Denny's in Foothill Farms Robbed at Gunpoint

Earlier today, at 7:47a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to a robbery call at the Denny’s restaurant on Interstate Boulevard at Madison Avenue. The caller stated that two males entered the establishment, pointed a shotgun at employees, and stole money before fleeing the business on foot. No one was hurt during this incident.

The suspects were described as two black males in their 20’s, one wearing a dark T-shirt and denim jeans, and the other wearing a camouflage sweatshirt and denim jeans. Anyone having information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Robbery Bureau at (916) 874-5051.

Three Arrested After Home Invasion Robbery

Richard Kohls

Earlier this morning, at approximately 4:20a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a robbery at the Town and Country Garden Apartments, located in the 2900 block of Marconi Avenue. A man reported that his neighbor had been robbed at gunpoint in his apartment, and that the suspects, a male and female, had left the scene in a white Chevrolet SUV. The victim was not injured during the incident.

Lorie Voorhies

At 4:41a.m., a deputy observed a white Chevy Tahoe, which matched the description of the suspects’ vehicle, traveling southbound on Howe Avenue near Hurley Way. Deputies conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle and detained two males and a female, who were identified as 22-year old Robert Wynne, 30-year old Richard Kohls, and 44-year old Lori Voorhies.

The victim and witness of the robbery were transported to the location of the vehicle stop, where they positively identified Wynne and Voorhies as the suspects who had committed the robbery. Kohls, the driver of the vehicle, was believed to be the getaway driver at the time the crime occurred.

A search of the vehicle, incident to the suspects’ arrests, yielded a loaded handgun that was concealed in the center console.

In addition, deputies found methamphetamine in the vehicle, as well as in Voorhies’ possession. All three suspects were booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, and face charges including robbery, conspiracy, unlawful possession of a concealed, loaded firearm, possession of a firearm by an ex-felon, and possession of methamphetamine.

Robert Wynn

Suspects Wynne, Voorhies and Kohls are being held on bail amounts of $210,000, $115,000 and $130,000, respectively.

Microwave Murder Suspect Makes Court Appearance

Ka Vang confers with
her attorney

The Sacramento mother accused of murdering her three-month old daughter made her first court appearance this afternoon in Sacramento Superior Court.

Today 29-year old Ka Yang was arraigned in Department 61 before Judge Marjorie Koller following her arrest on Tuesday. Yang is facing assault and murder charges with special circumstances after she allegedly murdered her daughter Mirabelle Thao-Lo by placing the infant in a microwave oven earlier this year.

Vacaville Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling fom Sacramento Real Estate Developer

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Shalena P. Leggett, 37, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud arising out of her embezzlement from her former employer, a local Sacramento real estate developer.

Loaves and Fishes Hit and Run Suspect Convicted Today

Victim was Loaves and Fishes volunteer

Hours of service at Sacramento Public Library’s Central Library to change effective July 1

The Sacramento Public Library will be changing the hours Central Library is open to the public beginning July 1, 2011. Hours for the Sacramento Room and the Library’s Telephone Information Service (TELIS), both of which are housed at the Central Library, will also be changing. The new public hours are:

Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento: Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.

The downtown Sacramento library location will remain closed on Monday. These changes reflect an overall reduction in service of four hours per week.

Hours for the Sacramento Room, which is located on the second floor of the Central Library and houses historical books, maps, photographs and ephemera of the greater Sacramento region, will change slightly but will not be reduced. The Sacramento Room’s new schedule will be: Tuesday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The room will remain closed on Mondays and Fridays.

Hours of operation for TELIS, which the public may call for library information and research questions will change to: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This service will no longer be available on Sunday.

For more information, telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org.

Davis Man, Three Others Sentenced for Defrauding Government Agency

A federal judge last week sentenced four defendants to prison terms for defrauding a federal agency of millions of dollars in connection with a loan to fund a business project in Estonia, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced. 

Baby Killer Sentenced to 25 to Life

Rancho Cordova woman drowned own newborn

Sac Sheriff's To Conduct Operation Dry Water This Weekend

Operation Dry Water this Weekend

This weekend, from June 24th – June 26th, the Sheriff’s Marine Enforcement Detail will participate in Operation Dry Water (ODW). ODW is a joint program by the California Department of Boating and Waterways, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and its surrounding agencies.

ODW puts local, state, and federal marine law enforcement officers on waterways throughout the country during the last weekend in June, in an effort to reduce the number of incidents involving boaters under the influence (BUI), which is a contributing factor in nearly 1 in 5 boating fatalities nationwide. In addition to increased patrols, officers involved in ODW will provide education about the hazards involved with BUI.

It is unlawful for boaters to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher, and violators can be fined, arrested and/or have their vessels impounded. For more information regarding this upcoming event, visit www.operationdrywater.org.

RT Green Line Construction to Impact Three Rail Stations

Friday, June 24 until Monday, June 27

During the weekend of June 24, 2011, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) will temporarily close three Gold Line light rail stations to perform construction work for the Green Line to the River District light rail extension.

In order to minimize disruptions for passengers and surrounding businesses in downtown Sacramento , traffic detours will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 24 and continue until 6 a.m. on Monday, June 27.  This work will require the closure of the 8th & K, Sacramento Valley Station and 7th & I/County Center light rail stations from 7 p.m. on Friday, June 24 through 4 a.m. on Monday, June 27.

As an alternative, shuttle buses will transport Gold Line passengers to and from the Sacramento Valley Station, and will serve bus stops at 7th and K streets, and 8th and K streets.

During construction, Gold Line light rail trains will continue to serve the 8th & Capitol Station.  Trains will continue north to temporarily serve the St. Rose of Lima Park (9th & K) Station, return to the St. Rose of Lima Park (7th & K) Station, and then resume regular service.

In addition, street closures will take place from 6 p.m. on Friday, June 24 until 6 a.m. on Monday, June 27 at the intersections of:

·         7th Street and H Street

·         7th Street between G Street and I Street

·         8th Street between G Street and I Street

·         H Street between 6th Street and 8th Street

This will be the second of three scheduled weekend closures affecting the 8th & K, Sacramento Valley Station and 7th & I/County Center light rail stations in the coming months.

The Green Line to the River District is the first phase of the Green Line to the Airport light rail extension project.  The Green Line to the River District will extend light rail 1.1 miles north to 7th Street and Richards Boulevard at the Township 9 development.

For more information about the Green Line to the River District, call 916-930-1192.  To sign up for Green Line to the River District construction alerts, email Jo Noble at jnoble@sacrt.com.

Opinion: Scully is Right To Hold Supervisors Feet to The Fire

By Steve Masone

District Attorney Jan Scully is right to let voters know when supervisors can't get their priorities in line. Public safety cannot be the sacrificial lamb so they can look fiscally acceptable to voters. We know when it comes to their re-elections, "It's the economy stupid" and that is what they will live and die over, whereas with our chief law enforcement elected official it's crime.

Four Injured in Shooting at Rancho Cordova Residence

Motivation not known

Shortly after 3:00 a.m. today, Sheriff’s deputies and Rancho Cordova Police officers responded to a shooting call in the 9900 block of Palm Grove Drive. A resident stated that an unknown male had come to his home and shot him, and that he had returned gunfire at the subject.

Scully Turns Up Heat, Says County Supervisors Not Interested in Prosecution

Sacramento County DA Jan Scully

Triangulating Against Public Defender

In a press release issued this morning that clarified staff reductions announced yesterday, Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully again took aim at the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors while at the same time bringing in the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office budget into the fray.

As part of Sacramento County’s $90 million budget reduction for the new fiscal year, the DA’s office had to absorb $6.9 million in reduced funding compared to the current budget. As a result, Scully announced [and clarified today] that by August 1, 42 employees, including 29 permanent and 13 temporary would be laid off, 13 vacant positions will go unfilled and nine positions being vacated by retirements will not be filled.

Takes aim at Public Defender's Office 

Cosumes Firefighters Holding Blood Drive This Friday

Add caption

The Cosumnes Firefighters Association is hosting a community blood drive in partnership with BloodSource on Friday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cosumnes Fire Department Station 71, 8760 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove.

Blood donors will receive a coupon for a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

For more information, contact Cosumnes Fire Department’s Brian Lucero at 916-205-7648 or BloodSource’s Elizabeth Rolli at 916-453-3045.

Scully Disses Sac County Supervisors Over Budget Cuts, Public Safety

Sacramento County DA Jan Scully

'Public safety is not the county's priority' Sac DA says

In a new conference this morning, Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully outline cuts to her department and took a swipe at the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Sacramento Man To Be Charged For Hate Crime in Assault of Gay Man

Suspect Joel Olivarez

The Elk Grove Police Department has arrested 30-year-old Joel Olivarez, a Sacramento resident, for an aggravated battery that took place on June 5, in the parking lot of the Strike’s Family Entertainment Center.

Man Turns Self in For 2007 Rancho Cordova Murder

Murder suspect Kirk Jared Rivers.

Yesterday afternoon Sacramento Sheriff’s Homicide detectives arrested 22-year old Kirk Jared Rivers for a homicide that occurred four years ago. Rivers walked into the Sheriff’s Department and stated that he was responsible for the murder of a man in 2007.

Rivers was then detained and detectives from the Homicide Bureau were contacted. Homicide detectives interviewed Rivers, and determined that there was sufficient evidence to believe that he was responsible for the incident.

At 9:49 a.m. on May 30, 2007, Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies and Rancho Cordova police officers responded to a call from a subject who said he had gone to his son’s house in the 9400 block of Mira Del Rio Drive and found him dead. Deputies arrived and found the body of 39-year old John Pogacar inside the house near the front door. Pogacar had been stabbed in the upper body.

The investigation into this incident yielded no definitive suspect information. Rivers was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a single charge of murder, and is being held without bail. He is expected to be arraigned later this week.

Elk Grove Seeks Public Input on Industrial Land Conversion

Shopping centers or industrial shops

Factories or restaurants? That is a question the Elk Grove Planning Department is seeking public input on at an upcoming community workshop.

Continued

Peter's Steakhouse in Isleton - Family Run Place Serving up Great Prime Rib

By Steve Masone
Delta News and Review

Most of the time when I hear that a restaurant is known for great Prime Rib, I expect good...not great. Half of the secret to great Prime Rib is knowing how and where to buy it from. The other half is the right preparation, it's aging, seasoning and for some master chef's "infusing" secret seasoning into the meat while aging.

The Prime Rib dinner I had at Peter's Steak House in Iselton this week had that something "special" about it that made it the best I have had in many years.

Continued...

Damento Juggling Club to Host World Juggling Day at McKinley Library

Co-Sponsored by the McKinley Branch Library

Damento (Davis/Sacramento) Juggling Club will be hosting the annual World Juggling Day Celebration at McKinley Park Library on Saturday, June 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. The celebration attracts jugglers from all over the region who come together to celebrate the art of juggling and other performing arts.

Free workshops for all ages include introductory ball juggling and spinning, contact juggling, and much more.

World Juggling Day was created as an annual day of recognition for the hobby, with the intent to teach people how to juggle, to promote juggling or for jugglers to get together and celebrate.

Sacramento Man Convicted in Doubletree Murder

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Joseph Raheem Williams was convicted by jury of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Alexander Hunter. Williams was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On February 10, 2008, Alexander Hunter was celebrating his 21st birthday with family and friends at the Double Tree Hotel in Sacramento. At around 3:00 a.m., Hunter left the hotel and walked through the parking lot when a vehicle came close to hitting a family member.

Hunter and his brother exchanged words with the driver of the car and Williams, a passenger. The driver and Williams got out of the car and walked towards a hotel entrance. Hunter followed them through the parking lot demanding a fight. When Hunter grabbed Williams’ shoulder, Williams turned around and shot Hunter one time in the chest.

Williams will be sentenced on July 15, 2011 in Department 26 by the Honorable Judge Michael Savage

Redistricting Commission to Release Proposed Districts Today

ReDrawCA.org First to Display the Proposals and Give Access to the Data Behind Them

Sen. Steinberg Names Uptown Studios “Best Small Business of the Year”

By Ken Pierce

On Monday June 6, 2011, California state legislators came together to honor a small business owner from each of their legislative districts. This year California President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg named Sacramento website and graphic design firm, Uptown Studios “Best Small Business of the Year” for 2011.

Since 1992, owner Tina Reynolds and her top-notch team of employees create websites, brochures, logo/brand designs and use state of the art videography and social media marketing techniques.

To the greater Sacramento region Uptown Studios is more than just a small business. They are known as a company “with a conscience”. Reynolds and her team has given countless hours volunteering for organizations such as SafeGround and co-founded Equality Action NOW, a local grassroots gay and civil rights organization.

Uptown Studios also serves many companies when it comes to "greening" up their print materials and coming up with great options to print, such as pdf’s, online video and alternatives to printing.

Other businesses, big and small, as well as non-profits and governmental organizations depend on Uptown Studios to help them with their promotional needs and in turn are able to gain a higher exposure to the public. One of their mottos is, “If you can see it - we can do it!”

Reynolds commented, “Being named 'Small Business of the Year' by Senator Darrell Steinberg is such an honor. First because Senator Steinberg is a hero of mine, and secondly because he is recognizing the great work that we do in the greater Sacramento Area for our clients and nonprofits. This award makes me so proud of all the work that we do as a team; fighting for equality, changing the face of homelessness, and connecting with many other nonprofit groups and working together on so many issues.

This will only make the way we do business better; we will have a more pride than ever in the work we do...”

Presenting the award was Susan McKee from Sen. Steinberg’s office. In her remarks about Reynolds and her employees who were all there, she said, “Tina does so much work in the community, it takes all these people at the table to actually run the business while she’s out helping the homeless, working on political campaigns and I am very pleased to be able to call her friend of Sacramento.”

The small business event was held at Sacramento Convention Center.

You can contact Uptown Studios through their website at www.UptownStudios.net or call 916.446.1082.

Opinion: In Defense of Medical Marijuana

By Maureen Moore

Steven Masone's recent  Opinion Piece  "Medical Marijuana Gateway to Disaster"  of course is from his conservative viewpoint. As an unashamed Liberal, as he well knows, (we have a "point counter point" relationship in other media forums) I want to counter-weigh his postion in on this matter.

Continued...

Isleton "Cajun Festival" ( Shhhh...it's really the Crawdad Festival! )

Cajun Festival set for next weekend

June 18th & 19th, when the San Francisco Bay Area and the California coast from Mendocino to Monterrey are windy, cold, and often dreary with fog, Isleton California in the Delta is sunny and warm.

This is the time of the year when the Cajun Festival (Formerly Crawdad Festival) is back from a year off. Bikes, Boats, and RVs converge on the tiny historic town to eat Cajun style boiled crawdads,alligator on a stick, listen to music, and shop for boutique gifts and antiques. The entry fees are low and the town has tried to orient the program and rules toward the entire family, there are other island retreats in the Delta region where there are other RV hook-ups at reasonable overnight rate.

Continued...

San Francisco Non-Profit Director Arrested; In Court Today Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

A director of a local non-profit organization that works with children was charged federally with possession of child pornography, announced Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Douglas of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office.

Continued

Bank of The West Bank Robbers Sought By Police

Elk Grove Police are seeking this unknown suspect

The Elk Grove Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying two suspects involved in an armed bank robbery.

Continued below

Gunman Shot by Deputies in South Sacramento

Shortly after 12:05 a.m. today, Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Pomegranate Avenue and Delta Pointe Way in south Sacramento, regarding a call of an armed subject in the neighborhood. A passerby in a vehicle stated that he had been confronted by a male adult who pointed a gun at him.

While deputies were en route to the location, additional calls were received from the area. One caller said that a man with a gun was shooting out windows to vehicles, and that someone had been shot. Another caller relayed information that a male was holding a female hostage at gunpoint. In each call, the description of the gunman was similar.

When deputies arrived in the area, they observed a male subject, who was walking down the middle of the street, matching the description given by callers. The deputies observed that the subject was holding a handgun at the time they contacted him. When contacted, the man pointed his firearm in the direction of the deputies.

Faced with imminent danger to their lives, two deputies fired their weapons at the gunman, striking him multiple times. Paramedics were immediately requested to the location. The gunman, a male in his twenties, was transported to a nearby hospital and died of his injuries shortly thereafter. The name of the victim will be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office, upon notification to his next of kin.

The Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Professional Standards Division will be conducting the investigation into this incident, which is standard practice for any deputy-involved shooting that occurs within the Sheriff’s Department’s jurisdiction.

In accordance with the Sheriff’s Department’s policies and procedures, both deputies will be placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation. The officers involved in the incident are assigned to the Central Field Services Division, and have nine and fourteen years of service respectively.

California Assembly Approves Payday Lending Legislation

Bill raises loan amount and maintains 459% APR

Assembly members approved AB 1158 by an 45-14 vote today, with 21 members not voting. The bill, authored by Asm. Charles Calderon (D-Montebello), would raise the payday loan amount limit from $300 to $500. Recent data from the Department of Corporations however, show that the average amount of a payday loan has actually dropped since 2009, indicating that the need for higher loans is simply not there.

"This is a dangerous bill for Californians already struggling to make ends meet," said Paul Leonard, director of the California office of the Center for Responsible Lending. "Raising the amount that can be borrowed simply means that more borrowers will be caught in a longer and deeper payday lending debt trap—and provides a windfall to payday lenders."

Payday loans are short-term loans made at 459% APR that are secured by a borrower's personal check, with the amount loaned plus fees (currently up to $300) due in two weeks.

The payday lending industry claims the product is for unexpected financial shortfalls or one-time emergency use. But for the overwhelming majority of California borrowers, the loan becomes a debt trap when they cannot afford to repay for their loan and cover basic living expenses. They then take out loan after loan, paying $45 in fees to re-borrow the same money every time—as often as 7 times before they are able to pay it off.

"It's a myth that these loans are meant for one-time use. They are a trap for—and the lenders' business models rely on—repeat borrowing," said Paul Leonard."With a string of 7 consecutive loans, a borrower pays more than $600 to borrow $250 today. With this bill, the same borrower would need nearly $1,000 to pay off a $425 loan."

The bill will next be heard by the Senate Banking Committee. The hearing date has not been set.

Sacramento Mom, Daughter Arrested For Shoplifting

A Sunday afternoon shopping outing for a Sacramento mother and daughter was not your prototypical trip to view fashions and perhaps rather have lunch. Rather the mother and daughter allegedly went shopping with sticky fingers

According to Elk Grove Police Department Reports, 33-year old Shanelle Ketchum and her 13-year old daughter were detained by the loss prevention personnel at the Kohls store on Calvine Road. Responding police officers arrested both on suspicion of shoplifting.

Mom was taken into custody and transferred to the county jail and the daughter was issued a misdemeanor citation and released to a relative.