HIGWHAY REOPENS AFTER SHOOTING AT GOV'T CAR: CUPERTINO (AP) — Authorities say traffic on a San Francisco Bay area highway is open again after a vehicle driven by a U.S. Marine was apparently struck by gunfire.
Southbound lanes on Highway 85 in Cupertino near De Anza Boulevard reopened around 3 p.m. Wednesday after being shut down for about an hour.
Marine Sgt. Robert Durham told KGO-TV that a fellow sergeant was traveling southbound on the highway when his government vehicle was hit by bullets shortly after 12:30 p.m.
Durham said the sergeant pulled over to the side of the road to call police.
Authorities closed part of the highway to investigate the scene and search for suspects as the car's window appeared to be shot out.
The northbound lanes were not affected.
No injuries have been reported.
3RD SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN HANDYMAN BEATING: SAN JOSE (AP) — Authorities in Santa Clara County have identified a third suspect accused of beating a Northern California handyman allegedly forced to fix a dishwasher and other appliances under the threat of his life.
Sheriff's Sgt. Jose Cardoza said Wednesday that 49-year-old Richard Rodriguez, Jr., is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment in the beating of the 50-year-old handyman held hostage and forced to do a variety of household repairs at a home in Morgan Hill on Dec. 3.
The handyman escaped and notified police after he was driven to a convenience store in San Jose.
Police later arrested 36-year-old Jason DeJesus and 33-year-old Chanelle Troedson, both of Morgan Hill, on similar criminal charges as well as kidnapping.
The attack followed a months-long dispute between the handyman and a relative of DeJesus' over payment for previous work.
SF CITY COLLEGE TO LAY OFF DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The City College of San Francisco plans to lay off dozens of employees and reduce salaries as it fights to keep its accreditation and stay open.
School officials say City College will lay off 34 full-time clerical workers, 20 to 30 part-time instructors and 18 part-time counselors starting in January.
The San Francisco Chronicle \ reports college trustees have also approved a 4.4 percent salary cut for non-union employees, including most administrators, and they are seeking the same cut for faculty members.
The community college also needs an additional 3,000 full- and part-time students to register for the spring semester to avoid losing $6.5 million in state funding.
City College is under pressure to reduce costs to retain its accreditation from the regional Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
PEPPER SPRAY FORCES OAKLAND POST OFFICE EVACUATION: OAKLAND (AP) — Authorities say a suspicious substance that forced the evacuation of an Oakland post office turned out to be pepper spray from a leaking can.
Emergency crews responded to the post office in the city's Laurel District around 10 a.m. Wednesday. Oakland Fire Battalion Chief Jenny Ray said a canister of dog repellant pepper spray in a drawer had discharged and formed a puddle on the floor.
Two postal employees were coughing and complaining of eye irritation. Authorities evacuated the building as a precaution until they deemed it safe about an hour and a half later.
