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Hayward handyman charged with violently molesting 8-year-old girl as she screamed for help

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

HAYWARD — A 49-year-old Hayward man has been charged with sexually abusing a girl multiple times, beginning when she was 8 years old, after her family hired him as a handyman, court records show.Ruperto Espinoza Villanueva was charged May 17 with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and enhancements alleging use of violence and being in a position of trust. He was also charged with first-degree residential burglary, a related offense that stems from one of the alleged incidents where he came over to the family home for dinner.The girl, now in her teens, kept the molestation to herself until recently. She was scared to come forward because Villanueva was in a position of trust and due to her trauma, authorities say.Villanueva was arrested May 16, and pleaded not guilty on May 18. He is being held in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail.Prosecutors allege that the first act of molestation occurred when the girl was 8 years old, when Villanueva allegedly grabbed her...

Letters: Air traffic | Not unique | Early detection

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Increased air trafficis bad news for climateRe: “Airport reaches key passenger milestone” (Page B4, June 2).Maybe soaring isn’t such a great idea. Increasing numbers of people are choosing to fly less because it’s one of the most effective things an individual can do to reduce their carbon emissions.According to the carbon calculator at flightfree.org, the round-trip emissions per passenger of a flight to New York from the Bay Area are 1.5 metric tons of CO2 equivalent.Where else can you take one action and make such a big difference for the climate?Although I wish economic prosperity for the Bay Area, I believe we can achieve this by promoting rail and bus travel.The overnight Flix bus from the Bay Area to San Diego lets me sleep (uncomfortably) and I can get there without losing a day. The discomfort of a night of poor sleep is small compared to the discomfort of an overheated p...

Letters: Heirloom artichokes | AI progress | Light on laughs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Heirloom artichokesare worth the searchRe: “A new breed in artichoke battle” (Page A1, May 28).Suspicions confirmed. I have wondered why these new roundish artichokes have nothing of the flavor which we so loved of yore.Growers who produce the “new breed” are shooting themselves in the foot. I’d given up on buying ‘chokes but now will search small markets for original, “real” artichokes. Thanks for the tip.Nancy BarnbyMenlo ParkDon’t let regulationstymie AI progressChatGPT has opened the door for the creation of a human-machine interface that could potentially engage in human-like interactions.It has started removing barriers for those who thought they had to be a technical expert to interact with the machines. Programming a machine to get specific tasks done is no longer confined to computer experts.ChatGPT and similar generative AI have limitations....

Parents and LGBTQ+ advocates clash at Saticoy Elementary School Pride protest

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

“Stop grooming our kids,” shouts a group of parents. “No hate in the 818” yells back a group of LGBTQ+ advocates.These chants rang out for hours outside Saticoy Elementary School on Friday morning, June 2, where a group of predominantly Armenian parents protested a Pride-themed book reading that described same-sex marriage and counter-protesters defended the school’s right to teach grade school students about forms of sexuality.Armenian parents and their supporters protesting a Pride assembly are met by LGBTQ+ advocates at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood on Friday, June 2, 2023. Tensions were heightened last week when a Pride flag was burned at the school. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)Retired teacher Linda Blackwell, 71, supports the LGBTQ+ community as Armenian parents and their supporters protest a Pride assembly at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood on Friday, June 2, 2023. Tensions were heightened l...

How did sideshows begin, and how did they get so out of hand?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

(KRON) -- The first Bay Area sideshows took place in the parking lot of a McDonald's, across the street from Oakland's Eastmont Mall. They involved young men, some drug dealers, flush with cash showing off their flashy cars while locals from the neighborhood gathered to watch. That is according to Daryl Anderson, better known by his stage name "DJ Daryl." He says these sideshows in the 1980s were far more tame than the ones that happen today, which have shut down busy intersections, and even the Bay Bridge. Daryl would know. He produced the 1990 record "Side Show," performed by rapper Richie Rich, before going on to work with artists such as Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. He says the song often served as a soundtrack for these early smaller sideshows, which were already in place by the time the song dropped. "I'm the music to a movement that was already in place amongst the drug dealers," DJ Daryl said. Mugshot released of San Jose crime spree suspect; 3 dead In the song, Richie Ric...

No charges against Rendon for altercation with A's fan: OPD

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

(KRON) -- Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will not face charges for a March 30 altercation with an A's fan at the Coliseum, the Oakland Police Department confirmed Friday to KRON4. The victim never came forward in the case that the department initially investigated as a battery. Documentary on boxing legend, Oakland native Andre Ward set to premiere this week Rendon grabbed onto the fan's shirt and took a swing at him, which was caught on a video that went viral. The incident included Rendon cursing out the fan. The altercation ended with Rendon appearing to throw a left hook and missing before ultimately walking away. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Major League Baseball suspended Rendon, 32, for four games and fine...

$10K worth of items stolen from El Cerrito dispensary in overnight burglary; 6 suspects at large

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

(KRON) -- A cannabis dispensary was broken into after an early morning burglary, the El Cerrito Police Department (ECPD) announced Thursday in a Nixle alert. Around 5:01 a.m. on May 22, The Nug had its front window smashed in by a vehicle, and a store spokesperson says approximately $10,000 worth of product from the dispensary was stolen. Suspect wanted in shooting of 4-year-old identified by Oakland PD Three vehicles with a total of at least six suspects were reported at the dispensary that morning, according to ECPD. One of those vehicles rammed into the front window. All three vehicles drove away from the scene, and no arrests have been made at this time.The Nug shared a photo from its surveillance footage of one of the suspects (below).(Photo courtesy of The Nug)The thieves used a vehicle to ram through a wall, the spokesperson said. They were then able to gain entry. A security guard was present at the time and was able to hit a "panic button." ECPD arrived within about 8-9 m...

Eichel making most of 1st postseason as Golden Knights prepare for Panthers in Cup final

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jack Eichel didn’t know what to expect when the NHL playoffs began in April.He just knew he was eager to experience the postseason for the first time in his eight-year career — and what a time it’s been for him. Eichel is a major reason why the Vegas Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup Final.“It’s where you want to be as a player and (it’s) been taking a few years for me to get here,” Eichel said. “It’s been a great experience. It’s been a lot of fun sharing with the guys in the room, the emotions, winning and moving on. “Having your family around, getting (to) experience with them, they’ve been with you your whole life.”Vegas opens the series Saturday against the Florida Panthers. One of Eichel’s former Buffalo teammates, Sam Reinhart, plays for the Panthers.“He’s such competitor,” Reinhart said of Eichel. “He’s works as hard as anybody on the scene.”Getting the chance to play in meaningful games was a major reason Eichel...

Rangers wait on next steps for deGrom with injured ace home in Florida for birth

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers will wait until Jacob deGrom returns from Florida for the birth of his third child before determining the next steps for the injured two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, who hasn’t pitched in more than a month. General manager Chris Young said Friday that deGrom, out with right elbow inflammation since April 28, would be home with his family through the weekend. “We’ll get him back Monday, kind of evaluate where he is, what he’s been able to do over the last few days, and what the next steps are and go from there,” Young said. DeGrom had been with the team and thrown five bullpen sessions since going on the injured list the day after he last pitched against the New York Yankees, which was the second time in three starts he exited early because of injury concerns. His latest bullpen was Wednesday in Detroit before he flew home to Florida. The AL West-leading Rangers haven’t determined yet if deGrom make a rehab start be...

Skenes’ complete game lifts LSU past Tulane 7-2 in Baton Rouge Regional

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:11 GMT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Paul Skenes threw a complete game and turned a stunning fifth-inning double play to key LSU’s 7-2 win over Tulane in the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday.The Tigers (44-15) face the winner of the game between Sam Houston and Oregon State Saturday. Tulane faces the loser of that game in a loser-out game.Skenes blanked the Waves over the first six innings. The right-hander struck out a dozen batters, walked none and surrendered just two earned runs on seven base hits over nine innings to earn his 11th win in 13 decisions.Jake LaPrairie hit into a pair of hard-luck double plays for Tulane (19-41). He drove a fly ball to the warning track to right, but the Tigers turned it into a double play to end the second when the runner on first took off with the clank of the bat. LaPrairie hit a line drive back up the middle in the fifth, but Skenes snared the ball between his legs and doubled the runner off of first.Hayden Travinski and Dylan Crews each hit an RBI doub...