Local News |
September 24th, 2009 |
Assemblyman Martin Garrick Calls for Investigation into Acorn Voter Registration and Campaign Finance Activities
Assemblyman Martin Garrick, R-Carlsbad, has sent a letter requesting that Secretary of State Debra Bowen launch an investigation into the campaign finance and voter registration activities of the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) and its California affiliates. ACORN has recently come under fire for its alleged involvement in illegal activities.
“The recent news stories regarding ACORN have certainly caught the attention of the public but it is not the first time the organization has found itself having to answer questions. They have already been investigated for voter registration fraud in at least five other states and a recent Congressional report detailed a host of improper activities,” said Garrick.
Assemblyman Garrick’s letter follows a recent request from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to Attorney General Jerry Brown asking for an investigation into all ACORN activities. Garrick believes the Secretary of State will be able to provide a closer examination into certain aspects of the organization.
“As the Chief Elections Officer for California, it is the duty of Secretary Bowen to protect the integrity of our elections process. The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights of this country and we cannot tolerate tampering by any person or organization,” added Garrick.
Oceanside Principal Called to the Principal’s Office Charged with Nine Felony Counts
Nine felony counts of grand theft were lodged against Paulette Thompson, an Oceanside elementary school principal. She was arraigned Tuesday of this week on those nine felonies in addition to another felony related to improper use of personal identification information. The charges were filed August 28th.
Oceanside Unified School District officials began to hear about concerns about Thompson and money belonging to the PTA, at which time an investigation was begun. Results of that information was turned over to the Oceanside Police Department which then performed its own investigation. The results of the investigation was subsequently turned over to the District Attorney’s office and the charges were then filed.
Thompson has been on administrative leave from the school since February, said Luis Ibarra, assistant superintendent in charge of human resources for the Oceanside Unified School District. After the charges were filed, she was moved from paid leave to unpaid leave, he said.
Thompson has been an educator for 30 years, serving for five years as principal at San Luis Rey Elementary School, before coming to Reynolds Elementary in 2007. The campus serves 700 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Attorney David Ronquillo May Need a Good Attorney Disbarred Vista Attorney Arrested, Charged with Stealing Client’s Funds
He’s 64 years old, was a practicing attorney in Vista, before he was disbarred in July. He was arrested Friday, at his Escondido home.
Prior to his arrest, Ronquillo had a less than distinguished career as an attorney. According to state bar records, Ronquillo misappropriated about $125,000 from two clients.
In 2005, Ronquillo procured a $235,606 insurance settlement for a Canadian man who lost his wife and was himself injured in a 1999 Needles car accident, State Bar Judge Richard Platel said in his decision to inactivate the lawyer's bar membership. Ronquillo never paid the client his $115,066 portion of the settlement and instead used the money to run his practice, Platel found.
In 2007, a San Diego client gave Ronquillo a $10,000 retainer fee to defend him in a civil action, Platel said. The suit was quickly dismissed, but Ronquillo, who only earned $1,000 in the case, never returned the $9,000 balance to his client, according to the judge.
Prior to this discipline, Ronquillo had previously been suspended for 30 days and placed on probation for issuing both personal and business checks from his client’s escrow/trust accounts. Ronquillo pled not guilty Monday to charges of embezzlement, grand theft and financial elder abuse for allegedly stealing settlements and retainer fees from clients. Ronquillo faces five years and eight months in state prison if convicted, said the district attorney's office. Ronquillo is being held in jail on $50,000 bail. The lawyer was admitted to the State Bar in 1975 and ran the Amerimex Law Center in Vista, records show. Any as-yet unidentified Ronquillo victims should call DA Investigator Dan Schmitt at 619-531-3607.
Oceanside Water and Wastewater Rate Increase Discussion
The City of Oceanside is inviting the public to a Water and Wastewater Rate Increase Community Forum on September 29, 2009, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Oceanside Civic Center Community Rooms (next to the downtown library).
Department staff and representatives from the San Diego County Water Authority and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will be on hand to answer questions and explain the basis for the proposed rate increases. Brief presentations from each organization will be given from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. and then the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and get information about the proposed water and wastewater rate increases that include higher imported water pass-through charges. The proposed rate increases will be considered by the Oceanside City Council at a public hearing on October 14, 2009.
To submit questions by e-mail regarding the water and wastewater rate Increases, please go to www.ci.oceanside.ca.us and click on the “Rate Increase Community Forum” link under “What’s New” where you will find another link to send an e-mail. Water Utilities staff will respond by e-mail and post the most frequently asked questions and answers on the Web site.
Skate park at Hollandia Park temporarily closed
Second time park is closed in past month
Hollandia Park Skate Park has been shut down again until today, Thursday, Sept. 24, due to non-compliant behavior by some skate park patrons. The non-compliant behavior that led to the closure included a group of skaters using several four-letter expletives and derogatory names, and displaying threatening behavior towards the park's caretaker after they had been repeatedly asked to comply with the park's posted rules. This is the second time in a month that this has happened.
"This type of belligerent and threatening behavior will not be tolerated in our community skate park," said City Manager Paul Malone. "This skate park is for the enjoyment of all residents. Unfortunately this small group is preventing everyone else from enjoying the facility."
It is City policy to close the park for one week when this type of behavior is displayed at the skate park. For more information, please call City of San Marcos Community Services at (760) 744-9000.
Hot Dry Weather With Santa Anas Looming Spells Wildfire Threat
The National Weather Service has issued a red-flag warning, which indicates extreme fire danger, for all parts of the county except the coastal strip. The alert will be in effect through 9 p.m. today, Thursday. Triple digit temps are predicted for inland cities, including Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Valley Center.
The hot and dry weather will increase the wildfire threat across much of the region for the next few days, raising the possibility of backcountry residents losing their power if a blaze gets out of hand. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., as of press time, had not said whether it would implement a shutdown should conditions appear to warrant that action.
On Sept. 10, the California Public Utilities Commission rejected SDG&E's proposal to cut power to parts of the county during dry, windy weather. But the commission's ruling also said the company could make such a move when it believes a shutoff is needed for public-safety reasons.
What's clear is the National Weather Service's forecast, which shows that high pressure building over the West will likely cause light to moderate Santa Ana winds to blow into the county. During these warning periods, winds, high temperatures and low humidity combine to raise the potential for extreme wildfire behavior. That's especially true for much of the backcountry, where vegetation is quite dry after more than three summer months with no rain.
In response to the elevated danger, all firefighting hand crews, bulldozers and engines in Southern California will be ready for deployment and more water tankers in San Diego County will be staffed, said San Diego-based Cal Fire Capt. Nick Schuler.
Temperatures aren't expected to return to normal until Monday at the earliest, when cooling onshore breezes will likely replace the hot, dry offshore winds from the east and north.
Carlsbad Residents Hosting Parties Could Face Jail Time
Carlsbad adults who decide to host parties for their teenager’s, and who allow alcohol to be served, could find themselves facing either jail time or fines. Those are the possible penalties under an ordiance that Carlsbad’s City Council considered Tuesday evening.
"We're going forward with the ordinance so the officers have an extra tool in their tool box to curb underage drinking," Carlsbad police Capt. Neil Gallucci said.
If approved, the ordinance would go into effect 30 days later, City Attorney Ronald Ball said. Results were not in as of press time but the Council was expected to approve the ordinance. Most other communities have such ordinances; Carlsbad is one of the last to adopt it.
Under the ordinance, adults who host parties where teenagers consume copious amounts of alcohol could face a fine of up $1,000, or six months in jail, or both jail and a fine, the city attorney said.
Escondido’s Hotel Hearing Delayed
Citing a need to look at the financing a bit more closely, Escondido officials put off a scheduled hearing for Wednesday, but assured reporters the $60M Marriott Hotel project is not in jeapordy.
There is a new lender, questions about using redevelopment money for the developer's $11 million subsidy and other concerns were to be reexamined according to City Councilman Dick Daniels and Mayoral candidate. The hearing has been postponed to Oct. 7.
San Marcos City Council Considers Hiring Investment Firm
Should the San Marcos City council authorize the hiring of a professional firm to manage the city’s investments? That was one of the questions on the agenda for Tuesday’s evening meeting. At press time, we had not received an answer. The council also got its first look at a proposed ordinance that would establish standards for the appearance and maintenance of San Marcos homes, businesses and other properties.
The San Marcos investment portfolio is currently worth about $150 million, according to City Finance Director Liliane Serio. Up to this point, her office has been managing the investments. Serio has said she and her staff believe the city could make more money on its investments if they were turned over to an outside investment manager who could focus on them full-time.
The value of many investment portfolios has dropped dramatically. The city is restricted by law to relatively conservative options such as a state investment pool and U.S. Treasury securities.
Under the proposal, the council will be asked to approve a five-year contract with Chandler Asset Management, with the company being paid based on a sliding scale tied to the portfolio's value at any given time. The city would have the right to cancel the proposed contract at any time, Serio said.
In another item considered by the council, a proposed property ordinance would provide a path for the city to deal with complaints about deteriorating property conditions or other alleged problems not covered by existing ordinances.
The proposed ordinance would require property owners to repair broken fences, gates and windows and maintain landscaping, among other things. Violators could face penalties ranging from a written warning to a $1,000 fine on the fifth notice. Many residents have praised the proposed ordinance, saying it will keep their neighborhoods looking nice. Critics have called the ordinance an example of Big Brother-type government.
The council is required by law to discuss the ordinance at least once more before enacting it. The ordinance would take effect 30 days after that.
Half a Million County Residents Do Not Have Health Insurance
New Census data show an economic squeeze on working families, an historic income drop and half a million San Diegans uninsured. The US Census Bureau counted the number of people without health insurance for the first time in 2008. The results are disheartening for San Diego County.
More than 500,000 people in San Diego have no health coverage at all, including 1 out of every 5 working-age adults.
"If 20% of working-age San Diegans have no heath insurance, it's not just those individuals who are suffering-- it's families and children," said Corinne Wilson, CPI research analyst. "When people who are woefully under-insured are included, the picture is even more dismal. The employer-sponsored health insurance system is failing the people of San Diego. Clearly, we need reform."
Working-age San Diegans also have reason to complain about their paychecks. Historically, median earnings either increase or, in bad years, stay flat. In 2008, median earnings for San Diego workers actually decreased by 3.51%. The annual Census report released Monday includes only 2008 data, so the full effects of the recession on working families haven't been measured.
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