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Antioch moves ahead with bringing police chief under council control

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

Antioch has taken the first step to bring the hiring and firing of its police chief under the City Council’s control and away from the city manager.The move came a week after a scandal broke out in the department when the FBI, which had been investigating officers for other matters, found racist and homophobic text messages involving 23 Antioch officers. The messages dated back to 2019 and ended in January 2022 when their cellphones were seized – several months before Steven Ford was hired as interim police chief. He was given the permanent role in November.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Exclusive: Inside the Antioch police department’s secret racist texting group The Antioch council currently oversees only the city attorney and city manager, and would first need to change the city municipal code before taking over the supervision of the chief, City Attorney Thomas Lloyd Smith said.“City Councils are granted wide latitude in determining how a city wi...

Antioch mayor, residents overcome with emotion at council meeting following release of racist texts sent by police

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

ANTIOCH — Emotions boiled over in a tense city council meeting Tuesday following the release of racist text messages allegedly sent by Antioch police, with the mayor at one point getting into a heated exchange with a resident who called for an investigation of him instead.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Exclusive: Inside the Antioch police department’s secret racist texting group Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe has called for an audit of police internal affairs and the firing of anyone involved in the sending of racist or homophobic texts, many of which were released in court on Tuesday. The texts, directed mainly at Black and Latinos, included names of 23 officers who now have been placed on administrative leave.Thorpe himself was the subject of one text exchange in which an officer offered to “buy a prime rib dinner” to anyone who shot the mayor during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020 with a projectile used on protesters.While most speakers con...

Santa Cruz homicide victim ID'd after two decades of mystery

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

(KRON) -- A homicide victim was found in the Santa Cruz mountains along Bear Creek Road on Dec. 27, 1998. The body had been wrapped in a tarp and dumped at the bottom of a hill.A coroner's autopsy concluded that the victim died from blunt force trauma. A investigation by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest and conviction of three people for the unidentified victim's murder. Even after the triple conviction, the victim's identity still remained a mystery, until this week. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said "John Doe" has finally been identified thanks to advances in genealogy technology.The Sheriff’s Office Forensics Services team utilized forensic genetic genealogy in partnership with the California Department of Justice Jan Bashinski DNA Lab, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and the FBI's Latent Print Unit.On Wednesday, investigators said the victim was 22-year-old Eric P. Cupo."Eric Cupo’s adopted family and biological relati...

Pedestrian dies after runaway U-Haul barrels into FedEx truck in Tenderloin crash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

(KRON) -- A pedestrian has died after a runaway U-Haul crashed into a FedEx truck in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon, according to the San Francisco Police Department. I-880 reopens following CHP investigation in Fremont Police received a report of a vehicle collision with a pedestrian around 12:13 p.m. Officers found a man on scene with injuries near Jones and Geary streets. The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital where he later died. Officers remained on the scene investigating. Drivers were told to expect traffic delays and consider alternate routes.Citizen video from the scene shows what appear to be a FedEx and U-Haul truck after a collision. The U-Haul truck is resting in the crosswalk on Geary Street. San Francisco has seen about 30 pedestrians die in collisions each year, according to the city. The city's Vision Zero program adopted in 2014 aims to eliminate traffic deaths in the city altogether.Bay City News contributed to this report.

Twins’ Farmer hit in face by 92 mph pitch; oral surgery next

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins shortstop Kyle Farmer was hit in the face by a fastball from Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito in the fourth inning Wednesday.Farmer was scheduled for oral surgery to realign four teeth and repair a laceration around his jaw. Manager Rocco Baldelli said the initial diagnosis revealed no fracture after the 92 mph pitch from Giolito ran inside and knocked Farmer to the dirt. Giolito appeared concerned as he raised his arms toward his head and walked forward from the mound.Farmer laid face down for a few minutes as the Twins tended to him, before he climbed to his feet and walked slowly to the dugout with a towel pressed against his face and his head hunched down.Willi Castro entered as a pinch-runner for Farmer, who was acquired in offseason trade with Cincinnati. He has started seven of 12 games for the Twins, filling in at second base for Jorge Polanco and more recently at shortstop for Carlos Correa. Polanco (left knee inflammation) is ...

Congressman makes pitch for Kentucky gubernatorial candidate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft campaigned alongside U.S. Rep. James Comer on Wednesday, looking to maximize support from the influential home-state Republican after missing out on an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.Craft hit on key campaign themes during a stop in Elizabethtown. She vowed to overhaul Kentucky’s education department if elected, support the state’s coal industry and crack down on illegal drug trafficking — which includes supporting the death penalty for drug traffickers found responsible for causing a Kentuckian’s death.Craft picked up Comer’s endorsement as soon as she entered the crowded Republican contest for governor last September, and the congressman joined Craft for campaign events Wednesday, with the state’s mid-May primary election fast approaching.“She is the real deal and she and Max Wise are the right ticket to lead Kentucky into the future,” Comer said of Craft ...

Boston’s Masataka Yoshida scratched with hamstring tightness

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, (AP) — Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida was scratched from Wednesday night’s lineup at Tampa Bay due to right hamstring tightness.Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the Japanese slugger felt discomfort while running Tuesday, but Cora didn’t rule out a return by Friday.“He showed up here, he tried to run,” Cora said. “Obviously, if it’s later in the season probably we’ll push him to do it (play) and he’ll be OK to do it, but doesn’t make sense playing him tonight.”Yoshida, a two-time batting champion in Japan’s Pacific League, joined the Red Sox in December after agreeing to a $90 million, five-year contract.He is the 10th Japanese-born player to play for the Red Sox but joined Dave Roberts (2004) as the only position players.Among the lineup adjustments were moving Kiké Hernández from shortstop to center field, and having Bobby Dalbec start at shortstop. It is Dalbec’s second big league start at shortstop, an...

Salt Lake City group hopes to gain MLB expansion team

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — While Major League Baseball has no current plans to add teams, the family that used to own the NBA’s Utah Jazz says it wants an expansion franchise.The Miller family and the Larry H. Miller Company said Wednesday a coalition calling itself Big League Utah has targeted a site for a ballpark at the 100-acre Rocky Mountain Power District on Salt Lake City’s west side.MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said repeatedly that he doesn’t envision expansion until after the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletic s get new ballparks but would like to eventually add two teams to reach 32. Baseball last expanded in 1998, adding teams in Phoenix and St. Petersburg, Florida.The Miller family bought a share of the Jazz in 1985 and sold the team in December 2020.“Over the past year, we have enjoyed our ongoing conversation with Major League Baseball and have formally registered our interest in Salt Lake being considered an expansion market,” Steve Starks, CEO of the Larr...

Juror: Texas governor’s rush to pardon shooter a ‘travesty’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An alternate juror in the trial of a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder said Wednesday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s rush for a pardon is an “egregious overreach” to wipe aside the jury’s unanimous decision over a 2020 shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest. In an interview with The Associated Press, Jere Dowell said prosecutors put on a convincing case against Daniel Perry, who at the time of the shooting was working as a ride-share driver in downtown Austin. As an alternate, Dowell did not have a vote in convicting Perry but said she was in the room for deliberations and that she agreed with the verdict handed down Friday. “I just think it’s a travesty,” Dowell said of Abbott already seeking a pardon.Her comments are the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott, a Republican, announced Saturday he would use the power of his office and seek to wipe away the verdict. Legal experts have called the governor’s move highly unusual an...

Julks hits first homer, Urquidy shines as Astros top Pirates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:58 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Corey Julks grew up in the Houston suburbs and played collegiately for the hometown Cougars.No wonder the Astros rookie outfielder looks so comfortable in blue and orange.Julks hit his first big league home run, a shot to the bleachers in left field off Rich Hill, and Houston rode the pitching of José Urquidy to a 7-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.The 27-year-old Julks had to wait out a lengthy delay before heading to the plate in the bottom of the fourth due to an umpire switch at home plate after Jerry Layne took a foul ball off a hand.Julks bided his time during the 20-minute stoppage while Brock Ballou moved from first to home, then drilled an 82 mph cutter from Hill before rounding the bases with a smile.“It was nice to get that one out of the way,” said Julks, who received the lineup card from manager Dusty Baker after the game. “Just (got to) keep them coming.”Julks, Chas McCormick and José Abreu had two hits each for Houston.Alex Bregma...