San Jose News

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Gas station owner warns others of PG&E scam

Nov 06, 2014 12:48 AM EDT

A Hayward gas station owner says he was nearly scammed by a person claiming to be a PG&E employee.

Bodh Kunwar says he received a call Wednesday morning from someone claiming to work for PG&E, demanding he pay his PG&E bill within the new few hours or else his power would be shut off.

"I was very nervous. I was looking to log on and my hand was trembling," said Kunwar.

The man says he checked his paperwork after the caller demanded he submit a payment of $1366.09, the exact amount he had paid two weeks before online using his bank account information.

"When they were talking, it was the exact amount. That's why I came to believe maybe it is from PG&E," said Kunwar.

The caller who referred to himself as Bobby Johnson, told Kunwar that PG&E had not received his payment and repeatedly said power at the gas station would be shutdown unless Kunwar paid using a Greendot prepaid cash card. The cards are widely available at drugstores and have been used in various scams similar to this one.

“Johnson” told Kunwar to call him back after he bought the cash cards so he could provide the account numbers on the back.

"But before I do that, something came to my mind. I said, ‘How can they do that? Let me call PG&E again,’" said Kunwar.

And it's a good thing he did.

"There have been scams like this for PG&E, actually for utilities nationwide," said Tamar Sarkissian, a PG&E spokeswoman.

PG&E officials went on to say these types of scam are ongoing and come in various forms. The utility company assures customers it would never demand payment using prepaid cash cards, and power would not be shut off unless there had been several written warnings sent already.

"If you hear something like that, alarm bells should go off that this is not normal. This is not something that's right. They should hang up and call PG&E," said Sarkissian.

"I'm glad I'm talking to you and you let the people know that hey, this kind of scam is going on," said Kunwar.

He says the bill he paid two weeks ago was the first one he had received online, before that he had always received his bill by mail. He suspects there could have been a security breach somewhere after he paid online.

PG&E officials say they work with law enforcement authorities to investigate any reports of scams.

EBMUD considers rate-hike to prepare for another dry year

Nov 06, 2014 12:21 AM EDT

It is impossible to know if California is heading into another drought year, but the EBMUD board is planning for that possibility.

"Based on our historic use patterns, we think there's a 36-percent chance that next year could be a shortage," said EBMUD Board President Andy Katz.

To address water supply concerns earlier this year, EBMUD purchased 5 million gallons of water drawn from pumps on the Sacramento River.

EBMUD says without significant rain in November and December, it will have buy more water this winter and the cost will be passed onto customers.

"To draw water from the Sacramento River requires a 14-percent rate increase," said Katz.

EBMUD is also considering special drought surcharges that would bump that 14-percent increase to 20 or 25-percent and an excessive use penalty of $2 a unit for customers that use over 60 units a month or roughly 44,000 gallons per month.

The rates would be determined by stages relative to drought conditions and EBMUD's water supply.

Currently, EBMUD customers are exceeding conservation goals of 10% by saving 11.8 percent on water use.

The 14 percent rate hike has been approved and will take effect if water is taken from the Sacramento River. The additional rate increases and penalties remain proposals that potentially could be approved early next year.

Bay Area biotech company looks to create Ebola vaccine

Nov 06, 2014 12:20 AM EDT

A South San Francisco biotech company is hoping a congressional ally will help them develop an oral Ebola vaccine.

Vaxart says it made promising steps toward an oral vaccine, but shelved the project in 2012 because of a lack of interest, and specifically a lack of funding. Wednesday Rep. Jackie Speier (d) San Mateo, toured the facility, asking what they would need to get their vaccine into production.

Vaxart CEO Wouter Latour says funding was a major obstacle to getting the vaccine to the human testing phase. The growing Ebola crisis in West Africa and cases of the disease here in the US have prompted renewed interest.

"We believe strongly that vaccines are a phenomenal piece of the puzzle against these kinds of newly emerging threats. So we think it's a very wise investment," said Latour.

The oral vaccine Vaxart is working on does not contain Ebola itself, in fact there is no Ebola in the laboratory at all. Instead, the scientists take the genetic information that tells the deadly virus how to make some of the proteins on or in the virus, and put those genes into a harmless virus. The result is then treated, and put into a tablet form.

Vaxart has had success with oral vaccines to prevent flu and are hoping the same technique can be adapted to Ebola. One of the benefits says Latour is the oral vaccine would be stable enough to send overseas without refrigeration, and would not need syringes.

"We have no needles, which really removes an important piece of the puzzle, handling needles, needle injuries, those kinds of things and our tablets can can be held at room temperature," said Latour.

During the tour Speier said although the current outbreak is in West Africa, everyone should be concerned.

"Because this planet is shrinking, what goes on in Africa is as important to us as what goes on across the street," said Speier.

The company said that it hopes to start human trials for the oral vaccine in early 2015, and if everything goes well, could have a vaccine ready for distribution as early the end of next year.

Men injured in hash-oil lab explosion remain in critical condition

Nov 06, 2014 12:12 AM EDT

Two men who were injured in a hash oil explosion that destroyed a Walnut Creek apartment on Halloween remain hospitalized in critical condition, a fire official said Wednesday.

Fire Marshal Robert Marshall of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said that while the men are still listed in critical condition, medical providers are now "a little more optimistic about their survival."

The two were injured in an explosion at an apartment within a complex in the 1500 block of Sunnyvale Avenue around 10 a.m. Friday, according to fire officials.

Both victims were airlifted to the University of California at Davis's Burn Center in Sacramento.

A neighbor was also treated for minor injuries suffered in the blast.

Fire officials said the explosion and fire left the six-unit apartment complex uninhabitable, displacing an undisclosed number of residents.

The American Red Cross set up a shelter on Friday for the displaced residents.

Police and fire investigators continue to investigate the explosion, which resulted from a marijuana and hash oil drug extraction manufacturing process, according to police.

Anyone with information about the explosion and fire is asked to call Walnut Creek police at (925) 943-5844 or Detective Bill Jeha at (925) 256-3518.

Woman dies while in custody at county jail

Nov 05, 2014 09:55 PM EDT

A 65-year-old woman died while in custody in county jail in Santa Cruz early Wednesday morning, sheriff's officials said.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was found unresponsive in a cell at the county jail at 259 Water St. during a safety check around 4:55 a.m., according to Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sgt. Kelly Kent.

A correctional officer and medical staff performed CPR on the woman until an ambulance arrived.

She was pronounced dead at 5:24 a.m., sheriff's officials said.

Coroner's investigators responded and determined that the woman died "due to probable natural causes," according to a sheriff's office statement.

Sheriff's officials said no criminal activity or suspicious circumstances are suspected in connection with the death.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of the woman's death.

The inmate was booked into the jail on Monday for a warrant arrest.

Election Day yields record low turnout

Nov 05, 2014 09:07 PM EDT

Tuesday’s voter turnout was a new record low not only for California, but for the nation. Many major political races were decided by razor thin margins.

Stanford Political Science Professor and Scholar Simon Jackman says, voter apathy has many roots.

"A lack of interest in the subject matter, a feeling that their vote doesn't count or being unable or unwilling to express a preference between the parties," says Jackman.

For example, the City of Alameda has a population of 75,000 with 44,000 of those residents being registered voters. Of those registered only 13,000, turned out to vote Tuesday, settling the mayoral race there with less than 300 votes.

Alameda resident, Sean Manzano, says he was more interested in finding a job.

"Whatever happens, there's this, you know, belief that whatever policy or whoever is elected, they're really not gonna make much of an impact," says Manzano.

"I think that the reason we're seeing the voting patterns that we are is that people are entirely disenfranchised," says Susannah Israel a Laney College instructor. "Why don't more people vote? Because they do not understand the issues? They're watching Dancing With The Stars," says Playthell Benjamin, a writer from New York.

Voters KTVU spoke to say people don’t vote because they’re self-absorbed, uninformed or cynical or hope springs eternal.

"It's like acts of kindness. One act of kindness may not change the general tenure of society, but overall, acts of kindness from everybody does and it's the same with voting," says Sean McVey of Oakland.

Dan Begonia of Alameda agrees, "Absolutely. When you think about what happened when George Bush first got elected, it was only a matter of a couple of hundred votes. I man that should have been a lesson learned by everybody.in the country."

"Aristotle said, ‘Politics, unless you are God or beast, your life will be determined by the politics under which you live,’" Benjamin said.

Mother of man killed in horrific I-5 accident pleads for answers

Nov 05, 2014 09:06 PM EDT

A grief-stricken mother who sat inches away from her son when he died last week in a horrible freak accident on I-5 on Wednesday told KTVU she needs answers.

"The worst kind of sadness that ever was. And confused. Because what happened to him shouldn't have happened." said Gina Brown.

Brown and her 20 year-old son Cody were driving back home to Livermore October 27th after visiting sick relatives in Las Vegas.

Cody was at the wheel of their Mitsubishi convertible while Gina was reclining in the passenger seat. They were on Interstate 5 near Patterson when, in an instant, everything changed.

"I heard 'Bam!' Loud. I sat up and said What was that? I looked over and his face was gone," Brown said.

But the terror continued. Their car was on cruise control still moving at 70 miles an hour.

"I grabbed the emergency brake and pulled with everything I had," she said.

The California Highway Patrol said Cody Brown died because a tractor trailer travelling in the opposite direction broke an axle, sending a metal wheel rim bouncing across the freeway. The rim first struck another big rig before ricocheting through the canvas roof of the Brown's convertible.

The truck driver never stopped.

The California Highway Patrol investigators have been looking for the driver with no luck. They are asking anyone who may have seen what happened to please call them.

Investigators said they don't know whether the driver knew what happened. KTVU asked a veteran big-rig operator if that could have happened.

"It is possible. But you would hope the driver would know that," said Brian Jones.

Brown was a graduate of Del Valle High School in Livermore and had enrolled in Las Positas Community College with plans of working with troubled young people.

"I really wish, as I was growing up, I was as good to my parents as he was to us," said Cody's stepfather Rod Robison.

But all that potential, all that joy, was lost in a freak accident that could have happened to anyone.

"It doesn't matter how good your child is, how cautious your child is," said Gina Brown. "They could be gone from you in a second."

Neighbors defend Alameda man accused in 'mercy killing' of his wife

Nov 05, 2014 08:32 PM EDT

Neighbors on Wednesday spoke in defense of an Alameda man accused in a so-called "mercy killing" of his wife, who suffered from dementia.

72-year-old Jerry Canfield faces one count of murder with the use of a firearm for the Oct. 26 shooting death of his wife, Joann.

"Whenever I'd see them, it restored my faith in married people," said next-door neighbor Bridget Milet. "They just loved each other."

Milet recalled the way the couple always greeted one another with an enthusiastic hello and smile when one of them would walk through the door of their apartment.

Milet said Joann Canfield suffered from dementia. When the disease took a turn for the worse a few months ago, she went to a nursing home – then came back.

"She had been at the nursing home for a little over a month. The day she came back, I saw her at the bottom of the stairs," Milet told KTVU. She said Joann appeared distressed and disoriented.

"She didn’t know who I was, and she'd known me for quite a long time," she explained.

The day after that, on Oct 26, Alameda police said Jerry Canfield walked into the Alameda police station around 6 p.m. and told the sargeant on duty he wanted to confess to a crime.

"He said that he had shot his wife in the head," Alameda Sgt. Rick Bradley said. "He said he shot her to end her suffering."

When investigators entered the Canfields' apartment, they found Joann Canfield dead with a dozen red roses at her bedside.

Police interviewed her husband for several hours at the station. They said he was emotional as he explained what he did and why.

Bradley said it was an unusually difficult case for investiagtors, but that, ultimately, the law is cut and dry about ending someone's life, no matter the circumstances.

"In California, if you take the life of another, it's considered a homicide. That's how we investigate it and that's what the facts showed," Bradley said.

Canfield's neighbor can't help but feel differently.

"If there is such a thing as a mercy killing, this is definitely it. Because he was a very nice man and he loved his wife very, very much," Milet said.

Canfield is still in jail. His next hearing is scheduled for November 14 when he's expected to enter a plea to the murder charge he faces. His attorney, Drew Steckler, said because of the unique circumstances of this case, he will argue for Canfield to be released without bail and sent home while he awaits trial.

San Francisco voters approve minimum wage hike

Nov 05, 2014 08:08 PM EDT

It is one of the most expensive cities in America. And last night, San Francisco overwhelmingly voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, one of the highest in the nation.

Figures released Wednesday afternoon show the Proposition J minimum wage measure passed by 76 percent, a sign voters want to put more money in workers' pockets.

The new law came just in time for Darren Fiorello. He moved to the city recently from New York and is working a Union Square hot dog stand to make ends meet.

"Well, it's going to make it a lot easier for me to make my rent every month basically," Fiorello said of Prop J. "It's definitely going to help me out. I'll probably be able to go out more, have so more dates maybe. Maybe get a car- we'll see."

The city's minimum wage is set to gradually rise from $10.74 an hour now to $15 an hour by July, 2018. A July report by the San Francisco Office of the Controller said the average food service worker could see an additional $125 in pay each week. Those working in manufacturing could see nearly $200 more each week.

"For a lot of folks, what this is gonna mean is they can quit that second job, they can spend more time with their family," said SEIU Vice President of Politics Alysabeth Alexander. The SEIU was instrumental in putting Prop. J and a similar, successful Oakland minimum wage measure before voters this fall.

With its passage, he Controller's office report said some consumer spending may raise but that the Prop. J wage hike may discourage new hiring and lead to reduced employment. The owner of San Francisco's popular HiDive bar and restaurant told KTVU he'll have to cut some workers' hours and expects longtime employees will be jockeying for pay raises.

"The minimum wage is scary," said HiDive owner John Caine. ""They're going to now see the dishwasher making what they're making and so they're not gonna like that so it's gonna have a push up effect. And they're going to say, 'Well, I need to go up to.'"

Henry Karnilowicz- the president of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations- said merchants will pass their increased costs onto customers and that competition for certain entry level jobs may get tougher.

"You're going to have people who are living in like San Leandro or Oakland or Daly City or whatever, they're going to be coming in because they're going to be getting the $15 here," said Karnilowicz. "You're not going to be training someone as much, if you're in a restaurant. You're going to get someone who's worked at a restaurant somewhere else, that's got the experience and references to be able to do that work."

In June Seattle voted to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021. Alexander said she expects to see more jobs created by such wage hikes.

"I think that this is the model that folks all throughout the country should take, in either gathering signatures to put it on the ballot or pressure your city councils to raise the minimum wage directly."

Oakland Mayor-elect Schaaf prioritizes safety in victory speech

Nov 05, 2014 07:29 PM EDT

Standing in front of a giant car shaped like a snail and flanked by a throng of supporters holding campaign signs, Mayor-elect Libby Schaaf said she was full of "love" and "hope" for the city of Oakland.

The councilwoman claimed victory early Wednesday morning in the city's 15-candidate mayoral race. Schaaf had large leads over the other candidates as initial results came in with nearly 63 percent of the vote.

Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan came in second with 37.2 percent of the vote as of early Wednesday. Mayor Jean Quan conceded around noon and congratulated Schaaf on her victory.

"(Schaaf) inherits a city where crime is down, unemployment is down, city finances are strong, police reforms are near completion, and the economic renaissance is well under way," Quan said in a statement. "I have been proud to be Oakland's first woman and Asian-American mayor, and I thank Oaklanders for the opportunity to bring the city through these tough times."

Schaaf said she would immediately focus on improving safety in the city, taking a "holistic view" to reduce crime that includes more policing, "better more successful" crime intervention and prevention programs, job opportunities and a stronger education system.

"Yes, absolutely we need more police, but we also need better policing. We need to go after those root causes of crime and that's jobs, better wages - which I'm very excited about the victory of Measure FF so Oaklanders are getting a raise this year," Schaaf said to applause from the crowd. "Also something I'm very passionate about is better educational outcomes for our children, which is part of the public safety equation."

Asked how she would be more effective than her predecessors, Schaaf said she would be a "very clear, compelling communicator" on behalf of the city.

"We are full of great entrepreneurs, great businesses, great creators, this is a fantastic city and I am so excited about telling the Oakland story," Schaaf said. "I look forward to telling the Oakland story in a clear compelling way and to inject some honesty into what the shortfalls of government are but to not destroy it and not try and convince people that government is broken. Government is not broken."

Schaaf took the time to credit Oakland makers by highlighting that her dress and jewelry were made in the city, along with a giant snail-car called the "Golden Mean," which was designed and fabricated by the Oakland-based iron shop Form and Reform.

Schaaf later drove away in the snail car as it shot flames up into the afternoon sky.

Schaaf said she hadn't made any decision about appointing a city administrator or leaders of key departments but would get to work "right away" on vetting candidates.

"I just know I will have the best, most professional, most inspirational city administrator and then work closely with that person to make other key decisions," Schaaf said, adding she would assess and evaluate who would serve in key leadership positions within the city administration. "I'm so excited and so ready to get busy."

Supporter Anthony Shore said he wasn't exactly surprised that Schaaf won. Shore began working on her campaign early in the summer when his wife decided to back her, he said.

"There was never any doubt she was the best candidate in my mind but she was never leading the polls," Shore said. "So she really came from being in a second or third place position to ultimately taking a very strong lead."

Cathy Adams, the co-founder of the Oakland chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., said she had supported Schaaf since early in her campaign.

For Adams, the election came down to supporting youth, particularly African American youth, who she said sometimes experience higher truancy rates, racial discrimination from the police, lower educational outcomes, and fewer job opportunities.

"She really cares about the community," Adams said. "I do believe if people have issues, she will have an open door and there are people on her staff who are capable of doing it."

East Bay artist jailed on suspicion of killing girlfriend in Texas

Nov 05, 2014 06:11 PM EDT

An East Bay artist is behind bars Wednesday after being accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death during a trip to Texas, according to authorities.

Austin Police said Joseph Karr is facing a murder charge for killing 43-year-old Kelly Turner on Halloween night. Turner was a Southwest Airlines flight attendant based in Oakland.

A flight attendant who worked with Turner tearfully described her as "a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart."

Turner had taken Karr to her hometown of Austin to meet her family when she was killed.

According to investigators, the couple got into an argument after an evening out. According to court documents, relatives heard screaming in another room and saw Karr holding a knife.

Karr works as an artist and welder and runs a studio called Bohemian Blacksmith. His friends were stunned to learn about the accusations against him, although one woman said it often felt like there was something off about Karr.

"I felt like, you know, there's a dark side," said friend Maya Bulleit. "He never acted violently. He never said or did anything super inappropriate. It was just more of a gut feeling."

Karr is being held in a Texas jail on $2 million bail.

Liccardo declares victory in San Jose mayor's race despite uncounted ballots

Nov 05, 2014 04:12 PM EDT

San Jose City Councilman Sam Liccardo declared victory Wednesday morning in the race to become the city's next mayor over Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, but the race remains too close to call.

In a news conference this morning at his campaign headquarters, Liccardo was joined by his wife Jessica Garcia-Kohl and made the announcement when asked by a reporter, Liccardo's campaign manager Ragan Henninger said.

The race could be decided by absentee ballots turned in at the polls that have yet to be counted.

Henninger said the campaign learned that an unknown number of absentee ballots were turned in at polling places Tuesday in San Jose and the Santa Clara County registrar's office had locked them up for the night and did not count them overnight.

Liccardo, the outgoing member of the City Council for District 3, had 55,641 votes, or 51 percent, to 53,465, or 49 percent, for Cortese, with all precincts reporting as of this afternoon.

"We have maintained our lead throughout the night and we're confident we'll continue that," Henninger said.

A major issue in the mayoral campaign was public safety, specifically how to fund additional police officers for a city force that has fallen by about 400 sworn officers in the past several years due to retirements and resignations.

The winner of the contest will determine the shape of policies espoused by Liccardo and termed-out Mayor Chuck Reed -- controversial among police officers and firefighters -- about controlling pensions paid to the union-represented police and fire departments.

Cortese received heavy support from the San Jose Police Officers' Association, which represents police and firefighters in labor contract negotiations with the city.

Candidates who appear aligned with the police union on the pension issue either won or were far ahead this morning in two of three open City Council races.b

In City Council District 1, Charles "Chappie" Jones, endorsed by Liccardo and Reed, won the seat by a comfortable margin over Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-San Jose, who is leaving the state Legislature.

Jones had 6,431 votes, more than 60 percent of the vote, and Fong had drawn 4,233 votes, or close to 40 percent.

In the election to replace Liccardo in District 3, seven-year veteran San Jose police officer Raul Peralez, who has pledged to support his police colleagues on the Council, defeated Don Gagliardi, a Stanford law graduate and a member of the San Jose Downtown Association.

Peralez tallied 4,691 votes, or just above 59 percent, to 3,230, or almost 41 percent garnered by Gagliardi after ballots from all 43 precincts were counted.

In the race for District 7, lawyer and former computer engineer Tam Nguyen was well ahead of Maya Esparza, the former chief of staff of one-time San Jose Councilwoman Nora Campos, who is now a member of the State Assembly.

With 39 of 40 precincts reporting, Nguyen had picked up 4,731 votes, or just under 54 percent, compared to 4,068 for Esparza.

Nguyen, on his campaign website, left no doubt as to where he stood on pension reform, stating that he wanted to "increase police budget and pension" and have "more officers and safety patrol in residential areas."

Devon Still's daughter attending Bengals game

Nov 05, 2014 04:01 PM EDT

Devon Still figures it will be the most emotional game he'll ever play.

For the past five months, the Bengals defensive tackle has been immersed in helping his 4-year-old daughter Leah get through surgery and chemotherapy to fight a cancerous growth found in her abdomen.

She's feeling good enough to leave a hospital back home in Philadelphia and fly to Cincinnati for a game on Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium, where she'll get to watch her father play for the first time.

"It will probably be the most special game I'm ever going to play because I know my daughter is going to be here to watch me play," the third-year player from Penn State said.

"All the money that's been raised for the cancer research is because of her strength and because she's fighting this disease. So it's definitely going to be an emotional game for me."

The Bengals (5-2-1) helped Still and his daughter by excusing him from offseason activities so he could spend time with her in Philadelphia. They kept him on the practice squad to start the season even though he was hurt so that he'd keep his medical coverage.

And the team helped raise money for pediatric cancer treatment and research by donating money from the sale of his No. 75 jersey to Children's Hospital in Cincinnati. The team will present a check for more than $1 million on the field after the first quarter against the Browns (5-3).

Leah Still will be part of the presentation. She'll watch the rest of the game from one of the stadium boxes.

"It's going to be added motivation just knowing my daughter is watching me,"Still said. "I want her to be able to hear how the crowd cheers that loud whenever I make a tackle, so I'm going to go out there and do whatever I can to put a smile on her face."

It's been an emotional week for Still, who befriended a college basketball player dying from a cancerous brain tumor. Freshman Lauren Hill scored four points in her first game for Mount St. Joseph on Sunday.

Still wore Hill's name on his eye black patches on Sunday during a 33-23 win over Jacksonville. He usually wears his daughter's name, but got her permission to change for the one game.

"She told me to go ahead and do it," Still said. "When I got home after the game, she asked me: How did the girl who played basketball do? So she knows what's going on, she knows they're both fighting the same type of disease, and I'm pretty sure she's rooting for her also."

The Bengals showed video of Hill's first basket during the second half on Sunday, bringing tears to the eyes of several players who have either met her or accepted her layup challenge to raise money for cancer research.

"I dropped to a knee because I was just in tears for a second there," said left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who wore Hill's No. 22 on his gloves. "I just welled up because it's so emotional. I'm so proud of her and what she means. It was a cool thing with them showing that. It was awesome to go out there and get a win and be able to celebrate her day as well."

Now it's Leah Still's turn for the recognition.

"I think it's going to be amazing," Whitworth said. "Guys will be excited about that."

Still is trying not to get too caught up in thinking about the moment, which will be the latest in a week full of emotional ones.

"It is, but it's good emotions," Hill said. "Just being able to see Lauren live out her dream to play collegiate basketball and her not allowing this disease to slow her down — she's definitely an inspiration. She's shown a lot of courage and strength to go through what she's going through.

"So Thursday is definitely going to top off a good week for me."

Notes: Running back Giovani Bernard (shoulder/hip), cornerback Leon Hall (concussion), right tackle Andre Smith (left ankle) and linebacker Rey Maualuga (hamstring) were held out of practice again, an indication they won't play on Thursday night. Smith was still wearing a protective boot on Tuesday. ... Tight end Jermaine Gresham (knee) and cornerback Terence Newman (chest) were held out of practice after working out on Monday.

Forbes 'Most Powerful' list offers some surprises

Nov 05, 2014 03:45 PM EDT

The leader of the free world is not the most powerful person in the world. No, according to Forbes, that title once again belongs to this man.

Forbes published its list of the 72 most powerful people in the world, complete with GIF of the list's No. 2, President Barack Obama, awkwardly looking over at No. 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It's the second straight year Putin took down the Forbes most powerful title.

Peter Lavelle, RT host: "Regularly demonized in the West, he scores high marks among the Russians and other people around the world. What is it about Putin that generates so much interest?"

Granted, that's state-run network RT, but "Putin Phenomenon" isn't much of a stretch.

The man has developed something of a cult status over the years, and it's remarkable that status currently has little to do with being the leader of a country that hosted the Olympics only 10 months ago -- or getting his head put on Hercules paintings. (Video via BBC)

This year alone, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, many argue it's funded and supported the separatists in the conflict in Ukraine, and it struck a deal with China to build a massive gas pipeline. (Video via Euronews and Vice)

As Putin's Forbes profile page notes, "Russia looks more and more like an energy-rich, nuclear-tipped rogue state with an undisputed, unpredictable and unaccountable head unconstrained by world opinion in pursuit of its goals."

The rest of the top five past Putin and Obama rounds out with No. 3 Chinese President Xi Jinping, No. 4 Pope Francis and No. 5 German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen followed Merkel, marking the first time since Forbes started the list in 2009 that two women made its top 10. (Video via Bloomberg)

"CBS This Morning" anchors couldn't help notice a man much further down Forbes' list, the Sunni militant leader who's caused widespread devastation and massacres in northern Iraq and Syria.

CBS anchor: "ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is perhaps the most notable of the 12 newcomers on the list. He ranks at No. 54."

Forbes says it bases its rankings on financial resources, the person's scope of power, how they use that power and the number of people they can impact with their decisions.

This video includes images from Getty Images.

Obama vows to 'get the job done' with Republicans

Nov 05, 2014 03:19 PM EDT

One day after sweeping Republican election gains, President Barack Obama and incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged to try and turn divided government into a force for good rather than gridlock on Wednesday, yet warned of veto showdowns as well.

"There is no doubt that Republicans had a good night," the president said at the White House, referring to big gains that left the GOP in control of the Senate, with an expanded House majority and in possession of a handful of governorships formerly in Democratic hands.

To voters who handed the GOP control of Congress, he said, "I hear you. ... It's time for us to take care of business." He cited construction of roads, bridges and other facilities as one area ripe for cooperation. He said expanded trade was another.

At the same time, he noted, "Congress will pass some bills I cannot sign. I'm pretty sure I will take some actions that some in Congress will not like."

Obama and McConnell presented differing profiles at news conferences a little more than an hour apart.

The 53-year-old president now faces a Congress under two-house control by Republicans for the first time in his tenure — and a lame duck status that becomes more of a check on his political power with each passing day.

McConnell, 72 and famously taciturn, smiled and joked with reporters on the day after achieving a lifelong ambition.

Still, the two said they had had a pleasant telephone conversation earlier in the day.

"I would enjoy having some Kentucky bourbon with Mitch McConnell," saidObama.

Said McConnell, " in our system the president is the most important player" who can veto legislation or persuade lawmakers of his own party to back compromise.

Immigration loomed as one early irritant.

Obama said that unless Congress takes action by the end of the year, he will order a reduction in deportations of working immigrants living in the country illegally.

He made his pledge a short while after McConnell warned him against acting unilaterally.

"It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull to say if you guys don't do what I want I'm going to do it on my own," McConnell said at a news conference in Kentucky.

McConnell also cited trade and taxes among areas ripe for compromise.

"There will be no government shutdown or default on the national debt," he said, making clear he doesn't agree with some tea party-backed lawmakers who have supported one or the other in the past — or may want to in the future.

McConnell will take office in January as Senate majority leader, and he and House Speaker John Boehner will have the authority to set the congressional agenda.

Boehner ceded the Republican limelight to McConnell for the day. The Ohio Republican is in line for a third term as House leader — and his first with a Republican majority in the Senate.

At his news conference, McConnell said, "When America chooses divided government, I don't think it means they don't want us to do anything. It means they want to do things for the country."

He cited trade legislation and an overhaul of the tax rules as two areas ripe for agreement.

Beyond that, he made it clear Congress will vote on legislation to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada through the United States, and work to repeal portions of the health care law that stands as Obama's signature domestic accomplishment. He said a tax on medical devices and a mandate for individuals to purchase health insurance are also Republican targets.

Obama ruled out ending the requirement for purchasing of health care. But he pointedly did not reject repeal of the tax, which many Democrats as well as Republicans have already signaled they are ready to jettison.

Republicans are also expected to mount a major attack on federal deficits.

Rep. Steve Israel of New York, in charge of the Democrats' House campaign operations, said the election returns could have been worse. They were bad enough for the president's party.

Republicans were assured of a gain of seven Senate seats, and they bid for another in Alaska, where the vote count was not complete. Also uncalled was a race in Virginia, where Democratic Sen. Mark Warner faced challenger Ed Gillespie.

Also in doubt was a Senate seat in Louisiana, where Rep. Bill Cassidy led Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu into a Dec. 6 runoff.

Despite the reverses, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada announced he intended to remain as the Democratic leader. There was no sign of opposition.

In the House, Republicans were within hailing distance of their largest majority since World War II, 246 seats in 1946, when Harry Truman sat in the White House.

There was no word whether Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would seek another term as leader.

Already, the jockeying was underway for the next election, one to pick a president in 2016.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, both Republican hopefuls, were up early for morning television appearances.

How Taylor Swift went platinum in spite of industry slump

Nov 05, 2014 03:12 PM EDT

There are 1.287 million reasons why Taylor Swift's inaugural pop album is a success.

Nielsen SoundScan numbers out Wednesday show the Grammy-winning artist's new album "1989" is platinum after one week of sales. The sales aren't just impressive for Swift but also downright shocking after a dismal year in the music industry. (Video via Big Machine Records, LLC / Taylor Swift)

"Just how big is that?" says the Los Angeles Times. "'1989' sold more copies than last week's 70 biggest-selling albums combined."

And from NPR: "You could call it a miracle. So far in 2014, only one album has sold more than a million copies: the soundtrack to the movie Frozen."

So what led to such a massive release?

Swift's social media campaigns encouraged fans to go out and buy a copy on iTunes or even a physical CD. She connected with more fans personally and inspired the #taylurking hashtag with her strategy of following fans on social media.

Also let's not forget Max Martin. The legendary pop producer behind huge stars like N'Sync and Britney Spears has a knack for supporting artists with catchy tracks. He produced seven out of the 13 tracks on "1989." (Video via Zoomba Recording LLC / N'Sync, Britney Television LLC / Britney Spears)

Another possible factor in the album's success: shedding Spotify — and dismissing any streaming service, for that matter.

During "1989"'s first week of sales, Swift's camp decided to pull all her music except for one song from the Swedish streaming service without warning. (Video via ABC)

Earlier this year the singer-songwriter penned an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal and criticized streaming services for devaluing music and artists' earnings from it.

Even though Taylor's loyal fans have brought the artist to platinum status again, Money thinks Swift's fighting a "losing battle," claiming her boycott can't last forever. An entertainment analyst told the magazine, "If you say, 'Hey I don't want to be on streaming because I sort of object to the way it tastes,' you're kind of ignoring where the whole audience is."

A report out this week shows Spotify's payouts reward artists more than iTunes does in some sectors. In Europe, Spotify's royalty payments have Kobalt Music Group artists earning 13 percent more than they do from Apple.

As for Swift's new album, we'll likely hear more about it a year from now. "1989" missed the Sept. 30 cutoff for the Grammys this year, but analysts and fans expect the platinum album to receive a few nods in 2016.

This video includes images from Getty Images.

Alex Rodriguez reportedly told DEA he took steroids

Nov 05, 2014 03:12 PM EDT

Although Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has publicly denied using steroids, behind closed doors and speaking with government agents, his tune supposedly changed.

According to an exclusive report from the Miami Herald, Alex Rodriguez admitted to Drug Enforcement Administration agents in January that he did, in fact, take steroids from a Miami-based anti-aging clinic run by Anthony Bosch.

The report states: "Yes, he bought performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis of America, paying roughly $12,000 a month to Anthony Bosch, the fake doctor who owned the clinic. Yes, Bosch gave him pre-filled syringes for hormone injections into the ballplayer's stomach, and even drew blood from him in the men's room of a South Beach nightclub. And yes, the ballplayer's cousin, Yuri Sucart, was his steroid go-fer."

Much of this has long been speculated, but Rodriguez has vehemently denied all allegations he's taken performance-enhancing drugs from Bosch — and everything else Major League Baseball has accused him of.

Among a mess of other things, "A-Rod" is accused of taking PEDs from Bosch's Miami-based clinic, Biogenesis, and then attempting to cover it up.

Rodriguez is just now back and eligible to return to the Yankees dugout after a yearlong suspension levied by the MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig.

MLB banned Rodriguez for a full year, but he tried to fight it, even filing a lawsuit against the league.

Shortly after filing that lawsuit, Rodriguez released a statement saying, "I have been clear that I did not use performance-enhancing substances ... and in order to prove it, I will take this fight to federal court."

The Miami Herald report, though, says Rodriguez spoke with DEA officers and admitted to taking PEDs less than three weeks after making that statement.

About a month later, Rodriguez and his legal team withdrew that lawsuit and accepted his suspension.

The report does not indicate whether Major League Baseball or the New York Yankees had knowledge of this information. Still, barring any changes, Rodriguez is expected to trot out as the Yankees' starting 3B next season and earn $61 million total over the next three years of his contract.

The Miami Herald did not reveal how it obtained the 15-page report.

This video includes images from Getty Images.

McConnell: Cooperation with Dems is possible

Nov 05, 2014 03:08 PM EDT

One day after leading Republicans to control of the Senate, incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he hopes Congress can work with President Barack Obama on trade, taxes and other issues. But he said veto showdowns are also possible in the two-year era of divided government just ahead.

"There will be no government shutdown or default on the national debt," the Kentucky lawmaker pledged at a news conference, making clear he doesn't agree with some tea party-backed lawmakers who have supported one or the other in the past — or may want to in the future.

McConnell, famously taciturn, smiled and joked with reporters one day after the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

He will take office in January as Senate majority leader, and he and House Speaker John Boehner will have the authority to set the congressional agenda.

Obama, at the White House, arranged to field questions from reporters later in the day.

The events unfolded as jubilant Republicans celebrated sweeping election gains that left them in control of the Senate for the first time since 2006, near a post-World War II high in House seats and in possession of governorships in a handful of states that had been held by Democrats.

"We won in red states, we won in blue states and we won in purple states," said Republican chairman Reince Priebus, calling the returns a rejection of Obama'spolicies.

Boehner ceded the Republican limelight to McConnell for the day. The Ohio Republican is in line for a third term as House leader — and his first with a Republican majority in the Senate.

At his news conference, McConnell said that "in our system the president is the most important player" who can veto legislation or persuade lawmakers of his own party to back compromise.

"When America chooses divided government, I don't think it means they don't want us to do anything. It means they want to do things for the country," he said.