SF News

Friends, family and co-workers are searching again today for an Emeryville man who went missing near San Francisco's Ocean Beach following the Bay to Breakers race on Sunday.

Beau Rasmussen, 27, became separated from his friends around noon, and about eight hours later, his belongings were found by a passerby on Ocean Beach across from the Beach Chalet restaurant, said Stephanie Serbe, his friend and co-worker at San Ramon-based EDF Renewable Energy.

The company has closed its office Monday and today and co-workers are searching the area for any signs of Rasmussen, Serbe said. She said Rasmussen's parents also flew in from Oregon on Monday night and are joining other friends and family in the search.

"He's a very responsible guy at work," Serbe said. "Definitely something is wrong."

U.S. Park police assisted with the search on Monday but did not find anything, agency spokesman Howard Levitt said.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew also flew a helicopter over the shoreline on Monday but did not find anything either, Coast Guard Ensign Corinne Gaines said.

A flyer posted around the Ocean Beach area indicates that Rasmussen's friends think he might have gone swimming in the ocean after the race.

He is described as 27 years old, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and 195 pounds.

Anyone with information about Rasmussen's whereabouts is asked to call his friends at (925) 961-7397 or (510) 999-0852.

 

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A meeting of 32 National Football League team owners in Boston this morning will determine whether the San Francisco 49ers will host the Super Bowl in 2016 at their new stadium in Santa Clara.

The 49ers are competing with the Miami Dolphins to host Super Bowl L. Santa Clara's mayor and City Council will be watching live coverage of the NFL's decision starting at 11:30 a.m. in City Council chambers at City Hall, city spokesman Dan Beerman said.

"Everyone's excited," Beerman said. "We'll probably cheer when and if we get anointed. Then the work begins." San Francisco city officials are also anxiously awaiting the decision.

"We're on the five-yard line and ready to go," Mayor Ed Lee said Monday.

Jed York, the 49ers' CEO, gave his team's 15-minute presentation and representatives of the Miami organization delivered theirs at the Boston meeting, and now it's up to team owners to select the winning bid, Beerman said.

If Santa Clara's $1.2 billion Levi Stadium is selected to host the contest, the next step to listen to what the NFL wants the city and the 49ers to do to prepare for the big game.

"Based on any recommendations the NFL has, we start almost the next day," Beerman said.

The losing bidder will be considered as a potential host for the Super Bowl in 2017.

 

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Employees at Five UC Hospitals Will Start Two-Day Strike

About 13,000 union workers at five University of California medical centers, including the one in San Francisco, plan to begin a two-day strike this morning, union leaders said Monday.

Randall Johnson, an MRI technologist at UCSF, said employees are staging the work action over staffing levels, contracting out, pension contributions and other issues.

"We've been in negotiations for over a year and there's been no major movement on the core issues so we're at an impasse," Johnson said.

Johnson said members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 are leading the two-day strike and will be supported by members of the University Professional and Technical Employees union.

In addition to UCSF, the strike will take place at UC medical centers at San Diego, Irvine, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, where the UC Davis Medical Center is located.

Dr. John Stobo, the UC system's senior vice president for health sciences and services, said the university estimates that the strike will cost $20 million, which he said means that "there will be fewer dollars to support the education of medical students and residents to support programs to improve medical care."

Stobo said, "The real impact is the safety of our patients and we've had to cancel a significant number of surgeries" because of the strike.

Dr. Joshua Adler, the chief medical officer at UCSF, said the strike has forced the hospital to cancel surgery for more than 150 patients, including cancer patients who were supposed to have chemotherapy and radiation treatments and five children who were supposed to have congenital heart surgery.

Dwaine Duckett, UC's vice president for human resources, said, "Patients shouldn't be in the middle of a labor dispute."

Duckett alleged that after contract talks began last June, AFSCME "made it clear that they were determined to flex their muscles and go on strike."

He also alleged that the union has refused to contribute more money to employees' retirement costs.

But Johnson said employees don't think they should contribute more to retirement costs if management doesn't also increase its contributions to retirement costs.

Johnson added, "Contracting out jobs to non-union workers and staffing levels are equally important to us."

A Sacramento County Superior Court judge issued an injunction Monday that limits the scope of the strike but said it could take place.

Police Chief Declares 'Crime Emergency' In East Palo Alto

Following the recent violence in East Palo Alto, culminating in Sunday's killing of a teenager, police Chief Ronald Davis is calling a "crime emergency" for the department, which will take effect on today.

Declaring a "crime emergency" allows the department to cancel days off and make assignment changes as needed. It will more than double the number of patrol officers in the field during critical time periods, Capt. Carl Estelle said Monday.

He said Davis had talked briefly about declaring a crime emergency a couple of weeks ago but that Sunday's homicide was the final straw.

"[Davis] considered it but late last night, he felt that it's time to call the crime emergency," Estelle said. "It's really the culmination of the last couple of weeks."

Sunday's killing of 15-year-old Jose Quinonez was the city's fifth homicide and one of more than 50 firearm assaults since January, police said.

Eight of those assaults have happened in the past two weeks, according to police.

As part of this, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office will deploy a multi-agency tactical team to focus its efforts on the Nortenos gang, the gang allegedly responsible for the recent violence spike.

The countywide Gang Task Force will also continue its summer programs in East Palo Alto and throughout the county, Estelle said.

The teams should increase the amount of intelligence law enforcement has on the gangs, Estelle said.

The "crime emergency" will last 30 days and after about two weeks, police will evaluate the success to determine whether to extend or end the action, Estelle said.

Man Accused Of Shooting At San Francisco Police In 2011 Ordered To Stand Trial

A man accused of shooting at San Francisco police officers in the city's Western Addition neighborhood in 2011 has been ordered to stand trial on attempted murder and several assault and firearm charges, prosecutors said Monday.

Roselyndo Sicat, 40, was shot and wounded by officers after he allegedly fired several shots at them shortly before 8 a.m. on June 29, 2011, near Gough and Ellis streets, police said.

Sicat was held to answer Monday on nine felony counts, including attempted murder, assault on a police officer, possession of a firearm by a felon, illegal possession of an assault weapon, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence, district attorney's office spokesman Alex Bastian said.

The shooting happened after two plainclothes officers spotted Sicat as he was leaving a residential driveway. He had been wanted on a $75,000 warrant for felony vandalism and resisting arrest and was on active parole for a weapons violation, police said.

After Sicat was shot, he crashed into a parked car and was arrested by the officers, who were not injured in the gunfire, according to police.

He will return to court on June 4 to be formally arraigned on the charges, Bastian said.

Four-Alarm Vegetation Fire In Orinda Contained After Burning Eight Acres

Firefighters have contained a four-alarm vegetation fire in Orinda Monday afternoon, a fire chief said.

The Moraga-Orinda Fire District received a report of a fire on Descanso Drive near Ivy Drive at 1:23 p.m., fire chief Randy Bradley said.

The fire burned eight acres before being contained at 3:15 p.m., Bradley said.

Fire crews remain on scene and continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

Bradley said the fire threatened some homes but fire engines were placed at the homes to prevent any damage.

The Contra Costa County Fire Prevention District also responded to the fire.

Sonoma County Jury Deliberating Sanity Of First-Degree Murder Defendant

A Sonoma County jury that convicted a Santa Rosa man of the brutal first-degree murder of his father is now deciding whether he was insane at the time.

Jurors heard closing arguments Monday from Deputy Public Defender Karen Silver, who said three psychiatrists agreed 22-year-old Houston Herczog was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was insane when he killed his 63-year-old father Mark Herczog in their Rincon Valley home on Nov. 21, 2011.

Silver said she met the defense's burden of proving Herczog's illness made him incapable of knowing the nature of his acts or that they were legally and morally wrong.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner told the jury Herczog might have been suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the murder, but that is not the same as being insane at the time of the slaying.

Waner's witness, psychiatrist Dr. James Missett, testified the amphetamine Adderall, which Herczog was stealing from his mother, can lead to rage and violence, and he did not find any hard evidence Herczog was psychotic.

"This was a drug-induced killing," Missett said.

Waner suggested Herczog could be exaggerating his symptoms of schizophrenia to escape criminal responsibility.

A lengthy video of an interview with a Santa Rosa police detective a few hours after the slaying showed Herczog oriented, cooperative, and aware of his bodily functions and sleep deprivation, Waner said.

The prosecutor said the simplest explanation for the slaying is that Herczog sought drugs, stole them from his mother, became enraged when he returned home and was confronted by his father and killed him, Waner said.

"The evidence in this case is he was completely sane when he killed his father," Waner told the eight women and four men on the jury.

Silver said Herczog was hearing voices and believed his father was an evil spirit. She said Herczog tried to sever his father's head as a ritual purification to get the evil out.

Herczog stabbed his father more than 50 times and dropped a guitar amplifier on his skull in the kitchen of their home.

"Common sense says this was a psychotic killing, not a normal killing," Silver said. "If this wasn't a psychotic killing, what was it?"

Silver said evidence Herczog was insane includes a history of mental illness in his family, the lack of a motive to kill his father, the nature and character of his father's injuries, his depression, quitting school and his band, cutting his wrists and destroying his room and his car with a machete.

She said his condition improved once he began taking anti-psychotic medication.

"Houston was mentally ill. It's the thing that explains the killing," Silver said.

Medical Examiner Identifies Man In Suspicious Death Case At Marina District Hotel

A man whose death early Thursday at a Marina District hotel is being considered suspicious has been identified by the San Francisco medical examiner's office as 45-year-old Jaisingh Pawar.

Authorities had responded shortly before 4:30 a.m. to 1501 Lombard St., the location of the Francisco Bay Inn, on a report of an unconscious man, fire officials said.

Medics pronounced the man later identified as Pawar dead at the scene and notified police that the case was a possible assault, fire officials said.

Medical examiner's investigators also responded and deemed the death suspicious, prompting the Police Department's homicide detail to take over the investigation, police said.

No other information about the case was immediately available from police.

Former Contra Costa County Narcotics Task Force Head Gets 14-Year Prison Term

A sobbing former Contra Costa County drug task force commander was sentenced Monday to 14 years in federal prison for stealing drug evidence, robbing prostitutes and making phony arrests.

Norman Wielsch, 51, of Concord, asked U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Armstrong to "show me as much leniency as possible," saying that he participated in a Contra Costa County police corruption scheme because he was suffering from depression and post traumatic stress disorder caused by his physical and mental health problems.

Armstrong said she agrees that Wielsch faces medical and mental health problems but she's not persuaded that they caused him to commit the crimes he admitted to when he pleaded guilty to five felony counts on Dec. 5.

Armstrong said Wielsch should get a long sentence because of "the gravity of his conduct and his abuse of his position of trust."

He said if Wielsch were given a light sentence, such as being placed on home confinement, it could undermine the public's confidence in law enforcement officers and its trust of the justice system.

Wielsch pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine, one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds, two counts of conspiracy against civil rights and a robbery count.

Six additional charges originally included in the indictment were dropped as a part of his plea deal with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Wielsch, the former commander of the now-defunct Contra Costa Narcotics Enforcement Team, admitted to committing a series of crimes between 2009 and 2011 that included stealing marijuana and methamphetamine seized during CNET raids and selling the drugs with the help of Antioch private investigator Christopher Butler.

The two previously worked together as Antioch police officers.

The former CNET commander admitted that he stole between $30,000 and $70,000 of marijuana and methamphetamine from county evidence lockers and distributed the drugs with Butler.

Wielsch also admitted to teaming up with Butler to target prostitutes and steal cash, cell phones, a computer and other items from them under the guise of making an arrest. He and Butler had scoured Craigslist and other websites in search of their targets and eventually met up with a prostitute and a madam in a San Ramon hotel room in the summer of 2010.

Armstrong sentenced Butler to eight years in federal prison last year for his role in the crimes.

Wielsch's plea agreement called for him to be sentenced to at least 10 years and he faced a sentence of up to 17 and one half years.

President Obama Visiting Bay Area Again Next Month For Fundraisers

President Barack Obama is returning to the Bay Area in a couple of weeks to raise money for his Democratic colleagues in the U.S. Senate, according to party officials.

Obama will be attending fundraising events on June 6 in Palo Alto and Portola Valley on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The president's trip will include a 5 p.m. reception at the Palo Alto home of tech entrepreneurs Marci and Mike McCue, according to an invitation for the event.

He will then travel to Portola Valley for a 6:30 p.m. dinner and discussion at the home of venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and his wife Neeru.

Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., are also expected to attend both events.

Tickets for the dinner cost $32,400 per person, and tickets for the reception start at $2,500, according to the invitation.

Obama was last in the Bay Area in April when he attended Democratic fundraisers in San Francisco and along the Peninsula.

Fairfield Man Killed In Wrong-Way Driving Crash Sunday

The Solano County coroner's office identified the driver who died when he drove the wrong way on Interstate Highways 80 and 680 Sunday night as 53-year-old Jeffrey Woodhouse of Fairfield.

Woodhouse was driving a 2009 Toyota Camry south on northbound Highway 680 when he collided head-on with a 2005 Hummer H2 near Marshview Road in Solano County south of Fairfield around 8 p.m., California Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Lehman said.

Before the fatal collision, Woodhouse was driving west on eastbound Highway 80 near the Rio Vista-Suisun City state Highway 12 off-ramp in Suisun, CHP Officer Ralph Caggiano said.

Caggiano said Woodhouse drove the wrong way on the freeways for about nine miles.

A passenger in the Hummer complained of pain but the Hummer driver was not injured, Lehman said.

Woodhouse was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:25 p.m. Sunday, coroner's Deputy Jackson Harris said. Results of an autopsy will be pending toxicology tests, Harris said.

The collision closed northbound Highway 80 for 70 minutes, Lehman said.

San Francisco Bay Area Weat

Mostly cloudy skies and patchy fog are likely in the Bay Area this morning. Highs are expected to be in the 50s to mid 60s, with westerly winds up to 30 mph.

Mostly clear skies are likely this evening. Lows are likely to be near 50, with northwest winds up to 30 mph.

Sunny skies are expected Wednesday morning. Highs are expected to be in the 50s to mid 60s, with winds up to 30 mph in the afternoon.

A Powerball ticket bought in San Jose that matched five numbers in Saturday's draw, but missed the Powerball number, is worth $2.3 million, California Lottery officials said.

The ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven, located at 2440 Almaden Expressway. A second ticket with the same matching numbers was sold in Taft, in Kern County, also at a 7-Eleven.

One ticket sold in Florida hit the jackpot, valued at an estimated $590.5 million.

The jackpot is a record for a Powerball game, and ticket sales were high. A total of 769,585 tickets sold in California won a prize.

 

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Firefighters battled a one-alarm blaze by water and land at a commercial pier in San Francisco's Central Waterfront-Dogpatch District Sunday night, officials said.

Crews responded to a report of a fire at a 30-by-100 foot pier at 401 23rd St. at 10:26 p.m., officials said.

The shipping company DHL is located at that address.

A fireboat was called to assist crews on land from water, according to officials.

The blaze was under control at 11:17 p.m., officials said.

No one was injured.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but it is believed to be accidental, according to officials.

The fire is under investigation.

 

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Concord Woman Allegedly Started Brush Fire That Threatened Martinez Homes

Martinez police arrested a 48-year-old Concord woman Sunday evening after she was allegedly caught starting a brush fire that threatened homes.

Police were called to a hillside near Alhambra Avenue and Alhambra Hills Drive shortly after 5 p.m. where a brush fire had started, according to Lt. Aaron Roth.

Officers contacted a woman there who had allegedly started the fire, but she became uncooperative and allegedly resisted officers, Roth said. One officer sustained a non-life threatening injury to his leg before she was taken into custody.

Julie Tenpenny was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and arson, Roth said.

The fire spread rapidly in the direction of homes east of Alhambra Avenue between Alhambra Hills Drive and Vine Hill Way, but Contra Costa County firefighters were able to contain it before any homes were damaged.

No evacuations were necessary and no other people were injured, Roth said.

Man Who Fell From Roof At Bay To Breakers Party Died 

A man suffered life-threatening injuries in a fall from a roof during what appears to have been a Bay to Breakers house party Sunday, according to San Francisco police.

The 3:30 p.m. incident on the 2000 block of Fell Street appears to be among the most serious reported during the race and subsequent celebrations.

San Francisco police arrested 21 people for public intoxication, one for possession of a firearm and one felony arrest for robbery during the race and event, according to police Officer Albie Esparza.

Another 16 people were taken into sobering centers.

Police also responded to 20 house parties, notifying party-goers that it was time to "end the festivities," Esparza said.

One officer sustained minor injuries during an arrest, and two bars were admonished about being over their occupancy limits, Esparza said.

Ethiopian Tolossa Gedefa Fufi, 21, was the top male runner, completing the 7.46-mile course with a time of 35 minutes and 1 second, race spokeswoman DeeDee Taft said.

American Ryan Hall, 30, placed second with a course time of 35 minutes and 40 seconds, and Ethiopian Tesfaye Sendeku Alemayehu, 29, placed third with a time of 36 minutes and four seconds, Taft said.

One the women's side, Burundi athlete Diane Nukuri-Johnson, 28, finished first, running the course in 40 minutes and 12 seconds.

Adrienne Herzog, 27, of the Netherlands came in second with a time of 40 minutes and 42 seconds, and American Chelsea Reilly, 24, placed third at 40 minutes and 56 seconds.

Powerball Ticket Sold In San Jose Worth $2.3 Million

A Powerball ticket bought in San Jose that matched five numbers in Saturday's draw but missed the Powerball number is worth $2.3 million, California Lottery officials said Sunday.

The ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven at 2440 Almaden Expressway. A second ticket with the same matching numbers was sold in Taft, in Kern County, also at a 7-Eleven.

One ticket sold in Florida hit the jackpot, valued at an estimated $590.5 million.

The jackpot is a record for a Powerball game, and ticket sales were high. A total of 769,585 tickets sold in California won a prize.

Alvarado Boulevard In Fremont Reopened, Power Restored After Crash Into Power Pole

Alvarado Boulevard in Fremont has reopened and most customers have had their power restored after a crash Sunday afternoon that knocked over a power pole, according to police and utility officials.

Alvarado Boulevard has reopened between U.S. Interstate Highway 880 and Falcon Drive, Fremont police said shortly before 5 p.m.

Around the same time, Pacific Gas and Electric indicated that all but three of the 3,440 customers who lost power this afternoon in the Fremont and Union City areas due to the crash have had their power restored.

The crash on Alvarado Boulevard sheared off a power pole at Lowry Road around 1:55 p.m., causing live wires to come down on the roadway, PG&E spokesman J.D. Guidi said.

Emergency responders blocked Alvarado Boulevard after the crash while at least one occupant in the vehicle was extracted, according to Fremont police.

The collision caused major traffic delays in the area.

Wrong-Way Driving Resulted In Fatal Crash On NB I-680 In Fairfield

A fatal crash in Fairfield closed all lanes on northbound Interstate Highway 680 near Marshview Road Sunday night, causing major traffic backups, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash, reported shortly after 8 p.m., appears to have been caused by a wrong-way driver traveling south in the northbound lanes, according to initial CHP reports.

Two People Killed, One Injured In Two Shootings In Oakland Sunday

Oakland police are investigating two fatal shootings that took place Sunday.

The first shooting occurred shortly after 4:30 a.m. on the 1400 block of 92nd Avenue, according to Officer Kevin McDonald.

Two people were shot, and one was declared dead at the scene. The other is in stable condition, McDonald said.

The second occurred on the 2900 block of West Street around 6:20 p.m. One male victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

No suspect information was available for either incident.

San Jose Man Killed In Solo Crash Saturday Afternoon In Campbell

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a crash on southbound state Highway 17 in Campbell that left a San Jose man dead Saturday afternoon.

The crash was reported at about 4:20 p.m. on southbound Highway 17, at the Camden Avenue-San Tomas Expressway off-ramp, the CHP said.

A preliminary investigation determined that a 40-year-old San Jose man lost control of his maroon 1996 Nissan Maxima and went down an embankment and overturned, according to the CHP.

The car came to rest on its roof in the fast lane of the Camden Avenue-San Tomas Expressway off-ramp, the CHP said.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash, and witnesses reported him driving recklessly prior to losing control of the car, the CHP said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP said.

It is unknown if drug or alcohol impairment was a factor in the crash, according to the CHP.

The two left lanes of the off-ramp were closed for about two hours during the CHP investigation.

Palo Alto Police Increasing Patrols Downtown After Attempted Armed Robbery

Police in East Palo Alto are investigating a shooting that hospitalized a juvenile male Saturday night, police said Sunday.

Officers responded to the 2500 block of Farrington Avenue when they were notified of shots fired by ShotSpotter at about 9:28 p.m., police said.

When officers arrived, they were unable to locate a gunshot victim, but were later informed that a 17-year-old male, of East Palo Alto, checked into an area hospital, police said.

The victim suffered two gunshot wounds to the foot, police said. He was treated for his injuries and is in stable condition, according to police.

Investigators determined that the victim was standing in a driveway in the 2500 block of Farrington Avenue talking with friends when a dark colored car approached and opened fire, police said.

Suspect information was not immediately available.

Five-Year-Old Child Injured In Fall From Second-Floor Window In Sunset District

A five-year-old child was hospitalized after falling out of a window in San Francisco's Sunset District Sunday morning, a fire department dispatcher said.

Firefighters responded to reports of an injured child at a home in the 3800 block of 38th Avenue at about 11 a.m., according to the San Francisco Fire Department.

The child suffered head trauma falling from a second-floor window and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, the dispatcher said.

The victim was expected to survive, he said.

San Leandro Motorcyclist Killed In Saturday Evening Crash

A motorcycle rider was killed in a crash in San Leandro on Saturday, police said.

Officers responded to reports of a crash involving a motorcycle and vehicle near the intersection of East 14th Street and 143rd Avenue at about 5:20 p.m., according to San Leandro police.

The motorcyclist, who was later identified as San Leandro resident Matthew Mitchell, was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The driver of the vehicle suffered injuries that were not expected to be life threatening, police said.

The crash remains under investigation by San Leandro police.

San Francisco Bay Area Weather Report

Sunny skies are likely in the Bay Area this morning. Highs are expected to be in the 60s to 70s, with westerly winds up to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Clear skies are likely this evening, with patchy fog after midnight. Lows are likely to be in the lower 50s, with westerly winds up to 20 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies, with patchy fog, are expected Tuesday morning. Highs are expected to be in the upper 50s to mid 60s, with westerly winds up to 20 mph.

America's Cup Officials Reviewing Safety Measures After Death Of Sailor

America's Cup race officials said today that they are reviewing the safety of the boats being used in September's regatta in San Francisco following the death of a sailor Thursday in a capsizing during a practice run.

Andrew "Bart" Simpson, 36, a member of the Sweden-based Artemis Racing team, died following the capsizing in the Bay shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday.

Officials held a news conference at race headquarters in San Francisco this morning to discuss the death and how they plan to move ahead with the sailing races that begin in July and end with the America's Cup Finals in September.

Regatta director Iain Murray said Simpson was aboard the Artemis Racing AC-72, a 72-foot catamaran that nose-dived and went into the water upside down.

The boat was broken into many pieces and it appears Simpson was trapped under some of the solid sections of the yacht, Murray said.

Simpson was "out of view, out of sight for the myriad of people on board trying to locate him," Murray said.

The sailor was eventually found after about 10 minutes and CPR was administered while he was taken ashore to the St. Francis Yacht Club.

However, Simpson could not be revived and was pronounced dead at 1:43 p.m., San Francisco fire officials said.

America's Cup Event Authority CEO Stephen Barclay said the death has devastated everyone involved in the race.

The sailors "are a bit like a big family," Barclay said. "When something happens to one of our members, we all feel the loss."

Practices have been suspended for the next three days for teams in the regatta and Artemis Racing officials have not indicated whether they plan to continue in the races, Murray said.

He said while San Francisco police are conducting an investigation into the death, America's Cup officials will conduct their own investigation to see what, if any, changes should be made to the 72-foot boats or other aspects of the races.

"We take the safety of our sport very seriously and respect the ocean at all times," Murray said. "We are constantly trying to improve the way we manage these boats."

He said the area where the capsizing occurred, a "triangle" between Treasure Island, Angel Island and Alcatraz Island, was not part of the planned race course and that there are no plans to alter the course.

He said the area of the capsizing was "a windier spot on the Bay" but it also "wasn't extreme conditions."

Artemis Racing chairman Torbjorn Tornqvist issued a statement today about the death of the team's sailor.

Tornqvist said Simpson "was central to Artemis Racing, both in the course of racing and our lives. His presence and personality was a binding force and he will be missed."

Tornqvist said, "Right now, the primary focus of Artemis Racing is on the well-being of our team members and their families, and the America's Cup competition will remain second to that."

He said the team "will conduct a thorough analysis and review of this accident and will be looking at how the risks inherent to such competitive sailing can be limited in the future for the safety of the team and all competitors in the sailing community."

Simpson won two Olympic medals in sailing, a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Games and a silver medal in the 2012 Games in London, according to team officials.

Oakland  Annoucing More Changes To Police Leadership

Oakland city officials are announcing changes to the Police Department's executive leadership again, just two days after then-police Chief Howard Jordan stepped down as the city's top cop.

Jordan on Wednesday announced he was stepping down and taking steps toward medical retirement.

Assistant Chief Anthony Toribio took over as acting police chief, but is reportedly leaving the position after just two days.

Police and city officials have not confirmed reports that Toribio is stepping down, but are holding a news conference late this morning to discuss changes to the department's leadership.

The announcement caps off a tumultuous week for the Police Department, which also received a report Thursday from a group of police experts headed by William Bratton, former police chief in New York City, Los Angeles and Boston.

The report criticized Oakland police for a number of shortcomings, including a lack of information sharing and ability to counter the city's growing robbery and burglary problems.

The report recommended that the city implement a more district-based structure to allow officers to more effectively address serious crimes.

Delays On Caltrain After Female Pedestrian Struck In Burlingame, Killed On Tracks

A female pedestrian was struck and killed by a train on the Caltrain tracks in Burlingame this morning, a Caltrain spokeswoman said.

The pedestrian was struck by southbound train No. 314 around 7:40 a.m. south of the Broadway station, located at 1190 California Drive, according to Caltrain spokeswoman Jayme Ackemann.

Ackemann said as of 10 a.m. there was a backlog of trains that had been single-tracking around the incident for more than an hour.

Tracks in both directions reopened around 9:50 a.m., but passengers should expect delays of up to more than an hour, Ackemann said.

Regular service is expected to resume around noon.

Buses took customers around the scene of the fatality until about 8:30 a.m., according to Ackemann.

Fire Damages Forbes Island Restaurant At Pier 41

A fire at San Francisco's Pier 41 early this morning damaged part of the small Forbes Island restaurant, which is accessibly only by boat, a fire department spokeswoman said.

The fire was reported at 2:54 a.m. at a structure near the main restaurant at the end of Pier 41, fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

Crews arrived by fireboat and had the blaze under control at 4:11 a.m., Talmadge said.

She said the area affected by the fire was a reception area where patrons order drinks before entering the main dining room.

Restaurant officials were not immediately available this morning to comment on how the fire will affect operations there.

Two Injured After Vehicle Crashed Into Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Building

Two people were injured when a vehicle crashed into a building at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose this morning, according to fire officials.

At about 3:49 a.m. fire officials received a report that a vehicle had crashed into a building at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Both the driver of the vehicle and an employee of the hospital were injured and treated at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center's emergency room.

According to fire officials, the injured driver was walked over to the emergency room, while the injured hospital employee was transported to the emergency room via ambulance.

Dignitaries To Speak At Memorial For Fallen Police Officers In Santa Clara County

A tribute today to law enforcement officers killed while on duty within Santa Clara County will include remarks by dignitaries and a reading of the names of fallen officers going back to 1862, a sheriff's office spokesman said.

Family members of about 30 of the 39 officers who have been killed while on duty in the county plan to attend the annual Peace Officers Memorial, hosted by the sheriff's office, sheriff's spokesman Deputy Kurtis Stenderup said.

"We reached out to every family on the list," Stenderup said.

The memorial service starts at noon at the sheriff's headquarters at 55 W. Younger Ave. in San Jose.

Board of Supervisors president Ken Yeager will deliver the keynote speech and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, and state Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, will also speak.

Representatives from local law enforcement agencies in the county are expected to attend, Stenderup said.

The program will feature an honor guard, 21-gun salute, the national anthem, taps and a performance by a bagpipes band, Stenderup said.

After the elected officials speak, the names of the 39 peace officers killed in the county since 1862 will be read aloud, including officers from the sheriff's office, the San Jose, Palo Alto, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale police departments and the California Highway Patrol.

The first fallen officer in Santa Clara County was Deputy Sheriff Martin Roonan, who was stabbed to death on Oct. 23, 1862, and the most recent was San Jose police Officer Jeffrey Fontana, who was shot to death on Oct. 28, 2001, Stenderup said.

At Least Four Injured In Crash Near Eastridge Mall In San Jose

At least four people were injured in a crash near the Eastridge Mall in San Jose this morning, a fire dispatcher said.

The multi-vehicle collision was reported at 7:24 a.m. at East Capitol Expressway and Quimby Road and one of the vehicles overturned, the dispatcher said.

The dispatcher did not know the extent of the victims' injuries.

One-Alarm Fire Damages Kitchen In Mission District Restaurant

A one-alarm fire damaged the kitchen of a restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District this morning, according to a fire department spokeswoman.

The fire at 2288 19th St. was reported at 10:34 a.m. and was brought under control at 10:52 a.m., department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

The restaurant Little Baobab is listed at that address.

Talmadge said damage from the fire appears to have been limited to the area above the stove.

Firefighters Tackle Blaze At Oakland Barbecue Restaurant

Fire crews responded this morning to a fire at a building that houses an Oakland barbecue restaurant, a fire dispatcher said.

The one-alarm fire was reported at 10:01 a.m. at The Smoky Fire Pit restaurant at 6637 Bancroft Ave.

Crews responded and extinguished the blaze by 10:18 a.m. Fire officials said the fire was on the second floor and attic area of the building.

No injuries were reported in the fire, the dispatcher said.

Traffic Stop On Hwy 101 In Sonoma County Leads To Marijuana Arrests

Two men were arrested with more than four pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop Thursday in Sonoma County, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At about 11:20 a.m., a CHP officer on patrol on southbound U.S. Highway 101 spotted the passenger of a 1969 Chevrolet Impala not wearing a seatbelt.

The officer initiated a traffic stop and activated his emergency lights. The officer followed the car for about a mile until the driver pulled over near Geyserville Avenue.

The officer smelled marijuana coming from inside the Impala and conducted a search of the car.

The search netted more than four pounds of processed marijuana packaged for sales, according to the CHP.

The driver, 20-year-old Sebastian Ceja, and the passenger, Jose Vitgen, 22, both of Ukiah, were arrested on suspicion of possession and transportation of marijuana for sales, according to the CHP.

Windsor Man Accused Of Starving Retired Racehorse Pleads No Contest

A Windsor man was sentenced today to three years' informal probation and 200 hours of community service in Sonoma County Superior Court in connection with the death of a retired thoroughbred racehorse on his property in 2010.

Mark Ross, 49, was charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly starving the 6-year-old horse to death on his Jensen Lane property.

The horse died in December 2010.

Ross pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge this morning and was sentenced immediately by Judge Robert LaForge.

Animal rights activists, some of whom attended what was to be the start of Ross' trial today, claimed Ross allowed the horse to starve while feeding another horse next to it.

Ross' attorney Andy Martinez said the retired racehorse stopped eating for unknown reasons. He said Ross took the advice of a friend who examined the horse a month before it died and recommended Ross feed it alfalfa instead of hay, Martinez said.

Ross' niece Nicole Ross brought the horse to the property and neglected it, Martinez said.

The niece also was charged with felony animal cruelty. She pleaded no contest and was sentenced in January to three years' probation, 300 hours of community service and 45 days in county jail with the option of enrolling in a work release program.

"We had a defensible case all the way," Martinez said after today's sentencing.

He said his client agreed to plead no contest to the lesser charge because of the cost of an estimated 5- to 7-day trial.

Siobham Duff, of Petaluma, who attended the sentencing on behalf of In Defense of Animals, said the outcome of the case was "horrible and atrocious."

Duff said Ross should have been convicted of a felony charge.

LaForge also ordered Ross to pay $500 to the Sonoma County Coins to Help Abandoned and Neglected Equines program, which paid for a necropsy on the racehorse.

The judge also ordered Ross not to own or have horses on his property during his probation.

Piedmont High School Annual Bird Calling Contest Goes On Stage Tonight

Piedmont High School's nationally known Annual Bird Calling Contest will go on stage at the school's theater tonight.

The 7 p.m. performance at the Alan Harvey Theater will be the 48th annual contest.

In keeping with a tradition in place since the 1990s, the top three winners will fly to New York to appear on the Late Night with David Letterman show on May 21.

Students, either solo or in teams of three, will hoot, squawk, chirp, trill, tweet or warble in imitation of a chosen bird. Last year's winners sang the calls of Greater Prairie Chicken, the Green Heron and the California Quail.

The contestants, often in creative costumes, also present a short skit to give information about their bird.

"It's fun. It's definitely a Piedmont tradition," said Amanda Docter, a parent volunteer who helps with publicity for the event.

"It's an overarching innocent entertainment and it shows the kids' well-roundedness," Docter said.

The contest's three judges will determine the score on the basis of three criteria: the authenticity of the call; the poise and delivery of the performers; and the content of the introductory sketch.

The contest was begun in 1963 by Leonard Waxdeck, who Docter said was a beloved science teacher.

It has continued almost every year since then except for a two-year hiatus in the 1990s.

The winners began appearing on Johnny Carson's Tonight show in 1976. After Carson retired in 1992, Letterman took over being the annual host of the winners.

Firefighters responded to a report of a blaze at San Francisco's Pier 41 this morning, according to fire officials.

At about 3 a.m., fire officials received a report of a fire at the Pier 41 ferry terminal.

Firefighters responded to Pier 41, located at Embarcadero and Powell Street, just west of Pier 39.

 

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Oakland Police Chief Makes Surprise Announcement That He Will Step Down

Oakland city leaders are launching a nationwide search for a new police chief following the surprise announcement by Chief Howard Jordan Wednesday that he is stepping down for medical reasons.

In a statement posted on the department's website Wednesday, Jordan said, "This morning I advised City Administrator Deanna Santana that, effective immediately, I am on medical leave and taking steps toward medical retirement."

He called the decision "difficult but necessary."

Santana confirmed at a news conference Wednesday afternoon that Jordan alerted her that he was stepping down only Wednesday.

Assistant Chief Anthony Toribio will take the helm as acting chief as city leaders launch a nationwide search to find a permanent replacement for Jordan.

"Chief Jordan's announcement was unexpected," Toribio said.

"The suddenness may cause uncertainty inside and outside the department but there will be no change in the department's mission, progress or focus."

Toribio said it would be "presumptive of me to make comment" on whether he would be a candidate for permanent chief. Jordan was appointed police chief on Feb. 1, 2012, by Mayor Jean Quan.

He had served as interim chief since October 2011 after former police Chief Anthony Batts abruptly resigned.

"I'm personally very saddened and surprised about the chief's announcement," Quan said Wednesday.

She said she first met Jordan many years ago while serving on Oakland's school board, when he was chief of Oakland Unified School District police. "He had a great career.

He came up from the ranks and served the city well," Quan said. In his statement, Jordan said, "Through my 24 years of wearing an OPD badge and uniform, I have emulated the department's core values: honesty, respect, and integrity -- values I observed in the men and women who worked with me and for me.

"I know that the members and civilian staff of the department will carry on these values to generations to come," he said.

Armed Suspect Eludes Hayward Police, Despite Shots Being Fired

An allegedly armed suspect escaped a Hayward neighborhood Wednesday afternoon despite police shooting at him, swarming the area and searching a perimeter for over three hours, police said.

Hayward police first responded to a report from BART police that a suspect with a gun was seen leaving the Downtown Hayward BART station at 2:08 p.m.

Police responded and saw four males who matched that description. An officer attempted to detain them, and three complied but one ran away.

More officers responded and found the suspect behind the DMV building at 150 Jackson St. Police said he had a gun in his hand and the officer told him to drop the gun.

The suspect turned toward the officer and pointed the gun at him instead, so the officer fired at the suspect, according to police.

The suspect ran away again, still holding the gun, police said. Police then set up a perimeter around the DMV and the surrounding neighborhood to search for the suspect.

DMV spokesman Armando Botello said he was told around 3 p.m. that the building was closed because shots had been fired in the parking lot.

A resident of Magna Avenue said at 4:45 p.m. that as many as 15 police cars were parked at a house on his street near Winton Avenue.

Officers were outside the house with shields, he said.

The resident said he had heard what sounded like fireworks then saw police running toward the home.

He said they later threw something and he saw smoke.

The resident, who declined to give his name, said it looked like police were trying to find somebody at the home.

He had not seen anyone arrested.

An employee at Crossroads World Market, located at 230 Jackson St., said at 4:15 p.m. that there were police on Magna Avenue, behind the grocery store.

He said it smelled as though tear gas had been released.

The store was evacuated because of the overwhelming odor.

He said a police helicopter overhead was blaring the message, "Come out with your hands up" and that authorities were threatening to release dogs into the area.

Police concluded the search over three hours later without locating the suspect.

Botello said that the DMV will reopen two hours late today, at 10 a.m., to brief employees on the incident.

Transportation Officials Announce Solution to New Bay Bridge Faulty Bolt Problem

Transportation officials overseeing construction of the Bay Bridge's new eastern span said Wednesday they have developed a solution to a problem involving faulty anchor bolts on the span, and that the fix could cost up to $10 million.

They also told the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Bay Area Toll Authority Wednesday that they won't know until at least the end of the month whether the new span will open on schedule on Sept. 3. MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger said the decision on whether to open the span over the Labor Day weekend will likely be made by Gov. Jerry Brown.

"It ultimately will be a decision by elected officials, as it should be," Heminger said.

He said he and other transportation officials will provide advice on the matter.

The MTC and the California Department of Transportation learned in March that about a third of the 96 bolts installed on a pier just east of Yerba Buena Island had failed.

The bolts, or anchor rods -- located near where the new span's self-anchored suspension span meets its skyway -- had popped out several inches after being tightened.

They were manufactured in Ohio in 2008.

Heminger said those bolts will be replaced but transportation officials are still trying to figure out if they need to replace another batch of 192 bolts manufactured in 2010.

He said it is a good sign that none of those 192 bolts failed during tests conducted in recent weeks, but noted that more testing remains to be done before they are considered safe.

Heminger said that if the 2010 bolts need to be replaced, it is possible that could happen gradually after the new span opens.

Caltrans spokesman Andrew Gordon said that to address the problem with the 2008 bolts -- which are holding in place seismic safety devices known as shear keys that help prevent swaying during an earthquake -- officials have decided to install large steel saddles that will essentially perform the same function.

Caltrans Executive Director Andre Boutros said during the meeting that the steel saddle will provide the equivalent clamping force as the original bolt design in holding down the shear keys.

Boutros said there is no estimated time yet for completing the fix because Caltrans is still negotiating with the contractor.

"We hope it will be before Labor Day," he said.

Police Discover Mummified Human Skull at West Oakland Recycling Center

Police discovered what appears to be mummified human skull at a West Oakland recycling center Wednesday, a police spokeswoman said.

California Waste Solutions, located at 1820 10th St., called police at 8:46 a.m. Wednesday to report that workers had discovered the remains among the recyclables.

The discovery is being investigated by Oakland police's major crimes section.

Berkeley Medical Marijuana Dispensary Vowed to Fight Federal Lawsuit

Representatives of a Berkeley medical marijuana dispensary vowed Wednesday to fight a property forfeiture lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors last week.

"We intend to vigorously defend the rights of our patients and the citizens of Berkeley to be able to obtain medical cannabis from a responsible, licensed dispensary," said Sean Luse, the chief operating officer of the Berkeley Patients Group.

U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, the chief federal prosecutor for Northern California, filed the lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco last Thursday.

It asks the court to order the forfeiture from the group's landlord of the group's leased storefront at 2366 San Pablo Ave., on the grounds that the property is used for illegal sales of marijuana.

The Berkeley Patients Group, founded in 1999, is the oldest continuously operating medical marijuana dispensary in the Bay Area and serves more than 10,000 patients, Luse said.

The forfeiture lawsuit is part of a crackdown announced by Haag and the other three regional U.S. attorneys in California in 2011.

The prosecutors said they planned to target dispensaries they considered to be large-scale commercial operations by filing forfeiture lawsuits against landlords.

Kris Hermes, a spokesman for Americans for Safe Access, an Oakland-based marijuana advocacy group, said the new case is one of about 20 currently active forfeiture lawsuits against California dispensaries.

But Hermes said at least several hundred other medical marijuana stores in California have closed since 2011 because of threats of such lawsuits.

Another of the pending lawsuits is one filed last year against Harborside Health Center in Oakland, the state's largest dispensary.

The state's voter-approved Compassionate Use Act of 1996, also known as Proposition 215, protects seriously ill patients who have a doctor's recommendation from being prosecuted under state law for using marijuana as medicine.

But federal laws criminalizing marijuana make no exception for state medical marijuana laws.

The new lawsuit was assigned to U.S. Magistrate Nathaniel Cousins of San Francisco and is scheduled for a status conference on July 31.

Luse said the dispensary will keep operating while the case is ongoing.

CinéArts Theater, The Dome, Was Demolished Wednesday in Pleasant Hill

The curtain has closed on the beloved CinéArts Theater at Pleasant Hill -- known to many as "The Dome" -- which demolition crews razed Wednesday morning, according to city officials.

The demolition of the theater, located in southern half of the Crossroads Shopping Center at 2314 Monument Blvd., comes after months of vocal resistance from local residents hoping to save it.

On Monday night, dozens of those residents packed the City Council chambers to voice their opposition to a development plan by SyWest, the owner of the theater property, to replace the theater with a two-story Dick's Sporting Goods store, said Martha Ross, a spokeswoman for the group Save the Pleasant Hill Dome Theater.

The public hearing lasted until 2:30 a.m., city spokesman Martin Nelis said.

Many who spoke shared memories of growing up in the area and seeing films in the nearly 50-year-old theater, with its unique space-age-like interior, and lamented the loss of the one-of-a-kind local attraction.

"It was an architectural landmark in the city of Pleasant Hill, it meant an incredible amount to people in the community," Ross said Wednesday morning soon after learning that the theater was being demolished.

Early Tuesday morning, the council voted 3-2 to uphold the planning commission's earlier decision to approve SyWest's project, which called for the theater's immediate demolition.

"They owe their allegiance to their constituents and they decided some developer has more of an important say than the citizens of Pleasant Hill," said Giorgio Sassine, a Pleasant Hill native and spokesman for Save the Pleasant Hill Dome Theater.

Vice Mayor Jack Weir, one of the council members who voted to uphold the demolition plan, said he believes it would be "patently unfair" to impose new criteria on SyWest, which has worked on the development project for nearly a decade.

Councilmen David Durant and Tim Flaherty agreed, noting that the developer has complied with all of the city's specific plan criteria.

In addition, he said, since SyWest would not have preserved the domed building as a movie theater, it would lose any historical value.

Five Women Killed in Limousine Fire on San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Last Saturday

The California Highway Patrol is asking those who want to honor the five women who were killed in a limousine fire on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge last Saturday to refrain from putting memorial items on the bridge.

The massive fire erupted in the back of the limo around 10:10 p.m. as a group of nine women were heading across the bridge to Foster City.

The CHP shared condolences with the family and friends of the women who were celebrating the recent marriage of Neriza Fojas, 31, a former Bay Area resident who worked as a nurse at the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

Five women perished in the car, while the driver and four other passengers were able to escape.

The victims were identified as Jennifer Balon, 39, of Dublin; Anna Alcantara, 46, of San Lorenzo; Michelle Estrera, 35, of Fresno; Neriza Fojas, 31, of Monterey; and Felomina Geronga, 43, of Alameda. The surviving women are Jasmine Desguia, 34, of San Jose; Mary Guardiano, 42, of Alameda; Nelia Arellano, 36, of Oakland; and Amalia Loyola, 48, of San Leandro.

Loyola and Desguia were taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose and Guardiano and Arellano to Stanford Hospital.

Wednesday morning, Loyola remained at the hospital in fair condition. Desguia has been released, Valley Medical Center officials said.

The driver was not injured in the blaze.

CHP officials said community members who want to leave something to honor the victims cannot put items at the scene of the fatal incident.

Officials said it is unsafe and risks further harm.

"In times of emotional pain such as this, we are sensitive but we must also remain diligent in our mission of safety," officials said in a statement Wednesday.

Suspect Leads Police on Multi-County Chase After Shooting Man in Antioch

A 25-year-old man was injured in a shooting in Antioch Wednesday morning that involved a suspect who led police on a multi-county chase, a police lieutenant said.

The shooting occurred around 9:45 a.m. in the 4500 block of Pampas Circle, Antioch police Lt. Tammany Brooks said.

Brooks said officers arrived at the scene to find the victim, an Antioch resident, suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.

The man was taken to a hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

The shooter, who was still at the scene when police arrived, got into a car and tried to ram a patrol car head-on, the lieutenant said.

The suspect then accelerated away, leading police on a chase through Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay and into Stockton. Antioch police called off the chase in Brentwood, Brooks said.

Brentwood police and local sheriff's deputies also aided in the pursuit. Brooks said police are still trying to locate the shooter.

The shooter and victim appear to know each other, and the victim is believed to have been the intended target, he said.

Detectives have not yet established a motive for the shooting, but Brooks said there is nothing to indicate that it was gang-related.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Today Marks Bay Area Bike to Work Day

Residents will be taking to the streets by bike today in the annual Bike to Work day, with a number of events planned throughout the Bay Area.

In San Francisco, the San Francisco Bike Coalition will have a theme of "Bikes Count," coalition spokeswoman Kristin Smith said.

The theme is a celebration of the Market Street Bike Counter, which is scheduled to be unveiled in the morning, Smith said.

The counter, which has been installed on Market Street between Ninth and Tenth streets, aims to encourage commuters and others to ride bicycles by keeping track of ridership and displaying the number of riders who pass by.

It is the first barometer of its kind in the city's history.

Mayor Ed Lee and a number of San Francisco supervisors are scheduled to be some of the first people to have their bikes roll past the counter, she said.

Smith said the coalition also has several planned community convoy bike rides throughout the city.

Each district supervisor is scheduled to lead a community group to City Hall, where a news conference will be held at about 8:30 a.m. to celebrate the day.

There will also be a commuter convoy with about 500 people that will leave around 6:30 a.m. from the 24th Street BART station and finish at Google in Mountain View, Smith said.

Energizer stations will be set up throughout the city to cheer on bikers as they ride by, Smith said.

The stations will have coalition members handing out information about biking, gear, food, coffee and more, she said.

Stations will be scheduled between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m., and 5 and 7 p.m., she said.

Elsewhere in San Francisco, riders who bike to work and commute on the San Francisco Bay Ferry will ride the ferry for free, according to ferry officials.

Meanwhile, in the South Bay, employees at the company Lockheed Martin, a global security, aerospace and information technology company, will celebrate Bike to Work Day by riding from the Santa Clara Convention Center to the Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, company spokeswoman Dana Carroll said.

Joining them for the ride will be Sunnyvale Mayor Anthony Spitaleri, Carroll said.

In the East Bay, the East Bay Bike Coalition has a number of events scheduled, including riding with Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates and elected officials, coalition officials said.

The city of Berkeley is scheduled to start updating its bicycle plan for the first time in more than a decade.

An announcement is planned at a news conference after the bike ride, coalition officials said. More information on Bay Area Bike to Work Day events can be found on the website http://www.youcanbikethere.com/.

Two Men Found Guilty of Murder for Shooting Death Involving Marijuana Grow Site

Two men were found guilty Tuesday of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a man at a marijuana grow site in Sonoma County in 2011, according to a district attorney.

A jury found Sidonio Cruz-Santos, 36, of Santa Rosa, and Agustin Zepeda-Onofre, 25, of Windsor, guilty of shooting 46-year-old Healdsburg resident Gabino Lopez-Santiago following an argument on Oct. 15, 2011, District Attorney Jill Ravitch said.

Cruz-Santos was also found guilty of intimidating the victim's brother-in-law, Ramon Lopez-Velasco, according to Ravitch.

On Oct. 15, 2011, Lopez-Santiago went to a marijuana grow site located on Chemise Road, to drink with his brother-in-law, Lopez-Velasco, and another friend.

Lopez-Velasco was hired by Cruz-Santos to help trim and guard the marijuana garden operated by the defendants.

A verbal argument began between Lopez-Santiago and the friend.

Cruz-Santos and Zepeda-Onofre, both armed, ordered the two arguing men off of the property at gunpoint.

While Lopez-Velasco went to retrieve a vehicle to remove Lopez-Santiago and the friend from the property, Lopez-Santiago was shot to death.

Lopez-Velasco was ordered to remove the body from the property.

He left the victim's body on the shoulder of a nearby road and went to the Healdsburg Police Department to report the crime, Ravitch said.

Lopez-Velasco led police to the site of the shooting and admitted that he had moved the body away from the crime scene.

He also reported that Cruz-Santos threatened to kill him if he told anyone.

The jury also found the defendants guilty of unlawful cultivation of marijuana while armed with a firearm and three separate counts of assault with a firearm.

The defendants claimed the grow operation was legal based on a medical marijuana recommendation posted on-site.

The jury rejected this defense.

A narcotic detective said the marijuana found drying would produce about 72 to 90 pounds of marijuana, much more than could be justified by the single recommendation posted on-site.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 10. Each defendant faces 25 years to life in prison.

San Francisco Golden Gate Conservatory of Flowers Announces New Butterfly Exhibit

Anyone with an affinity for butterflies now has the opportunity to get up close and personal with the insect.

The Butterflies and Blooms exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, located at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, was unveiled Wednesday and is open to the public.

Visitors, after paying the price of admission, can walk into a roughly 1,800-square-foot cottage garden style room and be one with the butterflies' environment, conservatory spokeswoman Nina Sazevich said.

Between 12 and 20 different species of North American butterflies will be on display, fluttering around and drinking the nectar from the many flowers, Sazevich said.

The species will change throughout the seasons.

Some of the species butterfly lovers can expect include monarchs, western swallowtails, red admirals and zebra long wings, Sazevich said.

All the butterflies are free flying, she said.

In addition to having the opportunity to view several butterflies in the exhibit's intimate setting, visitors will also get to see the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly, Sazevich said.

A butterfly bungalow is set up in the center of the room, where butterflies "will be emerging left and right," according to Sazevich.

Anyone visiting the exhibit will get a booklet that explains a butterfly's life cycle, as well as a chart identifying each species at the exhibit, she said.

Docents will also be on hand to answer any questions.

It is the third time the exhibit has been on display at the conservatory, previously on display in 2003 and 2008.

The exhibit is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 20.

Admission ranges from $2 to $7; children 4 and under are admitted for free.

Redwood City Police Department Mourns Officer Who Fell in the Line of Duty

Flags at the Redwood City Police Department flew at half-staff Wednesday in honor of a fallen officer killed 32 years ago Wednesday in the line of duty.

Redwood City police officers of all ranks Wednesday donned their "Class A" uniforms to honor the sacrifice made by Sgt. George Garrett, 39, who was killed in an attempted bank robbery in Redwood City on May 8, 1981, Lt. Sean Hart said Wednesday.

Garrett was one of four officers who were responding to a call of a possible bomb threat and two silent alarm activations at the Bank of America, then located at 110 California St., just after noon on May 8, 1981.

The bank was crowded with customers and Garrett, who was first on scene, approached the bank manager Sylvia Harris' desk, according to police.

Sitting at her desk was a man, whom when Garrett tapped on his shoulder to say hello pulled a gun from his waistband.

Police say Garrett shoved bank manager Harris out of the way while grabbing for his gun but was shot by the suspect once in between the eyes and once in the chest, according to police.

The suspect, identified as Raleigh Porsche, 36, an ex-convict released in a Mexican prisoner exchange program, was shot dead at the scene by the other responding officers.

Each year, the Police Department uses May 8 as a day of remembrance, Hart said.

At every briefing Wednesday, command staff, including chaplains and chiefs, shared the story of Garrett and highlighted the risks associated with law enforcement.

"We honor this on every death anniversary," Hart said.

"All officers wear their Class A uniforms, which is a dress uniform with their tie and a black band over their badge in his honor."

Hart added that not only is it important to honor Garrett's memory for his legacy and what he did for the department and the community but also use his story in the forethought of the minds of the city's officers.

"Our job is dangerous and this story keeps us aware of officer safety and that these things happen, even here in Redwood City," Hart said.

More than 1,400 people attended Garrett's funeral.

He was survived by his wife, who was eight months pregnant with their first child at the time of his death. Nineteen days after his murder, his daughter Nicole was born.

Paraglider Injured After Falling into Lake Berryessa

A paraglider was injured when he fell from 500 feet into Lake Berryessa Tuesday morning, a Napa County sheriff's captain said Wednesday.

William Straw, 69, a member of Eagle Paragliding, a training organization in Santa Barbara, was being towed on the lake by a boat operated by Kevin Howe, 44, of Santa Barbara around 11 a.m., sheriff's Capt. LeRoy Anderson said.

When the boat got up to speed and Straw became airborne, Straw disconnected his glider from the boat, Anderson said.

He glided for about 10 minutes before crashing into the lake from about 500 feet, Anderson said.

Howe retrieved Straw, who was unconscious for several minutes, out of the water and took him to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Visitor's Center on Knoxville Road.

A REACH helicopter then flew Straw to Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Anderson said.

The sheriff's office was notified of the incident at 11:09 a.m., Anderson said.

Straw's condition was not immediately available Wednesday.

San Francisco Bay Area Weather Report

Mostly cloudy skies and patchy fog are likely in the Bay Area this morning.

Highs are expected to be in the 50s to mid 60s, with westerly winds up to 20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph in the afternoon.

Partly cloudy skies are likely tonight. Lows are likely to be near 50, with westerly winds up to 20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph.

Partly cloudy skies are expected Friday morning becoming sunny later in the day.

Highs are likely to be in the mid 50s to upper 60s, with westerly winds up to 30 mph in the afternoon.

 

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