Easing off the Nitrous
New Rule Hopes to Dramatically Cut Emissions

by Richard Mavis

San Joaquin Valley - The newly-adopted amendments to Rule 4702, dealing with internal combustion engines used in agricultural operations, aren’t pulling many punches. The goal is to cut 24.3 tons of nitrogen oxide pollutants from Valley air per day. Nitrous oxides are one of the primary contributors to the smog problem. With the right cooperation from farmers, air conditions in the Valley could soon be noticeably improved.

Most days in Visalia, it’s hard to even see the mountains that help keep the air in the Valley so dingy. And while nobody would suggest leveling the mountains in effort to clear the air, many aren’t very enthused about paying the prices for better technology either.

Which is why the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has come forward to help ease the transition pains. They have devised programs for assisting farmers upgrade their current equipment, and incentives for upgrading sooner than later. Without assistance, the District expects mandated engine upgrades will cost the agricultural community over $28 million per year.

A group called M.Cubed expects the cost will more realistically be between $63 and $87 million.

The District is urging farmers to contact them before January 1 2006, when they will commence the implementation of the new rules. The process for reviewing the situation and applying for funding is expected to take some time, and will be handled on a case-by-case basis for best effect.

“This is one of the bigger grant programs that we have,” said Brenda Turner, of the Air Pollution Control District. “And it’s one of the most cost-effective incentive programs we have. We’re anxious to use the funds that we have to reduce the air pollution.”

The rule outlines a stepped approach to cutting back on emissions and upgrading engines, with the oldest and dirtiest being the first to go. Upgraded diesel engines will meet standards put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Tier 1 and Tier 2 engines should be phased out by 2010 in order to meet Tier 3 standards. By 2015, or 12 years after the installation of the newer engines—whichever is later—they hope to meet EPA Tier 4 limits and standards.

Not every farmer will be affected by the new ruling. The rule affects only those with engines stronger than 50 horsepower. But most farm equipment is stronger than that. Area farmer Brian Blain says he has dozens of engines that are going to need to be upgraded.

It is important for grant and incentive programs to be available to farmers because, unlike in many other industries, it is harder for farmers pass higher production costs onto consumers and stay afloat.

There are a few alternatives. If farmers choose to switch to electric engines rather than stay with diesel-powered engines, PG&E and Southern California Edison have reduced rates for them. And incorporating solar power is an option currently gaining popularity.

Better air quality is not a matter of if—it’s a matter of when. The sooner improved technology is put to use, the sooner we’ll be able to breathe, and see those mountains, more easily.

Another primary contributor to the Valley’s poor air quality is cow methane, but for the time being it is easier to cut emissions from inefficient internal combustion engines than cattle.

For more specifics on which engines will be affected when, and to learn about the District’s heavy-duty engine incentive program, please visit www.valleyair.org.

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Goodyear Takes One Year Term As COS President

Visalia - Dr. Don L. Goodyear was appointed Superintendent/President of the College of the Sequoias, effective July 1, by the Board of Trustees. He replaces Dr. Kamiran Badrkhan, who announced his retirement last month. John Zumwalt, President of the Board of Trustee, says Dr. Goodyear would be given a one year contract ending June 30, 2006. The Board will begin a nationwide search to fill the vacancy that will occur at that time. Dr. Goodyear has indicated he will not apply for the permanent position.

Goodyear has worked at the College of the Sequoias for over 30 years and has served in various capacities, including Executive Vice President. He served as acting president for a period of time during an extended illness of Dr. Badrkhan’s several years ago. Dr. Goodyear outlined his plan for the next year, which included the development of an Educational Master Plan, that would drive a major facilities plan. The college is impacted on its Visalia site and needs to consider the development of its Hanford Center and the proposed Tulare Campus.

Dr. Goodyear was instrumental in the settlement of the College of Sequoias Teacher’s Association contract earlier this month. He anticipates a year of many decisions which will effect long range planning. The most important issue being the possibility of placing a bond on a ballot in the future. There are several ways that this could be done, however a decision must be made as it greatly affects the future of the college.

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Tulare County Assessor Adds $1.8 Billion in Assessed Property Value to 2005/2006 Tax Roll

Tulare County - Tulare County Assessor Clerk/Recorder Greg Hardcastle announced Thursday, June 23, 2005 that the Assessor’s Office has delivered the 2005/2006 assessed property tax roll values to the County Auditor. The total value on the roll for 2005/2006 is $20,039,603,550.

“The unprecedented increase in real estate values has added more than $1.8 billion in property tax values this year alone,” Hardcastle said. Visalia led the way with a whopping 13+% hike.

Low interest rates and the improved economy have contributed to a dramatic increase in property values nationally during the last three years. But because home prices in Tulare County were so affordable to begin with and there is a shortage of available housing, Hardcastle said many areas in Tulare County have experienced higher value increases.

“We’ve seen some homes resell for 30 to 50 percent higher values within the past three years,” Hardcastle said, noting a couple of homes in the Visalia area have sold for more than $1 million.

The added property tax values mean more funds will be available to local government for public services. On average: local schools receive 63 cents of every property tax dollar; the County receives 13 cents; cities receive 6 cents; redevelopment agencies 7 cents; special districts 6 cents; County Fire 3 cents and the County Library 1 cent. Eric Frost, the city of Visalia's Finance Director, says the city's 13.254 percent increase figures out to about $840,000 more than last fiscal year. He called the added property tax total “very strong,” noting that last year's increase was 4.6 percent and that was higher than the normal rise. For fiscal 2001-2002 the increase was 2 percent and in 2002-2003 the jump was 9 percent.

The $1,800,388,184 Countywide jump in 2005/2006 property tax values represents an overall increase of 9.871 percent. This represents the following increases for Tulare County’s eight incorporated cities:
Dinuba – 6.912%
Exeter – 14.91%
Farmersville – 11.241%
Lindsay – 8.732%
Porterville – 7.913%
Tulare – 10.878%
Visalia – 13.254%
Woodlake – 6.135%

“When you consider new assessments caused by either new construction, Williamson Act properties or change of ownerships, we’ve probably had activity on at least one out of four parcels in this county during this past fiscal year,“ said Hardcastle, who has served as Tulare County Assessor for 19 years. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Ever.”

Unless they have just purchased real estate, most taxpayers will see only relatively minor changes in their assessed values. Under Proposition 13, enacted in 1978, property tax assessments increase incrementally each year according to the Consumer Price Index, but are capped at no more than 2 percent annual increase.

As an additional reminder, when the Tax Collector issues a tax bill on your personal residence pay close attention to see if you have received your homeowners exemption which will save you $70 in property taxes annually. If you owned and occupied your personal residence on January 1, 2005, you may be entitled to this exemption. If uncertain, please contact the Assessor’s Office at 559-733-6361, but only after you have reviewed your tax bill.

If you would like to see a history of tax roles from previous years, these figures are posted on the County of Tulare website: www.co.tulare.ca.us. This information is listed under the Assessors Department.

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The Mural Marches on
Veterans and City Council Resolve Their Differences to Commemorate WWII

by Richard Mavis

Visalia - It was over a year ago that the Visalia Veteran’s Day Committee proposed their plan for a World War II mural to City Council—a frustrating year hampered by too much runaround. The Committee finally broke ground at the site on Saturday, June 19th, and if things go well, the mural will be complete and dedicated by early 2006 at latest. But this should be old news.

“It’s water under the bridge,” says Dan Kelley, chairman of the Committee, “but then it isn’t water under the bridge because it’s created a lot of problems.” These problems have included securing funding, finding a location, and issues concerning the mural’s content. Couple these troubles with the sad fact that WWII veterans are dying in numbers every day—those men and women being commemorated in the mural—and you have a hurdle which seems hardly surmountable.

“It’s a shame that it’s all politics,” says Kelley. “Out of all wars, I would’ve thought we would have gotten more resistance about Vietnam than we did World War II.”

But the land has been donated, and the city has given the go-ahead. So one way or another it's going to be built.

Drivers can see the stack of bricks at the site right now, waiting to be properly manhandled, at 26644 S Mooney Blvd, just next to the Mooney Auto Theatre. The land there is owned by Johnny George, who was glad to donate the space when the veterans approached him about it. “Johnny didn’t even hesitate,” says Kelley. “He just wanted the thing to happen.”

Likewise, Glen Hill—the artist who will be painting the mural—was eager to take part. “Of course I was very interested,” he says, “because my father and uncle both served in World War II.”

This won’t be Hill’s first mural. He painted one for the Boys and Girls Club of Exeter, which is at the intersection of Pine and C Street. But unlike the work he did there, he will be able to paint “The Greatest Generation” in the comfort of his studio. This is a benefit newer technology is allowing.

Weather, not politics, hindered timely progress on his mural in Exeter. “It took me four or five months to paint 29 people across a 60’ long wall, because the weather was either raining or burning hot.”

Instead of painting directly on the wall—12’ tall by 72’ long this time—Hill will be painting on 4’ x 8’ panels of aluminum Dibond. The panels will then be fixed to the wall. Dibond is a popular product being used for aircraft and murals around the country.

Despite all the delays, the veterans are remaining optimistic. Kelley is confident that the funding will come through—“well, I’m crossing my fingers it’ll come through”—and so far many of the needed resources have been donated. “We’re still trying to get somebody to actually put the footing together, somebody to donate the concrete, somebody to build the wall, somebody to donate the mortar for the wall... it's a tough thing.”

The Veterans Day Committee has dealt with complications before. Their mural commemorating the Korean War, “Smoke Break,” was also steeped in controversy. The original scene selected was similar to what is up now: three Marines in the field, doing things responsible Marines do between missions. The point of contention was one of the Marines depicted, who was shown crying. “I had calls from everybody you could think of, complaining about ‘Marines don't cry.’ Hell, I retired from the Marine Corps in ‘89,” Kelley explains, “and I know that's not true. Anyway, to make a long story short, we picked a different picture.”

Progress on the WWII mural was stalled for so long primarily due to conflicts between the city's mural screening panel—who stipulated that the mural should emphasize the local culture, history, and environs—and the veteran's committee—who wanted the scope of the commemoration to be broader. The final decision of approval came from City Council.

To meet the wishes of both sides, Hill spent two weeks researching before even touching pencil to paper. The montage of scenes covers the history of the war, from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Bomb dropped on Nagasaki. But throughout, emphasis is on the human aspect—fear and courage, drudgery and struggle, defiance and accomplishment. Pilot trainees at Sequoia Field are remembered; sympathy is shown for a young Japanese girl, sitting on suitcases, displaced to the internment camp in Tulare; and local hero Alejandro Ruiz is honored, shown receiving his Congressional Medal of Honor from President Truman.

“As far as I know, everybody’s very very positive about the final design,” he says. And as far as I know, everybody’s very very glad that the issues have been resolved, and the project is now moving forward.

To volunteer goods or talent, please write to the Visalia Veterans Day Committee at P.O. Box 4076, Visalia, CA, 93278, or call (559) 635-9781.

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Gangs Target Younger Recruits

by Miles Shuper

Tulare County - Everyone in the San Joaquin Valley is aware that gangs and gang violence is an ongoing problem but for most citizens seeing graffiti is their only everyday connection with the problem. Law enforcement investigators and gang members and those associated with them can "read" the scrawlings which continue to degrade neighborhoods, business districts, private property and just about anything in public view.

And the vast majority of Tulare County residents have little inkling what they are. At least 75 documented gangs and an estimated 3000 gang members are prowling streets, roadways, public property daily. Gang activity is not, as some might think, only alive in dark alleys, the poorest and roughest of neighborhoods and in dope and poverty rundown locations.

Gang and gang violence is not new to the Valley nor Tulare County. It is real. And, despite extensive law enforcement and citizen efforts, it continues to be a major factor in everyday life in the Valley.

And, officials say, there is no doubt that gangs with international connections are gaining footholds in the Valley. There's no proof two of the more notorious so-called global groups, the Calle 18, better known as the 18th Street Gang, and the Mara Salvatortucha, MS13, are in Tulare County. But they have made inroads into parts of the Valley, including Bakersfield, Delano and possibly Fresno. But, as one local investigator said, their presence here "would not be a surprise."

Those two gangs have gained intensive attention to law enforcement known for their brutality, lineage, and sophistication.

The highest levels of law enforcement as well as political leadership from Washington to Central American capitals, has made the investigation and suppression of these spreading gangs at a high priority.

Ken Smythe, gang investigator for the Tulare County District Attorneys office, say lawmen are keeping a close watch on local gang activities for any sign of infiltration of MS13 and the 18th Street gang. The fight for new territory and recruitment and immigration, both legal and illegal, makes the Valley a beacon for infiltration.

These are brutal and vicious gangs who think nothing of murder, mayhem and contract killings.

In Tulare County the battle for turf has been, and continues to be, in simple terms, north verses south (Nortenos and Surenos). Dozens of killings and untold shootings, stabbings and beating have been waged between these two major gang groups.

But in recent years the emergence of other gangs, mainly the white supremacists, such as the Peckerwoods, the Aryan Brotherhood and the Nazi Low Riders, have added more fuel to the struggle for control. In big cities money from the sale and smuggling of drugs are an integral part of the gang scene. While drugs and violence are part of the local picture, big money is not yet a major factor in the spread of gang activities, authorities say.

While gangs mainly have been male dominated, the existence of female gangs in Tulare County probably is surprising to most residents. Investigators say the"Featherwoods, a female white supremacist gang, has less than 20 members, but is a factor in the overall gang picture in Tulare County. While clothing, head coverings and the flashing of gang signs have long been the traditional way of gang identification, some gangs are turning to more subtle means of recognition.

Specific ways of wearing clothing, smaller tattoos and other factors, harder for the uniformed to detect, are now more common, investigators say.

Perhaps the biggest task for law enforcement is the issue of stemming recruitment, says Smythe, who notes that children in the early grades, third, fourth and fifth graders currently are among the targets of gangs trying to increase their memberships.

Next: What groups and individuals are the most valuable for recruitment and what can be done to lessen the possibility of area youngsters of joining gangs.

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Graffiti Increase Seen In Visalia

by Sarah Kathryn Speidel

Visalia - Graffiti is on the rise in Visalia. Most likely, you already know this. Think about how many street signs, light poles, sidewalks, walls and even garbage cans you've seen written on recently. Officials with the City of Visalia have noticed this trend as well, and they are dedicated to bringing it to an end.

In 2003, the Visalia Police Department completed 1,550 crime reports for vandalism, including graffiti, and made 154 vandalism arrests. In 2004, 1,700 crime reports were completed with 170 vandalism arrests being made. In 2005, through April, there have already been 317 such crime reports and 24 vandalism arrests. According to figures provided by Visalia's Fire Department, from the beginning of 2005 through May, there have been 213 calls to complain of vandalism and 102 hours have been spent on graffiti abatement. Top that off with a whopping 15,953 square feet of property that has been abated this year and the problem is crystal clear.

The Police Department's Special Enforcement Unit, consisting of eight members, deals with crime related to gangs, graffiti and the Underage Drinking Grant. Sergeant Brian Winters, who works in this unit, is collecting intelligence (photos) of graffiti to tie to particular suspects and match up cases. In the past, an offender would have to do at least $10,000 worth of damage per an incident before it was considered a felony. In March of 2000, California passed Proposition 21 which lowered the damage amount to $400, making it easier to hand out felony charges to those who are caught tagging.

Catching the crime in action, though, is the tricky part. Most graffiti is done late at night and takes only a few minutes to accomplish. The police department has had undercover operations in place this year, putting officers in plain clothes in areas of highest graffiti action. They also follow the C.O.P.P.S. philosophy, which assigns every officer a section within the community to patrol and watch for graffiti trends. When graffiti is spotted it is documented in a crime report or Visalia Police Department graffiti location pass-along form that leads to the graffiti's removal. The police department works with Visalia's Fire Department personnel who simplify the reporting and removal process.

To report a graffiti incident, call the Graffiti Hotline at 559-713-4207. Those reports go through the Fire Department who then arrange for the graffiti to be cleaned up by a privately contracted painter. Though you won't be charged for the clean-up, you will clearly see where your tax money is going. With the police department aggressively pursing an end to this visual littering, and a community actively reporting suspicious behavior, Visalia will, hopefully, see a return to visually cleaner days.

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Tulare County - So far, we've been talking about the hoped-for advent of more money becoming available to increase the number of judgeships in California's courts and elevate attorneys to fill them. But there's another far-reaching change on the horizon for another aspect of the legal system in every county in the state–one which in the parlance of the bureaucracy of public works is called "physical plant." More simply put, I refer to the buildings, themselves, in which justice is meted out.

By tradition, the buildings in which the municipal and superior courts (for some years now, Tulare County has had only the latter) of California are housed have been owned by the government of each of the fifty-eight counties. For many years, the arrangement was satisfactory, allowing the counties to concentrate its governmental functions (assessor, DA, Public Defender, elections, etc.) with the state's local judicial staff.

But the equation has begun to fall apart over the years as county governments have felt the pinch of revenue loss from several directions, not the least of which has been the state's budget woes and their effect on the entities which depend on it for support. The result? An escalating decline in the maintenance, repair and replacement of buildings in which county courts and their branches find themselves working.

Is something being done about the problems faced by California's courts regarding suitable accommodations? The answer is, "Yes"; but, unfortunately, it's a qualified "yes," just like the answer to the question about the need for more judges. And before we get into to that, it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the troubles presented by buildings counties can't keep up to the standards needed by courts.

Perhaps first would be the sheer volume of traffic through the court system these days. Judge Paul Vortmann, presiding judge of the Tulare County Superior Court, says he and his fellow judges, as well as the prosecutors and defense attorneys who appear before them have all noticed an increase in the number of both civil and criminal cases. Judge Vortmann quite rightly draws a correlation between the phenomenal growth in the county and the number of cases that must be adjudicated. And that puts more demand and, therefore, more strain on the system.

Thinking back for a moment to SB 56, the bill that would vaguely provide for more judgeships in the neediest counties, it's a sobering thought to realize that some counties could get the positions, have them filled by the governor and then find they have no courtrooms for the new judges to use. Where's the good in that? Of course, stop-gap measures would be taken to make use of the new judiciary but other problems would most likely arise from those circumstances.

In fact, Tulare County's presiding judge points out that one of the biggest concerns would be security. Sadly, says Vortmann, it's even a problem in the Tulare County Courthouse in Visalia. One can only guess how bad it would be in a more makeshift setup created to accommodate newly appointed judges filling newly created positions.

We all remember the situation where a faulty door lock allowed a defendant who had appeared voluntarily on a court summons and then was remanded into custody managed to escape by bolting through the holding cell door when the bailiffs were momentarily distracted. The miscreant, who was high on something like meth at the time, ran into a nearby neighborhood, stealing clothes at one home, a gun at another and finally surrendering in a tool shed behind a third home after sheriff's deputies, police officers and a SWAT team had spent several hours looking for him.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident, but the scenario could very easily have been different. And that's just one isolated incident. The potential for others is present every day, according to Judge Vortmann, who points out that "in-custodies" (i.e., people who have been arrested and jailed and are not out on bail) are frequently marched down the halls of the third floor of the court building because there is no other way to get them to and from their court hearings.

The sheriff's department does its dead-level best to assure the safety of the public, the bailiff's and the in-custodies; yet, it's far from an ideal situation and the potential for serious trouble is always there. However, security is not the only deficiency of California's aging county-owned court buildings.

When our friends who live in other parts of America think of California, what's the first thing they think of the might affect a building here? Right, an earthquake! Well, guess what? California's court system is housed in many building that wouldn't withstand an earthquake by today's mandated standards. Retrofitting, as it has proved to be for so many structures, is prohibitively expensive, making construction of a new facility the most feasible route to travel. Much to our chagrin, we once again bump up against the much-touted fiscal misfortunes of virtually every county in this state. But wait, there's more (to borrow a line from the 1-800 commercials).

The third of the Big Three problems with buildings the county find themselves housed in is health. Judge Vortmann doesn't hesitate to recall the mold problems that developed in the Tulare County Courthouse a few short years ago. Although the problems were successfully mitigated, eventually, a number of people, including one superior court judge fell ill and suffered rather unpleasant consequences from exposure to the toxic mold caused by water leakage problems in an older structure.

However, mold is just one health problem. Another experienced in the county courthouse is extreme variation in temperature. The County of Tulare Board of Supervisors just approved an expenditure of $200,000 to repair the air conditioning system that serves part of the courthouse. Most would agree that the supervisors are doing the best they can with what monies they have available for such things, but the problem didn't just pop up; it's been going on for a long, long time. (Note Bene: Judge Vortmann noted with a chuckle and a smile that the air system on the west side of the courthouse, where his courtroom and chambers resides was repaired a number of years ago.)

What's to do? Actually, Vortmann says it's already being done. Since the court system at the state level is, just like that at the federal level, an independent branch of government, it can make decisions and take actions on its own. Those decisions are made by the California Judicial Council residing in San Francisco and the actions are carried out by its Office of Administration. And through the Office of Administration, the California Judicial Council has started taking over the buildings throughout California in which its courts reside.

The reason for the move probably won't tax your gray matter too much. As Judge Vortmann points out, the courts have an overriding concern with certain issues that may or may not be important to the branches of county government with which they share their work space. So, in order to ensure that the facilities meet the state's needs, they need to be in the hands of the largest stakeholder. Ergo, the Judicial Council's plan to subsume court facilities throughout California.

What's more, the plan is already in action. From what Judge Vortmann tells me, the Council is already majority owner and operator of the court system and its buildings in Riverside, California. Others, of course, will follow.

The erstwhile jurist was not sure who might be next but he did assure me the need was great in Tulare County. Besides the aforementioned concerns with safety, size, health and security of the Tulare County Courthouse in Visalia, Porterville is a particularly knotty problem when it comes to a branch of the county system. In fact, I was informed that on the Judicial Council's list of court buildings in need of replacement, Porterville ranked 34th out of 300 statewide! So the question of remodeling or building new should be addressed in the near future.

Vortmann says the acquisition of court buildings in various counties will go on for the next three years, until all are under the stewardship of the Judicial Council. What then? Ah, therein lies the rub. As cities and counties throughout California do, the Judicial Council must rely on the state for its funding. And the current fiscal climate obviates anything as direct as a flat-out allocation of monies to upgrade the state's aging and decaying courthouses.

So, the Judicial Council turned to the state legislature for another kind of assistance in making this dream of consistency and security come true. At their behest, Democratic State Senator Martha Escutia (30th District, Montebello) authored a bill which would "submit a bond act to the voters and apply any proceeds from such bonds to the acquisition, maintenance, renovation, and building of state court facilities." At press time, SB 395 was scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary this week.

Judge Vortmann says his understanding is that the bond would be for six- to nine-billion-dollars to be spent over the next twelve to fifteen years. Tulare County's presiding judge also notes that the Judicial Council is prohibited from trying to influence the public when it comes to voting, this time in the next general election, if the legislature approves the bond measure and Governor Schwarzenegger signs it. The public, then, must care enough about health, safety, security and timeliness in the state's courts to elect to pay the freight of making it a reality. Otherwise, California's court system, like a number of other systems (infrastructure is one good example) will continue to decay.

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Visalia - A nursing program aimed at easing the lack of Registered Nurses could be up and running by early next year officials of San Joaquin Valley College say.

Mark Perry, co-owner of the private vocational college, said the college is working with the California Board of Nursing to establish curriculum and teaching standards and study programs. The courses would be offered at the main SJVC campus near Highway 198 and Plaza Drive. Plans call for up to 30 students. The program would be open to Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), Perry explained.

Discussions are under way with Kaweah Delta District Hospital to share teaching lab space with SJVC and other nursing programs including COS, which has an RN program.

Jean Haskell, Vice President of Human Resources for Kaweah Delta, said plans are being made to move KDDH's teaching lab to the currently vacant top floor of the new five-story Support Services building just west of the main hospital. The KDDH in-house training lab currently is housed at Main and West, the former Southern California Edison Building.

Haskell is thrilled to see a new nursing program being added in the area. Tulare County has one of the lowest RN-to-population ratios in the nation. According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, the county has 545 RNs per 100,000 population, well below the 798 national average. California ranks 49th in the nation.

Haskell said "Here we are in an area with the lowest RN ratios in the state with the second lowest total in the nation. Tulare and Kings counties are drastically in need of RNs."

KDDH has a 7 percent vacancy level. The statewide average vacancy rate is about 10 percent.

Perry said the decision to proceed with an RN program has been a long and difficult one. Earlier, he said the college was considering starting an RN program but due to the high cost decided not to.

Perry said plans are continuing on SJVC having an entry level to RN program.

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