Tulare Sees Hefty Crime Drop in Early 2006

By Julie Fernandez

Tulare - Crime in the city of Tulare dropped in six major categories in the first five months of 2006 and the numbers are so good Police Chief Roger Hill said he cannot attribute the decrease solely to the addition of 10 new police officers.

A comparison of January to May statistics with the same period in 2005 shows:
· 84 fewer motor vehicle thefts
· 351 fewer thefts
· 51 fewer burglaries
· 23 fewer assaults
· 5 fewer rapes
· One less homicide

The only category that saw an increase was robberies, which were up by six.

“It would be stretching my neck out to say the decrease is all because of cops,” said Hill, who still must hire four more officers.

Another factor in the decline that Hill cited is the attitude of Tulare residents, who overwhelming supported a sales tax increase last year to pay for the 13 new officers and one additional position per year that the City Council had approved.

They seem more willing to report suspicious behavior to police, he said. “Perhaps it is because they think it will make a difference.”

Hill also said more business owners are using security guards and turning to technology to help thwart crime. Building contractors, he said for example, are using battery-powered cameras on poles to monitor activity at job sites.

“That's a great technological device and it is reducing construction thefts dramatically,” he said. “Construction theft was huge.”

All this is not to diminish the impact of additional officers, which has allowed the department to put a sergeant and five officers on patrol around the clock and to strengthen its investigations section, Hill said.

“When we can field more black-and-whites around the clock, that has a positive diminishing effect on crime itself,” he said.

The chief attributed the decrease in auto thefts to a joint effort involving the California Highway Patrol, Tulare police and other agencies to break up major theft rings. The push came prior to hiring the new officers and is indicative of the types of focused efforts the department will engage in more often because it has enough officers, he said.

“There were gangs out of Fresno that were just killing this whole area,” he said. “And there was a group out of Pixley.”

Tulare resident Marvin Krueger said he has seen more patrol officers in his South H Street neighborhood over the past year and he has publicly commended the Police Department.

The combination of more police officers and stronger code enforcement has resulted in what he considers “slight improvements” to his neighborhood. “I really don't know how you measure those things,” he said.

One thing he said he is certain of: “We need more police presence and we need more community involvement in reporting [suspicious] activity in a timely fashion.”

Councilman Carlton Jones, who sparked the council's move in 2005 to give Hill twice the number of officers he had requested, said the crime report tells him the council made a good decision, but it does not mean the fight to keep the community safe is over.

“It's just a progress report,” Jones said. “I feel good about it, but I also realize that it is an on-going effort and one night can change those numbers. We've got to be pro-active.”

Hill said he expects to fill the four remaining new positions by the end of this year. He also expects to re-introduce the Problem Oriented Policing program, which sets up a team of officers in a mobile home in the middle of troublesome areas to address criminal activity.

The POP team was disbanded two years ago and its members assigned to patrol because they were needed to handle an increasing number of police calls and to cover for injured colleagues.

Jones believes calls were increasing in part because criminals were aware the city had few patrol officers on the streets. “They're criminals, but they're not idiots,” he said.

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Co-Grand Marshals Put Hearts Into Fair

By Robin Kaufman

Tulare - This year the Tulare County Fair Grand Marshal spotlight will be shared by two Tulare residents: Dolly Parsons and Harry Talbot. They will ride in the opening day parade on September 13.

Both Parsons and Talbot said they were surprised by the honor, though they each have worked for decades making the fair an enjoyable experience for all.

“I thought: 'I'd like to be one [a grand marshal] and I'd probably be dead before they ever think of it!'” said Parsons, who will be 73 next month.

A fair Grand Marshal is recognized to be a “friend of the fair” who has served in a volunteer capacity at the fair for a number of years.

“I've just been around here [the fairgrounds] a really long time and never did leave it,” said Talbot. “I just like to help out.”

Originally from the Sacramento area, Talbot, 64, has lived in Tulare for 37 years. He is the former owner of a roller skate rink that burned down in 1982 and he also worked as a mechanic for a number of years.

Talbot enjoys helping Don Hawkins, maintenance supervisor for the fairgrounds, by landscaping and setting up the arena for the vehicular events at the fair. He can sometimes be seen operating the water truck that sprays down the parking lots to keep the dust down.

“Don keeps my phone ringing all the time,” said Talbot.

Parsons came to Tulare 56 years ago after marrying her husband, John. She estimates she's been involved in the fair for at least 40 years. She worked at Cooper's Toy Store for 17 years and is the former owner of Creative Flowers in Visalia.

“The Lord tells you he puts you on the Earth for something. I guess this is one of my jobs,” said Parsons.

Volunteering at the fair is only one of a number of ways Parsons gives back to the community. She is a Pink Ladies hospital volunteer, is active at the Westside Nazarene Church, is a lifetime PTA member and participates in Relay for Life.

For Talbot, volunteering at the fairgrounds is a year-round avocation and he finds satisfaction in doing clean up work. “I can't stand it when it looks messy,” said Talbot.

Parsons and Talbot have on occasion worked side-by-side at the fair on displays and in years when the fair had Senior Citizens' and Special Person's Days.

“He [Talbot] is a giving person. If I need something, he knows where it is. He's a good guy and a hard worker,” said Parsons.

Last month at one of the races, Talbot worked so hard in the sun that he got heat stroke and was hospitalized for eleven days. “I over did it a little bit,” said Talbot.

“When he doesn't go anywhere you know he's really sick. He's usually out and about,” said Parsons.

Talbot and Parsons have both had open heart surgery in recent years, but that isn't enough to slow down either of them.

“She [Parsons] does a lot. She does more than people realize. She's really a hard worker,” said Talbot.

“My husband always hollers, 'Why are you doing the fair again?' I just listen to him holler,” said Parsons.

Like Talbot, Parsons is always willing to lend a hand doing what needs to be done.

During “fair season,” as it is called in her household, Parsons spends a great deal of time gathering entries for judging at the fair. She not only goes to senior citizen centers to collect arts and crafts entries, but has been known to drive across the county and go into the fields to bring in a sample of a farmer's produce.

For the Senior Citizens' and Special Person's Days, Parsons would gather free food for the fair goers.

“I'm always looking for food bargains,” said Parsons.

Parsons also goes out of her way to get her neighbors and family to participate in the fair. “If you live around us, you get involved in the fair,” said Parsons.

When asked what her favorite part of the fair is, Parsons said it's the people. “It's nice to see people going to the fair,” said Parsons.

One perk that Talbot enjoys is the opportunity to personally meet entertainers that come to the fairgrounds. Two years ago Talbot got to meet Jesse James of Monster Garage fame when he attended a monster truck rally.

Talbot enjoys racing and building hot rods, but his heart is at the fair.

“I've been around so long, it feels like family around here,” said Talbot.

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Hospital Race Heats Up Early

Tulare - The election season is barely under way, but the four-way race for two seats on the Tulare Local Health Care District board is already shaping up to be a contentious one.

That became apparent at the August board of directors meeting when Ed Hitlin, a retired Tulare District Hospital respiratory therapist, asked directors their position regarding the possibility of three doctors sitting on their board.

Doctors Prem Kamboj, a pediatrician, and Lonnie Smith, an ear, nose and throat specialist, who are running for seats held by incumbents LeRoy Trippel and Victor Gonzalez, were in the audience.

The discussion was heated. Director Parmod Kumar, the only physician on the board, called it “ugly.”

Later in the week, a complaint that sources said challenged whether Kamboj actually resided within the district was filed with the Tulare County Elections Division.

Complaints filed with her office are confidential and turned over to the District Attorney and the Secretary of State's office for investigation, County Elections Manager Hiley Wallis said.

Assistant District Attorney Don Gallian would not discuss the matter: “We never comment on whether a case is or is not under investigation.” A call to the Secretary of State's Office was not returned before deadline.

Are three too many?

Four hospital directors told Hitlin they foresaw problems if a majority of their board were physicians.

“There would be too many things that would be conflicts of interest,” Deanne Martin-Soares, a nurse, said. “Think about how many votes would not happen.” She said the issue of on-call pay for physicians was one of them. Roger McPhetridge, also a nurse, agreed with Martin-Soares.

Whether having three physicians on the board was good policy was a decision voters would have to make, said board President LeRoy Trippel and Victor Gonzalez, who are both seeking re-election. The two, however, added they thought three was, in the words on Gonzalez “top heavy.”

The discussion angered Kumar, who characterized them as “very ugly” and “uncalled for.”

The matter is a public policy issue, Hitlin said.

“It's not public policy; this is bias,” Kumar replied.

Trippel defended Hitlin's right to ask the question, which prompted Kumar to launch into a defense of physician service on the board.

He and Dr. John White served together on the board years ago and “cleaned up the hospital,” he said, adding that one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation is physician-owned and physician-run.

The question is not whether a board member is a physician, but whether that member has integrity, honor, decency and commitment, he said.

At that point Smith and Kamboj, who were standing in the doorway of the crowded room, entered into during the discussion, defending their candidacy.

“I'm also a citizen of this district,” Smith said, adding that family members have been treated at the hospital. As for on-call pay, he said, “I don't take a penny. Never have. Never will.”

Kamboj noted two nurses now serve on the board. “I don't think we've objected to that,” he said. “Are you two nurses on the board voting in a block? I don't think so.”

Hitlin said three physicians on the board would be too many “The public perception would be that the hospital would be run by physicians.”

The issue is already being discussed outside in the larger community.

Craig Vejvoda, a businessman, city council member and friend of Kamboj, said he does not understand the concern.

“What's the big deal,” Vejvoda said “Who is better to serve on a hospital board than a doctor.”

Residency issue expected

When Kamboj announced his candidacy he said he expected residency might become an issue. He has worked within the district for 28 years and lived in Tulare 17 years before moving outside the district, he said.

He took possession of a home in Tulare on Aug. 10 and slept there that night to re-establish residency here before filing nomination papers the next day, Kamboj said.

He checked with an attorney experienced in hospital matters to make sure he was following the law, he said. When interviewed Aug. 25, Kamboj said he was still furnishing the house and moving in slowly because of time constraints.

In announcing his candidacy, Kamboj said he went through the trouble of establishing residency because he is “passionate” about wanting to be part of the planning process for the new hospital and of establishing a “center of excellence” where local residents can continue to seek care.

(Editors note: Another story taking a closer look at the candidates and their reasons for running will be featured in a future issue.)

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Mental Health Grant Flap:
Minister Denied Once, Will Apply Again

By Julie Fernandez

Tulare - County officials were on the verge of signing a $2.4 million contract with New Life Ministries of Tulare County to provide one-stop mental health services in Tulare. Then they abruptly changed their mind and refused to give director Larry Dodson a reason.

“All I'm going to say is the contract is tabled,” county mental health director Cheryl L. Duerksen said when contacted by the Tulare Voice.

Dodson, pastor of New Life Community Church, and others think the contract was derailed because of allegations by three former church members that Dodson had misspent and embezzled church funds.

The Classis of Central California, which has jurisdiction over Reformed Church in America congregations in Tulare, conducted an investigation at Dodson's request and found no wrongdoing, Classis President Tim Arensmeier said.

“The investigation took weeks and many man hours,” Arensmeier said. “Not only did we find no wrongdoing, we found a very consistently tender-hearted, selfless individual who was trying to do the right thing with the money that was given.”

The accusers also took their allegations to police, who have made no public comment about the matter.

The mental health contract Dodson sought would have allowed New Life Ministries of Tulare County, which Dodson said is a separate entity from the church, to operate a treatment center for children and adults ages 12 to 24 in underserved populations. The center would provide coverage 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Kings View, a long-time provider of mental health services in the Valley, would be the fiscal administrator for the program.

New Life's proposal was supported by city officials, who agreed to lease space for the center in soon-to-be completed offices adjacent to the downtown intermodal transit center, Dodson said.

The Tulare County Mental Health Department initially recommended approval of the proposal and the Mental Health Advisory Board unanimously approved it in July. But Dodson failed to receive a contract or a telephone call, so he went back to the board in August to ask why.

He was told then that the county did not have to give him a reason, Dodson said.

The Mental Health Department plans to put out a request for new proposals this week for a one-stop center in Tulare, Duerksen said, adding: “It's not a question of moving it from Tulare, but who will get the bid.” Centers are also being established in Visalia and Porterville.

After struggling with the decision, Dodson said last week he will resubmit his proposal.

Vice Mayor Phil Vandegrift, who was aware of the church controversy, supports his efforts.

“I would encourage him to reapply,” Vandegrift said. “I still support Larry and his family and his church. I've read his business plan. … It's a program that needs to be tried. I believe his program has accountability.”

Arensmeier said he strongly suspects and Dodson's attorney Douglas Hurt said he has no doubt that the allegations from former church members are behind the county's actions.

They have cost him this $2 million grant, which he was very qualified to administer, Arensmeier said. “This is one of the times when an allegation proves you guilty and you're not allowed to prove your innocence.”

Dodson's accusers sent general allegations to the church, but when they were asked to provide specific information Arensmeier said they refused. “We asked, we pleaded, we cajoled, but they would not provide it and then they went to the police.”

When he and others who had conducted the investigation met with the New Life Congregation to report their findings, the accusers were not present, he said.

Hurt, who said he does legal work for Dodson without charge, called him an honest man. “He devotes his entire life to helping people.”

The allegations “are shown to be baseless to everyone who's looked at them,” he said, adding he finds it particularly “reprehensible” that the accusers make allegations and then fail to provide evidence.

In one instance, he said, they took their allegations to a woman who made a $25,000 contribution to the church. “She said 'provide evidence' and she never heard from them again,” he said.

When he met with the woman and showed her how Dodson used the money, she told him “this sounds great,” Hurt said.

Although police have not commented, Arensmeier and Hurt both said they understand through various sources the department has not found evidence of wrongdoing.

The allegations have even reached media outlets and Dodson said he was stunned when a television reporter called him in mid-July to ask about an accusation that he had embezzled $200,000. The segment that aired was filmed with the accusers outside the police department, he said.

“This is a poor church,” Arensmeier said. “This church has never had $200,000.”

The Tulare Voice was unable to contact the three people named as accusers in the Classis report. Directory assistance operators said in each case the parties had asked that their numbers not be disclosed. Dodson said his church no longer had contact numbers for them.

Dodson said he is not bitter about the situation but keenly disappointed.

“We worked so hard to get this grant for the kids and families in the community that really need it,” he said. “So, aside from my feelings and reputation, it is the loss of that that really hurts.”

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Symphony Concert Promises to be a Blast

Tulare - Tulare County Symphony officials are warning Tulare residents the orchestra's annual Pops in the Park Concert in Zumwalt Park Saturday will be a blast in more ways than one.

Residents within the city limits and in the surrounding rural areas can expect to hear more than 17 cannon blasts as the orchestra plays Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture,” which celebrates the Russian Army's defeat of Napoleon, and then “Stars and Stripes.”

“It's so exciting,” symphony board member Florence Kabot said. “It's the celebration of winning.”

The symphony has not used cannons in its outdoor concerts since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

“In this day and age with all of the fear surrounding 9-11, we were afraid people might freak out with the cannons,” Kabot said.

But regular pops concert attendees have missed them and asked for their return, so symphony officials decided to bring them back after talking with city officials, she said.

“The blasts will be sufficiently percussive that they will likely be heard even in the country,” Kabot warned.

Many people won't know about the event and will probably call the police department, but Police Chief Roger Hill said his dispatchers can handle the situation.

“The real concern is broken windows,” Hill said. “City Hall has some major windows.”

Hill expects the cannons will be set up along Kern Avenue, which runs along the south side of the park in front of City Hall.

The 90-minute concert begins at 8 p.m. and the cannons will be fired near the end, which means residents who retire early in the evening might want to delay bedtime. Or they might want to gather up their lawn chairs, food and drinks and join the festivities.

This year's event, the third consecutive pops concert in Tulare, will feature a diverse selection of music, including barbershop, mariachi and Maddox Revolution's world premiere of “Suite a la Jimi Hendrix for Rock Band and Orchestra.”

“It's going to be wild,” Kabot said.

Maddox Revolution, a Visalia band, has played at The Whisky-A-Go-Go, B.B. King's Blues Club and similar venues, and with such artists as Robby Krieger from The Doors.

Tickets are $20 each and available at White's Music Center, 266 East Cross Ave. and www.gorillatix.com. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.