Top Stories: June 26, 2009

'Craigslist Robber' Arrested; Sleeping Sheriff Sentenced; Austin Challenges San Jose; Working Class Hero

By Staff (Jun 26, 2009 )

Did San Jose Man Use Craigslist to Lure Women?
Is Timothy Johnston a Philip Markoff wannabe? The 47-year-old San Jose man is suspected of using Craigslist to lure women to hotel rooms, where he flashed a police badge and ID and proceeded to harass and rob them. The last reported incident took place on June 9 at San Jose’s Days Inn on Fontaine Road. After making sexually suggestive comments, he allegedly robbed his victim of her money and belongings. A similar incident was reported in Milpitas on May 30. Johnston is currently being held in the Santa Clara County jail pending bail. Read More at KNBC and the SFGate.

Sheriff’s Deputy Who Dozed off behind the Wheel Sentenced
James Council, a Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputy responsible for the death of two cyclists, was sentenced on Thursday to four months of house arrest. Council was charged with dozing behind the wheel of his vehicle, causing him to run into three cyclists. Two of his victims died, while the third survived his injuries.

The defense argued that Council was working 12-hour shifts at the time of the incident. The county has since hired a sleep deprivation expert to determine how sleep deprivation affects the performance of its officers. Local cycling groups have been pressuring the department to change its policies allowing such long shifts. Read More at KCBS.

Collision Leaves One Dead
A head-on collision on South 87 near San Jose International Airport left one woman dead. Two people, a woman and a 20-year old man, were taken to hospital after the crash, and the woman died of her injuries there. Read More at KLIV.

Thanh Do Elected Again as Chairman of the San Jose Planning Commission
Commissioner Thanh Do has been reelected as Chairman of the San Jose Planning Commission. The vote, which took place yesterday, was intended to replace an earlier vote, after outgoing Chairman Jim Zito complained that the vote violated the Brown Act. Thanh Do won the chairmanship again with a 4-3 margin, the same as in the original vote. Read More at the Mercury News.

California Fails to Meet Silicon Valley Job Needs
A new study released by the Campaign for College Opportunity claims that California is failing to meet the state’s burgeoning job needs. According to the report, some 40,000 high tech jobs are created in California each year, but the state is failing to produce enough graduates with the necessary degrees in science, technology, math or engineering to meet this need. The report argues for greater investment in higher education are necessary for the local economy to survive the growing shortfall. Read More at TechCrunch and the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Austin Ogles Silicon Valley Businesses
The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce has been making a concerted effort to entice Silicon Valley companies to relocate to Texas. The Chamber cites housing and office rental costs, lower salary expectations among the local workforce, and cheaper overall costs of doing business as advantages that the city offers over California. About 43 Silicon Valley companies and another dozen or so from the Bay Area are currently being encouraged to relocate all or some of their operations to Texas. Read More at the Business Journal.

The Winning Ticket
Clyde Persley, 49, of Santa Cruz worked three jobs to support his wife and young daughter: he worked a candy-making machine, drove a limo, and worked at a local restaurant. Twice a week he bought lottery tickets, and it finally paid off. The winning SuperLotto Plus ticket he bought was worth $39 million. Persley says that he plans a vacation to Hawaii with his wife, and that he will be finding a financial adviser. Read More at KNBC .