mercurynews--2020-02-29--Four things we learned from A’s HQ: How Stephen Piscotty’s injury impacts outfield picture

GOODYEAR , Ariz. — Stephen Piscotty will be shut down for the foreseeable future , possibly relegating the Oakland A ’ s outfielder to the injured list for the beginning of the regular season .
An MRI revealed that Piscotty ’ s intercostal strain had worsened .
There is no timetable for his return .
Manager Bob Melvin said he has “ no idea ” if he will be ready for the regular season , but he wouldn ’ t throw it out of the realm of possibility .
The silver lining is that the A ’ s have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in Piscotty ’ s place .
“ Thins tend to work themselves out .
It ’ s really crowded , and that ’ s a good thing to have .
the more you do this , the more you realize how important depth is , ” Melvin said .
An outfield without Piscotty to start can easily shift with the pieces it holds , though .
It looks as if the starting outfield might consist of Ramón Laureano in center , Mark Canha in right field and Robbie Grossman in left possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Laureano and Canha could easily switch places , too ) .
But , a possible open roster spot could mean that a number of outfielders on the 40-man roster who have shined — particularly in spring so far — could take advantage of this opening with a shot at the Opening Day roster .
Luis Barrera missed that window last season when he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury he suffered in June with the double-A Midland RockHounds ( he also was named the MVP of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But , back with the A ’ s in camp , Barrera looks like he hasn ’ t missed a beat .
“ He ’ s come in this spring looking to prove something , ” manager Bob Melvin said on Wednesday .
Barrera ’ s demonstrated a plus first-step instinct in the outfield , a capability that stood out when he effortlessly snagged Giants third baseman Jacob Gonzalez ’ s sure-fire gap double last Sunday .
The A ’ s are looking to bolster the crop left-handed bats on the roster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury kept Barrera away from winter ball this year .
He notably slashed .440/.500/.440 with a .940 OPS in the Dominican League in 2018/19 .
With the RockHounds , he slashed .321/.357/.513 with a .871but his bat ’ s been hot in the Cactus League .
He ’ s collected five hits in 13 at bats ( .384 average ) in seven games .
The 24-year-old might have been on the fast track to a starting outfield role last season had he not incurred that shoulder injury .
This sliver of opportunity could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barrera has two minor league options Seth Brown is another candidate to step up .
The A ’ s have one of the best first basemen in baseball in Matt Olson ( Canha and Pinder can play there , too ) , so consideration for positional flexibility at that position , considering depth , seems futile .
But Brown is a natural first baseman , converted to a reliable outfielder .
Brown forced his way up to the big leagues last August after mashing 37 home runs for the Las Vegas Aviators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the big league confines , but Brown proved he could hit big league pitching right away , he turned into an RBI machine ( 13 in 26 games ) .
Skye Bolte and Dustin Fowler are other options on the 40-man that could provide depth .
Mike Fiers tries out that slider again Mike Fiers has relied almost entirely on a four-pitch mix since he was with the Houston Astros in 2017 .
The 34-year-old ’ s arsenal consists of a fastball , cutter , curveball and changeup .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for him .
Fiers gave up five runs on four hits with three walks in two innings against the Cincinnati Reds in an eventual 10-1 loss on Friday at Goodyear Ballpark .
“ I don ’ t even know half the guys in the lineup , ” Fiers said .
This start was more about his own progress this spring , less about the crooked numbers .
A red flag shot up when Reds shortstop Jose Garcia lofted a lazy slider into the left-field ’ s foul territory , just shy of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fiers dealt another slider that slipped right over the plate again .
And , that one , Garcia lofted into the lawn .
Take those swings with a fat grain of salt .
In his first two starts of spring , Fiers has strayed a bit from his normal four-pitches and started trying to incorporate his slider into the mix .
“ That slider he hit for a homer , to be honest I wouldn ’ t throw that in that situation , but I have to work on it to have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Fiers said .
It wasn ’ t the first time he ’ d thrown back-to-back sliders this spring .
He threw two to Giants ’ Wilmer Flores last Sunday , but he spoiled them — to Fiers ’ relief .
It ’ s a pitch Fiers has been challenging himself with this spring as a potential weapon to mix in with his cutter against right-handed hitters .
Fiers said he ’ s been fiddling with it in bullpen sessions , but it ’ s clearly a work in progress .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with varied success , in Milwaukee .
Fiers thought he ’ d re-kindled that relationship with his slider .
That changed come game-time .
“ it doesn ’ t look like it , ” Fiers said , asked if he saw any improvements to his slider .
“ But when the season comes , you go to your strengths .
But this is the time to work on it.
” • Bob Melvin was suspicious of dugout camera in Houston for years , says ex-A ’ s All-Star • Stephen Piscotty rib injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for foreseeable future • Athletics MVP candidate Semien focused on further tweaks in 2020 • Four things we learned from A ’ s HQ : A.J .
Puk eases into role , Burch Smith could be a key piece • Four things we learned from A ’ s HQ : Frankie Montas on his roll , breaking down Mateo vs. Barreto Former A ’ s starter Sonny Gray went on Bay Area native , and longtime New York Yankee pitcher CC Sabathia ’ s “ Uninterrupted ” podcast with fellow Cincinnati Reds starter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal .
Gray mentioned that , years before the 2017 postseason run when Gray was pitching for Oakland , Melvin , Gray and his A ’ s teammates identified a camera hidden in the visiting dugout at Minute Maid Park .
Melvin would throw a towel over it .
After the scandal broke , the A ’ s manager has frequently mentioned that big league ballparks across America have numerous cameras around the facility .
Read more about Gray ’ s comments here .
Daulton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bicep ( his throwing arm ) on Friday , days after leaving his appearance early against the Milwaukee Brewers .
Jefferies had recorded just two outs and given up three runs on three hits with a walk .
Results will be in on Saturday .
Sean Murphy , who is slow-rolling his way back into action after dealing a with right knee last season , is slated to make his Cactus League debut on March 3 against the Chicago White Sox .

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Stephen Piscotty will be shut down for the foreseeable future, possibly pushing the Oakland A’s outfielder to the injured list for the beginning of the regular season.
An MRI revealed that Piscotty’s intercostal strain had worsened and there is no timetable for his return. Manager Bob Melvin said he has “no idea” if Piscotty will be ready for the regular season, but he wouldn’t throw it out of the realm of possibility.
The silver lining is that the A’s have a plethora of viable outfielders ready to step up in Piscotty’s absence. Unless the A’s decide to use Piscotty’s IL time as an opportunity to get an extended look at second base options Franklin Barreto and Jorge Mateo — both are out of options, and one should come away with the starting job — the open active roster spot might be best lent to an outfielder looking for an opportunity.
“Things tend to work themselves out. It’s really crowded, and that’s a good thing to have. the more you do this, the more you realize how important depth is,” Melvin said.
An outfield without Piscotty to start can easily shift with the pieces it holds, though. It looks as if the starting outfield would be Ramón Laureano in center, Mark Canha in right field and Robbie Grossman in left in a platoon situation with Swiss Army Knife Chad Pinder along with Tony Kemp as a left-handed hitting option. Laureano and Canha could easily switch places, too. Pinder has played just about any position on the field at the big league level that’s not pitcher or catcher.
A number of outfielders on the 40-man roster have shined — particularly in spring so far — that could take advantage of this opening with a shot at the Opening Day roster.
Luis Barrera missed that window last season when he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury he suffered in June with the Double-A Midland RockHounds (he also was named the MVP of the Texas League All-Star game in 2019). But, back with the A’s in camp, Barrera looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.
“He’s come in this spring looking to prove something,” manager Bob Melvin said on Wednesday.
Barrera’s demonstrated a plus first-step instinct in the outfield, a capability that stood out when he effortlessly snagged Giants third baseman Jacob Gonzalez’s sure-fire gap double last Sunday. He’s yet to flash Laureano like laser arm, but Barrera has one of the best outfield arms in camp.
The A’s are looking to bolster the crop left-handed bats on the roster, too. Enter Barrera. His injury kept Barrera away from winter ball this year. He notably slashed .440/.500/.440 with a .940 OPS in the Dominican League in 2018/19. With the RockHounds, he slashed .321/.357/.513 with a .871 OPS but his bat’s been hot in the Cactus League. He’s collected five hits in 13 at bats (.384 average) in seven games.
The 24-year-old might have been on the fast track to a starting outfield role last season had he not incurred that shoulder injury. This sliver of opportunity could open that fast track back up again. Barrera has two minor league options.
Seth Brown is another candidate to step up, and another coveted left-handed bat. The A’s have one of the best first basemen in baseball in Matt Olson (Canha and Pinder can play there, too), so consideration for positional flexibility at that position, considering depth, seems unnecessary. But Brown is a natural first baseman, converted to a reliable outfielder.
Brown forced his way up to the big leagues last August after mashing 37 home runs for the Las Vegas Aviators. He couldn’t go yard within the big league confines, but Brown proved he could hit big league pitching right away, he turned into an RBI machine (13 in 26 games). This window might provide Brown an extended walk down a path he just started walking late in 2019.
Skye Bolt and Dustin Fowler are other options on the 40-man that could provide depth. Bolt is a switch hitter with the type of outfield range to keep an eye on. Fowler, once viewed as the center fielder of the future before Laureano staked his claim, could finally squeeze into a window of opportunity, too.
Mike Fiers tries out that slider again
Mike Fiers has relied almost entirely on a four-pitch mix since he was with the Houston Astros in 2017. The 34-year-old’s arsenal consists of a fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup. It’s an arsenal that’s largely worked for him.
Fiers gave up five runs on four hits with three walks in two innings against the Cincinnati Reds in an eventual 10-1 loss on Friday at Goodyear Ballpark.
“I don’t even know half the guys in the lineup,” Fiers said. This start was more about his own progress this spring, less about the crooked numbers.
A red flag shot up when Reds shortstop Jose Garcia lofted a lazy slider into the left-field’s foul territory, just shy of being fair. Another flag shot up when Fiers dealt another slider that slipped right over the plate again. And, that one, Garcia lofted into the lawn.
Take those swings with a fat grain of salt.
In his first two starts of spring, Fiers has strayed a bit from his normal four-pitches and started trying to incorporate his slider into the mix.
“That slider he hit for a homer, to be honest I wouldn’t throw that in that situation, but I have to work on it to have an extra pitch if I need to,” Fiers said. It wasn’t the first time he’d thrown back-to-back sliders this spring. He threw two to Giants’ Wilmer Flores last Sunday, but he spoiled them — to Fiers’ relief.
It’s a pitch Fiers has been challenging himself with this spring as a potential weapon to mix in with his cutter against right-handed hitters. Fiers said he’s been fiddling with it in bullpen sessions, but it’s clearly a work in progress. It’s a pitch he used liberally, with varied success, in Milwaukee. Fiers thought he’d re-kindled that relationship with his slider. That changed come game-time.
“it doesn’t look like it,” Fiers said, asked if he saw any improvements to his slider. “But when the season comes, you go to your strengths. But this is the time to work on it.”
Sonny Gray, Bob Melvin a dugout camera and a towel
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Gray mentioned that, years before the 2017 postseason run when Gray was pitching for Oakland, Melvin, Gray and his A’s teammates identified a camera hidden in the visiting dugout at Minute Maid Park.
Melvin would throw a towel over it. After the scandal broke, the A’s manager has frequently mentioned that big league ballparks across America have numerous cameras around the facility.
Read more about Gray’s comments here.
Sonny Gray on CC Sabathia's podcast said they noticed a camera in the dugout dugout in Houston. Bob Melvin would throw a towel over the camera every time. It's about 33 minutes into the pod:https://t.co/xegxn4Wqsr — Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) February 28, 2020
Injury update
Daulton Jefferies had an MRI on his right bicep (his throwing arm) on Friday, days after leaving his appearance early against the Milwaukee Brewers. Jefferies had recorded just two outs and given up three runs on three hits with a walk. Results should be known Saturday.
Sean Murphy, who is slow-rolling his way back into action after dealing a with right knee last season, is slated to make his Cactus League debut on March 3 against the Chicago White Sox.


mercurynews--2020-02-29--Leap Day 2020: Restaurant freebies, deals for Feb. 29

Leap Day deals come but once every four years .
Olive Garden : If your birthday falls on Leap Day @ @ @ @ @ restaurant for dinner and you ’ ll receive four of their little Dolcini desserts free @ @ @ @ @ missing celebrations .
Also , all customers on Feb. 29 may purchase a “ take-home @ @ @ @ @ .
( Additional take-home entrees will be $ 5 . )
Ike ’ s Sandwiches @ @ @ @ @ you can buy a soda fountain drink for 29 cents .
Villa Italian Kitchen : @ @ @ @ @ a free slice of cheese pizza to those with Leap Year birthdays .

Leap Day deals come but once every four years.
Here’s a roundup of offerings for Saturday, Feb. 29:
Olive Garden: If your birthday falls on Leap Day, head to this Italian restaurant for dinner and you’ll receive four of their little Dolcini desserts free to make up for the missing celebrations. Also, all customers on Feb. 29 may purchase a “take-home entree” for $2.29. (Additional take-home entrees will be $5.)
Ike’s Sandwiches: With any sandwich purchase you can buy a soda fountain drink for 29 cents.
Villa Italian Kitchen: These mall stands will offer a free slice of cheese pizza to those with Leap Year birthdays.
Fleming’s: The steakhouse will host a Stag’s Leap wine pairing dinner. Reservations: www.flemingssteakhouse.com/wine-dinners/a-leap-in-time-wine-dinner


mercurynews--2020-02-28--Couture makes good on wish to help out struggling Sharks after injury

Logan Couture got his wish Thursday night as he scored the overtime winner in the Sharks ’ 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils .
In his second game back from an ankle fracture , the Sharks captain slotted a no-look pass from Evander Kane past Devils goalie Cory Schneider to seal the win .
The small fist pump and half-hug of Kane was a celebration that expressed more relief than joy .
Couture said earlier in the day that he was unhappy with his play Tuesday in Philadelphia as his team finished off an 0-4 road trip .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadline that included the departures of Patrick Marleau and Barclay Goodrow .
“ Difficult couple days for myself personally and for a lot of guys in this room .
Losing some very good friends , some very good people .
You take that upon yourself and the reason they ’ re gone is because we haven ’ t played well this year .
We ’ re all at fault for that.
” Couture bounced back Thursday evening to give the Sharks their first in nearly two weeks .
Still , he was critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which head coach Bob Boughner called “ a disgrace.
” “ I thought we played a pretty hard second , third and overtime for a group of fans who have stuck with us through a tough year , ” Couture said of Thursday night ’ s win .
“ We owed it to them , to ourselves , to come out and play harder than the first , because that was embarrassing .
That response won ’ t erase what ’ s made the season a rough one for Sharks fans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed postseason in 16 years .
But it could lead into a positive finish heading into the team ’ s rare early offseason .
Even Boughner recognizes that that the team , as currently constituted , is shorthanded .
The Sharks are still missing Tomas Hertl , their third leading goal scorer .
Top goal scorer Evander Kane is tied for 50th in the NHL and top points man , defenseman Brent Burns , ranks 83rd in that category .
Still , Boughner said earlier this week that ’ s no excuse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that there ’ s going to be teams that we play against that are going to have a better team on paper .
We ’ re not dismissing that fact , ” Boughner said before Tuesday ’ s loss .
“ But we ’ ve got to change our expectations that we expect to win this game tonight .
It ’ s not good enough just to go out there and compete and say , well , we ’ ve got a bunch of young guys in the lineup and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happens .
“ That ’ s not the attitude and the mindset we need.
” • Aaron Dell has trade deadline behind him , but does he fit into Sharks ’ future plans ?
• Happy homecoming for Couture , who scores OT winner vs. Devils • At San Jose Sharks games , Chef Baca — and his pastrami — are the new fan favorites • Joe Thornton wants to remain in San Jose past this season : “ I ’ m a Shark ” • Sharks icon Joe Thornton headed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could happen In defending against calls for a teardown , general manager Doug Wilson has noted that the last time the Sharks missed the playoffs , they were in the Stanley Cup Final the following year .
Realistic or not , the Sharks are focused on forging a positive path the rest of the season and beyond .
That starts with their returning first-year captain .
“ Right now , our goal should be to play hard and play well and win games , ” he said .

Logan Couture got his wish Thursday night as he scored the overtime winner in the Sharks’ 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
In his second game back from an ankle fracture, the Sharks captain slotted a no-look pass from Evander Kane past Devils goalie Cory Schneider to seal the win. The small fist pump and half-hug of Kane was a celebration that expressed more relief than joy.
Couture said earlier in the day that he was unhappy with his play Tuesday in Philadelphia as his team finished off an 0-4 road trip. The East Coast swing spanned a somber trade deadline that included the departures of Patrick Marleau and Barclay Goodrow.
“Difficult couple days for myself personally and for a lot of guys in this room. Losing some very good friends, some very good people. You take that upon yourself and the reason they’re gone is because we haven’t played well this year. We’re all at fault for that.”
Couture bounced back Thursday evening to give the Sharks their first in nearly two weeks. Still, he was critical of San Jose’s first-period effort, which head coach Bob Boughner called “a disgrace.”
“I thought we played a pretty hard second, third and overtime for a group of fans who have stuck with us through a tough year,” Couture said of Thursday night’s win. “We owed it to them, to ourselves, to come out and play harder than the first, because that was embarrassing.
“Loved the response.”
He made us promise to keep it secret until he scored. And what a way to reveal it! @Logancouture's goal song: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" pic.twitter.com/ikKEtwNlD5 — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 28, 2020
That response won’t erase what’s made the season a rough one for Sharks fans, leading to San Jose’s second missed postseason in 16 years. But it could lead into a positive finish heading into the team’s rare early offseason.
Even Boughner recognizes that that the team, as currently constituted, is shorthanded. The Sharks are still missing Tomas Hertl, their third leading goal scorer. Top goal scorer Evander Kane is tied for 50th in the NHL and top points man, defenseman Brent Burns, ranks 83rd in that category.
Still, Boughner said earlier this week that’s no excuse to go through the motions.
“We know that there’s going to be teams that we play against that are going to have a better team on paper. We’re not dismissing that fact,” Boughner said before Tuesday’s loss. “But we’ve got to change our expectations that we expect to win this game tonight. It’s not good enough just to go out there and compete and say, well, we’ve got a bunch of young guys in the lineup and we’re going to play hard and see what happens.
“That’s not the attitude and the mindset we need.”
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Realistic or not, the Sharks are focused on forging a positive path the rest of the season and beyond. That starts with their returning first-year captain.
“Right now, our goal should be to play hard and play well and win games,” he said.


mercurynews--2020-02-28--This Central Valley police chief forced an officer to remodel his home; now he’s California’s latest

This Central Valley police chief forced an officer to remodel his home; now he’s California’s latest criminal cop

BAKERSFIELD — When Scot Kimble wanted to fix up and sell a house he owned in Southern California , the small-town Central Valley police chief didn ’ t hire a contractor .
Instead , he sent one of his officers to San Bernardino County with a tool belt instead of a holster to remodel his home , according to the Kern County District Attorney and a civil lawsuit , and then doctored city payroll records to use public money to pay for the work .
On Friday , the veteran lawman pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in “ California ’ s Criminal Cops , ” an investigative series from a coalition of news organizations coordinated by the Bay Area News Group .
The report found more than 80 officers with criminal convictions , including everything from DUI to fraud to manslaughter , still working in law enforcement in California , which is one of only five states that does nothing to revoke the badges of problem cops — even when they break the law .
But Kimble won ’ t be keeping his job as the city of Arvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the plea deal , he agreed to resign effective March 13 and will be sentenced to three years probation .
” Today ’ s conviction makes clear that Kimble ’ s actions in this case make him unfit for duty as a chief of police in our community , ” Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a news release after a short hearing in which Kimble ’ s lawyer said he had agreed to resign as part of a plea deal .
The charge against Kimble comes less than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police chief in Arvin , just southeast of Bakersfield .
But the allegations date back to his time leading the troubled police department in nearby McFarland , where the news coalition ’ s investigation found one out of every five officers had been previously convicted of a crime , fired or sued for misconduct .
Before now , Kimble had not faced criminal charges , but he had been forced out of at least two jobs in a 30-year career with at least eight law enforcement agencies in which documents obtained by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he faced a series of complaints .
In 2016 , prosecutors say , Kimble crossed the line in his pursuit to sell a four-bedroom , three-bathroom home in San Bernardino County .
They accused Kimble of misappropriating city funds by intentionally adding unearned hours to an officer ’ s payroll time sheets to remodel portions of Kimble ’ s home .
Kimble allegedly submitted bogus work hours for the officer during pay periods in July and September 2016 in the amount of $ 745.20 .
The chief also assigned the officer to attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks in September so the officer could complete the construction work during the evenings , requiring 25 miles of travel in a city-owned vehicle each way , prosecutors said .
But that wasn ’ t the only officer running errands for Kimble instead of patrolling the streets of McFarland .
Prosecutors say Kimble asked another officer to leave his assignment and use a city police vehicle to Kimble ’ s personal home in Kern County to help unload the chief ’ s personal household goods from a truck .
Many of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed in April 2018 by former McFarland Police officer Laurence Keegan .
In the lawsuit , Keegan , a former contractor , claimed Kimble asked him to help the chief remodel his home in neighboring San Bernardino County .
Keegan , who was a volunteer police officer at the time , says he felt he couldn ’ t refuse since Kimble was his boss .
Keegan claims he worked 200 hours for Kimble over three years , remodeling the bathroom and replacing kitchen countertops .
The suit claims for much of the work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him or paid him with city overtime dollars .
When Keegan said he told the chief the work and back-and-forth travel were becoming a burden , Kimble became upset .
In one instance , he says the police chief slammed his fist on his desk saying , “ I need to get this work done because I need to sell this house.
” Keegan became a permanent officer in April 2017 and alerted city officials to what had been going on , the lawsuit claims .
The City of McFarland started an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he overheard Kimble say he would “ ruin ” anyone who was coming after him.
” When asked about the claims in an interview last summer with reporters from the Investigative Reporting Program , Kimble insisted he knew nothing about the civil lawsuit and suggested Keegan was helping him as a friend .
“ That ’ s what people do in law enforcement , ” said Kimble .
“ That ’ s not who I am , ” Kimble said about the claims .
“ I ’ m not going to force anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to falsify anything … period , plain and simple.
” A document obtained by reporters at the Investigative Reporting Program show Keegan received a $ 65,000 payout as part of a confidential settlement agreement in the lawsuit .
As part of his no contest plea , Kimble will be forced to pay the city of McFarland $ 1075.47 in restitution .
In December 2016 , Kimble sold the house in Ontario , described on Redfin as a gorgeous property with eat-in kitchen and marble countertops for $ 420,000 .
Zimmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal was a fair one for taxpayers .
“ The most important thing for us is that he resign , ” she said .

BAKERSFIELD — When Scot Kimble wanted to fix up and sell a house he owned in Southern California, the small-town Central Valley police chief didn’t hire a contractor.
Instead, he sent one of his officers to San Bernardino County with a tool belt instead of a holster to remodel his home, according to the Kern County District Attorney and a civil lawsuit, and then doctored city payroll records to use public money to pay for the work.
On Friday, the veteran lawman pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge connected to the allegations, first exposed last fall in “California’s Criminal Cops,” an investigative series from a coalition of news organizations coordinated by the Bay Area News Group.
The report found more than 80 officers with criminal convictions, including everything from DUI to fraud to manslaughter, still working in law enforcement in California, which is one of only five states that does nothing to revoke the badges of problem cops — even when they break the law.
But Kimble won’t be keeping his job as the city of Arvin’s Police Chief. As part of the plea deal, he agreed to resign effective March 13 and will be sentenced to three years probation.
”Today’s conviction makes clear that Kimble’s actions in this case make him unfit for duty as a chief of police in our community,” Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a news release after a short hearing in which Kimble’s lawyer said he had agreed to resign as part of a plea deal.
Kimble, 55, wasn’t at Friday’s hearing and didn’t return a phone call, and his attorney, H.A. Sala, left the courtroom without a comment.
The charge against Kimble comes less than a year after he was sworn in as police chief in Arvin, just southeast of Bakersfield. But the allegations date back to his time leading the troubled police department in nearby McFarland, where the news coalition’s investigation found one out of every five officers had been previously convicted of a crime, fired or sued for misconduct.
The story illustrated how officers with dubious backgrounds can continue to hop from job to job in California. That’s because the state doesn’t flag disgraced officers to potential employers, so it’s up to local police chiefs to decide whom to hire. And Kimble’s criminal case only underscores how officers’ questionable pasts get overlooked or never revealed.
Before now, Kimble had not faced criminal charges. But in his 30-year career he had been forced out of at least two jobs and worked at at least eight law enforcement agencies. Documents obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley showed a series of complaints against Kimble, including the one he was eventually convicted of on Friday.
Prosecutors on Friday revealed that McFarland’s former City Manager John Wooner had investigated and brushed off the allegations. Wooner was killed in May in what investigators ruled was an accident; his body was discovered months later in his city-owned SUV submerged in the Kern River.
“We interviewed John Wooner before he died,” Kern County Deputy District Attorney Joe Kinzel said Friday. “He acknowledged that there was an investigation done, but (that he) didn’t share it with anybody.”
Wooner also admitted concealing the internal investigation from the Arvin Police Department when it came calling for Kimble to fill its chief’s job, Kinzel said.
Prosecutors say it took a whistleblower to tip them off to the allegations.
In 2016, they say, Kimble crossed the line in his pursuit to sell a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Ontario.
“We saw what was really a pattern of bullying or abuse of authority,” Kinzel said.
They accused Kimble of misappropriating city funds by intentionally adding unearned hours to an officer’s payroll time sheets to remodel portions of Kimble’s home. Kimble allegedly submitted bogus work hours for the officer during pay periods in July and September 2016 in the amount of $745.20.
The chief also assigned the officer to attend training courses out of Kern County for two weeks in September so the officer could complete the construction work during the evenings, requiring 25 miles of travel in a city-owned vehicle each way, prosecutors said.
But that wasn’t the only officer running errands for Kimble instead of patrolling the streets of McFarland.
“At some point he was actually pulling people off of duty to help him unload a truck,” Kinzel said, “and then padding their time sheets.”
Many of the allegations were detailed in a civil lawsuit filed in April 2018 by former McFarland Police officer Laurence Keegan. In the lawsuit, Keegan, a former contractor, claimed Kimble asked him to help the chief remodel his home in neighboring San Bernardino County.
Keegan, who was a volunteer police officer at the time, says he felt he couldn’t refuse since Kimble was his boss. Keegan claims he worked 200 hours over three years for Kimble, remodeling the bathroom and replacing kitchen countertops. The suit claims for much of the work, Kimble either didn’t pay him or paid him with city overtime dollars.
When Keegan said he told the chief the work and back-and-forth travel were becoming a burden, Kimble became upset. In one instance, he says the police chief slammed his fist on his desk saying, “I need to get this work done because I need to sell this house.”
Keegan became a permanent officer in April 2017 and alerted city officials to what had been going on, the lawsuit claims. The City of McFarland started an investigation. At that point, Keegan alleged he overheard Kimble say he would “ruin” anyone who was coming after him.
When asked about the claims in an interview last summer with reporters from the Investigative Reporting Program, Kimble insisted he knew nothing about the civil lawsuit and suggested Keegan was helping him as a friend. “That’s what people do in law enforcement,” said Kimble.
“That’s not who I am,” Kimble said about the claims. “I’m not going to force anyone to work anywhere. And I’m not going to falsify anything … period, plain and simple.”
Click here to read all of the articles in this series published
by The Mercury News and East Bay Times.
Ultimately, Kimble sold the house in December 2016 for $420,000. He’s on the hook for $1,075 in restitution to McFarland, as part of the plea deal, and Keegan received a $65,000 payout as part of a confidential settlement agreement in the lawsuit, documents show.
Zimmer, the district attorney, said the deal was a fair one for taxpayers. “The most important thing for us,” she said, “is that he resign.”
That’s what former McFarland officer Freddy Ramirez found so striking. He used to joke that his former chief was kind of like a cat.
“It’s about time,” Ramirez said Friday. “His nine lives have finally come to an end.”
This story is part of a collaboration of news organizations throughout California coordinated by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley and the Bay Area News Group. Reporters participated from more than 30 newsrooms, including MediaNews Group, McClatchy, USA Today Network, Voice of San Diego, and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Click here to read more about the project. Email us at cacriminalcops@gmail.com.


mercurynews--2020-02-28--Markets end worst week since 2008, S&P down 11.5%

By Alex Viega and Damian J. Troise | Associated Press Stocks sank around the globe again Friday as investors braced for more economic pain from the coronavirus outbreak , sending U.S. markets to their worst weekly finish since the 2008 financial crisis .
The damage from the week of relentless selling was eye-popping : The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3,583 points , or 12.4 % .
Microsoft and Apple , the two most valuable companies in the S & P 500 , lost a combined $ 300 billion .
In a sign of the severity of the concern about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of oil sank 16 % .
The market ’ s losses moderated Friday after the Federal Reserve released a statement saying it stood ready to help the economy if needed .
Investors increasingly expect the Fed to cut rates at its next policy meeting in mid-March .
The Dow swung back from an early slide of more than 1,000 points to close around 350 points lower .
The S & P 500 fell 0.8 % and is now down 13 % since hitting a record high just 10 days ago .
The Nasdaq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Global financial markets have been rattled by the virus outbreak that has been shutting down industrial centers , emptying shops and severely crimping travel all over the world .
More companies are warning investors that their finances will take a hit because of disruptions to supply chains and sales .
Governments are taking increasingly drastic measures as they scramble to contain the virus .
The rout has knocked every major index into what market watchers call a “ correction , ” or a fall of 10 % or more from a peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late 2018 , as a tariff war with China was escalating .
Market watchers have said for months that stocks were overpriced and long overdue for another pullback .
Bond prices soared again as investors sought safety and became more pessimistic about the economy ’ s prospects .
That pushed yields to more record lows .
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell sharply , to 1.14 % from 1.30 % late Thursday .
That ’ s a record low , according to TradeWeb .
That yield is a benchmark for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans .
Crude oil prices sank 4.9 % over worries that global travel and shipping will be severely crimped and hurt demand for energy .
The price of benchmark U.S. crude has now fallen 15 % this week .
“ All this says to us is that there are still a lot of worries in the market , ” said Gene Goldman , chief investment officer at Cetera Financial Group .
“ We need the Fed to come out and say basically guys , we got your back.
” Traders have been growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be forced to cut interest rates to protect the economy , and soon .
Goldman said the Fed ’ s current lack of action amounts to a tightening of rates compared with other nations and their actions to offset the impact of the coronavirus .
Investors now widely expect the Fed to cut interest rates by a half-point at its meeting that winds up March 18 .
According to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange ’ s Fedwatch tool , the expectations for a half-point cut jumped from 47 % just before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 % by the close of trading .
The latest losses have wiped out the S & P 500 ’ s gains going back to October .
The benchmark index is still up 6.1 % over the past 12 months , not including dividends .
The sell-off follows months of uncertainty about the spread of the virus , which hit China in December and shut down large swaths of that nation by January .
China is still the hardest hit country and has most of the 83,000 cases worldwide and related deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started jumping to places outside of the epicenter and dashed hopes for containment .
“ Fear is a stronger emotion than hope , ” said Ann Miletti , head of active equity at Wells Fargo Asset Management .
“ This is what we ’ re seeing today and this week and over the past seven days .
Airlines have suffered some of the worst hits as flight routes are cancelled , along with travel plans .
Big names like Apple and Budweiser brewer AB InBev are part of a growing list of companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dell and athletic-wear company Columbia Sportswear are the latest companies expecting an impact to their bottom lines .
Cruise operators have also been hard hit , with shares sinking 30 % or more as shipboard infections rose .
But those companies were having a far better day Friday , with some on Wall Street believing that the sell-off was overdone .
Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises rose 4.4 % , while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings gained 7.3 % .
Carnival ’ s shares climbed 5.1 % .
A big concern investors have is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a psychological effect on consumers , making them reluctant to spend money and go to crowded places like stores , restaurants and movie theaters .
The late-2018 stock market plunge , for instance , derailed holiday sales that year .
Now , analysts are worried that the latest stock swoon could cause consumer spending — which makes up some 70 % of the economy and has played a huge role in keeping the U.S. expansion going — to contract again .
Craig Johnson , president of Customer Growth Partners , a consumer consultancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales to be up 4.1 % , but he now says it could increase just 2.2 % if the impact of the new virus in China persists beyond April .
“ This is a moving target right now , ” he said .
“ There is a lot of uncertainty.
” Many companies face the prospect of crimped financial results with their stocks already trading at high levels relative to their earnings .
Before the virus worries exploded , investors had been pushing stocks higher on expectations that strong profit growth was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of 2019 .
Nearly 60 nations representing every continent , except Antarctica , have confirmed cases .
The virus outbreak has prompted a wide range of reactions from nations hoping to contain its spread and economic impact .
The Geneva auto show was cancelled as Swiss authorities banned large events of more than 1,000 people .
Parts of Italy ’ s northern industrial and financial center remain under quarantine .
The Dow fell 357.28 points , or 1.4 % , to 25,409.36 .
The S & P 500 slid 24.54 points , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Nasdaq rose 0.89 points , or less than 0.1 % , to 8,567.37 .
The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks lost 21.44 points , or 1.4 % , to 1,476.43 .
In commodities trading , benchmark crude oil fell $ 2.33 to settle at $ 44.76 a barrel .
Brent crude oil , the international standard , dropped $ 1.66 to close at $ 50.52 a barrel .
Wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $ 1.39 per gallon .
Heating oil was unchanged at $ 1.49 per gallon .
Natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 1,000 cubic feet .
Gold fell $ 75.90 to $ 1,564.10 per ounce , silver fell $ 1.27 cents to $ 16.39 per ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $ 2.55 per pound .
The dollar fell to 108.42 Japanese yen from 109.95 yen on Thursday .
The euro weakened to $ 1.0967 from $ 1.0987 .

By Alex Viega and Damian J. Troise | Associated Press
Stocks sank around the globe again Friday as investors braced for more economic pain from the coronavirus outbreak, sending U.S. markets to their worst weekly finish since the 2008 financial crisis.
The damage from the week of relentless selling was eye-popping: The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3,583 points, or 12.4%. Microsoft and Apple, the two most valuable companies in the S&P 500, lost a combined $300 billion. In a sign of the severity of the concern about the possible economic blow, the price of oil sank 16%.
The market’s losses moderated Friday after the Federal Reserve released a statement saying it stood ready to help the economy if needed. Investors increasingly expect the Fed to cut rates at its next policy meeting in mid-March.
The Dow swung back from an early slide of more than 1,000 points to close around 350 points lower. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% and is now down 13% since hitting a record high just 10 days ago. The Nasdaq reversed an early decline to finish flat.
Global financial markets have been rattled by the virus outbreak that has been shutting down industrial centers, emptying shops and severely crimping travel all over the world. More companies are warning investors that their finances will take a hit because of disruptions to supply chains and sales. Governments are taking increasingly drastic measures as they scramble to contain the virus.
The rout has knocked every major index into what market watchers call a “correction,” or a fall of 10% or more from a peak. The last time that occurred was in late 2018, as a tariff war with China was escalating. Market watchers have said for months that stocks were overpriced and long overdue for another pullback.
Bond prices soared again as investors sought safety and became more pessimistic about the economy’s prospects. That pushed yields to more record lows. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell sharply, to 1.14% from 1.30% late Thursday. That’s a record low, according to TradeWeb. That yield is a benchmark for home mortgages and many other kinds of loans.
Crude oil prices sank 4.9% over worries that global travel and shipping will be severely crimped and hurt demand for energy. The price of benchmark U.S. crude has now fallen 15% this week.
“All this says to us is that there are still a lot of worries in the market,” said Gene Goldman, chief investment officer at Cetera Financial Group. “We need the Fed to come out and say basically guys, we got your back.”
Traders have been growing more certain that the Federal Reserve will be forced to cut interest rates to protect the economy, and soon. Goldman said the Fed’s current lack of action amounts to a tightening of rates compared with other nations and their actions to offset the impact of the coronavirus.
Investors now widely expect the Fed to cut interest rates by a half-point at its meeting that winds up March 18. According to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s Fedwatch tool, the expectations for a half-point cut jumped from 47% just before the Fed’s statement was released to 60% by the close of trading.
The latest losses have wiped out the S&P 500’s gains going back to October. The benchmark index is still up 6.1% over the past 12 months, not including dividends.
The sell-off follows months of uncertainty about the spread of the virus, which hit China in December and shut down large swaths of that nation by January. China is still the hardest hit country and has most of the 83,000 cases worldwide and related deaths.
Uncertainty turned into fear as the virus started jumping to places outside of the epicenter and dashed hopes for containment.
“Fear is a stronger emotion than hope,” said Ann Miletti, head of active equity at Wells Fargo Asset Management. “This is what we’re seeing today and this week and over the past seven days.
Airlines have suffered some of the worst hits as flight routes are cancelled, along with travel plans. Big names like Apple and Budweiser brewer AB InBev are part of a growing list of companies expecting financial pain from the virus. Dell and athletic-wear company Columbia Sportswear are the latest companies expecting an impact to their bottom lines.
Cruise operators have also been hard hit, with shares sinking 30% or more as shipboard infections rose. But those companies were having a far better day Friday, with some on Wall Street believing that the sell-off was overdone. Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises rose 4.4%, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings gained 7.3%. Carnival’s shares climbed 5.1%.
A big concern investors have is that the stock market rout could have a psychological effect on consumers, making them reluctant to spend money and go to crowded places like stores, restaurants and movie theaters.
The late-2018 stock market plunge, for instance, derailed holiday sales that year. Now, analysts are worried that the latest stock swoon could cause consumer spending — which makes up some 70% of the economy and has played a huge role in keeping the U.S. expansion going — to contract again.
Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a consumer consultancy, says he had expected annual retail sales to be up 4.1%, but he now says it could increase just 2.2% if the impact of the new virus in China persists beyond April.
“This is a moving target right now,” he said. “There is a lot of uncertainty.”
Many companies face the prospect of crimped financial results with their stocks already trading at high levels relative to their earnings. Before the virus worries exploded, investors had been pushing stocks higher on expectations that strong profit growth was set to resume for companies after declining for most of 2019.
Nearly 60 nations representing every continent, except Antarctica, have confirmed cases. The virus outbreak has prompted a wide range of reactions from nations hoping to contain its spread and economic impact.
The Geneva auto show was cancelled as Swiss authorities banned large events of more than 1,000 people. Parts of Italy’s northern industrial and financial center remain under quarantine.
Market roundup:
The Dow fell 357.28 points, or 1.4%, to 25,409.36.
The S&P 500 slid 24.54 points, or 0.8%, to 2,954.22.
The Nasdaq rose 0.89 points, or less than 0.1%, to 8,567.37.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks lost 21.44 points, or 1.4%, to 1,476.43.
In commodities trading, benchmark crude oil fell $2.33 to settle at $44.76 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, dropped $1.66 to close at $50.52 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.39 per gallon. Heating oil was unchanged at $1.49 per gallon. Natural gas fell 7 cents to $1.68 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Gold fell $75.90 to $1,564.10 per ounce, silver fell $1.27 cents to $16.39 per ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.55 per pound.
The dollar fell to 108.42 Japanese yen from 109.95 yen on Thursday. The euro weakened to $1.0967 from $1.0987.
AP Retail Writer Anne D’Innocenzio and AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.


mercurynews--2020-02-28--Convicted killer charged in Oakland homeless camp beating death

OAKLAND — A 55-year-old convicted killer has been charged with murder in the beating death of another man at an Oakland homeless camp earlier this week , according to authorities and court documents .
Javier Reyes is charged in the death of Miguel Marin , who was beaten Tuesday with a blunt object at a homeless camp in the 2000 block of Embarcadeo alongside the Oakland Estuary .
Reyes was a resident of the camp but police have not been able to confirm if Marin lived at the camp or at another one .
Reyes has admitted his involvement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Police said the two men knew each other and got into a dispute just after noon Tuesday .
What the dispute was about has not been determined .
Marin died later at a hospital .
Reyes was arrested at the same hospital later in the day when he showed up there for treatment of minor injuries suffered when the victim tried to defend himself .
Reyes is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled to enter a plea on March 13 .
According to court records , Reyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County in April 1985 and was sent to prison .
He was convicted of shooting a man to death on 16th Avenue in East Oakland in January 1985 .

OAKLAND — A 55-year-old convicted killer has been charged with murder in the beating death of another man at an Oakland homeless camp earlier this week, according to authorities and court documents.
Javier Reyes is charged in the death of Miguel Marin, who was beaten Tuesday with a blunt object at a homeless camp in the 2000 block of Embarcadeo alongside the Oakland Estuary. Reyes was a resident of the camp but police have not been able to confirm if Marin lived at the camp or at another one.
Reyes has admitted his involvement in the death, according to court records.
Police said the two men knew each other and got into a dispute just after noon Tuesday. What the dispute was about has not been determined.
Marin died later at a hospital. Reyes was arrested at the same hospital later in the day when he showed up there for treatment of minor injuries suffered when the victim tried to defend himself.
Reyes is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled to enter a plea on March 13.
According to court records, Reyes was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Alameda County in April 1985 and was sent to prison. He was convicted of shooting a man to death on 16th Avenue in East Oakland in January 1985.


mercurynews--2020-02-28--Driver pleads no contest in hit-and-run crash that killed San Jose cyclist

SAN JOSE — The driver who hit and killed avid cyclist Robert Lavin while he was on a routine ride last July has pleaded no contest to hit-and-run and manslaughter charges in exchange for a four-year prison sentence .
Anthony Trusso , 35 , of San Jose , formally agreed to the negotiated plea Wednesday , and is scheduled for sentencing April 8 .
After accounting for time served and other credits — Trusso has been in jail since his July 5 arrest — he will serve about two years in prison , according to sentencing guidelines .
Deputy District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the maximum allowed for the convictions of felony hit-and-run causing injury or death , and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter .
“ It ’ s tragic whenever someone in the community loses their life because of another person ’ s negligence .
We lost a husband , father and grandfather , ” Mankaryous said .
“ The defendant was held accountable to the fullest extent given the circumstances of the case.
” Trusso was originally charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated , which would have carried a maximum 10-year prison sentence .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prove any impairment beyond a reasonable doubt .
Deputy Public Defender Daniel Portman said the plea agreement was a fair conclusion amid circumstances .
“ This was a tragedy and Mr. Trusso feels great remorse for his role in it , ” Portman said in a statement to this news organization .
“ The resolution of the case reflects the facts of this event as determined through investigation by both the defense and the prosecution.
” Lavin ’ s family declined to comment on the plea , citing the pending sentencing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker who got in on the ground floor of Silicon Valley ’ s tech ascension , had set out for his daily bike ride the afternoon of July 5 when , barely a mile from his home in south Willow Glen , he was hit by a white Ford Focus on Curtner Avenue near Briarwood Drive .
The driver of the Ford , since identified as Trusso did not stop after the collision , and residents who heard the crash rushed to Lavin ’ s side .
Their eyewitness accounts , combined with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Jose police a lead to pursue .
Trusso was arrested at his South San Jose home that night .
Lavin ’ s wife , Nani , worried that he had not come home as usual , discovered the scene by going to the site where his phone signal had stopped .
Not long after losing her partner of four decades , Nani Lavin and her family chose to honor his memory by shining a light on traffic safety issues that long preceded Robert Lavin ’ s death .
Most recently , Nani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council to advocate for more funding for measures to reduce speeding and roadway deaths .
Robert Lavin was one of 60 people to die in a traffic collision in San Jose last year , which was one of the worst in decades for the city .
“ I know this will not bring Bob back or the other 60 people back , ” Nani Lavin said at the Feb. 11 council meeting , “ but please help us .
”

SAN JOSE — The driver who hit and killed avid cyclist Robert Lavin while he was on a routine ride last July has pleaded no contest to hit-and-run and manslaughter charges in exchange for a four-year prison sentence.
Anthony Trusso, 35, of San Jose, formally agreed to the negotiated plea Wednesday, and is scheduled for sentencing April 8. After accounting for time served and other credits — Trusso has been in jail since his July 5 arrest — he will serve about two years in prison, according to sentencing guidelines.
Deputy District Attorney Marina Mankaryous said the prison term is the maximum allowed for the convictions of felony hit-and-run causing injury or death, and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
“It’s tragic whenever someone in the community loses their life because of another person’s negligence. We lost a husband, father and grandfather,” Mankaryous said. “The defendant was held accountable to the fullest extent given the circumstances of the case.”
Trusso was originally charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, which would have carried a maximum 10-year prison sentence. But no evidence surfaced in the ensuing investigations to prove any impairment beyond a reasonable doubt.
Deputy Public Defender Daniel Portman said the plea agreement was a fair conclusion amid circumstances.
“This was a tragedy and Mr. Trusso feels great remorse for his role in it,” Portman said in a statement to this news organization. “The resolution of the case reflects the facts of this event as determined through investigation by both the defense and the prosecution.”
Lavin’s family declined to comment on the plea, citing the pending sentencing.
The 62-year-old Lavin, a retired tech worker who got in on the ground floor of Silicon Valley’s tech ascension, had set out for his daily bike ride the afternoon of July 5 when, barely a mile from his home in south Willow Glen, he was hit by a white Ford Focus on Curtner Avenue near Briarwood Drive.
The driver of the Ford, since identified as Trusso did not stop after the collision, and residents who heard the crash rushed to Lavin’s side. Their eyewitness accounts, combined with footage from nearby home-security cameras, gave San Jose police a lead to pursue. Trusso was arrested at his South San Jose home that night.
Lavin’s wife, Nani, worried that he had not come home as usual, discovered the scene by going to the site where his phone signal had stopped.
Not long after losing her partner of four decades, Nani Lavin and her family chose to honor his memory by shining a light on traffic safety issues that long preceded Robert Lavin’s death. Most recently, Nani Lavin appeared before the San Jose City Council to advocate for more funding for measures to reduce speeding and roadway deaths.
Robert Lavin was one of 60 people to die in a traffic collision in San Jose last year, which was one of the worst in decades for the city.
“I know this will not bring Bob back or the other 60 people back,” Nani Lavin said at the Feb. 11 council meeting, “but please help us.”


mercurynews--2020-02-28--Trump intends to re-nominate Ratcliffe to lead the DNI

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he intends to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe , a Republican from Texas , as his permanent director of national intelligence , the second time the President has attempted to make the loyalist lawmaker his spy chief .
“ I am pleased to announce the nomination of @ RepRatcliffe ( Congressman John Ratcliffe ) to be Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) , ” Trump said on Twitter .
“ Would have completed process earlier , but John wanted to wait until after IG Report was finished .
John is an outstanding man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been nominated as Trump ’ s pick to be director of national intelligence after Dan Coates stepped down from the post in July 2019 , but the Texas congressman withdrew his name from consideration after lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about his qualification .
CNN reported earlier this week that the President was once again considering Ratcliffe to be the permanent director .
Trump appointed American Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to be the acting director of national intelligence earlier this month .
He had until March 11 to pick a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ratcliffe to be the new permanent director , and the earlier choice to install Grenell as acting director , offer more evidence that Trump is looking for a loyalist to lead the intelligence services he has so often maligned during his presidency .
Loyalty has been something Trump has focused on as he looked for a candidate for the permanent job — during conversations about the role with potential nominees , the President has attempted to assess how loyal they would be to him should they be nominated and confirmed for the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was looking for a pick who would back his mandate , explained one of the sources .

By Jason Hoffman | CNN
President Donald Trump said on Friday that he intends to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe, a Republican from Texas, as his permanent director of national intelligence, the second time the President has attempted to make the loyalist lawmaker his spy chief.
“I am pleased to announce the nomination of @RepRatcliffe (Congressman John Ratcliffe) to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI),” Trump said on Twitter. “Would have completed process earlier, but John wanted to wait until after IG Report was finished. John is an outstanding man of great talent!”
Ratcliffe had been nominated as Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence after Dan Coates stepped down from the post in July 2019, but the Texas congressman withdrew his name from consideration after lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about his qualification. CNN reported earlier this week that the President was once again considering Ratcliffe to be the permanent director.
Trump appointed American Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to be the acting director of national intelligence earlier this month. He had until March 11 to pick a new permanent spy chief.
The choice of Ratcliffe to be the new permanent director, and the earlier choice to install Grenell as acting director, offer more evidence that Trump is looking for a loyalist to lead the intelligence services he has so often maligned during his presidency.
Loyalty has been something Trump has focused on as he looked for a candidate for the permanent job — during conversations about the role with potential nominees, the President has attempted to assess how loyal they would be to him should they be nominated and confirmed for the job, two sources told CNN. Trump was looking for a pick who would back his mandate, explained one of the sources.


mercurynews--2020-03-01--Light rain this weekend could ease Bay Area drought conditions

As the Bay Area bids adieu to the driest February since 1864 , residents could get some respite from drought conditions as a cold front moves into the area early this week with a chance for light showers starting Friday .
The lack of rain in February led the federal government to classify parts of California as back in a drought for the first time since last year , increasing the risk for early fires .
National Weather officials said Sunday they are concerned for fire weather early in the week given unseasonably dry conditions and high winds along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sonoma County Water Agency on Friday to begin the process of inflating its rubber dam in the Russian River near Forestville , a water source that supplies more than 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties .
The dam is being put up in large part to increased water demand at a time when the river is relatively low .
Rain has not replenished the river like in years past , and typically the dam is put up between spring and early summer when demand for water increases .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creates a small pool of water from which Sonoma Water draws water for use in four off-stream infiltration ponds , ” the agency said in a news release .
“ The infiltration ponds help recharge groundwater , which is naturally filtered through sand and gravel and delivered to Sonoma Water ’ s customers.
” National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Rowe said people should be extra careful around open flames this week as breezy conditions begin to develop Sunday in the North Bay , heightening the meteorological conditions for fire risk .
Rowe said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hills and valleys , Santa Cruz mountains and the Monterey Bay shoreline will all be under a wind advisory until early Monday .
Coupled with low temperatures early this week , the wind will bring a “ taste of winter ” back to the Bay Area , said Rowe , before temperatures warm back up late Tuesday and Wednesday .
There is a 30 to 40 percent chance of light showers this weekend as the Bay Area could get the tail-end of a system impacting much of the Pacific Northwest .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve seen in the past month , ” Rowe said .
Rowe said February did nothing to ease the precipitation deficits seen across the Bay Area .
He said Santa Rosa , which alongside San Francisco has some of the oldest weather records , usually gets about 6.4 inches of rain in February .
This year , Rowe said , Santa Rosa got nothing .
“ That ’ s half a foot of rain they did not receive that they would normally get in any other year , ” Rowe said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 inches of rain .
You may remember the flooding that happened in the North Bay with the Russian River .
It ’ s really a tale of two Februaries : one excessively wet , another excessively dry .
”

As the Bay Area bids adieu to the driest February since 1864, residents could get some respite from drought conditions as a cold front this week brings a chance for light showers starting Friday.
The lack of rain in February led the federal government to classify parts of California as back in a drought for the first time since last year, increasing the risk for early fires. National Weather Service officials said Sunday they were concerned for fire weather early in the week given unseasonably dry conditions and high winds.
Those dry conditions forced the Sonoma County Water Agency on Friday to begin the process of inflating its rubber dam on the Russian River near Forestville, a water source that supplies more than 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties.
The dam is being put up in large part because of increased water demand at a time when the river is relatively low. Rain has not replenished the river as in years past, and typically the dam is put up between spring and early summer when demand for water increases.
“When fully inflated, the rubber dam creates a small pool of water from which Sonoma Water draws water for use in four off-stream infiltration ponds,” the agency said in a news release. “The infiltration ponds help recharge groundwater, which is naturally filtered through sand and gravel and delivered to Sonoma Water’s customers.”
National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Rowe said people should be extra careful around open flames this week as breezy conditions begin to develop Sunday in the North Bay, heightening the meteorological conditions for fire risk.
A small fire near a picnic area on San Bruno spread to 6 acres before it was contained last week. Rowe said the North Bay mountains, East Bay hills and valleys, Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Monterey Bay shoreline will be under a wind advisory until early Monday.
Coupled with low temperatures early this week, the wind will bring a “taste of winter” back to the Bay Area, said Rowe, before temperatures warm back up late Tuesday and Wednesday.
There is a 30 to 40 percent chance of light showers this weekend as the Bay Area could get the tail end of a system impacting much of the Pacific Northwest.
“It’s more promising than what I’ve seen in the past month,” Rowe said.
Rowe said February did nothing to ease the precipitation deficits seen across the Bay Area. He said Santa Rosa, which alongside San Francisco has some of the oldest weather records, usually gets about 6.4 inches of rain in February.
This year, Rowe said, Santa Rosa got nothing.
“That’s half a foot of rain they did not receive that they would normally get in any other year,” Rowe said. “Last year month-to-date they had over 16 inches of rain. You may remember the flooding that happened in the North Bay with the Russian River. It’s really a tale of two Februaries: one excessively wet, another excessively dry.”


mercurynews--2020-03-01--Biden, Sanders see momentum heading into Super Tuesday

By Steve Peoples , Meg Kinnard and Bill Barrow | Associated Press COLUMBIA , S.C. — Joe Biden said Sunday he can “ unite this country , the whole country ” after scoring a thundering victory in South Carolina ’ s Democratic primary that could force moderate rivals out of the race and blunt the rise of progressive leader Bernie Sanders .
Biden vowed he would improve his campaign operation , his fundraising haul — and even his own performance — as the race pushes toward Super Tuesday , making the case he is the candidate that can win up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond those voting next week .
“ I feel good , ” Biden said on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” “ I can win and I can bring along Democratic victories.
” Biden commanded the airwaves with back-to-back interviews after Saturday ’ s win , which came on the strength of African-American support and at a perilous moment in his 2020 bid .
He needed an emphatic rebound after underwhelming performances this month in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada .
The race now pivots to the 14 states from Maine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what in effect will be a national primary in a race increasingly becoming a match-up between the two powerhouses representing divergent paths for the party .
Sanders led in fundraising hauls announced Sunday with an eye-popping $ 46.5 million for February , his campaign said .
The senator said it ’ s not the total amount that should impress but the enthusiasm of working people digging into their pockets for his candidacy .
“ No campaign out there has a stronger grassroots movement than we do , ” Sanders said on CBS ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s how you beat Trump.
” Fellow progressive Elizabeth Warren brought in $ 29 million last month and Biden trailed with $ 18 million , but the former vice president said he raised $ 5 million in the last 24 hours , which is more than any previous day in his bumpy campaign .
Seven candidates remain in the Democrats ’ quest to find the strongest possible nominee to take on President Donald Trump in November .
Pressure is mounting on the trailing candidates to justify their campaigns or step aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct match-up against Sanders , who heads into the coming week eager to surpass his rivals in amassing delegates for the nomination .
“ It ’ s not for me to tell another candidate to get out of the race , ” Biden said on “ Fox News Sunday.
” Biden made his own direct attack on Sanders saying , “ The people aren ’ t looking for revolution .
They ’ re looking for results.
” Biden won about three times as many delegates in South Carolina as Sanders , his nearest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxious Democrats who feared that the democratic socialist would finish February with four consecutive top finishes that would make it difficult for anyone to overtake him .
The Associated Press declared Biden the winner just after the polls closed in South Carolina .
The AP based the call on data from AP VoteCast , a survey of the electorate conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago .
The survey showed a convincing win for Biden .
Even with the victory , the shortcomings of Biden ’ s campaign remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and organization , and next week for the first time he will face Mike Bloomberg , a billionaire who has spent more than $ 500 million advertising in the Super Tuesday states .
Bloomberg announced his own plan to deliver a three-minute prime-time address Sunday night on two television networks .
He didn ’ t say how much he paid for the air time , which is unprecedented in recent decades .
Biden is barely running any television advertising in Super Tuesday states .
And both Sanders and Bloomberg have many more staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aggressive round of media appearances on Sunday in an effort to counter Bloomberg ’ s massive spending .
He ’ s also working to secure endorsements from prominent Democrats and , shortly after the Saturday results were in , he got the backing of former Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe .
Biden downplayed the lack of an endorsement from former President Barack Obama , whose name he often invokes on the campaign trail to voters nostalgic for his administration .
Biden said on ABC he has to earn this “ on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first major test of the candidates ’ appeal among black voters .
That courtship will continue on Sunday when many of the White House hopefuls travel to Selma , Alabama , to participate in ceremonies commemorating civil rights heroism .
A number of states that vote on Super Tuesday , including Alabama , Tennessee , North Carolina and Virginia , have substantial black populations .
One of the candidates who spent recent weeks wooing black voters , billionaire activist Tom Steyer , ended his campaign on Saturday after a disappointing third-place finish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million on television advertising in South Carolina — more than all of his rivals combined — but never found a clear lane in the crowded contest .
Trump weighed in on Twitter early Sunday , taunting Bloomberg — as he often does potential rivals .
The president suggested the billionaire ’ s advisers are simply on a “ gravy train ” leading him down a “ dark and lonely path ” without hopes of winning the nomination .
Aides to Bloomberg ’ s campaign said earlier they still believe the former New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that vote on Super Tuesday , including Arkansas , Alabama , Oklahoma , Virginia and North Carolina .
Lower performing candidates including former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Warren , the Massachusetts senator , are showing no signs they would exit before Tuesday .
Buttigieg said Sunday his campaign will be “ assessing at every turn ” not only his own standing but the best steps for defeating Trump .
“ Our country can ’ t take four more years of this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Meet the Press.
” Through four contests , Sanders has a healthy , but shrinking , delegate lead .
The AP has allocated at least 56 delegates to Sanders with a few more expected as South Carolina ’ s remaining votes dribble in .
Biden vaulted past Buttigieg into second place with at least 48 delegates and he ’ s likely to get several more .
Buttigieg , Warren and Klobuchar remain stuck at 26 , eight and seven , respectively .
Trump was paying close attention to the Democratic race .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat than Joe ?
That guy can ’ t put two sentences together , ” Trump told attendees Saturday of the Conservative Political Action Conference in suburban Washington .
“ But you know he is more down the middle .
Everyone knows he ’ s not a communist and with Bernie there a real question about that.
” Biden won 63 % of the votes cast by African-Americans .
He also did well with older voters , women , moderates and conservatives and regular churchgoers , according to AP VoteCast .
Sanders earned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American voters , while billionaire businessman Tom Steyer won 15 % .
There was also evidence that Biden ’ s status as Obama ’ s two-term vice president helped him win over African-Americans .
VoteCast found that 45 % of voters in South Carolina wanted to return to the politics of the past , compared to about a third in Iowa and New Hampshire .
That includes the 51 % of African-American voters who said they want a Democratic presidential nominee who would emulate the Obama presidency .
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still early in their presidential primary .
Speaking at a North Carolina Democratic Party fundraising gala , Perez noted that to win the nomination , a Democrat must win 1,991 delegates — and only a fraction of those have been allocated in the party ’ s first four primaries .
• League of Women Voters celebrates 100 years of women rocking the vote • California finally matters — and that could make Bernie Sanders tough to stop after Super Tuesday • $ 250 million later , Tom Steyer drops out of presidential race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Early voting ramping up in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties as new vote centers open “ We have a long way to go , ” he said .
Peoples reported from Washington .
Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro , Darlene Superville , Hope Yen , Brian Slodysko , Will Weissert and Seth Borenstein in Washington , Thomas Beaumont in Columbia and Charleston , South Carolina , and Alexandra Jaffe in Charlotte , North Carolina , contributed to this report .

By Steve Peoples, Meg Kinnard and Bill Barrow | Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Joe Biden said Sunday he can “unite this country, the whole country” after scoring a thundering victory in South Carolina’s Democratic primary that could force moderate rivals out of the race and blunt the rise of progressive leader Bernie Sanders.
Biden vowed he would improve his campaign operation, his fundraising haul — and even his own performance — as the race pushes toward Super Tuesday, making the case he is the candidate that can win up and down the ballot and in states beyond those voting next week.
“I feel good,” Biden said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I can win and I can bring along Democratic victories.”
Biden commanded the airwaves with back-to-back interviews after Saturday’s win, which came on the strength of African-American support and at a perilous moment in his 2020 bid. He needed an emphatic rebound after underwhelming performances this month in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
The race now pivots to the 14 states from Maine to California that vote on Tuesday in what in effect will be a national primary in a race increasingly becoming a match-up between the two powerhouses representing divergent paths for the party.
Sanders led in fundraising hauls announced Sunday with an eye-popping $46.5 million for February, his campaign said. The senator said it’s not the total amount that should impress but the enthusiasm of working people digging into their pockets for his candidacy.
“No campaign out there has a stronger grassroots movement than we do,” Sanders said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “That’s how you beat Trump.”
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/03/01/sotu-joe-biden-full-1.cnn”]
Fellow progressive Elizabeth Warren brought in $29 million last month and Biden trailed with $18 million, but the former vice president said he raised $5 million in the last 24 hours, which is more than any previous day in his bumpy campaign.
Seven candidates remain in the Democrats’ quest to find the strongest possible nominee to take on President Donald Trump in November.
Pressure is mounting on the trailing candidates to justify their campaigns or step aside so Biden can engage in a more direct match-up against Sanders, who heads into the coming week eager to surpass his rivals in amassing delegates for the nomination.
“It’s not for me to tell another candidate to get out of the race,” Biden said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Biden made his own direct attack on Sanders saying, “The people aren’t looking for revolution. They’re looking for results.”
Biden won about three times as many delegates in South Carolina as Sanders, his nearest rival, giving a momentary respite to anxious Democrats who feared that the democratic socialist would finish February with four consecutive top finishes that would make it difficult for anyone to overtake him.
The Associated Press declared Biden the winner just after the polls closed in South Carolina. The AP based the call on data from AP VoteCast, a survey of the electorate conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago. The survey showed a convincing win for Biden.
Even with the victory, the shortcomings of Biden’s campaign remain, including a lack of robust funding and organization, and next week for the first time he will face Mike Bloomberg, a billionaire who has spent more than $500 million advertising in the Super Tuesday states. Bloomberg announced his own plan to deliver a three-minute prime-time address Sunday night on two television networks. He didn’t say how much he paid for the air time, which is unprecedented in recent decades.
Biden is barely running any television advertising in Super Tuesday states. And both Sanders and Bloomberg have many more staff and volunteers.
But Biden is making an aggressive round of media appearances on Sunday in an effort to counter Bloomberg’s massive spending. He’s also working to secure endorsements from prominent Democrats and, shortly after the Saturday results were in, he got the backing of former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
Biden downplayed the lack of an endorsement from former President Barack Obama, whose name he often invokes on the campaign trail to voters nostalgic for his administration. Biden said on ABC he has to earn this “on my own.”
The South Carolina primary was the first major test of the candidates’ appeal among black voters.
That courtship will continue on Sunday when many of the White House hopefuls travel to Selma, Alabama, to participate in ceremonies commemorating civil rights heroism.
A number of states that vote on Super Tuesday, including Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia, have substantial black populations.
One of the candidates who spent recent weeks wooing black voters, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, ended his campaign on Saturday after a disappointing third-place finish. He spent more than $24 million on television advertising in South Carolina — more than all of his rivals combined — but never found a clear lane in the crowded contest.
Trump weighed in on Twitter early Sunday, taunting Bloomberg — as he often does potential rivals. The president suggested the billionaire’s advisers are simply on a “gravy train” leading him down a “dark and lonely path” without hopes of winning the nomination.
Aides to Bloomberg’s campaign said earlier they still believe the former New York mayor can win in a handful of states that vote on Super Tuesday, including Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Virginia and North Carolina.
Lower performing candidates including former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Warren, the Massachusetts senator, are showing no signs they would exit before Tuesday.
Buttigieg said Sunday his campaign will be “assessing at every turn” not only his own standing but the best steps for defeating Trump. “Our country can’t take four more years of this,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Through four contests, Sanders has a healthy, but shrinking, delegate lead.
The AP has allocated at least 56 delegates to Sanders with a few more expected as South Carolina’s remaining votes dribble in. Biden vaulted past Buttigieg into second place with at least 48 delegates and he’s likely to get several more. Buttigieg, Warren and Klobuchar remain stuck at 26, eight and seven, respectively.
Trump was paying close attention to the Democratic race.
“How could you be easier to beat than Joe? That guy can’t put two sentences together,” Trump told attendees Saturday of the Conservative Political Action Conference in suburban Washington. “But you know he is more down the middle. Everyone knows he’s not a communist and with Bernie there a real question about that.”
Biden won 63% of the votes cast by African-Americans. He also did well with older voters, women, moderates and conservatives and regular churchgoers, according to AP VoteCast.
Sanders earned the support of roughly 14% of African-American voters, while billionaire businessman Tom Steyer won 15%.
There was also evidence that Biden’s status as Obama’s two-term vice president helped him win over African-Americans.
VoteCast found that 45% of voters in South Carolina wanted to return to the politics of the past, compared to about a third in Iowa and New Hampshire. That includes the 51% of African-American voters who said they want a Democratic presidential nominee who would emulate the Obama presidency.
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez cautioned Democrats that it’s still early in their presidential primary.
Speaking at a North Carolina Democratic Party fundraising gala, Perez noted that to win the nomination, a Democrat must win 1,991 delegates — and only a fraction of those have been allocated in the party’s first four primaries.
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Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Darlene Superville, Hope Yen, Brian Slodysko, Will Weissert and Seth Borenstein in Washington, Thomas Beaumont in Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, and Alexandra Jaffe in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-03-01--Trial in 1998 Fort Ord slaying set to begin Monday

SALINAS — Nearly 22 years after Christina Williams disappeared and close to three years after charges were filed , the Charles Holifield murder trial will begin Monday .
Deputy District Attorney Lindsey O ’ Shea , the lead prosecutor on the case , said she expects the trial to last about a month .
She said Wednesday the DA ’ s Office has yet to file a list of potential witnesses for the trial and wouldn ’ t go into many details about who the prosecution will call to testify .
“ We do expect to call the Williamses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stand ) , ” O ’ Shea said .
Christina Williams , a Fitch Middle School student , disappeared about 7:40 p.m. June 12 , 1998 , while walking her dog near her home on Fort Ord .
Her mother spotted the dog walking alone with the leash still attached within 45 minutes .
Despite massive searches of the area , it was not until seven months later that a plant surveyor stumbled upon Christina ’ s remains near Imjin Road .
Holifield , 59 , has been charged with first-degree murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault .
The DA ’ s Office filed charges against Holifield in April 2017 after a match was made on DNA extracted by the Justice Department .
A Monterey County cold case team requested items of physical evidence be retested after looking for new leads and re-examining crime scene evidence in 2016 .
In September , Judge Pamela Butler pushed back the trial from October 2019 to March 2 citing issues with missing or mislabeled documents the defense never received in the discovery process .
Monterey County Public Defender Michael Belter , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December those issues have been ironed out .
“ We feel confident that we ’ ve received the discovery in an appropriate way , ” he said .
After the DA ’ s Office said in 2018 it would pursue the death penalty if Holifield were found guilty , it announced in December it would drop the potential of capital punishment in the case in exchange for Holifield waiving his rights to a jury trial and his rights to writs and appeals , which will terminate the appellate process resulting in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verdict is rendered .
“ It makes the change of venue motion that the defense filed moot because obviously the judge can be fair , ” O ’ Shea said , adding that jury selection for the case would have been time-consuming given the extensive media coverage it received .
O ’ Shea previously said the trial , including jury selection , could have lasted more than three months if it remained a jury trial .
It also will move along more quickly because the judge does not have to accommodate the schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Defender Michael Belter , who is representing Holifield , told The Herald in December the defense plans on calling all of the witnesses it would have had it remained a jury trial .
Belter said the defense is pleased that the prospect of the death penalty has been removed .
“ When you ’ re trying to litigate a capital case , the death penalty is always right there staring at you in the face , ” he said .
Belter did not respond to a request to comment this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge , will be the one to determine if Holifield is guilty rather than a jury .
“ There ’ s not going to be 12 people trying to come to a consensus , ” she said .
“ This would also remove the possibility of a hung trial , where we have some jurors saying ‘ guilty ’ and others saying ‘ not guilty ’ and the whole thing has to be done again.
” • After police chief firing , Oakland looks for yet yet another leader • Internet , Wi-Fi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 26 branch libraries • ‘ It results in more justice ’ : New Santa Clara County public defender program looks to even the field at arraignments • Man charged after he allegedly killed a woman , moved into her house and impersonated her on social media Holifield is currently serving a third-strike sentence of 25 years to life in prison at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad for attempted kidnapping and making criminal threats against a woman in September 1998 .
Holifield also was convicted of sexually assaulting or raping two teenage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raping a third , between 1979 and 1983 .
All the attacks took place on Fort Ord .

SALINAS — Nearly 22 years after Christina Williams disappeared and close to three years after charges were filed, the Charles Holifield murder trial will begin Monday.
Deputy District Attorney Lindsey O’Shea, the lead prosecutor on the case, said she expects the trial to last about a month. She said Wednesday the DA’s Office has yet to file a list of potential witnesses for the trial and wouldn’t go into many details about who the prosecution will call to testify.
“We do expect to call the Williamses, her mother and father, (to the stand),” O’Shea said.
Christina Williams, a Fitch Middle School student, disappeared about 7:40 p.m. June 12, 1998, while walking her dog near her home on Fort Ord. Her mother spotted the dog walking alone with the leash still attached within 45 minutes. Despite massive searches of the area, it was not until seven months later that a plant surveyor stumbled upon Christina’s remains near Imjin Road.
Holifield, 59, has been charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances for kidnapping and sexual assault. The DA’s Office filed charges against Holifield in April 2017 after a match was made on DNA extracted by the Justice Department. A Monterey County cold case team requested items of physical evidence be retested after looking for new leads and re-examining crime scene evidence in 2016.
In September, Judge Pamela Butler pushed back the trial from October 2019 to March 2 citing issues with missing or mislabeled documents the defense never received in the discovery process. Monterey County Public Defender Michael Belter, who is representing Holifield, told The Herald in December those issues have been ironed out.
“We feel confident that we’ve received the discovery in an appropriate way,” he said.
After the DA’s Office said in 2018 it would pursue the death penalty if Holifield were found guilty, it announced in December it would drop the potential of capital punishment in the case in exchange for Holifield waiving his rights to a jury trial and his rights to writs and appeals, which will terminate the appellate process resulting in a swift and final judgment if a guilty verdict is rendered.
“It makes the change of venue motion that the defense filed moot because obviously the judge can be fair,” O’Shea said, adding that jury selection for the case would have been time-consuming given the extensive media coverage it received.
O’Shea previously said the trial, including jury selection, could have lasted more than three months if it remained a jury trial. It also will move along more quickly because the judge does not have to accommodate the schedule of the 12 jurors.
Monterey County Public Defender Michael Belter, who is representing Holifield, told The Herald in December the defense plans on calling all of the witnesses it would have had it remained a jury trial. Belter said the defense is pleased that the prospect of the death penalty has been removed.
“When you’re trying to litigate a capital case, the death penalty is always right there staring at you in the face,” he said.
Belter did not respond to a request to comment this week.
O’Shea explained Butler, the judge, will be the one to determine if Holifield is guilty rather than a jury.
“There’s not going to be 12 people trying to come to a consensus,” she said. “This would also remove the possibility of a hung trial, where we have some jurors saying ‘guilty’ and others saying ‘not guilty’ and the whole thing has to be done again.”