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Man accused of robbery, sex assault at Orange County massage parlor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

A man was arrested after he allegedly robbed an Orange County massage business and sexually assaulted victims inside.The suspect was identified as Thomas Avery Hillman, Jr., 44, a Paramount resident, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.On Nov. 15, deputies responded to an armed robbery in Stanton in the 12000 block of Beach Boulevard around 3:44 p.m.Deputies discovered Hillman had allegedly forced victims into a private room inside the parlor and “mandated they orally copulate him while he held them at gunpoint,” authorities said.He reportedly took around $2,000 in cash and fled the premises before deputies could arrive.Investigators later identified Hillman as the suspect and located him at his residence. He surrendered to deputies during a search warrant. Video captures truck smashing into West Hollywood barbershop Thomas Avery Hillman, Jr., 44, in a booking photo from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.Hillman was charged with suspicion of robbery, assault w...

Do smartphones expire? Sort of

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

You’re undoubtedly familiar with expiration dates. From the milk in your fridge to the Twinkies in your pantry (yes, even those can expire) — but what about your phone?It’s not like your phone starts to sprout mold or smell funny after you’ve had it for a while. If you can avoid cracking the screen and keep it clean, it might be hard to even tell how old your phone is from a distance. But yes, in a sense, it can "expire." If you have an older iPhone, you may have actually experienced this already. Take, for example, the last major iPhone update Apple pushed out in September, iOS 17. While it introduced a bevy of new features for iPhone users, not everyone was able to get the update.  Chuck E. Cheese is getting rid of its animatronic bands, except here Apple made the massive update available to select models, dating only as far back as the iPhone XR and XS models (both released in 2018). If you have an iPhone 8 (released in 2017) or earlier, you don’t have iOS 17 and you’...

Oakland: One dead in early morning crash on I-580

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

At least one person has been confirmed dead after a vehicle overturned on Interstate Highway 580 in Oakland on Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.The crash occurred just after midnight on westbound I-580 near the Lakeshore Avenue exit. When officers arrived, they found a bleeding crash victim, who they gave medical attention.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Oakland: Pedestrian found dead on 12th Street off-ramp, near Interstate 980 Saturday morning Crashes and Disasters | Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run on Highway 4 near Discovery Bay Crashes and Disasters | Driver killed in rollover crash on Highway 4 near Crockett Crashes and Disasters | Driver flees after woman killed in multi-vehicle East Bay freeway crash Crashes and Disasters | Ghost Tire Memorial placed at site of Malibu crash that killed 4 Pepperdine students California Highway Patrol said the victim died due to &#...

Campbell nonprofit continues ‘Ask the Experts’ series

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Ask the ExpertsThe next speaker in the Eating Disorders Resource Center’s “Ask the Experts” series founded a clinical program in Mexico to address eating disorders and mental health issues.Dr. Eva Trujillo is the executive director of Comenzar de Nuevo, a nonprofit organization recognized throughout Latin America that supports the prevention, teaching, research, advocacy, and treatment of eating disorders at all levels of care. Her program is a model for other Latin American countries and has raised the standard of treatment available in Mexico.Trujillo’s “Ask the Experts” talk on Dec. 16 will be a virtual event, set for 9:30-11 a.m. To register, visit https://edrcsv.org/get-informed/ask-the-experts.This series, presented in collaboration with Santa Clara Family Health Plan, will continue in 2024 with other leaders in the field of eating disorders.MetroED award winnersTom Nemeth of the Metropolitan Education District’s new Electrical Vehicles/Automotive Services program was named Me...

Winchester Mystery House hosts Oddities Market for holiday shopping

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Shopping for holiday odditiesHoliday shoppers whose tastes skew toward “The Nightmare Before Christmas” might want to check out the Yuletide ODDventure Residency at the Winchester Mystery House presented by Menagerie Oddities Market.On Saturdays from Nov. 25 to Dec. 30, noon-9 p.m. each day, the Winchester Mystery House will play host to a differently themed show. Shoppers can partake in a Dark Victorian Christmas on Dec. 2, the fifth annual Holiday Oddities Show on Dec. 9 and a Victorian Peddler’s Street Faire on Dec. 16. Procrastinators can shop a Bizarre Bazaar on Dec. 23, and the series wraps up with a Soul Spa Re-enchantment Metaphysical Faire on Dec. 30.In addition to 45 artisans, creators and purveyors of the strange and unusual, the market will feature DJs, live music, fortunetelling, burlesque performers, circus act performances by Renegade Circus and the Misfit Toys, and a doll part ornament-making class in Santa’s workshop. Dr. R. Snick will present his exhibit and ...

Sunnyvale Historical Society hosts holiday teas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Holiday teas at the museumThe Sunnyvale Historical Society is taking reservations for its 15th annual holiday teas on the first two weekends in December.Period clothing is encouraged for the Victorian-themed teas, set for Dec. 2-3 and 9-10, 2-4 p.m., at the Heritage Park Museum, 570 E. Remington Drive. Doors open at 1 p.m. to allow guests to browse the museum exhibits and the store.Reserve a table by calling 408-749-0220.League seeks volunteersThe League of Women Voters Cupertino-Sunnyvale has several committees that need coordination and additional members, including voter service, communications, online access and activities. For more information, visit https://lwvcs.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=42&club_id=604588.Bringing the heatSunnyvale ranked third among California cities in a recent study of most affordable cities to heat a home in winter. Overall, the study by HVAC Gnome determined that 94 of the most affordable cities to heat in the country are in California. Th...

Opinion: Santa Clara County leads locally on climate change

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

It’s been said that the best time to act on climate change was yesterday, and the next best time is today. I agree.My work on climate change began in earnest in the California State Legislature. As a member of the state Assembly, I coauthored (with then-State Sen. Byron Sher) the landmark 2002 Renewables Portfolio Standards bill, which required California electricity providers to acquire at least one-fifth of their power from clean, renewable sources like wind, solar, and geothermal by 2017.Some years later, as a state senator, I chaired the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality; in that role I coauthored and helped guide the passage of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (also known as AB 32, coauthored by Assemblymembers Fabian Nunez and Fran Pavley). The law established the state’s most aggressive effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.To make sure we’d actually achieve those goals, I wrote legislation moving the deadline for 20% renewable energy use up to 2010, wh...

Milpitas rings in the holidays with tree lighting ceremony

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Tree Lighting CeremonyMilpitas residents can ring in the holidays with the city’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Milpitas Civic Center Plaza, 457 E. Calaveras Blvd. Santa will be on hand for photo ops, and the Milpitas Community Concert Band will provide seasonal music.For more information, call 408-586-3210 or visit Milpitas.gov.Senior pet adoptionsHumane Society Silicon Valley is waiving all adoption fees on animals 6 years and older through the end of November.“It’s a common misconception that older animals end up in shelters because there is something wrong with them,” Humane Society’s senior director of operations Kristen Jahnke said in a statement. “In truth, most enter shelters through no fault of their own.“When you adopt an adult animal, you’re truly giving them a second chance at a happy life with a loving family.”According to the Humane Society, among the advantages of adopting a senior pet are that many are already trained, their hab...

Los Gatos is looking for a new poet laureate

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Poet laureate applicationsThe Town of Los Gatos is accepting applications for its next poet laureate. The town poet laureate is an honorary position that serves to promote poetry and encourage the appreciation and advancement of literary arts in Los Gatos. The poet laureate will serve a three-year term beginning in January 2024 and ending in December 2026.This honorary position is open to any Los Gatos resident age 18 or older who has either published poetry or has been recognized for their contributions to poetry or other literature. The new poet laureate will replace Jen Siraganian.The deadline to apply is Dec. 4. Applications are available at https://www.losgatosca.gov/2298/Poet-Laureate.Giving Tree donationsSkyland Church is collecting monetary donations for its annual Giving Tree to provide families in the Santa Cruz mountain with gift cards for groceries, clothes and other necessities.Last year church and community members donated to support 26 families at CT English Middle Sc...

Opinion: Saratoga mayor looks back on 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:57 GMT

Last December, my peers on the Saratoga City Council selected me to serve as mayor. The year started with a close look at the city’s budget and fiscal health. Despite inflation, loss of revenues and storm impacts, the council balanced the budget through cost recovery measures and reimagining facility rentals without reductions in services. We also invested in the future of Saratoga, allocating more than $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for important infrastructure projects, including stormwater management and clean water improvements, as well as over $4 million to city roads.The Housing Element update efforts continued this year. The state’s comments on Saratoga’s third draft of the Housing Element required new policies that would increase housing sites and affordability in existing single-family neighborhoods. The city council recently considered these new policies, bringing us closer to a final Housing Element and preventing additional builder’s remedy projects.T...