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Tarzana man arrested for dumping body parts charged with murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Samuel Bond Haskell IV, 35, has been formally charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with three counts of murder in connection with the death of his wife and her parents in Tarzana, officials announced Monday.  On Nov. 7, the 35-year-old, the son of Samuel Haskell III, a one-time high-profile Hollywood agent at William Morris Talent Agency, allegedly hired four day-laborers to haul off several heavy black plastic trash bags from the home he shared with his wife, 37-year-old Mei Haskell, her elderly parents and the couple’s three young children.  “One of the laborers opened one of the bags and allegedly observed human body parts,” according to a news release from the district attorney’s office. “They called 911 and reported the incident.”  That same day, he was reportedly seen and photographed approximately five miles from his home in the 4100 block of Coldstream Terrace disposing a large trash bag into a dumpster off Ventura Boulev...

Homer will continue to strangle Bart on 'The Simpsons,' co-creator says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Changes seemingly won’t be coming to "The Simpsons" after co-creator and producer James L. Brooks told People Magazine Homer “will continue to get aggressive with his son,”“Nothing's getting tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing,” Brooks told the publication. “He'll continue to be strangled—[if] you want to use that awful term for it. He'll continue to be loved by his father in a specific way.”News of “The Simpsons” patriarch no longer strangling his son was rapidly shared on social media after the Oct. 22 episode “McMansion & Wife” premiered. During the episode, when Homer and Marge meet their new neighbor, Thayer, the new character comments on Homer’s firm handshake. ‘Simpsons’ producers respond to reports that suggested Homer would stop strangling Bart “See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off,” Homer said during the episode. “Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed.”The scene caught the internet’s attention when it was posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Nov. 1.M...

10 Freeway fire set with 'malice intent,' Newsom says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

A massive fire beneath one of the most vital traffic arteries in downtown Los Angeles is believed to have been intentionally set, officials said during a Monday news conference.At 3:30 p.m. Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass participated in a press conference to discuss the blaze that has crippled the downtown commute for hundreds of thousands of Angelenos.Newsom began the press conference by describing the fire as being set with "malice intent," saying the fire burned within the fence line and appeared to be an act of arson.The governor described the investigation related to who set the blaze as "ongoing."Newsom had previously said that the area was being leased by a company that the state knew well and was involved in active litigation with, adding that the lease had recently expired. On Monday, Newsom identified the company as Apex Development Inc. and said he expects the case to be heard in court in early 2024."This guy and this organization, w...

Habimana Ciza Pronounced Dead Following Hit-and-Run Crash near Grand Canyon University [Phoenix, AZ]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Pedestrian Accident near 35th Avenue Left One FatalityPHOENIX, AZ (November 13, 2023) – Wednesday morning, a hit-and-run crash near Grand Canyon University left 29-year-old Habimana Ciza dead.As per law enforcement, the incident occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. in the vicinity of 35th Avenue and Camelback Road.Emergency crews swiftly arrived at the scene in response.Additionally, records indicate that Habimana Ciza suffered severe injuries as a result of the crash. Unfortunately, Ciza later succumbed to the severity of her condition.Meanwhile, police said the suspect, Graciela Gracia-Marquez, left the scene following the crash. Authorities booked her into jail for a hit-and-run collision involving a death.Those with further information regarding the accident are encouraged to contact local authorities as soon as possible.Further investigations are still ongoing. Phoenix Police will release additional information as it becomes available to the public.In this sorrowful time, ...

Peninsula beheading defendant stalemates cross examination by going nonresponsive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

REDWOOD CITY — A man charged with beheading his child’s mother with a sword in San Carlos last year appeared to go into a stupor and become completely nonresponsive to a prosecutor while taking the stand Monday, prompting a judge to call off the rest of the afternoon’s trial proceedings.The bizarre occurrence immediately elicited an insinuation that Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta was putting on an act.Prosecutor Josh Stauffer insisted that it be written into the court record that as soon as Judge Lisa Novak formally ended the day’s hearing, Solano started talking again, in part to complain about how he was physically prodded during his noncommunicative bout. The spell lasted several minutes in open court and likely longer during an impromptu break during which the public was cleared from the courtroom.Before Stauffer’s cross examination of Solano began mid-afternoon Monday, the defendant was terse but responsive to defense attorney Robert Cummings’ q...

49ers’ Shanahan not about to make too much of blowout win over Jaguars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

The 49ers returned to form with another blowout win over a quality opponent, but coach Kyle Shanahan handled it Monday the same way he did the others.The end result was great as the 49ers improved to 6-3. But there were plenty of mistakes to be corrected, and it’s not as if a 34-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars has any direct carryover to their Week 11 home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5).It was pretty much the same reaction Shanahan had after two other one-sided wins against highly regarded opposition — a season opening 30-7 win in Pittsburgh and a 40-12 victory over Dallas on in Week 5.“I thought we made a number of mistakes on offense, there was a couple of things on defense — with screens and stuff — that got through there,” Shanahan said in a conference call with local media. “We made a couple of mistakes on special teams. But when you just keep fighting and keep going, you have zero turnovers and they have four. Sometime...

Letters: Delinquent rent | Divulging RMDs | Cutting homelessness | No armchair QBs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Governments shouldn’tpay off delinquent rentRe: “Local governments should help with rent aid” (Page A12, Nov. 12).This letter writer may have good intentions by suggesting that local governments help with current rent due rather than expecting property owners to provide free housing again to solve the reported “tsunami” of eviction cases. A problem with this solution is that local governments’ help would come from using the revenue received from taxpayers either directly or indirectly. In addition, such a solution will very likely set a precedent and, in turn, the expectation by some, if not all, renters that they can live rent-free if they don’t pay rent regardless of their capacity to pay rent.Kirit ShahFremontUtilities shouldn’t seeRMDs for incomeConcerning the proposed PG&E utility tax, it’s worth noting that not all of the income shown on a tax return is...

The 10 most expensive homes reported sold in San Jose in the week of Nov. 6

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

A house that sold for $4.6 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in San Jose in the past week.In total, 34 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $2.2 million, $983 per square foot.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Nov. 6 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $2.3 million, single-family home in the 1900 block of Dry Creek RoadThe 2,665 square-foot detached house in the 1900 block of Dry Creek Road, San Jose, has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in October and the total purchase price was $2,278,000, $855 per square foot. The house was built in 1950. The house features three bedrooms and three bathrooms.Dry Creek Road9. $2.3 million, single-family house in the 1400 block of Saint Francis DriveThe sale of the single family residence in the 1400 block of Saint Francis Drive in San Jose has ...

Anderson Dam: Cost to rebuild major reservoir rises to $2.3 billion, tripling from two years ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

The cost to bring Anderson Dam, which holds back the largest reservoir in Santa Clara County, up to modern earthquake standards has increased to $2.3 billion, water officials said Monday. That’s double what was estimated a year ago, triple the price tag from two years ago, and nearly certain to drive water rates higher next year across Silicon Valley.“It’s very disturbing,” said John Varela, chairman of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, a government agency based in San Jose that owns the dam and is is overseeing the project.“The cost escalations are just absurd,” he added. “It’s like a taxi cab when you go inside for a cup of coffee and the meter keeps running and your $5 fare goes to $10 and you say ‘Wait a minute.'”In 2020, federal dam safety officials ordered the reservoir along Highway 101 between San Jose and Morgan Hill drained and its dam rebuilt to modern seismic standards. They feared its 240-foot-high earthen dam, built ...

'No to APEC' coalition of activists march from Embarcadero to Moscone Center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

(BCN) -- Thousands of protesters joined forces to march from Embarcadero Plaza to the Moscone Center on Monday under the banner of No To APEC, a coalition of nearly 150 grassroots organizations. They brought various causes before the cameras at the week-long meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco. "All of our movements are connected by a common enemy, which is U.S. imperialism," said Kobi Guillory, in a public statement from the coalition. "We are here protesting against APEC because imperialism always violates the right of self-determination of oppressed people." Guillory is identified as a Chicago public school teacher. Biden in San Francisco for APEC: Timeline of president’s visit Participants chanted various slogans, including "from Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!" as the San Francisco police ushered the peaceful protest down Market Street."Thousands are joining our movement. We built this coalition from all walks of life, a...