4-20-26

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Stepdad arrested for peeper pics

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

A man has been arrested in Mountain View for allegedly hiding a camera in his 13-year-old stepson’s bathroom and bedroom, police said.

The 38-year-old stepfather allegedly recorded his stepson changing, taking

U.S. SEIZES SHIP: President Trump says the U.S. has seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first interception since a naval blockade began last week.

MORE TALKS: U.S. negotiators will head to Pakistan today for another round of talks with Iran, this time with the goal of extending the ceasefire, which is set to expire on Wednesday.

OOPS FOR BEZOS: Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, suffered a setback yesterday when a rocket it launched from Cape Canaveral failed to deploy a satellite into the correct orbit.

CAR TOILETS COMING: Chinese carmaker Seres has been granted a patent for what it calls an “in-vehicle toilet” that slides under a passenger’s seat. It will be voice controlled.

ATTACKS ON JEWISH SITES: British police say they are investigating whether a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London are the work of Iranian proxies. The chief rabbi said British Jews are facing

[See THE UPDATE, page 4]

showers and using the bathroom, Officer Matthew Rogers said in his police report.

The stepfather, who is not a U.S. citizen, is being held without bail because

he’s a flight risk if released from jail, Rogers said.

The Post has decided not to name the stepfather because it might identify the victim.

Steyer

In the wide-open race for California governor, billionaire Tom Steyer is on a spending binge.

The hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist is using his personal fortune to saturate TV screens and mobile

phones with advertising, while his competitors accuse him of trying to use his vast wealth to buy the state’s most powerful job.

Steyer’s ads — in which he prom-

[See STEYER, page 18]

The stepson reported his stepfather on Feb. 3 after they got into an argument. The boy told his mother, and then police, that he hit a time limit for using his iPhone in May 2024, Rogers said.

So the boy went through his father’s phone to try to change the time limit

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

Redwood City paid a woman $24,900 after an officer pulled her out of her car to arrest her, causing her shirt to lift, exposing her breasts for an extended period of time.

The city paid Emelder Price, 30, of Redwood City, although it disagrees with the allegations she made in her lawsuit filed on June 8 in federal court, Redwood City spokesman Nick Mathiowdis said.

The lawsuit filed by Price’s attorney Gustavo Magana said she was staying at the Sequoia Inn at 526 El Camino Real on April 14, 2025.

As Price walked to her car from her hotel room around 10 a.m. that morn-

[See BREASTS, page 18]

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

A Los Altos developer who allegedly pocketed millions of dollars from investors will ask a judge to dismiss his embezzlement case today, arguing he fell on hard times during the pandemic.

Vahe Tashjian, 46, said he lost more money than his investors and never intended to commit a crime.

The case is focused on two failed developments.

In Los Altos Hills, Tashjian told investors he would purchase a property

[See DEVELOPER, page 19]

“This criminal prosecution now attempts to convert business failure, contractual disputes and disputed accounting practices into 24 counts of grand theft,” Tashjian’s attorney said in a motion.

School board race grows

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer

A parent and teacher’s aide who has criticized board member Rowena Chiu and organized volunteers to watch out for student suicides has filed papers to run for Palo Alto school board.

Henigin favors closing Churchill; critical of Chiu

— died by suicide at Churchill Avenue on Feb. 3.

Since then, Henigin has advocated for closing the Churchill crossing. “The train is the loaded gun that goes off 104 times a day,” she told City Council on Wednesday.

Linda Henigin, 56, enters the race against two of Chiu’s allies: John Craig and Avery Wang.

Henigin said Chiu’s repost “shredded years of equity work.”

Henigin accused Chiu of running a “permanent campaign” at a board meeting on April 22, 2025, because Chiu’s supporters wore campaign t-shirts and brought signs into the boardroom after she was elected in November 2024.

“Failing to condemn it has allowed it to be seen as acceptable behavior,” Henigin said at a meeting on March 11, 2025.

Academics

Henigin encouraged the board to focus on students who aren’t reaching their potential, not parents complaining that academics should be more rigorous.

Henigin was born in the Bay Area and grew up in Brazil and Hawaii. She received a master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education in New York and taught elementary school in New Jersey from 2003 to 2007, according to her social media.

Two students in district

Henigin has a middle school and high school student in the district and works as an aide at Duveneck Elementary School.

“I hope that this does not become normalized behavior. I hope this board trustee stops campaigning,” Henigin said.

Ethnic studies

Henigin and Chiu disagreed on whether the district should require students to take Ethnic Studies at a contentious board meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.

She said general education classrooms should be the “default placement” for all students at a meeting on May 13, 2025.

That’s a different philosophy than Henigin’s opponents in the race. Both Craig and Wang have urged the board to allow more advancement by reinstating Multivariable Calculus, a high-level math course.

Henigin campaigned for parent Nicole Chiu-Wang, an unsuccessful board candidate in 2022 and 2024.

Henigin is also a board member for Pathwise (formerly DreamCatchers), a nonprofit that offers free after-school programs to middle school students. Chiu-Wang is the executive director.

“As uncomfortable as folks here feel talking about power, our children are hungry for this conversation,” Henigin said.

After the board meeting, Chiu reposted a social media account, Asians Against Wokeness, that called out a Black administrator, who saw racist replies to the post.

Henigin said in an email Friday that she’ll do an interview when she officially launches her campaign.

After Gunn High School student Emily Fiedel, 17, died by suicide on the Caltrain tracks on Aug. 9, Henigin helped organize over 100 volunteers to watch crossings.

Volunteers were replaced with security guards after another student — Summer Devi Mehta, 17

Henigin is on a nominating committee at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto and the executive board of the Palo Alto Council of PTAs, according to their websites.

Henigin has pushed the city to allow denser housing. She is involved with Indivisible Palo Alto Plus, a group that has marched for immigrant rights and against President Trump.

County gets 2 new judges

Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed two new judges to the Santa Clara County Superior Court.

Maren Clouse and Mary Procaccio-Flowers were appointed by Newsom on Thursday to fill vacancies left by retiring judges.

private practice, including roles at Hogan Lovells and Heller Ehrman. She earned her law degree from Stanford Law School and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Thang N. Barrett.

Clouse has served as chief deputy city attorney in the San Jose City Attorney’s Office since 2016. She previously worked in

Procaccio-Flowers has served as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California since 2025. She previ-

ously held teaching roles at Santa Clara University School of Law and worked in private practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. She earned her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Erica R. Yew.

A Superior Court judge’s starting pay is $244,727 a year.

8 kids dead in domestic dispute

A gunman in Shreveport, La., killed eight children between the ages of 1 and 14 in domestic-related shootings at two different homes in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years. The gunman died after a chase with officers.

Police didn’t immediately release the name of the suspect but did say he was an adult male.

a campaign of violence and intimidation.

IRAN IN WORLD CUP: FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that Iran will participate in the World Cup “for sure” despite its war with the United States.

BULGARIA TURNS LEFT: An exit poll in Bulgaria suggests the

Officials said they were still gathering details at crime scenes south of downtown Shreveport — two homes and a third location.

Police spokesman Chris Bordelon said some of the children shot were related to the suspect.

“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” Bordelon said.

Officials appeared stunned out-

side the residence where one of the shootings occurred, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.

“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

THE UPDATE FROM PAGE 1

center-left Progressive Bulgaria coalition led by ex-President Rumen Radev will win Bulgaria’s parliamentary election. Radev doesn’t have enough votes to form a one-party government, however, and will have to create a coalition with conservatives.

MARIO LEADS: “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and

“Project Hail Mary” continue to lead the box office. The Mario sequel has topped the charts for three weekends, adding $35 million and reaching $747.5 million globally. “Project Hail Mary” dropped only 15% in its fifth weekend, bringing its total to $573.1 million. Meanwhile, “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” debuted in third place with $13.5 million.

Births

Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto: Aug. 31

Naya Jean Barich, a girl

Chanely Seliana Arendela Chen, a girl

Oliver Aug. Duravente, a boy

Benjamin Arthur Ellison, a boy

Lyra Clementine Karimi, a girl

Wolfgang Mistelbauer, a boy

Maria Michelle Monzon Lopez, a girl

Astrid Emma Santiago Padilla, a girl

Ryan Antonio Perez Zapata, a boy

Yanika Behl Prakash, a girl

Madalyn Alejandra Rodriguez Recinos, a girl

Hugo Zagorodnyuk, a boy

Clara Zerbato, a girl

Aug. 30

Keyner Keyden Arteta Hebbert, a boy

Jason Everardo Baires Pena, a boy

Ejokpaoghene Jeremiah Beck, a boy

Valeria Colio Tamayo, a girl

Oliver Aaron Cortes Avalos, a boy

Arturo Lugo Ruiz, a boy

Ezekiel Izel Martinez, a boy

Izan Mendez Vasquez, a boy

Lucy Rae Myers, a girl

Enzo Adonay Nieto Garcia, a boy

Emiliano Tonalli Pradocasillas, a boy

Eithan Matteo Ralac Juarez, a boy

Aniv Sharma, a boy

Avira Sharma, a girl

Ezra Alejandro Vasquez, a boy

Aug. 29

Liliana Barrera Mendoza, a girl

Eliam Emmanuel Bocaj Chancho, a boy

Mira Chen, a girl

Alisha Chopra, a girl

Elina Chopra, a girl

Reina Josefina Godinezfineanganofo, a girl

Ricardo Gael Gomez Lopez, a boy

Ariel Yunxi Gong, a girl

Shai Saxena Habot, a boy

Kateri Magana, a girl

Santiago De Jesus Mansilla Ramos, a boy

Sofia Mayen Lagos, a girl

Jasiel Alejandro Morales, a boy

Eiden Ariel Ochoa Gonzalez, a boy

Daniel Orozco Jaimes, a boy

Mekiaya Amariah Ophelia Delane Sapp, a girl

Delara Ghafari Shepherd, a girl

Sophie Ruth Wass, a girl

Candidate lacks key credential

Chelsea Bonini, the second-grade teacher who is running for San Mateo County superintendent of education, is firing back at a story in the Post that said she lacks the state-mandated credential for the job.

Bonini says her credential to work as a school administrator is “valid,” just like the one held by her opponent, Hector Camacho.

But there are differences. Bonini only holds a “certificate of eligibility,” to use the lingo of the Teacher Credentialing Commission.

“Eligibility” means she has completed the state’s credentialing program but hasn’t received the proper

Credential necessary

Dear Editor: I am writing in response to your recent article, “Candidate For County School Superintendent Doesn’t Have The Required Credentials To Run.” This issue raises serious concerns about both legal compliance and the expectations we should hold for educational leadership in San Mateo County.

The law is clear: candidates for county superintendent are required to

administrative credential. She can only get the proper credential after she secures a job as an administrator. State law only allows candidates with a credential to run for county superintendent.

Different credentials

Bonini’s “certificate of eligibility” is valid — nobody disputes that — but her certificate of eligibility is not the same as holding a valid credential.

Her opponent, Hector Camacho, holds a “valid” preliminary administrative services credential, which is different from an eligibility certificate. It allows him to hold the county school superintendent’s job, should he be elected.

The Teacher Credentialing Commission uses very specific terminol-

ogy here, and while the word “valid” appears on the commission’s website next to each candidate’s name, they don’t have the same certification.

An anology

Here’s a way to think about it.

The DMV gives licenses to drivers of automobiles. But they’re different than a commercial driver’s license (CDL) necessary to drive a big-rig truck. If you’re pulled over driving a big-rig and don’t have a CDL, you get a ticket. Bonini has a credential to work as a school principal but not that of a superintendent. She’s eligible to seek a superintendent’s credential, but doesn’t have one right now. So, by law, she’s not eligible to be county superintendent.

The law might not be fair in your

LETTERS

hold a valid administrative credential, not simply a certificate of eligibility. This requirement exists to ensure that those leading our county’s education system have both the preparation and demonstrated capacity to do so.

Equally important is the question of experience and long-term commitment to education. Public information indicates that Chelsea Bonini taught for one year at Bullis Charter School (24-25 academic year), and for four academic years two decades ago. While

any classroom experience is valuable, the role of county superintendent requires extensive leadership experience within complex educational systems — far beyond short-term or limited classroom roles.

I live in Los Altos and previously served as principal at Bullis Charter School from 2013 to 2016. I am currently an educator in San Mateo County. From this perspective, I know firsthand the level of experience and sustained commitment required to

eyes, but it’s the law, and I would expect a candidate to obey the law. It doesn’t mean much that the clerk of elections, Mark Church, put Bonini’s name on the ballot. He admits he didn’t check her credential. He simply saw that she signed a document saying she met the requirements for office, and that was good enough for him. He said he doesn’t remove candidates from the office unless he gets a court order telling him to do so. Camancho didn’t sue.

It’s up to the voters to deal with this. Bonini is trying to get a job she’s not qualified to have, and Church fell down on the job. Voters, choose wisely.

Editor Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays.

lead in education. As educators in this county, we need a superintendent with deep, current, and extensive experience in our field — someone who has dedicated their career to the work of supporting students, teachers, and school systems on the ground, day-to-day in classrooms and schools.

Jocelyn Lee Los Altos

Paid to resign

Dear Editor: In November of 2025,

OPINION

the president of the California Teachers Association, David Goldberg, said, “People have shown us time and time again that they know that investing in our students, our communities , and educators is one of the best investments we can make as a state.”

Yet, this year longtime Superintendent Don Austin was paid $596,802 to resign and Acting Superintendent Trent Bahadursingh was paid $346,673 to resign. Is paying educators to resign the best investment of our tax dollars?

Skip Justman Palo Alto

No more lectures

Dear Editor: At the City Council meeting Wednesday night about closing Churchill Avenue, I was not expecting a lecture on how precious our kids are from Julie Lythcott-Haims — especially after the hatchet job she did on attendees at the PAUSD meeting where those in favor of keeping Churchill open felt uncomfortable speaking. Especially after hearing grieving parents speak about closing the street at the tracks.

Perhaps JLH just likes to hear herself talk. I am relieved she has taken herself out of mayoral consideration. Perhaps, after her term is up, she will move on from city politics.

As for the Churchill Avenue question, consider this analogy.

When I was a teenager, in Palo Alto, in the mid-1960s, there were a couple incidents of kids who died of drug overdoses.

One occurred at a beach nearby and the other at Eleanor Pardee Park. I don’t remember an outcry to close beach access or city parks where teens gathered. However, the schools started some drug awareness programs, which was encouraging. My feeling is that some teens feel such pressure to succeed that they become overwhelmed. When I was accepted to college (San Jose State and the University of Arizona), my parents were quite happy. My first choice was UC-Santa Barbara, but I don’t think my folks thought I was a loser because I didn’t make the cut there.

In any event, I would like to see Churchill remain open and felt the speakers at Wednesday night’s meeting were overwhelmingly in favor of doing so.

Hank Sousa Palo Alto

City’s housing plan

Dear Editor: Palo Alto City Council’s agenda tonight includes an item on the Consent Calendar to give Jonathan Lait, the Director of Planning and Development Services, the authority

to modify the Housing Element Site Inventory without holding a public hearing by the Planning and Transportation Commission to review and make recommendations about the proposed modifications, and without holding a public hearing by the City Council before the council acts on Lait’s proposal and the Commission’s recommendation.

Agenda items on the Consent Calendar are voted on together without debate.

The votes of three council members are required to remove an item from the Consent Calendar to enable debate on the item.

The Housing Element Site Inventory was developed after public hearings to determine the locations of housing sites that could be developed with projects at heights and densities far in excess of other sites in neighborhoods.

The only reason there might be an urgency to justify the City Council giving Jonathan Lait the right to make such modifications instead of the City Council making modifications after public hearings held by the City Council and Planning Commission is if Lait is aware of a specific project or projects that would benefit from the modifications and Lait needed to act quickly. If there are any such projects, then the request to modify the Housing Element Site Inventory should come from the applicant(s) who would benefit from the modifications instead of from Jonathan Lait.

Herb Borock Palo Alto

Extreme migration

Dear Editor: While I can understand sympathy for illegal aliens who are worried about being deported back to their native countries, I cannot understand the lack of sympathy for the millions of Americans, especially young Americans like my daughter, who suffer lower wages and higher rents because of the flood of illegals deliberately let in during the Biden years. Of course bosses and landlords are happy about the windfall at the expense of their fellow citizens, but the Democratic Party used to be on the side of American workers. How did they change so completely?

And it really was a deliberate flooding of the U.S. DHS reports that 8% of Nicaragua’s entire population entered the U.S. illegally during the Biden administration, as well as 7% of Cuba’s population, 6% of Haiti’s, and 5% of Honduras’. These are crazy numbers, wholesale population transfer.

Patrick Killelea Menlo Park

Mayor wants to control agenda

To stop discussion of license plate cameras

BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer

East Palo Alto Mayor Webster Lincoln wants to have the final say on what gets discussed during council meetings.

Council will decide tomorrow whether to change its policy on the agenda-setting committee to allow Lincoln, or whoever is mayor, to decide what is on the agenda.

Lincoln’s request comes after the majority of council refused to discuss the city’s license plate-reading cameras operated by Flock Safety on April 7.

The item appeared on that agenda because Councilman Carlos Romero requested to put the issue on the agenda.

The council’s vote on April 7 was unusual because even if a matter is placed on the agenda, it usually gets discussed. Instead, Lincoln along with council members Martha Barragan and Mark Dinan voted to remove the item from the agenda.

“The mayor and the vice mayor each (have) equal authority to place it on the agenda, so this is really contrary to our own code of conduct,” Vice Mayor Ruben Abrica said during the meeting.

Who decides?

The agenda-setting committee is composed of Abrica and Lincoln. They work with City Manager Melvin Gaines on the agenda. There is currently no process for Abrica and Lincoln

to resolve disputes that come up when they want to add an item to the agenda that the other doesn’t agree with, according to Lincoln’s report.

Abrica said during the April 7 meeting that council would be denying residents the opportunity to speak if council members removed items from the agenda.

The disputes among council members don’t have any resolution and are an inefficient use of time, Lincoln wrote in the report. Allowing Lincoln to have the final say will help end disagreements, according to his report.

Other council members will still be able to request topics, and if Lincoln denies them, they can rebut his denial through Gaines. The majority of council will then have to vote for it to be on the next agenda.

Tensions have been strained between the older and newer council members over other topics, such as the proposal to charge residents for parking on their own streets or to enforce policies on street vendors.

Frequent 3-2 split on council

Votes on council regularly are 3-2, with Romero and Abrica voting against the majority of Barragan, Dinan and Webster.

Last year, Dinan and Barragan led the charge to censure Romero for calling Lincoln “deaf and dumb” after Lincoln tried to end a debate about housing, since Romero was repeating himself.

Abrica has his own allegations against Dinan, previously saying Dinan called Abrica a “snarling dog” in a social media post to the community after a meeting in May.

shown are when a report was made to police. Information is from police department logs. All of the people named here are

PALO ALTO

TUESDAY

4:14 p.m. — Petty theft, 300 block of Ely Place.

9:19 p.m. — Jimmy Alan Vences, 28, transient, arrested for public drunkenness, 2700 block of Ash St.

WEDNESDAY

6:25 p.m. — Vehicle stolen, Cowper St. and Ashton Ave.

MENLO PARK

FRIDAY

8:33 a.m. — Grand theft, 500 block of Willow Road.

12:30 p.m. — Violation of a court order, 600 block of Willow Road.

SATURDAY

2:13 a.m. — Battery, 1300 block of Windermere Ave.

12:29 p.m. — Battery, 1300 block of Windermere Ave.

4:33 p.m. — Noninjury vehicle collision, Bayfront Expressway at the Dumbarton Bridge.

STANFORD

APRIL 10

8:22 p.m. — Mario Velasquez Inocente, 52, of Redwood City, cited

for driving with a suspended or revoked license, Palm Drive and Roth Way.

APRIL 11

9:34 p.m. — Mehmet Ali Ravci, 39, of Palo Alto, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license and on a warrant, Campus Drive and Welch Road.

APRIL 13

3:41 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, Abrams Court.

4:45 p.m. — Vandalism, 700 block of Campus Drive.

5:39 p.m. — Theft at Arrillaga Recreation Center, 341 Galvez St.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

APRIL 11

2:51 a.m. — Aditya Mohapatra, 31, arrested for public drunkenness and battery against police, 200 block of Castro St.

4:40 a.m. — Gael Garcia, 29, of Alameda, arrested for domestic battery, 200 block of E. Dana St.

9 a.m. — Juan Fonseca, 29, of San Jose, arrested on a warrant, Villa St. and Wild Cherry Lane.

10:59 a.m. — Battery, 1300 block of Grant Road.

11:12 a.m. — Thefts, 700 block of S. Oak St.

11:45 a.m. — Rape reported. Location not disclosed.

2:14 p.m. — Vandalism, 100 block of Del Medio Ave.

11:10 a.m. — Theft, 1300 block of Belshaw Drive.

9:01 p.m. — Home break-in reported, 1100 block of Spruce St. Eddie Contreras, 28, transient, arrested for burglary, assault with the intent to commit a sex crime and resisting police.

APRIL 12

1:57 a.m. — Two men reported to be using tools to cut into a secure storage area in an underground parking garage, 1200 block of Pear Ave. As police arrive, two men drive out of the garage, hitting a patrol vehicle on the way out. They keep driving and collide with another police vehicle at Pear Ave. and Shoreline Blvd. An officer is injured in the second collision. The two suspects run away from their vehicle, but police are able to pursue and apprehend both of them. The vehicle they were in turns out to have been stolen. Edwin Monge Flores, 37, transient, is arrested for attempted burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, assault with a deadly weapon on police, theft of a vehicle, hit-andrun that causes injuries, recklessly evading police in a vehicle, resisting police and probation violation. Renato Castillo, 43, transient, is arrested for attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting police and probation violation.

5:58 a.m. — Battery, 800 block of E. Dana St.

1:19 p.m. — Identity theft, 200 block of View St.

4 p.m. — Lee Agbulos, 45, of Mountain View, arrested for vandalism, Shoreline Blvd. and Middlefield Road.

6:29 p.m. — Monique Temple, 28, of Stockton, arrested for theft, Mountain Ave. and Mercy St.

ATHERTON

THURSDAY

9:51 p.m. — Alberto Sanchez, Navarro, 72, arrested for falsely identifying himself to police, Middlefield Road and Watkins Ave. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

REDWOOD CITY

WEDNESDAY

2:25 a.m. — Alfredo F. Olivella Marmol, 36, of San Mateo, arrested for DUI, 800 block of Brewster Ave. 4:30 a.m. — Joe Matthew Rivera, 29, arrested for resisting police and parole violation, Veterans Blvd. and Woodside Road. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

1:10 p.m. — Melaniselika Tuipulotu, 23, of unincorporated San Mateo County, cited for shoplifting at Target, 2485 El Camino.

1:59 p.m. — Lowell Curtis James,

55, arrested for possession of drugs for sale and on a warrant, Seaport Blvd. and E. Bayshore Road. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.

5:26 p.m. — Caller says a man and a woman are pulling coins out of parking meters, Marshall St. Robert James Clark, 34, of Redwood City, arrested for theft, possession of burglary tools and parole violation, and Maricar Serdon, 41, of Redwood City, cited for theft.

8:15 p.m. — Juan Castellanos, 42, of Redwood City, cited for DUI, 400 block of Jackson Ave.

8:43 p.m. — Angel Isidro Paz, 36, of Redwood City, arrested for DUI and hit-and-run, 100 block of Roosevelt Ave.

THURSDAY

12:32 a.m. — Man with his pants around his ankles reported to be standing in the middle of the street, Jefferson Ave. Police are unable to find the man.

8:59 a.m. — Vehicle hits a pole, knocking down a traffic signal, Center St.

10:52 a.m. — Wallet stolen the previous night, Broadway.

11:35 a.m. — Four-vehicle accident on Highway 101.

12:40 p.m. — Purse stolen, El Camino.

3:33 p.m. — Man grabs merchandise from a store and runs out with it, Walnut St.

7:08 p.m. — Man harassing customers at a business and threatening employees, Broadway.

BELMONT

WEDNESDAY

11:20 p.m. — Michael Robert Riner, 66, arrested for DUI, hitand-run and on a warrant, 400 block of Ralston Ave.

THURSDAY

6:48 a.m. — Noninjury hitand-run, 2100 block of Ralston Ave.

FRIDAY

8:17 a.m. — Noninjury traffic collision, 2700 block of Carlmont Drive.

10:16 a.m. — Theft, 500 block of Seagate Way.

12:35 p.m. — Theft, 1700 block of Hillman Ave.

1:55 p.m. — Noninjury traffic collision, 3000 block of Ralston Ave.

SATURDAY

9:36 p.m. — Disturbance, 1100 block of Shoreway Road.

CHP

From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the MidPeninsula.

APRIL 10

Jose M. Lebron Reyes, 31, arrested for DUI.

Alphonse Raju Mazhuvanchery, 26, arrested for DUI, driving without a license and resisting police.

Juan A. Rangel Rocha, 50, arrested for DUI.

APRIL 11

Bianca Reyes-Flores, 33, arrested for DUI.

Jeovan J. Taylor, 21, arrested for DUI.

APRIL 12

Jesus E. Nieves Davila, 33, arrested for DUI.

Mario Olivera Martinez, 21, arrested for DUI.

The Post prints the latest real estate transactions.

PALO ALTO

4127 Old Adobe Road, 94306, 3 bedrooms, 3641 square feet, built in 1952, Phillips Living Trust to Pamar Inc for $6,100,000, closed March 16

838 Cowper St., 94301, 5 bedrooms, 3629 square feet, built in 2014, Hangebrauck Family Trust to Christian Szegedy for $7,630,000, closed March 18 (last sale, $3,840,000, 03-31-14)

265 Coleridge Ave., 94301, 6 bedrooms, 5126 square feet, built in 2025, Prestige Mill LLC to Omnium Trust for $10,389,000, closed March 20 (last sale, $10,300,000, 09-26-25)

3170 Alexis Drive, 94304, 4 bedrooms, 3636 square feet, built in 1970, Niedzwiecki Family Trust to Eloise and Ali Zargari-Pariset for $13,500,000, closed March 16 (last sale, $1,175,000, 11-01-89)

2500 Columbia St. #314, 94304, 2 bedrooms, 1339 square feet, built in 2018, Stanford University to Natalia Borrero for $1,260,000, closed March 19 (last sale, $1,107,000, 09-02-25)

2600 Columbia St. #102, 94304, 3 bedrooms, 1397 square feet, built in 2018, Thierry Tambe to Stanford University for $1,404,000, closed March 20 (last sale, $1,129,000, 08-09-23)

315 Oxford Ave., 94306,

3 bedrooms, 2182 square feet, built in 1982, Stanford University to Hua and Wenfei Sun for $2,183,000, closed March 20 (last sale, $2,300,000, 06-04-25)

MENLO PARK

740 Windsor Drive, 94025, 6 bedrooms, 5022 square feet, built in 2014, H and J Legacy LLC to Ran Trust for $8,175,000, closed March 6 (last sale, $5,495,000, 07-15-14)

1806 Doris Drive, 94025, 3 bedrooms, 5680 square feet, built in 2012, Rebecca and Kenneth Moss to Banks Family Trust for $12,000,000, closed March 6 (last sale, $7,750,000, 10-17-16)

MOUNTAIN VIEW

2166 Jardin Drive, 94040, 4 bedrooms, 2300 square feet, built in 1971, Agrawal Ventures LLC to Maria and Artsiom Tsai for $5,500,000, closed March 20 (last sale, $3,000,000, 10-24-24)

847 San Luppe Drive, 94043, 3 bedrooms, 1022 square feet, built in 1962, Grace Wit to HungLin and Xiaozhen Lin for $6,225,000, closed March 16 (last sale, $1,825,000, 10-05-23)

LOS ALTOS

200 Silvia Court, 94024, 4 bedrooms, 2074 square feet, built in 1956, Andrew and Emily Anderson to Long Family Trust for $5,380,000,

closed March 16 (last sale, $4,000,000, 02-10-21)

124 Marvin Ave., 94022, 2 bedrooms, 1308 square feet, built in 1940, Merchant Family Trust to Chen Trust for $6,800,000, closed March 16

LOS ALTOS HILLS

27769 Edgerton Road, 94022, 5 bedrooms, 3671 square feet, built in 1978, Family Choong to Dung and Mirco Horst for $5,000,000, closed March 16 (last sale, $628,000, 05-01-87)

28100 Radcliffe Lane, 94022, 4 bedrooms, 3566 square feet, built in 1968, Zook Family Trust to So and Ju Kim for $6,150,000, closed March 18

REDWOOD CITY

1638 Anamor St., 94061, 3 bedrooms, 1370 square feet, built in 1950, Matthias Leipzig to Coudrillier-Chen Trust for $2,125,000, closed March 6 (last sale, $352,500, 03-21-98)

125 Warwick St., 94062, 2 bedrooms, 1240 square feet, built in 1939, SF23L LLC to Crane Cove Trust for $2,495,000, closed March 3 (last sale, $1,960,000, 11-06-25)

BELMONT

1700 Valley View Ave., 94002, 4 bedrooms, 2420 square feet, built in 1978, Rahul Pandey to Amanda and Sean McKenna for $3,050,000, closed March 3 (last sale, $3,248,000, 05-18-22)

NEWS

Melee at dog breeding farm

About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.

The melee Saturday was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25

miles southwest of Madison. Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers.

“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.

The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested, but didn’t give a figure.

The sheriff’s department said a person who “recklessly” drove

a pickup through the front gate of the property was arrested.

Protesters broke into the facility in March and took 30 dogs. Twenty-seven people were arrested on trespassing and other charges.

Ridglan has denied mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges.

SF to vote on lifetime term limits

San Francisco voters will decide whether to set a lifetime ceiling on how long city politicians can stay in office, closing what some see as a loophole in term limits.

The proposal on the June 2 bal-

lot would change the City Charter that now allows members of the Board of Supervisors to serve two successive four-year terms — but allows them to be elected again after four years off.

However, it would only apply to city officials, not members of Congress, like Nancy Pelosi, 86, who has been in Congress since 1987. She’s leaving now, after Republicans gained control of the House.

in the US, but whether their background influences how they age is unknown. Purpose of this study is to research of how the brain ages in older Chinese Adults.

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Weapons-grade drug is replacing fentanyl

Carfentanil has experienced a drastic resurgence across the U.S., causing hundreds of unsuspecting drug users to overdose.

It is a weapons-grade chemical that the Drug Enforcement Administration says is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. DEA intelligence bulletins show the rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl. The bulletins say that is likely leading traffickers in Mexico to use carfentanil to boost the potency of a weakened version of fentanyl.

The surge comes even as fentanyl seizures and overall drug overdose deaths continue a multiyear decline.

Small dose can be deadly

Carfentanil is so deadly that less than a poppy seed-sized amount can kill a person.

“You’re talking about not even a grain of salt that could be potentially lethal,” said Frank Tarentino, the DEA’s chief of operations for its northeast re-

gion, which stretches from Maine to Virginia. “This presents an extremely frightening proposition for substance abuse dependent people who seek opioids on the street today.”

A decade ago, carfentanil exploded into the North American drug supply, causing hundreds of unsuspecting drug users to overdose, only to see a major dip after China banned it, closing a key regulatory loophole in the U.S.

But the situation has shifted dramatically in recent years.

In 2025, DEA labs identified carfentanil 1,400 times in U.S. drug seizures, compared with 145 in 2023 and only 54 in 2022.

Dangers in manufacturing it

Complicating matters for the cartels are the extreme dangers associated with manufacturing carfentanil, Tarentino said.

“You can’t just dabble in this,” Tarentino said. “This is not some mad scientist on Reddit you’re going to get to go out to a rudimentary laboratory in Mexico to make carfentanil.”

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NEWS

School enrollment statewide is falling

Enrollment in California K-12 schools, and in schools across the country, is declining rapidly as birth rates drop and immigration rates fall. This school year, California had the largest decline in enrollment rates since 202122, after schools returned from the pandemic.

Enrollment in public schools declined by 1.3%, or by 74,961 students, according to data released Thursday by the California Department of Education. State public school enrollment is now at 5.7 million students.

Budget cuts, layoffs

The impact on schools is real and immediate, said Kindra Britt, communications director for California County Superintendents.

“That translates directly into budget deficits, staff layoffs, program cuts, and in some cases, school closures,” Britt said.

State funding will rise

However, the decline in enrollment statewide will not affect overall TK-12 state funding, which will continue to be about 40% of the state’s general fund, and is projected to rise significantly in 2025-26.

In Los Angeles, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who is on administrative leave, has blamed the decline on “a climate of fear and instability created by the ongoing immigration crackdowns,” according to the Los Angeles Times. The district will likely cut 650 jobs.

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Acne primarily affects teenagers due to hormonal changes during puberty, and Palo Alto Dermatology Institute (PADI) offers customized treatments featuring the advanced TheraClearX acne laser. These treatments target breakouts at the source, calm inflammation, and promote clear, healthy skin to help teenagers gain the confidence they need. Call (650) 606-7234 to book an appointment. PADI

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A NEW ERA IN WOMEN’S INTIMATE HEALTH

Shockwave therapy is redefining women’s sexual wellness with a cuttingedge, non-invasive solution. This treatment uses low-intensity sound waves to enhance blood flow, promote tissue repair, and restore natural function. While applied externally, its effects reach beneath the surface—helping identify and address the underlying causes of discomfort or change. Women may experience improved sensitivity, increased lubrication, enhanced comfort, and reduced pain. Unlike medications or surgical options, these treatments are fast, require no downtime, and focus on long-term healing rather

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TRUSTED CARE FOR THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER. The new Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center - Palo Alto offers timely, accessible, and competitively priced therapy with a licensed clinician. Services for youth aged 12-17 meet teens where they are—in both readiness for care and logistical needs. Each young person receives care reflecting their unique needs and preferences, with evidencebased therapy addressing emotional regulation, mood and anxiety symptoms, trauma and grief, peer relationships and social stress, identity development and self-esteem, parent-child communication, and more. Family therapy is also offered. Visit Caminar. org/TeenWellness for more information.

WHEN OUR YOUTH NEED SUPPORT, Children’s Health Council Is Here. Childhood today can feel overwhelming, for kids and for parents. When anxiety, learning challenges, or emotional struggles begin to surface, families often wonder where to turn. For more than 70 years, Children’s Health Council (CHC) has provided compassionate support for children and teens, helping them build confidence, resilience, and hope. From therapy and evaluations to parent guidance and school support, CHC walks alongside families every step of the way. If your child needs support, don’t wait. Learn more at chconline.org.

AMICARE SERVICES OFFERS OVER 100 YEARS of combined experience in caregiving and in-home care, serving clients from South San Francisco to San Jose. Their services include assistance with errands, basic meal preparation, calendar management, light housekeeping, and fall prevention. As Joy Lee, AmiCare Founder & CEO, shares: “We’re dedicated to ensuring you receive high-quality care in the comfort of your home.” Please call (650) 709-8900 or email info@ amicares.com to schedule your free assessment today. They look forward to supporting you and your loved ones as part of the Amicare family.

HAVE BRANDON POUR YOU TALL cool one or maybe mix you up a tasty attitude adjusting martini. We’re in the historic sports lounge at Palo Alto’s Sundance the Steakhouse. There are display cases filled with local and national sports memorabilia and beautiful framed autographed photos. There is also a full size Stanford crew rowing boat hanging from the ceiling. Throw in the gourmet appetizers, a world-class wine list, assorted beers and cocktails and you know you’ll be coming back to the Sundance lounge. Come by 1921 El Camino Real and see why Sundance is such a special place. Call (650) 321-6798 for a reservation and check the website for more info.

SPRING HAS ARRIVED! CELEBRATE THE season Friday and Saturday at Gamble Garden’s Spring Tour. This beloved community event features live music, artisanal shopping and horticultural demonstrations at Gamble, one of Palo Alto’s hidden gems. The highlight of the weekend: exclusive access to four of the city’s most stunning private gardens. Don’t miss your chance to step behind the gates for a rare look at some of Palo Alto’s finest

landscapes. From an elegant Mediterranean oasis to an all-occasion family treasure created by local landscape designer Katsy Swan, each of the four gardens showcases a unique beauty. Ticket holders can enjoy the gardens at their leisure and docents will be on hand at each one to answer questions. For tickets and more information, including demonstration schedules, go to gamblegarden.org. Earlybird discounts for tour tickets are available online until April 23.

ARE YOUR MUSCLES FEELING OLD and cranky? Is your neck and shoulders feeling tight and sore? If so, you might just need a little relaxation and massage at Blue Danube spa in Palo Alto. Right now, you can treat yourself to an hour of Swedish massage with hot rock therapy for just $65, which is a steal compared to the usual price of over $90. This massage can help you unwind, boost your energy, and can be helpful after an injury.

Swedish massage uses long, kneading strokes, rhythmic tapping, and joint movement. Pair that with hot rock therapy to ease muscle tension, pain, and improve blood flow to the area. Blue Danube spa is conveniently located near the Palo Alto Caltrain

station at 200 California Ave. Feel free to drop by or book an appointment by calling (650) 321-1777. Be sure to bring in the Daily Post coupon.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND GET ready to rev your engines! Pacific Coast Dream Machines , the “Coolest Show on Earth” is set to make a return on Sunday, April 26th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Eddie Andreini Field, Half Moon Bay Airport. For over three decades, this remarkable celebration of mechanical ingenuity, power, and style has captivated audiences from around the world. The Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show is a one-of-a-kind experience that brings together a car show, air show, motorcycle show, tractor show, maker fair, music festival, food festival, and living history festivals galore all in one place. Enjoy a diverse lineup of live performances and musical entertainment. “This year we have an impressive lineup of All-Star talent from beginning to end,” said entertainment director Grant Walters, a longtime supporter of the event beneficiary, the Coastside Adult Day Health Center. High-octane veteran performers will pump out the beats like eight cylinders of piston-like persistence. Visit Pacific Coast Dream Machine website for more information and tickets.

PEEPER –----

and found a video of himself changing.

The boy, now 15, said he didn’t tell anyone at the time.

The stepfather was with the boy’s mother from 2016 to 2021 and legally adopted the boy. He also has a daughter.

The stepfather and the boy’s mother had a messy divorce, including 13 reports to Child Protective Services, Rogers said.

The stepfather filed several complaints against the boy’s mother that were unfounded. He tracked the boy’s location, followed him to a park and kept a Ring camera in their living room, Rogers said.

“It is evident that (the defendant) is the type of person who seeks and de-

mands control over those around him,” Rogers said in the police report.

Officers searched the stepfather’s apartment and found a camera disguised as a car key and 17 different phones, computers and flash drives.

Officers found 11 videos of the boy in the stepfather’s “deleted photos” folder that showed the stepfather hiding and picking up the phone.

The stepfather was arrested on April 8. He is facing 12 felonies and will return to the Palo Alto Courthouse on May 5, court records show.

BREASTS ---

ing, she saw police and a man on a stretcher, the lawsuit said. She decided to wait in her car for police to move

away from the exit of the hotel before driving away. That’s when police officer Aziz Obaidi approached Price’s car and, after she opened her door, he “violently yanked” her out of the car by her left arm, the suit said.

Price was scared while Obaidi was jerking her out of her car, the suit said. Obaidi accused Price of knowing the person who was involved in the incident with the man on the stretcher, according to the lawsuit.

Hotel room searched

eclipse the 2010 record set by Republican Meg Whitman of Atherton, who spent $178.5 million in a losing bid for governor, much of it her own money. At the time, it was the costliest campaign for statewide office in the nation’s history.

Even when ad buys from all his major competitors are combined, along with ad purchases by independent committees supporting candidates, Steyer is outspending the field by tens of millions of dollars.

“Billionaire money is flooding our state in an attempt to buy this election,” former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, one of Steyer’s chief rivals, warned her supporters this month.

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Price said in the suit that she was confused as to why he thought she knew who was involved and offered to let them search her hotel room. Obaidi was aggressive when he was about to handcuff her, causing her shirt to lift, exposing her breasts, according to the lawsuit. Police did not help her to pull down her shirt or allow her to do it herself for a while, the suit said.

Price was arrested and charged with being drunk in public, the suit states. She said she wasn’t drunk and spent the whole day in custody, missed work and was unable to pick up her child.

Mail-in ballots are set to go out to voters next month. Steyer is among a crowd of candidates hoping to seize a spotlight after former Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s dramatic departure from the race following sexual assault allegations that he denies.

Republicans still lead pack

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Obaidi did not use a breathalyzer to check if she was drunk, the lawsuit states. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe previously said that a case for Price was not presented to his office and the Redwood City Police Department may have decided not to send it.

The city decided to settle the lawsuit to avoid wasting time and money, Mathiowdis said. Obaidi continues to work as an officer, according to Mathiowdis.

In 2023, Redwood City settled a lawsuit for $20,000 with a mother who was forced to stand handcuffed in her front yard in nothing but an open bathrobe, exposing her naked body as officers searched her home in connection to a drug case involving her boyfriend.

STEYER -------

ises to bring down household costs or rails against federal immigration raids — appear inescapable at times in heavily Democratic Los Angeles, the state’s largest media market. Data compiled by advertising tracker AdImpact show Steyer has spent or booked over $115 million in ads for broadcast TV, cable and radio — nearly 30 times the amount of his nearest Democratic rival.

If he makes it through the June 2 primary election, Steyer could easily

But while Steyer has ticked up in polling amid his spending splurge, he has not broken away from the field. The top two candidates will go on to the November election. The most recent Emerson Poll, done after the departure of Swalwell, had Republican Steve Hilton in first at 17%, followed by Republican Chad Bianco in second at 14%. Steyer is third with 14% and Porter is fourth with 10%.

With all the money he’s spending, is Steyer getting value for his dollars?

“If your first round of ads doesn’t move you dramatically (in the polls), the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rounds won’t either,” said veteran Democratic strategist Bill Carrick, who for years advised the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. “There is something inherently holding Steyer back.”

In recent prior campaigns for governor, at this stage a leading candidate was taking control of the race. This year, voters appear to be shrugging at a contest that lacks a star candidate among seven leading Democrats and two Republicans.

“Somehow the campaign is frozen,” Carrick added.

History shows that money doesn’t always translate into votes.

Billionaire developer Rick Caruso spent over $100 million in 2022 in his bid to become Los Angeles mayor, much of it his own money, but he

was handily defeated by Mayor Karen Bass, who spent a fraction of Caruso’s total. Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent more than $1 billion of his own money on his 2020 presidential bid before dropping out. And Steyer’s money was unable to lift him into contention in the 2020 presidential contest, when he dropped out early in the year after a poor finish in the South Carolina primary.

Steyer has never held elected office.

Can money buy the job?

In a 2019 interview with The Associated Press, Steyer was asked what he would say to people who think he’s trying to buy the presidency.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Steyer said at the time, before adding, “I’m never going to apologize for succeeding in business. That’s America, right?”

His campaign did not respond directly when asked about similar criticism facing his run for governor.

“Tom now stands as the only Democrat with the grassroots energy, institutional backing and resources to advance to the general election,” spokesman Kevin Liao said in a statement.

Steyer promises to abolish ICE

Leading Democrats are all claiming to have picked up support since Swalwell’s exit. Steyer nabbed one plum endorsement, when the influential California Teachers Association, which previously backed Swalwell, recommended him.

In his ads, Steyer promises to “abolish” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has been staging raids across California. In another, he laments the state’s punishing cost of housing, “Everybody needs an affordable place to live,” he says.

DEVELOPER

on Stonebrook Drive, build a mansion and sell the property within two years.

But the pandemic hit, and he said the value of the property fell from $13 to $10 million.

In Mountain View, Tashjian planned to buy a lot at 570 S. Rengstorff Ave., get city approval for new apartments and sell the property to a developer.

But negotiations with the seller broke down in March 2020, he said. Tashjian told his investors in April 2020 that their payments would be delayed, and his companies eventually went bankrupt.

Tashjian is facing more than 15 lawsuits from people trying to get money back from him. His attorney said the cases belong in civil court.

Disgruntled investors include Janet Bocek, Gary and Judy Laine, Tom and Diana Pare, Richard and Catherine Spieker, Tod Fukushima, Lourdes Martinez and Catherine Hung.

App made records disappear

Without their knowledge, Tashjian allegedly transferred money between LLCs set up for specific projects and his personal accounts, DA investigator Cody Cogliandro said in a report.

When investors asked for financial records, Tashjian would either refuse or send records through an app that makes documents disappear a few seconds after viewing them, Cogliandro said.

“Vahe knew he wasn’t being honest with his statements and only temporari-

ly moved money around to appear honest,” Cogliandro wrote in his report.

Tashjian was involved with developments 5150 El Camino Real and 745 Distel Drive in Los Altos, court records show.

Young men are more religious than women

A new Gallup poll shows more young men in the U.S. say religion is “very important” in their lives compared to young women — the first time young men have surpassed young women on this measure of religiosity going back 25 years.

Gallup’s latest data shows that 42% of men in the U.S. ages 18-29 said religion is very important to them, a notable increase from 28% in 2022-2023. Over the same time, young women’s attachment to religion has stayed low, at about 30%.

This marks the first time young men have overtaken women by a big margin on this measure, which goes back to 2000. Gallup reports aggregate findings every two years to ensure the estimates are stable.

Shift took several years

Several decades ago, young women were much more attached to religion than young men, but that’s shifted over the years. More recently, young men and women’s religiosity was roughly similar. The new increase in young men’s religiosity also in contrast to the minimal change seen since 2022-2023 among older men and women.

The gender gap reversal is only happening among adults under 30, according to Gallup’s data. Among adults aged 30 and older, women remain more religious than men.

Politics correlates with shift

Much of the growth in religiosity is happening among young Republicans. The data shows that since 2022-2023, religious attendance has increased among Republican young men and women compared to Democratic men and women. The percentage of young Republican men who attend church, synagogue, mosque or temple at least weekly has been rising since 2019, while young Democratic men’s attendance has largely fallen.

There’s a similar pattern among women. Now, only about one-quarter of Democratic women under 30 attend church at least monthly, compared to about 6 in 10 young Republican women.

Political scientist Ryan Burge of Washington University in St. Louis, a leading researcher into religious trends and a longtime pastor in the American Baptist Church, said to see the gender gap with religion reversed in Gen Z adults “represents a seismic change in society and the future of the church.”

Burge says young men are more drawn to religion now because it is a space where they feel more accepted in a world where other institutions are “less interested in white men compared to women and people of color.”

“It’s the only place where you don’t have to apologize for being a white man,” he said.

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Shoplifter sues store and guard

An Oregon man who attempted to steal a grocery cart full of food from an Albertsons store is now suing the company and its security guard.

Joshua Charles Merkel, 45, filed a lawsuit against Albertsons and its security guard for $10,000 on March 2 for injuries he sustained while shoplifting from the store, according to KOIN-TV in Portland.

In March 2024, Merkel entered the store and filled a grocery cart with items and left the store without paying, according to the lawsuit filed earlier this month.

Altercation in parking lot

Merkel said he was then stopped by a security guard who followed him out of the store. He said he pushed the cart full of items toward the security guard in an effort to return the merchandise

before he turned around to the car where his partner was waiting to drive away.

The security guard then pursued and assaulted Merkel, the lawsuit claims. The guard allegedly kicked and hit Merkel repeatedly, even after he tried to back away.

Security guard found innocent

Albertsons is accused of failing to reasonably select and train their employees, including the security guard. As a result, Merkel said he suffered multiple personal injuries, including bruises and abrasions, the straining or tearing of muscles, headaches, multiple facial and jaw fractures, and more.

The security guard, Matthew Demetrius Cooper, 31, was indicted on one count of second-degree assault, but acquitted in September 2025.

Garbage hauler dumps trash on deadbeat’s lawn

A trash removal company in the East Bay city of San Pablo dumped an entire load of debris onto the front yard of a customer in a $700 billing dispute.

Express Rental Dumpster claimed the customer failed to pay $700 for a rented dumpster despite repeated reminders.

The customer repeatedly promised to pay later but did not, leading the company to decide to “retrieve” their dumpster by dumping the contents.

The company’s owner, Martin Perez, told KTVU that people moving out of a house on 19th Street in San Pablo rented a dumpster for debris removal, but the credit card given for the transaction was repeatedly declined.

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