Latest news with #Mr.Taco
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man killed by suspected DUI driver in multi-vehicle Riverside crash
Family members are devastated after a Riverside man was killed by a suspected DUI driver who crashed into him during a high-speed collision on a busy road. On April 16, Riverside police responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Market Street between 5th Street and Mission Inn Avenue in downtown Riverside at 6:15 p.m. The suspect, Isaac Isaiah Villalba, 19, of Redlands, had smashed into four occupied vehicles on the road, leaving a trail of destruction behind, police said. Inside one of the cars he rear-ended was Christian Barragan, 37, of Riverside. Barragan's Honda Civic was totaled by the high-speed impact. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Villalba, along with five other people, was transported to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to moderate. The suspect, who was driving a Dodge Challenger, attempted to flee the destructive scene. When officers arrived, cell phone video captured police wrestling Villalba to the ground. At one point, he fights back and attempts to run away before an officer uses a stun gun to take him down. Family members said Barragan was driving home from work that day after covering an employee's shift. After his father died in 2022, Barragan had been running his family's restaurant, Mr. Taco, located on Main Street in downtown Riverside. 'He had a big smile,' said Arturo Barragan, Christian's brother. 'Any moment, you're always left with a smile [from him.]' 'He was a happy guy,' said Fernando Barragan, Christian's brother. 'He was always working and he never missed a game for the Dodgers.' Christian's siblings are mourning the devastating loss of their youngest brother while hoping the suspect remains off the streets so nobody else gets hurt. Villalba was arrested for murder, felony hit-and-run causing injury or death, suspicion of being under the influence of drugs causing injury or death, and resisting arrest with violence. He was later charged with second-degree murder and faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted. A court hearing for Villalba was held Friday at a downtown Riverside courtroom where Christian's siblings saw the man accused of killing their brother for the first time. 'He needs to know what he did to us and he needs to pay for what he did,' said Patty Mercado, Christian's sister. 'We're here to get justice for my brother.' An arraignment hearing is scheduled for May 2. Villalba is being held on $1 million bail. The circumstances leading up to the fatal crash remain under investigation. Anyone with information or video of the collision is urged to contact Detective Matthew Parrish at 951-353-8177 or email MWParrish@ Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the 'Atlas 1' mobile app by using the 'Send a Message' feature. App downloads for Apple devices can be found here. Android device downloads can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two Merced County food businesses failed March health inspections. What was found?
In the past two weeks of inspections, two Merced County food business earned a failing grade in a food-safety inspection from the county's Environmental Health Division. Twenty-five restaurants, schools, markets and other food businesses across the county were inspected between March 12 through March 26. Twenty of them currently received 'good' ratings, including seven where no violation points were noted. Five scored 'satisfactory' grades. The county gives 'good' ratings to businesses with six or fewer violation points, 'satisfactory' ratings for seven to 13 violation points, and 'unsatisfactory' ratings for 14 or more violation points. The two 'unsatisfactory' ratings was given to Mr. Taco in Los Banos and 7-Eleven, located on Bell Drive in Atwater. During a March 20 inspection, violations found at Mr. Taco included: ▪ Potentially hazardous foods shall be held at or below 41-45 degrees Fahrenheit or at or above 135 degrees. ▪ All food employees shall have adequate knowledge of and be trained in food safety as it relates to their assigned duties. The person in charge shall have adequate knowledge of, and shall educate employees of the food facility regarding major food allergens. ▪ Failure to keep food pure and free from contamination, adulteration and spoilage. Any food is adulterated if it bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it impure or injurious to health. Those problems and others added up to 15 violation points for the drive-thru restaurant. During a March 24 inspection, 7-Eleven, located at 1507 Bell Dr., Atwater received 21 points in violations, which included: ▪ An adequate, protected, pressurized, potable supply of hot water and cold water shall be provided at all times. ▪ All food contact surfaces of utensils and equipment shall be clean and sanitized. ▪ Handwashing soap and single use towels or drying device shall be provided in dispensers adjacent to each handwashing facility; dispensers shall be maintained in good repair. A follow-up inspection conducted on March 25 showed no violations and upgraded the rating to good. Businesses that received perfect scores with no violation points were: ▪ Alicia Reyes Elementary School in Merced ▪ Marshalls in Atwater ▪ Deli Sosio in Dos Palos ▪ Hoover Middle School in Merced ▪ Don Stowell Elementary School in Merced ▪ McDonald's on Olive Drive in Merced ▪ Sheehy Elementary School in Merced The inspections represent a snapshot of conditions found at the time of a visit and may not indicate a pattern of good or bad food safety practices. In most instances, if an inspector finds a problem, it's something that can be fixed on the spot. This can include having enough bleach or sanitizer in the water used to wipe down food-preparation areas, replenishing soap, paper towels and toilet paper in the restrooms, or reminding employees to wash their hands and wear gloves and hairnets. But some violations are considered more serious and, in some instances, can result in immediate closure of restaurants or food businesses when they are observed by health inspectors. Those may include insect or vermin infestations; refrigerators that don't keep food cold enough or steam tables that don't keep food hot enough to inhibit bacterial growth, or clogged sinks or drains that cause contaminated water to back up into kitchens. A lack of hot water is one of the most common violations that health inspectors find when they make their routine visits. Hot water at a temperature of at least 120 degrees is considered important by inspectors for safely washing pots, pans, dishes and glasses, and 100 degrees for employees to wash their hands. Merced County's Environmental Health Division maintains a database of restaurant and food inspections online for public viewing at its web page, click the 'Food Inspections' tab along the left side of the page.
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Immokalee residents on high-alert but not panicked about Trump's immigration policies
Tensions have been high in Southwest Florida as members of local communities seek clarity about the Trump administration's immigration policies. In the Collier County community of Immokalee, residents are staying vigilant and informed about local sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lucas Benitez, co-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, said he's been making an effort to pass information to the people of Immokalee about ongoing immigration matters. He said his goal is to keep the town "calm but informed." Several local businesses in Immokalee have also been making efforts to keep their customer bases knowledgeable about their constitutional rights. One way these businesses are doing so is by distributing 'Know Your Rights' red cards that outline dialogue that would help people assert their rights and defend themselves against constitutional violations. These cards, created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, are free and available in multiple languages. Mr. Taco, a Mexican dining establishment in Immokalee, is one of many locations where these cards were distributed. Estella Ruiz, an employee at Mr. Taco, said that she has seen the fear of some residents firsthand. Ruiz said that she has witnessed a man run into Mr. Taco in fear after he reported seeing ICE in the area. On Feb. 3, many businesses throughout the United States participated in A Day Without Immigrants. These businesses closed for the day to show support for communities impacted by Trump's immigration policies. However, Mr. Taco and the rest of Immokalee did not participate in the movement. Benitez said that it would have been detrimental and not advantageous to the businesses and people of Immokalee if they had participated in A Day Without Immigrants. Benitez is internationally acclaimed for his efforts to secure worker-based human rights for, and fight exploitation of, field/farm workers. More:International impact: Immokalee farmworker champion Benitez honored for human rights activism There have been alleged sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Immokalee area in the weeks since Trump's administration took office in January. However, there have not been any large-scale ICE raids, Benitez said. Benitez said that ICE has only been targeting specific individuals. He said that this is because it is too difficult to identify who, amongst several tomato field workers for example, are citizens, undocumented or have obtained an H-2A visa. The H-2A program provides temporary visas for foreign workers to fill agricultural job positions, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. More than 75% of the population of Immokalee is Hispanic or Latino, according to the United States Census Bureau. Because local authorities know that much of the population and workforce has the proper visas to work, it is harder to conduct widespread raids, and authorities have so far not strayed from typical policing, Benitez said. One Immokalee resident who lacks permanent legal status, Saturnino Velasquez, said that he is not scared. Velasquez, a tomato field worker who has lived in Immokalee for 10 years, said that he will be prepared whether or not he is deported back to his home state of Chiapas, Mexico. Velasquez said he is not concerned because he does not know anyone personally who has been targeted by ICE, and he has a plan in place in the case he were to have to participate in immigration proceedings. "Last week, on Tuesday, they said that at the Sunoco gas station, there were two trucks from immigration, but I didn't see it. This is what my friends tell me," Velasquez said in Spanish that has been translated. "I can't confirm because I didn't see it with my own eyes, but it's what I've heard and what I've been told," Velasquez said. Beyond farmworkers, another demographic for which fear has sparked are parents. Some families are worried about the possibility of ICE entering schools in efforts to enforce immigration policies. The School District of Lee County issued a statement last month, confirming it will comply with properly served judicial orders or lawfully served warrants. More:Could immigration crackdowns reach inside Collier County schools? Here's what to know The School District of Collier County said that it would review issues on a case-by-case basis and emphasized its commitment to providing a safe learning environment for students in response to community confusion. Some resources that members of the community can access for information or support regarding immigration matters are RCMA, Legal Aid Service of Collier County and Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice.
