Skateboarder, 13, dies in pickup crash
LIVERMORE (AP) — A 13-year-old Northern California skateboarder has died after slamming into a pickup truck.
Livermore police say the teenager was riding his skateboard Tuesday evening when he turned left at an intersection and hit the side of the pickup, which was traveling at about 25 mph.
The San Francisco Chronicle ( says the boy, who was wearing a helmet, died at a hospital a short time later.
Man guilty in 2008 SF traffic killings
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A jury convicted an illegal immigrant Wednesday of fatally shooting a father and two of his sons in traffic in a case that drew attention to San Francisco's controversial sanctuary policy.
Jurors found Edwin Ramos, 25, guilty of three counts of first-degree murder as well as a single count of attempted murder.
Under the sanctuary policy, Ramos had never been turned over for deportation despite previous run-ins with the law as a juvenile.
Prosecutors said Ramos opened fire on a car carrying 48-year-old Tony Bologna and his three sons — Michael, Matthew and Andrew — in June 2008.
They said Ramos was seeking revenge for the shooting of a fellow MS-13 gang member earlier in the day.
SF measure would change preservation rules
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco supervisors have given preliminary approval to legislation that could make it less expensive to upgrade landmark properties.
Owners of properties with that designation are currently required to follow strict preservation standards that determine what materials and design they can use in any construction work. Those standards can bump up the project's cost.
Under the measure given preliminary approval on Tuesday, the city would work with owners with limited financial means to find less expensive alternatives.
It would also exempt pedestrian projects from the rules unless the sidewalk being changed has some significance. The measure was approved in an 8-3 vote.
Lucas moving ahead with affordable housing
SAN RAFAEL (AP) — Filmmaker George Lucas appears to be moving forward with plans to build low-income housing on the Marin County property where he originally proposed erecting a new film studio.
Lucas abandoned the studio plans last month following opposition from some neighbors who complained about its size and raised concerns about traffic. But the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the filmmaker is still moving ahead with his proposal for low-income housing on Grady Ranch.
The Marin Community Foundation announced on Tuesday that it is working with Lucasfilm to explore options for affordable housing on the site.
Foundation President and CEO Thomas Peters says Lucas has agreed to make technical studies of the property available.
