By County supervisors name new fire chief

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors ended its national search for fire chief this month with the appointment of Benjamin F. Lopes III May 3.

Lopes has served as assistant fire chief since 1996 and as acting fire chief since last December when the position became vacant.

Lopes started his career as a firefighter with Santa Clara County Fire Department in 1972.

He has worked his way up the ranks, holding positions as fire captain, battalion chief and deputy chief.

He lives in Scotts Valley with his wife Elsa and the youngest of his three daughters, Nicki.

The Santa Clara County Fire Department serves Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

Los Altos

Credit card thief sentenced to 13 years

Santa Clara County

A credit card thief arrested in Los Altos two years ago will spend 13 years in jail on 20 counts of burglary, grand theft and theft with prior convictions, a judge decided last week.

Paul Frank Agee, 51, allegedly netted in excess of $10,000 from stolen credit cards and cash that he allegedly took from purses from throughout Bay Area businesses, including five in Los Altos during 1999-2000.

Los Altos Police, in conjunction with officers from the Office of State Parole, arrested Agee Feb. 10, 2000, after he purchased a concert ticket with a credit card stolen in Los Altos.

Agee was on probation in San Mateo County for burglary at the time of his arrest.

- Town Crier Staff Report