Uncategorized

When a fluky play in the first and a timely hit put Live Oak in a 2-1 hole after three innings, the Acorns rallied together and found a way against Mt. Pleasant.

In a funny way, the Live Oak softball team was talking about the first round playoff curse.

May 19: A day in the life of a mushroom

While some types of crime are on the rise in Morgan Hill in the last year, the 2016 MHPD Annual Report shows the city remains safe, as the most serious categories of offenses are in decline.And while Morgan Hill, like other cities and counties in California, is challenged by recent state reforms that make it harder for local jurisdictions to keep potentially violent suspects in check, Police Chief David Swing said the local department is making strides in keeping the community safe by increasing engagement with the public and being more proactive in identifying criminals and preventing threats.“The report illustrates the work being done, and the quality and quantity of work being done by the men and women in this department, and I’m very proud and honored to be able to lead them,” Swing said.The latest MHPD Annual Report was distributed to the public last week. The document gives an overview of what federal authorities classify as “part 1” crimes—which as a whole are decreasing in Morgan Hill—and it lists some of the department’s accomplishments, new initiatives and other statistics.Part 1 crimes “are defined as offenses that are more serious crimes by nature and/or volume,” the report states. These include theft, vehicle theft, burglary and violent crimes such as homicide and assault. In Morgan Hill, theft makes up the highest category (49 percent, or 418 incidents) of all Part 1 crimes, followed by assault (22 percent). Burglary and vehicle theft each account for 13 percent of the local Part 1 volume. Robbery makes up about 3 percent of the total, or 21 incidents. There were no homicides in 2016, and three reported incidents of rape.  Most cities in Santa Clara County, including Morgan Hill, have seen a decrease in Part 1 crimes when 2016 totals are compared to those of 2015, the report states.“We enjoy a relatively low crime rate in Morgan Hill,” Swing said. “Our residents are served by a group of dedicated professionals, many of whom live in South County—so they have a personal commitment” to local safety.However, Swing added it is “concerning” to see increases in residential burglaries, which are also on the rise in other Bay Area cities. These incidents are up to 111 in 2016 from 100 in 2015, but are down from a peak of 164 incidents in 2013.Another growing trend in Morgan Hill is the recovery of firearms from criminal suspects, Swing said. So far in 2017, officers have confiscated 11 guns as evidence during traffic stops or searches. That’s on pace to significantly surpass the 19 firearms recovered in 2015, and 18 confiscated in 2016. In 2014, MHPD officers recovered seven firearms from “people arrested for other crimes.”“Clearly, the increased presence of firearms is a real threat to our community, and to our officers’ safety,” Swing said.And in yet another growing trend, more suspects arrested in Morgan Hill are from other communities, Swing said. In 2016, he said more than half the people arrested here list their residence in another city.Reforms make it harderSome new state laws approved in recent years make it more difficult for local police departments to reduce crime in California. These include Proposition 47, which was approved by the voters in 2014 and reclassified certain nonviolent felonies as misdemeanors.This requires local police to issue citations for theft suspects, for example, who would have “earned a trip to county jail” before Prop 47 was approved, Swing said.The chief listed two of many examples of how this has impacted safety in Morgan Hill in recent months. In an incident earlier this year, officers contacted a suspect in possession of drugs—once a felony, but a misdemeanor under Prop 47. An officer gave the suspect a ticket and let him go.A little while later, the suspect walked into downtown Morgan Hill, and tried to snatch a purse from a customer who was eating on the outdoor patio of a busy restaurant, Swing said. A witness gave chase to the suspect, and police caught up to him and made an arrest.“Pre-Prop 47, that person having lunch in Morgan Hill doesn’t experience the theft of her purse,” because officers would have detained him for the drug possession, Swing said.Another state law that has allegedly made it easier for criminals is AB109, an effort passed in 2011 to reduce the state’s prison population by moving repeat, nonviolent offenders to county jails. Many law enforcement experts have argued this law has placed more criminals—including some violent ones—back on the streets.Less is known about the impact of Proposition 57, which was just approved by voters in November 2016. This proposition makes it easier for judges to release nonviolent criminals on parole.Swing added that at least one study, conducted by Stanford University, ties a statewide increase in auto thefts to these state reforms. In Morgan Hill, police are seeing more vehicle thefts, as well as stolen cars being used in other crimes.Traffic and other numbersTraffic accidents, often overlooked as a public safety issue, increased by a big margin in Morgan Hill in 2016. Police and emergency personnel responded to 283 accidents in 2016, compared to 209 in both 2014 and 2015, according to the annual report.Strategies to decrease the number of collisions, implemented by the MHPD traffic unit and patrol officers, include “directed traffic enforcement, responding to traffic complaints, community outreach campaigns and safe driving education,” the report reads.The annual report also notes that 50 percent of all police reports filed by MHPD officers result in an arrest. That percentage is higher than Gilroy, Palo Alto, Campbell and other similar size cities in Santa Clara County, according to the report.Engagement is keyThe 2016 annual report touts the effectiveness of some new programs instituted at MHPD in the last couple years.One of these is the reinstatement of the department’s Street Crimes Team, which was approved by the council earlier this year. This unit has just recently sprung back into action, tackling gang activity and violent crime, as well as “quality of life issues throughout the community,” Swing said.The Street Crimes Unit is also addressing local homelessness, Swing added. These officers will work with other local agencies and nonprofits to connect homeless people to services that can eventually move them into long-term housing.The report lists other community engagement efforts MHPD has participated in over the last year: Shop With A Cop, Safe Trick or Treat, Coffee With a Cop (next installment coming up May 19 at Peet’s on Cochrane Road) and vacation home checks performed by the department’s Volunteers In Policing program.

Jurors in the Sierra LaMar trial this week began hearing testimony in the “penalty phase” of convicted murderer Antolin Garcia Torres’ fate. The jury will determine if Garcia Torres, 26 of Morgan Hill, will be put to death or spend the rest of his life in prison, without the possibility of parole.Garcia Torres was convicted of murdering Sierra May 9, following a trial that lasted three months. Sierra was 15 at the time she disappeared from her north Morgan Hill home March 16, 2012, and prosecutors convinced the jury that Garcia Torres kidnapped her while she was walking to her school bus stop at the intersection of Palm and Dougherty avenues, and later murdered her.Sierra was a sophomore at Sobrato High School when she was accosted. Her remains have not been found.Garcia Torres was also convicted, by the same jury, of three counts of attempted kidnapping in 2009, in the parking lots of two Morgan Hill Safeway stores. These charges are felonies.The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office decided before the trial started in January to seek the death penalty for Garcia Torres. Testimony in the penalty phase started May 16 with three of Sierra’s friends, as well as some police officers who have had run-ins with Garcia Torres over the years, taking the stand, according to various news reports.Sierra’s sister, Danielle LaMar, took the stand May 17.After the jury reached its verdict, prosecutors and defense attorneys filed a number of motions related to expert testimony during the penalty phase. Defense attorneys are planning to call Dr. Gretchen White to testify “as to the effects of childhood events on the defendant,” according to one of the motions.A memo from White, included in one of the court filings, cites “Significant, chronic stress and trauma throughout childhood and adolescence due to poverty, neglect, loss, violence and sexual incest.”White’s memo, summarizing her findings on Garcia Torres’ mental state, also lists “family risk factors” such as “parent criminality, child maltreatment, poor family management practices, low levels of parental involvement, poor family bonding and family conflict, parental attitudes favorable to substance abuse and violence, parent-child separation.”Garcia Torres’ father is serving a prison term for a 2012 conviction on 17 counts of child molestation for repeatedly raping a female family member.Defense attorney Brian Matthews asked the jury to consider the impact this household trauma had on Garcia Torres when thinking about his penalty, according to news reports.In response to White’s evaluation, prosecutor David Boyd asked the court for permission to hire another expert—Dr. Kris Mohandie—to evaluate Garcia Torres.Defense attorney Brian Matthews objected to Boyd’s request. Judge Vanessa Zecher has not ruled on whether Mohandie can testify on Garcia Torres’ mental state.Testimony in the penalty phase is expected to last until no later than June 9, according to news reports.

Municipal code violationA resident of Taylor Avenue reported that a neighbor was working on a commercial fishing boat that was parked in the street, in violation of the city’s municipal code. Police contacted the boat owner and said he would be moving the vessel back into his yard in a few minutes. The neighbor who reported the violation called police again to report the boat owner was running around his yard with a chainsaw, threatening to cut down his trees in retaliation for calling police on him. The incident was reported 5:11 p.m. May 12.FraudSomeone broke into a vehicle that was parked in Gilroy, and stole credit cards. The victim later reported her bank statement showed an unauthorized charge for $26 at Carls Jr., 16995 Condit Road in Morgan Hill. The fraud was reported 8:27 p.m. May 12.A thief or thieves stole a woman’s purse from her shopping cart while she was shopping at Wal-Mart, 170 Cochrane Plaza. In the purse were credit cards and about $35 cash. The suspect or suspects used one of the credit cards to make a $59 purchase at the same store. The crime was reported 7:41 p.m. May 13.An unspecified number of suspects used counterfeit $20 bills to pay for about $120 worth of merchandise at Big 5 Sporting Goods, 150 Cochrane Plaza. The crime was reported 5:23 p.m. May 5.AccidentAn allegedly drunken driver crashed his vehicle into a tree near the Morgan Hill Library, 660 West Main Ave. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI.Someone drove a black sedan into a fire hydrant on the corner of Monterey and Cochrane roads, causing water to spray into the air uncontrollably. The drier fled the scene. The accident was reported 12:15 a.m. May 8.VandalismGraffiti including a swastika, upside-down crosses and foul language was reported at the Downtown Amphitheater, 17000 Monterey Road. The vandalism was reported 1:26 p.m. May 15.Someone broke into the pool and clubhouse area of the Jackson Oaks subdivision on Oak Hill Court, and set fire to two restrooms, burned the trash cans and caused other damages. The crime was reported 11:50 a.m. May 13.A vandal or vandals slashed all four tires of a Nissan Versa parked on the street outside Hill Haven Mobile Home Park, 17975 Monterey Road. The crime was reported 9:58 a.m. May 14.BurglaryTwo men entered Your Eyes Image, 419 Vineyard Town Center, and stole four or five frames. One of the suspects distracted the store employee while the other stole the items. The crime was reported 1:16 p.m. May 13.Auto burglaryTwo vehicles—a red Honda Cruz and a gray Audi Q3—were broken into and ransacked on the 18200 block of Hale Avenue. The crime was reported 3:11 p.m. May 14.Someone broke into a white Suburban parked on San Pedro Avenue. The crime was reported 4:46 p.m. May 14.A thief or thieves broke into a 1995 Honda Accord parked at Executive Inn Suites, 16505 Condit Road, and stole an iPad, amplifier, Air Jordan sneakers, headphones, social security cards and birth certificates. The crime was reported 7:33 a.m. May 9.Someone smashed the window of a white Toyota Rav4 parked at Red Robin, 1045 Cochrane Road, and stole a cell phone, two laptop computers and a suitcase. The crime was reported 9:28 p.m. May 9.Suspicious circumstancesA group of unknown subjects walked into a home on Serra Place and told the resident they were there to pick up a water bottle left there by the cleaning company. The resident called the cleaning company, who said they did not know the subjects. The subjects left the home. The incident was reported 4:25 p.m. May 11.Stolen vehicleA thief or thieves stole a blue 1998 Ford Mustang from a home on Del Monte Lane. The crime was reported 5:02 a.m. May 8.Petty theftSomeone stole car keys and a phone from a vehicle parked in the downtown parking garage on East Fourth Street. The crime was reported 12:58 p.m. May 8.BullyingA parent of a student at Britton Middle School called police to report her son has been bullied repeatedly at the school since January. The parent said she has told school staff about the bullying numerous times but “nothing is being done.” The parent called police 2:37 p.m. May 8. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.

Chase Benoit, the convicted murderer who stabbed Morgan Hill resident Cody Flores to death in 2015, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the crime last week, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Pandori.Benoit, 22 of Morgan Hill, was sentenced at a hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Jose May 12. He was convicted March 10, following a two-month jury trial, of second degree murder and personal use of a knife for stabbing Flores during a house party in east Morgan Hill May 31, 2015.Benoit will serve the sentence for murder “consecutive to one year prison for use of knife in the murder of Cody Flores,” Pandori added.Benoit testified during the trial that he alone killed Flores, 23, with a knife outside the party on East Main Avenue. He claimed he killed him out fear for his own life as the two had a long-standing dispute going back to 2011, when Flores stabbed Benoit’s brother during a fight.Benoit stabbed Flores at least 14 times with the knife, after chasing him through a dark field between East Main and Diana avenues, according to law enforcement authorities and other witnesses who testified during the trial.Flores died at the hospital shortly after the stabbing.While the DA’s office previously charged Spencer Smith, also 22 of Morgan Hill, with the murder of Flores, the same jury found him not guilty of the crime March 10. He was tried in the same courtroom as Benoit.Smith, a longtime friend of Benoit’s, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. He was also sentenced May 12, to one year in county jail, Pandori said. He received credit for time served while awaiting trial for the murder charge, and was released after the May 12 hearing.Smith’s firearm charges are not directly related to the stabbing death of Flores. The gun was found in a backpack he dropped off at the home of Shyann Surber, who hosted the May 31, 2015 party. He left the backpack at the home earlier that evening.

A tragic date in the history of Crimean Tatar people is drawing close – an anniversary of deportation of Crimean Tatars. This tragedy in its inhumanity can be equated to genocide of the indigenous people of Crimea. By an order of the leader of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin on May 18, 1944 all Crimean Tatars were loaded into freight cars and removed to Central Asia and Siberia. Those who offered resistance and refused to leave their homes were shot in sight, others, who removed in the appointed time, were loaded into barges and flooded in the Black Sea. Totally about 200 thousand Crimean Tatars dead or were deported at that time.