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Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Estranged Wife Found Dead in New York Home

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:14:34 -0800

      NEW YORK (AP) - Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s estranged wife, Mary Kennedy, who had fought drug and alcohol problems, was found dead in her home Wednesday.

      Attorney Kerry Lawrence, who had represented her in a drunken-driving case, said he didn't know the cause of her death at age 52.

      Police confirmed a body was found on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s property in Bedford, north of New York City, but wouldn't release the dead person's name.

      Mary Kennedy's family cited her devotion to her four children in remembering her.

      "We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her," the family said in a statement issued by Lawrence. "Our heart goes out to her children who she loved without reservation."

      Kennedy was the second wife of Robert Kennedy Jr., a prominent environmental lawyer and the son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, both assassinated in the 1960s. They married in 1994.

      Mary Kennedy had had trouble with drugs and alcohol and had two high-profile arrests around the time her husband filed for divorce in July 2010.

      She was charged that August with driving under the influence of drugs, not long after she pleaded guilty to drunken driving when police reported her seeing her car hit a curb outside a school near her home. Police said she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11 percent; the legal limit is 0.08 percent. Her license was suspended.


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

No One Hurt in S.F. Financial District Restaurant Fire

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:42:59 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) -- A fire that started in the flue of a restaurant in San Francisco's Financial District Wednesday afternoon is out, a fire department spokeswoman said.

      The fire was reported at 1:22 p.m. on the ground floor of a three-story building near the intersection of Jackson and Front streets.

      Yong Chong, an employee at Cafe Insalata, said smoke was coming from a restaurant across the street, Kokkari Estiatorio, located at 200 Jackson St.

      Fire department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said the flue runs all the way to the top of the building, and although firefighters also found fire in the flue space on the top floor, the flames did not extend into the building.

      The blaze was extinguished at 2:04 p.m., she said.

      The building was safely evacuated while crews fought the fire, and no injuries have been reported, Talmadge said.

(Copyright 2012, Bay City News, All rights reserved.)

Money Video of the Day - New World Of Landing A Mortgage Or Refinance

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:06:07 -0800

New World Of Landing A Mortgage Or Refinance
http://youtu.be/IlzIrX5EanE

Rob Black's "Winners & Losers" Bankers Have Our Back, Comcast Deploys Skype to TVs, J-Lo Power

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:02:43 -0800

Loser: S&P 500 Falls Fourth Day on Europe Fret

Stocks retreated, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lower for a fourth straight day, as concern about Europe’s debt crisis overshadowed better-than-estimated data on housing starts and industrial production.

Two euro-area officials said the European Central Bank has no immediate plans to boost stimulus.
The Dollar Index rose for a record 13th straight day, reducing the appeal of commodities.

J.C. Penney tumbled 19 percent, the most since the market crash in 1987, on disappointing results.
General Motors rose 2.9 percent as Berkshire Hathaway Inc. disclosed a stake in the automaker.

The situation in Europe is extremely precarious. More needs to be done. You can’t have a lot of confidence that assets will stabilize.”

Winner: Several Fed Reserve Members Support Helping Economy

Several Federal Reserve policy makers said a loss of momentum in growth or increased risks to their economic outlook could warrant additional action to keep the recovery going.

The minutes show Fed policy makers refining the conditions under which further monetary stimulus could be necessary. At the March meeting, “a couple” of FOMC members said additional action may be needed if the economy lost momentum or if inflation were too low.

The FOMC also discussed the conditions under which they may change their guidance that the economy is likely to warrant low interest rates through at least late 2014.

The central bank expects the unemployment rate to fall to 7.8 percent to 8.0 percent by the final three months of this year.

Gross domestic product is likely to rise by 2.4 percent to 2.9 percent this year.

A stabilization of housing, the industry at the heart of the financial crisis, may boost the economy.

Winner: J.Lo's No. 1 On The Celebrity 100

Jennifer Lopez, with $52 million in earnings over the last 12 months and a massive amount of fame, lands at No. 1 on Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

A few years ago it looked like Lopez was done. Her albums, failed to find the broad audience and her movies, like El Cantante, flopped.

Then in 2010 the singer landed a judge’s chair on American Idol.

She split from Mark Anthony.

She scored lucrative endorsement deals with companies like L’Oreal and Gillette.

She now has a line of clothing at Kohl’s, a top-selling fragrance and she was able to secure a nice bump—to $20 million–on her Idol salary for a second season.

With 6.6 million followers on Twitter and 12 million fans on Facebook, she’s also proved a master of social media.

In second place is Oprah Winfrey who still managed to earn more than anyone else on the list ($165 million) thanks to her empire of spin-off shows (Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray).

Ranking third: Justin Bieber. Only 18, Bieber earned $55 million in the past year thanks to touring and record sales.

Winner: Comcast Launching Skype Video Calling

Comcast is launching Skype-based HD video calling for Xfinity triple-play customers for $9.95 a month.

The service will allow customers to make and received video calls from their TVs in HD picture quality.
Customers will also be able to send and receive Skype instant messages while watching TV at the same time.

And you can make Skype audio calls.

To use the service, customers will need Xfinity Internet service, an HDMI-capable Comcast set-top box and a Skype account.

The other party does not have to have comcast but does need to be logged onto their skype account.

High School Basketball Coach Pleads Not Guilty to Sex With Teen

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:07:18 -0800

SANTA ROSA (KRON)--A girls' basketball coach at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa has pleaded not guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old student.

Andrew John Medeiros, 25, of Santa Rosa, is charged with two sex crimes with a person under age 18 that allegedly occurred on April 2. He entered his plea Wednesday in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Authorities say Medeiros was arrested on April 11 at Piner High School, where he was employed as a student supervisor. He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bail.

According to police, Medeiros met the 16-year-old girl at Cardinal Newsman High School where he worked as the girls' basketball coach last season.

Investigators say the girl's parents contacted authorities after they discovered sexually explicit text messages between Medeiros and the teen.

The two charges against Medeiros are sex with a foreign object and oral copulation with a person under 18.

Medeiros also coached for the North Bay Elite Basketball Club.

A preliminary hearing date is scheduled for July 10.

Tuberculosis Patient Jailed, Charged For Failure to Take Medication

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:28:35 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A tuberculosis patient has been charged in California after authorities said he failed to take medication for the highly contagious disease.

Thirty-four-year-old Armando Rodriguez of Stockton was arrested on Tuesday.

San Joaquin County prosecutors have charged him with two counts of refusing to comply with a tuberculosis order to be at home and make appointments to take his medication.

Rodriguez was diagnosed with the disease by a county health center in April.

He is accused of missing an appointment at the health center and not being home on three occasions when officials went to observe him take the drugs.

Rodriguez is expected to be arraigned on Thursday. Prosecutors say he will likely be appointed a public defender.

SWAT Team Called In After Man Throws Dog Off Balcony, Points Gun at Motel Guest

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:01:41 -0800

LIVERMORE (BCN)--A man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a small dog from a Livermore motel balcony and then pointing a gun at a fellow guest who confronted him about the dog-tossing.

Police received a call around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday about a confrontation between guests at the Motel 6 at 4673 Lassen Road, police said.

Arriving officers spoke with the victim, who told them he had seen the suspect, later identified as Michael Hamby, 39, throw a small dog off of a second-floor balcony, police said.

The dog landed on the ground below and was found uninjured, police said.

The victim confronted Hamby about throwing the dog, which led to an argument in which the motel clerk intervened and managed to get the two guests to return to their rooms, police said.

The victim told officers that a short time later, he heard a knock at his door and when he opened it, he allegedly found Hamby standing in the doorway. He said Hamby pointed a gun at him and then ran off, according to police.

A SWAT team consisting of Livermore and Pleasanton police officers was called to the motel because there was a gun involved, and because Livermore police have a history with Hamby, according to police.

Hamby had been arrested by Livermore police on April 27 on suspicion of assault, child endangerment and illegal firearm possession, police said.

When the SWAT team arrived, surrounding motel rooms and nearby businesses were evacuated, police said.

SWAT team members entered Hamby's room but he was not inside; however, he was located nearby and taken into custody around 7:20 a.m., police said.

Hamby was arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty and was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, police said.

According to police, the victim is not pressing charges for the alleged gun incident. No gun was found at the scene, police said.

Oakland Charter School Set to Close

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:34:00 -0800

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A charter school in Oakland that focuses on public service and arts is set to close its doors.

School officials decided last week to shutter Civicorps Elementary in June.

Civicorp Executive Director Alan Lessik says the elementary school has struggled financially due to ongoing state education cuts and a sharp enrollment decline in 2010.

Civicorp, a youth development nonprofit, also runs a recycling plant in East Oakland. Lessik says revenue from the recycling program has been used to cover funding gaps at the elementary school.

But parents say they were blindsided by the decision and are now scrambling to find new schools for their children.

Police Uncover Marijuana Grow Operation at Richmond Warehouse

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:14:12 -0800

RICHMOND (KRON)--Police have uncovered a marijuana grow operation that was found after a fire broke out at a warehouse in Richmond early Wednesday morning.

KRON 4's Will Tran reports that police stumbled upon the grow operation after a call came in to the fire department at about 3:30 a.m. reporting a fire at a warehouse in the area of Ohio Avenue and 6th Street. According to police, a woman who was keeping watch over the warehouse reported the fire after she was unable to control the blaze herself. The woman tells police that she does not run the marijuana grow, and has contacted the grow's operators. However, police say the woman will be arrested if those responsible for the grow's operation are not found.

Will reports that about 1,000 plants were uncovered at the warehouse. The street value of the plants are unknown.

Stay tuned to KRON 4 and KRON.com for updates on this story.

Water District Under Investigation for Oil Spills

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:52:34 -0800

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - The agency that supplies much of Silicon Valley with drinking water is facing possible civil prosecution for repeatedly spilling hydraulic oil in its reservoirs.

In a letter to the Santa Clara Valley Water District, county prosecutors say the spills were serious. The letter - dated March 29 - warns that civil prosecution is appropriate although the District Attorney's Office has not filed a case in court.

Water district officials say the spills were small and caused no environmental damage. Tests did not show elevated levels of petroleum products in drinking water.

District records show eight hydraulic oil spills ranging from 5 to 35 gallons since 2001.

Water district officials say the leaky hydraulic systems that caused at least some of the spills will be repaired over the next decade.

Bicyclist Killed In Hit-and-Run Collision

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:49:28 -0800

DUBLIN (BCN)--Dublin police are looking for a Mercedes suspected of fleeing the scene of a fatal collision with a bicyclist late Tuesday night, a police lieutenant said.

Police responded to a report of a man down in the road near the corner of Dougherty and Fall Creek roads at around 11:30 p.m., Lt. Herb Walters said.

The bicyclist, a man between 55 and 60 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, Walters said.

There were no witnesses, but investigators found a vehicle part at the scene and used it to determine that the vehicle that fled the collision was a 2010 or 2011 Mercedes Benz.

The car had been traveling on Dougherty Road toward San Ramon when it collided with the bicyclist.

The Mercedes may be black and possibly has front-end damage, Walters said.

The name of the victim has not yet been released pending notification of his next of kin, Walters said.

Oakland Expands Crackdown On Blighted Homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:23:33 -0800

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Oakland officials are expanding efforts to cut down on blighted homes by going after properties in the earliest stages of foreclosure.

The City Council unanimously approved a measure on Tuesday that requires banks to maintain vacant homes that have received an initial mortgage default notice.

Councilwoman Jane Brunner, the measure's sponsor, says blighted homes bring down the value of all homes in an area.

But California Bankers Association spokeswoman Beth Mills says banks don't own the properties when a default notice is sent out, so they shouldn't be held responsible for any blight there.

More than 3,000 Oakland homeowners were sent default notices last year. According to city figures, roughly half of Oakland homes that have gone into default and are financed by banks are blighted.

Update: Protestors Disrupt UC Board Meeting Regarding Tuition Increase

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:06:36 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Protestors have disrupted a University of California board meeting where officials are discussing a tuition increase to help close its budget shortfall.

Members of the UC Board of Regents left the meeting room at the Sacramento Convention Center shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday after a dozen protesters stood up, began chanting and clapping hands and refused requests to stop.

The demonstrators say they are protesting "UC management," tuition hikes and police crackdowns on campus protests.

The disruption occurred just before the regents were set to consider plans to raise tuition this fall to offset state budget cuts. The board is not scheduled to vote on a tuition increase Wednesday.

The regents are expected to vote on the appointment of Pradeep Khosla as the next chancellor of UC San Diego.

Search for Sierra Lamar to Mark Two-Month Anniversary of Her Disappearance

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:56:30 -0800

MORGAN HILL (KRON)--Friends and family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar are marking the two-month anniversary of her disappearance Wednesday with another search.

Police say Sierra, 15, disappeared after she left home to go to school the morning of March 16. Investigators believe her disappearance is an abduction and numerous searches by law enforcement and volunteers have been conducted during the weeks since her disappearance.

"This is not how I wanted to acknowledge this date, but I am deeply grateful that the community continues to support her cause," Sierra's father, Steve LaMar said in a statement Tuesday.

The latest volunteer search, led by the KlaasKids Foundation, comes as forensic experts continue to scour a red Volkswagon Jetta with a black hood that is considered an important clue into the missing teen.

"This red Jetta was known to investigators early on in the investigation at the end of March," Santa Clara County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza tells KRON 4's Terisa Estacio. "There are other vehicles that we knew of at the time that were seen by a witness or the surveillance video that we obtained that were also in the area. It wasn't until recently, the last couple of weeks based on some re-interviews and some tips and leads that came in that really piqued the detectives' interest. They believed this red Jetta was associated."

Investigators say they do know know the registered owner of the red Jetta but aren't letting anyone know who he or she may be.

"We're just really not going to comment on in what capacity we believe it's associated, whether how big or how small, but we do believe it's connected in some way," Sgt. Cardoza adds.

Deputies have answered and checked out hundreds of leads in this case. Meanwhile, another volunteer search for Sierra is scheduled for Saturday.

Stay tuned to KRON 4 and KRON4.com for the latest on this developing story.

Late for Child's Birthday Party, Rohnert Park Woman Charged with DUI

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:25:14 -0800

SANTA ROSA (KRON) -- A 34-year old woman who says she was in a hurry to get to her child's birthday party is facing DUI charges after the CHP says she was driving under the influence at more than 100 miles per hour.

A CHP officer says he clocked Katherine Russell going 90 miles an hour through a construction zone on Highway 101 heading south through Sonoma County last Friday night. As Officer Marcus Hawkins gave pursuit, he says Russell sped up to more than 100 miles per hour, at one point passing traffic on the right shoulder.

When she finally got off the freeway at State Route 116 in Cotati, Officer Hawkins says Russell finally pulled over. The officer says she told him she was in a hurry to get to her child's birthday party.

The officer says he suspected Russell was intoxicated and that she failed a field sobriety test. She's charged with DUI, speeding in the construction zone, passing on the shoulder, driving while unlicensed, and excessive speed while under the influence.

(Copyright 2012, KRON 4, All rights reserved.)

Three Year Operation Targeting Alleged Heroin Trafficking Ring Ends with a Dozen Arrests

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:09:17 -0800

    SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris says state and federal officials have arrested 12 people tied to a drug trafficking ring that was smuggling heroin from Mexico into the San Francisco Bay area.

      Harris says the arrests were made in East Palo Alto, Hayward and Oakland on Tuesday. Undercover agents had been tracking the targets for nearly three years, during which time they purchased more than three pounds of heroin.

      Among those arrested was 28-year-old Carlos Jose Moreno of Santa Clara, who officials suspect headed a transnational criminal drug trafficking organization affiliated with the Norteno gang.

      The California Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led "Operation Middle Man," with help from the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office and San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force.


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

BART Says It's Working to Fix Broken Escalators

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:57:39 -0800

OAKLAND (KRON) -- Bay Area Rapid Transit officials say they've recently hired new staff to bring the system's faulty escalators back into service.

KRON 4 obtained an internal BART document that shows 16 of the 176 escalators in stations around the region are currently not working.

"We understand this is an issue," BART spokeswoman Luna Salaver tells KRON 4's Reggie Kumar. "We have recently, in this fiscal year, hired four permanent and two part-time technicians."

BART says many of its escalators are more than 30 years old. Officials say it's tough to keep them all working.

Riders at some stations like West Oakland say they have waited months for some of the escalators to be fixed. Some say that's particularly hard for people with mobility issues.

In some cases BART patrons may be partially to blame for the problems with the escalators since trash and litter tend to "gunk up" the escalator mechanisms.

Starting in July Luna says BART will launch a new program that will refurbish the escalators that require more complicated repairs that will take time to complete.

(Copyright 2012, KRON 4, All rights reserved.)

Judge Rules Video Can Be Used Against Ousted S.F. Sheriff Mirkarimi

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:28:16 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) -- A video at the center of the criminal case against suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi can be used in the upcoming administrative hearing on his suspension, a judge ruled.

      The video is of Mirkarimi's wife, Eliana Lopez, who was taped by a neighbor on Jan. 1 crying and pointing to a bruise on her arm that she said was caused when Mirkarimi grabbed her during an argument the previous day, police and prosecutors said.

      After the neighbor, Ivory Madison, called police to report the incident, Mirkarimi was arrested two weeks later and eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor false imprisonment charge before the case went to trial.

      He was sentenced on March 19 to three years' probation and other penalties and was suspended without pay two days later by Mayor Ed Lee on official misconduct charges.

      Mirkarimi has a right to a hearing at the city's Ethics Commission, which will make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on whether to uphold the charges and remove the suspended sheriff from office.

      The city attorney's office had sought a copy of the video from the Police Department, which had seized it from Madison's home with a search warrant.

      San Francisco Superior Court Judge Garrett Wong granted the release of the video over the vociferous opposition of Lopez's attorney, Paula Canny.

      Canny said the video should not be released "out of respect for crime victims."

      She said, "It has to do with my client not wanting her image to last on the Internet into perpetuity."

      Following Wong's ruling, Canny talked to reporters outside the courtroom, speaking strongly against the judge and San Francisco's district and city attorney's offices for their actions in the case and saying she will appeal the ruling.

      "The court has inherent jurisdiction to protect people," she said. "They don't want to protect Eliana, they don't want to protect her rights. They're so out of their minds to get Ross Mirkarimi that they don't care who they step on."

      Deputy City Attorney Peter Keith countered that "when a claim of privacy is made, one of the things that's relevant under the law is the extent to which the matter is already public."

      Keith said Lopez "has made repeated public statements about the videotape, she has attacked its credibility and attacked the motives of the prosecution in the case and she has made a range of statements about the case. Given that, we think the court was correct" in its ruling.

      He said the city attorney's office plans to get a copy of the video made from the Police Department and will present it at the Ethics Commission hearing.

      Whether the video would be able to be seen by the public "would be up to the Ethics Commission to decide," he said, adding that the mayor's position is that the proceedings should be "open and public."

      The next Ethics Commission hearing on the Mirkarimi case is scheduled for May 29. The hearing is expected to only address rules and procedures and to schedule future dates for the proceedings, which could take months.

(Copyright 2012, Bay City News, All rights reserved.)

Amtrak Capitol Corridor Train Kills Pedestrian in Fremont

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:04:02 -0800

FREMONT (BCN) -- An Amtrak Capitol Corridor train fatally struck a person in Fremont Tuesday afternoon, a spokeswoman said.

      The train was traveling from Sacramento to San Jose when it struck the victim at about 1 p.m., Amtrak spokeswoman Danelle Hunter said.

      No passengers or crew onboard the train were injured, Hunter said.

      Passengers were bused to their final destination, and other Capitol Corridor trains were being rerouted around the area while an investigation was under way, Hunter said.

      No significant delays were reported.

      Information about the victim was not immediately available, according to the Alameda County coroner's bureau.

       (Copyright 2012, Bay City News, All rights reserved.)

Community Activist's Accused Killer Now Set to Stand Trial

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:41:45 -0800

     REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) - Prosecutors say a man accused of fatally shooting an East Palo Alto community leader is set to stand trial after receiving treatment at a state mental hospital.

      Last year, a San Mateo County judge found 59-year-old Gregory Elarms incompetent to stand trial for the murder of David Lewis.

      District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Tuesday that two doctors have determined that Elarms is now fit for trial.

      Prosecutors say Elarms shot his childhood friend outside Hillsdale Shopping Center in June 2010. The shooting case went unsolved until Elarms called police offering information in the case, and they began to suspect him.

      According to police, Elarms believed gang members were after him and Lewis had turned against him.

      Lewis was co-founder of Free at Last, a group that helps people recover from substance abuse and incarceration.


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