California

California Detective Has Become a Cold Case Ace

Published

5 months ago

January 14, 2024

California Detective Has Become a Cold Case Ace

Cold cases hold particular fascination in the true crime genre, and detective Matt Hutchison can relate. He’s managed to solve eight of them in seven years as an officer rotating into the robbery-homicide beat in California’s Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. And while detectives disguising themselves as busboys and garbage collectors to obtain evidence might sound like something out of a novel or movie, sometimes that’s what it takes for him to clear a crime. “He has solved more cold cases in three years than any single detective in the last 15,” Rob Baker, deputy district attorney for Santa Clara County, tells journalist Scott Ostler, who profiles the detective and details some of the cases in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Many of the crimes Hutchison investigates took place before the 38-year-old was born, including the case of Karen Stitt, a teenager whose 1982 brutal assault and murder was deemed unsolvable. The application of modern genetics testing did not provide a magic answer, but it did give Hutchison the name of a likely third cousin of the alleged killer. They created on a family tree, and in 2022, Hutchinson arrested Stitt’s alleged killer, who was 75 at the time. “I get uncomfortable getting attention for these cases,” says the detective. “The hard work is done by these families that for 40 years keep hope alive.” Check out the story in full here. (Or read more longform recaps.)

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California

R&B Singer Angela Bofill Dead at 70 in California

Published

3 hours ago

June 15, 2024

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R&B Singer Angela Bofill Dead at 70 in California

Angela Bofill – the R&B vocalist best known for her songs, “I Try” and “Angel of the Night,” has died.

Bofill passed away at her daughter’s home in Vallejo, California. Her cause of death was not disclosed, but she had previous health issues.

In 2006 and 2007, Bofill suffered two strokes, causing paralysis on the left of her body.

Bofill’s friend and manager, Rich Angel, announced her death Friday in two Facebook posts, saying her family was “saddened” by the news.

Born in NYC, Bofill rose to fame in the ’70s with a bunch of hits, including “I Try,” “Angel of the Night,” “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter” and “What I Wouldn’t Do (For the Love of You).”

Her success continued through the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s – catching the eye of music mogul Clive Davis at one point. Davis was the head of Arista Records, which produced several of Bofill’s albums.

angela bofill sub 2

Last year, Bofill was inducted into “The Women Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame.”

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She is survived by her husband Chris and daughter Shauna.

Bofill was 70.

RIP

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California

Teamsters, Basic Crafts Zero In On California’s Film & TV Tax Credit In First Week Of Negotiations With Studios; More Talks Set For Next Week

Published

10 hours ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

The Hollywood Basic Crafts have officially wrapped the first week of negotiations on a new three-year agreement with the studios.

In a memo to members, the unions — which include Teamsters Local 399, IBEW Local 40, LiUNA! Local 724, OPCMIA Local 755 and UA Local 78 — said more talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are set for next week as they continue to chip away at a deal.

Teamsters Local 399 chief negotiator Lindsay Dougherty said in a statement that the unions are “committed to a continued partnership with these employers to increase the work here in California, but increasing work here in the state will not be done by making any concessions on behalf of our members throughout these negotiations.”

“Our proposals shared this week reflect the marching orders from our members and center around the long due respect and parity our members are owed for their skill, expertise and contribution to this industry,” the statement said.

As is typical, bargaining in the first week included opening statements and the exchange of initial proposals. However, the unions also said they’ve opened discussions on increasing and expanding tax incentives for film and television in California.

While it’s not a decision for the AMPTP to make with respect to the new contracts, it is an interesting point to bring up in negotiations, because it highlights the below-the-line crews’ desire to bring production back to the state and, more specifically, the Los Angeles area. Productions have increasingly out of California over the past decade and, more recently, have opted to shoot entirely internationally for even more cost-saving measures.

Dougherty spoke about the unions’ desire to increase those tax incentives in California during a recent interview with Deadline, explaining that “we’re not only having to be competitive with other states, but we have to be competitive worldwide. That’s just a different game.”

“It’s Hollywood. It’s the epicenter of motion picture making. Why wouldn’t you want to reward the people that not only work day in, day out, but generations of workers at this point?” she told Deadline.

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'Self-Driving' Tesla Slams Into Cop Car in Orange County, California

Published

18 hours ago

June 14, 2024

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'Self-Driving' Tesla Slams Into Cop Car in Orange County, California

Footage released by the Fullerton Police Department in California shows an officer running to avoid getting hit by a self-driving Tesla on June 13, 2024.

Gif: Instagram / fullerton_pd

A Tesla in “self-driving” mode slammed into an unoccupied police car during the early morning hours of Thursday, according to the Fullerton Police Department. No one was injured in the crash, but bodycam footage shows a police officer sprinting out of the way to avoid getting hit.

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The officer in the footage was managing traffic in Fullerton at the intersection of W. Orangethorpe Ave. and Courtney Ave. after a deadly traffic accident involving a motorcyclist, according to a statement posted to Instagram by the Fullerton PD.

“The police vehicle had its emergency lights on and several flares were placed on the road when a blue Tesla crashed into the police vehicle, which was blocking traffic,” the statement reads.

“Thanks to the quick reaction of the police officer, who spotted the oncoming vehicle and swiftly moved to the side of the road, along with the off-duty police dispatcher who was riding with him, a potential disaster was averted,” the statement continued.

The person behind the wheel of the Tesla has not been named, but police say he admitted to being on his cellphone during the crash, according to KTLA. The local TV news station aired footage of the aftermath, showing the wrecked Tesla and the police vehicle.

Self-driving Tesla crashes into police cruiser in Fullerton

The name of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature was recently changed to Full Self-Driving (Supervised), in an attempt to make it clear that drivers should not rely on the technology to keep them safe from crashes. But Tesla CEO Elon Musk has certainly been sending mixed messages on that front, including just yesterday at the Tesla shareholder’s meeting in Austin, Texas, where the billionaire touted just how safe FSD is supposed to be.

Tesla did not respond to an email for comment about the accident. Tesla has previously defended itself from allegations that FSD isn’t safe by pointing to disclaimers that state drivers should always be paying attention to the road.

“This incident underscores the importance of alertness and responsible driving,” Fullerton PD wrote, “Even in situations where the road is blocked and emergency lights are on.”

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