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16 months after escape, ‘Fat Leonard’ is back in San Diego and back in court

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

Alex Riggins | The San Diego Union-Tribune (TNS)SAN DIEGO — Leonard Glenn Francis, the mastermind behind the worst bribery and corruption scandal in U.S. Navy history, appeared Thursday in San Diego federal court for the first time since he left house arrest and fled the country in 2022, just weeks before he was set to be sentenced.Known as “Fat Leonard” because of his size, Francis was not charged Thursday with any new crimes related to his escape. Federal prosecutors said they may seek new charges at some point, but not until after he’s sentenced in the bribery and fraud scheme. Meanwhile his longtime defense attorneys re-upped a previous request to withdraw from the case.U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino indicated she would allow the withdrawal despite the objection of prosecutors.Francis, once a powerful military contractor who bribed Navy officials to do his bidding and bilked the U.S. government of at least $35 million, had spent more than 15 months jailed...

Mailbag: Washington as “flash in the pan,” ACC risks for Stanford and Cal, next moves for the ‘Pac-2’ and more

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

The Hotline mailbag publishes each Friday. Send questions to [email protected] and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline.Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.Is Washington a flash in the pan or a future problem? Given all the players with expiring eligibility, including quarterback Michael Penix Jr., I don’t see how the Huskies won’t fall back to middle of the pack next year. — @joelheckerThat depends entirely on your standard for comparison.Will the Huskies prove to be a “flash in the pan” compared to the level of success achieved by Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State? Probably.But will they be a “flash” compared to everyone else? Unlikely.Only seven schools have made multiple appearances in the College Football Playoff over its 10-year existence: Alabama (seven), Clemson (five), Ohio State (five), Georgia (three), Michigan (three), Oklahoma (three) and Washington ...

Google illegally refused to bargain with YouTube workers union, says federal labor board

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

By Jennifer Korn | CNNGoogle’s refusal to bargain with unionized YouTube Music workers is illegal, a Wednesday ruling from the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found.After a group of Texas-based contract workers for YouTube Music unanimously voted last April to join the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), Google refused to bargain over return to office complaints, a move the NLRB deemed illegal.At the center of the issue is a fight over who’s the boss. Google, which owns YouTube, claims it is not legally the employer of contract workers, but the NLRB says otherwise. It ordered Google to both “cease and desist” refusal to engage with the union and said Google must “bargain on request.”A three-member NLRB panel found the tech giant, along with its subcontractor company, Cognizant, to be joint employers of the workers. As such, Google must bargain with their representing union, a decision Google says it will appeal in federal court.“As we’ve said before, we have no objection to these...

Storm damage forces closure of Pacifica Pier for three weeks

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

PACIFICA — Damage suffered from late-December storms has forced a temporary closure of the Pacifica Pier, city officials announced Thursday.Related ArticlesWeather | 7 days of rain: How much did your city get during new year’s storms? Weather | Driftwood destiny: Where all those beached logs come from and where they’re going Weather | Another break in the rain for Thursday, but more ‘wintry’ weather likely coming to Bay Area Weather | Sierra Nevada snowpack at lowest level in 10 years: What it means for California’s water supply Weather | Storm tracker map: Where it’s raining in the Bay Area In a news release, the city of Pacifica said its Public Works Engineering Division and an engineering consultant determined the pier is “unsafe for users and visitors” after it was damaged amid a storm containing abnormally large waves on Dec. 28.According to the news release...

Three-bedroom home in Palo Alto sells for $4.3 million

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

2613 Elmdale Court – Google Street ViewA house built in 1955 located in the 2600 block of Elmdale Court in Palo Alto has new owners. The 1,240-square-foot property was sold on Dec. 11, 2023. The $4,300,000 purchase price works out to $3,468 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces. The unit sits on a 6,660-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently changed hands close by:In April 2023, a 1,069-square-foot home on Amarillo Avenue in Palo Alto sold for $2,363,000, a price per square foot of $2,210. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms.On Aztec Way, Palo Alto, in November 2022, a 1,661-square-foot home was sold for $2,878,000, a price per square foot of $1,733. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 1,118-square-foot home on the 1000 block of Metro Circle in Palo Alto sold in June 2022 for $2,380,000, a price per square foot of $2,129. The home has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms. 

Body found in freezer at California home may have been woman missing for years, police say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO  — A body found inside a chest freezer at a San Diego home last month has been identified as an 81-year-old woman who had lived at the residence, officials said Thursday.Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones may have been missing or dead for up to nine years based on the investigation so far, according to the San Diego Police Department. The case was being investigated as a suspicious death. No arrests were immediately announced.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | New details on woman found dead 3 days after Northern California car crash Crime and Public Safety | Capitola woman’s boyfriend arrested after human remains found in East Bay park Crime and Public Safety | Chance sighting leads to rescue of driver stranded for days in California backcountry Crime and Public Safety | A skull found near Lake Tahoe has finally been linked to a nurse who disappeared in 1970 Crime and Public Safety | East Bay b...

Oakland community holds vigil for officer slain in line of duty

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- The Oakland community will hold a vigil Friday morning to honor an Oakland Police Department officer who was killed in the line of duty last week. Members of the community will gather at the Oakland Chinatown Pacific Renaissance Plaza to remember Officer Tuan Le, according to the Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation, which is organizing the vigil. Safeway in SF’s Fillmore to close after 40 years Le, who was killed while working undercover last Friday, is the 54th Oakland PD officer killed in the line of duty."Officer Le's passing leaves a void not only to his family, but also in the community he serves," said Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation President Carl Chan, who knew Officer Le from volunteer assignments in Chinatown and Little Saigon.Happening now. You can come down to pacific renaissance plaza in Oakland’s Chinatown to pay respect to Oakland officer Tuan Le. Shot and killed 1 week ago this morn while responding to burglary. Was 36 years old. ...

Teen who died in fireworks related incident on Treasure Island identified

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A man who died from a fireworks-related injury in San Francisco early on New Year's Day has been identified. Marciano Antone-Gordon, an 18-year-old San Francisco man, was injured by fireworks on Treasure Island early Monday morning. Masked suspects in Hercules follow woman home from bank and rob her The San Francisco Police Department responded at 12:40 a.m. Monday to the 1200 block of Exposition Drive in SF's Treasure Island neighborhood. At the scene, officers found Antone-Gordon suffering from life-threatening injuries.The victim was given first aid and later pronounced dead at the scene when paramedics arrived.Antone-Gordon's identity was released Friday by the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner following notification of next of kin.A GoFundMe has been launched to help Antone-Gordon's family raise funds funeral costs and other expenses.

San Francisco animal shelter overloaded again with dogs

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- San Francisco's animal shelter is "completely full of dogs," and anyone who needs to surrender their dog should wait until at least next week, shelter employees said.Dog capacity at Animal Care & Control San Francisco's shelter is maxed-out once again primarily because of dog owners who are facing legal or health problems."People ask why we can't just adopt them all out. There's no quick and easy fix for this. The majority of dogs here in the shelter are in our custody because of legal matters - we can't adopt them out - and we have no choice but to keep them here, safe and cared for," ACCSF wrote. "Nobody would want us to return animals to abusive or neglectful people - or animal hoarders - to make space."The city's shelter is legally obligated to take a dog in if:Its owner has been hospitalized, died, or incarcerated. The owner is a victim of domestic violence and needs help. The owner is neglectful and investigated for animal cruelty.The owner is a pet...

Community support needed for college fair in Oakland

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:12:51 GMT

(KRON) – An Oakland-based non-profit Youth Exposure and Axcess Hub is asking for community support to ensure hundreds of Oakland and San Francisco middle school students attend their college fair at Merritt College.Youth Exposure and Axcess Hub has invited 200 middle school students from Oakland and San Francisco to tour the college campus to connect with dozens of colleges and community-based organizations. However, the organization lost one of its sponsors.  Walnut Creek restaurant forced to shut down after rodent infestation According to the Youth Exposure and Axcess Hub’s founder and CEO Danielle Adams, the organization is “scrambling” to keep the event on schedule. Adams explained where funds will be allocated for this trip, “We have to pay for transportation. Transportation is a large issue just amongst schools. I’ve visited each school that will be participating in the event. This will be the first field trip for many of the schools because they can’t afford the b...