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Two suspects accused of stabbing and killing Cody Flores in Morgan Hill May 31 have pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Pandori.The next hearing for the suspects—Spencer Smith, 20, and Chase Benoit, 20—will take place July 22 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose, Pandori said. The purpose of the hearing is to set the date for future preliminary proceedings, in which prosecutors will present evidence and a judge will determine if the case should go to trial.Smith and Benoit, both of Morgan Hill, were arrested by Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies after the early morning May 31 stabbing death of Flores. The incident happened in east Morgan Hill, in an empty field near the intersection of Diana Avenue and Ringel Drive, according to authorities.Both suspects remain in custody at Santa Clara County Jail without bail, according to authorities.

Police are warning downtown diners to closely guard their purses and other possessions as victims and witnesses have reported a series of purse snatching incidents in recent months.Since March, there have been four incidents in which a male suspect riding by on a bicycle has grabbed purses or handbags from female victims sitting at outdoor dining areas in Morgan Hill, according to a July 9 press release from the Morgan Hill Police Department. The victims’ purses had been sitting on the table they occupied, on the ground near their feet or hanging from a chair when the suspect stole the items and successfully escaped in each of the incidents.In the most recent incident, the victim described the suspect as a Hispanic male, about 18 to 20 years old with a goatee and wearing sunglasses, a dark hoodie and dark colored pants, police said. The suspect rode his bicycle onto the sidewalk, grabbed the victim’s purse and fled the scene.On one occasion, the suspect was riding a BMX style bicycle, police said. In all the other incidents, the suspect was reportedly riding a dark colored mountain bike.MHPD Sgt. Ray Ramos said the suspect had the “same MO and similar description” in each of the four incidents.A March 4 incident that happened at Ladera Grill’s outdoor dining area, 17305 Monterey Road, was reported by the Times after the Morgan Hill Downtown Association sent an email to members warning them of the purse snatching.About 8:15 p.m., the suspect rode by the outdoor dining area and grabbed a purse that was on a chair at a dining table, according to the email. The owner of the purse, who was sitting next to the chair from which her purse was stolen, said she noticed the thief cycle by the dining area the first time to “check it out,” and return moments later to steal the purse. The suspect fled the area on the bicycle after grabbing the purse.The outdoor dining areas at Ladera Grill and other downtown restaurants extend from the front of the buildings out to the edge of the curb. The MHDA asked these establishments at the time to warn their customers to keep their valuables out of view when dining outside.Police said there are ways outdoor dining patrons can guard themselves against future “crimes of opportunity.”“Criminals are attracted to victims and their belongings that are easy and inviting,” Ramos said in the press release. “Your best defense is to take steps to make your property uninviting to criminals. In other words, the harder you make it, the less likely you are to become a crime victim. While nothing is foolproof, common sense precautions will greatly reduce your chances of becoming a victim. Always be aware of your surroundings and do not leave your property unattended; this will act as a deterrent to thieves and increase the likelihood they will pass you by and move on.”Anyone with information about these incidents can call MHPD Det. Sheena Pevehouse at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line (408) 947-STOP (7867).

The city’s buffered bicycle lane and “complete streets” traffic calming experiment on Monterey Road will end earlier than planned. But motor traffic will remain restricted to only one lane through the beginning of the fall to make room for construction through the downtown.And that’s just one of several major construction projects that will occupy the summer and early fall in downtown Morgan Hill, as both East Third and Fourth streets—which line the north and south side of the Fourth Street garage that is also under construction—will be demolished and reconstructed starting this week.City staff and downtown businesses are aware there will be some impacts on local economic activity due to the construction. Chamber of Commerce Chair Rich Firato said “the pain” starts July 13, when Monterey Road construction will temporarily eliminate parking spaces for patrons, but he thinks the end result will be good for business.“The impact of the parking is going to be a deterrent for patrons and businesses, but at the same time, when it’s done it will be a benefit,” Firato said. “I don’t know how you can do this type of project without having upset people in the down time. But the city’s vision and plan are on track, and we have to go through these painful things to get to the finished product (which is) going to be beautiful and charming.”The projects are all part of the city’s plan to upgrade and revitalize downtown infrastructure, and spend about $25 million in leftover Redevelopment Agency bond proceeds on their original purposes before the Dec. 31 deadline to do so. If the money is not spent by the end of this year, the IRS will demand it be used to pay off the 2009 RDA bonds.Construction on the Monterey Road “streetscape” project will begin July 13, according to Morgan Hill Communications Manager Maureen Tobin.As a result, the current buffered bicycle lane on Monterey Road from Dunne to Main Avenue will be taken over by construction crews until Aug. 21. Street parking will be unavailable on both sides Monterey Road during this time.This first phase of the Monterey Road improvement project will consist of irrigation and electrical upgrades for existing brick garden boxes and lights along the sidewalks, concrete work, repaving and lane striping, according to city staff.Once that is completed Aug. 21, the second phase of the project will get under way and last until Oct. 20, Tobin said. That phase will reverse construction to the inside lanes on Monterey Road (those closer to the median), which will consist of similar upgrades for the downtown median strip as well as landscaping, benches and other facilities.From Aug. 21 to Oct. 20, the lane that now serves bicyclists will become the lone motor vehicle lane on each side of Monterey Road through downtown. No bicycle lane will be available throughout both phases, but street parking will be reopened during the second phase.Pedestrian access will remain unrestricted during the construction, city staff said.Some construction will take place at nighttime and in the early mornings (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) to limit the impact on local business.The City Council approved the buffered bicycle lane as a temporary, six-month experiment earlier this year. Its purpose was to see if the change would make the downtown friendlier for pedestrians, bicycles and families.The trial started Feb. 18, and was originally scheduled to continue until the middle of August. However, city staff decided last week that it’s better to shorten the experiment in order to accommodate the streetscape construction schedule.During the experiment, the city and consultant Alta Planning and Design collected data such as vehicle speeds, pedestrian activity, noise levels, traffic volumes, cycling lane usage, parking occupancy and other metrics.The five-member city council will hear a final report at the Aug. 5 meeting, which is four weeks earlier than originally planned, Tobin added. No sooner than October, the council will decide whether or not to make the one-lane, buffered bicycle passage configuration a permanent part of the downtown strip.The streetscape project will not determine the ultimate lane configuration.The project will cost about $2.1 million, with Stockbridge General Contracting performing the work. It will be funded by bond proceeds left over from the Redevelopment Agency, which was closed by the state in 2012. The council approved the contract at the June 17 meeting.The temporary complete streets trial cost about $250,000, also funded by former RDA proceeds, according to city staff.Third and Fourth streetsAlso starting this week, with visible impacts starting next week, are the reconstruction of East Third and Fourth streets.The East Third Street Promenade was built in 2009 with about $3 million in RDA, but its unique construction and design have resulted in extensive damages since then, according to city staff. While the city is in court trying to recover monetary damages from the construction and design contractors it hired to build the street, it is fronting the cost of reconstruction (with leftover RDA funds) to replace loose, cracked and sinking paver stones with a more stable surface.The project will require demolition of the existing pavers and sidewalk, as well as the grassy area and decorative fountain in the middle of Third Street, city staff added. A new plaza-like gathering place will be built on the south side of the street, between the roadway and the Fourth Street garage under a sprawling heritage oak tree that sits behind Huntington Station restaurant.During construction, which is expected to last until Sept. 7, alternate ends of East Third Street will be closed to through traffic during daylight hours. (See the tentative schedule below for details.)The reconstruction of Fourth Street, including placing utility lines underground and replacement of sidewalks, will take place from July 6 to early October, according to city staff. More details on the schedule will be available as the project progresses. The contractor anticipates at least one day during the week of Aug. 3, water and sewer service will be unavailable to residents and businesses while new connections are made.The reconstruction of Third and Fourth streets were added to the contract with F&H Construction, which is building the three-story, 271-space parking Fourth Street Garage. The council approved the change order at the May 20 meeting, at a cost of about $2.1 million.The original contract for the parking garage was approved last year at a cost of about $8.6 million.

The city’s buffered bicycle lane and “complete streets” traffic calming experiment on Monterey Road will end earlier than planned, but motor traffic will remain restricted to only one lane through late October to make room for construction through the downtown.Construction on the Monterey Road “streetscape” project will begin July 13, according to Morgan Hill Communications Manager Maureen Tobin. That’s earlier than expected due to a conflict between the contractor’s proposed construction schedule and the city’s original six-month plan to test out a narrowed Monterey Road with lower vehicle capacity.As a result, the current buffered bicycle lane currently on Monterey Road from Dunne to Main Avenue will be taken over by construction crews from July 13 to Aug. 21. Street parking will be unavailable on both sides of Monterey Road during this time.This first phase of the Monterey Road improvement project will consist of irrigation and electrical upgrades for existing brick planter boxes and lights along the sidewalks, concrete work, repaving and lane striping, according to city staff.Once that is completed Aug. 21, the second phase of the project will get under way and last until Oct. 20, Tobin said. That phase will reverse construction to the inside lanes on Monterey Road (those closer to the median), which will consist of similar irrigation and electrical upgrades for the downtown median strip, landscaping, grading, concrete work, installation of benches and bollards, repaving and striping.From Aug. 21 to Oct. 20, the lane that now serves bicyclists will become the lone motor vehicle lane on each side of Monterey Road through downtown. No bicycle lane will be available throughout both phases, but street parking will be reopened during the second phase.Pedestrian access will remain unrestricted during the construction, city staff said.Some construction will take place overnight and in the early mornings (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) to limit the impact on local business.The City Council approved the buffered bicycle lane as a temporary, six-month experiment earlier this year in an effort to determine if limiting vehicle traffic to a single lane through downtown would make the downtown more pedestrian, bicycle and family friendly.The trial started Feb. 18, and was originally scheduled to continue until the middle of August. However, city staff decided last week that it’s best to shorten the experiment in order to accommodate the streetscape construction schedule.During the experiment, the city and consultant Alta Planning and Design have collected data such as vehicle speeds, pedestrian activity, noise levels, traffic volumes, cycling lane usage, parking occupancy and other metrics.“After careful consideration, we decided it made sense to end the data collection and finalize the (complete streets) project,” Tobin said. “ We have collected lots of data and feel comfortable that we can provide Council with a complete report for a final decision.”The five-member city council will hear a final report at the Aug. 5 meeting, which is four weeks earlier than originally planned, Tobin added.No sooner than October, the council will decide whether to make the one-lane, buffered bicycle lane configuration a permanent part of the downtown strip. The streetscape construction project will not determine the final number of vehicle lanes on Monterey Road.In a halfway point report to the council in May, city staff said data measurements thus far showed motor vehicle traffic volumes on Monterey Road dropped by 14 percent, while the number of vehicles on Butterfield Boulevard—which bypasses downtown on the east—went up. Bicycle traffic had increased, while pedestrian activity declined.The city will not continue to take these measurements during the Monterey Road construction because it “creates too many variables that are all very temporary and specific to construction,” Tobin said.The project will cost about $2.1 million, with Stockbridge General Contracting performing the work. It will be funded by bond proceeds left over from the Redevelopment Agency, which was closed by the state in 2012. The council approved the contract at the June 17 meeting.The temporary complete streets trial cost about $250,000, also funded by former RDA proceeds, according to city staff.

Auto burglaryA thief or thieves broke the window of a black Ford Explorer and stole several backpacks containing iPods, clothing, shoes and other items, according to police reports. The crime was reported 9:48 p.m. June 30 at the Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road.Someone smashed the window of a Honda Pilot that was parked behind TJ Maxx, 401 Vineyard Town Center, police reported. The crime was reported 10:10 p.m. June 30.A thief or thieves smashed the window of a Toyota Prius and stole a briefcase, according to police. The theft was reported 12:24 p.m. July 2.Petty theftSomeone stole a basket full of groceries and beer from Safeway grocery store, 235 Tennant Station, according to police reports. The crime was reported 11:48 p.m. June 30.Four female thieves stole more than $700 worth of perfume from Target, 1061 Cochrane Road, on June 30 and July 1, according to police reports. The women allegedly used a “cutting tool” to remove the fragrances from their containers and transfer them into their purses. The crime was reported 6:24 p.m. July 3. Illegal fireworksFireworks were ignited in violation of the city’s municipal code numerous times at several locations throughout town between July 1 and July 4, according to police reports. Locations include Peebles Avenue south of Burnett, Diana Avenue, Sundance Court, the area of Crest Avenue and Grove Court, Spring Avenue and Lone Hill Drive, Via Grande and Main Avenue, Grand Prix Way, Creekside Circle and Dunne Avenue, Aspen Way, Central and McLaughlin avenues, Calle Tierra and Calle Viento, Walnut Grove and San Bernardo Lane, East Dunne Avenue and Tassajara Circle, Native Dancer Drive and Watsonville Road and Peet Road at Cochrane Road.Water wasteSomeone reported water was flowing from an underground pipe that goes to the street from a residence on the 19300 block of Dougherty Avenue, according to police reports. The witness who reported the water waste added that the home’s sprinkler system often turns on at 5 a.m. The incident was reported about 7 a.m. July 2.Vehicle abatementA resident of an undisclosed location in Morgan Hill was cited for having three vehicles with expired registration parked on their property, according to police reports. Two of the vehicles’ registrations had expired more than 10 years ago. The incident was reported 10:43 a.m. July 2.Stolen vehicleA crème 2009 Volkswagen Beetle was stolen from the area of the Quality Inn, 16525 Condit Road, according to police. The theft was reported about 12 a.m. July 4.A black 1998 Honda Civic was stolen from an unspecified location in Morgan Hill, according to police reports. And a thief or thieves broke into a red 1990 Honda Accord and stole a toolbox. The crimes were reported about 7 a.m. July 6.A purple 2000 Honda Civic was stolen from a parking area near the intersection of Cosmo and Del Monte avenues, according to police. The crime was reported about 9 a.m. July 6.All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.  

Police reported at least 60 motorists were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the three-day Fourth of July holiday weekend.The numbers were reported from 13 law enforcement agencies throughout Santa Clara County, from 12:01 a.m. July 3 through midnight July 5, according to a press release from Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Jensen.That number is up from 45 arrests over the same holiday in 2014, the press release noted. However, last year’s arrests were reported over a four-day law enforcement crackdown rather than the three-day campaign waged this month.Local law enforcement agencies heighten their enforcement of DUI violations during high-traffic holiday periods such as Independence Day, in an ongoing campaign known as “Avoid the 13.”The next major Avoid DUI campaign will take place for the 18-day summer enforcement period starting in August and ending Labor Day weekend, police said.Enhanced enforcement efforts include extra officers on patrol as well as DUI and driver’s license checkpoints, authorities said.Funding for the Avoid the 13 comes from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The California Highway Patrol will be out in full force during the holiday weekend in an effort to reduce roadway deaths and prevent injuries, according to a CHP press release.The Independence Day “Maximum Enforcement Period” (MEP) begins Friday, July 3, at 6 p.m. and continues through Sunday, July 5, at 11:59 p.m., according to authorities. All available officers throughout the state will be deployed during the MEP to focus enforcement on occupant restraints, speed violations, and those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.“This is a time for celebration, not tragedy,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Celebrate this Independence Day by having fun but also by being responsible in the choices you make.”According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the Fourth of July holiday period over the last five years (from 2008 to 2012), 765 people lost their lives in collisions involving drivers with a Blood Alcohol Concentration of .08 or more. These fatalities account for 40 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities over this same five-year period.Last year during the Independence Day weekend in California 32 people were killed with 70 percent of those killed not wearing a seat belt. During that same time, more than 1,300 people were arrested by the CHP for driving under the influence.“We want this year to be different. We want everyone to celebrate responsibly and get home safely,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Designate a sober driver before you head out to celebrate and do your part to make this a safe holiday for everyone on California’s roads.”The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office will also participate in the heightened holiday enforcement efforts by adding three extra patrol units on unincorporated roadways during the weekend, according to sheriff’s Sgt. James Jensen.

Morgan Hill Fire Marshal Dwight Good first became attracted to fire work when he joined the Mariposa County Volunteer Fire Department in 1991. At first it was just a fun hobby, but that hobby eventually turned into a passion for keeping people safe from fire.