El Departamento de Policía de East Palo Alto informó que durante febrero de 2023 hubo una reducción de 61.82 por ciento en los disparos en East Palo Alto en comparación con el mismo periodo pero de 2022, de acuerdo con su informe Shotspotter.

Asimismo, destacaron que esta disminución da continuación a la registrada en febrero de 2022 comparado con el de 2021, pues se registró una reducción de 23.61 por ciento.

Dicha disminución, señalaron las autoridades, responde a un trabajo conjunto entre las fuerzas del orden público y los de la comunidad, quienes han brindado información y evidencia para eliminar las armas de fuego ilegales en la ciudad y así ayudar a responsabilizar a las personas por el mal uso de ellas.

Por otra parte, el Departamento de Policía de East Palo Alto agradeció todos los consejos anónimos recibidos, al tiempo que recordó la importancia de tener en cuenta que las denuncias anónimas no son un recurso para la respuesta policial inmediata, ya que no se monitorean las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. 

Para una respuesta policial inmediata sugirió llamar al 9-1-1 o al número de teléfono que no es de emergencia 650-321-1112, mientras que para quejas relacionadas con infracciones de propiedad se pueden comunicar con el Departamento de Cumplimiento de Códigos, que opera bajo el departamento de construcción en el sitio web https://www.cityofepa.org/building/page/code-enforcement. 

Al proporcionar información a la policía, dijo, necesitan información específica sobre el delito o delincuente. 

Por ejemplo, si está denunciando a alguien por tráfico de drogas, se necesita saber: dónde y cuándo venden la droga, una descripción detallada de los vendedores ‒ejemplo: mujer blanca, jeans azules, chaqueta roja, gorra de béisbol‒, cualquier descripción de un vehículo u otra información que tenga sobre el crimen. 

«Si bien no esperamos que ponga en peligro su seguridad para obtener esta información, es información muy importante si hacemos un arresto. Su información no solo nos proporcionará información precisa sobre el sospechoso, sino que también podremos servir como testigos del delito y testificar en el tribunal», señalaron las autoridades en un comunicado.

De igual manera, recordaron que se puede hacer una denuncia anónima a la policía llamando o enviando un mensaje de texto al (650) 409-6792.

Finalmente, informaron que la semana pasada el detective Romero, eligió seguir una carrera fuera de las fuerzas del orden público, mientras que el oficial Chesney se mudó a una agencia más cercana a su hogar, por lo que existen tres posiciones de oficiales vacantes para cubrir y 4 postulantes en su proceso de contratación. 

«Siempre estamos buscando buenos candidatos para unirse a nuestra comunidad. Si conoce a una gran persona que tenga interés en la aplicación de la ley, tráiganosla», dijeron.

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La policía arrestó a un hombre el pasado viernes por la mañana por múltiples cargos, incluido un delito de odio en Palo Alto, después de dos incidentes separados en los que se acercó a hombres sentados en sus autos y cometió delitos contra ellos, donde nadie resultó herido físicamente.

Y es que, el viernes 3 de marzo, alrededor de las 9:29 horas, el centro de atención del Departamento de Policía de Palo Alto recibió una llamada que informaba sobre un hombre que blandía un cuchillo cerca de la cuadra 200 de University Avenue. 

La víctima, un hombre de unos cuarenta años originario de Azerbaiyán, también denunció que el sospechoso le había dicho: «Vuelve a tu país», de acuerdo con un comunicado de las autoridades.

La policía llegó a la escena aproximadamente un minuto después y contactó al sospechoso en la cuadra 500 de Emerson Street, el cual no obedeció a las órdenes verbales y luego huyó de los oficiales. La policía pudo detenerlo a poca distancia en Lytton Plaza y lo arrestó después de una breve lucha. Ni el sospechoso ni ningún oficial sufrieron lesiones físicas.

La investigación reveló que la víctima estaba sentada en su vehículo estacionado en la cuadra 400 de Emerson Street cuando el sospechoso estacionó su vehículo, una camioneta GMC blanca 2017, frente a él. 

El sospechoso salió de su camioneta y se acercó al auto de la víctima, quien dijo no conocerlo y no haber tenido ninguna interacción previa con él. El atacante comenzó a golpear la ventana del lado del conductor de la víctima con un objeto negro el cual creyó era una navaja, para después gritarle «Regresa a tu país», «No queremos verte aquí» y «Deja nuestro país». 

En ese momento, la víctima comenzó a bajar la ventanilla con la intención de preguntarle al sospechoso cuál era su problema con él, sin embargo, el atacante le escupió en la cara. Así, la víctima condujo una cuadra hacia el sur para alejarse del sospechoso y se estacionó de nuevo, pero el sospechoso lo siguió en su camioneta, fue ahí cuando el afectado llamó a la policía.

La policía registró la camioneta del sospechoso y encontró «puños americanos» ‒boxer‒ envueltos en cinta aislante negra dentro de la puerta del conductor, pero ningún cuchillo. Los nudillos de bronce tenían la apariencia de una navaja doblada, y la policía cree que eran lo que el sospechoso sostenía en el momento en que abordó a la víctima.

Mientras se desarrollaba este caso, una segunda víctima llamó a la policía para informar que el mismo sospechoso se le había acercado recientemente mientras estaba sentado en su automóvil cerca de la intersección de Lytton Avenue y Ramona Street. 

Esta víctima ‒un hombre de unos treinta años‒, tampoco conocía al sospechoso y no había tenido ninguna interacción previa con él. El sospechoso le pidió que bajara la ventanilla, lo acusó de seguirlo y le pidió que saliera de su automóvil. Cuando la víctima se negó, el sospechoso intentó golpearlo a través de la ventana entreabierta del automóvil, pero falló.

Luego, el sospechoso bajó las manos y rompió el espejo retrovisor lateral del automóvil de la víctima. No hubo un componente de crimen de odio para este asalto y vandalismo.

La policía fichó al sospechoso, Ambrose Jamari Ochola, de Walnut Creek, de 35 años, en la Cárcel Principal del Condado de Santa Clara por cinco delitos menores: crimen de odio, agresión, resistencia al arresto, asalto y vandalismo y un delito grave por posesión de arma ilegal. 

Las autoridades dijeron que investigarán a fondo cualquier delito de odio denunciado en Palo Alto e invitaron a leer una publicación de blog de la Ciudad titulada «Pasos que la comunidad puede tomar para ayudar a detener los crímenes de odio».

Agregó que la Ciudad de Palo Alto denuncia enérgicamente los delitos de odio de todo tipo y alentó a los miembros de la comunidad a denunciar estos incidentes de inmediato llamando al centro de atención las 24 horas al (650) 329-2413, o al 9-1-1 si se trata de una emergencia. 

A su vez, llamaron a cualquier persona que tenga información sobre estos incidentes a llamar al centro de atención las 24 horas al (650) 329-2413, o a enviar pistas en carácter anónimo al correo electrónico paloalto@tipnow.org o enviarse por mensaje de texto o correo de voz al (650) 383-8984.

This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

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By Olivia Wynkoop. Bay City News.

State park visitors can now track their adventures at California's 280 parks and earn badges along the way in a digital passport program launched Wednesday.

Gone are the days when state park lovers have to carry a paper passport to get stamped at the visitor center; now, visitors can check in at each park and receive a badge on their phones, accessible through the California State Parks apps.

“This new Passport Program adds a layer of play that will help entice new visitors, especially digital natives and people more accustomed to screens and streams than streams and fields, to discover it for themselves,” said Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks.

Each check-in will be added to the user's profile, where they will also be able to add photos. Users can recount their adventures, share with friends, and make a note of which parks to visit next.

“With the Digital Passport Program and interactive enhancements to the app, everyone will have the opportunity to create personal, meaningful relationships with the parks while developing a deeper experience, both during their park visit and long after they leave through digital community engagement,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, president and CEO of Parks California. 

“These lasting connections will foster the next generation of park managers who will protect these incredible places,” he added.

The state parks app, created by technology platform OuterSpatial, also provides information on park closures, directions and wayfinding. OuterSpatial is designed specifically for outdoor organizations hoping to expand their access and engagement with visitors.

“We believe in empowering organizations to provide the best outdoor experience for visitors. The State of California has done an incredible job in providing easy access to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities, and it is a great milestone for OuterSpatial to partner with the State of California Parks and their new Digital Passport Program as part of that progress,” said Ryan Branciforte, CEO of OuterSpatial. 

“Our collaboration will help accelerate their popular Passport Program and encourage a diverse audience to enjoy all that California has to offer, from its oceans, mountains, lakes and deserts, to the rest of what its parks have to offer,” he said.

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detectives of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office A man suspected of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy over a period of eight years while claiming to be a family friend has been arrested.

On June 26, 2022, detectives began investigating a case involving a child who was sexually assaulted over a span of eight years by a family friend. The suspect was identified as Alan Frank Russell of Woodside, California.

So, on March 2, detectives obtained a $200,000 warrant for Russell for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. Shortly after the warrant was issued, Russell was arrested by officers and detectives without incident.

Because these crimes occurred more than 20 years ago, it is unknown at this time if there are any other unidentified victims.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have information about this case to contact Detective Piper at JPiper@smcgov.org or Detective Pitts at 650-599-4060 or Npitts@smcgov.org.

If you wish to remain anonymous, please use the anonymous tip line at 1-800-547-2700.

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To be informed, these are the local news from February 25 to March 3 that you must know to stay up to date.

In the blink of an eye, we are already in March. As recently as late December and early January, the Bay Area was struggling to cope with the disasters caused by storms. However, several counties have entered a state of emergency due to the adverse weather they are facing. Given this, we must be cautious and take all precautions to avoid disasters.

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Gentleness and patience are two characteristics needed to teach kindergarten children to read and write, an activity that Michele Mairani has been teaching for more than 22 years at Clifford Elementary School in Redwood City, California.

In light of this, the Redwood City Public Library paid tribute to Professor Mairani's retirement on Friday, February 17, with a plaque and photograph in the place where she most enjoyed her career, the reading area for children.

The event was accompanied by a donation that will be used to finance the book collection in the children's room.

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The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra On Friday, February 24, the institution presented a single performance of the musical drama “Pan,” which was written by Brazilian composer Marcos Balter especially for Claire Chase, a flutist and collaborating partner of the institution.

For an hour and a half, flutist Claire Chase, described by The New York Times as “the north star of her instrument’s ever-expanding universe,” performed between the audience and two stages arranged so that her costume, which emulated the tail of the only Greek god who is half man and half goat, could move freely throughout the space.

The staging included touches of electronic music, as well as a choir and performances by community institutions such as the Amateur Music Network, Casa Círculo Cultural, Openhouse, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Stanford University School of Music in San Francisco.

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A man was killed by a hit-and-run driver Sunday morning in East Palo Alto.

Police say they were dispatched to the 2200 block of Ralmar Avenue at 10:08 a.m. on reports that a man had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene.

Officers found a 64-year-old man unconscious in the driveway of a residence. Three nearby vehicles were also struck and damaged.

The victim was transported to the hospital where he later died. Police did not release the man's name.

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Power outages continue in the Bay Area as nearly 8,500 PG&E customers were without electricity Monday morning as storm-related outages persist across the region.

As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, North Bay had the most people without power, with 4,944 customers affected, according to PG&E.

In the South Bay, 3,158 were without power, and the Peninsula had 226 affected. The East Bay had 76 without power and five customers were affected in San Francisco.

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San Mateo police have arrested the owner of a San Mateo massage parlor on suspicion of prostitution and running a brothel, police said in a news release Tuesday.

Following previous incidents in which undercover officers sought massages and were offered sex in exchange for money, police served a search warrant Friday at the business, located in the 100 block of De Anza Boulevard.

Police determined that the owner, Liping Yao, 43, of San Jose, negotiated sexual acts for money and arrested her on suspicion of prostitution and brothel keeping.

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The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will seek a $5 million grant in state funds to help provide housing for local farmworkers.

The action was taken by unanimous decision of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, with 5 votes in favor, to authorize staff to apply for support that would fund the purchase of manufactured homes, possibly in partnership with the City of Half Moon Bay.

These homes would be located in an as-yet-unidentified area of the coast. Local farmworkers, including families and people displaced by the January mass shooting, would be eligible to live in and purchase the homes.

The state is expected to announce the grant recipients in June 2023. For now, the county is already working with the city of Half Moon Bay to identify potential sites.

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Península 360 Press has launched the call for applications to participate in the third edition of the Community Journalism Workshop, which, on this occasion, will be carried out in a hybrid format and will last 20 hours spread throughout the week.

The purpose of the workshop is for participants to develop journalistic writing and photography skills, which will be developed in three modules with different themes.

The topics of the 3 modules are: Stop The Hate, Environment and A Story of Personal Experience.

The result of each module will aim to create an exhibition that encompasses the work of each of the attendees.

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Since December 2022, there has been a noticeable trend of Hyundai and KIA car thefts throughout the city of Berkeley, the local Police Department said.

"We believe the increase may be due in part to a social media challenge that encourages theft," authorities said.

In a statement, the Berkeley Police Department said that since December, Hyundai and KIA vehicles have accounted for 38 percent of the total number of cars stolen in Berkeley. 

However, the thefts not only include new models of both brands, but also those not equipped with an engine immobilizer.

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Tolling began Friday morning on the new express lanes on U.S. 101 in San Mateo County between South San Francisco and Sunnyvale.

The new lanes will operate on Highway 101 Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. between Interstate 380 in South San Francisco and North Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale.

Solo drivers wishing to use the express lane must have a standard FasTrak or FasTrak Flex toll tag, while carpool users and motorcycles must have the FasTrak Flex toll tag in the appropriate position to receive discounted travel.

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San Mateo County Police Department (SMPD) officers arrested three men on Thursday, March 2, for criminal threats, conspiracy, and knife assault in San Mateo County.

On Thursday afternoon at approximately 2:49 p.m., SMPD officers were dispatched to the West Hillsdale Boulevard unit block on a report of a stabbing.

Ultimately, all three suspects were transported to the San Mateo County Jail.

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You may be interested in: "The Bay Lights", an ongoing effort for a new and better creation

By Keith Burbank. Bay City News.

A canvas of light descends Sunday after illuminating the western span of the Bay Bridge for 10 years. But with enough donors, it will return “in a more glorious manifestation,” founder Ben Davis said Friday.

The Bay Lights have been shining brightly in the Bay Area for many to see despite exposure to sand, dirt and vibration 24/7 for the past decade.

Now is the time to decommission them as they are failing faster than they can be cost-effectively repaired.

“I’m sure they’ll be back,” Davis said in a telephone interview, explaining what residents might see when they do.

Davis wants more people in the Bay Area to be able to see the lights and wants drivers to travel through a “public art portal at night.”

Currently, drivers on the bridge cannot see The Bay Lights except in their rearview mirrors. The proposed project will produce a gently undulating pattern of low-voltage, monochromatic light up to 230 feet high for 1.8 miles.

The lights will wrap around the cables on the north side of the west span in the recreation. Currently, the lights are on only one side of the cables.

“There’s a sense of mystery and magic to the piece,” said Leo Villareal, the artist who worked with Davis to create the light installation.

People see the lights and can't help but say something to the person walking next to them. It brings people together, Villareal said. It's not about language or images, but something deeper, he said.

The light patterns produced by The Bay Lights are never repeated. The original installation took two and a half years from initial conception to completion, Villareal said.

The challenge, which Davis and others are working on, is making sure the new installation doesn't distract drivers. He's working with traffic engineers and the California Highway Patrol to ensure driver safety.

In the past 10 years, the installation of lights has not caused a single traffic problem, Davis said, and that's the equivalent of traveling on the bridge to the sun and back 40 times.

“It immediately became an iconic image for the Embarcadero, drawing visitors to the city,” said Jill Manton, director of public art trust and special initiatives for the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Manton helped win commission approval and helped draft the resolution supporting the commission.

After it goes dark, reinstallation could take eight to 10 months following an ongoing fundraising campaign. Davis is trying to raise $11 million to fund the project over the next 10 years.

It's looking for 10 donors who can give $1 million each along with $1 million in crowdfunding donations. Details of the efforts so far will be revealed Sunday at 7:45 p.m. at Epic Steak, which is at 369 The Embarcadero and overlooks The Bay Lights.

The new creation will have double the current number of lights, or 50 thousand LEDs. Gifts for the new installation can be made at http://www.thebaylights360.org/More than $5,200 had been raised as of Friday afternoon.

“The Bay Lights have become one of San Francisco’s iconic landmarks, and we hope the fundraising campaign to save this important light art installation is successful so they can come back even bigger and better than before,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, the city’s official destination marketing organization.

“We encourage businesses and residents of San Francisco to support efforts to keep The Bay Lights illuminating our beautiful city for years to come,” D'Alessandro said.

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