High Five: Five Fun Weekend Events

November 15, 2013, 9:37 am

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It's time to get you ready for the weekend! We've made a list of a handful of fun things to put on your to-do list. Among the offerings are books, cars and a parade. All the details are coming your way in this week's "High Five."

-Get your motor running at the 2014 Model Central California Auto Show. In addition to all of the new vehicles on the floor families can look forward to fun for all ages. It runs Friday and Saturday from 10am-7pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm at the Fresno Convention Center. Admission is free.

-There's a Picture Book Festival in Clovis for kids. "A Book Barn" is hosting five local children's authors to celebrate National Picture Book Month. There will be face painting, interaction with search and rescue dogs, and games. It's Saturday from 1pm-4pm at "A Book Barn" in Clovis. 

      

-Children's Hospital Central California is kicking off the holiday season with a Disney parade. It will include Disney characters and a very real Santa Claus. The characters will parade through the hospital for patients and their families. The public is invited to watch the parade as it moves its way through the hospital parking lot. It's Saturday at 2pm and is being put on by Staged Events.

-Santa Claus will also be at Fashion Fair Mall posing for pictures. He'll be there through Christmas Eve.

Hours range, but typically through November kids can crawl on Santa's lap from 11am-8pm. In December, hours move from 10am-9pm and as we inch closer to Christmas hours go from 9am-9pm.

     

-Santa will be busy this weekend as he's also catering to our furry friends. Santa Paws will be at the Valley Animal Center to pose with your pet. Pets and their friends will also be treated to the shelter's annual holiday bake, craft, and book faire. Photo packages are available for a small donation to the Valley Animal Center. It's Saturday from 10am-2pm.

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Video Shows Animal Abuse at South Valley Owned Business

November 15, 2013, 10:01 am

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A Tulare feed company is under scrutiny after an animal abuse video hit YouTube. The video shows calves being treated violently and was shot at one of the company's operations out of state.

Joe Ybarra spoke with the animal rights group that released the video and also has reaction from the local company involved.

Warning, the video above has pictures that may be disturbing to some people.

The video shows workers pulling calves by their ears and legs as well as kicking and tossing them around. We spoke with Erica Meir over the phone. She's with 'Compassion Over Killing', the group that released the video on YouTube.

"If this was an animal slaughter facility, the USDA would have shut them down but unfortunately, this facility isn't subject to federal animal oversight," says Meir.

Meier says the video was shot at Quanah Cattle Company in Colorado. Quanah is essentially a calf handling facility. They raise calves until they're shipped either to a dairy or to a slaughter facility. The operation is owned by JD Heiskell in Tulare. he says an investigator went undercover for 3 months in hopes of exposing alleged animal cruelty behind closed doors.

"We are calling upon the local authorities to file criminal charges and we're also hoping the dairy industry will use this as an opportunity to prevent such cruelty from happening in the future," says Meir.

As of Thursday afternoon the video had a little over 5,000 views. People we talked to in Tulare were upset after watching just a few seconds of it.

"Anything like that, it bothers me a lot...it's cruel," said one of the viewers.

Said another, "That's so cruel, I can't even watch."

People at JD Heiskell also watched the video. The Chairman of the Board, Scott Hillman released the following statement:

"Animal mistreatment is a cause of great concern to us. We were dismayed by many of the images. We are in the process of investigating to determine the facts of this situation.
We will strengthen the training and supervision of the employees at the facility to ensure compliance with industry standards and the law."

Compassion Over Killing did hand the video to authorities and it has sparked an investigation with the sheriff's department in Colorado.

his is the same group that helped shut down Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford. After viewing the footage from that incident, the USDA shut temporarily shut down the facility.

Seniors Turn to Web to Find Love

November 15, 2013, 10:39 am

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Remember the good 'ol days when many older adults called themselves technophobes? Well they're no longer logged off and many seniors are catching up to modern love... online. However, some are finding online dating may not just offer companionship, but also fraud.

Seniors are the fastest growing segment of internet users and studies show more and more are looking for love online.

See the video above for more.

Hundreds Line Up for New Sony Playstation

November 15, 2013, 11:17 am

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Black Friday-style lines were seen outside many Best Buy stores and other video game retailers Thursday night, including here in Fresno.

The reason? The release of the new Sony Playstation PS4.

Retailers were ready as gamers lined up early to get their hands on the new system.

"We plan these things out pretty well in advance. And we're always looking at what we've done in the past, what was successful, what wasn't," said Matthew Nickel, Best Buy GM.

Miguel Morfin was one of those who waited in line to get his hands on he new gaming system. "I missed out on the last one, and vowed not to miss this one. That's it, now I'm showing him the ropes."

The PS4 is the first big game system release in years and the first of this year's shopping season. The X-Box 1 is set for release next week.

Fresno State Football Families Host Food Drive

November 15, 2013, 11:39 am

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**PRESS RELEASE**

The Fresno State football coaches' wives and families are sponsoring the second annual Feed the Valley Food Drive on Nov. 23 before the 'Dogs host New Mexico at Bulldog Stadium.

The coaches' families will be collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations at all entrances to Bulldog Stadium one hour prior to kick off between the Bulldogs and Lobos. All proceeds benefit the Community Food Bank.

"All of our football families, our wives and children, really, really love living here in Fresno," said head coach Tim DeRuyter. "As a part of our respect and thanks for getting the chance to live in this community, we wanted to give back. We are going to do what we can to support it and hopefully we'll get the Red Wave out there supporting it."

Last year was the first for the Feed the Valley Food Drive at Bulldog Stadium, but it is something that the DeRuyter's and the other football families have helped organize at other university's they have been a part of.

The Community Food Bank distributes food to those in need in Fresno, Madera and Kings Counties.

Fresno State's game against New Mexico is set to kick off at 1 p.m. and the Bulldogs will be honoring 19 seniors before the game.

City Installs Gates to Combat Crime, Illegal Dumping

November 15, 2013, 12:53 pm

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City leaders are installing fences in alleys across Fresno. They say alleys are a hot spot for crime and illegal dumping and residents are fed up.

Residents in one central Fresno neighborhood say it's been plagued with crime and they are fed up. But on Friday, a sense of relief. Good news in the form of a fence finally bringing a sense of security.

City council member Clint Olivier hired crews to install two chain link gates at both ends of an alley near Tyler and Angus. Over the years that alley has become a hot spot for crime and illegal dumping.

"I'm there by myself and I ain't got nothin' but a stick to fight with and I can't do much fighting," says resident Cleo Stocker. The 98-year-old has lived in her home for more than 40-years. Burglars have broken in twice.

"I called the police because they come over here and beat on the bars like this here," says Stocker.

And when neighbors aren't being harassed they face another problem. Says Stoker, "They throw a lot of trash and tires. I don't have a car and they had tires in front of my, my lot."

Cleo's neighbor Pricilla Miller is relieved as she is given a key to the lock on the new fence. She's been hit hard with break-ins and hopes the fence will box out some of the crime.

"We've had several of our cars broken into. My car was stolen, my mom's car was stolen twice," said Miller.

So far this year around 5 fences have been installed running about $1500 dollars each. Funding comes from tax revenue.

"I'm happy to put them in wherever people are asking for them, because it just sends a big message to people looking to do bad things. That this isn't a neighborhood that tolerates this kind of behavior," says Fresno City council member Clint Olivier.

Cleo is thankful for this is the first time in a while she's felt protected. "Make me feel safe to see these young men, that's what they is, these young men putting up the gate."

City leaders say they have plans to install more fences just like this one in areas across Fresno.

Earthquake Dangers

November 15, 2013, 2:25 pm

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When it comes to the next 'Big One,' the question isn't "if" but "when."

In a CBS 47 Eyewitness News special report, meteorologist Justin Sacher shows us one man who says he has that answer.

The most recent strong earthquake in our area hit in Coalinga on May 3rd 1983, a day eyewitness Mercedes Combs will never forget.

"I was working. It was a normal day. We started off at six. I can't tell you the time it happened but when it happened, you felt it. You just fell. The land under your feet was gone. And you're trying to run away from it but you can't because the earth is moving," said Combs.

Everyone survived but damage was everywhere. Downtown was nearly destroyed except for the famous clock tower. It was rocked, its hands frozen at the time of the quake,

The RC Baker memorial museum was built to tell the story of how what lay under the Southern Pacific railroad's 'Coaling Station A' put Coalinga on the map.

"We first had coal here, then the oil. We had sulfur baths, we had Whiskey Row with 20 saloons and women of the evening," said Stephanie McHaney from the museum.

But now the museum now also tells Coalinga's second history, this one beginning with the earthquake that nearly wiped it from the map.

The 6.7 earthquake came from a fault beneath the city no one at the time even knew existed.

Says McHaney, "The brick buildings were gone, they had all tumbled down. People were running all over the place trying to figure out what was happening, making sure people were out. The fire department was down here."

Dr. John Wakabayashi is a geologist at Fresno State. He says the Coalinga earthquake has a recurrence interval of about 700 years.

"You are building up strength as one side is moving along another but one side is locked and then 'pow' it goes and you start building it up again and then you have another earthquake and the time between earthquakes is the recurrence interval," says geologist Dr. John Wakabayashi.

A six to 700 year interval is not the sort of prediction that will keep the next one from being a surprise.

"With more instrumentation there is hope of course that there will be some sort of signals that will be predictable. 2319 and that they clearly tie to an earthquake that occurs later. But so far there hasn't been any reliable precursor, if you will," says Wakabayashi.

Not entirely so says David Nabhan. The retired California teacher is author of a book getting lots of buzz right now: "Earthquake Prediction: Answers in Plain Sight".

Nabhan predicts earthquakes by looking for dates and times when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon align.

For more on this story, watch the attached video.

New Hope For a South Valley Woman Battling Cancer

November 15, 2013, 3:36 pm

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A heart warming update to a story we brought you earlier this week. One of our viewers has donated a puppy to a woman with cancer after her's was stolen while she was in the hospital.

Ann Marie Perez was diagnosed with Leukemia in August. She says her puppy was the only thing that helped get her through the pain.

Now, she's excited, a little nervous and still heart-broken. Her puppy khloe was stolen two weeks ago, a Boxer that helped her deal with the pain and stress of Leukemia.

"It takes away the negative, makes me not focus so much on me," says Ann Marie.

Ricardo Reyna heard her story on the news. He breeds Boxers and just happened to have a puppy identical to Khloe. He tracked down Perez and invited her over to see for herself.

An instant connection, followed by tears, and a it was a heartwarming moment.

Since her puppy was stolen Perez says her health has deteriorated. Her spirit has been down and the stress has stacked up. Reyes has family members dealing with cancer, one who needs a kidney donor, so he understands the difference a dog can make.

"What we're doing is a small thing, giving her a dog but it's giving this lady life," sais Perez.

He hopes this inspires others to become organ donors or simply do a good deed. "Feels good that there's good people out there even in bad situations."

Although Perez may never see Khloe again she left Reedley with a new best friend, a gift of hope, and another reason to keep fighting.

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Adoption Day in Fresno County

November 15, 2013, 3:45 pm

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        It was an emotional day for dozens of local families, as they officially welcomed new children into their homes.
     
        Each year Fresno County holds an adoption day event during National Adoption month.

        At the event held at North Point Community Church, rooms were turned into court rooms where judges finalized the adoptions of nearly 50 children to their forever families.
        
        33 thousand children and youth are currently in Foster care here in California.

        Watch one family in the above video.

Visalia Police are Investigating a Murder

November 15, 2013, 3:53 pm

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           An investigation is underway in Visalia, after an 18-year-old man was shot to death.
        
           Officers were called out to the area of Northeast 4th and Granite Thursday.

           Police say the victim was lying in the middle of the road with a gunshot wound and later died.
        
           A 17-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into Juvenile Hall. Investigators don't know what led up to the shooting, but said the suspect and victim both have gang ties.

High Tech "Zero Energy Home"

November 15, 2013, 4:45 pm

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        You could soon own a home that uses zero energy.
        
        De Young Properties cut the ribbon on their new "zero net energy" home.

        The model home in Clovis is designed to produce as much energy as it uses.

        The builder wants to collect at least a year and half of data on the home before it offers it to the public.

A Valley Man Won a '63 Corvette

November 15, 2013, 4:54 pm

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        A local man is a big winner. He won a '63 corvette in a national contest that benefits the Ronald McDonald House.

        Robert Bishop is from Madera County.
        
        He was so excited about winning the car, he even had a gift for the
the girl who pulled his name in the drawing. He got her an i-pad and a gift card.

        Bishop said he bought 250 tickets at 3 dollars a piece.

        He said he looked at it as a donation and never dreamed of winning the car.

        Watch the above video to hear his reaction.

Suspects Arrested For Robbing, Beating Fresno WWII Vet Are Teens

November 15, 2013, 5:00 pm

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Fresno County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested three people for a violent
home invasion. The suspects are accused of robbing and pistol whipping WWII
Veteran Joseph Martin last month.

But the most shocking is who deputies arrested.

The suspects are all teens. The youngest is twelve years old. 

CBS47's Lemor Abrams is live at the Sheriff's Dept. with the latest from the
Veteran.

Josef Martin still has scars on his head and face, and his wall remains
damaged after his head was slammed against it... But bout a month after the
91-year old was attacked, he now has a sense of relief knowing his attackers are
locked up.

"It's kind of a great relief because I can sleep at night," he says.

The details of that day are still so clear in his mind.

"One guy over there poked a gun in my ribs. I woke up ....All the lights were
on....and then they hit me in the side with a back of a pistol..." he
recalled.

But those three people who beat him up and ransacked his home where disguised
so well, he never suspected they were as young as fifteen and twelve years
old.

"They're kids they're kids but you can't tell. They had a red deal here and
kind of a mask," he says.

Sheriff Margaret Mims has tougher words for the trio.

"They were cowards because when they were confronted with someone they
thought would put up significant resistance they left but when they found
somebody they saw as vulnerable they attacked," she says.

Martin-blind in one eye and lives alone-was fast asleep when eh woke up with
a gun in his mouth.

Detectives say the suspects "MO" was to knock on doors, and if someone
answered...or made enough noise, they'd ask for someone who doesn't live there,
then getting away.

"Just prior to that they wen to a 73 year old woman...saw them... yelled and
they ran away," said Sheriff Mims.

Martin's was the third house they went to that day. He still doesn't have his
precious ring back which he had since his days on the battle field.

But as least now...he can still fight through life.

"They took my rings my Jewelry, my memories and took off but that's ok
because my life is going to continue," he says.

Fresno County Looks at Combining Coroner with Sheriff's Office, Grand Jury Skeptical

November 15, 2013, 5:32 pm

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Could Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims become the new county coroner?  That's an idea the board of supervisors is now considering,  after voting to look into combining the coroner's and sheriff offices.  However, a recently released Grand Jury report shows that wouldn't be a good idea.

The Fresno County Coroner's position is on the chopping block.

Fresno county coroner Dr. David Hadden says, "I was absolutely shocked to think of it going backwards into a sheriff-coroner system."

Last week, the Fresno County board of supervisors voted to explore the option of giving coroner duties to the sheriff.

Fresno County sheriff Margaret Mims says, "It's not something I asked for, however if the board makes a decision to do it then we're going to do a great job at it."

Fresno county supervisor Debbie Poochigian says, "We can see if we can be more efficient save money and look what the other counties do in the Central Valley."

According to Dr. Hadden and Sheriff Mims, the proposal wouldn't save any money.

"We would need to put somebody in there just to oversee the operations of the office, so I'm not sure cost savings would be possible. It might be flat," says Sheriff Mims.

Hadden's biggest concern is a conflict of interest that could come with mixing medical professionals and law enforcement.

Dr. Hadden says, "When there's an officer involved shooting than the sheriff, under the proposed system, would be investigating what one of her officer's did."

"We've got a great model for how to set up the organizational structure to reduce even the appearance of a conflict," says Sheriff Mims.

Thursday, the Fresno Grand Jury issued a report recommending the two departments remain separate.  It also says the requirements to run for coroner should at least include being a licensed medical doctor.  Currently, the position only requires being 18 years of age and a registered voter in Fresno County.

The board of supervisors is scheduled to vote on the issue December 3rd.  If it does pass, the changes would not take effect until 2015.

A New Pet Adoption Center Opens in the Valley

November 15, 2013, 6:35 pm

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        The Miss Winkles pet adoption center celebrates its grand opening. People packed the center for the ribbon cutting.

        The shelter has about 70 healthy cats and dogs ready to be adopted.

        David McDonald, the former C.E.O. of Pelco, donated 2-million dollars toward the project.

        The facility is named after his beloved pet Miss Winkles. The West Highland white terrier died when she was just three years old.

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Fatal Hit and Run Victim ID'd, Police Search for Driver

November 15, 2013, 6:38 pm

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The Fresno County Coroner's Office has identified Jimmy Hill, 66, as the victim of a fatal hit and run in downtown Fresno Thursday night.

Hill was struck by a truck and dragged for a mile south on G Street around 8 p.m., according to witnesses and police.
 
"As we turn away towards the road, we see a truck gradually driving at a normal rate of speed, not all that fast," said Marty Vasquez, who was standing outside of the Rescue Mission. "We see a body in the bottom. Couldn't believe it. We were in disbelief."

Hill was struck on G and San Benito Streets near the Poverello House and the Rescue Mission, said Sgt. Jaime Rios with the Fresno Police Department.

"We start whistling at him so we can get this guy's attention, and he just kept going, kept going. And we look toward the north side of G Street, and we see some more people coming down this way because they were in disbelief also at what they had just seen over there," Vasquez said.

Hill's body finally came to a rest at Belgravia Avenue on G Street.
 
Police arrived to find Hill lying dead in the street.

Now, police are searching for the driver and the vehicle involved.

"It's described as an older 70s Ford pickup, red and white in color. It possibly will have some front-end damage to it. It may be lifted a little bit, one witness said it was lifted, the other one said it was not," said Lt. Joe Gomez at the scene Thursday night.

Several people hanging out by the shelters said Hill lived at an apartment complex on G Street.

"It just seemed kind of odd that--didn't seem like he knew that he had someone under there," Vasquez said.

Man Convicted of Shooting an Elderly Woman is Sentenced

November 15, 2013, 7:31 pm

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        The man convicted of shooting a 91-year old woman in her Fresno County home, learned his fate in court.

        Ocar Soto was sentenced to ten years and four months in state prison.
        
        He was found guilty of second degree attempted murder and robbery charges back in July.
        
        The shooting happened in San Joaquin back on Thanksgiving of 2011 at the home of Marcella Miller. Investigators say Soto broke into her home, shot her in the face, stole some items, then left.

Victims Speak After Teens Arrested For Fresno Break-Ins

November 15, 2013, 7:40 pm

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A WWII Vet isn't the only victim in a series of home-break ins off Olive
and Willow Streets , in Fresno.

More neighbors are speaking to us tonight about nearly coming face to face
with the suspects.

Detectives say the suspects they arrested are teenagers, as
young as twelve years old.

CBS47's Lemor Abrams is live at the Fresno Sheriff's Dept. with
the latest on the suspects and their victims.

In this South Central Fresno neighborhood, longtime homeowners rake their
lawns, and parents take their kids out on bike rides.

But behind the security doors... seniors are now on guard in their own homes.

"Every time I leave and come back...I'm kind of leery," said a 78-year old
woman.

This 78-year old woman, who doesn't want to be identified, believes the three
teens accused of robbing and brutally attacking WWII Veteran Joseph
Martin...burglarized her a week before.

"I guess they came in through the back," the woman said.

They stole $600 in coins that sat next to the fireplace for decades,
and bank statements.

But worse, they took the engagement ring she wears in her wedding photo.

She had it for 55 years, almost as long as she's lived in this house.

And cherished it with her life after her husband died of cancer.

"We lived in the house 54 years, a year after we got engaged," she said.

She says she was locked out of the garage that day, but more eerie than
that...weeks before her house was hit...she spotted three kids going door to
door...and stopped at the house across the street.

"That same evening I was outside watering, one of the teenagers said they
were robbed that day," she said.

Detectives say two fifteen year-olds and a twelve year-old are responsible
for knocking on doors, making sure no one's home, and breaking-in.

The teen suspects went to at least three homes the day they chose to rob
91-year old Josef Martin's.

This 78-year old woman considers herself lucky.

"I consider myself very lucky for not being home," she
says.

Former Fresno State Coach Dennis De Liddo talks Wrestling

November 15, 2013, 8:21 pm

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        Fresno has been buzzing since Fresno State President Joseph Castro announced he's looking into possibly reinstating the once popular wrestling program.

        Former Fresno State coach Dennis De Liddo to talk about it.

        Watch the above video for the interview.

Crime Stoppers Makes Arrest

November 15, 2013, 8:27 pm

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        Your tips are making a difference we have our Crime Stoppers Arrest of the Day.

        A Crime Stoppers tip lead to the arrest of 25 year old Deserie Alvarez.

        Mendota Police arrested her for a probation violation.
       
         Law enforcement is now looking for 60 year old Robert Dixon. He's wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon and making criminal threats.

        Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call crime stoppers at 498-stop. You're anonymous tip could be worth up to $1,000.