San Francisco, CA
Santa Rosa: The 1906 earthquake almost lost to history
Santa Rosa prepares for next big earthquake
The Great 1906 earthquake devastated the Bay Area, destroying much of San Francisco and killing more than 3,000 people. The city marked the quakes 120th anniversary this weekend, but whats not as widely recognized is the damage to surrounding comunities like Santa Rosa.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. – While the Great 1906 Earthquake was a centerpiece of news around the world when its massive damage and fire destroyed much of San Francisco and took 3,000 lives, another far smaller, far less famous town, suffered massive damage almost forgotten by history.
Nearly forgotten
On this day 120 years ago, stunned people were digging for survivors two nights after the quake. Like a demon in the night, the Great 1906 Earthquake also came to Santa Rosa also bent on mass death and destruction.
Eric Stanley is the history curator and deputy director of the Museum of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa that supplied these pictures. “Santa Rosa, in particular, was devastated by the 1906 earthquake,” he said.
Survivors were shaken awake as whole buildings collapsed around them or on them. “A good portion, a really significant portion, of downtown Santa Rosa was completely destroyed,” said Stanley.
Many never woke up; crushed to death in their sleep. There were over a hundred people killed in the 1906 earthquake in Santa Rosa that only had 7,000 people in it at the time,” said the curator.
Active fault line
Sixty-three years later, in 1969, a time of budding, but far better science-based building codes, a double shaker nonetheless did significant damage and killed one person. “Even understanding all those things, you kind of at the earlier stage of that in the sixties,” said Stanley.
Today, four of Santa Rosa’s School buildings lie near or on the Rodgers Creek Earthquake Fault, capable of up to a 7.3 magnitude rupture. One is already closed with another due to close at the end of the school year for budgetary reasons.
That leaves two elementary schools, Hidden Valley, alongside the fault and Proctor, on the fault. The school board says both are seismically sound and safe to continue operating. “The two that are remaining open are both the ones that have the potential and the ability to grow because the entire site is not impacted by the fault line,” said Nick Caston, Santa Rosa City School Board president.
Staying prepared
In other words, things can and will eventually be moved around.
“What we’re gonna end up having to do is redesign the campus over the next several decades to have our fields and our parking in the front, which are totally acceptable to be over a fault line and actually move our academic builds and our student-serving buildings to the back,” said Caston.
Ultimately, the pictures and relics museums hold from natural disasters are given to those who come, a lesson and a warning. “Real people went through these experiences and we really do have to be aware of that and do our very best to prepare for those kinds of things,” said Stanley.
The 1933 Field Act requires earthquake-safe construction of schools, with evolving seismic codes as we learn more.
Chinatown fatal crash victim ID’d, safety measures proposed
The victim killed in Friday’s Chinatown crash was identified Monday by the medical examiner as Cutberto Zamora-Martinez, 49, of San Joaquin County. At a meeting on Monday, city officials said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
SAN FRANCISCO – The 76-year-old man arrested for a March 27 crash in San Francisco’s Chinatown that left a man dead has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.
Zhuo Ming Lu on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and denied the allegations against him, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
In addition to the charge of vehicular manslaughter, Lu is charged with driving a vehicle in the commission of unlawful acts and driving at unsafe speed without gross negligence.
The crash
The backstory:
Authorities said Lu was attempting to park near Grant Avenue and Jackson Street when his vehicle jumped the sidewalk and crashed into the landmark New Lung Ting Cafe, also known as the Pork Chop House. The vehicle struck two pedestrians: Cutberto Zamora-Martinez, 49, of San Joaquin County and a second person who has not been identified.
“The victims were transported by paramedics to a local hospital. Despite the lifesaving efforts of first responders and medical staff, one of the victims was declared deceased at the hospital,” a release from the district attorney’s office states. “Another adult victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”
One fatality
Dig deeper:
Zamora-Martinez had been working in the area, according to a GoFundMe page. A San Francisco Police Department source close to the investigation told KTVU the victims were carpet installers arriving for work.
The fundraising page described Zamora-Martinez as a husband and father who was the sole provider for his family and “a humble man who wanted the best for his family.”
Police said Lu remained at the scene of the crash and cooperated with investigators.
Court date
What’s next:
Lu was arrested in April, and was later released on his own recognizance. He was ordered not to drive, and to surrender his driver’s license and passport. The court also ordered the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend Lu’s license.
He is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 30.
The Source: San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, previous KTVU reporting
San Francisco, CA
Where to watch San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers: TV channel, start time, streaming for
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Wednesday as the San Francisco Giants visit the Los Angeles Dodgers.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers?
First pitch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants is scheduled for (ET) on Wednesday, .
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 6:32 a.m.
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
The San Francisco Mayor’s Office says news numbers show the city now has the lowest homeless population it has seen in more than a decade.
Mayor Daniel Lurie on Tuesday held a news conference to announce the milestone.
“I am here to announce some incredible progress,” Lurie said. “Unsheltered homelessness in San Francisco is now at its lowest level in 15 years.”
According to data from the city’s 2026 point in time count, the number of unhoused people living in tents on the streets of San Francisco has dropped by 22% since the last count in 2024.
The mayor is crediting a focus on getting people off the street, into treatment and into more stable housing.
But there is one category that did not see a drop: The number of families who are homeless have increased by 15%. It’s a problem city leaders said they are working hard to address.
NBC Bay Area’s Sergio Quintana has more in the video above.
-
Business2 minutes ago
Coca-Cola manufacturer to shutter major Southern California plant
-
Entertainment8 minutes agoAt LACHSA, L.A.’s most important public arts school, the ‘misfits’ become superstars
-
Lifestyle13 minutes agoTaste New Mexico at two colorful stops along Albuquerque’s Route 66
-
Politics20 minutes agoTrump marvels at Chinese display of power as summit kicks off
-
Sports32 minutes agoHigh school baseball: City Section Wednesday playoff scores, Thursday schedule
-
World44 minutes agoIran war: Why the BRICS foreign ministers meeting in India matters
-
News1 hour agoDenise Powell wins Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district
-
New York3 hours agoMan Convicted of Running Illegal Police Station Tied to China’s Government
