SF News

Hundreds of costumed revelers marched through San Francisco's Financial District this afternoon in the 35th St. Stupid's Day Parade.

"Everyone's got a trickster kind of day, a crazy day in the spring," event organizer Ed Holmes said.

"Spring is the time of year when things start moving, fluids start flowing so people want to get out there."

People came out in all sorts of costumes, including clowns, detectives, and various wigs.

Some were blowing bubbles, wearing hard hats, and even using umbrellas with nothing but the wiring.

There was even one person responsible for throwing confetti.

"It's costumes. It's silliness. It's absurdity," Holmes said.

Holmes runs the First Church of the Last Laugh, which puts on the annual event, and on this day he goes by a different name: Bishop Joey.

But in an impromptu ceremony done in Pig Latin, the people promoted Joey to Pope.

The newly appointed Pope Joey, who wore a pope hat, white robe, boxer shorts, and a Three Stooges tie, led the march from Justin Herman Plaza on a tour of the Financial District, which included stops at the Federal Reserve Bank headquarters, Citigroup, and the old Pacific Coast Stock Exchange.

Through the frivolity of the event, there was a small message. "We make fun of the banks, flip off the financial institutions for getting away with destroying democracy," Holmes said.

"There is a little bit of an edge to (the event)."

The marchers threw losing lottery tickets into the air at the Federal Reserve.

They threw pennies at a sculpture at 555 California St.

They even threw socks at the steps of the old Pacific Coast Stock Exchange at 301 Pine St.

Stock. Sock. Get it?

Damasocks Amas, who was attending the event for the first time, took in all of the fun.

"It's very fun and silly if you let it," she said. "If you don't it's no fun. What is it hurting? It's bringing lots of smiles to people."

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SF: San Francisco Symphony, Musicians Reach Tentative Contract Deal

The San Francisco Symphony has reached a tentative contract agreement with striking musicians and performances are expected to resume this week, officials said Sunday.

The tentative 26-month contract is subject to ratification by the full orchestra and by the symphony's board of governors over the next several days, and no details will be released until that has occurred, according to symphony officials.

Symphony musicians are expected to return to the stage on April 2 for the first of a weeklong series of free concerts for San Francisco elementary school children.

All other concerts scheduled for this week will also take place. The musicians went on strike on March 13, prompting the subsequent cancellation of multiple concerts including a three-city East Coast tour.

The musicians were unhappy with proposals by management that they said did not allow them to stay competitive with other top orchestras in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Symphony officials said substantial pay hikes were not likely since operating expenses have outpaced income for the past four years, but musicians noted that top executives have received generous raises and bonuses.

San Francisco Symphony musicians make an average of about $165,000, the third-highest total behind Chicago and Los Angeles.

Musicians say the costs of living in the Bay Area and expensive instruments take up a large chunk of their paychecks.

SF: One Person Seriously Injured and Five Detained in Shooting

Five people have been detained in connection with a shooting Sunday evening that left a man with life-threatening injuries, according to San Francisco police.

The shooting victim, a 24-year-old man, walked into an emergency room shortly before 8 p.m. with a gunshot wound to the leg, Officer Albie Esparza said.

He was rushed into surgery and his injuries are considered life threatening, Esparza said.

Police responded to the area of Mansell and Bowdoin streets and detained two suspects.

After a search of the area, three additional suspects were detained. At least one hand gun was recovered, Esparza said.

No suspect information was immediately available.

Rohnert Park: Three People Attacked With Knife in Fight at Large Party

Three people were attacked with a knife during a fight at a large party in Rohnert Park Saturday night, police said Sunday.

Police said they were first called to the party at 7652 Bonita Ave. just before midnight on Saturday, after callers reported that more than 100 people were there.

When officers arrived on the scene, the residents had successfully cleared out most of the party-goers. 

The residents did not mention any fight or injuries to police.

Around 2 1/2 hours later, however, police received a call from the Kaiser emergency room in Santa Rosa reporting that a male patient had a possible knife wound to an extremity, and that the wound had occurred at a party in Rohnert Park's "B" section, police said.

A second victim was reported at a Contra Costa County emergency room a short time later, and around 4 a.m., one of the residents of the house where the party occurred also was reported at Kaiser's Santa Rosa emergency room, police said.

The resident had wounds to his hands that appeared to be from a knife. When interviewed by police, he said he did not know the suspect and had not invited him to the party. Police are working to identify the suspect in the assaults.

Santa Rosa: Wrong-Way Driver Sideswipes Car, Crashes Into Soundwall on Hwy 12

A Santa Rosa man allegedly struck another vehicle and crashed early Sunday morning after driving the wrong way on state Highway 12 without his lights on, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Benito Rosendo Flores-Cervantes, 22, was allegedly driving his 2004 Infiniti G-35 west in the eastbound lanes of Highway 12 at Stony Point Road around 2:15 a.m. when the crash occurred, CHP Officer Marcus Hawkins said.

Flores, who was allegedly driving without any lights on, initially sideswiped a 1999 Toyota Tacoma, causing the front left tired of the Tacoma to detach from the rim, Hawkins said.

He then veered into the center divider, where the G-35's front right tired and rim lodged in the guard rail and broke free from the axle, Hawkins said.

The G-35 continued on three tired, crossed back across the eastbound lanes and struck a sound wall on the south side of the freeway, Hawkins said.

Flores was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked into Sonoma County Jail.

Oakland: Sunday Morning Shooting Leaves One Man Dead

Oakland police were investigating three homicides Sunday evening.

The most recent homicide occurred at 70th Avenue and Hawley Street around 8:11 p.m., according to Officer Kevin McDonald.

The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene, McDonald said.

The shooting follows one on the 8900 block of International Boulevard that occurred around 4:11 p.m., McDonald said.

The male victim in that shooting was pronounced dead at the scene.

The day's first homicide occurred on the 2400 block of 68th at about 10 a.m., police said.

Arriving police found one shooting victim who was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

There were no arrests and no suspect information immediately available in any of the shootings.

Sonoma Co.: Fatal Solo Vehicle Crash Reported on Highway 1, Bodega Bay

The California Highway Patrol is responding to a fatal crash on state Highway 1 near Carmet Drive in Bodega Bay Sunday evening.

The fatal crash was reported around 9:24 p.m., according to the CHP.

Initial reports suggest a solo vehicle overturned in a creek near the road and one party was trapped.

Oakland: Deputy Injured, Suspect Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting Saturday Night

A person was killed and a deputy was injured in an officer-involved shooting in Oakland Saturday night, an Alameda County sheriff's sergeant said. Sheriff's deputies conducted a stop in the area of 33rd Avenue and San Leandro Street at about 9:40 p.m., Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.

During the stop, deputies arrested the passenger of the stopped car for drug possession, Nelson said.

When deputies returned to the driver's side to arrest the driver, "things went sideways," he said.

The driver attempted to drive off, dragging a deputy along in the process, but then shots rang out, Nelson said.

One deputy was struck in the foot by the gunfire.

The driver was hit multiple times, Nelson said.

Both were transported to a hospital to be treated for their wounds.

The deputy's injuries are not considered life-threatening, but the suspect was later pronounced dead, the sergeant said.

The suspect's name has not yet been released. During a search of the car, deputies found a gun, Nelson said.

The sheriff's office and Oakland police are investigating the shooting, he said.

San Leandro: Police Asking For Public's Help Finding 3 Missing Family Members

San Leandro police is asking for the public's help finding a missing woman and her two children.

Alona Stevenson, 29, and her children Francis, 3, and Julia, 2, were first reported missing on Saturday by Alona's husband around 8 a.m., police said.

Stevenson and her children left her San Leandro home in the 2700 block of Marina Boulevard willingly, according to police. No foul play is suspected.

San Jose: Driver Crashes Into Wallmart, Assaults Customers With Blunt Object From Store

Four Walmart customers were injured in San Jose Sunday morning after a suspect crashed a vehicle into the store and started assaulting people, a San Jose police spokesman said.

Officers first responded to a report of a vehicle that drove into a Walmart store at 777 Story Road at about 11:15 a.m., Sgt. Jason Dwyer said.

The driver of the vehicle immediately got out of the vehicle, picked up a blunt object from inside the store and began to physically assault customers, Dwyer said.

One victim was seriously injured and taken to a hospital, he said.

Three others victims suffered less serious injuries and were also hospitalized, Dwyer said.

The suspect was arrested by responding police officers and booked into Santa Clara County jail.

The incident remains under investigation by San Jose police.

Bay Area Tuesday Morning Weather Forecast

Mostly cloudy skies, with a chance of showers, are likely in the Bay Area this morning, with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Highs are expected to be around 60, with south winds around 5 mph. Mostly cloudy skies are likely this evening, with patchy fog expected after midnight.

Lows are expected to be in the upper 40s, with westerly winds up to 15 mph. Mostly cloudy skies, with patchy fog, are likely Tuesday morning.

Highs are expected to be in the lower 60s, with westerly winds around 5 mph, becoming up to 20 mph in the afternoon.

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An 82-year-old man pleaded no contest this morning in Sonoma County Superior Court to assaulting a bicyclist with his truck on a Santa Rosa golf course last August.

Harry Edward Smith, a Santa Rosa resident, faces up to eight years and eight months in prison when he is sentenced May 3.

Smith pleaded no contest to two counts of assault with his vehicle, as well as hit-and-run and driving without a license.

He also admitted the assault caused great bodily harm.

As part of the plea agreement, charges of attempted murder and threatening to commit a crime will be dismissed at the sentencing.

Smith's attorney Charles Dresow and Deputy District Attorney Barbara Nanney said psychologists examined Smith and the plea agreement was reached because Smith has a mental health condition.

"It's a condition many seniors face," Dresow said.

Dresow said Smith, a Korean War veteran, has led a good life and raised a beautiful family. "It's unfortunate this happened toward the end of his life," Dresow said.

Nanney said the injured bicyclist, Toraj Soltani, 47, a Santa Rosa deli owner, agrees with the disposition of the case.

Judge Ken Gnoss could sentence Smith to probation or a prison term, the prosecutor said.

Smith initially faced 13 years and eight months in prison if he had been convicted of all the charges filed against him, Nanney said.

On Aug. 16, 2012, Soltani was riding on Pythian Road when Smith allegedly began yelling at him and tried to hit his bicycle, Santa Rosa police said.

Soltani fled onto the Oakmont Golf Course to try to escape Smith, but Smith followed him and struck Soltani with his vehicle before leaving the scene, according to police.

At Smith's preliminary hearing, Soltani testified he was sitting upright while riding his bicycle on Pythian Road without his hands on the handlebars to give his back a rest around 5:30 p.m. that day.

Smith pulled his Toyota sedan alongside his bicycle and the pair exchanged words, then Smith struck his thigh, Soltani said.

Soltani testified he became angry and punched the passenger side mirror of Smith's Toyota twice with his fist.

The Toyota was about 12 inches away when Smith said, "You damaged my vehicle. I'm going to get you. I'm going to kill you," Soltani said.

Smith took out his cellphone and said he was going to call the police, Soltani said.

Soltani said he then rode his bike on the sidewalk and turned left on Oak Leaf Drive but Smith followed him.

Soltani said he then rode his bike back to Pythian Road and down the cart path at the golf course to escape the Toyota.

He said he rode about 100 yards when he heard an engine accelerating before the Toyota struck the rear of his bike.

"It's kind of a blur. I went up in the air and the car plowed through me and I went to the ground. I tried to break my fall with my left hand," Soltani said.

The Toyota made a U-turn on the fairway, stopped briefly and sped away, Soltani said.

"I was walking around in a daze," he said.

Soltani suffered a fractured wrist and lacerated tendon but was able to call 911.

A civil suit filed against Smith is nearly resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, Soltani's attorney Tom Kennedy said after today's plea hearing.

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Richmond: Baby Hit by Stray Bullet Fragment Thursday in 'Good' Condition

A 1-year-old boy who was injured by a stray bullet fragment at an apartment complex in Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood Thursday was in good condition this morning, a police lieutenant said.

The boy was one of two people injured in a shooting around 1:15 p.m. at St. John's Apartments at 121 W. MacDonald Ave., according to police.

Lt. Bisa French said the infant is recovering at Children's Hospital in Oakland after undergoing surgery to remove a bullet fragment from his neck.

French said she did not know when the boy would be released.

A gunman opened fire across the street from the apartment building, striking a man on a bicycle who police believe may have been the intended target.

A bullet fragment also struck the boy, who was being held by his grandmother inside an apartment home, French said.

The man hit by the gunfire arrived at a hospital a short time later suffering from a bullet wound to his leg.

He is recovering today, the lieutenant said.

Police said at least one male suspect fled the scene of the shooting armed with a gun.

Richmond police Chief Chris Magnus said Thursday that finding the suspects in the shooting the department's highest priority.

"Obviously the family is traumatized.You have a 1-year-old child who is literally in the arms of his grandparents, they're feeding him and bullets come into the house," Magnus said.

"I am really angry about this. I am sickened, I am appalled."

The chief more than doubled the usual reward for information leading to a suspect's capture and conviction to $25,000 in the hopes of gathering information as quickly as possible, he said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Richmond police at (510) 233-1214.

Anonymous callers may leave tips at (510) 232-8477. 

Santa Rosa: No Contest Plea by Driver Who Struck Bicyclist on Gold Course

An 82-year-old man pleaded no contest this morning in Sonoma County Superior Court to assaulting a bicyclist with his truck on a Santa Rosa golf course last August.

Harry Edward Smith, a Santa Rosa resident, faces up to eight years and eight months in prison when he is sentenced May 3.

Smith pleaded no contest to two counts of assault with his vehicle, as well as hit-and-run and driving without a license.

He also admitted the assault caused great bodily harm.

As part of the plea agreement, charges of attempted murder and threatening to commit a crime will be dismissed at the sentencing.

Smith's attorney Charles Dresow and Deputy District Attorney Barbara Nanney said psychologists examined Smith and the plea agreement was reached because Smith has a mental health condition.

"It's a condition many seniors face," Dresow said.

Dresow said Smith, a Korean War veteran, has led a good life and raised a beautiful family.

"It's unfortunate this happened toward the end of his life," Dresow said.

Nanney said the injured bicyclist, Toraj Soltani, 47, a Santa Rosa deli owner, agrees with the disposition of the case.

Judge Ken Gnoss could sentence Smith to probation or a prison term, the prosecutor said.

Smith initially faced 13 years and eight months in prison if he had been convicted of all the charges filed against him, Nanney said.

On Aug. 16, 2012, Soltani was riding on Pythian Road when Smith allegedly began yelling at him and tried to hit his bicycle, Santa Rosa police said.

Soltani fled onto the Oakmont Golf Course to try to escape Smith, but Smith followed him and struck Soltani with his vehicle before leaving the scene, according to police.

At Smith's preliminary hearing, Soltani testified he was sitting upright while riding his bicycle on Pythian Road without his hands on the handlebars to give his back a rest around 5:30 p.m. that day.

Smith pulled his Toyota sedan alongside his bicycle and the pair exchanged words, then Smith struck his thigh, Soltani said.

Soltani testified he became angry and punched the passenger side mirror of Smith's Toyota twice with his fist.

The Toyota was about 12 inches away when Smith said, "You damaged my vehicle. I'm going to get you. I'm going to kill you," Soltani said.

Smith took out his cellphone and said he was going to call the police, Soltani said.

Soltani said he then rode his bike on the sidewalk and turned left on Oak Leaf Drive but Smith followed him.

Soltani said he then rode his bike back to Pythian Road and down the cart path at the golf course to escape the Toyota.

He said he rode about 100 yards when he heard an engine accelerating before the Toyota struck the rear of his bike.

"It's kind of a blur. I went up in the air and the car plowed through me and I went to the ground.I tried to break my fall with my left hand," Soltani said.

The Toyota made a U-turn on the fairway, stopped briefly and sped away, Soltani said.

"I was walking around in a daze," he said.

Soltani suffered a fractured wrist and lacerated tendon but was able to call 911.

A civil suit filed against Smith is nearly resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, Soltani's attorney Tom Kennedy said after today's plea hearing. 

Richmond: Alcohol A Factor in Crash That Left Two in 'Extremely Critical' Condition

Two people involved in a head-on collision apparently fueled by alcohol and high speeds in Richmond late Thursday night are clinging to life and another is in critical condition, a police lieutenant said this morning.

Around 7:20 p.m., a Camaro was driving south on South 37th Street and going over the speed limit when it collided with a pickup truck heading north, police Lt. Bisa French said.

The truck flipped over, injuring two passengers and critically injuring the driver, police said.

A woman who was ejected from the Camaro was gravely injured and the driver was critically injured, while two other passengers suffered injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

The drivers and passengers involved in the collision were taken to hospitals.

French said the woman who was ejected and the pickup truck driver were both in "extremely critical" condition this morning.

She said investigators have determined that alcohol played a role in the crash and that all occupants of the Camaro were under 21 years old.

Monterey Co.: Off-Duty CHP Officer Killed While Working on Car at Home

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of an off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer.

CHP Officer Bryan Wright, 41, of Parkfield, was working on a car at his home when an accident occurred and he was killed, sheriff's officials said Thursday.

Additional details about the case were not immediately available, but the death has been deemed accidental.

Gilroy: Update: Man Killed in Crash on Rural Highway

A 44-year-old Watsonville man was killed Thursday night when his car crashed into a tree on a rural highway in Gilroy, a police spokesman said today. The accident was reported to police at about 10:50 p.m. in the 2600 block of Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy police Sgt. Pedro Espinoza said. The man, whose name is not yet being released pending notification of family members, was pronounced dead at the scene of the single-car wreck, Espinoza said. Officers diverted traffic away from the area until about 6 a.m. while authorities investigated the accident, Espinoza said.

SF: Man Found Dead at Ocean Beach Identified

A man who was found dead at San Francisco's Ocean Beach on Thursday morning has been identified by the medical examiner's office as 30-year-old Alex Peer.

Peer, a San Francisco resident, was found face-down in the water near Great Highway and Judah Street at 7:26 a.m.

Thursday, fire department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

U.S. Park police are investigating the death, National Park Service spokesman Howard Levitt said.

SF: Update: Two Men Injured in Shooting Near Alamo Square

Two men were injured in a shooting near San Francisco's Alamo Square early this morning, a police spokesman said.

The shooting was reported at 12:22 a.m. at Oak and Pierce streets.

The two victims, ages 20 and 32, were in separate cars traveling east on Oak Street and stopped at a red light at Pierce, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.

A passenger in another vehicle then opened fire at the 20-year-old, striking him in the arm.

The 32-year-old was also struck and suffered facial injuries, either by a bullet fragment or shattered glass, Esparza said.

The 20-year-old victim drove himself to the hospital while the 32-year-old stopped at the scene and flagged down police in the area.

Both victims' injuries are not considered life-threatening, Esparza said.

The suspect vehicle, described only as a blue car, fled east on Oak Street after the shooting and has not been found.

No other suspect information was immediately available, Esparza said.

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

Emeryville: Body Found on Beach Determined to be Suicide from Fremont

A woman's body found on an Emeryville beach Thursday morning has been determined to be that of a reported missing person from the Fremont area, an Emeryville police sergeant said this morning.

At 7:14 a.m. Thursday, a passerby reported seeing an unresponsive person on the beach at Shorebird Park, which is off the western end of Powell Street on a stretch of land that juts into the Bay.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency crews.

Emeryville police Sgt. Brian Head said the death has been determined to be a suicide and not suspicious.

People wanting to speak with someone about suicide or depression can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).

Concord: Update: Man Injured After Trying to Save Truck From Burning Garage

A man was injured after trying to save his truck from a two-alarm fire that badly damaged a Concord home this morning, fire officials said.

The fire was reported at 9:13 a.m. at a two-story house in the 900 block of Autumn Oak Circle, said Lewis Broschard, fire marshal of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

One of the house's two residents, a man in his mid 20s, attempted to enter the home's burning garage to salvage his pickup truck.

He suffered smoke inhalation and burns to his feet and was taken to a hospital in stable condition, Broschard said.

The second resident, a roommate around the same age, escaped the home without injury, he said.

Fire crews arriving on the scene saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the home's garage.

The flames quickly spread to second-floor bedrooms and into the house's attic space.

Broschard said firefighters battled the "stubborn" fire for about an hour before getting it under control.

The blaze displaced both residents and significantly damaged the home, although Broschard said damage estimates were not yet available.

Investigators are looking into what caused the fire, but arson is not suspected.

Broschard said the incident serves as a reminder that re-entering a burning home is never a good idea.

"It's just not safe, particularly in this case where the person was going in to try and save a truck," the fire marshal said.

"The truck can be replaced, but he was close to getting himself into some very serious trouble by going back in there and putting his own life in peril." 

Novato: Police Arrest Two in Connection with Attempted Bank Robbery

Novato police arrested two men who tried to rob a bank inside a grocery store Thursday afternoon.

Officers responded to a report of a robbery at about 1:45 p.m. at a U.S. Bank inside the Safeway grocery store located at 5720 Nave Drive, police said.

One suspect, later identified as Joshua Metoxen, 23, of American Canyon, was identified by an employee as having been involved in a previous robbery of the bank on Feb. 19 and the employee called police.

Metoxen fled on foot and was picked up by a car believed to be involved in the attempted robbery, according to police.

Officers eventually stopped the car on northbound U.S. Highway 101 at the Rowland Boulevard off-ramp, about five miles away from the bank, police said.

Police arrested Metoxen and the driver, Jack Dennis, 20, of Napa, on suspicion of attempted bank robbery and burglary, police said.

Metoxen received an additional charge of robbery for the February incident and also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest issued in Lake County for robbery, police said.

No one was injured in the robbery or arrest.

Both Metoxen and Dennis are being investigated by Novato police, the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the FBI for their involvement in the various robberies.

SF: Female Driver Crashes Into Hunters Point Home, Flees

A female driver crashed into a home in San Francisco's Hunters Point neighborhood early this morning and then fled, police and fire officials said.

The car hit the side of the three-story building in the 1200 block of Hawes Street around 3:55 a.m., fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

The driver fled after crashing into the building's siding and creating a hole, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said. No injuries were reported, Esparza said.

SF: Man Arrested for Attack During Giants-A's Exhibition Game at AT&T Park

A man was arrested at AT&T Park on Thursday night for allegedly kicking another man during a fight at the San Francisco Giants' exhibition game against the Oakland A's.

Trinidad Ortega Juarez, 19, of Millbrae, was arrested following an attack reported at about 10 p.m. Thursday in the arcade area of the ballpark, police spokesman Officer Gordon Shyy said.

Officers responding to a report of a fight saw a large crowd congregating, then saw someone on the ground and Ortega Juarez allegedly kicking him in the head, Shyy said.

He was taken into custody on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and a probation violation, while the 25-year-old victim was treated at the scene for swelling and cuts, according to Shyy.

The A's defeated the Giants 7-3 in the game, the first of three between the two teams to close out spring training.

The teams will play again at AT&T Park at 7:15 p.m. today, then in Oakland at O.co Coliseum for the final preseason game at 1:05 p.m. Saturday.

Bay Area, State Unemployment Rates Drop in February

Unemployment rates in the state and in the Bay Area continued to drop in February, according to employment data released today.

The California unemployment rate dropped to 9.6 percent in February, well below a year ago when it stood at 10.8 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.

In the Bay Area, the jobless rate was down in many counties, including San Francisco, which saw a drop from 6.8 percent in January to 6.3 percent in February.

Marin County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, dropping to 5.4 percent last month.

The highest unemployment rate in the Bay Area for February was in Solano County at 9.3 percent.

However, that figure dropped from 10 percent the previous month.

Nationally, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent in February.

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The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's are back from spring training in Arizona and will play some final exhibition games in the Bay Area starting tonight before the regular season starts next week.

The Giants will host the A's at AT&T Park at 7:15 p.m. today and Friday, and then the teams will head across the Bay to Oakland for the final preseason game at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at O.co Coliseum.

The first 10,000 fans to enter AT&T Park for today's and Friday's games will receive a "Giants Mystery Grab Bag," according to the team.

Fans are encouraged to take public transit to the games, such as San Francisco Municipal Railway, Caltrain or BART.

Both Bay Area teams are coming off of playoff appearances last year and each ended their seasons playing the Detroit Tigers.

While the A's lost to the Tigers in the American League Divisional Series, the Giants swept them in four games to win the World Series.

The A's regular season starts on Monday at home against the Seattle Mariners, while the Giants will start on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers and have their home opener on April 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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SJ: Officer Opens Fire After Driver In Stolen Car Strikes Him

A police officer shot the driver of a suspected stolen car in San Jose after the car drove forward and struck the officer, a police spokesman said.

Officers found the car in the 1800 block of Almaden Road at about 4:30 p.m. and while trying to talk to the man and woman inside, the woman driving started moving the car back and forth.

She drove forward and struck the officer. Fearing for his life, he shot at the woman, hitting her at least once, police spokesman Officer Albert Morales said.

The woman was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life threatening. The passenger was also hospitalized for an unknown injury, but was not struck by gunfire, Morales said.

The officer was injured as well when the car struck him but his injuries are not life-threatening, Morales said.

The department's Homicide Unit is investigating the incident, Morales said.

Manager Confident Bay Bridge Bolt Problem Will Be Fixed

A Caltrans official said Wednesday that he's confident a solution will be found soon to cope with the recent discovery of problems with 32 large bolts on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, which is slated to open on Labor Day weekend.

"We hope to reach some conclusions in the very near future and we don't expect a delay to the Bay Bridge opening," toll bridge program manager Tony Anziano told Metropolitan Transportation Commission members at their meeting Wednesday.

Caltrans ordered a total of 288 bolts, also known as rods, to connect the bridge deck to the 10-foot concrete cap that sits on top of the pier just east of the self-anchored suspension span tower.

Manufactured in Ohio, the bolts, which range from 9 to 17 feet in length and are 3 inches in diameter, are part of the seismic protection features on the new span, which will replace the old span that partially collapsed in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Anziano said the bolts were installed in 2008 but crews just started tightening a batch of 96 of them immediately below the bridge deck several years ago.

Inspections revealed a problem with 32 bolts that popped out several inches, a one-third failure rate that MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger admitted is "very high."

The 192 remaining bolts, which are further below the deck on the same pier, haven't been tightened yet, MTC spokesman John Goodwin said.

Anziano said access to the batch of 96 bolts just below the deck is virtually impossible because they're in a confined and inaccessible area so he said a design solution that will keep them in place is necessary.

The most likely solution is "some type of exterior collar" that keeps them in place, he said.

Goodwin said if there are problems with the other 192 bolts it will be easier to replace them because they're further down and can be "jacked out."

Heminger said the MTC's initial assessment of the problem is that there is hydrogen in the metal in the bolts, which has made them brittle, and if that proves to be correct then "there clearly was a quality control failure" by the firm that manufactured the bolts.

He said if Caltrans has to order more bolts, it will do a more thorough job of inspecting them this time.

Anziano said it is not unusual for hydrogen embrittlement to occur during the process of manufacturing steel.

SF: City, Business Leaders Break Ground on New Transbay Transit Tower   

San Francisco city and business leaders gathered Wednesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Transbay Transit Tower and the sale of the property to the developers who will build the 60-story building.

The 1,070-foot tower at First and Mission streets in the city's South of Market neighborhood will be the tallest building on the West Coast and seventh-tallest in the U.S. when it is finished in 2016, according to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.

Maria Ayerdi-Kaplan, executive director of the TJPA, a collection of Bay Area government agencies collaborating on the project, said the tower "will stand for generations as a model for elegance and functionality."

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said the tower will transform the city's skyline and serve as a "critical anchor" for public transit in the Bay Area.

Supervisor Jane Kim, whose city district includes the construction site, said upon completion of the project, the Transbay Transit Tower will serve as the "new center of downtown."

With demolition of the old Transbay Terminal finished, TJPA Wednesday also announced the closing of the sale of the 50,000-square-foot parcel at 101 First St. to Hines and Boston Properties, the firms that will develop the site.

The property, which sold for just under $192 million, will also include a new bus and rail station with a 5.4-acre park on top of it and will include 1.375 million square feet of office space as well as residential and retail space, according to organizers.

"We are dedicated to making this an iconic tower that will stand as a landmark for all who travel to San Francisco and add to its appeal as one of our most sought after 24/7 cities in the U.S. on top of being the technology capital of the world," Boston Properties CEO Mort Zuckerman said.

Updates on construction of the tower and the adjacent transit center is available online at www.transbaycenter.org.

San Mateo: Calgary Man Re-Arrested for Child Porn After Allegedly Flying to SFO to Meet Teen for Sex

A Canadian man who allegedly began an inappropriate online relationship with a San Mateo teenager has been re-arrested on child porn charges in San Diego, one week after being booked and released from the San Mateo County Jail on charges of attempted statutory rape and arranging to have sex with a minor, San Mateo police Sgt. Dave Norris said Wednesday.

Police detectives originally received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that Adam Ouellette, 26, a Canadian citizen of Calgary, had allegedly been in an online conversation with a 16-year-old girl. The conversation tipped off detectives that Ouellette might travel the distance to meet the girl in person for sex, Norris said.

Posing as the girl, detectives pursued the conversation, Norris said, which led them to discover that Ouellette had allegedly arranged to fly to San Francisco International Airport with intentions of meeting the girl for sex.

In a multi-agency effort that included teams from the Calgary Police Service and the Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Team who ensured the suspect boarded the plane; teams from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Airport Division, on March 19, Ouellette was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

Upon further investigation, Norris said, his team reviewed evidence and allegedly discovered the presence of child pornography on an electronic device possessed by the suspect.

"At that time as part of the investigation, we obtained a second warrant for his arrest on possession of child pornography and additional charges related to the attempt to travel to meet a minor for sex," Norris said.

The second warrant was served on him on Tuesday at a relative's home in San Diego, where police took him into custody.

Redwood City: Former Water Polo Coach Sentenced to Two Years for Sex Crimes Against Student

Wednesday's two-year prison sentence for a former Aragon High School water polo coach convicted of sexually assaulting one of the girls on his team is a salient example of what happens when a young adult coach is not trained nor supervised around children, an attorney for the victim said Wednesday.

Attorney Robert Allard said that the sentencing of Joshua David Tatro, 25, of El Granada, "highlights the pervasive problem we are having with the lack of training in sex abuse matters and the lack of training we are giving to those who are placed in positions around children."

Tatro collapsed to the floor of a San Mateo County courtroom Wednesday morning when Superior Court Judge Mark Forcum sentenced him to two years in state prison for his crimes, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

He will be transferred this week to San Quentin State Prison to serve his sentence, which also requires Tatro to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Before he was sentenced, Tatro read a brief statement to the court in which he apologized for his conduct.

Upon hearing his punishment, he fell to the floor and was visibly shaken, Wagstaffe said.

In January, Tatro pleaded no contest to one count of sexual penetration of a minor and one count of sending pornographic material with the intent to seduce a minor.

He was arrested June 1, 2012, after a 17-year-old student and water polo player told school officials that Tatro had inappropriately touched her and had sent numerous cellphone pictures of private body parts, prosecutors said.

An additional victim came forward later in June after there was media coverage of Tatro's arrest, according to court documents.

The second alleged victim, also a water polo player, told police Tatro had repeatedly had her over to his home for sleepovers in which sexual encounters allegedly took place, according to the district attorney's office.

Charges involving the second victim were dropped but the original 10 counts were allowed to be considered during sentencing, according to the district attorney's office.

Wednesday, Wagstaffe said, "the court denied probation and said his conduct violated community trust and had a great impact on the victim."

According to Allard, the initial victim in the case is in therapy and has been consistently since the incident occurred.

"She's struggling as most do involved in situations like this and getting justice for her is the first in many steps we now have to take here," he said.

A lawsuit that was filed against the San Mateo Union High School District on Oct. 26, 2012, is currently in litigation, Allard said.

He said he hopes the case will be settled by the end of the year.

The lawsuit alleges that the district was negligent in protecting the high school victim when notified that Tatro was engaging in improper sexual conduct, Allard said.

Governor's Office Unveils Second Installment of 50-Year Delta Plan

The likely environmental effects of a draft plan to build a new water delivery system from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to 25 million Californians while restoring the Delta's habitat were unveiled by Gov. Jerry Brown's administration Wednesday.

The details were revealed in the second installment of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, a sweeping 50-year guideline that state water officials say should create a more stable water delivery system from the Delta to the Bay Area, Southern California and the Central Valley while sustaining more than 50 Delta fish, wildlife and plant species.

"At the beginning of the Brown administration, we made a long-term commitment to let science drive the Bay Delta Conservation Plan," California Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird said at a news conference Wednesday morning.

"Today, with the public unveiling of the effects analysis, we make that a reality."

The chapters unveiled Wednesday focus on the environmental effects of building a massive, $18 million underground tunnel system designed to move more water from the Delta to other areas of the state.

"This project relies on 40 years of intensive scientific study of the Delta's ecosystem," California Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin said.

"It aims to change the way we divert water from the Delta to better protect fish, and it ties water deliveries to the health of the Delta's fish and wildlife populations."

The Department of Water Resources Wednesday focused on the ecological benefits of the proposed plan, which it said would include the restoration, protection or improvement of more than 100,000 acres of habitat, more natural water flow patterns in the Delta and increased food supplies and improved habitats for salmon, smelt and sturgeon.

Water, fish and wildlife officials Wednesday also highlighted the "scientific uncertainty" involved in the 50-year plan and stressed that it is undergoing continued review and fine-tuning.

"Our department will begin to review the science we've been presented," California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham said.

"We're never going to be able to eliminate all uncertainty -- it's just not possible."

Deputies in Arizona Probe Death of Campbell Man Who Fell Off Boat at Lake Havasu

The body of a Campbell man was recovered from a bay in Lake Havasu, Ariz. Wednesday a day after he plunged off of a boat during a Spring Break celebration, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Stefan Fowler, 25, was reported missing after falling overboard from a pontoon boat at about 4:50 p.m. Tuesday and failed to resurface, said Trish Carter, spokeswoman for the Mohave County Sheriff's Office in Kingman, Ariz.

The accident happened as people ventured on boats on Lake Havasu for parties during Spring Break, which occurs at the resort area throughout March, Carter said.

The boat Fowler was on had driven through a narrow channel under the famous old London Bridge and into part of Thompson Bay that gets congested by other boats during spring celebrations, Carter said.

The area has signs warning boaters to drive slowly and not create wakes that might rock other boats, Carter said.

Fowler, who was not wearing a life jacket, for some reason fell off of the bow of the boat into Thompson Bay and presumably injured himself in the fall, Carter said.

Sheriff's deputies on the shoreline and dive teams from the Lake Havasu Police Department could not locate his body Tuesday and an aerial search also turned up nothing, Carter said.

Mohave County sheriff's waterway deputies started a search Wednesday morning using sonar equipment and found Fowler's body at 10:02 a.m. in Thompson Bay about 300 yards from the Nautical Inn hotel, Carter said.

"It was an accident, but we are continuing the investigation," Carter said.

The sheriff's office obtained a urine sample from the driver of the boat Fowler fell from to test for the presence of alcohol or drugs, Carter said.

An autopsy also will be performed on Fowler's body.

SF: Giants Look Forward to 2013 Season

The defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants outlined a variety of celebrations, promotions and special events for the upcoming season Wednesday at their annual media open house held at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Announcing details for commemorating their second World Series title in three years, Giants President and CEO Larry Baer touched on several aspects of the team's history, last year's victory, and what the organization has planned for the 2013 campaign.

"I'm proud to be accompanied by our twins here," said Baer, gesturing towards the Giants' two Tiffany World Series trophies that were on display.

"As we look into 2013, we've been able to do something that doesn't happen much in professional sports anymore, and that is to bring a team back," said Baer.

"Essentially the core of the team is returning, and that is something I think is important for fans, and significantly important for the team itself."

Showing a series of new television ads, the Giants introduced this year's advertising theme as "Together + Again."

A number of spots revolved around events from the 2012 post-season run, including Pablo Sandoval's three home runs against Justin Verlander in Game one of the World Series, and how fan support purportedly helped power the feat. 

One particularly humorous ad played on Hunter Pence's inspirational pre-game speeches, with a fictional recreation that spoofed John Belushi's famous speech scene from the comedy film "Animal House."

"It's really something that builds upon last year's 'Together' theme, and we feel really blessed that that theme was exemplified in many ways, not the least of which was of course on the field, with the team playing together and battling so much, including in the six elimination games."

Tom McDonald, Giants Senior Vice President of Marketing, added, "We have a great group of players that have very interesting personalities, that all seem to embody the word 'team.'"

"The enthusiasm level of our fans is probably at an all-time high; it's really a very unique connection that has developed between the Giants players and our fans," said McDonald.

Santa Clara: City-Owned Utility That Powers Apple's iCloud Launches Free Outdoor WiFi

After a soft opening today, Santa Clara's electrical utility, home for data centers serving the likes of Apple and Mozilla, now has free outdoor Wi-Fi service throughout the city, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Silicon Valley Power, the city's 117-year-old energy firm, decided to expand its wireless communication system that measures power usage to provide free wireless Internet to residents, said Larry Owens, the utility's manager of customer services.

The expansion, started quietly six days ago to make sure it worked, required a modest investment of about $1 million for 60 fiber communication points plus software and websites, Owens said.

The Wi-Fi system has nearly 600 radio access points in the city that act like wireless routers on lampposts, providing data at a speed of one megabit per second without a login to anyone outside, Owens said.

While the service -- designed for outdoor use -- is currently not fast enough to download videos, users can access it for general online browsing and sending email, Owens said. 

"It's an open system," Owens said. "We can be at a park, at a restaurant outside, at a bus stop, even lounging in your own backyard."

The system permits people using Wi-Fi indoors "to have a similar experience outdoors," Owens said.

The utility itself needed a wireless system to keep tabs on the smart meters that report power usages of residential and business customers and smart grids that send data about power supplies, Owens said.

Silicon Valley Power could also use it down the road for monitoring power charging stations and smart appliances people use in their homes.

"The system allows us to be flexible in the future," Owens said.

"Public access Wi-Fi is a small part of that."

Weather Forecast For The San Francisco Bay Area

Mostly cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers are likely in the Bay Area this morning. Highs are expected to be in the upper 50s, with light winds, becoming up to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Mostly cloudy skies are likely this evening, with a slight chance of showers. Lows are expected to be in the upper 40s, with westerly winds up to 10 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies and a chance of rain are likely Friday morning. Highs are expected to be in the lower to mid 60s, with easterly winds around 5 mph.

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Half Moon Bay: Update: Search Continues For Missing Man 

A search continues for a 22-year-old man who disappeared from a beach in Half Moon Bay near Pillar Point, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

The Coast Guard sent out a helicopter from San Francisco at 2:48 p.m. Sunday, Officer Mark Leahey said. A rescue boat crew also responded. The man, who was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, was reportedly playing football on Roosevelt Beach with friends who said they turned around and he was gone. There was no confirmation the man entered the water, Leahey said.

Along with the Coast Guard, the San Mateo Sheriff's Office and the Pillar Point harbormaster were assisting with the search.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to contact the Coast Guard at (415) 399-3451. 

Hayward: Local Soldier Fighting In Afghanistan Has Died

A soldier from Hayward who was working in Afghanistan has died in Europe, the U.S. Department of Defense has announced.  

Sgt. 1st Class James Grissom, 31, died Thursday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, of wounds suffered from small arms fire last Monday in Paktika Province.

He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which is near Tacoma, Wash.

Guernville: Man Arrested For Allegedly Crashing Into Vehicles While Driving Drunk

A Santa Rosa man was arrested Sunday after allegedly driving drunk with a suspended license and hitting multiple vehicles and a fence in Guerneville, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Jacob Cyrus Sullivan, 22, was driving a 1998 Saturn that belonged to his girlfriend when he allegedly hit a fence on Center Way in Guerneville. Minutes later, he allegedly hit a Volvo on Guernewood Road east of Center Way.

At 6 a.m., a Safeway employee spotted him driving the Saturn in the grocery store's parking lot, the CHP said. In the parking lot, Sullivan allegedly hit a Ford Escape and a Toyota Matrix. Safeway employees called 911 and Sullivan drove away.

Sonoma County sheriff's deputies located the Saturn near their substation with Sullivan in the driver's seat. The car was stopped in the middle of the roadway.

Sullivan reportedly gave the CHP officer investigating the case a false name and birthday. He was booked into jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, providing a false name to a peace officer, hit-and-run and for an outstanding warrant.

Suisun City: Man Going To Work Robbed At Gunpoint In Front Of His Home

A Suisun City man was robbed at gunpoint in front of his home Friday, police said.

Officers responded to reports of an armed robbery in the 300 block of Shoveller Drive at about 5:45 a.m., according to Suisun City police.

As a resident was getting into his car to go to work, a light blue vehicle -- possibly a newer model Toyota -- with two men in it pulled up.

A suspect got out, pointed a gun at the victim and demanded money, police said.

After taking the victim's property, the suspects fled west on Shoveller Drive.

San Mateo Co.: Sheriff Office Warns San Carlos Residents About Series Of 'Door-Knock' Robberies 

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a rash of 'door-knock' burglaries that have occurred in residential neighborhoods around San Carlos.

Potential burglars have been approaching homes and knocking on doors to see if residents are home, according to the sheriff's office.

If someone answers the door, the burglars ask for bogus directions or ask to see someone who doesn't live there.

If no one answers the door, the home is often burglarized.

The sheriff's office is advising residents to call 911 if stranger knocking on the front door seem suspicious.

An accurate suspect description, vehicle description and direction of travel are always helpful to responding deputies, the sheriff's office said.

Novato: Resident Taken Into Custody For Psychiatric Evauation Following Standoff With Police

A Novato resident was taken into custody after a 90-minute standoff with police Friday.

Officers responded to a home in the 2500 block of Center Road after family members reported that the suspect had started a fire in the home, according to Novato police.

Relatives said the suspect was acting out and was possibly in need of a psychiatric evaluation, police said.

After talking with officers for about 90 minutes, the suspect came out of the home and was taken to psychiatric emergency services for evaluation, police said.

No one was injured in the incident.

Alameda Co.: 46-Year-Old Hayward Man Killed In Crash On Highway 84 Indentified

A Hayward man who was killed in a head-on collision on state Highway 84 in Sunol on Saturday morning has been identified as 46-year-old Todd Shur, according to the Alameda County coroner's office.

Shur was driving a 2003 Dodge east on Highway 84 near Main Street when the crash occurred at around 9:15 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

For an unknown reason, he drove his vehicle across the double yellow lines directly into the path of a 2012 Toyota driving by a 48-year-old Stockton man.

The driver of the Toyota did not have time to react, and the two vehicles crashed, the CHP said.

Shur died from his injuries at the scene. The driver of the Toyota and three passengers suffered minor injuries, primarily complaints of back pain, the CHP said.

The crash closed the highway for nearly two hours.

Redwood City: Vehicle, Home Damaged In Early Morning Structure Fire

Fire officials in Redwood City are investigating a one-alarm fire that damaged a home Sunday morning, a dispatcher said. 

Firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle and structure fire at a home in the 2200 block of Spring Street at about 6:50 a.m., the dispatcher said. No one was injured, and the fire was quickly brought under control, the dispatcher said.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Santa Rosa: Man Seriously Injured In Collision Saturday Night, Police Investigating

Police in Santa Rosa are investigating a collision that sent a man to a hospital with life-threatening injuries Saturday night. 

Officers responded to a report of a collision involving a car and a motorcycle in the area of Hoen Avenue and Boston Court at about 7:50 p.m., police said.

When officers arrived, they found the site of the collision in the westbound lane of Hoen Avenue, according to police.

The driver of the car remained on scene and cooperated with police. The driver of the motorcycle was transported to a hospital to be treated for injuries that were considered life threatening, police said.

A portion of Hoen Avenue was closed for several hours after the collision. Officers are continuing to investigate the collision. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3636.

Petaluma: Man Arrested For Burglary While Out of Bail

A man was arrested inside a store in Petaluma on Saturday morning, police said.

An officer responded to an alarm being activated at Kmart, located at 261 N. McDowell Blvd., at about 12:30 a.m., according to police.

When the officer arrived, he noticed a man moving around inside the store, trying to hide, police said.

The officer ordered the suspect, later identified as Jason Michael Remel, 32, of Petaluma, to surrender, and he did without incident, police said. No other suspects were found in the store.

Remel was arrested for burglary and committing a felony while out on bail for a previous, unrelated case, police said.

He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail.

SSF: 80-Year-Old Woman Struck In Intersection

An 80-year-old woman was struck in a South San Francisco intersection Saturday, according to police.

Officers responded to reports of a crash involving a pedestrian at Linden and California avenues at about 7:40 a.m.

A 40-year-old woman had been driving east on California Avenue when she struck the victim, police said.

The driver stopped and called police.

The victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital and was expected to survive, police said.

Drugs or alcohol were not believed to be a factor in the incident.

Anyone who might have witnessed the collision is asked to call South San Francisco police at (650) 877-8900.

Rodeo: Update: Sig-Alert Canceled

A Sig-alert was canceled about an hour and a half after it was issued Sunday night when dried sulfur spilled in Rodeo, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The spill was reported at 5:47 p.m., and the Sig-alert was issued at 6:16 p.m., CHP Officer Eric Anderson said. It was canceled at 7:52 p.m.

Cummings Skyway was closed in both directions from Crockett Boulevard to Interstate Highway 4 during the spill, he said.

The Contra Costa Fire Protection District responded.

Weather Forecast For The San Francisco Bay Area

Mostly cloudy skies, with patchy fog, are likely in the Bay Area this morning. Highs are expected to be in the upper 50s, with southwest winds up to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Partly cloudy skies are likely this evening, becoming cloudy with patchy fog later. Lows are expected to be in the upper 40s, with westerly winds up to 15 mph. Mostly cloudy skies, with patchy fog, are likely Tuesday morning. Highs are expected to be in the upper 50s, with westerly winds up to 15 mph.

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Several Bay Area law enforcement agencies will be joining police departments throughout the world on a virtual ride-along today.

Nearly 200 police departments from agencies in the U.S. and from at least 10 countries abroad will use Twitter to track a day of patrolling, handling calls and other public safety issues as part of a global police "tweet-a-thon" organized by police media consulting firm LAwS Communications.

Bay Area residents can follow the action online through the hashtag, "poltwt."

The event is slated to begin 8 a.m. this morning. Some departments located in different time zones began the tweet-a-thon Thursday night.

In the Bay Area, Palo Alto police will begin their virtual ride-along around 3 p.m. today with police Chief Dennis Burns behind the wheel of a patrol car.

A public information officer will live-tweet the chief's response to calls, arrests, vehicle incidents and others events that occur during his shift.

In Fremont, police will start tweeting at 8 a.m. this morning with posts about different calls for service that come into the department.

Lauri Stevens, the organizer of the event with LAwS Communications in the Boston area, said the 24-hour global social media event "is about getting police to engage with communities and each other."

As social media use becomes more prevalent, Stevens said police departments are increasingly using platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with residents.

The tweet-a-thon aims to "draw attention to police use of social media," Stevens said.

Participating Bay Area agencies include the San Rafael, San Mateo, East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Los Gatos and Fremont police departments.

Outside the U.S., police departments from cities in countries including Finland, Spain, England, Sweden, Iceland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand will be online tweeting throughout the day.

Some of the global tweets will be in the department's native language, Stevens said, however many jurisdictions said they will have bi-lingual posts.

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Vallejo: Suspect Found Dead Inside Home After Standoff 

A shotgun-wielding man barricaded inside a Vallejo home and threatening police and neighbors was found dead inside the home after a SWAT team entered, police said.

Police first arrived after receiving reports at 11:36 a.m. that a man was pointing a rifle or shotgun at people on the street.

When police arrived he had retreated into a residence in the 1800 block of Sutter Street, police said.

Police set up a perimeter and surrounded the house.

An armored vehicle was parked outside for police to take cover behind.

Hostage negotiators contacted the man by phone, and he was hostile and threatened to kill police, others, and himself.

He made demands and said he would kill someone if his demands were not met.

At about 1:15 p.m. the man broke a window in the front of the house and pointed a shotgun outside, police said.

Officers fired multiple rounds at him and he disappeared back inside.

Eventually the Vallejo/Benicia SWAT team and the Solano County sheriff's SWAT team arrived and deployed gas to force the man out, but there was no response.

As they were about to send a robot inside, they saw the man down and entered.

He was found dead from a gunshot wound with a shotgun lying beside him, police said.

No officers or civilians were injured. The suspect's identity has not been released pending notification of his family.

Neighbor Tracie Frost, who lives on Illinois Street near that intersection, said elderly and disabled people live at the home, which she can see from her house.

Homes in the area were evacuated during the standoff, and Frost and her family took shelter in the back of their home for about two hours, Frost said.

Frost said police snipers were on the roof of her house and other homes in the area, and described the scene as similar to a "battle zone."

San Jose: Private Vigil Planned for High School Student Killed By Passing Train

Well-wishers for a high school student musician killed Tuesday by a passing train near San Jose Diridon station are to take part in a private vigil today, a school district spokesman said.

Donae Johnican, 16, a junior at Lincoln High School in San Jose, was the person struck and killed by a Caltrain line, said Paul Higgins, spokesman for the San Jose Unified School District.

Higgins said that parents, family members and friends of Donae plan to attend the evening vigil but he declined to divulge the time and location citing the wishes of the mourners.

"We're saddened to learn of the loss of Donae and we offer our condolences to the family," Higgins said.

Caltrain officials reported Tuesday that a pedestrian had been hit and killed by train No. 263 south of Diridon station near West Virginia Street at about 4:05 p.m.

The northbound train had recently left Tamien Station with only one passenger on board, transit officials said.

The school district recruited grief counselors to come on the Lincoln campus at 555 Dana Ave. Wednesday and today to help students cope with the tragedy, Higgins said.

Donae was an aspiring musician and guitar player at Lincoln, a high school for the performing arts, according to a video he posted Feb. 26 on YouTube.

In the two-minute video, on a channel called Silicon Valley De-Bug, Donae is seen playing his guitar on a sidewalk and talking about writing songs.

"I put my emotions into music and I find it's really hard to if you're not putting your emotions into it," he said. 

"I like to say this to a lot of people: music can change the world, all you need is the right song."

Donae said that he started his interest in music in the sixth grade and started playing the guitar in the seventh grade.

"Teaching is not just a job, it's like a gift from God," he said. "The kids and teachers need to put in 100 percent for the school to be a good school."

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office's Transit Police Bureau is investigating Donae's death, Caltrain spokesman Jayme Ackemann said. 

Santa Clara Co.: Man Arrested in Robbery, Sexual Assalt of Masseuse in Palo Alto Hotel

A San Jose man has been arrested in connection with the March 9 armed robbery and sexual assault of a masseuse at a Palo Alto hotel, police said Wednesday.

Palo Alto police served an arrest warrant on David Yi, 44, on Tuesday after the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office charged him with robbery, attempted robbery and forcible oral copulation, police said.

Officers delivered the warrant while Yi was in the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose where Palo Alto police had him booked Friday on two other felony warrants, police said.

On March 9, a person contacted a woman who had placed an online advertisement for massages and the two agreed to meet at a guest room in the Glass Slipper Inn at 3941 El Camino Real, police said.

After they entered the room, the suspect produced a knife, ordered her to hand over all of her money and then forced the woman to participate in a sex act, police said.

The suspect left the room with the victim's money and confronted a second woman sitting in a chair outside, brandished a knife and demanded money.

The woman replied that she had no money and the suspect fled on foot.

On Friday, Palo Alto police arrested Yi in the 3300 block of Cropley Avenue in San Jose on outstanding warrants for alleged assault with a deadly weapon in San Jose and a probation violation out of Santa Clara County, police said.

Yi was on probation related to a prior conviction for possession of methamphetamine and being under the influence of narcotics, police said.

San Mateo: Threat Against Aragon High School Made in Social Media Post

A heightened police presence will be seen on the campus of Aragon High School in San Mateo today after San Mateo police received a threat to the school via a social media site, a police sergeant said Wednesday.

Police were notified Wednesday morning of a rambling threat that appeared on a Facebook Anonymous "confessions" page.

The online posting lead San Mateo police officers and detectives to the school to investigate the threat and provide increased safety to the high school, which is located on Alameda de las Pulgas in San Mateo's tony Baywood neighborhood, according to San Mateo police Sgt. Dave Norris.

The high school is one of seven high schools in the San Mateo Union High School District.

Officials at the San Mateo-Foster City School District were also notified as one of its elementary schools, Baywood Elementary School, is located close to Aragon.

"While it's not our experience that real threats are posted in advance on popular online forums, the safety of our city's students and school campuses are of paramount concern," Norris said in a statement.

Security operations and a strong police presence will greet students at school this morning.

The San Mateo Police Department is working closely with the school districts to investigate and assess the source and level of the threat.

According to police, offenders issuing or posting any threats will be held accountable.

Police will provide updates to the community when information comes available, according to Norris.

SF: Singer Says Alleged Anti-Gay Comments at SF Venue Were Misinterpreted

A Grammy-nominated folk singer who reportedly made anti-gay comments at a San Francisco concert venue on Sunday released a statement Wednesday proclaiming her support for the LGBT community.

Michelle Shocked, whose career started in the 1980s, reportedly said "God hates fags" and made other anti-gay comments during a show at Yoshi's in San Francisco's Fillmore District, drawing controversy and the cancellation of all upcoming dates on her tour.

Officials from Yoshi's also said Shocked would never be invited back to their venue.

Shocked said in the statement Wednesday that she was misinterpreted by the Yoshi's audience, some of whom wrote on social media about the comments.

"I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals," Shocked said.

She said when she told fans, "Twitter that Michelle Shocked says 'God hates faggots,'" she was "predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted."

Shocked said, "To those fans who are disappointed by what they've heard or think I said, I'm very sorry: I don't always express myself as clearly as I should. But don't believe everything you read on Facebook or Twitter. My view of homosexuality has changed not one iota. I judge not."

She said, "If I could repeat the evening, I would make a clearer distinction between a set of beliefs I abhor, and my human sympathy for the folks who hold them." 

Nevertheless, the singer's comments at Yoshi's prompted concert organizers to cancel all upcoming shows on Shocked's U.S. tour, according to the website of John M. Becker, who created a Change.org petition encouraging the venues to cancel her shows.

The upcoming concerts included ones in Santa Cruz and Novato. Shocked's statement Wednesday also did little to assuage angered fans on social media.

One person wrote on Twitter, "Sorry Michelle Shocked but some vague PR letter doesn't get you off the hook. It's over. You're done." 

Oakland: Man Convicted of Murdering Google Job Hopeful

An Oakland man was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and other charges for the shooting death of a Virginia man who had come to the Bay Area for a job interview at Google.

George Huggins, 26, also was convicted of the special circumstance of committing a murder during a robbery for the fatal shooting of 45-year-old Jinghong Kang, who was fatally shot in the 1900 block of Webster Street in Downtown Oakland at about 11:30 p.m. on July 18, 2010.

In addition, Huggins was convicted of attempted second-degree robbery for trying to rob Hai Huang, a dental assistant who had just cleaned Kang's teeth at her office on Webster Street that night, and of two counts of second-degree robbery for taking items from a man and woman, both 26 at the time, as they were sitting in a parked car in the 1700 block of Telegraph Avenue early the morning of June 21, 2010, several weeks before Kang was killed.

Huggins also was convicted of using a gun to shoot and injure the man in the earlier incident.

He faces a term of life in state prison without parole when Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jon Rolefson sentences him on April 18. Jurors only deliberated for a day before returning their verdict against Huggins, who bowed his head and was comforted by his attorney, Annie Beles.

Prosecutor Tim Wellman told the seven-woman, five-man jury that Huggins, and his former girlfriend, Althea Housley, 36, also of Oakland, targeted Kang and his friend Huang as they stood next to Kang's rental car because they "were vulnerable and were easy targets."

Wellman said Kang had flown to the Bay Area because he had a job interview at Google the next day and he had driven his rental car to Downtown Oakland to have his teeth cleaned by Huang, a dental hygienist whom Kang had met at a church conference.

He said Huggins and Housley worked together as a team, with Huggins approaching male victims and Housley approaching female victims, and that was what they did when they walked up to Kang and Huang.

Wellman said Housley grabbed Huang by her hair and threw her to the ground and Huggins pointed a gun at Kang and demanded that he turn over his money.

Kang told Huggins all he had was $17, and he gave Huggins that amount but Huggins still fired three shots at him, striking Kang in his leg and his chest and killing him, Wellman said.

Housley and Huggins then fled, according to the prosecutor.

Oakland police obtained video footage of the suspects captured by surveillance cameras at nearby businesses and they were later arrested, Wellman said.

Housley initially told police that she wasn't involved but later admitted she was present.

However, she said that Huggins was the person who shot Kang and claimed she didn't know anyone would be shot, he said. Wellman said police ballistics experts determined that the same .22-caliber handgun was used to shoot both Kang and the male victim in the earlier robbery.

Berkeley: Council Passes Resolution Supporting Student Denied Entry to U.S.

The Berkeley City Council has voted unanimously to approve a resolution in support of a Berkeley fourth-grader who wasn't allowed to return home when his family tried to come back to the U.S. from Mexico in January.

Councilman Kriss Worthington, who authored the resolution along with colleagues Jesse Arreguin and Max Anderson, said 9-year-old Rodrigo Guzman and his parents, Reyna Diaz Mayida and Javier Ponce Guzman, were detained by federal authorities in Houston on Jan. 10 when they returned from a trip to Mexico because the parents' visas had expired.

The family was told that they could not re-apply for a visa for five years and was sent back to the Mexico City area, Worthington said. Rodrigo has lived in Berkeley since he was two years old and was a student at Jefferson Elementary School in Berkeley, Worthington said.

A similar resolution was passed by the Berkeley school board last week.

The City Council's resolution, passed at its meeting Tuesday night, says Rodrigo and his family were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Houston and prevented from returning home to Berkeley.

But ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said her office wasn't involved in the matter and it was handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection because it's the agency responsible for determining the admissibility of aliens at ports of entry.

Yolanda Choates, a spokeswoman for the Customs and Border Protection office in Houston, said she could not comment on the specifics of Rodrigo's situation because of privacy laws.

But Choates said that under immigration law applicants for admission "bear the burden of proof to establish that they are clearly eligible to enter the U.S."

She said, "In order to demonstrate that they are admissible, the applicant must overcome all grounds of inadmissibility."

Choates said there are more than 60 grounds of inadmissibility, including documentation requirements. She said that if a child has a valid visa but his parents don't he would only to be allowed to enter the U.S. if there was an adult who was prepared to receive the child and accept custody of the child.

The resolution approved by the City Council calls on President Obama, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-California, to support the family's return.

Worthington said five of Rodrigo's classmates are hoping to travel to Washington, D.C., during their upcoming spring break to lobby Congress and even the president for Rodrigo and for immigration reform.

SF: Attorney Argues For Rehab For Man Who Stole Taxi, Rammed Police Car 

A San Francisco man who allegedly stole a taxi early last Friday and tried to run over police with it, prompting an officer to shoot at him, should be released without bail to a rehabilitation facility, his defense attorney said Wednesday.

Peter Russell, 25, is charged with carjacking, assault on a police officer, DUI and reckless driving for an incident that began around 4:30 a.m. Friday near Jackson and Buchanan streets in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Russell allegedly began jumping on the hood of a taxi and smashed its windshield, causing the cab driver to flee.

Russell then got behind the wheel and drove away, police said.

Officers soon tracked the car to Jackson and Spruce streets in Presidio Heights, where they tried to block it from fleeing.

However, Russell allegedly drove straight at the officers, clipping a patrol car.

One officer jumped out of the way and avoided injury while a second officer fired his service weapon at Russell, who was not hit, police said.

The suspect fled in the taxi but it was found abandoned shortly afterward at Bay and Octavia streets near Fort Mason.

Russell was found a half-block away and was arrested, according to police.

"It's a really difficult and sad case," defense attorney Stuart Hanlon said outside of court.

"This is the danger of alcohol."

Hanlon argued to Superior Court Judge Jerome Benson that Russell should have his $175,000 bail reduced or removed completely so he can enter Ohlhoff House, a San Francisco-based recovery center for people with alcohol or drug problems.

Hanlon said Russell entered and completed the program on his own last year, but suffered a relapse before his run-in with police on Friday.

"He doesn't have a history of violence, he has a history with alcohol," he told the judge.

Assistant District Attorney Nicole Crosby argued for the bail to remain at $175,000, saying the fact that Russell had already been in the program but still was drinking and endangered so many people made him a public safety risk.

Crosby said, "Potentially the defendant can return to a residential facility ... I don't think that day should be today."

The judge said he would take the matter under submission and make a ruling on this afternoon.

Russell has not entered a plea to the charges against him and remains in custody.

Santa Cruz Co.: County Hands Out Free Canvas Reusable Shopping Bags as 25-Cent Fee for Paper Begins

Shoppers in parts of Santa Cruz County are paying more to use paper bags starting Wednesday and the county handed out free canvas bags to encourage reusable over single-use bags.

Grocery markets and other stores outside city limits must begin charging customers 25 cents per paper bag at checkout as part of the county's effort to reduce disposable carryout bags, county public works resource planner Tim Goncharoff said.

Wednesday also is the first anniversary of Santa Cruz County's ban on single-use plastic bags.

The cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Capitola also have approved bans on plastic, Goncharoff said.

While paper bags will still be permitted for the 25-cent fee -- which the businesses keep as revenue -- the county is seeking to discourage paper bags as well, Goncharoff said.

Unlike plastic bags that take years to decompose and are more harmful to the environment, paper bags deteriorate faster but contain chemicals like mercury and the paper manufacturing process "is one of the dirtiest industries we know," Goncharoff said.

"The key is to have people bring their own reusable bags so that we have taken care of the problem of disposable bags," Goncharoff said.

Another ban takes effect on April 22, to coincide with Earth Day, when restaurants in unincorporated Santa Cruz County may no longer hand out food in plastic bags.

Restaurants, however, will be permitted to provide paper bags free of charge for takeout food, Goncharoff said.

"We didn't want people to have to hold out their hands for their burgers and fries," he said.

About 68 cities in California have enacted bans on plastic bags, about 100 others are considering it and there are bills in the State Legislature to ban them statewide, Goncharoff said.

"We think the time will come when we will see the end of plastic bags in California," he said.

Bay Area Thursday Morning Weather Forecast

Partly cloudy skies are likely in the Bay Area this morning, becoming sunny later in the day. Highs are expected to be around 60, with winds up to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Clear skies are likely this evening. Lows are expected to be in the mid 40s, with westerly winds up to 20 mph.

Sunny skies are likely Friday morning. Highs are expected to be in the lower 60s, with winds up to 15 mph in the afternoon.

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