Santa Clara approves 49ers stadium parking
SANTA CLARA (AP) — The Santa Clara City Council has approved a deal that allows 49er's fans attending games at the proposed $1 billion football stadium to park in the Great America Theme Park lot.
Tuesday's 4-2 vote clears one of the last remaining hurdles for the stadium project.
Cedar Fair, which owns Great America, had been opposed to ceding part of its parking lot for the stadium.
The San Jose Mercury News says 49ers fans will be able to park in most of Great America's main lot, which will be renovated to include as many as 7,000 spaces. Additional parking will be in two nearby city garages.
The deal calls for Cedar Fair to drop its lawsuit. The 49ers will pay Cedar Fair $12.5 million as part of the parking agreements.
SF officials approve dog walkers regulations
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco officials have given preliminary approval to legislation that would place dog walkers on a tighter leash.
The Board of Supervisors voted in favor of the measure on Tuesday. The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/yJsOWR) that it would require commercial dog walkers who handle four or more dogs on city property to complete training in areas such as as dog-park etiquette and canine first aid.
They would also be limited to eight paying dogs.
Supervisor Scott Wiener, who sponsored the legislation, said it was intended to insure professional dog walkers are of high quality and to protect parks and other public property from overuse.
Sonoma leadersOK $84M airport expansion
SANTA ROSA (AP) — Sonoma County leaders are endorsing a plan to spend $84 million on an airport expansion that's expected to bring more daily commercial flights to the area.
The Press Democrat reports that the county's Board of Supervisors tentatively voted in favor of the plan Tuesday, after a four-hour meeting that included more than 40 speakers. The vote is set to be finalized on Jan. 24.
Supervisors agreed with supporters that investing in Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport would boost tourism and the local economy.
First the airport would do a $43 million overhaul of the two existing runways, which currently don't meet federal safety standards. Then officials would focus on building a new passenger terminal, control tower and other facilities.
DA mulls possible abuse charge against SF sheriff
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco prosecutors say they hope to decide by the end of the week whether to file any charges in the domestic violence investigation of Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi.
District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday that "hopefully" a decision in the case could be reached as early as Friday.
According to a police affidavit, a neighbor reported that Mirkarimi grabbed and bruised wife Eliana Lopez's right arm during a heated argument at their home on New Year's Eve.
Mirkarimi has denied the allegations. Lopez, a former Venezuelan telenovela star, has said she has no complaint against her husband and that the incident was taken out of context.
The couple appeared together Sunday at Mirkarimi's swearing-in ceremony as sheriff.
