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Bay Area honors veterans with Memorial Day events

On Monday, Bay Area residents honored veterans with several Memorial Day ceremonies at cemeteries and other locations around the region.

Monday morning, the 144th Memorial Day Ceremony took place at the San Francisco National Cemetery.

The event, which included guest speakers and musical performances, focused on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the end of the war in Iraq.

The event was also dedicated to Renie Champagne, a veteran who led the Presidio's Memorial Day celebration for the past four decades before passing away during last year's Memorial Day weekend.

The city of San Mateo held its 71st annual Memorial Day Observance to honor fallen heroes at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. The event began around 10:30 a.m. and featured military speakers and musical performances.

Redwood City held an especially festive Memorial Day event at the Historic Union Cemetery on Woodside Road, where event organizers planned a colorful ceremony that included the reenactment of a Gold Rush-era event called the "firing of the anvil," in which gun powder and a wick is placed between two anvils, then lit.

Oakland hosted a traditional placing of the wreath, a 21-gun-salute and a dove release at Mountain View Cemetery at 10 a.m. this morning. Tours of the refurbished Civil War Plot followed the ceremony.

For its ceremony, Walnut Creek invited its keynote speakers, retired Tech Sgt. Bob Tharratt and retired Sgt. Dick Ingraham, to talk about when a regiment of Ingraham's infantry division liberated Tharratt and other prisoners of war. The event began at 10 a.m. in Civic Park and included a traditional laying of the wreaths and musical performances.

Around 1 p.m., an event honoring veterans began on the USS Hornet, which is currently docked at Pier 3 in Alameda. Musical performances and speeches by Navy officials were planned, as well as tours of the ship that are open to the public until 4 p.m.

The National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard came together for a 2 p.m. commemorative service at the Historic Life Saving Cemetery in Point Reyes National Seashore, the location of graves of four surfmen who died while patrolling the area in the early 1890s.

A Memorial Day vigil will also be held at 7 p.m. at the corner of Deer Hill and Oak Hill roads, across from the Lafayette BART station. The event will be dedicated to those who lost their lives in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to organizers.

_{Mon, 28 May 2012 15:36:46 -0700}

Silicon Valley entrepreneur lived at AOL office

A Silicon Valley entrepreneur who secretly lived at the office of AOL Inc. to save money now has his own place.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that 20-year-old Eric Simons recently received $50,000 in new funding and is renting a house in Palo Alto.

Simons ended up at AOL with a $20,000 grant from a business incubator that used AOL's Palo Alto office.

When he was no longer able to pay rent, he made the office his home. He kept clothes at the AOL gym, slept on couches and grabbed snacks that were set out for everyone in the morning.

He was caught after about two months in December by a manager in the building. But his story — first reported by technology website CNET last week — has generated a buzz that has attracted other investors.

_{Mon, 28 May 2012 15:04:15 -0700}

Man arrested after fleeing traffic stop, crashing into other vehicle

A man was arrested after he fled in his vehicle from a traffic stop and collided with another vehicle in unincorporated Monterey County near Royal Oaks on Saturday night, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies observed a white 1998 Saturn with expired tags and pulled the vehicle over near the intersection of Moro and Tustin roads near Prunedale at 7:18 p.m. Saturday.

During the stop, the driver of the Saturn, Anthony Martinez, 26, of Salinas, drove away and led deputies on a four-mile chase that ended with Martinez crashing into another vehicle at the intersection of San Miguel Canyon Road and Echo Valley Road, deputies said.

Martinez left his vehicle and attempted to escape on foot but was arrested shortly after.

Deputies searched Martinez and found what was believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket. During a search of his vehicle, deputies also found heroin, hypodermic needles, and other drug paraphernalia, according to the sheriff's office.

Martinez, who also had an outstanding felony arrest warrant, was booked into Monterey County Jail, deputies said.

The occupants of the other vehicle involved in the crash were not injured.

_{Mon, 28 May 2012 13:55:50 -0700}

News Source: MedleyStory More Local News Stories