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Mosquito season begins in the greater Sacramento area

ELK GROVE, Calif. - This week marks the beginning of mosquito season in the greater Sacramento area and the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District is working to protect residents from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry like West Nile virus.

This week is also West Nile Virus Awareness Week and officials at the Vector Control District reminded residents in Sacramento and Yolo Counties they can call 1-800-429-1022 for information and help with mosquito-related problems.

VIDEO: Handy tips on keeping mosquitos at bay

Zillow: Sacramento, Vegas home prices top quarter-to-quarter gains

National home price gains slowed in the first quarter after a big push late last year but remained at a "boil" in some markets, according to real estate website Zillow.

Zillow's first-quarter home value index was up 0.5% from the fourth quarter of last year, it says.

That was compared with the 2.1% jump in the fourth quarter from the third, Zillow says, marking the smallest quarter-to-quarter gain since the home price recovery began.

The slower rate is "indicative of a market that is slowly finding its natural level," says Stan Humphries, Zillow chief economist.

Home prices have rebounded more strongly in the past year than many expected, and the sometimes dramatic run-ups in value were never expected to be sustainable, he says.

A home value index kept by John Burns Real Estate Consulting shows national prices up 5.7% in the first quarter of 2013 over the first quarter of 2012.

Former Sacramento police officer accused of rape has court hearing

Former Sacramento police officer accused of rape has court hearing

SACRAMENTO, CA - A former Sacramento police officer accused of raping a now 78-year-old woman was back in court Wednesday.

Gary Baker, 41, is facing 12 felony counts, including rape and sexual battery, on a woman who suffered from a stroke in 2009.

The stroke affected the woman's speech and she was diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that speech, reading and writing.

The victim took the stand earlier this month, but Sacramento Superior Court Judge Cheryl Chun Meegan said her testimony was difficult to understand due to her medical condition.

Wednesday, Baker's attorney Linda Parisi and Deputy District Attorney Amy Holliday agreed to work together to appoint an expert neurologist or speech pathologist to assist the victim. 

Brown: Man caught trying to break into apartment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Jerry Brown says a man was caught trying to break into his Sacramento apartment this week while he was away.  

Brown told reporters on Tuesday that the man got on the roof of the downtown Sacramento loft building, then jumped to the balcony and was trying to break in when he was spotted by a neighbor.  

Brown said the neighbor called police and the man was arrested and released.  

The Democratic governor said he didn't think the man knew whose apartment it was.

A Sacramento police spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking more information. The department's online crime log says police responded on Sunday to a report of a "suspicious subject" in the same block as Brown's apartment.

It says he was arrested for prowling.

Powerball jackpot grows, thanks to Calif.

SACRAMENTO - Is it time to get your Powerball tickets yet?  The current estimated jackpot stands at $116 million. 

Two weeks ago, when the state joined Powerball, California immediately set a record, selling more than $8 million worth of tickets in the first three days.

A week ago, the grand prize was $80 million and the last six times that happened, it rose by the minimal increment, going from 80 to 90, then to $100 million.  But this time, it went from 80 to 95, to $116 million.

California is just one of 43 Powerball states, but the state also accounts for about 12 percent of the population.  Long-term, the jackpots will grow faster.  But the odds of someone hitting the jackpot is now greater as well.

Law Enforcement Chaplaincy-Sacramento's Chaplain Frank Russell Ministers to Boston

Law Enforcement Chaplaincy-Sacramento's Chaplain Frank Russell Ministers to Boston

Sacramento’s very own Chaplain Frank Russell, Law Enforcement Chaplaincy-Sacramento, is privileged to serve Bostonians who have suffered such a travesty with grievous loss.  

Since Chaplain Russell’s arrival to teach disaster preparedness, he had the opportunity to help, alongside First Responders, “magnificent warriors and champions – the firefighters, paramedics and law enforcement officers who first responded” quoting Chaplain Russell to the Sacramento Bee. 

Deputy Senior Chaplain Frank Russell works with Executive Director and Senior Chaplain Mindi Russell who train volunteer chaplains to respond to critical incidents that befall citizens, as victims of homicides, suicide, auto fatalities, death of a child.  Law enforcement Chaplaincy-Sacramento delivers death notifications as requested by the Coroner’s Office. 

Bostonians have suffered one of the greatest tragedies – a loss of life, the shattering of lives who survived and the mi

Maloof will be OK with NBA's decision on Kings

NEW YORK CITY - Sacramento Kings majority owner George Maloof said he's ready for the relocation process to be over and is fine with whatever the NBA Board of Governors decides.

The Maloof family was in New York City during the NBA Board of Governors meeting this week to discuss the possible sale and relocation of the Kings to Seattle. The Maloofs agreed to a deal to sell their share of the Kings to a Seattle ownership group - led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and billionaire hedge fund manager Chris Hansen - in late January. Before the sale can be finalized, the NBA would have to approve the team's sale to the ownership group and relocation of the Kings to Seattle.