SAN DIEGO

A man accused of driving drunk last year and fatally striking a toddler with an SUV on a City Heights street, then fleeing the scene, was ordered Friday to stand trial murder and other charges.

Margarito Angeles Vargas, 46, is accused of hitting 19-month-old Annaleeh Rodarte the evening of Sept. 24, 2022 on Redwood Street near 40th Street. He was arrested later the same day at his home in the Bay Terraces neighborhood.

Prosecutors say Angeles Vargas had a blood-alcohol content that measured .206 percent after the fatal crash California drivers are considered legally impaired if they have a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent or higher and that he stopped for food from a street vendor at some point after hitting the girl with his vehicle.

A defense attorney called the collision a tragic accident, and said her client might not have seen the girl or been aware of what happened. The stop for food, she argued, could be evidence of that.

Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams said Angeles Vargas has never had a drivers license and has a previous DUI conviction from 2016. Because of that conviction, he faces a charge of second-degree murder, which carries a potential prison term of 15 years to life, rather than the lesser crime of vehicular manslaughter.

Under state law, prosecutors can charge a person who has at least one prior DUI conviction with murder, arguing that the defendant had been warned that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was dangerous, but chose to do it anyway.

According to testimony presented during a preliminary hearing in San Diego Superior Court, Angeles Vargas attended a baby shower on nearby 39th Street just before the fatal collision. After leaving that event, he drove south on 40th Street and turned left onto Redwood Street.

San Diego police Detective Michael Gottfried testified he reviewed camera footage from neighboring homes that show the defendants 1999 Toyota 4Runner turning so widely that he nearly strikes a parked truck on Redwood Street.

As the 4Runner turned onto the street, Annaleeh and three of her siblings were crossing the roadway about midway down the block at an unmarked crosswalk. After the girl was struck, she was taken to a hospital, where she died just after 1 a.m. the next morning.

A witness took a picture of the suspects SUV and captured the license plate. That picture was provided to San Diego police and the car was found to be registered to the defendants wife, according to testimony at the hearing.

About 10 to 15 minutes after the girl was struck, Angeles Vargas allegedly rear-ended another driver who was stopped at a red light at the intersection of 54th and Redwood streets. That driver, who was not injured,told police the vehicle that struck him, then backed up and struck him again before speeding off, San Diego police Detective John Letteri testified.

San Diego police Officer Christopher Lingenhol, one of the officers who arrested the defendant at his home, testified that he saw a driver pull the 4Runner into the residences driveway with significant difficulty, requiring multiple attempts to park the vehicle.

Lingenhol and other officers then ordered Angeles Vargas to get out of the vehicle and walk towards them. The officer testified that the defendant smelled strongly of alcohol, was swaying as he walked and looked ready to fall at any time.

Inside the SUV, officers found an opened beer can in the center cup holder and empty beer cans on the floorboard of the backseat.

Gottfried testified he inspected of the underside of the 4Runner, where he said he found blood and a white gel-like substance that he believed matched a substance found at the scene of the fatality. The detectivesaid he believed that substance came from a babys diaper.

Defense attorney Marie Maloney called the collision a tragic accident, but argued that Angeles Vargas may not have been able to see the girl because she was small in size and entered the roadway from behind a retaining wall.

He remains held in county jail on a no-bail status.

Union-Tribune Public Safety Editor Dana Littlefield contributed to this report.

Link:
Trial ordered for SUV driver accused of striking, killing toddler in ... - The San Diego Union-Tribune

History is ever-present in Athens. From the ancient Agora to the Parthenon, the past is never far out of reacheven in a busy metro station. In downtown Athens Monastiraki Metro Station, just north of the Acropolis, an active archaeology site is visible alongside the busy commuter rail.

During the construction of the Monastiraki Metro Station, several archaeological finds were uncovered, dating as far back as the 8th century B.C. and up to the 19th century A.D. The finds shed light on the citys ancient past and provide insights into the citys development through time.

There are three main parts to the archaeological exhibit in the station: the uncovered riverbed of Eridanos (the ancient River of Hades), the ceiling artwork Time in My Hands byLeda Papaconstantinou, and a display of one of the unearthed buildings.

The Eridanos River played a crucial role in the urban design of the area, rising from the lower slopes of Mount Lycabettus, a prominent limestone hill northeast of the Acropolis, flowing through Athens, and emptying into the Ilissos River, which flows into the sea. In the Late Classical period (5th-4th centuries BC), the river bed was bounded on both sides by large blocks and two paths on either side, which defined the building line for nearby structures. During Emperor Hadrians time (117-138), the Eridanos River was roofed over with a brick vault and converted into a sewer. A large retaining wall was built on the north side of the river to support a wide stoa or street, and the building line was set back five yards.

Papaconstantinous Time in My Hands consists of 324 separateplexiglasspieces that together cover an area of 160 square yards. The Attiko Metro commissioned the work in 2010. Leda Papaconstantinou is a Greek visual and performing artist from Larissa, the fourth most populous city in the nation 130 miles north of Athens. Her work first gained prominence in the late 1960s. In addition to her performance art pieces, she also works in visual mediums like painting, sculpture, video, and film.

En route to Line 3 in the station, you will go past some ancient buildings. The ruins are mainly of private buildings such as workshops and storage rooms, and the dating of these structures was based on various finds, including marble sculptures, architectural members, mosaic floors, wall paintings, decorative plaster, vases, coins, metal, and bone artifacts. The Ist Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture and Attiko Metro completed the excavation and landscaping of the area.

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Archaeological Site inside Monastiraki Metro Station Athens, Greece - Atlas Obscura

San Francisco, California, USA

Marc Cavagnero Associates renovation and expansion project for the Hamlin School has transformed the campus into a fully sustainable building minimizing demolition and maximizing the re-use of existing structures to reduce waste and save material resources and the insulation at all exterior building envelopes above and below grade to reduce energy use

The new Hamlin School campus has recently been awarded a 2023 Green Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The Hamlin School has focused on its mission of educating girls to meet the challenges of their time for over 127 years.

The School is located on a steeply sloped site in a residential neighborhood of San Francisco with restrictive height limits.

The campus consists of 3 buildings stepping 65 down a hillside while negotiating a 40 retaining wall, all conditions which created profound site constraints and design challenges.

With separate elevators and stairs in each building, the connections between the disconnected buildings were unclear.

The retaining wall in the center of the campus created a physical barrier between the middle school and the lower school, fundamentally dividing the site into upper and lower sections.

The three buildings were constructed in three different eras and were not designed to support the Schools contemporary pedagogical ambitions.

And the undersized gymnasium was shared with the performing arts department, compromising both the athletics and the performing arts programs.

Work was concentrated in the interior of the site to minimize the impact on the stunning Bay views from the campus and neighboring residences.

The project expanded the lower school McKinne building by retaining its front half while excavating behind it southward up to the retaining wall, capturing new excavated space as usable area.

The new design stacked a large double-height gymnasium above a multipurpose arts space deep in the center of the site, conforming to the zoning limits and minimizing visual impact on neighbors.

The roof of the expansion forms a new terrace immediately outside the existing science classrooms in the Middle Building, creating new opportunities for natural science education and experimentation.

This strategy also consolidated the newly enlarged classrooms on the north side of the McKinne building where they take best advantage of the large windows, soft light, and views.

The existing classrooms were small and did not support the schools project-based pedagogy.

Working closely with teachers, the classrooms were paired by grade level, with the youngest children at Level 1 ascending the building with age.

Each pair of L-shaped classrooms is connected by an operable partition and a shared project room.

This layout creates differentiated learning spaces to support different learning modes: individual, small group, whole class, and whole grade level.

The renovation also created a new, open, and accessible entrance at grade level, halfway between the first floor and the newly excavated lower level.

Where the former entry to the 1960s-era building was awkward, cramped, and hidden from the street, the new entry welcomes students, parents, and visitors and connects to interior lobbies at levels 1 and 0, leading directly to the multi-purpose performance space and the climbing wall.

These lobbies are open and flexible spaces used for class activities, after-school programs, and as pre-function lobbies for the new performance space.

Some of the sustainable features of the campus include a computer-controlled building management system including occupancy sensors and daylight sensors to automatically reduce lighting and HVAC system energy use where not needed.

The architects have used highly efficient LED lighting fixtures and low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout the building, while insulated glazing with low e-coating reduces solar gain and energy loss at all new fenestration.

Additionally, operable windows for user-controlled natural ventilation and limit mechanical cooling to large assembly spaces to reduce energy use.

Project: The Hamlin SchoolArchitect:Mark Cavagnero AssociatesDesign Team:Mark Cavagnero, Felicia Dunham, Anna de Anguera, Christopher Agosta and Tammy LePhamProject Manager:Pacific Union Development Company, Inc.Client:The Hamlin SchoolPhotographers: Mike Kelley

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Marc Cavagnero Associates have completed the renovation and ... - Global Design News

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A Renovated Eichler Proves a Vibrant, Livable Showcase for ... - Nob Hill Gazette

St. James Episcopal Church, the architectural icon and tourism magnet at the top of North Washington Street in Sonora, underwent more than $250,000 in upgrades completed in 2019 and it was money well-spent.

The Red Church came through this past winters storms with minimal damage thanks to its upgraded steeple, roof tiles, and repainted exterior walls. But all that work was paid for by private donations.

Regular upkeep, maintenance, and repairs on the church building, which dates to 1860, and the parish hall, which dates to the early 1900s, and the church grounds, can run to $3,000 to $4,000 a month.

So, the nonprofit church has partnered with the Sonora Area Foundation to create a new Historic Red Church and Parish Hall Preservation Fund to defray those costs.

The church and foundation are coordinating with the Sonora Chamber of Commerce and Visit Tuolumne County to help promote public understanding of the need for preserving one of the most recognizable buildings in the city and Tuolumne County.

Mary Lynn Ashburn, who oversees the churchs business side as bishops warden, took time on April 21 to show some of the most glaring examples of unrepaired damage and deterioration of the churchs parish hall.

The hall hosts weekly events that benefit homeless individuals and low-income families, as well as annual Christmas events for the needy and for the entire community.

Ashburn pointed out rotting wood and peeling paint on the underside of the hall portico on Snell Street, which she said is pervasive on the portico structure and its support pillars. She pointed out where pieces of tree limbs and other debris are still on a part of the halls roof, remnants of recent winter storms.

On the Wyckoff Street side of the building, Ashburn pointed to more rotting wood and peeling paint on a corner of the halls roof, and more repairs needed on the side that faces North Washington Street, including roof work, roof paint, and replacement of an exterior stairway thats been condemned since before 2013.

Ashburn also showed where a retaining wall and a heavy, metal safety railing on another end of the hall deteriorated and fell in 2015. The railing is still on the ground, and broken edges of concrete are unrepaired.

While upgrades to the churchs steeple, roof, and exterior walls helped protect it from this winters storms, the powerful, bomb cyclone storms of March took out a historic lamp fixture outside the church. Replacing the lamp will cost a minimum estimated $1,500 and because the church and its grounds are historic properties under strict preservation requirements, the loss of the storm-damaged lamp may require replacement of two other undamaged lamps, for a total cost approaching $5,000 or more.

Inside the hall, Ashburn exchanged hugs with Theresa Bowers, 66, who comes to the Red Church some Fridays for prayers and food offerings provided by the nonprofit Lighthouse Ministries. With support from the church and other nonprofits, Bowers has recently transitioned from unstable housing situations, including a series of trailers, to a new apartment for seniors.

At a table in the hall, Bobby Richey, Kathy Fascilla and Lani Farley held hands in a prayer circle with Pastor Don Sullivant of Lighthouse Ministries.

This building has been such a blessing to help heal this community, Sullivant said. Thats what this church is all about, and thats what Lighthouse Ministries is all about. Helping and healing.

June Nielsen, a volunteer for 11 years with Lighthouse Ministries, helped out in the hall on April 21 making coffee, soup and sandwiches for the homeless, low-income families, and anyone else in need.

Nielsen also opened the Lighthouse Ministries food pantry in the hall for people who need help.

The Historic Red Church and Parish Hall Preservation Fund will allow the church to pay for repairs, maintenance, and general upkeep of church property without dipping into the churchs general operating account, which is extremely limited, Ashburn said.

The Sonora Chamber of Commerce will help the church raise the initial $5,000 required to open the Historic Red Church and Parish Hall Preservation Fund, and it will ask chamber members to contribute, Ashburn said. The church will need to actively fundraise and promote the existence of the new fund.

The Red Church is also considering letting the public know more about how its an active church by publishing and promoting its events and times of religious services.

We believe that having our community events better publicized will let people know that we are active and in the long term will attract new membership, Ashburn said in a recent report to a church committee. We often hear people say they didnt know there were services in the Red Church. If our name is more familiar, people should pay more attention to our religious events as well.

Other groups that use the hall and grounds include the nonprofit Give Someone a Chance, which brings a shower bus for homeless individuals in a church parking lot every Friday.

Give Someone a Chance will soon offer a laundry bus, Ashburn said. As many as 30 people a week come out for the shower bus during warmer months.

In addition, Tuolumne County members of the National Association of Mental Illness hold monthly meetings at the hall that draw 20 to 30 people each time, Ashburn said.

Sonora High School seniors are planning an art exhibit in the hall May 7. A popular Poetry Out Loud event was staged there in February. Other events at the church include Sonoras annual Christmas Caroling and Tree Lighting.

Given that so many people in need already rely on the Red Church and its properties at North Washington and Snell streets, and that so many tourism-oriented businesses in downtown Sonora already rely on the widely recognized building, Ashburn hopes the new Historic Red Church and Parish Hall Preservation Fund will help it remain an icon for future generations of residents and visitors.

I pray that this will be a way to ensure that our beloved church building will be an active part of the Sonora community as the light on the hill for many years, Ashburn said.

For more information about St. James Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin visit http://www.diosanjoaquin.org.

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New preservation fund set up to protect iconic Red Church and ... - Union Democrat

A portion of Illinois Route 106 in Scott County closed Monday for work expected to take about seven months.

WINCHESTER A portion of Illinois Route 106 in Scott County closed Monday for work expected to take about seven months.

The closure will allow construction of a retaining wall east of the Hillview Blacktop, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Work is expected to be finished by late November.

Traffic will not be allowed on Illinois 106 between the east and west entrance of Timber Lane. A detour will be posted using parts of Illinois 106, Illinois 100 and Interstate 72.

Transportation department officials said motorists should allow extra time for travel.

David C.L. Bauer is editor and publisher. He joined the Journal-Courier in 2009 as editor and added publisher responsibilities in 2016. The Cincinnati native has worked as an editor for newspapers in Florida, Ohio and Kentucky and as a former adjunct instructor of journalism at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He has also worked at radio stations in Ohio as a news director and a disc jockey.

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Part of Illinois 106 closing seven months for construction - Jacksonville Journal-Courier

The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte, North Carolina, is the fifth NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series 21-race calendar event in 2023. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two full-time entries one in Top Fuel for 10-time Top Fuel winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan. Hagan delivered TSRs third victory of the season in the prior event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, driving his Haas Automation Dodge SRT HELLCAT Funny Car to his 46th career victory in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Coming into Charlotte, Pruett is sixth in the Top Fuel standings, 71 points behind leader Steve Torrence. Hagan leads the Funny Car standings with a 105-point advantage over Ron Capps. With his win at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Hagan is 19th in all-time NHRA tour victories and fourth among Funny Car drivers behind only John Force (155), Ron Capps (67), and Robert Hight (54).

Pruett enters Charlotte representing Rush Truck Centers on her red Top Fuel dragster. Hagan, meanwhile, sports the red, white, blue, and black colors of Operation Healing Forces (OHF) and Johnsons Horsepowered Garage (JHG) on his Dodge Charger SRT HELLCAT Funny Car.

The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will mark Pruetts 198th career Top Fuel start. Itll be her 18th overall start at Charlotte and her 10th in the Four-Wide Nationals. For Hagan, the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be his 320th career Funny Car start. Itll be his 24th overall start at Charlotte and his 12th in the Four-Wide Nationals.

Pruett is eyeing her first victory at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. In 2017 and 2019, she advanced to the final quad at Charlotte. In 2015, Pruett raced to a semifinal appearance at the Carolina Nationals. Pruett is seeking her first No. 1 qualifier at the event. She hoisted the winners Pro Modified trophy at the fall race in both 2011 and 2012 and was the No. 1 qualifier in Factory Stock in the spring event in 2018.

Hagan has three career wins at Charlotte. Two of his victories came in 2011 and 2014 during the Carolina Nationals. Hagan won the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 21, 2013 (4.071 ET at 315.34 mph) when he defeated Blake Alexander (4.156 ET at 294.56 mph), Tim Wilkerson (5.141 ET at 153.39 mph) and Chad Head (10.525 ET at 67.05 mph). Hagan has raced in five final quads at Charlotte (2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2019). He is seeking his first No. 1 qualifier at the event.

Hagan was the first Funny Car driver to break the four-second barrier when he completed a run of 3.995 seconds in 2011 at Charlotte. His milestone run was commemorated with a sign on the retaining wall near the starting line.

The Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be a family affair for TSR as team owner Tony Stewart will host people from Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), the NASCAR team he co-owns with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. SHR is just nine miles north of the Kannapolis, North Carolina track.

Friday, April 28 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV) Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 4:45 p.m. EDT Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 7:45 p.m. EDT

Saturday, April 29 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV) Nitro qualifying session (Q3): 1:15 p.m. EDT Nitro qualifying session (Q4): 4:30 p.m. EDT

Sunday, April 30 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV) Round 1: 12 p.m. EDT Round 2: 2:30 p.m. EDT Finals: 4:35 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1 Friday, April 28: Qualifying show (7 p.m. EDT) Sunday, April 30: Qualifying show, recapping all of Saturdays action (12 p.m. EDT) Sunday, April 30: Finals show (6 p.m. EDT)

Source: TSR Nitro

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TSR Nitro Teams Ready For Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals - Mopar Insiders

The city expects to soon hire a contractor to start removing failing sections of the Claremont Access retaining wall.

The tender for that job expected to cost $4.5 million was scheduled to close Wednesday, engineering director Jackie Kennedy told council.

Once that contract is awarded, the hope is to start the job in coming weeks and reopen the now-closed Mountain-climbing road in the months ahead, Kennedy said.

A new bulge in the steel wall, indicative of a potential failure of certain sections, prompted the temporary emergency closure of downbound lanes in early March.

Residents have been redirected to other accesses to reach the lower city, which dispersed traffic without too much trouble, said Mike Field, acting transportation director, earlier this month.

But residents of the east Mountain are just queued up and backed up with a lot of frustration, Coun. Tom Jackson said Wednesday, asking if a permanent closure was in the cards.

All accesses across the city are really critical corridors, and any concept of removal an access from the system needs to be looked at very, very carefully, Field responded. So theres no plans in this moment to remove any accesses.

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Contract to address failing Claremont access walls expected to be ... - Hamilton Spectator

Ongoing work at the Illinois State Capitol complex will require the shutdown of Monroe Street, between Second and Pasfield streets, beginning at 7 a.m. Monday.

City officials said the closure will last one day, weather permitting.

The makeover is the largest renovation project in the Capitol's history, said Andrea Aggertt, director of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, at a recent presentation to the Springfield City Council.

More: Meg Thurman named new director of student services for Sycamore school district

The $225 million project is being funded by the state's Rebuild Illinois initiative.

"It's going to have a huge and significant impact on visitors to Springfield, local citizens of Springfield and hopefully tourists from across the U.S.," Aggertt said.

An underground garage being built on the north side of the Capitol adjacent to Monroe Street will have 440 parking spaces, along with electric vehicle charging stations.

Completion of that part of the project is set for the fall.

Monroe has been reduced to one lane around the capitol in recent weeks.

Around Springfield, one east-bound curb lane on Stevenson Drive will be closed in front of City Water, Light & Powers Dallman power plant and water purification plant complex at 3100 Stevenson Drive to accommodate installation of pipe for the lime lagoon project.

The work, weather permitting, is expected to last about one week.

Motorists should plan to take alternative routes to avoid delays and should slow down and be aware of construction crews.

Stanford Avenue will be closed from 11th Street to Fox Bridge Road for the next 15 months beginning on May 1.

The new road with curbs and gutters, storm sewers, sidewalks on the south side and a multi-use trail on north side will replace an oil and chip road.

The cost of the work is$7.5 million, according to city officials.

Churchill Road remains closed south of Jefferson Street for the replacement of a bridge.It is scheduled to reopen the first week of September.

Madison and Jefferson are closed between Ninth and 11th streetsto construct new underpasses as part of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project. The closures will last until the summer of 2024.

In Scott County, Illinois 106 just west of Winchester will close Monday for the construction of a retaining wall, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The improvement will occur just east of the Hillview Blacktop and is estimated to be completed by late November.

A detour directing traffic to use portions of Illinois 106, Illinois 100 and Interstate 72 will be posted. Work is expected to be completed by late November.

According to the Menard County Highway Department, Altig Bridge Avenue will be closed from Dawson Street to Smoot Street for a culvert replacement across the county highway beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The roadway will be reopened at the end of Wednesday. Meanwhile, traffic can utilize Smoot and Dawson streets as alternative routes around the construction area.

Contact StevenSpearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

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Work around the State Capitol will close part of Monroe Street Monday - The State Journal-Register

Authorities say that a box truck driver was killed in a crash involving a semi truck during the Thursday evening rush hour in South Carolina.

The crash occurred around 4:40 p.m. on April 27 on I-85 near Blacksburg, South Carolina.

Box truck driver Timothy Antonio McNeil, 25, was southbound on I-85 at mile marker 106 when traffic slowed for a previous fatal crash on the interstate.

As the box truck was stopped for the traffic, it was struck by a southbound semi truck.

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler described the crash:

After making contact, the tractor trailer dragged the truck several hundred feet before the driver realized it was underneath.

McNeil died at the scene.

A passenger in the box truck was transported to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The crash that caused the traffic slowdown occurred at 4:35 p.m. when 56 year old motorist Leigh Ann Hamilton Marshall struck a retaining wall and lost control, veering into the path of a semi truck. Marshall died at the scene and a passenger was hospitalized.

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Man dies after his box truck was dragged under tractor trailer, South Carolina officials say - CDLLife