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H-1B: Feds want criminal charges over application fraud for Silicon Valley’s favorite visa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

Federal authorities say they plan to seek criminal prosecution over fraudulent application schemes for the H-1B visa, heavily used by Silicon Valley technology companies to obtain foreign workers.U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said last week that evidence gathered while it processed skyrocketing H-1B applications this year and last year led to “extensive fraud investigations.” The agency said it was starting to refer cases to law enforcement, to prosecute businesses that falsely claimed to have jobs for proposed visa recipients.Not only has the number of applications risen sharply — from about 301,000 for 2022 to 474,000 for this year to 759,000 for next year — Citizenship and Immigration has seen many more cases of multiple companies submitting initial registrations for the same worker, the agency said in an online update Friday.“Some (companies) may have tried to gain an unfair advantage by working together to submit multiple registrations ...

Redwood City: Public’s help sought in solving fatal hit-and-run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

REDWOOD CITY – The Redwood City Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a driver who hit and killed a bicyclist more than a month ago.The fatal collision was reported around 9:25 p.m. on March 31 in the 1100 block of Veterans Boulevard between Walnut and Maple streets. The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office identified the bicyclist as 54-year-old unhoused resident Manuel Alfonso.In a statement Monday, the police department the vehicle was either a gold or white late 1990s Toyota or Honda sedan but had “very limited suspect information” and “no description of the driver.”The Redwood City Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver of this vehicle, which was involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision in the 1100 block of Veterans Boulevard on March 31, 2023. Anyone with information related to the case can call Detective James Schneider at 650-780-7607 or the anonymous tip line at 650-780-7110.Related A...

Letters: Leaf blowers | Empty stadium | No to recall | Picking propane | Mitigate climate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Ban gas leaf blowersin Walnut CreekCongratulations to the city of Lafayette for their proposal to ban noisy and air-polluting gas leaf blowers beginning July 2023 for residential areas and 2024 for commercial areas, joining many other Bay Area cities.Many of us who live in Walnut Creek have been beseeching the City Council to ban them as well, unfortunately to no avail. In fact, the plan to ban outdoor gas-powered gardening equipment, according to the newly published draft of the city’s Sustainability Action Plan, will be 85% enacted by 2030. Really? I don’t want to wait that long for relief from their noise and pollution.Check out the Sustainability Action Plan draft. And please join us at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday on Zoom to offer your comments on the plan draft before it becomes final.Jamie DavidsonWalnut CreekReward Fisher withan empty stadiumJohn Fisher has shown utter disregard for A’s fans i...

UK’s diverse communities ambivalent about pending coronation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

By Sylvia Hui | Associated PressLONDON — Musician Deronne White is ready to play on King Charles III’s coronation day. The flautist and his fellow young musicians aren’t playing anything regal or solemn — they’re planning to parade through south London’s streets entertaining crowds with an uplifting “coronation carnival” set mixing gospel, jazz, grime, disco and rap. There’ll even be a calypso take on the U.K. national anthem.While he’s excited about the gig, White says he has mixed feelings about the coronation. Like some others at the Brixton Chamber Orchestra, White is a descendant of migrants from Jamaica — a former British colony and Commonwealth member that wants to cut its ties with the monarchy and has called for the U.K. royals to address their historical ties to slavery.“Personally it’s a little bit hard to connect to the whole occasion,” he said. “I think that the coronation could possibly allow peopl...

Menlo Park: Proper Food brings its chef-designed takeout meals to new Springline complex

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

Proper Food has finally brought its “fresh take on takeaway” concept to the Peninsula, not far from the Stanford campus where the company’s founders met.A grand opening will be held Tuesday at the new Menlo Park location at Springline on El Camino Real. Hours going forward will be 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays.The chef-driven chain was launched in San Francisco’s Financial District in 2014 by now-co-CEOs Howard and Dana Bloom, with a menu created by founding executive chef and head of operations Juan Muñoz (Campton Place, City Club of San Francisco). It’s become a bicoastal operation, with 11 locations in S.F., one at San Francisco International Airport just south of the city and four in New York City. This location will make for 13 in the Bay Area.The Blooms’ idea was to offer fresh, seasonal food to go. All meals are made daily in a South San Francisco commissary kitchen and delivered to each location. At day’s end, any leftover meals are donated.Among the pop...

Breach blamed on Russian-linked hackers exposes San Jose healthcare group’s sensitive data

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

In a widescale data breach, the personal information of more than a quarter million South Bay patients who rely on the state’s affordable health insurance plan may have been exposed through a San Jose-based Medi-Cal provider hit by a nationwide cyber attack.Santa Clara Family Health Plan said Monday that the sensitive information of 276,993 members — including names, contact information, dates of birth, member IDs and Medi-Cal credentials — may be compromised.The incident is part of a larger breach of more than 130 organizations across the country, according to a February report by the cyber security division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Officials believe a Russia-linked ransomware group dubbed “Clop” may be responsible, though no definitive evidence has come to light, the Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center said.In response to the latest breach, the San Jose healthcare group is urging its members to be on the alert f...

Letters: Punishing charities | Chatbots hurt | Housing homeless | Shorter move | Health coverage | Women’s gyms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Punishing charities noway to protest rate hikeRe: “Higher PG&E rates will cut donations” (Page A6, April 28).The letter published Friday from Robert Droege was possibly the most absurd and ridiculous letter ever.If, as Droege suggests, he is in the highest income level and gives substantial donations to charities, the increase in monthly PG&E fixed fee will have an insignificant impact on his way of life. What is he complaining about?Additionally, he and his friends plan to punish local charities, who have nothing to do with PG&E, by withholding equivalent funds. While I applaud his apparent generosity, is this plan really going to help solve our problems? No, the poor and disadvantaged in our community will just be worse off.This appears symptomatic of the many things that afflict our society today: how sad.Chris WorrallSan JoseChatbots will hurtPalo Alto studentsThe superintende...

Livermore police seize handgun with large capacity drum magazine, arrest 2 for robbery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

(KRON) -- Livermore police arrested two men for armed robbery and seized a handgun with a large capacity drum magazine on Sunday night, according to the Livermore Police Department on Twitter. Officers with Livermore PD responded around 11:45 p.m. Sunday to a report of a person who had been robbed at gunpoint near an apartment complex on East Avenue. 7 bodies found in search for two missing Oklahoma teens: authorities Responding to the location, officers saw the suspect's vehicle driving off at a high rate of speed and turning into a side street. The suspects saw the police and abandoned the car, taking off on foot, according to Livermore PD.A perimeter was established by officers who then conducted an extensive search. With the assistance of a K9 officer, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Drone Unit, and the CHP, Livermore PD officers arrested Juan Gomez, 23, of Hollister, and Ansel Peoza, 18, of Livermore.Police charged them with robbery and possession of a firearm, among othe...

Suspected Milpitas arsonist arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

(KRON) -- The Milpitas Police Department arrested a registered arsonist on suspicion of igniting a fire in front of a bank. Detectives arrested Luis Atangan, 41, of San Jose, on Monday morning and booked him into the Santa Clara County Mail Jail for attempted arson, as well as possession of an incendiary device. MPD thanked witnesses who came forward to help police identify a suspect.The fire was lit at 2:42 p.m. on April 28 near the front doors of a bank on East Calaveras Boulevard. "Fortunately, the device was extinguished before anyone was injured or property was damaged," MPD Captain Steve Parodi wrote.

Man shot, pistol-whipped in San Rafael robbery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:57 GMT

(KRON) -- A man was pistol-whipped and shot in a San Rafael robbery on Sunday, the city's police department said. The robbery occurred near Hoag Street and Mill Street in the Canal neighborhood.The San Rafael Police Department responded to the incident just after 9:45 p.m. Callers reported gunshots and the sound of someone yelling for help.An SRPD investigation revealed that the victim was walking down the street when three male suspects approached him. Police said one of the suspects brandished a gun, threatened the victim and demanded his wallet. Livermore police seize handgun with large capacity drum magazine, arrest 2 for robbery The victim did not have a wallet, according to police, and the suspect became upset with him. The three suspects allegedly assaulted the victim -- hitting, kicking, and pistol-whipping him in the face, per SRPD.The victim eventually tried running away, and police said one suspect began to shoot at him. One of the shots hit him in the foot. Police sai...