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Retired Denver police detective arrested after allegedly pointing gun in mall food court

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

A retired Denver Police detective who left his cell phone on a bus and then argued with a man who picked it up and refused to return it unless he paid money has been arrested after a gun clash in a food court, Jefferson County Sheriff authorities said Thursday morning.Former Denver detective Martin Vigil, 67,  was arrested near the Southwest Plaza Mall food court Wednesday evening and faces charges of felony menacing and impersonating a peace officer.The trouble began Wednesday afternoon when Vigil got off a bus but accidentally left his phone behind, sheriff officials said in a press release. Vigil then called his phone.“The other man answered it and said he would give it back if Vigil paid him money,” officials said.The two men agreed to meet at the food court in the mall.There, after an argument, Vigil allegedly pulled the gun and pointed it at the other man.Mall security agents confronted Vigil. Sheriff deputies soon arrived. Vigil “claimed he was a peace offic...

North Hollywood residents say HGTV star is evicting them for a big ‘flip’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

A group of North Hollywood renters is outraged at the threat of being evicted and displaced by HGTV reality star Tarek El Moussa for a new real estate project.El Moussa is best known for the hit HGTV renovation series, “Flip or Flop,” which he has co-hosted with his ex-wife Christina Hall since 2013. He launched a second show in 2020 called, “Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa.”Residents of the rent-controlled apartment property on Hartsook Street near the Arts District said El Moussa plans to transform the nearly 100-year-old complex into a state-of-the-art residential complex.According to El Moussa, the project, called NoHo 138, would mark the biggest real estate “flip” he’s ever attempted.In a video the reality star posted on social media, he shared plans to build 138 units with “super modern” decor. The building will also boast a rooftop pool.That’s when the eviction notices started showing up, tenants said. But the people who live in the building said they will fight for their h...

Armed robbery at celebrity restaurant in WeHo could be connected to previous incident, LASD says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Two people were robbed at gunpoint at a celebrity hotspot in West Hollywood early Thursday morning, and it's possible the stickup is connected to a similar robbery last month.The two adults were approached by a robber with a semiautomatic gun at about 12:20 a.m. at Craig's on Melrose Avenue, according to Lt. Foster of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.The Infatuation described Craig's as "one of the most celebrity-packed restaurants in Los Angeles."While the robber demanded jewelry, another man with a semiautomatic gun demanded a watch from one of the victims, Foster said. Deputies searching for armed suspects who robbed man at gunpoint in West Hollywood The two robbers then fled in a white sedan driven by a third man, Foster said.No injuries were reported.Because of the number of men involved and the weapons they used, investigators said it appears these robbers are the same men who committed a similar crime July 19 in West Hollywood, though officials have not yet confi...

Home Free: After a rough year, Regina Spektor hits the Greek

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Home Free: A conversation with singer and songwriter Regina Spektor, even one within the confines of a professional interview experience, is very likely to leave you with the “warm and fuzzies.” Her gift for conveying warmth, honesty, humor and heartbreak in her lyrics carries over into her back-and-forth, so even a 20-minute phone call left us with the impression (at least) that we’d really gotten to know her a little. Obviously, you can’t get to know anyone, let alone a celebrated musician, during a 20-minute phone call, but such is her gift.Russian-born American artist Spektor released her Home, Before and After album about a year ago, six years after the Remember Us to Life album. Spektor says that it was warmly received – fans were singing along to the new songs very early in the touring process – which was a bit of a relief because, for obvious reasons, this one was recorded a little differently.“That one was made super-duper pandemic style,” Spektor says. “It’s my first ever ...

Is The FDA Finally OK With CBD?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

The FDA has yet to signal its support for over-the-counter CBD products. In fact, the government agency has issued many warnings to CBD manufacturers that make health claims. FDA officials also constantly reiterate their stance against mixing CBD into edibles.However, there’s a bit of hope that the FDA is interested in revising its CBD policies. According to recent reports, the FDA held a virtual conference with leaders in the supplement industry to discuss the safety of using cannabinoids in OTC products. While the FDA didn’t mention CBD by name, most in the hemp industry believe the FDA will focus on this cannabinoid.What Does This FDA Meeting Mean For CBD?On the official Federal Register website, it shows the FDA held a recent virtual conference on June 14th with members of its Science Board. The “agenda” for this meeting was light on details, but it mentioned focusing on “case studies” on “cannabinoids” to evaluate the “challenges and safety” of using these chemicals in suppleme...

7 incredible Bay Area things to do this weekend, Aug. 4-6

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Got your weekend plans? We have some very fun ideas, from great live shows — the San Francisco Ballet at Stanford! ALO in Orinda! — and movies to awesome al fresco dining.As with everything these days, be sure to double check websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.1 SEE & HEAR: It’s totally Tina timeA hit Broadway musical about the life and iconic music of Tina Turner has just kicked off an extended Bay Area run with shows in S.F. and San Jose. We have all the deets here.2 DINE: Taking it outsideOne of the best parts of Bay Area living is its many al fresco dining offerings. In fact new rooftop bars, dining terraces and outdoor cafes are opening all the time. Here are nine of our new favorites.“The Fantastic Mr. Fox” will screen this mon...

Neighbor speaks up about Sunnyvale signs driving motorists mad: Roadshow

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Q: The bigger problem with no right turns on red at Mathilda in Sunnyvale (they are also at the intersection of the Highway 101 south exit and Ahwanee) is that only about 50 percent of drivers obey them.For those of us who live in the adjoining neighborhood and know about the restriction, it is common to get honked at or unsafely passed by people who don’t know or don’t care about the restriction. As a 20-plus-year resident of the nearby neighborhood, this part of the Mathilda upgrade has not been a good one.Chris AntonioA: You raise very valid points.Q: Motorists legally using express lanes should not feel pressured by other motorists for obeying the law. The real issue is the need for better enforcement so that motorists who obey the law can feel comfortable using the services they have paid for.I would also be interested to know exactly how money collected for tolls, including bridge tolls, is actually being utilized. It is past time for California residents to have a...

Redwood City: Prosecutors say man stabbed his child’s mother, her daughter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

REDWOOD CITY — A man who had already violated a court order by moving into an apartment next to the mother of child was formally charged with her murder after a violent outburst left her dead and her daughter hospitalized, prosecutors say.In a brief, harrowing account of the stabbing that left her hospitalized and killed her mother, a wounded teenager spoke publicly on an online fundraiser in attempt to seek help in the face of family tragedy.On a GoFundMe posting written in both English and Spanish, 17-year-old Yenifer Lopez said her mother’s life was “ended out of jealousy” on July 30. According to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, 44-year-old Jose Uriarte-Martinez stabbed Lopez and fatally attacked her mother, Yesenia Lopez-Hernandez, also 44, in their Redwood City home on Sunday.Uriarte-Martinez was arrested around 12:30 a.m. after police found the blood-splattered man standing outside an apartment building on the 3200 block of Fair Oaks Avenue. Uria...

New wave of antisemitic flyers on Danville trail adds to hate-crime ‘heat map’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

DANVILLE — Under the cover of darkness, the Iron Horse Trail is an easy place to post anonymous, antisemitic flyers. In daylight, the well-traveled rail trail provides a bevy of eyeballs for the hateful messages that have been cropping up in the Bay Area.But the high traffic in places like the Iron Horse Trail, which runs more than 30 miles between Concord and Pleasanton, may also speed up the removal of such flyers. That’s exactly what Tom Maneloveg did last weekend when he spotted a colorful paper pinned to a pole while on one of his frequent early morning walks with a friend along the trail.“You couldn’t miss it — the moment I saw what it was, I pulled it down and showed my buddy,” Maneloveg said. “I’m Jewish, so I was somewhat taken aback and offended by it. … That (flyer) was the only one we came across, but we’ve been speculating as to whether there were more. Maybe other people already on the trail took them down.”His experience on the path near Del Amigo Sw...

Disneyland to turn Steakhouse 55 restaurant into a bar and lounge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Disneyland plans to turn a dimly lit and lavishly decadent Old Hollywood-style hotel restaurant that was home for decades to an upscale steakhouse steeped in Disney history into a seasonal bar and lounge with a lighter and brighter design.The former Steakhouse 55 restaurant will be converted into a flexible lounge space that will occasionally serve as an extension of a seasonal bar to accommodate more guests during peak periods, according to Disneyland officials.SEE ALSO: Disneyland opens Finding Nemo water park at Pixar Place HotelDisneyland has not yet announced names or opening dates for the new lounge space and seasonal bar at the Disneyland Hotel.Walt Disney Imagineering has been exploring new options for the former Steakhouse 55 restaurant since January.The refreshed space will feel lighter, brighter and more cohesive with the rest of the hotel lobby, according to Disneyland officials.Steakhouse 55 permanently closed in July 2021 during the phased reopening of eateries, shops ...