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Thu
17 May The International Gem & Jewelry Show San Mateo The International Gem and Jewelry Show is an event that will aim to showcase diverse range of gems, minerals and jewelry item…

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Fri
18 May The International Gem & Jewelry Show San Mateo The International Gem and Jewelry Show is an event that will aim to showcase diverse range of gems, minerals and jewelry item…

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Sat
19 May The International Gem & Jewelry Show San Mateo The International Gem and Jewelry Show is an event that will aim to showcase diverse range of gems, minerals and jewelry item…

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Alviso Area News

SJ city council passes social host ordinance to combat underage drinking

The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a new law Tuesday night that could slap homeowners and party throwers with fines for hosting events that involve underage drinking.

The law, known as a social host ordinance, gives police the right to issue civil citations and fine "responsible parties" when four or more underage people are gathered and one or more of them is drinking or intoxicated, or when there is evidence that drinking had occurred.

San Jose Assistant Police Chief Rikki Goede said the law is intended to be a deterrent.

Police will continue to respond to other criminal violations that often go along with underage drinking, such as disturbing the peace.

"It's just one more tool in the toolbox," Goede said of the ordinance.

She added that if teenagers know their parents could be fined, it might discourage them from inviting friends over to drink. 

The ordinance was pushed forward by Councilwoman Nancy Pyle, a former teacher of 25 years who became interested in the issue after a string of alcohol-related fatalities in her district, according to Pyle's chief of staff, Kathy Sutherland.

  "It's a way for parents to be told, 'It's not cool to have parties for underage drinkers at your house,'" Sutherland said.

Sutherland was quick to note that any citations issued to homeowners or hosts would be at the discretion of police and that the offense itself would be civil, not criminal. There will also be an appeals process.

According to the law, the responsible party can be a property owner, renter, "person in immediate control of the property," or the party's host or organizer.

As for the fines, San Jose may follow the model of Santa Clara County, which charges $350 for first offenses and $700 for subsequent offenses.

A number of other local cities have social host ordinances in place, including Palo Alto, Los Altos and Los Gatos, according to the San Jose mayor's office. 

On Tuesday, the City Council also approved new financial incentives for downtown high-rise and residential tower construction, as well as a zoning regulation that limits the number of payday lenders that can set up shop in the city.

_{Wed, 16 May 2012 17:50:09 -0700}

Sisters sue state officials for missing sex abuse

Six sisters who for years were sexually abused by their father with their mother's help are suing government officials for failing to properly investigate their ordeal.

The Contra Costa Times reported Wednesday that the women claim in a lawsuit filed last week that authorities missed a chance to ascertain the full scope of the abuse in 1995 when they interviewed the sisters, then minors, in front of their parents.

At the time, police and prosecutors were investigating rape allegations one of the girls had made against her father, Bruce "Zion" Dutro. He ended up being sentenced to three years' probation.

Antioch police launched a more comprehensive investigation in 2009 when the women renewed their complaints.

Bruce Zito was sentenced to life in prison and his wife to 15 years in February.

_{Wed, 16 May 2012 17:34:07 -0700}

San Pablo gas leak repairs nearly complete

PG&E crews have nearly completed repair work at a gas leak near Contra Costa College in San Pablo, a utility spokeswoman said.

A 3-inch natural gas pipeline was ruptured by a construction crew digging near Mission Bell Drive and Castro Road at about 10:10 a.m., PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said.

PG&E workers isolated the leak and stopped the flow of gas to the line at around 11:30 a.m., Sarkissian said.

Natural gas service was interrupted to about six buildings on the Contra Costa College campus as crews repaired the pipe, Sarkissian said.

As of around 4 p.m., gas service was restored to all but one of the buildings. Service will be restored to the remaining building once repairs are complete.

Repairs are expected to be complete by 7 p.m., Sarkissian said.

Sarkissian said students at the college were temporarily evacuated when the gas leak was detected but were allowed to return to the buildings once the gas line was capped.

_{Wed, 16 May 2012 17:10:58 -0700}

News Source: MedleyStory More Local News Stories