City college may close some campuses
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Budget woes may force San Francisco City College to close or combine some of its campuses.
City College, one of the nation's largest community colleges with 90,000 full- and part-time students, is facing a $14 million budget shortfall. The college has a $200 million operating budget.
Board of Trustees president John Rizzo tells the Chronicle that some of the college's 12 campuses may be closed because of the financial crisis and a need to retain full accreditation. He says the accreditation team thinks City College has too many campuses.
Interim Chancellor Pamila Fisher says a full financial analysis is needed before there's a decision on closing campuses.
Judge wants probe into Oakland police shootings
OAKLAND . (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a probe into how the Oakland police investigate officer-involved shootings and is threatening to sanction the department if misconduct is found.
U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson on Thursday also ordered city officials to provide more information by next week to show how it will complete already past-due internal affairs investigations relating to last year's Occupy Oakland protests.
Henderson is threatening to fine the city daily if it again misses deadlines to complete those investigations. A city spokeswoman said the city will comply with the court order.
The judge is overseeing police reforms ordered as part of a 2003 settlement involving police misconduct that included nearly $11 million in payments to 119 plaintiffs and attorneys.
Henderson has said he is running out of patience with the pace completing those reforms and may consider placing the department under federal control.
DA says San Jose officer justified in killing man
SAN JOSE (AP) — Prosecutors say a San Jose police officer was justified in shooting to death of a man who pointed a weapon at the officer.
Officer Lee Tassio shot 47-year-old Valente Galindo in the bedroom of the San Jose man in December. Galindo had pointed a loaded weapon at the officer.
Aa 22-page Santa Clara County district attorney's office report released Thursday determined the officer acted in self-defense and the shooting was justified.
Investigators say gang suppression officers had chased and arrested a wanted gang member in the home. The suspect tossed a weapon into a bedroom before he was subdued.
Tassio was confronted by Galindo when he entered the bedroom to retrieve the weapon.
Judge shuts 2 prostitution-plagued Oakland motels
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — An Alameda County judge has ordered two Oakland motels that authorities say are chronic hot spots for prostitution and child sex trafficking to shut down for a year.
Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte also ordered this week that the owners of the Economy Inn and the National Lodge to each pay $45,000 in fines, attorney fees and the cost to maintain the properties while they are closed.
City Attorney Barbara Parker said Thursday that closing the motels for a year is a drastic and necessary step as residents and kids should not have to walk through a gauntlet of prostitution and be harassed by pimps.
