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Racist text scandal rocks California police department

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

A court hearing to determine whether Northern California police officers who traded racist text messages violated a state law aimed at eliminating racism in the criminal justice system adjourned Friday without any officers taking the stand to answer questions about the scandal that has roiled the San Francisco Bay Area city.Defense attorneys for four men charged with murder and attempted murder in a 2021 shooting had subpoenaed the Antioch police officers to testify about heavily redacted text messages made public in April by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office. The attorneys were expected to argue before Judge David Goldstein that their clients, two of them mentioned in the text messages, were unfairly targeted based on their race. The state’s Racial Justice Act prohibits the state from pursuing or securing criminal convictions or sentences on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin.But the judge spent much of Friday’s hearing ruling on motions and not on evi...

Oxnard teen breaking track records despite running on prosthetic not meant for competition

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

An eleventh grader at an Oxnard high school is excelling in cross country and track and field, despite running on a prosthetic leg that is not built for athletic competition.Erick Aleman is a junior at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard who has been competing in school and CIF-sanctioned running events since middle school. Erick is diagnosed with Hanhart Syndrome, a congenital issue that causes undeveloped extremities. In Erick's case, all of his upper and lower limbs have been affected, especially his left leg. "I'm missing my hand and my left foot, and then my right hand and my right foot are different than other people," Erick said. Erick Aleman runs in a race in this undated photo provided by Garrett Reynolds and GoFundMe.Despite his challenges, he's found a love for running, finishing in the middle of the pack in many races against fellow athletes who do not have any disabilities, as well as dominating many races against fellow para-athletes.In July he competed in the Angel City Ga...

Controversy continues over Temecula school district banning book with LGBTQ+ figures

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

An emergency Friday meeting is scheduled after the Temecula Valley Unified School District voted 3-2 to reject California's new social studies book and curriculum for the second time this week.The emergency meeting will vote on whether the new curriculum will be adopted despite the board's objections over the book's coverage of LGBTQ+ figures in history.Tension and emotions were high during a five-hour Tuesday hearing where parents, teachers, and community members debated over the state's curriculum for elementary school kids.The new social studies book in question is called, "Social Studies Alive!" and complies with 2011 state laws requiring that students get instruction about "the role and contributions of people with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans; and other ethnic and cultural groups."Conservative members of the school board have complained that supplemental material for the curriculum contains a three-paragraph mention of gay rights leader Harve...

Chino Hills man arrested for impersonating a police officer

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

A Chino Hills man was arrested on Thursday after he was caught on camera allegedly impersonating a law enforcement officer. On July 11, a victim in Chino Hills reported that a person impersonating a law enforcement officer stopped him for a traffic violation, according to a news release from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department. The traffic stop was also recorded from a home surveillance camera. The suspect’s car, identified as a white colored Ford F-350 truck with California Exempt license plates had emergency lights and "fire" decals on the front hood and rear tailgate.  During the crime, the suspect, 42-year-old Andrew De Boer of Chino Hills, wore a law enforcement uniform, duty belt with a firearm, Santa Muerte Fire Department badge, baton, pepper spray, and handcuffs. Items confiscated from Andrew De Boer after he was arrested for allegedly impersonating a law enforcement officer. (Chino Hills Police Department)Items confiscated from Andrew De Boer after he was arrested for ...

California black bear shows surprising concern for road safety

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

Video shared by Caltrans Friday shows a bear putting a fallen safety cone back into place along a roadway.Though it is unclear when and where the video was captured, officials made sure to praise the furry pedestrian.“This bear deserves the ‘Bear of the Year’ award!” Caltrans tweeted. “While his buddy before him caused traffic cone chaos, this bear showed us what safety partners are all about! Let's all take notes from this responsible bear and be like him! Stay safe out there!”After fixing the orange cone, the bear continued on its walk.

Mayor blasts police union attorney over accusations

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe on Friday blasted the Antioch police union’s attorney after he accused him in the media of taking away the police chief’s authority to make decisions.“I think he just finally got tired of not being able to make the decisions to guide both the investigation and the department the way he wanted to,” Attorney Mike Rains, who represents the Antioch Police Officers’ Association, said in a Thursday interview with KTVU.Thorpe countered the assertions in a Facebook post Friday morning, saying the attorney was seeking to make the police department’s current state of affairs about politics. The chief announced he was retiring on Wednesday.“The moral crimes that your clients have committed are so egregious, and so outside of normalcy, that it required a leader with internal fortitude to bring order to the Antioch Police Department.”In his letter, meanwhile, Thorpe said Ford “was that person,” someone who came in and “believed he could change the hea...

Pair of homers not enough vs. Nationals, SF Giants drop third straight

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

It seems like a 50-50 proposition to determine which Alex Wood will show up on a given night.Those are, at least, better odds than the Giants’ lineup has given them of late.Wood was knocked around for five runs and failed to record an out past the fourth inning while a pair of home runs from Joc Pederson and J.D. Davis amounted to the extent of their offense in a 5-3 loss Friday night to open their weekend series against the Washington Nationals.The Giants (54-44) lost for the third straight game, failing to score more than three runs in any contest. They’ve been held to four or fewer in five of their eight games since the All-Star break. Facing Nationals rookie right-hander Jake Irvin, they struck out 12 times and mustered only three hits besides the pair of home runs.Threatening for the first time in the seventh inning, the Giants loaded the bases and knocked Irvin from the game, but Casey Schmitt struck out swinging against reliever Jordan Weems. It came down to the r...

Person shot and killed Thursday in Gilroy

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

GILROY — An investigation is underway into a fatal shooting Thursday in Gilroy, police said.A police officer was at Saint Louise Hospital for an unrelated matter around 9 p.m. when a person arrived with a gunshot wound, the Gilroy Police Department said in an advisory.The victim immediately received life-saving measures but died of their injuries, police said.The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office will release the person’s identity once it is confirmed and their next of kin is notified.An initial investigation determined the shooting happened in the 2100 block of Columbine Court. There did not appear to be any threat to public safety, police said.Police did not announce any arrests Friday.Anyone with information related to the case can contact Detective Catalina Fraide at 408-846-0335 or [email protected], or the tip line at 408-846-0330.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Former Silicon Valley tech executive charged by feds for alleg...

Biden picks female admiral to lead the Navy

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

By Lolita C. Baldor | Associated PressWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has chosen Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, an unprecedented choice that, if she is confirmed, will make her the first woman to be a Pentagon service chief and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Biden’s decision goes against the recommendation of his Pentagon chief. But Franchetti, the current vice chief of operations for the Navy, has broad command and executive experience and was considered by insiders to be the top choice for the job.In a statement Friday, Biden noted the historical significance of her selection and said “throughout her career, Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas.”Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended that Biden select Adm. Samuel Paparo, the current commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, several U.S. officials said last month. But instead, Biden is nominating Paparo to lead U.S. ...

Santa Rosa fire station rebuilt after deadly 2017 Tubbs Fire

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:23:49 GMT

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) -- When the Tubbs Fire of 2017 burnt through Santa Rosa, it claimed nine lives within the city, and 3,000 homes were destroyed.Fire Station Five was also burnt to the ground. The fire department, as well as city and state leaders, came together Friday at the site where the new station will stand. Driver stuck on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge plays tennis to pass time “The Tubbs Fire destroyed the original station five in Santa Rosa six years ago, but today the city broke ground on where the new station five will be,” said Captain Stavros Kalogirou. The flames of the Tubbs Fires ripped through thousands of acres in Napa and Sonoma Counties. Some of the greatest losses were felt in Santa Rosa.Kalogirou remembers hearing a call come over his radio that the fire was approaching Fire Station 5.“Fire Station five had been compromised and then had been burned down, and it was just kind of a gut punch on top of the homes we lost and the loss of life,” he said.Many f...