By Ananda Shorey
March 6, 2008
Hans Reiser continues attacking Nina’s character
Computer scientist Hans Reiser continued attacking the character of his missing wife Nina in his third day on the witness stand today, telling jurors that she frequently “worked people” and was “a little manipulative.”
A day after alleging that Nina had a lengthy affair with his best friend and stole at least $150,000 from his computer file system business, Reiser, 44, said Nina “will look people in the eyes and smile and say words of flattery and I’ll think this is too over the top.”
Reiser said Nina “worked” an Oakland police officer who testifiedearlier in his trial that he advised Nina to get a gun for her protection after he witnessed Hans harassing Nina when they exchanged their children at the Oakland police station as part their system of sharing custody of their children after they separated in August of 2004.
In response to a question by his attorney, William DuBois, Reiser said he didn’t menace the police officer but insisted that “Nina worked him. I remember watching her and she did a whole routine.”
Reiser also said he thinks Nina invented problems allegedly suffered by the couple’s son to gain an advantage in their divorce proceedings and indicated that he thinks she might still be alive and engaging in deception.
He said that when he was arrested in October of 2006, a month after Nina disappeared on Sept. 3, 2006, “I was still worried about what Nina might be up to or what might happen.”
Sex offender faces up to 18 months in prison
Santa Clara County prosecutors announced today that a registered sex offender faces a possible 18 months in prison if convicted for two separate incidents when he allegedly inappropriately touched female shoppers at two county department stores.
Greg Eugene Carter, 42, is in custody in Santa Clara County Jail.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Carter repeatedly touched a female shopper at the Gilroy Wal-Mart in September 2007. The second incident occurred in November when he allegedly attempted to touch a female juvenile at the Milpitas Kohl’s as he walked by her.
Carter’s next scheduled court appearance is Wednesday.
Tech and research employees gather for contract negotiations in Berkeley
Technical and research employees gathered today in Berkeley for the beginning phase of contract negotiations with the University of California system, according to the worker’s labor union.
About 100 members of University Professional and Technical Employees, which represents approximately 10,000 University of California researchers and technical workers, met with a university bargaining team at about 10:30 a.m. at Stephens Lounge at the University of California at Berkeley.
“We’ve suffered through the years,” said Tanya Smith, president of University Professional and Technical Employees Local 1, in a prepared statement. “We’re prepared for tough bargaining with the university over fair pay and stronger benefit protections.”
At 12:30 p.m., members planned to hold an informational meeting on the steps of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union to discuss their concerns about pay and benefits.
“We look forward to working with UPTE and reaching a good contract with both research professionals and technical employees,” said Nicole Savickas, a spokeswoman for the University of California Office of the President.
According to the union, pay for researchers and technical employees has fallen more than 10 percent behind the Consumer Price Index over the past 15 years.
“This bargaining will set the new template for benefits and wages for years to come,” said Kevin Rooney, the union’s chief negotiator, in a prepared statement. “We hope UC will share our commitment to making the university a place where the best and brightest want to come and make a career.”
Savickas said that university system wants to increase salaries, but that negotiations have just begun and that the university system has not received or released a comprehensive contract proposal.
Contract negotiations officially began Wednesday, said Savickas.
Milpitas police investigate high school tennis coach for multiple sex offenses
Milpitas police are investigating a case involving a high school tennis coach who is accused of multiple sexual offenses involving minors, the Police Department announced today.
Police received a report Dec. 10 alleging that 25-year-old Milpitas resident Tri Thanh Phan had inappropriate contact with a 16-year-old female student at Milpitas High School, according to the Police Department.
Phan, a Milpitas High School coach who was also involved with a youth choir at St. Patrick’s Proto-Cathedral in San Jose and the youth-involved Far East Dragon Lion Dance Association in San Jose, had allegedly been in contact with the girl via phone and e-mail, police reported.
Investigators also found that Phan allegedly had inappropriate contact, including phone, online and sometimes sexual relationships, with numerous other girls over a period of several years, according to the Police Department.
Police issued a warrant for Phan’s arrest Jan. 10, and he was taken into custody Jan. 23 on suspicion of multiple sexual offenses involving minors.
Vallejo Fire Department closes two fire stations
The Vallejo Fire Department temporarily closed two fire stations this morning to help the city avoid bankruptcy, according to fire officials.
The city of Vallejo faces a $13.2 million 2007-2008 general fund operating deficit and a negative funding balance of $9 million on June 30. The City Council approved an emergency plan early Tuesday morning to help prevent the city from filing bankruptcy by the end of the month.
Firefighters agreed to accept a reduction in the minimum daily staffing level of 28 to 22 through June 30 and the temporary closure of two fire companies. The tentative agreements enable the city to meet its general fund payment obligations through June 30.
The decision to close stations 22 and 27 was based upon analysis of a variety of factors including district call volume, proximity to other fire stations, square miles served and population served, officials said.
Mountain View offers reward for information in teen’s murder
The city of Mountain View is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the subject or subjects responsible for the murder of a 17-year-old boy Feb. 26.
Jose Merales, a high school student from Mountain View, was shot to death in the 100 block of Higdon Avenue at about 6:15 p.m., according to police.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked call the police hot line at (866) 570-8211.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous will still be able to receive the reward by using an identifying number that will link them with the information they provide.
Oakland man fatally shot
A 29-year-old Oakland man was the victim of a fatal shooting in Oakland on Wednesday morning, the Alameda County coroner’s bureau reported today.
Officers responded to 32nd Street and San Pablo Avenue at about 5:50 a.m. where they found the man suffering from a gunshot wound, according to officials.
The man was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
A second male victim who was also shot transported himself to an area hospital, but the extent of that victim’s injuries was unknown, according to officials.
No suspects have been arrested, police said today.
UC environmental education facility gets new grove of Redwoods
A University of California environmental education facility just south of Half Moon Bay will get a new grove of Redwood trees Friday thanks to members of San Mateo County 4-H groups.
Friday marks the launch of a project to plant 1 million trees throughout the U.S., according to the University of California system.
Inspired by the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” the project encourages 4-H members to join together and plant native trees in their own communities. After planting trees 4-H members can record the number of trees planted at http://4hmilliontrees.org.
Trees will be planted at the University of California Elkus Ranch, 1500 Purisma Creek Road, starting at 4 p.m.
Cal Fire warns residents to replace smoke alarm batteries
Cal Fire is warning Bay Area residents today to replace the batteries in smoke alarms when setting their clocks forward Sunday morning for daylight saving time.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, 95 percent of all homes in the United States have at least one smoke alarm and 65 percent of home fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.
In addition to changing the batteries in smoke alarms, residents are urged to test them once a month, not disable them even temporarily, regularly vacuum or dust smoke alarms and practice fire drills so everyone in a residence knows how to respond if one goes off, according to Cal Fire.
Santa Clara County officials seeks nods for Friend of the Veteran Award
Santa Clara County officials announced today that they are seeking nominations for the 2008 Friend of the Veteran Award.
The county’s Office of Veterans’ Services established the award in 1991 to recognize community members who demonstrate outstanding dedication and support to the region’s veterans. The deadline for submitting nominations for this year’s award is April 10.
“Many volunteers give to the community selflessly. This is an opportunity to recognize a resident for his or her dedication and service to local veterans,” county Office of Veterans’ Services Director Peter Garrison said in a statement.
Power restored in Hayward this morning
Power was restored at about 8 a.m. today to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers in Hayward who lost electricity early this morning after a car hit a pole, a spokesman said.
The outage started at about 1 a.m. when the car hit a pole on Mission Boulevard and Jefferson Street, PG&E spokesman David Eisenhauer said.
About 1,000 customers were initially without power. Electricity was restored to customers throughout the night, and the lights were back on for the last 100 customers by about 8 a.m., Eisenhauer said.
The Hunger Site
No Comments
Comments for Bay Area News Briefs are now closed.