Week in Review: Baby Hospitalized After Three-Story Fall; House Fire Displaces Family

FREMONT

Election 2012: Harrison Captures Most Votes for Mayor; Bacon and Chan Appear To Win Council Seats; Three Women Elected onto School Board

Fremont voters headed to the polls Tuesday and elected their new leaders in three local races. In the it appears Councilman Bill Harrison will succeed interim Mayor Gus Morrison. Harrison received 35 percent of votes and has a nearly 2,000-vote lead against his closest competitor Steve Cho. Fremont City Council seats are primed to go to incumbent Suzanne Chan and candidate Vinnie Bacon. And t he three open seats on the Fremont Unified School Board of Education appear to have been clinched by Desrie Y. Campbell, Ann Crosbie and incumbent Lily Mei. 

Baby Hospitalized After Three-Story Fall

A baby girl was hospitalized after falling out of a third-story window on Wednesday afternoon, officials said. While the condition of the 11-month-old baby has not been released by hospital personnel, she was conscious before being airlifted to the local trauma center, said Fremont Police Spokeswoman Geneva Bosques. Paramedics, firefighters and police responded to the 800 block of Walnut Avenue around 2 p.m. Wednesday after a woman called to report that her baby had fallen from the window of their home, Bosques said. She fell three stories into some bushes, said Bosques, who explained that the multi-unit complex the family lives in is made up of a garage with two stories above it. Police have determined that the incident was accidental, Bosques added.

Inkies Tattoo Studio Opens New Location in Irvington

Inkies Tattoo Studio is now officially open at its new location in Irvington, according to the Inkies Tattoo Studio Facebook page, and a grand opening is scheduled for this weekend. Inkies Tatoo is now located at 40985 Fremont Blvd., and the new location is double the size of Inkies Tattoo’s former shop, according to owner Robert Arquero. Read the full report here.

NEWARK

House Fire Displaces Family

A family of five has been displaced after a fire sparked inside of their home just after 2 a.m., fire officials said. Deputy Chief Dave Lord said firefighters responded to the 8100 block of Merione Drive to find the two-story home fully engulfed in flames. Damage caused by the fire is estimated at more than $100,000 and the entire house was destroyed, Lord said. Lather Salon was collecting donations for the family members who were displaced.

Motel 6 Prostitution Sting Leads to Eight Arrests

Eight people were arrested after a sexually exploited children recovery and prostitution out call operation was held in Newark Thursday. Officials conducted the operation at Motel 6 and said officers placed calls to known pimps and prostitutes. Seven women were arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution and one man was arrested on suspicion of felony charges of pimping and pandering. Read the full report here.

13-Year-Old Boy Struck in Attempted Armed Robbery

Police are searching for a man who tried to rob a 13-year-old boy Sunday evening. Newark police said the teenager was taking a trashcan out to the curb of his home on Lafayette Avenue when he was grabbed by a male suspect and hit in the head with an unknown object. The boy’s pockets were checked but nothing was taken and the suspect proceeded to flee on foot, Newark police said. The teenager was not injured. Police said the suspect was described as a black man who was last seen wearing a black sweater with red stripes on the sleeves.

UNION CITY

Dutra-Vernaci to Become First Woman Mayor of Union City

While it’s no surprise, it’s now official: Carol Dutra-Vernaci is Union City’s new mayor, and the first woman in the city’s history to hold the position. Dutra-Vernaci ran unopposed in the election after Richard Valle pulled out to pursue the county supervisor post. Despite running alone, she was still required to receive a majority vote. An inevitable win, Dutra-Vernaci received 12,186 votes. Among her top priorities are creating good jobs, increasing public safety and having a more accessible city government, Dutra-Vernaci told Patch.

Navarro Likely to Keep Council Seat; School Board Remains Intact

With results from all precincts in Tuesday night, it appears that incumbent Jim Navarro will serve a third and final term on Union City’s City Council. Navarro has 8,558, or 67 percent, of the votes. His opponent, newcomer Jose Estrella, received 4,125 votes, or 32 percent. Navarro, a Democrat, has served on the Council since 1994. Prior to City Council, he served as a trustee on the New Haven Unified School District Board of Education for eight years. The New Haven Unified School District Board of Education will remain intact. With all 42 precincts reporting, incumbents Michelle Mathews (7,758 votes), Jonas Dino (7,679) and Michael Ritchie (7,549) lead the race for the three available seats. Challenger Nick Fresquez came last in the running with 4,517 votes.

Chloe Urban Chic Brings Boutique Experience to Old Alvarado 

When you walk into Chloe Urban Chic Boutiqueon Smith Street, you might forget you’re in Union City. The new boutique features the swanky, sophisticated look and high-end women’s fashion found in Santana Row — but without the inflated price tags. Located at 3904 Smith St., Chloe offers boutique lines such as Rehab, showcases up-and-coming local designers and provides great deals on name brands through their “pre-loved” consignment collection. Items include everything from dresses and heels to crocheted beanies and handcrafted jewelry. Read the full report here.

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