December 4, 2022

Award-winning Bay Area musician killed after car gets stuck on train track

An award-winning musician and San Francisco State University lecturer was killed when his vehicle was struck by multiple trains, officials said.

Speight’s biography on the SF State School of Music site calls him “a clear-toned, hard-driving alto sax player — one of the Bay Area’s most lively and lyrical exponents of straight-ahead, joyous jazz.”

“Speight has been in the U.S. since the early 90s, leading jazz programs first at Michigan State University and now at San Francisco State University,” it goes on. “But most importantly, Speight has been blowing the doors off of every joint lucky enough to have him on the bandstand.”



https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Award-winning-Bay-Area-musician-killed-after-car-17630403.php

December 4, 2022

man who killed himself at Disneyland last night was elementary school principal

https://twitter.com/boujeematthew/status/1599337467794010112


Man who jumped to death at Disneyland was Huntington Beach school principal


A man who jumped to his death from a parking structure at Disneyland on Saturday night, Dec. 3, was the principal of a Huntington Beach elementary school.

Christopher Christensen, 51, of Westminster was found dead after someone reported a man fell from the Mickey & Friends parking structure at around 9 p.m., according to Anaheim police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Police said his death was likely a suicide.

Christensen, who was a principal at Newland Elementary School, left a lengthy post on his Facebook page.

“I hate when people leave this Earth with so many unanswered questions. So, I hope this provides some insight and perspective…” he wrote.

The note described a dispute in which police had been summoned. “I am on the brink of losing my job,” he wrote. “So, here I am…writing my final FB post to all of you. I need you all to know that a gentle, kind, loving and sincerely good man has been destroyed by one unfortunate night.”

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“With all of this said, I have truly loved educating and leading thousands of students and families as a principal in FVSD for the past 21+ years,” he wrote in the note. “I have made so many wonderful connections with families over the years and those who know me closely know how much I cared for my students, staff and families. Please remember me for all the good I brought to the world of education.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-who-jumped-to-death-at-disneyland-was-huntington-beach-school-principal/ar-AA14TlkA

“I am on the brink of losing my job,” he wrote. “So, here I am…writing my final FB post to all of you. I need you all to know that a gentle, kind, loving and sincerely good man has been destroyed by one unfortunate night.”

According to Orange County Superior Court records, Christensen was charged on Nov. 22 with misdemeanor counts of child abuse and endangerment, and battery. Christensen pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The court records show the alleged acts were believed to have occurred on Nov. 15. Christensen was taken into custody after that — he posted $10,000 bond and was released on Nov. 17.

He was due in court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing.

https://www.dailybreeze.com/2022/12/04/man-jumps-to-death-from-disneyland-parking-structure/





https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11501079/Man-50s-jumps-death-Mickey-Friends-Parking-Structure-Disneyland.html

December 4, 2022

Omaha women kept finding trash piled on her car so she set up camera

An Omaha police officer resigned during an internal investigation into his conduct after an incident at his apartment complex, according to a press release from OPD.

Officer William Klees resigned Monday which was also the day his internal investigation interview was scheduled. According to a police report, a woman in his apartment complex complained that someone was dumping trash on her car, and that she recorded one of the incidents.

The Omaha City Attorney's Office consulted with OPD to cite Klees with Criminal Mischief.

Chief Todd Schmaderer released a statement regarding the investigation:

Officer Klees has completely disrupted the peace and sense of safety for Ms. Valentine. His actions are not indicative of the values of the hard-working women and men of the Omaha Police Department. His conduct is unbecoming of an officer and warrants his removal from the OPD.
Klees' resignation was accepted by OPD, and his law enforcement certificate will be revoked.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/internal-investigation-into-omaha-police-officer-results-in-resignation/ar-AA146rvM

December 2, 2022

Dog owner lives with 13 fully grown golden retrievers after deciding to keep whole litter of puppies

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2MQoNKuVwms

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fhVB3b_adLc

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/dog-owner-lives-with-13-fully-grown-golden-retrievers-after-deciding-to-keep-whole-litter-of-puppies/vi-AA14PcgB

Dog owner lives with 13 fully grown golden retrievers after deciding to keep whole litter of puppies

A devoted dog owner lives with 13 golden retrievers after he decided to keep a whole litter of puppies - then adopted another one that was due to be put down. Collin Standon, 24, already had three golden retrievers when cherished pets Chloe and Sam had a litter of nine pups and he decided to keep them all. He then adopted another golden retriever named Buddy after a shelter was set to put him down. Collin now has 13 fully-grown dogs, which include Buddy, Chloe, Sam, Chloe's sister Emma and the nine pups; Rocky, Moose, Raider, Cowboy, Pumpkin, Sunshine, Missy, Angel, Callie.

Feeding the whole gang is hard work in itself. The dogs get through nine pounds in weight of dog food - every day. This adds up to 10, 40-pound bags-a-month, with boys getting three scoops and girls getting two. Collin, who lives near Dallas, Texas, USA, said: "It's not like anything you'd ever imagine, happiness is an understatement. "Challenges would be maintaining them, being golden retrievers they come with lots of upkeep. "I hear people complaining about keeping up with one or two - try 13

December 2, 2022

efforts in works to help DeSantis pretend he won in fight with Disney, while backing off

‘We Can’t Let the Governor Look Like He Lost’: DeSantis Reportedly Backing Down From Plan to Wreck Disney’s Self Government District


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) made national headlines in April when he signed a bill repealing the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), the special taxing district on the Walt Disney Company’s Central Florida property. But now that the governor has won re-election, Disney has brought back a former CEO — and the legal reality loomed ready to inflict some staggeringly bad consequences — DeSantis is reportedly backing down.


The bill repealing RCID effective June 1, 2023 was sponsored by State Rep. Randy Fine (R) and State Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R), who did not communicate with anyone at Disney, RCID, or any of the county governments that would be affected before passing this ill-conceived law.

The Republicans backing the move openly admitted they were doing so in retaliation for former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s criticism of the Parental Rights in Education bill (deemed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by its critics), specifically regarding a memo Chapek sent to Disney employees vocally objecting to the bill after its passage. Chapek also hit the pause button on the Mouse making any political contributions and a plan to move thousands of employees from Palo Alto, California to a new facility being built in Lake Nona (a region in the southeast area of Orlando).

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“[S]tate lawmakers are working on a compromise that would allow Disney to keep the arrangement largely in place with a few modifications,” wrote the Times‘ Christopher Grimes, and then lays out how Iger’s “full-throated opposition” to the Parental Rights in Education bill had “put pressure” on his successor CEO Chapek to take a stand. Chapek did take that stand, DeSantis and the legislature lashed out by repealing RCID, and now Iger is taking a more conciliatory tone:

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Other discussions sound like an effort to help DeSantis pretend he “won” this mess he created, by allowing the governor to appoint two of the five members of the RCID board. Stewart seemed to acknowledge this was the intent, telling Grimes, “We can’t let the governor look like he lost.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/we-can-t-let-the-governor-look-like-he-lost-desantis-reportedly-backing-down-from-plan-to-wreck-disney-s-self-government-district/ar-AA14PMcX

December 2, 2022

sharp eyed viewers spot British CEO getting answers fed to him by a staffer

staffer is sharp enough to come up with the answers on the fly, maybe she should be CEO. SHe hears the question, processes it and writes the answer at lightning speed. impressive

December 2, 2022

Herschel Walker lies too much; Claimed he let Obama beat him in Bball but they never met

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/obama-mocks-herschel-walker-for-claiming-that-he-let-the-former-president-win-at-basketball-before-admitting-that-the-2-men-have-never-met-this-would-be-funny-if-he-were-not-running-for-us-senate/ar-AA14NVIx


Obama mocks Herschel Walker for claiming that he let the former president win at basketball before admitting that the 2 men have never met: 'This would be funny if he were not running for US Senate'

Barack Obama called out GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker for lying about meeting him.
Walker claimed on multiple occasions to have let Obama win at basketball games.
"Now, listen, this would be funny if he weren't running for Senate," Obama said Thursday.
Former President Barack Obama called out GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker while campaigning for his opponent, Sen. Raphael Warnock, in Georgia on Thursday.

"Since the last time I was here, apparently, he also claimed that he used to let me beat him at basketball," Obama said to an audience in Atlanta, according to a clip of his speech. "But then he admitted that we have never actually met. So I guess this was more of an imaginary whooping that I laid on him."

December 2, 2022

5 lions escape zoo in Australia, all but one return when adult female lion calls to them

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Australia's Taronga Zoo had to issue a "code one" alert last month, for good reason: Five lions escaped their enclosure. All ended safely, and now CCTV footage has revealed how the lions made their great escape, reports the Guardian. It's not as dramatic as you might think. The lions are seen poking around a particular part of their wire fence for several minutes before slipping through, one at a time, per Australia's ABC Network. For the record, the escapees were adult male Ato and cubs Zukuko, Khari, Zuri, and Malika. Adult female Maya stayed behind with cub Ayanna, per CNN.

The zoo discovered the breach within minutes and went on lockdown. All but Malika eventually returned on their own—Maya was calling them—the very same way they had escaped. Zookeepers had to tranquilize Malika before returning her as well. ABC notes that two of the lions made it past a second fence before returning, contradicting initial accounts that the lions hadn't strayed into public areas. The investigation into the fence's weakness continues, but it seems that clamps joining wire cables together failed, probably with help from the curious cubs.

https://www.newser.com/story/328617/lions-great-escape-from-zoo-was-surprisingly-easy.html

December 2, 2022

The 3-minute heist (catalytic convertors) wreaking havoc on the Bay Area is only getting worse

An average of 1,600 times a month, thieves use handheld power saws to cut catalytic converters from the undersides of cars and trucks across California, including ones parked everywhere from private driveways to secured parking lots. The crime takes just a few minutes for practiced thieves, who are motivated by skyrocketing prices for the precious metals contained

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In interviews with nearly a dozen people who have been victims of catalytic converter theft, as well as local mechanics, dealerships, insurance companies and police, SFGATE discovered that people are dealing with the shortage in all kinds of ways: borrowing family cars, sinking their savings into ride-hailing apps, scouring the internet for third-party converters and just driving without one. Some have even opted for black-market solutions to muffle the unmistakable racket of a cat-free car — which may help them get to work quietly, but leaves them with vehicles that would never pass a California smog test.

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The problem is only getting worse, according to Jiacomo Rodriguez of Precision Auto in San Francisco.

“I’ve had customers who’ve had them stolen four or five times,” he told SFGATE. “I’ve heard many stories … scary ones where people went outside to chase the thieves down and guys were there with guns. Most times it’s when our heads are on the pillows and we don’t hear it or see it.”

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A worker at a Bay Area Toyota dealer, who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t authorized to disclose order details, told SFGATE there’s currently a national backlog of 10,000 orders for converters to fit certain models of Prius, including 2,000 parts backordered locally. (A Toyota spokesperson declined to comment on the numbers.)

San Carlos resident Joel Eisenberg knows about the long wait to get a new catalytic converter — he’s been waiting for a replacement for his 2012 Prius since early October.




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Some people are skipping the cost and illegally bypassing the catalytic converter
Due to the high cost to replace a stolen catalytic converter, some people are resorting to illegal setups so they can continue to drive their cars. Some smog shops will take under-the-table payments to look the other way on cars with catalytic converters that meet federal standards, for instance, but not California ones, as East Bay resident Lucy Armentrout found out when she accidentally bought the wrong catalytic converter to replace one stolen off her 2005 Honda Accord five months ago.

Although the AutoZone part’s computer indicated the converter would meet California air quality standards, the first mechanic she took it to refused to install it, telling her it wasn't compliant and his shop could be shut down if he installed an illegal replacement. She took it to a second shop, which confirmed it wasn’t compliant — but said if she paid extra, they would install it and “ensure” her car passed a smog check. She opted to return the converter and pay the steep price for a legal one, instead.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/catalytic-converter-thefts-target-prius-17621912.php

December 2, 2022

man robs gas station and kills clerk. DA determines killing is self defense not murder

A California clerk was fatally shot by a robbery suspect, authorities say. The suspect won't be charged with murder.

A robber fatally shot a Northern California gas station clerk but won't be charged with murder because the victim wrongly chased and opened fire on the gunman, prosecutors said Thursday.

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Jackson and another man, who was still being sought Thursday, were fleeing the robbery when Williams chased and opened fire on them, police said. Jackson was struck in the leg and returned fire, killing Williams, police and prosecutors said.

Antioch detectives submitted their findings to the Contra Costa County district attorney's office, and prosecutors "elected to charge Jackson with robbery, possession of stolen property, and a firearm enhancement, but declined to charge him with murder," police said in a statement.

District Attorney Diana Becton remained silent on the matter until early Thursday evening when her office issued a lengthy statement, saying the decision to not file murder charges was based on a "legal and factual determination."

Becton said deadly force is legally justified as an act of self-defense when life or property is threatened, but not to go after someone to retrieve property once the threat of harm has gone down.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/a-california-clerk-was-fatally-shot-by-a-robbery-suspect-authorities-say-the-suspect-wont-be-charged-with-murder/ar-AA14NS1O

Video evidence of the incident clearly shows Jackson and another suspect exiting the Chevron station convenience store after the robbery and running from the scene.

DA: Murder charge can't be filed in fatal Antioch Chevron station gun battle



In the eyes of the law, Becton said, Williams' actions ceased to be self-defense when he pursued Jackson and the other suspect with a firearm and continued to pursue Jackson after he shot him.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/da-murder-charge-cant-be-filed-in-fatal-antioch-chevron-station-gun-battle/ar-AA14NY0Z