DUBLIN — An Oakland man has been convicted of second-degree murder within the 2022 shooting of a person who had just been beaten by the defendant's father and was fleeing the San Leandro bar where the fight took place.

Louis Ray Woods III, 35, was convicted March 25, 2022, of murder and a weapons enhancement for killing Brian Antonio Marquis Moore with an unregistered AR-15 rifle. During the trial, Woods' attorney argued that it was a case of self-defense based on Woods' perception that Moore had a gun. Prosecutors called it premeditated murder and argued that Woods shot Moore as he tried to flee to safety.

Woods faces 15 years to life in prison on the second-degree murder charge alone.

The jury began deliberations on Thursday, November twenty first. They were presented with a variety of charges for consideration, including first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter, in addition to second-degree murder, which they agreed to.

Moore was killed outside Cunha's Cocktail Lounge in San Leandro, minutes after Woods' father knocked him out during a temporary fight on the bar. A bouncer testified that he regretted letting Moore – who was reportedly drunk and undressed – back into the bar because it ultimately led to his death.

Prosecutors used Moore's erratic behavior to their advantage, arguing that the incontrovertible fact that he took off his clothes proved he was unarmed and that Woods was lying when he claimed Moore had a gun. The defense argued that Moore took or was given a gun after the fight with Woods' father and that Woods believed his father can be “executed” for beating Moore.

According to prosecutors, after the murder, Woods fled to a close-by Motel 6 and tried to avoid contact with police. When police caught up with him, he repeatedly lied and denied being on the bar that night. It wasn't until the trial that he modified his story, took the witness stand and claimed that somebody outside the bar was yelling that one other man “had a gun.”

Woods claimed he fired warning shots and had no intention of hitting Moore. The prosecution explained that this was just one other lie, declaring that Moore had been hit multiple times and arguing that he fled along with his back to his back when the bullets hit him.

Outgoing District Attorney Pamela Price – who was recently removed – issued an announcement on the decision Tuesday, praising the jury's verdict and saying that Wood's decision to bring a gun to the bar ultimately led to the tragedy.

Originally published: November 26, 2024 at 9:09 pm PST

It's Halloween. You've just finished trick-or-treating and it's time to guage the loot. You probably have a favourite, whether it's candy bars, peanut butter cups, those gummy bears with nerds on them, or something else.

For some people, myself included, one item stands out – the Snickers bar, especially when it's full size. The combination of nougat, caramel and peanuts covered in milk chocolate makes Snickers a preferred sweet.

As a food engineer While studying candy and ice cream on the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I now take a look at candy from a much different perspective than I did as a baby. Back then it was all about shoveling it in as quickly as possible.

Now, as a scientist who has made a profession by studying and Write books about confectioneryI actually have a very different attitude towards sweets. I actually have no problem sacrificing a chunk for the microscope or texture analyzer to higher understand how all of the components add up. I don’t work for, own inventory of, or receive funding from Mars Wrigley, the corporate that makes Snickers bars. But in my work, I examine the assorted components that make up many popular candy bars. Snickers has a lot of essentially the most common items you'll find in your Halloween candy.

Let's take a look at the weather of a Snickers bar for example of candy science. As with almost all the things, each component is more complex than you may think when you get into it.

Airy nougat

Let's start with the nougat. The nougat in a Snickers bar is a light airy sweet with small sugar crystals scattered in every single place.

One of the ingredients in nougat is egg white, a protein that helps stabilize the air bubbles that provide a lightweight texture. Such nougats are sometimes made by mixing sugar and egg whites. The egg white envelops the air bubbles created during beating and provides the nougat its airy consistency.

Then a cooked sugar syrup is slowly mixed into the egg white and sugar mixture after which melted fat is added. Since grease may cause air bubbles to burst, this step have to be done last and really rigorously.

The last ingredient added before cooling is powdered sugar Germs for sugar crystallization within the batch. The presence of small sugar crystals makes the nougat “short” – pull it apart between your fingers and it breaks cleanly without stretching.

Chewy caramel

There is a ribbon of chewy caramel on the nougat layer. The chewiness of the caramel contrasts with the sunshine, airy texture of the nougat, which provides contrast in every bite.

This makes caramel stand out from other sweets comprises a milk ingredientlike cream or condensed milk. During cooking, the milk proteins react with some sugars in a posh series of reactions called “milk proteins.” Maillard browningwhich provides it the brown color and caramel flavor.

Maillard browning begins with proteins and certain sugars. The The end products of those reactions include melanoidinsthese are brown dyes and a wide range of flavors. The specific aroma molecules depend upon the starting materials and conditions corresponding to temperature and water content.

Commercial carameljust like the one on the Snickers bar, is cooked to about 240-245 degrees Fahrenheit (115-118 degrees Celsius) to regulate the water content. If the temperature is just too high, the caramel will likely be too hard. However, if the temperature is just too low, the caramel will flow straight out of the nougat. In a Snickers bar, the caramel must be barely chewy so the peanuts will follow it.

Chocolate coating

To make chocolate, raw cocoa beans are harvested from cocoa pods after which fermented for several days. After the fermented beans are dried, they’re roasted to develop the chocolate flavor. As with caramel, the Maillard browning response is a vital factor to the taste of chocolate.

The milk chocolate coating on the Snickers bar is completed through a process called overdrafting. The naked bar, placed on a wire mesh conveyor, passes through a curtain of tempered liquid chocolate, covering all sides with a skinny layer. Tempering the chocolate shell makes it shiny and provides it a clearly defined bite.

The flow of tempered chocolate have to be precisely controlled to acquire a coating of the specified thickness without creating tails at the underside of the chocolate bar.

The Snickers Bar

When done appropriately, the result’s a delicious Snickers bar, a preferred candy for Halloween – or any time.

With about 15 million bars are produced day-after-dayGetting every detail excellent requires a variety of scientific understanding and technical precision.

Music blared from the speakers while a DJ played popular tunes. A line about 30 people long waited to order beer from the taps of an old Greyhound bus. A noise rumbled like cars on a highway amid the music and the lines.

If you didn't know higher, you’ll have thought it was just an early evening at a preferred watering hole.

That wasn't it.

“I just really felt the need to be here and be with others who feel the same feelings,” Jess Brooks, 42, of Clovis said Thursday amongst the group on the Line 51 terminal on Castro Street in Oakland , where members of a preferred Oakland A's fan group gathered for what they called “The Wake.” The group, named Last Dive Bar out of affection for the A's Oakland home, celebrates, within the words of Bryan Johansen, “the Coliseum and its rich history.”

The group brought fans together Thursday after the team's final game on the Oakland Coliseum. For the record, it would be a win: 3-2 over the Texas Rangers. That one way or the other lifted the mood.

Kind of.

“More than anything, I’m just really sad,” Louis Quindlen said. “I went to my first game in 1981 and have been coming ever since. Season ticket holder for many years. One would think that the owner would change his mind. But it’s hard to have a change of heart when you don’t have a heart.”

There have been many stories about A's owner John Fisher and his plans to construct a brand new ballpark in Las Vegas with a detour through Sacramento until that happens. The damage to a community left behind just isn’t yet great.

“A lot of people are in a lot of pain,” Johansen said, adding that he desired to help people coping with grief, which he said can sometimes be overwhelming.

“So it’s like you just saw your mother die,” Johansen said. “Not only that, your father murdered her. In addition, you had to attend 81 open-casket funerals while your father justified himself and seemed proud of his actions. On top of that, 29 other family members (MLB owners) watched the whole thing and said, “That's OK.” So that's it. I didn’t want people to go home after the last game and have to deal with it alone.”

So they sat and stood in the course of a bunch of like-minded people. A plastic tombstone that reads “RIP Oakland A’s Fandom. April 17, 1968 – September 26, 2024” sat on a small stage where people were laying green and gold petals. Also visible on the stage were two giant Styrofoam forearms, paying homage to the Bash Brothers era, a more glorious time within the Oakland team's history.

Someone who identified himself as A's President Dave Kaval, greatly frightening the fans, gave a speech that drew loud boos.

A green sign on the wall illuminated the underlying message and easily said: “SELL!”

Even former employees and their sons were there. Longtime A's equipment manager Steve Vucinich was among the many guests, who numbered barely a dozen on the time of the ultimate out but were filled with at the least 300 two hours later. Trent Henderson, son of longtime A's centerfielder Dave Henderson, was also in attendance.

“This didn’t have to happen,” Vucinich said. “It didn't have to happen. Has anyone told Fisher about this or read how fans are reacting? How can you see all this sadness and be okay with it?”

“I’m as heartbroken as all of you,” Henderson said. “All in the name of greed. It’s terrible.”

One fan carried an indication that read “Oakland Forever.” Another wore a T-shirt that said “Sell John Fisher.”

“I can say that,” Johansen said. “If John Fisher thinks we’re going away, he’s crazy. He has proven that he is exceptionally good at not letting a stadium be built. So we will keep him in the spotlight, reveal what is going on, and keep our hope that perhaps we will celebrate her return later.”

Citing challenges in hiring managers and chefs, standout South Bay chef Jim Stump and his restaurant group announced Thursday that they may downsize their portfolio and shut Forthright Oyster Bar & Kitchen later this month.

The Campbell's restaurant's website and social media thanked customers and promised special offers for a couple of more weeks before Forthright, a sustainable seafood specialist, closes its doors. The restaurant has been in business since 2016.

“The high cost of living, the pandemic, the culture change have resulted in people not wanting to work in our industry,” co-owner Angelique Stump said in an email, noting that ads in search of trained managers and experienced chefs have found few applicants at that level.

And because the Stumps operate six restaurants under the Hot Behind You Hospitality Management Group umbrella, it's difficult to offer quality food and repair to all guests, the Stumps said, in order that they'll deal with their five remaining concepts.

Angelique Stump said they’d give The Table in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood “a little bit of a reboot,” resuming seven-day operations and focusing totally on Shepherd & Sims, their large restaurant in Los Gatos.

The group also owns two small kitchens – Lamella Tavern in Willow Glen and The Vesper in Campbell – in addition to Jim Stump's Tavern at San Jose Mineta International Airport.

June 23 will likely be Forthright's last day of business. “To enjoy the unique atmosphere and deliciousness one last time, we encourage you to visit us soon,” the note reads. “We have some incredible specials planned for the coming weeks and would love to share one last meal with you.”

In addition to oysters (fresh and roasted in butter), Forthright also offers halibut, crab and squid — and sells a variety of clam chowder. In a 2018 Bay Area News Group article about great clam chowder, Stump said he learned the recipe as a youngster at Pruneyard's Outlook after which refined it during his years at Los Gatos Brewing Company.

In their message to customers, the Stumps added: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to each guest who has walked through our doors. Your laughter, conversations and love for our food have made Forthright a truly special place. Whether you were a regular at the bar enjoying oysters at happy hour or celebrating a milestone with a grand seafood feast, we have enjoyed being part of your memories.”

Details: Open Wednesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to eight:30 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday from 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to eight p.m., 1700 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell; www.eatoystersatforthright.com

RICHMOND – The days of Riggers Loft Wine Company, long considered the crown jewel of Richmond’s waterfront, could also be numbered.

Nearly a decade after opening, owners of R&B Cellars and Riggers Loft wine bar, Barbara and Kevin Brown, at the moment are in a legal battle with their landlord – the City of Richmond – to forestall the closure of the favored winery.

Last month, the town filed legal motion to repossess the property on the Port of Richmond, arguing that the Browns were tons of of 1000’s of dollars behind on rent and had missed agreed-upon payment deadlines.

The Browns, meanwhile, dispute the quantity of their debt and filed their very own lawsuit against Richmond last October after the town sent them a letter threatening eviction if certain demands weren’t met.

The city is searching for $392,248.57 in unpaid rent, including late fees and interest, while the Browns claim they’re only obligated for $228,000. City Attorney Dave Aleshire didn’t reply to requests for comment, but within the lawsuit filed last month, the town said the Browns still owe “$285,845 in past-due rent, plus late fees and interest.”

“Given the large amount of rent arrears from 2019, the (city) has incurred a significant financial loss, which will only increase the longer RLWC uses the premises,” the filing states.

The Browns claim they were blindsided by the town's demands. The couple had discussed an updated repayment plan with the town, nevertheless it fell through after recent council members were elected in 2022.

“We tried to find a way to talk to them, but it soon became clear that it wasn't going to work,” Kevin Brown said in an interview.

A promising start

Owning her own bar was Barbara Brown’s dream.

The couple had founded R&B Cellars in Alameda but were searching for a brand new, everlasting location in 2014 after they began talks with Jim Matzorkis, the longtime executive director of the Port of Richmond, in line with legal filings and an interview with the Browns.

Matzorkis reportedly suggested the couple open their winery in certainly one of the historic World War II warehouses – a dilapidated 22,000-square-foot constructing in need of some major repairs. But in line with the Browns, Matzorkis said he knew investors who can be willing to pay $500,000 each through the federal government's EB-5 visa program, which allows foreign nationals to get a U.S. visa in the event that they invest half 1,000,000 in a project that creates no less than 10 jobs.

The Browns accepted the offer. But three of the 4 investors needed for the $2 million renovation canceled, and the couple was forced to sell their Alameda home to finance the remaining $1.5 million needed to finish the project, they said. Matzorkis died in 2021.

“When we started, the Richmond city government was very friendly and helpful,” said Kevin Brown.

Riggers Loft Wine Company officially opened in 2016, signing a 20-year lease the previous yr that set a rent of $8,400. As a community taproom, the space offers visitors tastings from various winemakers, including their very own creations. Thanks to its large, open floor plan and views of the bay, the space quickly became a well-liked gathering place for community events, weddings and personal gatherings.

Debts are rising to worrying levels

Then the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and emergency orders were issued on the state and native levels.

Riggers Loft was forced to shut, however the owners thought the closure was only temporary. Concerned about keeping their business afloat, the Browns said they negotiated a cope with the town that may allow them to pay 1 / 4 of their monthly rent, with a promise to pay the remainder back inside six months of the emergency orders being lifted.

But because the months was years, the Browns' rent arrears grew to a worrisome amount. In 2022, the Browns began paying their full monthly rent, which rose to $10,300, they said.

But in line with the town's wrongful possession lawsuit filed in April in Contra Costa Superior Court, the Browns' rental problems date back to before the pandemic, when the 2 parties agreed to a payment plan for unpaid rent in 2018 and 2019. By the time Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the economic shutdown on March 2, 2020, Riggers was already $18,338 behind on rent, in line with court documents.

A changing waterfront?

The Browns claim the town is attempting to displace them to make room for brand spanking new projects on the waterfront, corresponding to offshore wind turbines. In their grievance, they cited comments made by Vice Mayor Claudia Jimenez and Mayor Eduardo Martinez during a gathering on the problem on June 6.

“Nobody took into account the over $2 million we had invested in this place and all the attention we had gotten for Richmond,” Kevin Brown said. “They basically said, 'We don't care. We want this space, and we want it for this purpose, and we have a mechanism by which we can do that.'”

The city's management of the waterfront property is controversial. The city government was most recently confronted with a 2004 lease agreement that permits Orton Development to pay $1 annually to operate the Craneway Pavilion, a former Ford plant that was converted right into a vehicle assembly plant during World War II.

Much of the constructing's 4,180-square-foot interior space is now occupied by pickleball courts. In a second letter in April, the State Lands Commission said that this use was inconsistent with a trust agreement that requires the realm for use for overnight accommodations, restaurants and cafes, water-related industries, museums concerning the history of the waterfront, visitor retail and boat and ferry services.

A recent port management audit found that the port lacks adequate oversight and planning attributable to inadequate staffing and procedures, which lead to poor maintenance, poor financial management, missing lease documentation and inadequate monitoring of lease compliance.

At a city council meeting in April where the report was presented, Vice Mayor Jimenez said she was “really happy that this report is exposing all of these problems that we have.”

“It's not just about pointing fingers, it's about realizing that we need better oversight and protecting the port as an asset and not just giving it away for people to make money from,” she said.

Brown's lawsuit is scheduled to start evidentiary hearings soon, and court-ordered mediation should begin this summer. The city, meanwhile, is searching for a court judgment demanding immediate possession of the Canal Boulevard property, in addition to $285,845.25 in back rent, plus late fees and interest, and a declaration that Riggers “has no interest in the lease.”

Donald Trump's former lawyer Rudy Giuliani is one step closer to having his license revoked.

The Professional Responsibility Committee in Washington, DC, recommended on Friday that the previous New York mayor and federal prosecutor be stripped of his law license for his involvement in a bogus 2020 election fraud lawsuit.

Giuliani's law license had already been suspended due to his work supporting Trump's false claims about his election loss. It is now as much as the DC Court of Appeals to determine whether Giuliani will likely be permanently disbarred.

“We conclude that disbarment is the only measure that will protect the public, the courts and the integrity of the legal profession and will deter other lawyers from filing similarly baseless lawsuits seeking such a broad and yet totally unjustified remedy,” the Bar Disciplinary Committee wrote Friday.

The opinion follows a trial-like proceeding held in late 2022 by a panel hearing committee examining ethics allegations raised by the DC Bar's disciplinary counsel. Giuliani was accused of violating attorney conduct rules with a lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania that sought to invalidate greater than 1 million votes within the state that President Joe Biden won in 2022.

The disciplinary panel on Friday agreed with the committee's findings that Giuliani likely violated the foundations.

“We agree with the hearing committee that the litigation in Pennsylvania was based 'only on speculation, mistrust and suspicion,'” the statement said.

The committee concluded that Giuliani “failed to provide facts to support his allegations and that his opinion that election fraud occurred did not meet the requirements for a lawsuit.”

Ted Goodman, Giuliani's spokesman, said in a press release: “The recommendation comes as no surprise as partisan Democrats continue to destroy the credibility of the American justice system in their efforts to defeat President Trump and stay in power.”

Giuliani is considered one of several lawyers facing skilled misconduct charges for supporting Trump's plans to overturn the election.

Earlier this week, attorney Jenna Ellis said saw her law license in Colorado for 3 years for her guilty plea within the 2020 election interference criminal case in Georgia. John Eastman, who planned a plot to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results, was suspended for by a judge of the California Bar Association for He is accused of “extraordinarily serious violations of the code of ethics” and his license is suspended while proceedings proceed on whether he needs to be disbarred.

This story has been updated with additional details.