UNION CITY — The schedule for the Honor Bowl triple-header on Saturday at James Logan High is the product of a text thread between six friends that originated only a few years ago.

“It’s slightly crazy,” said James Logan coach Ricky Rodriguez, in his second year at the helm. “The high school football coaching scene, it’s very tight-knit, and I’m very fortunate to have a lot of friends who are similar in my age range.”

That includes two of the other head coaches involved in the showcase — Danny Jones (Amador Valley) and Ryan Partridge (Liberty) — plus an assistant coach at Clayton Valley Charter (Nick Tisa), formerly in charge at Dougherty Valley.

Del Oro coach Jeff Walters, who left Liberty for Loomis in 2017, learned first hand over the past couple of years about what exactly the Honor Bowl entails.

“We have a text thread that’s been going on for about three years now,” said Rodriguez, with ex-Dublin coach Matt Hoefs — currently the special teams coordinator at Liberty — rounding out the group. “Jeff Walters was the first one to be a participant in the Honor Bowl and he kind of explained to us what it meant in terms to the community, and not only to his football program. The efforts and the funds that are raised for wounded veterans.

“Me, coming from a military family — my grandfather being in the Navy — and my wife’s family also being a Marine Corps family, it was always very important to me to try to get into the Honor Bowl.”

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The exchange of text messages began while Rodriguez still coached at Encinal, which he understood might not be enough of a high-profile program to be invited by the Honor Bowl, let alone host the event.

St. Francis in Mountain View was the choice for NorCal’s inaugural function a year ago, with five games over a two-day span on Aug. 24-25.

Once Rodriguez was hired to reinvigorate the football program at James Logan prior to the 2018 campaign, he felt the stars might align after all. So, he reached out to gauge interest.

“Of course, we’ve struggled in the last five years or so, but we look to turn that around,” Rodriguez said. “Being a name that is recognizable in Northern California, they asked me if I’d be interested in hosting it, but the problem was that we needed to fill games in there. And us being a 7-4 team, we probably wouldn’t be a marquee matchup.”

A recently-crowned state champion would certainly be more compelling, which is why Rodriguez ran the idea past Partridge, whose Liberty team crushed Gilroy 57-0 at the Honor Bowl last year.

“He had nothing but great things to say about his experience, his team’s experience and his community’s experience,” Rodriguez said.

“Obviously war or battle is nowhere to close to a football game,” Partridge said. “But these soldiers that come in and talk to our boys, they attribute their experience from football to the battlefield, and it’s just a really interesting thing. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, where you’re doing it, but a team can accomplish amazing things.”

He added: “It’s just a cool event. It puts some real-life perspective in a sport that we respect so much.”

In search of an opponent, it turned out Clayton Valley Charter also had an opening that weekend. The idea to schedule a rematch of last season’s North Coast Section Open Division semifinal in which Liberty proved victorious 42-14 seemed too good to pass up.

That meant Tisa was approached via text about bringing Clayton Valley Charter coach Tim Murphy into the fold.

“Once that game got scheduled, it kind of got the ball rolling,” Rodriguez said.

“The only bummer for me is I just have to be there with my team,” Partridge said. “I wish I could be there all day.”

After inquiries to schools in the south and within the region proved fruitless in a quest for James Logan’s opponent, Rodriguez discovered Heritage was available.

“I thought, ‘Wow, what a great idea it would be to have both the Brentwood schools come out to Union City and watch both of their high school teams play,” he said.

There was still the matter of finding a noon matchup to kick things off. Eventually, Jones at Amador Valley got in touch with longtime Campolindo coach Kevin Macy and convinced him to join the Honor Bowl as its opening act.

“We wanted to see Campo versus Amador for a long time,” Partridge said. “And to get that to happen was awesome.”

“And that’s kind of how it all happened,” Rodriguez said. “All of us on the same text chain kind of put this thing together and we’re just so fortunate to be a part of this.”

Rodriguez feels James Logan is a unique prototype in terms of the programs to previously open their gates for the Honor Bowl.

“We’re not a private school, we’re right in the middle of Union City, we’re a one high school town,” he said. “Our demographic is very different from these schools that have hosted it before. And we have great facilities, so in terms of the actual venue I think it’s going to be perfect.”

And for the grandson of a member of the Navy, this event is not just about exposure for his football program.

“What’s really cool and what I’m really excited about is a lot of my kids, they never really got the opportunity to learn about what exactly our military does and why it’s so important,” Rodriguez said. “Of course, you can watch movies, you can read articles, but in terms of sitting down and speaking to somebody who has served this country and dedicated their lives to the cause, it’s more of an educational experience I’m looking forward for our kids at Logan.”

Honor Bowl matchups at James Logan

• Noon: Amador Valley (2-0) vs. Campolindo (2-0) … “I’m a little bit biased because Danny is my friend, but I think they’re kind of the surprise team in the NCS right now, off to a 2-0 start,” Rodriguez said. “This is his fourth year at Amador and they’re really starting to ascend into that upper echelon of (East Bay Athletic League) teams. And to be matched up with the former state champion Campolindo, I think that’s a great matchup.”

• 4 p.m.: James Logan (1-1) vs. Heritage (0-2) … “We’re trying to re-establish what Logan was historically known as, which is a powerhouse of the Bay Area. So, playing in a game of this magnitude kind of gives us that opportunity. And playing against a school like Heritage, which a lot of people call them the stepbrother in Brentwood, but Coach (Don) Sanders has been there for a long time and he always has a great program. Those kids are going to be fired up and ready.”

• 7:30 p.m.: Liberty (2-0) vs. Clayton Valley Charter (1-0) … “Of course, you have the defending state champs with a rematch against the team that they beat in the Open Division semifinals last year in Clayton Valley. Me, being a former coach at Clayton Valley under Murph in his first year (2012), it adds sentimental reasons, aspects, why it’s kind of cool to watch my former team take on one of my best friends Ryan Partridge.”

SAN FRANCISCO — A Bay Area attorney who wrote he was driven to download child pornography after his wife became ill and died was sentenced to one year in federal prison last week.

San Francisco resident Michael Lawrence Connell, 67, was arrested last year after authorities discovered an estimated more than 600 digital files containing child porn during a search of Connell’s home. The youngest victims depicted in the material appeared to be 3 years old, authorities wrote in a sentencing memo.

On Aug. 27, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg sentenced Connell to one year and one day in prison, plus supervised release for five years, and a $5,000 fine. Connell will also have to register as a sex offender. Also, the state bar temporarily suspended Connell’s legal license in August, and is seeking a permanent disbarment.

Connell wrote a 16-page letter to the court, in which he detailed his familial history — even referring to his great-grandfather being a coal miner and his grandmother surviving the Ludlow Massacre of 1914 — and describing how his wife suffered several medical issues, eventually losing the ability to move, before she died in 2015.

It was this experience, Connell alleged, that he became depressed and turned to child pornography online.

“I was isolated in a city of 900,900 people. I felt alone, and I felt lonely,” Connell wrote, later adding: “In my entire life I have never touched a child, except to show appropriate affection for my grandchildren. I never had a sexual relationship that was improper; nothing without the willing consent of the other. … What I did was limited to the internet, to the artificial reality I created.”

Authorities, though, say that anyone who seeks child pornography online is raising the demand for it, thereby giving its producers an incentive to make more. Prosecutors said in sentencing memos that some of the people depicted in the child porn found on Connell’s computer were identified, and wrote impact statements saying they continue to feel victimized by people who view the material.

“(Connell) harmed these children again when he downloaded and viewed the images depicting them,” assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Narayan wrote in a sentencing memo, which asked for a 51-month sentence. “The sentence imposed by the court should reflect the harm suffered by these victims and the defendant’s role in perpetuating it.”

Connell’s attorney wrote a sentencing memo asking for a sentence of 1,500 hours of community service with no added jail time, pointing out that Connell had attended 200 “sexaholic” meetings and volunteered at a homeless shelter while he awaited resolution to his case.

“The State Bar is in the process of disbarring Mr. Connell. He has been shamed and humiliated, and looks forward to a life of financial uncertainty,” wrote Connell’s attorney, chief assistant federal public defender Geoffrey Hansen. “He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of life, and has lost many of his friends directly as a result of this case.”

Long ago, Alameda Free Library patrons most often heard “shush,” not Big Band swing, or “be quiet,” not the blues or Latin jazz. And full-power blasts on a Hammond B3 organ or a flugelhorn, a brass instrument similar to a trumpet but with a deeper sound, would have been unthinkable.

“When we started, we said we wanted to be at the level of Lincoln Center, Yoshi’s, the Monterey Jazz Festival and SF Jazz,” says concert producer and Friends of the Alameda Free Library board member Eileen Savel. “Many of our musicians have played at one or more of those venues.”

Arriving from Yugoslavia in 1951, Vuckovich first heard American Jazz on the Armed Forces radio station. He studied under Vince Guaraldi, among others, and developed a repertoire reflecting the thick harmonies of jazz standards and the hard swing of bebop and contemporary world music. Articulate keyboarding and imaginative use of Latin jazz rhythms are signature features of Vuckovich’s.

Vocalist Alvon Johnson and the instrumentalists joining Vuckovich (John Santos on Latin percussion, Akira Tana on drums, Jeff Massanari on guitar and Doug Miller on bass) are sure to enliven the performance, Savel said.

“Larry is a most amazing 80-something-year-old. He brings wonderful people together,” she said.

Vuckovich will perform on a piano provided by Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland.

“We pay for pickup and delivery, but they do not charge a rental fee,” Savel said.

The second concert, headlined by Fox, is a particular thrill for Savel, who spends much of the year attending concerts and other events in search of top talent.

“I was taking an Osher jazz class and she was a guest,” Savel recalled. “I heard her play and literally said, ‘OMG.’ I asked her if she’d ever consider doing a library jazz series. She does world tours in big venues, so I was thrilled she agreed. Truthfully, when I heard her, I had never heard anyone who plays the range she plays.”

Fox’s most recent albums include a return to her roots and acoustic arrangements in “This Bird Still Flies/Acoustic Sessions,” and a Sgt. Pepper project and album, “May I Introduce to You,” featuring music of The Beatles and performed with San Francisco String Trio band mates Mads Tolling, and Jeff Denson. Impossible to pigeonhole, Fox creates jazz arrangements for orchestras, loves show tunes and Motown music and writes in an email about the upcoming show, “From greasy blues to infectious funk … from luscious ballads to blazing bebop … a memorable show is not to be missed.”

The organ, she adds, is the instrument that first sparked her interest in jazz and “touched me to my bones.” Fox says listening to guitarist Wes Montgomery and his trio’s recordings that included an organist led her to tours with B3 organists Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Barbara Dennerlein and at the library with Ho.

Savel says the library’s roughly 100-seat venue is ideal for Matheny. Not only because his compositions include intimate, melodic ballads and the introduction of a “new” instrument invites historical explanation and audience interaction, but because of the stories he will tell.

“He has a warm personality and talks about the music, about inspiration for songs he’s written. He’s gracious about telling personal stories about his bandmates. Not everyone does that,” she says.

Ultimately, the purpose of the series is to bring people to the library. Proceeds from the event that sells out every year support the library’s many programs for all ages, as do the Friends’ other activities that include the popular, biannual book sales. Savel says people without tickets can come and try their luck for last-minute availability.

“If there’re any unclaimed seats, we’ll fill them. My favorite part is that people come at 7 to socialize and buy wine. They love jazz music and listen from their heads to their toes. Our audiences are famous in their own right.”

Asked to dream of a performer she would like to bring to the library in the future, Savel says, “Just last night at the California Jazz Conservancy, I heard the Grammy award-winning drummer Brian Blade from Louisiana playing with Jeff Denson, CJC’s dean of instruction, on bass; and from Paris, Romain Pilon on electric guitar. The trio’s prerelease tour of their CD, ‘Between Two Worlds,’ made for a musically adventurous show. I’d like our Alameda audience to hear the group, most particularly to hear the one and only Brian Blade on drums.”

There’s always next year. For more information on 2019’s Live @ the Library Concerts, visit bayareane.ws/2lsXLcZ.

PIEDMONT — The city’s new interactive website — unveiled at Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting — is up and running as of Sept. 4 and can be viewed at piedmont.ca.gov.

“Now people can get quickly to the information they need or want to see,” said City Clerk John Tulloch.

The introduction of the site marks the city’s move into the realm of social media with the site linking to the city’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages. Services will be added to the new website such as credit card payments for permits and other services, fillable forms and applications, mapping and other features.

“This will allow staff to nimbly present updated information in an ever-changing communication landscape,” Tulloch said.

In other business: Piedmont police Chief Jeremy Bowers presented the second-quarter crime report that showed a decrease in reportable offenses, with 104 for January through June 2019, compared to 114 for that same period last year. Burglaries decreased from 30 incidents in January through June in 2018 to 17 incidents in the same period for 2019.

Larceny thefts were up slightly with 67 reported since January 2019 compared to 63 from January through June last year. There were 42 thefts reported from April through June this year. Bowers said much of those thefts are tools and equipment left in vehicles parked at construction sites or thefts such as backpacks, tablets or phones from unlocked vehicles. Thefts of motor vehicles stayed flat, with 11 noted January through June in 2018 and 2019.

Bowers said the department continues traffic enforcement targeted around schools and highly traveled streets such as Oakland, Highland, Grand, Moraga, Wildwood and Linda avenues. Fifteen of the 30 collisions reported through the first two quarters of 2019 occurred on these and other nearby streets. In the first two quarters of 2018, 44 collisions occurred.

“Many of them are hit and run; someone sideswipes a parked car and keeps going,” Bowers said. “Speed and inattention continue to be the main factors associated with reported collisions. … Residents and visitors need to take accountability with respect to driving habits. Enforcement cannot be counted on to solve all speeding issues and other types of hazardous driving.”

As always, the license plate readers in town have aided in the apprehension of suspects, identification of stolen vehicles and other crime-stopping.

Traffic calming measures at Grand and Fairview avenues and at Oakland at Greenbank avenues were also under consideration by the council at Tuesday’s meeting. The Public Works Department proposed striping and installation of bollards at both intersections to improve traffic safety for drivers and pedestrians. Both projects would cost a total of $37,000. Several residents objected to the project saying plastic bollards were unsightly and didn’t match Piedmont’s aesthetics.

“Don’t create another eyesore like at Magnolia and Wildwood,” Kathy Moody said.

Greenbank resident Debra Constantine doesn’t favor “unattractive plastic and white stripes. Nobody on the block is in favor of it. We are anti-plastic.”

John Constantine said “Bollards may slow things down, but they are not beautiful. Don’t rush into this.”

A couple of other speakers said that while the project isn’t glamorous, they favored anything that would provide more safety at hazardous intersections, where students are traveling to school and drivers have no line of sight to travel up Oakland Avenue.

The council assured residents that other projects may be considered in the future such as a landscaped triangle or other amenities. They voted 4-0 to approve the striping and bollards, with Councilwoman Betsy Andersen absent.

The Alameda Unified School District’s relationship with the broader community is an important one. With 16 campuses spread across the Island, 9,500 students enrolled and some 950 employees, our day-to-day operations, educational practices and student and family support services have direct and indirect impacts on life in our city. That’s why we encourage community members to get involved with our school district. Whether you have children in our district or not, we value your perspective, expertise and willingness to partner with us to support our students, schools and community.

The Measure B1 Oversight Committee is comprised of 11 citizens (including parent/guardians and district employees). The committee meets four to six times a year to review the district’s compliance with the measure’s terms. Each year, the committee’s work culminates in a staff annual report, as well as a shorter committee report, to be presented to the Board of Education.

For an application, please visit the Measure B1 Oversight Committee page on the district website (alameda.k12.ca.us/b1_oversight). Applicants can also get an application by calling the district office at 510-337-7000 or stopping by the office at 2060 Challenger Drive in Alameda). Completed applications must be received by no later than 5 p.m. Sept. 16. Appointments will be announced on Sept. 24.

Measure I, a bond measure that Alameda residents passed in 2014, raises $179,500,000 for needed repairs, upgrades, and new construction projects to the district’s schools. The Measure I Oversight Committee meets each quarter of the calendar year.

Its work includes informing the public about the district’s expenditure of Measure I bond proceeds; reviewing expenditure reports to ensure proceeds spent only for the purposes set forth in Measure I; and presenting an annual written report to the Board of Education outlining their activities and conclusions on these expenditures. For an application (and more information), visit alameda.k12.ca.us/i_oversight.

Volunteering on these committees provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the district’s budget, its programs, its facilities and the state funding system for public schools. It’s also an excellent opportunity to support the district’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency and accountability.

The Board of Education is also still accepting applications for district representatives to the boards of two local charter organizations: the Academy of Alameda and Community Learning Centers Schools (the organization that oversees ACLC and Nea). More information and applications for the positions are available in our community bulletin about the board positions at tinyurl.com/AUSD-OC2019.

Susan Davis is the Alameda Unified School District’s senior manager for community affairs. Reach her at 510-337-7175 or sdavis@alameda.k12.ca.us.

PIEDMONT

Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson will lead a discussion on the importance of the 2020 census and how citizens can get involved in the process. The free event is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Piedmont, and the public is welcome to attend. It takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at Piedmont Community Hall, 711 Highland Ave.

A Berkeley native, Carson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in social sciences from UC Berkeley after attending Merritt College. Carson then received his Master of Public Administration degree from Cal State University, East Bay. He has served on the board since 1993. All are encouraged to attend this timely, informative discussion.

PUSD urges telling legislators to back Full and Fair Funding

Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Randy Booker is urging residents to contact state legislators Buffy Wicks, 916-319-2015 and Rob Bonta, 916-319-2018 to ask them to support the issue of Full and Fair Funding by placing a measure on the ballot before they adjourn for fall recess on Sept. 13.

Search online for “Full and Fair Funding letter and script” and “East Bay Coalition for Public Education” for further information. Full and Fair Funding is an education-specific measure that would move California to the national average in per-pupil funding, which is supported by the PUSD and its school board members, teachers and classified employee unions.

Watercolor exhibit, concerts on tap at Center for the Arts

Several events are planned at Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Ave. in Piedmont.

Gold Coast Chamber Players will perform at 4 p.m. Sept. 15 with a preconcert talk 30 minutes beforehand. Robert Schumann’s compositions will be featured. Call 925-283-3728 for tickets.

A Berkeley Symphony Series concert will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 22 featuring works by Brahms, Debussy and Bartok. For tickets and information, visit berkeleysymphony.org or call 510-841-2800, ext. 301.

Lantern Projects releases this month’s charity wish list

Piedmont-based Lantern Projects releases its September wish list, through which people in need around the world can be helped with modest donations administered by trusted contacts in each country. Send tax-deductible donations to Lantern Projects/51 Glen Alpine Road/Piedmont, CA 94611; include email address and wishes numbers.

Wish #382 would obtain goats at $70 each that provide offspring, milk, cheese and butter to villagers in Haiti. Wish #383 would provide pens and pencils to Afghan children in village schools that accommodate 500 boys and 750 girls. Pens at $1 each and pencils at 25 cents each are not supplied at the school.

Wish #384 would provide sneakers so the children can participate in sports in Nairobi at the Kawangware Children’s Center. The center serves orphans and vulnerable children, and the rubber sole shoes are $4 each. Wish #385 provides slippers and soap at $1 each to combat tropical diseases in children living in primitive villages in the Philippines. Slippers prevent penetration of infections through the feet; soap improves hygiene.

Diversity film series to present ‘Science Fair’ on Sept. 12

The Piedmont Appreciating Diversity film series is up and running featuring a Sundance Film Festival favorite “Science Fair” about the international children’s science fair. It screens from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 12 at Ellen Driscoll Theater, 325 Highland Ave., Piedmont. There is a free reception at 6:30 p.m. The film repeats from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St., Oakland, with food available for purchase. Admission to the films is free.

— Linda Davis, correspondent

OAKLAND

Family Sanity group to start holding new monthly meetings

Family Sanity, the parent support group for parents of teens and young adults suffering from mental illness, will hold two new monthly meetings on the third Tuesday evenings of the month starting Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. at a private home in the Crocker Highlands neighborhood of Oakland.

Lisa Scimens, Family Sanity’s founder, will moderate the group for parents of young adults. Berkeley-based Parent Coach Sarah MacKay Lynch will facilitate the group for teens. A donation of $25 is suggested. Seating is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible at familysanity.org.

— Family Sanity

Korach, Slusser to appear Sept. 18 at Montclair Library

Oakland Athletics radio broadcaster Ken Korach and San Francisco Chronicle beat writer Susan Slusser will appear at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 in the Montclair Library, 1687 Mountain Blvd. in Oakland, to discuss their recent book, “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Oakland A’s Dugout, Locker Room and Press Box.”

The authors will offer some fascinating insights into all facets of the A’s, from the front office to the grounds crew, from star athletes to “Moneyball.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, call the library at 510-482-7810 or visit montclairfriends.org/events.

— Friends of Montclair Library

PIEDMONT

Speaker series starting with showing, talk on film ‘Like’

The Piedmont Unified School District’s Education Speaker series is kicking off Sept. 10 with the theme “Like,” a documentary on social media. The film explores t he impact of social media on the brain and society. Following the 50-minute film, Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Wozniak will facilitate a discussion. Films run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Ellen Driscoll playhouse, 325 Highland Ave. in Piedmont.

The school year series features experts in various fields relating to raising healthy children and young adults. The Oct. 2 program will feature Sarah Ward discussing executive functioning skills such as completing tasks, managing time, inhibiting impulses and taking initiative. Ward will share strategies for these skills for students. For more information, contact educationspeakerseries@piedmont.k12.ca.us.

Free Disney movies to be shown in park on Sept. 6, 27

Enjoy free movies in the park under the stars sponsored by the Piedmont Recreation Department. The first movie on Sept. 6 is Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” based on the classic tale “The Frog Prince.” Tiana, a young girl with a dream, yearns to open her own restaurant when she encounters a frog prince desperate to become human again. After a fateful kiss, the two embark on an adventure through the Louisiana bayou and discover their dreams in unexpected places.

The second show will be Sept. 27, Disney’s “The BFG.” Orphan girl Sophie befriends a big, friendly giant who takes her to giant country and attempts to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the world. Both movies begin at dusk in Piedmont Park, 711 Highland Ave. Bring blankets or low lawn chairs and snacks to enjoy the films.

— Linda Davis, correspondent

Q: This happened to me on my way to work in Castro Valley. I, along with one other car, drove slowly past a school bus with the protruding stop sign. A motorcycle cop was waiting for us and flagged us both over, one block away.  My ticket was $694.

This was a huge amount of money. I now stop faithfully.

Susan Wright, Moraga

A: Painful lesson learned. And I hope others learn it as well. With school back in session, too many drivers are failing to stop for school buses with red lights flashing.

Q: I have recently seen news reports about the danger of cars passing stopped school buses exhibiting those wimpy swing-out stop signs. While it would be expensive to outfit each bus with some impossible-to-ignore lighting, perhaps a cost-effective solution would be to have the driver move the bus to the left before stopping and thereby effectively block the road until the student is safely across the street.

Ron Johnstone, Santa Clara

A:  Your heart is in the right place, but a bus stopped a few feet from the curb might entice more drivers to pass them.

Akio Way, adjacent to Almaden Country Day School

Q: I would like to bring up the topic of parents who don’t obey traffic laws around schools.

I live in an area that has three schools in close proximity to each other: Leland High, Bret Harte Middle and Almaden Country Day School.

All three have their own set of challenges with respect to traffic but the biggest offender in past years has been the parents for Almaden Country Day School, at the corner of Trinidad Drive and Akio Way. Many parents use Akio, which is clearly marked on the school side as “no parking,” to line up to drop off or pick up their children. Other parents use the other side of Akio to park and drop off or pick up their children. This narrows Akio down so that it is difficult for two lanes of traffic to get through.

In addition, parents make a U-turn at the end of Akio where it dead-ends into Winterset or even in the middle of Akio in front of oncoming traffic. Since Winterset is a route used by parents going to and from both Leland and Bret Harte — not to mention there are people driving down Akio and wanting to turn on Winterset — this is a very dangerous situation. Add parents who cross in the middle of Akio with their children, and you have a really bad situation.

Della Schults, San Jose

A: Message delivered.

Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.

A newly-minted rent cap deal would have brought relief last year to relatively few renters in the state, although Bay Area tenants would have benefited more than most, according to a Zillow analysis.

The proposed cap — allowing landlords to annually raise rent no more than 5 percent plus the rate of inflation — would have saved money last year for about 12 percent of Bay Area tenants. About 30 percent of renters in two popular destinations for Silicon Valley refugees, Vallejo and Sacramento, would have received a break. Overall, about 7 percent of California renters would have benefited from the measure, according to the estimate released Wednesday.

Zillow senior economist Cheryl Young said the impact of the proposal would have been much greater on the Bay Area a few years earlier. “The rental market has been flat for a while in San Francisco and San Jose,” she said.

State lawmakers looking to curb rapidly growing housing costs this session have turned back several broad proposals. Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democrats on Friday struck the rent cap deal, which also includes a maximum annual rent increase of 10 percent if inflation skyrockets. The compromise was hailed as a way to protect renters from egregious increases while easing some concerns from landlords and property owners about limiting returns on their investments.

The California Apartment Association has said it will not oppose the bill. Other landlord and property management groups, including the California Association of Realtors and the California Rental Housing Association, are fighting the measure. Opponents say the proposal would discourage investors from building new apartments and harm small landlords.

Zillow economists looked at rental data from nine metro areas drawn from its online listings and its sister-site, HotPads. The company compared units listed for rent in consecutive years to calculate increases on properties covered by the bill — multifamily units at least 15 years old. The analysis did not include data from renewed leases; the private transactions typically have lower increases as landlords prefer to avoid costly turnover and empty units, the company said.

Assemblymember David Chiu, D-San Francisco, sponsored the bill, AB 1482, to reign in double-digit rent increases, especially in growing metro areas and their far-reaching suburbs.

“This analysis demonstrates that AB 1482 is the right solution to prevent rent gouging — the egregious rent increases that almost certainly lead to displacement,” Chiu said in a statement.  “However, this data does not take into account the number of tenants AB 1482 would protect from unfair evictions through just-cause protections.”

About 45 percent of Californians were renters in 2017, higher than the national average of 36 percent, according to census data.

Bay Area rents remain among the highest in the country. The median rent in August for a one-bedroom apartment was $2,540 in San Jose, $3,600 in San Francisco and $2,300 in Oakland, according to property listing site Zumper.

According to Zillow estimates, if the rent cap measure were in place last year, it would have saved nearly 7 percent of California renters an average of $85 a month. Housing prices rose faster in 2016, and 16 percent of California rentals would have been capped that year, according to the analysis.

The reach of the rent cap proposal would have been much greater in the super-heated Bay Area rental market of 2015 and 2016. About half of the units in the San Jose metro would have hit the cap in 2015, and 35 percent in 2016. Around 47 percent of the San Francisco and East Bay metro units would have been capped in 2015, and about 40 percent in 2016, according to the analysis.

The bill also includes renter protections and makes it harder for landlords to evict tenants.

“The bill is surgically targeted to still allow landlords a fair rate of return while stopping those real estate flippers and speculators who use economic evictions as a business model,” said Michael Lane, deputy director of SV@Home.

Lane added that the bill would not discourage real investment in California, becasue it allows new construction to be exempted from rent caps for 15 years, and rents can rise to market rate when tenants leave. “It really strikes the perfect balance between the interests of real estate investors and those of tenants,” he said.

The bill still needs approval from the legislature and is expected to be considered by the state senate early next week.

Summer? We don’t need no stinking summer to have fun in these parts. Even if you didn’t score tickets to the big Metallica/S.F. Symphony concert at the new Chase Center arena (and there are plenty of other enticing shows there coming up), there’s lots to do. In fact, here are seven ways to have an amazing weekend in the Bay Area and beyond.

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1 PLAY: Festivals, festivals, festivals …

Yes, summer is technically over, but goshdarnit, outdoor festival season isn’t finished UNTIL WE SAY IT IS!! Ahem (gently puts down 5-liter carafe of coffee), that’s not actually true. But trust us, this weekend boasts festivals to satisfy every craving, from hot muscle cars, delicious seafood and live music to all manner of arts and crafts. Here’s a roundup.

2 EAT: The best o’ brunch

Looking for the best brunch? Whether it’s Michelin, Gayot or Yelp, everyone has a different opinion on the Bay Area’s best mimosa-fueled brunches. Here are just a few tasty possibilities.

3 HEAR: Rising stars, returning legends

The glorious SFJazz Center opens its new season this week with a series of concerts by the legendary pianist Ahmad Jamal. The dazzling young singer Veronica Swift will also be performing there. They top our list of your best concert options for the week, along with a trio of butt-kicking women singers who will be rocking out at Concord Pavilion. (And if you want to know more about the embarrassment of riches that is the SFJazz season, go here.)

4 SIP: Santa Clara’s vino festivities

The 34 wine-tasting rooms along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail are kicking off their Fall Passport festivities with an opening night bash this Friday at the Coyote Creek Golf Club, complete with vino, appetizers and live music, and the frolic continues through the rest of the month at participating wineries. Find all the details at www.santaclarawines.com.

5 SEE: Lemony Snicket’s grownup side

Most fans of the famed kids author Lemony Snicket know his real name is Daniel Handler and that he writes adult books as well. In fact, he just published a new novel, “Bottle Grove,” that gleefully mocks several aspects of Fog City life. He’ll be reading from the tome tonight at San Francisco’s famed City Lights bookstore. Here’s our chat with the witty writer and a roundup of his upcoming appearances and readings.

6 PLAY: Delta day tripping

Whether you’re driving or biking, those winding lanes, river views and historic towns of the Sacramento River Delta make a fantastic day trip — and we know exactly where to stop for tasty bites and sudsy sips along the way.

7 SEE: A play about movie nerds

“The Flick,” Annie Baker’s comedy/drama about young, disaffected employees at an old-school movie theater has been sparking debates and strong opinions wherever it has played, and now it’s being presented at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. Our critic calls it a “must-see.”

Friday

No. 13 St. Francis (0-1) at No. 1 De La Salle (1-1), 7:30 p.m.: De La Salle ironed out some wrinkles in its passing game last week, as quarterback Dorion Hale completed 16 of 28 throws for 226 yards and two touchdowns in his team’s 49-14 win over Central Catholic-Modesto — the program’s 300th consecutive victory over an school located north of Clovis. The Spartans, with a no-huddle offense, also ran for 280 yards on 37 carries. All of which spells bad news for a young St. Francis team which was limited to 226 yards from scrimmage in last week’s 42-14 loss to Corona del Mar. Roughly two-thirds of the Lancers’ roster is made up of sophomores and juniors, including 10th-grader Camilo Arquette, who had a interception last week to go with 70 yards rushing. The Lancers have not started a season 0-2 since Greg Calcagno took over as head coach in 2013. This is the third straight year De La Salle and St. Francis have played each other. De La Salle won 31-7 two years ago and 33-15 last season. The Spartans play in Folsom against the Bulldogs on Sept. 13 in a game that will likely have CIF bowl game implications.

— Curtis Pashelka

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No. 4 Serra (1-0) vs. No. 5 Menlo-Atherton (1-0) at Levi’s Stadium, 7:30 p.m.: Two of the top teams in the Bay Area clash at the home of the 49ers. Expect fireworks from explosive offenses that combined for over 100 points in last week’s season openers — Serra ending a drought against Pittsburg with a 58-21 rout, while M-A found the end zone seven times in the first half during a 51-14 romp over Bellarmine. Both quarterbacks shined in their first varsity start, with Serra senior Daylin McLemore and M-A sophomore Matt MacLeod each throwing four touchdowns. It helps that the QBs get to throw to a pair heavily recruited wide receivers, Terence Loville for the Padres and Troy Franklin for the Bears. The stage is set for quite an early-season showdown at an NFL stadium.

— Vytas Mazeika

San Leandro (2-0) at No. 6 Monte Vista (1-0), 7 p.m.: Monte Vista will come into this game a heavy favorite despite the 2-0 start by San Leandro. The home team opened its season with a 27-22 win over a good Granite Bay team, with three-year starting quarterback Jack Stewardson throwing for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Another three-year starter, Nate Rutchena, grabbed 10 of those passes for 128 yards and three scores, including the game-winner with a minute to go. Rutchena, a three-star recruit who is rated among California’s top 100 seniors by 247sports.com, also had the interception that ended Granite Bay’s comeback hopes. One possible concern for Monte Vista could be a running game that was held to 57 yards. Running the ball might not get any easier this week with Osaro Aihie lurking at inside linebacker for San Leandro. The 5-11, 222-pounder has offers from Army, Navy and Dartmouth. Otherwise, San Leandro is something of a curiosity after close wins against Foothill and Freedom. The Pirates won those contests by a total of 13 points. They have played good defense, and have a promising secondary with junior defensive backs Enoch Ampofo and DJ Bryant, who also plays offense. In the 28-20 overtime win over Foothill, Bryant passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 131 more.

— Mike Lefkow

San Benito (1-0) vs. No. 9 Wilcox (0-1) at Levi’s Stadium, 5 p.m.: Two factors are working against San Benito in this matchup at the home of the 49ers. The Haybalers are 0-2 against Wilcox the past two seasons, losing 37-6 and 35-0. Wilcox is 3-0 at Levi’s all-time and none of the games have been close. The Chargers beat Santa Clara 67-20 in 2014, Pioneer 52-6 in 2015 and Los Altos 49-11 in 2017. Wilcox opened this season last week at third-ranked Valley Christian, losing 23-13. Paul M. Rosa finished with 125 yards in 25 carries for the Chargers. San Benito defeated Santa Teresa in its opener, 30-7.

— Darren Sabedra

Leland (1-0) at No. 25 Los Gatos (1-0), 7 p.m.: Both teams had very successful openers last week. Leland had 423 yards of offense, including 286 rushing yards from Carson Yates and Jesse Cavanna, in a 48-6 victory over Aragon. The Chargers took a 28-0 lead before allowing a second-quarter touchdown. Los Gatos racked up 44 points, including five touchdowns and 146 yards rushing from Adam Garwood, in a shutout of host Oak Grove. The Wildcats rushed for 240 yards, with a 7.7 yards per carry clip, and scored touchdowns on their first five possessions while limiting Oak Grove to minus-16 yards in the first half. Last season, Los Gatos defeated Leland 35-9 in the Pat Tillman Legacy Classic at Leland. Ryan Garwood, Adam’s brother who was a senior last school year, rushed for a team-high 57 yards in the 2018 game, which was the opener for both teams. The Garwoods are nephews of Tillman. Los Gatos had 288 yards rushing and scored all five of its touchdowns on the ground against Leland last year.

— Phil Jensen

Freedom (0-2) at California (2-0), 7 p.m.: California is coming off a tough 14-12 road win over Antioch, in which the Grizzlies’ ground out the final seven minutes of the clock while holding a two-point margin, marking the first win for the Cal seniors over the Panthers. Giovanni Phillips and Tyler Jarvis scored for Cal, which is vying for its third 3-0 start in four years. The Falcons, who opened the 2018 season with back-to-back wins before falling to the Grizzlies, came oh so close in an 18-13 loss to San Leandro last week. A late interception squashed Freedom’s potential go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter. Freedom rallied from an 18-0 deficit to trail by five at the half on TD strikes by quarterback Jake Byrne to Biz Reifel (49 yards) and Matt Quesada (26 yards). The Falcons, who dropped their opener to Turlock 21-0, are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start in six years.

— Matt Schwab

Saturday

No. 10 Clayton Valley Charter (1-0) vs. No. 2 Liberty (2-0) at James Logan, 7:30 p.m.: The third game of a triple-header at the Honor Bowl at James Logan. It is a repeat of last season’s first-round North Coast Section Open Division playoff game won by Liberty 42-14. It was 7-6 Liberty at the half. Liberty comes in with a 14-game regular-season win streak dating back to Oct 17, 2017, but it struggled last Friday in a 19-14 win at Oakdale. The Lions trailed at halftime. Clayton Valley handled a good Turlock team 21-7. The Ugly Eagles spotted Turlock seven points in the first quarter, then scored touchdowns in each of the next three periods to win. Liberty has a marquee quarterback in Oregon-bound Jay Butterfield, solid skill-position players and a strong defense. Clayton Valley has more speed and quickness than power, which is perfect for Ugley Eagles coach Tim Murphy. The most dangerous of the Uglies is running back Makhi Gervais, who accounted for 229 rushing yards and 68 more receiving yards against Turlock. This game also matches two of the best coaching staffs in Northern California, led by Murphy and Liberty’s Ryan Partridge.

— Mike Lefkow

No. 11 Campolindo (2-0) vs. No. 22 Amador Valley (2-0) at James Logan, noon: Campolindo, a Division II school this season thanks to the North Coast Section’s new competitive equity alignment, faces Division I Amador Valley in an intriguing opener to the all-day Honor Bowl in Union City. Both teams are led by terrific quarterbacks, as senior Kannon Dote has thrown for 512 yards and two touchdowns, spreading the ball around, in Amador Valley’s wins over Antioch and Milpitas. He’s also rushed for a score, although the Dons’ ground game is led by junior Dajhae Wiltshire and sophomore Jackson Ogolin, who have combined for 204 yards in two games. Campolindo features returning starting quarterback Grant Harper, who has thrown for 390 yards and seven touchdowns in convincing wins over  Deer Valley and Montgomery-Santa Rosa. The Cougars have been just as impressive on defense, allowing just one second quarter touchdown to Deer Valley in last week’s 48-6 romp over the Wolverines.  In Campo’s win over Montgomery on Aug. 23, junior Daniel Wheeler had two sacks and SMU commit Mason Mastrov added one. This is the first time Campolindo has faced a East Bay Athletic League team in a nonleague game since 2005 when they hosted San Ramon Valley.

— Curtis Pashelka

No. 17 Archbishop Mitty (1-0) at No. 16 Marin Catholic (1-1), 2 p.m.: This will be the first meeting between the schools in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present). Mitty went on the road for its opener last week against Palma and returned home from Salinas with a 47-31 victory as James Thomas ran for 111 yards and a touchdown and Zach Tabangcura added 107 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Shamir Bey threw for 153 yards and a touchdown. Marin Catholic will be on its home field for the third consecutive Saturday afternoon. It opened with a 42-6 rout of El Cerrito but followed that up with a 19-7 loss to McClymonds, now ranked No. 8 by Bay Area Preps HQ.

— Darren Sabedra

No. 23 St. Ignatius (1-0) at No. 21 Sacred Heart Prep (1-0), 3 p.m.: Points will be at a premium on Saturday in Atherton. SHP set the tone for its season with a 28-7 victory over Carlmont in a matchup of CCS runners-up from a year ago. The Gators relied on running back Tevita Moimoi, who scored a pair of TDs. Meanwhile, quarterback Teddy Purcell in his first varsity start connected on a 37-yard touchdown pass with wide receiver Dante Cacchione. The SHP defense didn’t allow any points until the fourth quarter. On the other hand, SI replaced Palo Alto in the Bay Area Preps HQ Top 25 after avenging a loss in last year’s season opener with a 23-7 victory. The Wildcats led 20-7 at the half on the strength of touchdowns on a fumble return, a short run and a long pass.

— Vytas Mazeika

Thursday, Sept. 5

Stellar Prep at Miramonte, 7 p.m.

North Salinas at Salinas, 7:30 p.m.

Mt. Pleasant at Willow Glen, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 6

Alhambra at St. Patrick-St. Vincent, 7 p.m.

American at Arroyo, 4 p.m.

American Canyon at Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Benicia at Carrillo, 7 p.m.

Bethel at College Park, 7 p.m.

Casa Grande at San Marin, 7 p.m.

Drake at Piner, 7 p.m.

El Cerrito at Rancho Cotate, 7:30 p.m.

Freedom at California, 7 p.m.

Healdsburg at Cloverdale, 7 p.m.

Hercules at Swett, 7 p.m.

Irvington vs. Castro Valley at Washington-Fremont, 7 p.m.

Kennedy at San Lorenzo, 3:30 p.m.

Livermore at Windsor, 7 p.m.

Middletown at Concord, 7 p.m.

Napa at Vallejo, 7 p.m.

Newark Memorial at De Anza, 7 p.m.

Petaluma at Foothill, 7 p.m.

Pinole Valley at Mt. Eden, 7 p.m.

San Leandro at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.

Terra Linda at Kennedy-Richmond, 7 p.m.

Vintage vs Acalanes at Memorial Stadium in Napa, 7 p.m.

Washington-Fremont at Hayward, 7 p.m.

Alisal at Alvarez, 7:30 p.m.

Aragon at San Mateo, 7 p.m.

Branham at Santa Teresa, 7 p.m.

Burlingame at Half Moon Bay, 7 p.m.

Capuchino at Evergreen Valley, 7 p.m.

Carlmont at Woodside, 7 p.m.

Christopher at Live Oak, 7 p.m.

Del Mar at Mountain View, 7 p.m.

Gilroy at Soledad, 7 p.m.

Greenfield at King City, 7:30 p.m.

Hill at Cupertino, 7 p.m.

Hillsdale at Independence, 7 p.m.

Leland at Los Gatos, 7 p.m.

Lick at Gunn, 7 p.m.

Los Altos at Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.

Menlo-Atherton vs. Serra at Levi’s Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

Mills at Monta Vista, 7 p.m.

Monte Vista Christian at North Monterey County, 7:30 p.m.

Monterey at Watsonville, 7:30 p.m.

Overfelt at Palo Alto, 7 p.m.

Pacific Grove at Gonzales, 7:30 p.m.

Pajaro Valley at Soquel, 7:30 p.m.

Palma vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium, 7 p.m.

Pioneer at Gunderson, 7 p.m.

San Benito vs. Wilcox at Levi’s Stadium, 5 p.m.

Scotts Valley at Santa Cruz, 7:30 p.m.

Silver Creek at Saratoga, 7 p.m.

South San Francisco at Homestead, 7 p.m.

St. Francis-Watsonville at Yerba Buena, 7:30 p.m.

Terra Nova at Fremont-Sunnyvale, 7 p.m.

Westmont at Prospect, 7 p.m.

Alameda vs.Oakland at Thompson Field, 7 p.m.

Antioch at Lincoln-Stockton, 7:15 p.m.

Bishop O’Dowd at Seaside, 7:30 p.m.

Cardinal Newman at Placer, 7 p.m.

Castlemont at Tennyson, 7 p.m.

Encinal at McClymonds, 7 p.m.

Fremont-Oakland at St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 4 p.m.

Justin-Siena at Armijo, 7:30 p.m.

Laguna Creek vs. Dublin at Cosumnes River College, 7:15 p.m.

Lowell at Dougherty Valley, 7 p.m.

Manteca at Granada, 7 p.m.

Menlo at Piedmont, 7 p.m.

Millennium vs. California School for the Deaf at Tracy, 7:30 p.m.

Milpitas at Las Lomas, 7 p.m.

Mt. Diablo at Harbor, 7 p.m.

Northgate at Hug-Reno, 7 p.m.

San Ramon Valley at Monterey Trail, 7:15 p.m.

Sonoma Valley at El Camino, 7:30 p.m.

St. Francis at De La Salle, 7:30 p.m.

Wood at Deer Valley, 7 p.m.

Carmel at Templeton, 7:30 p.m.

Clovis North vs. Bellarmine at Buchanan, 7 p.m.

Marina vs. Vacaville Christian at Monterey Peninsula College, 6 p.m.

Mission at Santa Clara, 7 p.m.

Oak Grove at Oakland Tech, 7 p.m.

Oakdale at Aptos, 7:30 p.m.

Pleasant Valley at Valley Christian, 7 p.m.

Skyline at Sequoia, 7:30 p.m.

Washington-San Francisco at Harker, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7

Albany at Novato, 2 p.m.

Campolindo vs. Amador Valley at Logan, 12 p.m.

Clayton Valley vs. Liberty at Logan, 7:30 p.m.

Heritage at Logan, 4 p.m.

Moreau Catholic at Salesian, 1:30 p.m.

San Lorenzo Valley at Sobrato, 3 p.m.

St. Ignatius at Sacred Heart Prep, 3 p.m.

Lynbrook vs. Oakland Military Institute at Emery, 1 p.m.

Mitty at Marin Catholic, 2 p.m.

Pittsburg at Wooster-Reno, 2 p.m.

Richmond at Burton, 2 p.m.

Riordan at Tamalpais, 2 p.m.

Ygnacio Valley vs. Brookside Christian-Stockton at St. Mary’s-Stockton, 8 p.m.

Stevenson at Webb-Claremont, 2 p.m.

OAKLAND — A 22-year-old man shot multiple times Wednesday night in East Oakland was in stable condition Thursday  and police are seeking the gunman, authorities said.

The shooting happened about 7:22 p.m. Wednesday in the 200 block of Makin Road in the Brookfield Village area.

Police said the man got into an argument with another man he may have argued with earlier in the night.  What they argued about was not released, but the 22-year-old man ended up being shot more than once, authorities said.

The wounded man got his own transportation to a hospital.  The gunman is being sought.

No other details were released.

Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $5,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shooter.  Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.

OAKLAND — A 54-year-old San Francisco woman hit by an SUV Wednesday night as she was crossing a street near the Oakland Coliseum was in critical condition Thursday, police said.

The woman was injured about 9:48 p.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of Hegenberger Road.

Police said she was walking across the northbound lanes  of Hegenberger when she was hit by a a 2014 Jeep Compass driven by a 48-year-old Oakland man.

Police did not say if she was in a crosswalk. She was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to a hospital.

The Jeep driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators..

The names of the woman and the driver have not been released.

Police said it is unknown at this time if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision.

Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call police traffic investigators at 510-777-8570.

Check back for updates.

SACRAMENTO — A former Vallejo elementary school teacher faces at least 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced in a press release.

Andrew Stephen Lund, 37, of Vallejo, was arrested in April 2018 after he attempted to meet with a 14-year-old girl, who was, in fact, an undercover police officer. At the time of his arrest, Lund taught at Glen Cove Elementary last year.

According to authorities, it was not the first time Lund inappropriately contacted a girl, nor was it the first time he’d been caught; in August 2017, a parent at the elementary school came forward to complain that Lund had contacted her daughter, a fifth grader, on Instagram. Lund avoided punishment for the incident, and district officials failed to call police, allowing Lund to remain a teacher until he was arrested in April 2018.

School superintendent Adam Clark released a written statement Thursday saying he was appreciative of law enforcement efforts on the case.

During the investigation, Lund allegedly sent a photo of his genitals to the undercover officer posing as the girl. Lund then arranged to meet at a Contra Costa mall, saying he’d bring condoms, according to police. Child pornography was later found on electronic devices, police said at the time.

When police interviewed Lund, he told them that approximately 10 years earlier, he was living next door to two teen girls in Vallejo, and that he’d had a sexting relationship with one of them. He also mentioned the August 2017 incident, when he direct-messaged a 5th grade student on Instagram, asking her if she was ready to come back from summer break. When she said she wasn’t looking forward to it, he allegedly responded, “Don’t you miss me?”

Vallejo teachers are forbidden from contacting students on social media.

Glen Cove Elementary Principal Roxanne Tuggle later wrote a letter to Lund, saying the girl’s mother had “serious concerns” about what Lund had done. She acknowledged his conduct could make the school vulnerable to lawsuits.

“Private messaging between a teacher and a student can be easily misinterpreted and cause emotional distress for the student and her family,” the letter says. Tuggle instructed Lund never to contact a student again and to delete and students he’d friended on social media.

But Tuggle’s letter concluded that Lund would not be disciplined, or even given a reprimand, so long as he didn’t reoffend.

“A copy of this letter will not be placed in your personnel file unless you fail to comply with the above directions, or engage in similar conduct, in which case you will also receive a written reprimand placed in your personnel file,” the letter says.

In superintendent Clark’s public statement, he noted that all school staff members are trained on mandated reporting laws, which require staff to call police if they’re suspicious that a student is being abused.

“We want to ensure that all of our students and staff are safe in our schools… We are governed by the penal code, education code and local education agency polices on how we respond to allegations or inappropriate behavior by employees,” Clark said in the statement.

Investigators have not publicly commented on whether Lund suspected of molesting any of his students. During the conversations with the undercover officer, Lund wrote that he “really liked small breasts and small butts.” He asked the “girl” to meet him at Sunvalley Shopping Center in Concord and said he would bring condoms, according to the affidavit.

Lund is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said.

OAKLAND — The four-month-long Ghost Ship trial stumbled to a wrenching, unsatisfying conclusion Thursday as jurors acquitted one man blamed for dangerous conditions in the warehouse where 36 people died in a horrific fire and deadlocked over the responsibility of another.

When the first of 36 “not guilty” verdicts for warehouse resident Max Harris were read by an Alameda County court clerk, a female family member of one victim sobbed, as three of Harris’ friends shed tears of joy. Then gasps let out when Judge Trina Thompson declared a mistrial on charges against master tenant Derick Almena, who now faces the prospect of a second proceeding.

“We are eternally grateful” to the jury, Harris’ attorney, Curtis Briggs, said after the verdicts were announced at an afternoon hearing, culminating the four-month-long trial.

“I’m just in shock. I’m in disbelief, I’m upset, I’m hurt, all the emotions that you can imagine,” said David Gregory, the father of fire victim Michela Gregory, 21.

The jury of seven women and five men leaned toward convicting Almena but ultimately deadlocked 10-2 in favor of guilty. Almena, 49, remains in custody and returns to court next month. The District Attorney’s Office took no questions from reporters and had little comment after the verdict, only saying that it would evaluate whether to begin a second trial against Almena. A plea deal is another option.

Tony Serra, Almena’s attorney, afterward said, “I’m pained, I’m anguished, I’m frustrated, but goddammit we will win next time.”

The thought of enduring another trial for Almena came as a gut punch for some family members. Alberto Vega, brother of Alex Vega, said he was “stunned” and “sick to (his) stomach” that Almena wasn’t convicted, though he had a feeling Harris would be acquitted.

“I’m totally not satisfied,” he said.

Their mother, Maria Vega, was furious.

“I lost my son because of this, and this is what happens?”

The devastating blaze, the deadliest structure fire in modern California history, broke out around 11:20 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2016. All 36 victims died by smoke inhalation, most of them caught on the second floor when the blaze broke and quickly spread throughout the cluttered warehouse. In their last moments, some victims texted loved ones parting messages such as “I’m gonna die now” or “I love you. Fire.”

Ghost Ship fire victims: A family of connections much larger than nightlife – Read the article

Almena was the Ghost Ship’s master lease-holder, having co-signed the document in November 2013 to rent the building owned by the Ng family. They agreed the space would be used by an artists collective to create artwork and hold community workshops and classes.

But Almena immediately and illegally turned the former dairy storage warehouse into a residence, inviting people to live there in a community setting, according to prosecutors. Harris, who moved into the building sometime in late 2014, served as a “creative director” or second-in-command to Almena, they allege, adding that he helped organize events there and collect rent.

Prosecutors alleged the two men created a death trap by filling the warehouse from floor to ceiling with artwork, pianos and even RVs. Those items quickly ignited, and the flames caused heavy smoke.

No fire sprinklers had been installed or lighted exit signs put up, and partygoers who tried to flee by descending the narrow, unstable makeshift front stairs from the second floor couldn’t move fast enough to escape. Prosecutors contended the defendants committed nine violations of Oakland’s fire code, including not obtaining permits for assembly, storing vehicles and failing to provide fire sprinklers or fire alarms. Police showed up on multiple occasions in calls to the warehouse, and video from their body camera footage showed Almena telling them no one lived inside.

Briggs, Harris’ attorney, contended Harris was not living at the Fruitvale District warehouse when it was stuffed with flammable materials. Prosecutors had alleged Harris on the night of the fire blocked an exit with an inflatable screen, but testimony from survivors seemed to discredit the theory. Carmen Brito, a warehouse resident who survived the fire and testified at the trial, had long contended that Harris did not block any exits.

“It’s such a relief,” said Brito, who was one of the first to call 911 to report the fire. “He never deserved to be in jail. Prosecutors lied from the beginning about the staircase and continued to lie all the way to closing arguments … I’m just relieved the jury saw through all that.”

“Harris should have never been charged,” Briggs said Thursday. Harris’ legal team cried and hugged after the verdict was read. Briggs argued that Almena should not be retried unless the landlords, the Ng family, face criminal charges.

The defense also introduced the theory of arson as a cause of the fire. Although no official cause was ever determined by fire investigators, the defense introduced evidence that could point to arson. Witnesses said they heard what sounded like a fight break out and bottles breaking moments before the fire was noticed on the first floor, and that a group of people wearing dark clothing were seen leaving the scene. One star witness, Sharon Evans, testified that she heard a group of men at a taco truck near the warehouse that night boast about the fire, happy that people wouldn’t be escaping.

The trial itself was not without drama: Defense attorneys have called the prosecution “a sham” and the district attorney “corrupt.” The case itself has seen at least six judges. And months before the trial was set to start, lead prosecutor David Lim left the district attorney’s office.

Although the trial officially began in April, the case itself has been ongoing since the two men were arrested in spring of 2017. Last year, it was thought that a plea deal was reached — both defendants agreed to plead to one count of involuntary manslaughter each in exchange for sentences of nine years for Almena and six for Harris.

Most of the families of the 36 deceased told the judge they were not happy about the plea deal, which could have released both defendants in about three years with credit for time served and good behavior.

But Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Cramer rejected the deal after an emotional two-day sentencing hearing in which most family members of the victims spoke out to the court. Cramer found that Almena was not remorseful enough and, because it was a package deal, he also rejected Harris’.

This sent the case back into the system, as all attorneys began again to prepare for a full jury trial.

Last month, on Aug. 19, three jurors were dismissed 10 days after beginning deliberations, causing deliberations to start over. According to Serra, the dismissals had to do with outside research in consulting a firefighter. The new jury reached its verdict just before noon Thursday, six days into deliberations. Jurors were not available for comment.

But prosecutors told family members about their conversations with jurors, some who felt that Harris shouldn’t have been charged, according to Gregory. Gregory accused Harris of showing a lack of remorse.

“I just hope for his own good he turns his life around. That he does something to make a difference out of this tragedy to help somebody,” Gregory said.

Harris, 29, was expected to be released from Santa Rita Jail on Thursday evening. His attorney said the first thing he plans to do is eat his first vegan meal since he was placed in solitary confinement after his June 2017 arrest.

The last hours of Oakland’s Ghost Ship warehouse – Read the article

Here’s the verdict breakdown for the involuntary manslaughter charges for Max Harris and Derick Almena:

Derick Almena 

Count 1: Involuntary manslaughter of Jason McCarty: mistrial

Count 2: Involuntary manslaughter of Donna Kellogg: mistrial

Count 3: Involuntary manslaughter of Sara Hoda: mistrial

Count 4: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicholas Hall: mistrial

Count 5: Involuntary manslaughter of Travis Hough: mistrial

Count 6: Involuntary manslaughter of Justin Riley Fritz, aka Feral Pines: mistrial

Count 7: Involuntary manslaughter of David Cline: mistrial

Count 8: Involuntary manslaughter of Brandon Chase Wittenauer: mistrial

Count 9: Involuntary manslaughter of Cash Askew: mistrial

Count 10: Involuntary manslaughter of Joseph Matlock: mistrial

Count 11: Involuntary manslaughter of Peter Wadsworth: mistrial

Count 12: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicole Renae Siegrist: mistrial

Count 13: Involuntary manslaughter of Benjamin Runnels: mistrial

Count 14: Involuntary manslaughter of Griffin Madden: mistrial

Count 15: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Mendiola: mistrial

Count 16: Involuntary manslaughter of Chelsea Faith Dolan: mistrial

Count 17: Involuntary manslaughter of Ara Jo: mistrial

Count 18: Involuntary manslaughter of Draven McGill: mistrial

Count 19: Involuntary manslaughter of Wolfgang Renner: mistrial

Count 20: Involuntary manslaughter of Micah Danemayer: mistrial

Count 21: Involuntary manslaughter of Edmund Lapine II: mistrial

Count 22: Involuntary manslaughter of Alex Ghassan: mistrial

Count 23: Involuntary manslaughter of Michele Sylvan: mistrial

Count 24: Involuntary manslaughter of Matthew Bohlka aka Em Bohlka: mistrial

Count 25: Involuntary manslaughter of Hanna Ruax: mistrial

Count 26: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicholas Walrath: mistrial

Count 27: Involuntary manslaughter of Jonathan Bernbaum: mistrial

Count 28: Involuntary manslaughter of Alex Vega: mistrial

Count 29: Involuntary manslaughter of Michela Angelina Gregory: mistrial

Count 30: Involuntary manslaughter of Barrett Clark: mistrial

Count 31: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Tanouye: mistrial

Count 32: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Morris: mistrial

Count 33: Involuntary manslaughter of Vanessa Plotkin: mistrial

Count 34: Involuntary manslaughter of William Dixon: mistrial

Count 35: Involuntary manslaughter of John Igaz: mistrial

Count 36: Involuntary manslaughter of Amanda Kershaw: mistrial

Max Harris

Count 1: Involuntary manslaughter of Jason McCarty: not guilty

Count 2: Involuntary manslaughter of Donna Kellogg: not guilty

Count 3: Involuntary manslaughter of Sara Hoda: not guilty

Count 4: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicholas Hall: not guilty

Count 5: Involuntary manslaughter of Travis Hough: not guilty

Count 6: Involuntary manslaughter of Justin Riley Fritz, aka Feral Pines: not guilty

Count 7: Involuntary manslaughter of David Cline: not guilty

Count 8: Involuntary manslaughter of Brandon Chase Wittenauer: not guilty

Count 9: Involuntary manslaughter of Cash Askew: not guilty

Count 10: Involuntary manslaughter of Joseph Matlock: not guilty

Count 11: Involuntary manslaughter of Peter Wadsworth: not guilty

Count 12: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicole Renae Siegrist: not guilty

Count 13: Involuntary manslaughter of Benjamin Runnels: not guilty

Count 14: Involuntary manslaughter of Griffin Madden: not guilty

Count 15: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Mendiola: not guilty

Count 16: Involuntary manslaughter of Chelsea Faith Dolan: not guilty

Count 17: Involuntary manslaughter of Ara Jo: not guilty

Count 18: Involuntary manslaughter of Draven McGill: not guilty

Count 19: Involuntary manslaughter of Wolfgang Renner: not guilty

Count 20: Involuntary manslaughter of Micah Danemayer: not guilty

Count 21: Involuntary manslaughter of Edmund Lapine II: not guilty

Count 22: Involuntary manslaughter of Alex Ghassan: not guilty

Count 23: Involuntary manslaughter of Michele Sylvan: not guilty

Count 24: Involuntary manslaughter of Matthew Bohlka aka Em Bohlka: not guilty

Count 25: Involuntary manslaughter of Hanna Ruax: not guilty

Count 26: Involuntary manslaughter of Nicholas Walrath: not guilty

Count 27: Involuntary manslaughter of Jonathan Bernbaum: not guilty

Count 28: Involuntary manslaughter of Alex Vega: not guilty

Count 29: Involuntary manslaughter of Michela Angelina Gregory: not guilty

Count 30: Involuntary manslaughter of Barrett Clark: not guilty

Count 31: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Tanouye: not guilty

Count 32: Involuntary manslaughter of Jennifer Morris: not guilty

Count 33: Involuntary manslaughter of Vanessa Plotkin: not guilty

Count 34: Involuntary manslaughter of William Dixon: not guilty

Count 35: Involuntary manslaughter of John Igaz: not guilty

Count 36: Involuntary manslaughter of Amanda Kershaw: not guilty

Mike Mayock and Antonio Brown may not know it, but after their now-public infight at practice Wednesday, they are now members of a fairly exclusive confederacy:

Bay Area management-athlete dust-ups.

Disclaimer: The following roll call is not comprehensive, nor listed in chronological order:

1. Steve Mariucci vs. Terrell Owens

Owens was a supremely talented receiver who also was a supreme pain. Mariucci, the 49ers coach, was already bristling over Owens’ antics when, on Sept. 24, 2000, T.O. caught a touchdown pass in Dallas against the Cowboys, then ran to the Dallas star at midfield where he luxuriated in his own magnificence. Later in the game, he caught another touchdown pass and headed for the star again. This time one of the Cowboys put an emphatic end to his end to his one-man party.

2. Milton Bradley vs. Billy Beane

The troubled Bradley told this newspaper he liked playing for the A’s his first season in Oakland, in 2006. But he soured on the team, specifically general manager Beane in 2007. “It just wasn’t the same,” Bradley said. “Not only in the clubhouse but on the field. It just seems like everybody — the coaching staff, everybody — was afraid of their own shadows. Everybody’s scared to death of Billy Beane. Not me, though, and people could see that. ”

Bradley was traded the Padres in midseason.

3. Charlie Finley vs. well, everybody

The irascible owner of the Oakland Athletics, Finley’s biggest beef came in 1970, the spring after Reggie Jackson’s break-out year (47 home runs, 118 RBI. A rip-roaring salary war waged all spring training between owner and superstar. Consumed by off-the-field concerns, Jackson got off to a slow start. He simmered, then blew after smashing a grand slam at the Coliseum. As Jackson reached the plate, he made a gesture at the owners’ box.

In 1972, Vida Blue, coming off a Cy Young/MVP season got the Reggie treatment. So frustrated was Blue that his agent announced in spring training that he was retiring from baseball to work as a vice president in public relations for a steel manufacturer.

4. Frank Robinson vs. Jack Clark

Robinson was the Giants’ head-strong manager during the early 1980s. Jack Clark was a headstrong outfielder. They butted heads early often during Robinson’s tenure as manager. The breaking point came in 1984 when Clark, gimping on a sore knee, felt Robinson left him in a game instead of taking him out. Clark subsequently had surgery. “So he had knee surgery but refused to come back and play the last month of the season,” wrote Rick Reilly in a story (“This was is the life that Jack built) in Sports Illustrated. “His attitude? ‘You want to try to hurt me for the rest of my life?——you.Go die. I’ll never play for you again.’”

5. Dave Bristol vs. John Montefusco

The Giants of the late 1970s and early 1980s were no basket of fruit. John Montefusco was a fan favorite who was losing his mojo. He and manager Dave Bristol went at it one day at the yard, with the manager blackening The Count’s eye.

6. Latrell Sprewell vs. P.J. Carlesimo

In the late 1990s, the Warriors put the “funk” in dysfunction. Guard Latrell Sprewell was their best player. P.J. Carlesimo was their coach — the fourth in four seasons. On Dec. 1, 1997, a disagreement between the two turned physical. Sprewell grabbed his coach’s throat with his hands. Later Sprewell would tell “60 Minutes,” “I wasn’t choking P.J. that hard. “I mean, he could breathe.”

7. George Karl vs. J.B. Carroll

George Karl was the Warriors young fiery coach. Carroll was a skilled 7-foot center for the Warriors in the 1980s. His laconic demeanor led fans and observers to believe he didn’t always put out on the court. Such was the case during a 1987 playoff loss to the Lakers. The Warriors lost and down 0-3 in the series, Karl spent some time in the Coliseum Arena after most everyone else had gone home. Mostly he was bugged about Carroll’s ambivalence. “Basically (Carroll) said, ‘We’re dead in the water, and I wasn’t ready to quit.’ I tore his locker up,” Karl told this newspaper in 2013.

BERKELEY — A 37-year-old man seen holding an assault rifle in an apartment building’s second-floor window is in jail after his arrest on weapons-related charges, authorities said.

At 12:53 p.m. Wednesday, Oakland police received the call alleging a gunman had been seen inside a building in the 3300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley police said Thursday. The street in that area crosses the border between the two cities.

As Oakland officers surrounded the building, two men walked out and were taken into custody.

Officers with Berkeley’s SWAT team searched the building and recovered a loaded assault rifle with a high-capacity magazine.

One man, identified Thursday as Berkeley resident Mohein Allawe Hassan, was arrested on suspicion of possessing an assault rifle, machine gun, large-capacity magazine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as violation of probation in connection with prior charges.

The other person was not arrested, police said.

Hassan was taken to Santa Rita Jail and held without bail. He faces arraignment Friday at Oakland’s Wiley Manuel courthouse, according to a county records check.

Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.

OAKLAND — Ghost Ship fire defendant Derick Almena “has every reason to be scared” of a possible retrial after 10 jurors voted he was guilty of 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, a legal expert said Thursday.

Alameda County prosecutors did not say Thursday whether they will try again with another jury or offer Almena, 49, a plea deal. But it could be easier to convict Almena now that his co-defendant, Max Harris, has been acquitted, and they can put their full concentration on one person, said Stanford Law School Professor Robert Weisberg, who has followed the four-month trial.

“The acquittal of Harris shows that responsibility (for the death of 36 people in the 2016 fire) was defused,” Weisberg said. Jurors couldn’t “figure out who was in charge” of artists’ collective.

If Almena were to be tried alone, jurors potentially could focus blame only on him, Weisberg said. With 10 jurors voting to convict Almena, a retrial “could make sense. You have to consider how the strategy would change without Harris.”

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley was in Southern California and was not available to speak after the verdict, her staff said. Another court date has been scheduled for Oct. 4, but Chief Deputy D.A. Kevin Dunleavy was noncommittal about what may happen next.

The last hours of Oakland’s Ghost Ship warehouse – Read the article

“Our hearts have always been with the families,” he said. The long trial and verdict were “extremely difficult for the families.”

Almena’s lead attorney, Tony Serra, seemed to dismiss any notion of making a deal after Judge Trina Thompson declared a mistrial.

“I understood the prospect that it would hang, but not by two,” Serra said outside of court. “That didn’t justify from my perspective the reasonable doubt that’s in this case. I’m pained, I’m anguished, I’m frustrated, but God dammit we will win next time.”

Weisberg said that while he sees the likelihood of O’Malley wanting a retrial, she should be prepared for a battle.

He said there are still other individuals, including city employees, who Serra could blame for the fire and how it spread quickly through the warehouse that was packed with wood and trapped many of the victims on the second floor.

“There are so many people at fault,” he said. Among them may be warehouse owner Chor Ng, who hasn’t been charged in the case, a decision that Weisberg said remains “mystifying.”

O’Malley never has fully explained why Ng, or family members who acted as her agents in renting the warehouse to Almena, was not charged. Weisberg said he only assumes O’Malley, who he said “runs a very professional office,” has solid reasons.

“It’s a problem,” he said of the lack of charges against the building owner. “Why pick on Almena. It’s almost as if everyone was responsible so no one was responsible.”

It would also be very difficult to explain why she was being charged after Harris’ aquittal and the Almena mistrial and could be seen as a “sleazy move” by a new jury, Weisberg said.

Staff writer Angela Ruggiero contributed to this story.

Ghost Ship fire victims: A family of connections much larger than nightlife – Read the article

RICHMOND — In the latest sign of turmoil within the city of Richmond’s leadership, the police union voted 117-19 in favor of a measure expressing “no confidence” in police Chief Allwyn Brown.

The vote, publicly announced Wednesday, comes nearly a year after the release of a third-party report that sharply criticized the police department’s management, widespread low morale and poor communication from the top. The Richmond Police Officers Association announced the vote Thursday in a news release, which blames Brown and his “lack of vision” for several departures within the department this year.

“The current rudderless ship at the police department requires change at the helm. Leadership, and its lack thereof, always starts at the top,” Police Officers Association president Ben Therriault said in the statement.

Brown did not immediately return requests for comment on the vote.

The vote against Brown is a rare but symbolic gesture that the union does not have faith in Brown’s leadership abilities. The vote comes roughly six weeks after the Richmond City Council terminated the contract for then-City Manager Carlos Martinez, effectively firing him after less than a year on the job.

Martinez had drawn the ire of city union leaders when he recommended 12 layoffs as part of a strategy to deal with a $7.6 million shortfall in fiscal year 2019-20 he identified.

Before his 2018 departure, the city manager before Martinez, Bill Lindsay, asked an outside group to conduct a report on the police department’s leadership. Lindsay ordered the report in the wake of two high-profile controversies: the sexual exploitation scandal involving a young human trafficking victim and many Bay Area police departments, and the firing of Richmond police Cpt. Mark Gagan.

The report, released last November, was conducted by MBD Solutions, a Boston consulting firm that deals with public agencies. It offered a scathing view of the department’s leadership, adding that sergeants and officers felt isolated and were frustrated by a lack of vision at the top.

Perhaps the most damning element of the report: 21 people who responded to an internal survey said morale in the department was low, while only one said it was high.

“Having gone from dysfunctional to functional, while laudable, does not mean that the RPD is now or was ever the paragon of a high-performing police department,” the report says. It later adds, “Given the trajectory of the organization over recent years and the change in executive leadership, a firm and compelling ‘who are we and who are we seeking to become’ vision is necessary to provide the organization with bearing and purpose.”

Martinez said at the time he accepted the report, but union leaders criticized him for waiting several weeks to meet with representatives for the department’s rank-and-file.

“Since this City Council requested the report, there have been little updates provided by Chief Brown addressing these issues,” the union’s news release says. “Overall, these matters have not been taken seriously by Chief Brown, and the officers and sergeants ask that our elected representatives and City Manager (Steven) Falk take action.”

EMERYVILLE — A man was struck and killed early Friday morning on Interstate 80 in Emeryville, shutting down one of the Bay Area’s busiest freeways for part of the second morning in a row.

All westbound lanes of Interstate 80 reopened just after 5:30 a.m. after they had been closed near the Powell Street exit for about an hour.

A massive backup has already formed as the morning commute gets underway, however.

WATCH LIVE: WB I-80 closed in Emeryville after pedestrian killed; onramp to Bay Bridge open, delays of at least 1 hour headed to the scene: https://t.co/kCpXqa5rTp

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) September 6, 2019

The pedestrian was hit just before 4:30 a.m. Officers were initially called for a report of someone sitting in the center divider about 15 minutes before the person was struck.

CHP issued a traffic alert for the crash and is encouraging people to use alternate routes.

Westbound Interstate 80 was shut down for eight hours Thursday morning after a truck hauling live chickens crashed and caught fire in San Pablo.

Check back for updates.