Escondido Man Jailed for Felony Hit-and-Run

An Escondido man is behind bars after allegedly ramming his Hyundai Sonata into a Ford Aerostar killing his backseat passenger and then fleeing the scene of the accident.

Police arrested Joshua Milton Goldbaum, 27, at his home Saturday morning after connecting him to the fatal accident, the North County Times reports.

The accident happened early Saturday morning near Bear Parkway and San Pasqual Road, California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt told the NCT.

Goldbaum's passenger in the Sonata, a 21-year-old Vista woman, died at the scene.

"He left the woman in the back seat, who was deceased and apparently his friend," Bettencourt said. The deceased name was not available.

Another passenger in the Sonata was transported to Palomar Hospital with major injuries, that appeared to be non-life threatening.

Goldbaum is charged with felony hit-and-run, felony driving under the influence, being under the influence of a controlled substance and being a drug addict driving a motor vehicle.

Bettencourt said the last charge is rarely used.

"It's something someone could be charged with if they've had problems with substance abuse in the past," Bettencourt said.

The accident is still under investigation.

Quinn Proclaims it Ideas Week in Illinois

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn likes to sign things.

So it makes sense that he'd like to proclaim things as well.

Monday he proclaimed "Ideas Week" in Illinois at the start of the first ever Chicago Ideas Week, an innovative speaker series event that features thought leaders from various industries. 

“Illinois is proud to be home to some of the brightest minds in science, technology, business and education,” said Governor Quinn, who was joined on stage at the Museum of Contemporary Art by former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Ideas Week organizer Brad Keywell, said. “It only makes sense that the best minds in the world should come together here to develop innovative ideas and technologies that will help create the jobs of today and tomorrow to move our economy forward."

Quinn wasn't the only one to laud the Ideas Week event. Daley introduced the event as a perfect institution for this generation of Chicagoans.

"This generation is a great generation," Daley said. "The things you're going to accomplish are going to be completely different than the last century, because you're going to be much better than the last century. Chicago Ideas Week brings forward all your ideas."

The week-long celebration of ideas will take place at some of Chicago’s most prominent landmarks and will feature more than 150 key figures in business, science, health, technology, journalism, the arts, sports and government. Former President Bill Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City and Kasim Reed of Atlanta are among the featured speakers.

“This week provides a world-class platform that is designed to showcase our state as a center of innovation and entrepreneurship," said Keywell, creator of Chicago Ideas Week. ”We are thrilled by the support we've received from both the city of Chicago and Illinois state government leaders for this celebration." 

Quinn's press release after the announcment, made clear the governor is all too happy to help along the Ideas Week idea because it lines up with other initiatives of his.

Last week Governor Quinn launched the Advantage Illinois program to provide Illinois businesses and entrepreneurs with access to the capital they need to start new companies and expand existing business. Advantage Illinois will leverage $78 million in federal funding that will allow businesses to bring innovative ideas and new products to market and accelerate job creation and economic growth in Illinois. Earlier this year, the Governor created the Illinois Innovation Council with the goal of keeping Illinois on the cutting-edge of the global economy.

Notre Dame Switching from Sheepskin Diplomas

The value of a University of Notre Dame diploma is going down.

Not the value of the school's education, just the value of the diploma. Starting in January, all diplomas issued to graduates will be paper rather than the sheepskin ones issued by the university most of the last century, according to the South Bend Tribune.

Associate university registrar Chuck Hurley says the school is switching for two reasons.

He says about 200 students a year recently have been requesting paper diplomas because of animal welfare concerns. He also says the company that printed Notre Dame's diplomas is getting out of the sheepskin business.

It won't affect law school graduates. Those diplomas have always been printed on paper. Hurley says he doesn't know why.

Kanye West Visits Occupy Wall Street

Kanye West caused a stir Monday when he visited the Occupy Wall Street headquarters in Lower Manhattan.

West showed up with Russell Simmons as the protest headed into its fourth week.

Mayor Bloomberg said on Monday that the protesters, who have established a headquarters in a plaza downtown, will be allowed to "express themselves" as long as they obey the laws.

Bloomberg commented in response to a question Monday at the Columbus Day Parade.

The mayor was asked how much longer he thinks the month-long protest will continue. Bloomberg said he had "no idea."

He added that if the protesters do something illegal "we're going to do what we're supposed to do — enforce the laws."

On Friday, a caller on Bloomberg's weekly radio show complained about "incivility" and noise at the protesters' encampment in Zuccotti Park.

Bloomberg replied that the city was trying to deal with such issues while protecting "everybody's rights."

Police Kill Two Pit Bulls After Fire Captain Attacked

A Glendora police officer killed two pit bulls that were mauling a 67-year-old retired Fire Captain Monday.

Retired Pasadena Fire Captain Milford Fonza was attacked while he was on a morning walk in the 1600 block of South Sunflower Avenue about 4 a.m., according to Glendora police Lt. Tim Staab.

The "relentless'' attack by the dogs was in progress when Glendora police Officer Matt Fenner drove up to the scene, Staab said.

"Due to the quick actions of Officer Fenner, the man was saved from further serious injury and possibly death,'' Staab said.

Fonza told police that he had tried to fight off the animals for nearly four minutes with his wooden walking stick, but the stick broke in half.

Fonza said he kept trying to poke the dogs with the broken stick but was 'running out of gas' and his legs began to give out.

"He said he wouldn't have been able to fight off the two dogs much longer. He stated the two dogs were 'relentless,' and he believed the two dogs were going to kill him," Staab said.

When Fenner arrived on the scene, he saw Fonza trying to pull himself up over a wall in an attempt to escape, but the dogs pulled him back down.

"As Officer Fenner drove up, one of the dogs circled around out into the street to attack the man again, and Officer Fenner intentionally hit the dog with his police car in an attempt to stop the attack," Staab said.

Fenner radioed for help and got out of his car to help the man, who was still being attacked by the first dog, Staab said.

When Fenner got out of his car, the first dog turned and advanced upon him, and he shot the animal, fatally wounding it, Staab said.

The second dog limped away, and an arriving officer followed it onto the grounds of a nearby elementary school, where it was contained until animal control officers arrived and tranquilized it, Staab said. The dog died at a veterinary clinic.

Fonza was hospitalized with injuries that included puncture wounds to his face, arms, torso, legs and groin, and a separated or broken shoulder.

The dogs were not wearing tags, and authorities were looking for their owner.

 

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Autopsy for Vernon Hills' 15-year-old Delayed

The suspicious death Saturday of a 15-year-old Vernon Hills girl is still under investigation, police said. An autopsy for the teen will be delayed until Tuesday because of the Columbus Day holiday.

Police and paramedics found the girl "unresponsive" Saturday morning at her Vernon Hills home, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The girl was pronounced dead at 11:39 a.m. Saturday at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Officials have yet to release a preliminary cause of death and hope the autopsy will help determine what happened.

Officials have not released the girl's name until the cause of death is determined.

Multiple People Shot in Newark

Police in Newark, N.J., say at least six people have been wounded after gunfire erupted Monday afternoon.

No fatalities have been reported.

The shootings took place in the Kemsco Village housing complex, a series of two- and three-story brick houses separated by walkways in the city's North Ward.

A woman sitting on her front steps — who asked not to be identified — says she was outside washing her car around 1 p.m. when she heard "15 or 20 shots" and ran inside. She says shootings are not common in the complex.

It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the shootings. And details on the victims, their injuries or what types of weapons were used were not disclosed.