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Judge finds Contra Costa DA’s filing practices are racist, dismisses gang charges in murder case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

MARTINEZ — In a first-of-its kind ruling statewide, a judge on Friday dismissed gang charges against four Bay Area men under the Racial Justice Act, ruling that Contra Costa prosecutors have disproportionately targeted Black people with enhancements that open the door for sentences of life in prison without parole.It is a case already under heavy scrutiny because two of the defendants were directly referenced in racist and braggadocios text messages sent by Antioch police officers who investigated their alleged crimes. The texts — part of a much larger scandal involving racism, alleged civil rights violations, and dozens of impugned officers — made light of injuring the men during their arrests and referred to Black people in explicitly racist ways.Earlier this week, county prosecutors formally conceded that the racist texts by Antioch officers constituted a separate violation of the Racial Justice Act, and said they’ll debate the appropriate legal remedy bef...

San Jose native set to make MLB debut, join Oakland A’s bullpen mix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

After eight seasons in the minor leagues, including a mid-career position change to pitcher, Bay Area native Lucas Erceg is set to make his major league debut with the Oakland A’s.The A’s on Friday announced that Erceg, 28, was joining the team in Houston for the start of a weekend series against the defending World Series champion Astros. The A’s needed another reliever because Zach Jackson went on the 15-day IL with a flexor strain in his right elbow. To make room for Erceg on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated right-hander Zach Neal for assignment.The A’s just added Erceg to the organization on Wednesday night in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, and he had yet to appear in a game with the A’s Triple-A team in Las Vegas.Erceg is an intriguing addition for the A’s. Erceg has a strong arm, he can hit nearly 100 MPH, but is relatively inexperienced as a professional pitcher, turning to the mound in 2021 after his ascent as a power-hitti...

California canceled $200 million in Middle Class Tax Refunds to balance budget — did anyone miss out?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

It was one of the more curious bullet points in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s presentation last week on how his administration will painlessly absorb, without slashing programs or hiking taxes, a deficit that has swelled to $31.5 billion: The state will hang on to $200 million it had promised last year for “Middle Class Tax Refunds.”So did Newsom pull a Lucy and snatch away the football from poor Charlie Brown taxpayers? Not quite. The unspent refund money stemmed from an overestimate of qualifying taxpayers who couldn’t claim the refund — dead people and splitters who departed California.“The principal reason,” Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said, “is that our estimate didn’t account for turnover due to migration and deaths.”California was in a very different budget place a year ago, boasting an unprecedented $97.5 billion budget surplus thanks to economic gains enjoyed by the state’s wealthiest residents, whose p...

Documents: Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker admitted to leak, tried to frame mayor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker admitted to Councilmember Suds Jain that he leaked a confidential grand jury report, and asked a campaign volunteer subpoenaed in the course of the investigation to blame the leak on Mayor Lisa Gillmor, according to grand jury transcripts obtained by this news organization.Becker was indicted by a criminal grand jury last month and has pled not guilty to allegedly leaking a Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report about the council’s relationship with the San Francisco 49ers to the team and to the Silicon Valley Voice, and then lying about it.Becker, through his public defender Christopher Montoya, has maintained his innocence, with the attorney telling reporters earlier this month that “first-time impressions of a case are often wrong or incomplete.”But transcripts of testimonies given to the criminal grand jury that indicted Becker paint a different picture.During a March 29 hearing, Jain — one of Becker’s al...

Oakland police arrest man in slaying downtown last month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

(BCN) -- Oakland police on Friday announced an arrest in a slaying last month downtown. Reddick Mickle, 46, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Oakland for the April 26 slaying in the 300 block of 10th Street. Security guard who shot Banko Brown felt ‘on edge’ before Walgreens killing Police said Mickle killed a yet-to-be-identified male victim around 7:30 a.m. on that date. Officers found the victim that morning with trauma to his head. The victim died where officers located him, according to police. Mickle is being held in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and is expected to enter a plea June 9 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

American Airlines and JetBlue must abandon their partnership in the Northeast, federal judge rules

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways must abandon their partnership in the northeast United States, a federal judge in Boston ruled Friday, saying that the government proved that the deal reduces competition in the airline industry.The ruling is a blow for the airlines, which have said that their deal helps consumers by creating a stronger competitor in the Northeast to Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.But U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin wrote that through their alliance, American and JetBlue carved up Northeast markets between them, “replacing full-throated competition with broad cooperation.”Sorokin said the airlines offered only minimal evidence that the partnership helped consumers.The ruling is a major victory for the Biden administration, which has used aggressive enforcement of antitrust laws to fight against mergers and other arrangements between large corporations. The Justice Department sued to kill the deal in 2021, and was joined by six states and the District of Col...

Business Highlights: Fed chair hints at rate hike pause; Talks to avoid US default at standstill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

___ Federal Reserve Chair Powell hints at a pause in rate hikes when central bank meets next monthWASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the Federal Reserve will likely forgo an increase in its benchmark interest rate when it meets in June for the first time since it began raising its key rate 14 months ago to fight high inflation. In signaling so, Powell provided some clarity about the Fed’s likely next policy move after a cacophony of speeches this week by central bank officials had clouded the picture. “Having come this far, we can afford to look at the data and the evolving outlook and make careful assessments,” Powell said, referring to the Fed’s 10 straight rate hikes.___Debt limit talks in standstill as Republicans, White House face ‘real differences’WASHINGTON (AP) — Debt limit talks came to an abrupt standstill after Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said it’s time to “pause” negotiations. A White House official acknowledged there are “real differences” ...

How major US stock indexes fared Friday 5/19/2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

Wall Street drifted to a lower close but still marked its best week since March. The S&P 500 fell 0.1% Friday. The Dow lost 109 points, or 0.3%, and Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2%.Worries about talks in Washington to avert a debt default by the U.S. government helped cause stocks to slip. The S&P 500 broke out of a listless stretch where it failed to move by 1%, up or down, for six straight weeks. Traders took comments by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to mean the end to hikes to interest rates may arrive next month, as hoped.On Friday:The S&P 500 fell 6.07 points, or 0.1%, to 4,191.98.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 109.28 points, or 0.3%, to 33,426.63.The Nasdaq composite fell 30.94 points, or 0.2% to 12,657.90.The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 11.14 points, or 0.6%, to 1,773.72.For the week:The S&P 500 is up 67.90 points, or 1.6%.The Dow is up 126.01 points, or 0.4%.The Nasdaq is up 373.15 points, or 3%.The Russell 2000 is up 32.87 points,...

Hanging Lake Trail set to get a makeover

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- One of Colorado's most well-known and popular trails is getting some upgrades to make it more sustainable after almost being completely destroyed by the Grizzly Creek Fire in 2020. The improvements to the 1.2 miles that make up the Hanging Lake Trail will begin this fall, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The project is being funded by Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Trails Program, the National Forest Foundation, the City of Glenwood Springs, and the USDA Forest Service. Map of Hanging Lake Trail planned improvements “This work would not be possible without the support of our partners,” White River NationalForest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said. “These repairs and improvements will ensure that we continue to provide a world-class visitor experience at this iconic Colorado location for decades to come.”The Forest Service said six of the trail's seven bridges will be redone to better handle debris flow from flooding in the Grizzly...

Bird trapped in nest rescued by Boulder police and fire department

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:50 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A finch bird was rescued after she was seen stuck, hanging from her nest above a business in Boulder on Friday morning.According to Boulder Police Department, Animal Protection Officer Carbone was the first to arrive on the scene but couldn't reach the bird, so she called the fire department for help. 2 rarest leopards in the world born at CMZoo Station 5 of the Boulder Fire Department arrived on the scene but needed a ladder truck, so Station 6 also responded. When the ladder truck arrived, BPD said they discovered that the bird's legs were tangled in pieces of tarp that she used to build her nest. They brought the whole nest down and Carbone held the finch while firefighters cut the pieces of the tarp in which she was stuck. Officer Carbone then transported the finch to Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center BPT tweeted "We’re hopeful the finch recovers, and glad we could work together to help her today."