Civil Justice was rendered in a San Joaquin County Courtroom last week when a jury composed of 3 men and nine women found The Lodi Unified School District 90% liable for the  molestation of an 8 year special needs student, by a former employee on a District School Bus. 61 year old Richard Evans had been convicted of having sex with a prostitute in a delivery truck while working for a previous employer prior to being hired by the Lodi School District. District officials were found to have been negligent in hiring Evans because of their knowledge of his previous conviction, which had been expunged before he was hired. http://www.news10.net/news/article/104932/0/Lodi-school-bus-driver-arrested-on-molest-charge

State lawmakers took steps toward the protection of California citizens Tuesday by passing bills which prevent insurance companies from discriminating against individuals based on health status, medical condition, plan experience or genetic information. 

Local news agencies have reported that a fatal crash took place on Highway 4 yesterday, Wednesday March 6th, involving a 52 year old Lathrop woman whose name has not been released. Investigating officers have indicated that the Woman was traveling on eastbound Highway 4 near the El Dorado exit when her 2005 Chevy spun out of control and crashed into the center median. 

Over the Holiday season this year, nearly 150 people were arrested between December 14 and January 1, in a multi-agency crackdown on drunk driving in the Central Valley. The operation included DUI checkpoints in Manteca, Stockton, Lodi and Tracy, and was funded by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

As ownership of wealth and Capital in America continues to be consolidated by the top 1% of citizens, the corporate model which has provided a means of income growth for executives and shareholders also dictates that the wages of their labor force be kept at a minimum. Corporations continue to expand and displace small local businesses and restaurants who struggle to compete by virtue of  the vast logistical and monetary resource disparities, and causes income for workers in communities to diminish overall. This is because low wages paid to corporate employees drive down those of employees in privately owned businesses as well. Moreover, earnings for the top 1% of Americans have increased by 5.5% in the last year, while earnings for the bottom 80% has decreased by 1.7%  According to experts at the Economic Policy Institute, contemporary purchasing power under the prevailing minimum wage is 20% less than that of the minimum wage in 1968.

High Speed Pursuit

During March of this year, while responding to a call on his radio, C.H.P Deputy Ruben Pena was involved in a high speed collision on Watt Avenue in Sacramento which resulted in serious personal injuries to Thomas Vasquez , who at the time was making a left hand turn onto Northrup Avenue in his Subaru Impreza. High speed collisions are not uncommon, especially in California, where highway travel is so prevalent. The issue here is that serious discrepancies between  the initial C.H.P collision report and facts revealed during the subsequent investigation have arisen. The collision report stated that Pena was responding to a 'Grand Theft' call, but other public safety insiders have indicated that Pena was responding to a report of a stolen bicycle. Moreover, Pena stated in the report that he was traveling at 70 MHP, when in fact he has been found to have been traveling at around 107 MPH just before the collision.  

Winter is nearing, and along with the beautiful Autumn leaves the weather is changing. Of course this means folks will have to bundle up before they leave the house, but there are other concerns that should be present in the minds of the winter weary. The winter season presents challenges and hazards for anyone who is faced with the prospect of braving the elements and harsh cold to make the 'nine to five'. Frigid temperatures, rain, wind and fog all rear their ugly heads during this time, and it behooves individuals to exercise a greater degree of care and vigilance with respect to safety while driving on the road, or navigating the bustling crowds during the holiday shopping rush. Moreover, heavy rain poses the threat of flood here in the San Joaquin Delta Valley, which may require residents in threatened areas to develop emergency protocols in the event that their area becomes inundated.

Five Car Pileup

Shortly after 11:00am Monday morning, emergency response personnel were dispatched to the intersection at Harding Way and West Lane in Stockton, where a car accident involving five cars left four people injured, one of whom remains in critical condition, with one car left ablaze after a violent collision. Initial reports indicate that the spark which ignited the chain reaction in this incident was the behavior of the driver of a black pickup truck, who had been traveling Northbound on West Lane at a high rate of speed and rear ended a motorist in front of him. This contact caused the pickup to flip over and be struck by oncoming motorists. 

Government Negotiated Settlement

British Petroleum (BP), one of the worlds largest oil producers, has reached a settlement with the US government for damage caused to the Gulf Coast from the explosion of the off-shore oil rig 'Deep Water Horizon' and subsequent oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico. BP will pay various entities of the US government 4.5 billion dollars over several years as well as a 1.3 billion dollar criminal fine, but still faces numerous civil claims from private individuals for property damage and economic loss. Two BP employees will also face manslaughter charges for the death of 11 oil rig workers who were killed in the explosion under the Seaman's Manslaughter Act.  http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7080497

An odd and tragic lapse in judgment has led to the deaths of two elderly residents of Gold Age Villa, an elder care facility in Loomis, California. Two were killed and four others were injured, after a caretaker at the facility took it upon herself to gather wild mushrooms from a nearby field and use them in homemade soup. Unfortunately, the wild mushrooms were poisonous and caused all who ate the soup to be sick. This case is unique because most food poisoning claims arise from food which has been inadvertently tainted or left to spoil.  

Civil Justice was rendered in a San Joaquin County Courtroom last week when a jury composed of 3 men and nine women found The Lodi Unified School District 90% liable for the  molestation of an 8 year special needs student, by a former employee on a District School Bus. 61 year old Richard Evans had been convicted of having sex with a prostitute in a delivery truck while working for a previous employer prior to being hired by the Lodi School District. District officials were found to have been negligent in hiring Evans because of their knowledge of his previous conviction, which had been expunged before he was hired. http://www.news10.net/news/article/104932/0/Lodi-school-bus-driver-arrested-on-molest-charge

State lawmakers took steps toward the protection of California citizens Tuesday by passing bills which prevent insurance companies from discriminating against individuals based on health status, medical condition, plan experience or genetic information. 

Local news agencies have reported that a fatal crash took place on Highway 4 yesterday, Wednesday March 6th, involving a 52 year old Lathrop woman whose name has not been released. Investigating officers have indicated that the Woman was traveling on eastbound Highway 4 near the El Dorado exit when her 2005 Chevy spun out of control and crashed into the center median. 

Over the Holiday season this year, nearly 150 people were arrested between December 14 and January 1, in a multi-agency crackdown on drunk driving in the Central Valley. The operation included DUI checkpoints in Manteca, Stockton, Lodi and Tracy, and was funded by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

As ownership of wealth and Capital in America continues to be consolidated by the top 1% of citizens, the corporate model which has provided a means of income growth for executives and shareholders also dictates that the wages of their labor force be kept at a minimum. Corporations continue to expand and displace small local businesses and restaurants who struggle to compete by virtue of  the vast logistical and monetary resource disparities, and causes income for workers in communities to diminish overall. This is because low wages paid to corporate employees drive down those of employees in privately owned businesses as well. Moreover, earnings for the top 1% of Americans have increased by 5.5% in the last year, while earnings for the bottom 80% has decreased by 1.7%  According to experts at the Economic Policy Institute, contemporary purchasing power under the prevailing minimum wage is 20% less than that of the minimum wage in 1968.

High Speed Pursuit

During March of this year, while responding to a call on his radio, C.H.P Deputy Ruben Pena was involved in a high speed collision on Watt Avenue in Sacramento which resulted in serious personal injuries to Thomas Vasquez , who at the time was making a left hand turn onto Northrup Avenue in his Subaru Impreza. High speed collisions are not uncommon, especially in California, where highway travel is so prevalent. The issue here is that serious discrepancies between  the initial C.H.P collision report and facts revealed during the subsequent investigation have arisen. The collision report stated that Pena was responding to a 'Grand Theft' call, but other public safety insiders have indicated that Pena was responding to a report of a stolen bicycle. Moreover, Pena stated in the report that he was traveling at 70 MHP, when in fact he has been found to have been traveling at around 107 MPH just before the collision.  

Winter is nearing, and along with the beautiful Autumn leaves the weather is changing. Of course this means folks will have to bundle up before they leave the house, but there are other concerns that should be present in the minds of the winter weary. The winter season presents challenges and hazards for anyone who is faced with the prospect of braving the elements and harsh cold to make the 'nine to five'. Frigid temperatures, rain, wind and fog all rear their ugly heads during this time, and it behooves individuals to exercise a greater degree of care and vigilance with respect to safety while driving on the road, or navigating the bustling crowds during the holiday shopping rush. Moreover, heavy rain poses the threat of flood here in the San Joaquin Delta Valley, which may require residents in threatened areas to develop emergency protocols in the event that their area becomes inundated.

Five Car Pileup

Shortly after 11:00am Monday morning, emergency response personnel were dispatched to the intersection at Harding Way and West Lane in Stockton, where a car accident involving five cars left four people injured, one of whom remains in critical condition, with one car left ablaze after a violent collision. Initial reports indicate that the spark which ignited the chain reaction in this incident was the behavior of the driver of a black pickup truck, who had been traveling Northbound on West Lane at a high rate of speed and rear ended a motorist in front of him. This contact caused the pickup to flip over and be struck by oncoming motorists. 

Government Negotiated Settlement

British Petroleum (BP), one of the worlds largest oil producers, has reached a settlement with the US government for damage caused to the Gulf Coast from the explosion of the off-shore oil rig 'Deep Water Horizon' and subsequent oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico. BP will pay various entities of the US government 4.5 billion dollars over several years as well as a 1.3 billion dollar criminal fine, but still faces numerous civil claims from private individuals for property damage and economic loss. Two BP employees will also face manslaughter charges for the death of 11 oil rig workers who were killed in the explosion under the Seaman's Manslaughter Act.  http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7080497

An odd and tragic lapse in judgment has led to the deaths of two elderly residents of Gold Age Villa, an elder care facility in Loomis, California. Two were killed and four others were injured, after a caretaker at the facility took it upon herself to gather wild mushrooms from a nearby field and use them in homemade soup. Unfortunately, the wild mushrooms were poisonous and caused all who ate the soup to be sick. This case is unique because most food poisoning claims arise from food which has been inadvertently tainted or left to spoil.