Week in Review: Longtime Newark Memorial Coach May Go to Hospice Care; Man Convicted of Molesting 7-Year-Old Girl in Union City

FREMONT

Photo Gallery: This Fremont Shopping Center Offers Furniture & Vacancies

South of Stevenson Boulevard, on either side of Albrae Street, is a shopping district with two brags: it's a great place to get furniture; and it's an even better place to teach your teenager to drive a car. Aside from a few lively spots, this architecturally attractive locale is practically devoid of shopping. What went wrong? What would it take to breath life into this attractive but empty locale?

Woman Robbed at Gunpoint on Fremont Boulevard

A masked gunman made off with $40 after sticking up a woman walking along Fremont Boulevard Monday night. The victim was walking home when the suspect, who covered his face with a black bandana, pointed a black handgun at her. The suspect took her money and fled on foot. Police searched for the suspect but could not locate him

Most Romantic Restaurants in Fremont

Looking to swoon your loved one with a romantic meal for two? With less than a week until Valentine's Day, you better start making plans now. If you're looking to keep it local, we share a few ideas of where to make some reservations in Fremont.

UNION CITY

47-Year-Old Killed in Shooting Death on Cherry Blossom Way

A Union City man was fatally shot Wednesday morning in the backyard of a home on the 2700 block of Cherry Blossom Way, near the corner of Royal Ann Drive and Decoto Road. A resident reported finding the man in her backyard suffering from an apparent gunshot wound at about 8:20 a.m., Union City police said. The wound may have been self-inflicted, police said.

Charred Strip Mall to be Rebuilt

A Four Corners strip mall severely damaged in a fire in October may soon be rebuilt. According to City of Union City staff, the property owner of the Alvarado Place Shopping Center, located at 31875 Alvarado Blvd., has submitted preliminary plans for reconstruction. The property owner is proposing to demolish the damaged area and rebuild it exactly as it was before the fire, according to a city newsletter released last week. The property owner, however, has not indicated when the reconstruction will begin

Man Convicted Of Molesting 7-Year-Old Girl After Halloween Party in Union City

A 39-year-old man has been convicted of sexually molesting a seven-year-old girl in Union City in October 2010. In a verdict reached on Wednesday, jurors also convicted Edward Leite of four counts of lewd and lascivious acts against a child 14-years of age or younger and one count of possession or control of child pornography. Leite will face a state prison term of 75 years to life when he's sentenced on April 2.

For the full story — brace yourselves; it’s not for the faint of heart — click here.

NEWARK

Coach Swift Could Go From Hospital to Hospice Saturday

Longtime math teacher, football coach and athletic director Rich Swift has a untreatable brain tumor and isn't given long to live, athletic booster Stacy Kelly told Patch Thursday. It was her Facebook note Wednesday alerted Swift's many friends and supporters of the fatal condition that the coach himself only learned of on Tuesday. Swift's family is trying to arrange 24-hour-hospice care once he is released from the hospital, which was scheduled to happen on Saturday. No one knows how long Coach Swift has left to live but it's likely to be measured in days.

Many of Swift’s friends and students, past and present, have taken to the comments section on Patch to send their prayers to Swift and his family. Read the full story here and add your own comments here.                                                                                                           

Child Porn Possession Lands Former School Official Six Months in Jail

A former Newark Unified school official was has been ordered to serve six months in county jail for possessing child pornography, according to media reports. Steven Shields, 44, served as Newark Unified’s chief business official from 2008 to mid-2011. He was sentenced last Friday by a Solano County Superior Court judge. The sentence came after Shields pleaded no contest to one felony count of child pornography possession last month. The pornography was found on the former school official’s personal laptop. His work computer was not part of the investigation.

Family Finds Missing Teen

A Newark dad said Thursday that he has found his missing teen son. Nicholas Fanella, 15, had been missing since Tuesday, Feb. 5, according to his father, Gary Fanella. The elder Fanella said Thursday that Nichols had been found but offered no other details.

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