Coronavirus Disinfecting Services : July 2022

Sunday 31 July 2022

San Jose records 24th homicide of year after shooting

SAN JOSE, Calif. (BCN) -- San Jose police have elevated an early morning shooting on Sunday to a homicide, the department announced on Twitter at 8:05 p.m. Initially, the shooting had sent two men to the hospital.

Police responded to reports of a shooting at 3:55 a.m. in the 300 block of Umbarger Road. One man self-transported to a medical facility, and the other had been receiving care in a hospital for a life-threatening injury, said police at approximately 8 a.m.

This is San Jose's 24th homicide this year, the department said. This is an active investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available.

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Palo Alto residents oppose safe parking program

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KRON) -- The City of Palo Alto is planning to set up a parking lot at a church to house those living in cars and RVs, but residents who live nearby are concerned about safety.

The parking lot at First Congregational Church of Palo Alto is on its way to be the city's next "safe parking" lot. The program aimed to house residents living in cars and RVs was created last year.

The safe parking program allows overnight parking for up to four vehicles at the church's parking lot.

"I consider ourselves to be very fortunate to live in an area like we do. There are also people who are not as fortunate so it's the least the church can do," said Wesley Chow, Palo Alto resident.

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At a community meeting earlier this month, the city heard from residents who do not support the program and asked how to appeal the city's plans.

The church's associate pastor Eileen Altman could not be reached for comment on Saturday but spoke at the virtual meeting on July 12 acknowledging people's concerns. Many worried about safety and the lack of background checks. The City of Palo Alto said the state limits how they are used in emergency housing.

"We recognize that there is anxiety about this change and just to know that we are not unaware that there is worry," said Eileen Altman.

"The thing is if people are identified it's not like people aren't identified with the program they are identified so if something was to happen there's definitely a way of tracing it back,” said Chow.

So far there are safe parking lots at two other churches in Palo Alto. Once the project gets final approval for this site it will be there for eighteen months and may be extended. If there are written appeals the city council will ultimately decide to move forward with the program.

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East Bay residents plead guilty to large fentanyl operation

(BCN) -- Seven people pleaded guilty last week to charges in connection with a large seizure of fentanyl in the Bay Area, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Six East Bay residents and one Oregon resident admitted to various charges related to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from two residences in Oakland and San Leandro. Javier Castro Banegas-Medina, 41, Elmer Rosales-Montes, 29, and Jose Ivan Cruz-Caceres, 32, admitted to selling the drug to others who would act as re-distributers, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney for Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds.

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Those who admitted to being re-distributers are Jihad Jad Tawasha, 35, William Joseph Laughren, 26, Heather Borges, 34, and Yeny Lizeth Fernandez-Reyes, 26. Most will face sentences of a minimum of five years in prison, with a maximum of 40 years for several of the charges, according to Hinds.

Hundreds of rounds ammunition for multiple calibers of firearms were allegedly found hidden in fenceposts at the Oakland property, along with $31,400 in cash, scales, dyes and blenders. According to Hinds, the 22-pound seizure was the largest in the Bay Area at the time of the arrests in May of last year.

The sellers used colored dyes to mark different strengths of fentanyl with different colors.

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Trucking company settles hazardous waste dumping allegations

(BCN) -- Old Dominion Freight Line has agreed to pay a civil penalty of a total of $1.36 million to Alameda County and other jurisdictions to settle allegations of illegally dumping hazardous waste.

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley announced in a July 27 news release that the trucking company will also implement better hazardous waste compliance procedures as part of the settlement. Old Dominion was investigated for allegedly illegally disposing of hazardous waste in company trash receptacles, unlawful transportation of hazardous waste out of state without proper documentation and without a transporter's registration, and failure to train employees how to properly manage hazardous waste.

According to O'Malley's office, the waste included commercial chemical products, paint materials, electronic devices, batteries, ignitable liquids, aerosols, cleaning agents, and other flammable, reactive, toxic and corrosive materials.

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"The protection of our community and the environment are top priorities of our office. Illegal disposal, transportation, and mismanagement of hazardous waste by untrained employees pose serious risks to the environment, public health, and worker safety," O'Malley said.

The investigation and settlement involved 16 district attorneys and one city attorney from around the state. O'Malley's office said Old Dominion cooperated throughout investigation and developed new policies and training procedures when prosecutors made the company aware of alleged violations.

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Man arrested in East Palo Alto slaying

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (BCN) -- A man suspected in an East Palo Alto killing Friday night was arrested in San Francisco on Saturday.

Darnell McKean, 47, was taken into custody in the Mission District at about 6:10 p.m., East Palo Alto police said in news release Saturday night. McKean is suspected of stabbing to death Mario Ventura, 50, on July 29 during an argument at a residence on the 1900-block of Cooley Street.

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East Palo Alto Interim Police Chief Jeff Liu said McKean would be booked into San Mateo County jail on murder charges. Liu said the arrest was made with assistance from the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, the Atherton Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, San Mateo County Gang Task Force and the San Francisco Police Department.

It is the fourth homicide of the year in East Palo Alto, according to Liu.

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Saturday 30 July 2022

Family of victim in deadly Rio Vista crash speaks out

VACAVILLE, Calif. (KRON) -- The family of a teen killed in a quadruple fatal crash in Rio Vista says they're still in shock. It happened Wednesday night on Highway 12, which is an area that has a history of major crashes.

KRON4 spoke with the 19-year-old's grandparents to learn more about who the 19-year-old and what they know so far about the crash.

"She was just good hearted, she liked people, definitely," said one grandparent. "She'd do anything for anyone just about." That's how Bob and Dianne Conway of Vacaville described their 19-year-old granddaughter Lacy Conway.

"We've had her all our lives so it was like she was our daughter, not granddaughter," Dianne Conway said.

Bob says early thursday morning there was a sheriff's deputy at his door. He told him that Lacy was in a car accident.

"I asked if she was alright, and he said no," Bob said.

Rio Vista police say the crash happened just after 8 p.m. on Wednesday on Highway 12 between Summerset and Church roads. Police say the Honda Lacy was in was traveling westbound and veered of the road. The driver overcorrected and entered the eastbound lane colliding head on with another vehicle.

"Lacy had called her half-sister and said that she had been drinking and couldn't drive and said that this boy was driving," Bob said.

Lacy was ejected from the Honda during the crash. All three people in that car, including lacy, were killed.

The other vehicle had 7 people in it, and one died. Police say there were several open containers of alcohol found in the Honda.

"We just hope that she didn't suffer," Dianne said. "Still in shock, still disbelief, waiting for that door to open 'hey I'm home!'"

Both grandparents were close with Lacy. Bob has a tattoo of her name on his arm, and she returned the gesture.

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"Just recently she had a tattoo put on her arm Bob, then a heart, Dianne and that really moved us that she wanted to do that," the grandmother said.

The Conways have a message for young people who may make a choice similar to the one Lacy made.

"It's not okay to drink and drive, and it's okay to ask for help and someone to drive you if you can't," Dianne said.

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5 arrested after organized retail theft in Walnut Creek Apple Store: police

LOS GATOS, Calif. (KRON) -- Five individuals were arrested without incident Saturday in connection to an organized retail theft in Walnut Creek, the Los Gatos Police Department announced in a press release. The theft happened that morning at the Apple Store in Walnut Creek located at 1200 S Main St.

After the suspects left the store with the stolen merchandise, officers were provided a car description and license plate for a red 2014 KIA sedan. Then, Los Gatos police found the suspect car, which had two suspects inside, on the 15000 block of Los Gatos Boulevard during an enforcement stop.

Officers searched the vehicle and found two loaded firearms -- one in which was illegally manufactured also known as a "ghost gun." The two occupants of the car were arrested for their involvement in the theft and illegal possession of firearms, the release said.

As the investigation continued, officers determined another three suspects were in connection to the Apple Store theft: two juveniles and one adult male. They were associated with a gold Chevrolet sedan and in possession of stolen Apple products from the Walnut Creek store.

In total, five suspects were arrested, and Los Gatos police are working with the Walnut Creek Police Department in the recovery of the stolen merchandise, according to the release. Two suspects were not identified due to their juvenile status.

20-year-old Dayzia Leaks: Carmichael resident arrested on charges of organized retail theft, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, carrying a loaded firearm in public and possession of a high-capacity magazine
29-year-old Omari Crump: Sacramento resident arrest on charges of organized retail theft, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, carrying a loaded firearm in public and possession of a high-capacity magazine
20-year-old Omarea Grigsby: Antioch resident arrested on charges on charges of: PC 490.4 organized retail theft, PC 496, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor

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Photos (top of the page) show some of the items recovered by police. They include Apple iPads, iPhones, and firearms. Los Gatos from the Apple Store location in Walnut Creek is roughly 60 miles from each other.

Authorities are requesting that anyone with information regarding this incident to please the Los Gatos Police Department at 408-354-8600.

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Traffic crash closes section of North Main Street

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (BCN) -- Police in Walnut Creek Saturday morning were reporting a section of North Main Street was closed due to a traffic crash.

The Walnut Creek Police Department first reported the incident Saturday at 3:13 a.m. Police said North Main Street was closed in both directions at Pringle Avenue.

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Police were asking vehicles to avoid the area.

At last report, it was unknown how long the roadway would remain closed.

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Senators Padilla, Feinstein request California get more monkeypox vaccines

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — A request for more monkeypox vaccines was made on Friday by California Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein.

The request was sent to Health And Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and it asked for at least 600,000 more doses. The request is being made just after federal officials announced nearly 800,000 doses would be made available for states.

According to the joint statement, California’s positivity rate for monkeypox is the second highest in the country.

“The Senators are urging that California receives a proportionate amount of doses to match the severity of the outbreak in the state,” the statement says.

Padilla and Feinstein cited the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for needing the vaccines, saying “limited testing and vaccine availability early in a public health crisis is a recipe for disaster.”

They also cite California as having the first major city, San Francisco, to declare a state of emergency over monkeypox. San Francisco reported its first case of monkeypox on June 3, and as of July 28, there were 281 cases reported.

In Sacramento County, there were 43 cases reported as of Friday. The first case of monkeypox in Sacramento county was reported on May 24, and it was related to someone who returned to the United States from Europe.

For those who want a vaccine, Sacramento County is providing them to people in the county that meet certain criteria: men who have sex with men and/or transgender people who meet one or more of the following circumstances:

Tested positive for an STI in the past two months
Had two or more sexual partners in the last three weeks
Attended or worked at a commercial sex venue in the last three weeks
Had anonymous sex in the past three weeks
Engaged in sex work in the past three weeks

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Legionnaires' disease outbreak confirmed in Napa County

NAPA, Calif. (KRON) – In the North Bay, health officials in Napa County are investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. The cases were just confirmed in recent weeks.

Napa County Public Health detected nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease, and additional cases in the last few weeks. Dr. Karen Smith, the county’s interim public health officer, says the cases were reported between July 11 to Wednesday of this week in the cities of Napa and Calistoga.

"One probable case, which means someone that does have Legionnaires' disease but doesn't have the same characteristics of time and place as the other cases, and two suspect cases who have been in the same circumstances of the other two who contracted the disease," Smith said.

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria. UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong says outbreaks are linked to water.

"Particularly large air conditioning units that use water not in people's homes but in apartment buildings, office buildings, but also from the Napa and wine country situation hot tubs, fountains, all of that is associated. There have been outbreaks historically in air conditioning units and sprays from grocery stores," he said.

Symptoms include severe coughing, muscle aches, fever, shortness of breath, and headaches. The disease can typically be treated with antibiotics, but people over the age of 50 or those with weakened lungs or weakened immune systems are at a greater risk. The incubation period is one to two weeks after exposure.

"Early recognition is key because we have effective treatment, which are antibiotics, but they are kind of different antibiotics than regular, than something that we have to add on into the regular antibiotics in pneumonia. So now that people are on the alert I think people will be looking for it more, suspecting it more and hopefully saving lives," Dr. Chin-Hong said.

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Dr. Smith says all the patients in Napa County have been hospitalized but there haven’t been any deaths. Typically, the county sees one or two reports of Legionnaires’ disease every year. While these recent numbers are higher, the risk to residents and visitors remain low.

"We are deeply investigating all possible sources for people's potential infections so we have not finished that work yet but we're actively working on it," Dr. Smith said.

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Friday 29 July 2022

Juvenile seriously injured in bicycle crash

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- A juvenile was seriously injured after a car hit a bicycle on Friday night, the San Jose Police Department said on Twitter.

The crash happened on the 5700 block of Winfield Boulevard. It was called in at 8:10 p.m.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, but has been stabilized. The driver stayed on scene and cooperated with police.

This is a developing story. Stick with us for updates.

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Report: Bay Area rent most expensive in U.S.

(KRON) – How unaffordable is it to live in the San Francisco area? A new study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition says that in order not to spend more than 30% of your income on housing you’d need to make $61.50 an hour to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in the San Francisco-Marin,-San Mateo metropolitan area.

“That is atrocious. It is absolutely harming our region. It is holding us back,” said Louis Mirante, the vice president of public policy with the Bay Area Council.

The Bay Area Council is an association representing 300 of the Bay Area’s largest employers.

“When companies are not able to attract workers because of the high cost of housing, the economy is absolutely going to suffer. Our companies, our region is going to suffer and our economic productivity is going to suffer,” Mirante said.

“Our health care workers cannot afford to live here,” added Corey Smith, with the Bay Area’s Housing Action Coalition. “Our first responders cannot afford to live here.”

The Bay Area’s Housing Action Coalition advocates for the building of more homes for residents at all income levels.

“We need to be building more housing, making it faster and easier to build more housing, supportive homeless housing, subsidized affordable housing and the market rate housing. The whole spectrum so people can afford to live in this wonderful place that we get to call home,” Smith said.

And San Francisco is not the only place with an affordability problem. The report suggests you need to make $55.15 an hour to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Clara County, and $43.73 an hour in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. And while the pro-housing movement seems to be gaining steam, there’s a long way to go.

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“The state has about a two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half million homes shortage in our region," Mirante said. "We probably have between half a million and a million homes that we need to add tonight to get us down to where we can and should be at national averages for rent.”

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Unusual burglary at headquarters of Johnny Donuts

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KRON) – The headquarters of a popular donut shop in the North Bay was the scene of an unusual burglary. It was all caught on camera and now many are wondering why it happened.

The cameras inside the headquarters of Johnny’s Donuts in San Rafael captured the entire crime. You can watch using the video player above as the suspect walks in and begins searching around.

“Do you know this man? I have no idea who this person was. He kind of looks lost,” said Craig Blum, the owner of Johnny’s Donuts.

Blum says the theft happened around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. He checked the surveillance video after a driver came back late and noticed something was wrong.

“When you look at this video, what do you think? Why, why is he in our office, what is he looking for? He busted open the file cabinet and he was looking over for stuff in my office. He was all over,” Blum said.

Blum says the man eventually grabbed some cash. He left, but came back 10 minutes later after leaving his keys. He also took a set of keys to a truck that Blum owns, but left the truck behind.

Blum says they handed over the video to the San Rafael Police Department, who posted it on their Facebook page.

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“I have heard from people all over the country. Everybody seems to think this guy looks familiar,” he said. “We just want our truck keys back, that's all.”

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These roads are the deadliest in California

(NEXSTAR) – California roadways include winding coastal highways, five-lane interstates, and potholed city roads – all dangerous in their own ways. But a recent study sought to determine which stretches of the state's nearly 400,000 miles of road are the most dangerous.

MoneyGeek plotted out the locations of more than 10,000 fatal crashes between 2017 and 2019 to determine which roadways are the deadliest in California.

The study found the single deadliest stretch of road is on Interstate 15 through Hesperia, a high desert city of San Bernardino County. Between 2017 and 2019, there were 19 fatal crashes on the four miles of I-15 between exits 138 and 129 (near the interstate's intersection with State Route 138).

Seven of the 10 deadliest roads in the state are stretches of interstate. The Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino and Riverside all make the list.

The 10 deadliest roads in California, according to MoneyGeek's analysis, are:

10. State Route 22 through Garden Grove (Orange County)

The stretch of SR-22 from Exit 10 to Exit 5 saw 13 fatalities in 5 miles. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

9. Bear Valley Road between south of Apple Valley (San Bernardino County)

The 4.7-mile stretch Bear Valley Road through San Bernardino County saw 10 fatal accidents and 13 fatalities between 2017 and 2019, according to MoneyGeek's analysis. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

8. Interstate 280 through San Jose (Santa Clara County)

This part of I-280 through San Jose, between Meridian and Wilshire, had 12 fatalities in just 4.3 miles. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

7. Interstate 605 near Norwalk, Cerritos (Los Angeles County)

On 4.3 miles of this Los Angeles County interstate, there were 11 fatal accidents resulting in 12 deaths. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

6. State Route 74 near Menifee (Riverside County)

SR-74, which runs through several Riverside County communities, saw 12 fatalities on these four miles of road. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

5. Interstate 215 through San Bernardino

Colton | San Bernardino map — Thirteen fatalities in two years were reported on this 4.7-mile stretch of I-215. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

4. Interstate 5 north of Sacramento

Sacramento map — This 4.9-mile portion of I-5 that runs through Sacramento and north reported 16 fatalities from 13 crashes. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

3. Interstate 80 in the East Bay

Richmond | El Cerrito | Pinole | San Pablo map — This stretch of I-80 through the East Bay Cities of Richmond, San Pablo and Pinole saw 18 deaths from 13 crashes. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

2. Interstate 80, also in the East Bay

Berkeley | Oakland | Emeryville | Albany map — Just a bit further south of the last spot, this part of I-80 from Albany to the start of the Bay Bridge is the second deadliest in the state. It saw 15 fatal crashes resulting in 17 fatalities between 2017 and 2019. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

1. Interstate 15 from Cajon Junction to Hesperia

Hesperia map — Nineteen fatalities in 4.5 miles makes this stretch of I-15 the deadliest roadway in California, the analysis found. (Courtesy: MoneyGeek)

The analysis also took a look at what caused the most deadly crashes in California. It found 27% of accidents involved drunk driving and 28% involved speeding.

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Least expensive metros to buy a home

Across the country, the demand for housing is increasing, driving housing prices to exorbitant levels in many metro markets. The housing shortage has been a major problem across the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent migration into the suburbs. With burgeoning remote work options during the pandemic, some people weren't tied to their downtown offices anymore; many chose to leave expensive cities in favor of rural and suburban areas. Buyers searched for homes that provided more space and a lower cost of living.

In June 2022, the median home price for active listings in the U.S. reached $450,000—a new record and an increase of 17% over 2021—according to listing data from Realtor.com. Price increases, however, are beginning to slow as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates. More homeowners are listing their homes for sale, causing an increased supply in many markets. Some potential buyers also aren't able to afford these high prices, lowering demand.

According to Realtor.com, sellers are also implementing the strategy of reducing listing prices to lure buyers in some parts of the country. Price reductions are also growing in all but one of the 50 largest metro areas.

Midwestern states—particularly the so-called Rust Belt states of Illinois, Ohio, and West Virginia, which were once home to thriving manufacturing communities—are home to the leading affordable cities on the list. Investors, however, are already privy to the low housing prices in Rust Belt cities and as a result, these locations could see house price increases in the near future.

Stacker examined listings data on Realtor.com to find the least expensive places to buy a home in June 2022, the latest data available. Analysis was limited to the 250 largest metropolitan areas. Metros include the central city as well as its surrounding towns and suburbs. The data accounts for all houses—including single-family homes, condos, and town homes.

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GrungeElfz // Shutterstock

#10. Champaign, Illinois

- Median listing price in June: $179,950
- Change from a year ago: -4.0%

Champaign has been best known nationally and to Chicagoans as a college town anchored by the University of Illinois campus.

Founded in 1855, Champaign is emerging as a Central Illinois city with entrepreneurial flair. Potential homebuyers may be keen on the area as it's growing steadily. Despite not being a major city, it still provides a cultural scene with dining and entertainment options just a few hours south of Chicago. Village of East Davenport

gibbstechsolutions // Shutterstock

#9. Davenport, Iowa

- Median listing price: $176,450
- Change from a year ago: 17.7%

Davenport was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1830s. Today, Davenport's historic hotels are an anchor for tourism in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa, with visitors and residents enjoying the Vander Veer Botanical Park and the Freight House Farmers Market. The McKinley National Memorial in Canton, Ohio

jack f schultz // Shutterstock

#8. Canton, Ohio

- Median listing price: $174,950
- Change from a year ago: -9.7%

Data shows that Canton has one of the highest crime rates in the state of Ohio. This may be one of the factors contributing to its relatively low-cost real estate prices. Canton is home to the MAPS Air Museum, but its best known tourist attraction is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The annual Hall of Fame NFL preseason game and festivities honor the players, coaches, and team owners enshrined among the game's all-time greats.
Aerial photo Toledo Ohio riverfront scene

Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock

#7. Toledo, Ohio

- Median listing price: $169,900
- Change from a year ago: -2.9%

Toledo's historical Old West End neighborhood started with a single log cabin in the early 1800s. The neighborhood is home to late-Victorian and Edwardian style homes. Toledo is currently considered an affordable area with many homes below market prices compared to other cities in the country. Aerial View of Saginaw, Michigan during Summer

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#6. Saginaw, Michigan

- Median listing price: $164,900
- Change from a year ago: 15.8%

With its walkable streets, a wide array of parks, and a low cost of living, Saginaw may be an appealing location for first-time homebuyers. The city may entice families with activities such as the children's museum and local zoo, but Saginaw has opportunities for young professionals and retirees as well.

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Photos BrianScantlebury // Shutterstock

#5. Springfield, Illinois

- Median listing price: $164,900
- Change from a year ago: 32.0%

As the capital of Illinois, Springfield is known for its rich history, being home to the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. The city is also where President Barack Obama spent much of his time during his early political career.

For potential homebuyers in Springfield, the Piper Glen neighborhood is the most expensive area, with homes averaging over $405,000 as of June 2022. Springfield's Far East District is the more affordable neighborhood, with homes averaging close to $35,000. Aerial of the city of Peoria, Illinois in summer

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#4. Peoria, Illinois

- Median listing price: $157,250
- Change from a year ago: 33.9%

In 2021, Peoria had a record of $1 billion in home sales. People who bought homes in Peoria were able to get decent-sized houses at an affordable cost. Something worth noting for potential homebuyers in central Illinois are the high taxes—including property taxes and additional fees utilized for residential garbage pickup and funding public safety. Charleston, West Virginia, USA skyline on the Kanawha River at dusk

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#3. Charleston, West Virginia

- Median listing price: $151,430
- Change from a year ago: 8.2%

Charleston is quiet and laid back. But even with its small town feel, there's still an array of cafes, grocery stores, and restaurants. For those who also enjoy outdoor activities, there's skiing, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, and views of the Appalachian Mountains landscape.

With these big-city amenities and a professional community that frequently commutes to metro Washington D.C., Charleston is one of those hidden gems where potential homebuyers can still find affordable homes. Youngstown, Ohio, downtown road and townscape at twilight

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#2. Youngstown, Ohio

- Median listing price: $146,750
- Change from a year ago: 8.5%

Traditionally, Youngstown has been known as the epicenter of steel production in the U.S. Youngstown was pushed to redefine itself when the steel industry declined during the 1970s, leaving residents with bleak job prospects.

Today, downtown Youngstown and the area within walking distance of Youngstown State University are seeing a revival. In addition to having high-ranking public schools, with homes in the area being in high demand, Youngstown is a seller's market as of June 2022. Front porch of a house in Terre Haute, Indiana

Mark B. Flinn // Shutterstock

#1. Terre Haute, Indiana

- Median listing price: $143,950
- Change from a year ago: 13.0%

With more than 1,000 acres of trails and parks, Terre Haute—known for being a college town home to Indiana State University—has plenty to offer. Those thinking of buying a home will appreciate the affordable real estate prices and variety of recreational activities in the area.

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Thursday 28 July 2022

San Francisco holds hearing on status of psychiatric care

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – In San Francisco, a hearing was held on Thursday to identify any problems the county is facing when providing mental health services. However, the meeting left one board supervisor with more questions than answers.

San Francisco District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman called for a hearing to gauge the city’s response to people in need of psychiatric help. Representatives from the Department of Public Health, the hospital council, and the fire and police departments who all provide these services at various capacities explained the work they are doing and the challenges at hand.

Lieutenant Mario Molina said SFPD got about 47,000 related calls in 2021, but officers keep seeing the same people back on the streets after being taken to the hospital. Heather Bollinger, with the union representing medical workers at the city’s only psychiatric ward – San Francisco General Hospital – says they are having trouble keeping up and linking patients to services.

While human resources for DPH insist they only have two job openings unfilled for RN’s, Bollinger says that doesn’t reflect reality. She read a list of recent ongoing complaints from SEIU 1021 members who say they are short-staffed, overworked, and don’t have enough beds or security.

As a result, patients run away or get violent with staff and other patients. In 2014, a woman was attacked by a person with a mental health problem after they ran into her room.

“We have to figure out a way to break this cycle if we’re going to get experienced staff into our department that are willing to stay,” Bollinger said.

Mandelman admits that while fairly new initiatives like street crisis response teams and a new sobering center have helped divert patients away from SF General, the system is still falling short.

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“I just did not come away from that hearing with confidence that we are measuring across our different systems, criminal justice, public health, that we’re measuring what’s actually happening out in the world,” he said.

Mandelman wants to see better-coordinated data collection and communication between all agencies involved. Plus, he wants a new long-term care facility to offload the burden from SF general and reduce the number of patients who keep coming back for the same problems. He is asking for another hearing in the fall.

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Brush fire closes road in Livermore

LIVERMORE, Calif. (KRON) -- A brush fire ignited in Livermore on Thursday night, resulting in the closure of a road.

The Alameda County Fire Department said on Twitter that a fire started near North Vasco Road. Southbound Vasco Road closed due to the fire.

The fire was reported to be a half-acre in size and spreading at a moderate rate. Anyone in the area is asked to look out for firefighters.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.

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California program to help prospective homeowners with down payment

(KRON) – California will soon be rolling out a program that will help citizens pay for down payments. According to Zillow, the average house price as of Thursday in San Francisco is $1.4 million, and the surrounding Bay Area is not much cheaper.

“Plenty of clients who I would love to work with, who cannot come up with that down payment, do not have the family members who can help them, dying to get out of their rentals, but that is the stuck point… the down payment,” said Alexandra Stein with Corcoran Global Living.

Stein says people may not have the down payment, but they can pay.

“They’re paying 3 to 4 thousand in rent, that’s what a mortgage would be,” she said.

Now, the California Dream For All program hopes to help with that problem. It is rolling out in roughly a year, with a $500 million budget. Instead of paying thousands in rent, that money would go to your own equity.

“An opportunity to own a home, for the working class, moderate Californians that haven’t had that opportunity, oftentimes communities of color,” said Adam Briones, CEO of California Community Builders.

Briones helped design the program, which will cover at least 17 percent of your total home cost in down payment assistance. There are no stipulations on what people can buy.

“You can buy a condo, a single-family home, you can sell it in eight years or 30 years,” he said.

If the house devalues, you pay back the assistance money you borrowed. If house appreciates, you pay back the assistance money, and 20 percent whatever you profit.

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“We really think this is just one of many solutions needed,” Briones said.

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Recession concerns loom over local economy

BURLINGAME, Calif. (KRON) – In more troubling news for the economy, the Bureau of Economic Analysis says the nation's gross domestic product fell 0.9%. That's the second quarter in a row the economy has shrunk.

While these signs are troubling, a recession is not inevitable. Either way, a lot of people say it doesn't matter because there's not much they can do about it.

For months, inflation has pushed the prices of almost everything up and the markets have been trending downward since late last year. Now that the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates to combat inflation, there's concern the country could be headed for a recession, if we're not already in one.

Despite the bad news, the unemployment rate remains low, at 3.6 percent, and companies continue to add jobs. For those reasons, many economists say that a recession is not inevitable.

“You have to incorporate people working and the unemployment rate is really low," said George Noceti, a wealth advisor with Morgan Stanley. "When the rate gets high and we have a decrease in earnings in our economy, then we are arguably in a recession, but we have some time.”

In Burlingame on Thursday, most of the people KRON4 talked to say they have noticed the high prices but don't feel there's much they can do about it. They're just trying to ride out the ups and downs.

“Of course, I see some stuff becoming more expensive and I just try to rebalance,” one citizen said. “Maybe less take out.”

As for how long inflation will be a problem, no one knows for sure. But some economists are hoping that things will start to improve this fall.

“September we believe inflation will be coming down," Noceti said. "The next raise will be about 50 basis points and at the end of the year be about 3.65 percent.”

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The next meeting of the Federal Reserve is set for mid-September.

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Police creating policy to prevent repeat burglaries in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- When someone smashed the glass front door of the Black Cat jazz club early Tuesday morning, burglars walked right in and helped themselves to food alcohol and musical instruments. That stopped when police arrived.

When repeated attempts to reach the owner were unsuccessful, police called the fire department to cover the door. Owners say they used a curtain and three pieces of tape.

That was good enough for police, and they left the scene. The problem is over the next five hours, burglars easily reentered the club by pushing through the taped cloth and ransacked the place again.

"There's a museum across the street from us would they have just left the museum wide open for people to just go in and steal everything. I doubt it. So it's just disheartening to see that on our side," said Black Cat Director of Operations Adam Chapman.

On Wednesday, police told KRON4 news “officers at the scene acted within policy.” But now, police have confirmed “SFPD is currently working on creating policy that better addresses incidents like these.”

"The police chief is saying that they're going to change that policy. And now, they have policies or they will have policies in place to follow up on a business that's not secure," Chapman said. "They'll go back in control. Make sure everything's okay."

Chapman says the club’s owner spoke directly with SFPD Chief Bill Scott and was told of the policy change

"Any type of changes good," Chapman said. "Still, the system it's still there of like why is it the police station that's a walk away from us not got our backs -- regardless if there's a policy at play or not."

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Chapman says the club has given police additional numbers, so they can reached if this happens again. They’re also installing a burglar alarm with a stroke light and siren on the outside of their building

"So the police station that's a block away, there's no way that they cant hear it or see it," Chapman said.

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Oakland community holds rally to stop man's deportation

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – A rally was held Thursday to stop the deportation of a man who has been released from prison after spending more than 25 years behind bars. There is only one man who has the power to stop the person from being deported: Governor Gavin Newsom.

Community leaders, city leaders, family and friends of Phouen You held a rally outside the federal building in Oakland to stop his deportation to Cambodia – a country he has not seen since escaping with his family from the genocide taking place there when he was a child.

"There is no justice in sending someone back to a place that they know nothing about,” said Oakland City Councilmember Sheng Thao. “He has done his time, and he needs to come home."

You has spent the last 26 years of a 35-year sentence in San Quentin State Prison for killing someone with a firearm. The California parole board granted his release from prison back in January.

"But instead of releasing him home to his community, they transferred him and handed him right over to ICE," said You’s attorney So Young.

Unless Newsom issues a pardon, You will be deported, and will likely never see his family in America again.

"Your viewers, the public, call the governor,” Chanton Bun with the Asian Law Caucus told KRON4. “Let him know that you know Phoeun's story, that you want him home. You want to see him reunited with his family."

Bun met Phoeun You in prison and witnessed his transformation into a person the parole board found worthy of granting an early release

"I was in San Quentin with him, and he was the first person to help me with my journey to freedom,” he said. “It's sad for me to be standing up here right now fighting for his freedom."

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A spokesperson for Newsom sent KRON4 the following statement.

“Information regarding pardon applications is confidential and we’re not able to discuss individual cases. The governor regards clemency as an important part of the criminal justice system and all applications receive a thorough and careful review.”

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Officials hoping public can identify homeless man found in San Pedro

An unidentified man found living on the street in San Pedro has left health officials puzzled as they work to identify him.

He was found on July 6 by bystanders near 9th and Gaffey streets and was complaining of serious leg pain. Concerned that he was unable to care for himself, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

But who the man exactly is, is anyone's guess.

He has an alias, Levi Gaffey (like the street where he was found), as well as two other names he's given to hospital staff — Nicolas Sturdivant and Lee/Leigh Sturdivante.

County Health Officials are asking for the public's help to identify this man found on the street earlier this month (Los Angeles County Health Services)

Los Angeles County Health Services said he was found with a couple notebooks and art supplies, but no other indications of who he may be.

He's alert, hospital staff say, but unable to properly identify himself.

He's a Black man who is estimated to be about 73 years old. Hospital staff describe him as frail, standing 5 feet 7 inches and weighing only 120 pounds.

His eyes are hazel, and he's got a receding hairline with gray hair and a tattoo on his right arm. When he was brought to the hospital, he appeared disheveled with a short gray beard and was wearing a gray beanie.

County health officials are hoping someone in the community recognizes the man and is able to identify him and bring an end to the mystery, and hopefully, help him get the care he needs.

Anyone who recognizes him is urged to contact the County Health Services at 424-306-4421.

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Oak Fire forces evacuations, dozens of homes destroyed

MARIPOSA, Calif. (KRON) -- The Oak Fire, west of Yosemite National Park, has now burned more than 18,000 acres in Mariposa County, destroying dozens of homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.

One couple who was forced to evacuate had moved to Mariposa a couple of years ago from San Francisco. “We did see flames. We did see black plumes of smoke,” said Avand Amiri, resident of Mariposa.

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Avand was in San Francisco when he received an emergency alert on Friday that his home near Triangle and Darrah Roads in Mariposa was under mandatory evacuation because of the Oak Fire. Avand traveled to Mariposa first thing Saturday morning to grab some of his valuables from the house.

“That was the do or die moment like that day was going to determine the fate of our house,” said Amiri. He said the flames and smoke came too close for comfort.

“Between the mushroom clouds and air attack it has the feeling of like a warzone,” said Amiri. His house escaped the flames thanks to firebreaks and air attacks made by firefighters.

“I think there were planes coming every five minutes, all day long and that made a huge difference. I mean it is a matter of resources to put these fires out. There's just way too much fuel. It's way too dry,” said Amiri.

However, others were not as lucky. So far, the Oak Fire destroyed at least 74 structures and damaged nine others.

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Wednesday 27 July 2022

Stolen car crashes at Piedmont residence; 1 arrested

PIEDMONT, Calif. (KRON) -- One person was arrested after a stolen car crashed at a Piedmont residence, police announced Wednesday in a Facebook post. Piedmont Police Department officers responded to a report of a catalytic converter theft on the 200 block of Estates Drives where they tried to detain two subjects.

The subjects then drove off in a stolen car that almost crashed into two patrol vehicles. The stolen car crashed at the residence where the two subjects fled on foot.

However, only one subject was apprehended and arrested, police said. The unidentified subject was arrested on multiple charges including auto theft, hit and run, possession of stolen property and burglary tools, and fleeing from the police.

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A photo posted by Piedmont Police Department (PPD) shows the stolen car is a black Audi SUV that crashed into the landscape of the residence. However, according to the photo, the car did not crash into the structure of the residence.

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Vaccination rates decreasing among young children

(KRON) -- COVID-19 vaccination rates among children under five are now decreasing, according to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

Researchers also found about 40 percent of parents with young kids said they have no plans to get their little ones vaccinated. "Parents are sort of preceding with more caution on getting vaccines for their children than they were as adults getting it themselves,” said Liz Hamel, KFF Vice President, Director of Public Opinion and Survey Research.

The organization surveyed parents to determine vaccine hesitancy in young kids. “There's a much larger group that say they want to wait and see on getting their child vaccinated and a really large share that said they just don't plan to get the vaccine for their child,” said Hamel.

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"This is a choice. It's not a mandate,” said Dr. Matthew Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer. As of Wednesday, about 30 percent of Marin County children ages six months to four-years-old have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Dr. Matthew Willis said that's about 3,000 of some 9,000 children in the county.

"The success with those 3,000 that already got vaccinated thus far, the vast majority of them being vaccinated within the walls of their health care provider clinics, especially our pediatricians so we're grateful that our pediatricians stepped forward and we are supporting them every way we can to get even more children vaccinated,” said Dr. Willis.

Despite the Kaiser Family Foundation surveys, Bay Area vaccination rates are higher than the national average which is three percent of children who have received their first dose. About 21 percent of children under age four received their first COVID-19 vaccine in San Francisco County.

The national findings, however, revealed parents have their own reason on why they do not plan to get their child vaccinated.

"They are concerned about potential side effects and the newness of the vaccines and also the fact that most parents haven't had a chance to talk to their child's pediatrician or another health care provider about these vaccines,” said Hamel.

Dr. Willis cautions parents to know the health risks.

"Children are in fact less likely to become severely ill with COVID-19, that's been true throughout the pandemic and remains true but lower risk doesn't mean no risk. Children are still ending up in the hospital, we're still seeing pediatric deaths with COVID-19. Any one death is obviously tragic and preventable with vaccines,” said Dr. Willis.

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‘No good answer’: Fed set for big rate hike despite recession fears

(The Hill) - The Federal Reserve is on track for another steep interest rate hike Wednesday despite growing fears its fight against inflation could push the U.S. into a recession.

Fed officials are expected to announce another 0.75 percentage point interest rate hike Wednesday as both job growth and price growth rose, according to federal data.

The Fed has aggressively boosted interest rates since March to bring prices down after waiting in vain for months for inflation to decline. The bank has already hiked its baseline interest rate range by 1.5 percentage points this year, including a 0.75 percentage point hike in June.

“To the Fed, obviously job No. 1 is getting inflation down, and hopefully down without setting the economy in recession, but that isn’t a prerequisite,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

“That’s really hard, because a lot of inflation is coming from things that are out of their control.”

The U.S. economy has shown signs of slowing under the pressure of higher Fed interest rates, which is a key step in the bank’s goal of bringing inflation down. Housing sales have plunged as mortgage rates rise, stock values have dropped and businesses are pulling back on plans to hire and expand with profit margins narrowing.

But the war in Ukraine and ongoing supply chain issues driven by the pandemic have kept up pressure on food and energy prices, pushing the Fed to go even further with rate hikes.

Karen Shaw Petrou, managing partner at Federal Financial Analytics, said the pressures facing the Fed “have only gotten” worse since the bank raised rates in June, forcing the Fed to make tough choices.

“You got no meaningful curb on inflation, even with a sharp rate rise. At the same time, financial market stresses and the impact of this inflation on household spending are curbing economic growth,” Petrou said, arguing the Fed should have begun hiking much sooner.

“It’s the worst of both worlds. There’s no good answer.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and other top officials at the central bank have stressed for months that they will raise interest rates as high as necessary to bring inflation down. While Powell said the U.S. may be able to avoid a recession in the process, he acknowledged it has become harder for the Fed to avert a downturn.

Powell previously said reducing inflation back to the Fed’s target range is far more important to the long-term health of the economy.

“We fully understand and appreciate the pain people are going through dealing with higher inflation. We have the tools to address that and the resolve to use them,” Powell said last month.

“The process is likely — highly likely — to involve some pain, but the worst pain would be from failing to address this high inflation and allowing it to become persistent.”

How much pain the economy feels depends largely on how far the Fed believes it needs to go to curb inflation. And economists say that’s far from clear.

Inflation has steamed ahead throughout the summer even as the broader economy slows under the weight of higher interest rates and shock waves from the war in Ukraine.

Prices rose 9.1 percent annually in June and 1.2 percent last month alone, according to Labor Department data released last week, even though gross domestic product likely declined for the second straight quarter. Weekly unemployment claims still remain low, but have risen to their highest level since November as a growing number of companies shed jobs amid a slowing economy.

Consumer confidence in the economy has also fallen sharply, and while retail spending has grown, further pressure from inflation and interest rate hikes could soon lead to a nosedive in spending.

“Consumers’ increased pessimism is consistent with our view that consumer spending and the broader economy are downshifting to a much slower growth path amid high inflation, rapidly-rising interest rates, and financial market volatility,” Lydia Boussour, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, wrote in a Tuesday analysis.

“While we still see strong economic fundamentals preventing the US economy from slipping into recession this year, the pathway to a softish landing is narrowing.”

Most economists do not believe the U.S. is in a recession yet despite mounting signs of the economy slowing.

The country has added 2.5 million jobs since the start of 2022, including 372,000 in June alone, with an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. In fact, the resilience of the job market and a record ratio of open jobs to unemployed workers are among several factors preventing the Fed from bringing inflation down.

Zandi said the U.S. is “not even close” to being in a recession right now because of the strength of the job market, but he acknowledged that the risks of a recession are rising.

“We’re on the precipice. It won’t take a lot to push us over,” Zandi said.

Zandi said the Fed should signal that it won’t be hiking interest rates as fast in the future.

Some left-leaning policy experts and lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have urged the Fed to stop hiking rates entirely, insisting it would doom the economy.

“Rising costs are an urgent problem, and interest rates play a key role in maintaining price stability. But urgency is no excuse for doubling down on a dangerous treatment,” Warren wrote in a Monday op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.

But Petrou said the Fed has no choice but to push ahead with interest rate hikes to curb inflation, insisting job losses and deep despair would visit the economy no matter what if the bank doesn’t get prices under control.

“Households are already starting to curb discretionary spending, and they will do so more and you’re going to have higher unemployment anyway. That’s the devil the Fed has created.”

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