second positive drug test.

This will be his 20th major league season.

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The president was scheduled to land at Moffett Field before heading to the Peninsula for a fundraiser at the Atherton home of Levi Strauss heir Doug Goldman. Tickets for the event
cost $35,800 per person.

That will be followed by a public event at the Fox Theater in Redwood City where the President was scheduled to speak at about 9:25 p.m. Premium seating for the event started at $1,000 per person and went as high as $12,500.

After spending the night in San Jose, President Obama will be at a fundraising event Thursday morning originally set for a Palo Alto hotel. A roundtable with the Asian American/Pacific Islander community, also at $35,800 a head, was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at The Fairmont in downtown San Jose.

The Obama campaign said the switch was over “logistical purposes.” It will be President Obama’s first San Jose event since his election.

Bruce Cain, University of California, Berkeley political science professor, said the fundraisers are a way for President Obama to make up for the loss of banking donations he once enjoyed.

KCBS’ Tim Ryan Reports:

“In 2008, President Obama got more money than John McCain by a wide margin from the banking industry,” Cain said.

He said the president is in a delicate position because he’s no longer able to fund a robust campaign through small donations.

“While Romney is way behind right now in the regulated money, the Super PACS on the Republican side are really gearing up,” Cain said.

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The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Facebook’s much-anticipated IPO was delayed by a half-hour on Friday because of glitches on the Nasdaq.

After pricing at $38, Facebook’s stock closed up 23 cents on Friday and has been down since. On Wednesday, it closed up $1, at $32, still down nearly 16 percent from the IPO price.

The news was reported earlier by Reuters.

NYSE declined to comment. A Nasdaq spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment.

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But not forever, according to Lee Houskeeper, a publicist for the bar.

The bar’s owners, James and Tasios Bovis, plan to recreate the Gold Dust Lounge piece by piece in a larger space in Fisherman’s Wharf, he said.

Houskeeper said he cannot yet disclose the exact location, for which a lease is still in the works.

He said “we don’t expect a problem,” but said he could not say exactly where it will be until the ink on the lease dries, which he hopes will happen before an afternoon news conference scheduled for Wednesday, he said.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” Houskeeper said.

Work to be done includes stripping the existing space of its furnishings and decorations and reinstalling the items in the new space.

The process, which will get under way Thursday, is expected to take about four months, according to Houskeeper.

“I think people are grateful that the place is going to exist … and that the Bovises are going to spend all this time to recreate the thing that they love,” Houskeeper said of the bar’s loyal patrons.

Fans of the establishment created a grassroots movement in support of the bar that ultimately failed to keep it in its current location.

In the meantime, Houskeeper said, the Bovis family will set up a temporary Gold Dust Lounge in a back room at Lefty O’Doul’s, which it also owns.

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What’s Featured on this Episode:

For more information on great excursions you can take on the San Francisco bay visit www.sfbayadventures.com

For more information on treating yourself to a stay at the East Brother Light Station Bed and Breakfast visit www.ebls.org

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The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved putting a minimum wage ordinance on the Nov. 6 ballot. If approved, the minimum wage would rise from $8 to $10 an hour, with annual inflation adjustments.

Mayor Chuck Reed said the election will allow for city leaders, residents and business owners time to gather input and weigh in on the proposed ordinance.

The Council’s vote came after a majority of public speakers urged councilmembers to adopt a minimum wage hike outright which the council rejected 8 to 3.

The proposal originated in a San Jose State sociology class that gathered enough petition signatures last month to qualify it for in time for an election.

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