This Italian restaurant in rural California serves up second chances
ALTURAS, Calif. - At an Italian restaurant in this rural town - where deer are known to use the crosswalk because they've apparently learned cars will stop for painted lines - Stan Yagi pointed to three employees: one tossing, one saucing and one delivering pizzas.
"Felon. Felon. Felon," he said.
Sandy Pickett, who has worked at the 30-year-old restaurant for 28 years, pursed her lips.
"I call them 'co-workers.'"
The trio (bank robber, arsonist, thief) shrugged. It's no secret that Yagi hires ex-convicts. In this northeastern corner of California, the man from Hawaii specializes in giving people a second chance.
It wasn't something he set out to do.
Yagi had wanted to be a math teacher, but ended up owning a pizza parlor even though he hates cooking. He had found a way to
