Bank Robbery Rise Concerns Police

By Rick Elkins

Visalia - It was a fairly routine day at West America Bank on West Main Street in Visalia until a man with red hair and a dark colored jacket approached a teller at about 2:45 p.m. and gave her a note saying he was robbing the bank.

The West America holdup about two weeks ago was the sixth in Visalia in the past year - the fifth since September.

"Five in a year - that's a little more than usual," said Sgt. Steve Phillips, spokesman for the Visalia Police Department.

Phillips said the robberies - probably the most brazen crime that can occur - could be a sign of the tough economic times, but he is not sure. In two of the cases a local man was arrested and charged. The others remain unsolved and police are not saying if any other suspects are local men or not.

Phillips did say none of the robberies were committed by the same person and it appears all are separate of each other. In only one of the last five incidents did the suspect actually show a gun, Phillips said.

Gerry Beckers, president of Visalia Community Bank, which was hit last year, said that robber placed his gun on the counter.

"We have a staff meeting every year and go through the whole training," with the intention to comply with the robber and ensure no one is hurt, Beckers said.

Employees are told: "Keep yourself safe and let then have what they want," Beckers said. "And, be a good witness."

That is exactly the advice given by Phillips. "It's not worth taking a risk - risking your life. Best thing is being a good witness."

Another key witness is the video equipment in every bank - equipment that is much better today than years ago. The images VPD have put out have been fairly clear and Beckers agreed the video is much better. Every bank is required to have an operating video surveillance system.

However, unlike the popular TV shows, if the video is not clear, they cannot simply send it to some crime lab that will miraculously make it clearer, said Phillips.

In addition to the North Dinuba Boulevard branch of Visalia Community Bank, other banks hit in 2009 were Bank of America (twice), Bank of the West on Mooney, Suncrest Bank on Center Street and West America, which is just a couple of blocks from the main Visalia police station.

"We had like 23 cars there in minutes," said Phillips, but by then the suspect was long gone and they had no description of how he got away.

In each instance, police responded to the alarm. "When we approach we do so they don't notice us," said Phillips, explaining they want to avoid a hostage situation.

"Most are gone. Most are in the bank only a couple of minutes," he added.

He said in most bank robberies, no one but the teller is aware of what is happening.

Phillips said it puzzles him as to why people want to rob banks. "The amount of money you get compared to the risk is kind of crazy," he said. For most first offenses, the suspects are tried in state courts, but for more than one it becomes a federal crime and for a first offense, "you're looking at 20 years. And if it's a federal crime, you're going to do the 20 years."

After each robbery, the FBI is notified. If the suspect is a local person, Phillips said Visalia police will likely make the arrest. If it is a person who is working a region, then the FBI is more likely to handle the case.

Other than the economy, Phillips cannot explain the increase. He said some are probably done by people working along Highway 99, although the department has not received specific warnings of a rash of bank robberies along the Valley highway.
"Why all of sudden did these five different guys decide to rob banks?" Phillips asked.

In the most recent holdup at West America, the suspect was described as 5-foot-7, in his 40s, 160 pounds and wearing a light color shirt. In the Suncrest Bank holdup, the suspect was described as a Hispanic male, about 30 years old, 5-foot tall and weighing 160 pounds. In the Bank of the West holdup in October, the suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 20 years old, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds.

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ABC Nightline Newscast
Blasts Dairy Industry
Got Milk? Got Hosed?

Getting hosed is exactly what the dairy industry is feeling after the ABC News Nightline aired a segment showing dairy cows being mistreated and abused.

In the “Disturbing Reality of Dairy Land” segment last week, the late-night news show indicated that what was found on a dairy in up-state New York is common practice elsewhere, including California where dairy cows have been made famous by the Got Milk and Happy Cows campaigns of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB).

No California dairies were shown and no California dairymen were interviewed. But the segment, nevertheless, began with California Happy Cows ad footage.

A portion of the five-minute broadcast was shown on the ABC Nightly news as well, but the network did not show the tail docking of a dairy cow that was one of the main components of its late night broadcast.

The feature by investigative journalist Brian Ross focused on “where your milk comes from.” It used mostly undercover video shot by members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

“We were really disappointed and disturbed by the misrepresentation of the dairy industry,” said Jennifer Giambroni, director of Communications for the CMAB. She admitted the show displayed “unethical tactics” of one producer, but said in no way is that indicative of the industry as a whole.

“To portray unethical and illegal acts as a standard practice of an entire industry is harmful to the reputation of the dairy industry, harmful to consumers,” Giambroni said.

Michael Marsh, CEO of Western United Dairymen in Modesto, said the industry's worst fears were realized by the report. Dairy Management Inc. and other members of the dairy industry tried to serve as resources to ABC News in the hopes of encouraging a more factual report, but Marsh said that apparently did not work.

Prominent in the broadcast were PETA, Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty, Mercy for Animals and the Humane Society of the United States.

Prior to Tuesday night's broadcast, dairy industry officials took an ABC News producer and a camera crew to a farm in Pennsylvania so they could understand what happens on a dairy farm — and why, reported the National Milk Producers Federation.

Only about four seconds of that trip ended up on the broadcast, according to Chris Galen, vice president of communications for the Federation. The rest was taken at the New York dairy farm where an animal-rights organization had shot some undercover video. Galen told the AgriTalk radio network on Wednesday that the broadcast was biased toward the animal-rights point-of-view.

“Clearly, what they wanted to do was capitalize on the undercover video that was taken at a couple of different farms around the county,” including the one in New York state, Galen said.

“It just shows, again, that we have to put our best face forward,” he said. In an age where cell phone and other miniature recording devices are cheap and ubiquitous, he adds, “we can't afford any slip-ups and we can't excuse any behaviors that could be caught, as they were in this particular case, on camera that are going to make the industry look bad.”

Giambroni was especially unhappy with the tail docking portion of the report that includes State Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter) who sponsored legislation signed into law last year outlawing the practice in California.

However, Giambroni said few California dairymen dock the tails of their cows. “Less than 6 percent of the state's dairies did tail docking before the law was signed. The report made it sound as if it was common practice.”

Marsh said the report hurts the dairy industry that he said does so much to ensure their cows are comfortable and healthy.

“We have done so much here in California to advance animal issues,” he said.”We continue to take care of the animals that take care of us.”

Both Marsh and Giambroni said they did not expect to get a fair shake from the newscast, with Giambroni saying the show expressed opinions from “anti-agriculture people.”

She added that people can get the other side of the story on the CMAB's web site, where they are featuring dairy families and their dairies. “We're encouraging our producers to share their stories and encouraging consumers to keep their minds open.” That web site is realcaliforniamilk.com.

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All in Place for 2010 World Ag Expo

Tulare - The world's largest farm equipment and technology show opens its doors in Tulare on Tuesday and with it comes the hopes of a better year ahead.

World Ag Expo is the barometer that many turn to in trying to determine what the year ahead will be like. Indications are, based on exhibitors signed up, it will be a good year.

“It's even better than we had hoped,” said Jerry Sinift, manager of the show which will run Feb. 9-11. He said that the number of exhibitor space rented will be down less than 4 percent from a year ago – a good sign in light of the poor economy the past 12 months. And, last year was nearly a record year in term of exhibitors.

“I'm extremely pleased. We might even be able to claim we're a sold out show,” he added.

World Ag Expo draws more than 100,000 over three days to see, touch, smell, drive or sample some of the latest innovations, equipment and technology in the ag world.

From nearly million-dollar harvesters, to software smaller than a fingernail, WAE displays it all. For 43 years the show has been drawing the world to Tulare, and 2010 will be no different.

“Our international registration is way up,” said Sinift. People from India, Nigeria, Mexico and even Pakistan are registered.

And, he added, hotels are booked, including many in Fresno where the hotels there have taken advantage of what Sinift called high room prices in Tulare. The Fresno hotels are offering charter buses to bring people to WAE.

“High prices in Tulare is still an issue,” said Sinift, who warned last year that what he considers price gouging is hurting the show.

Fears that the large equipment expo, similar to World Ag Expo but in Florida, might take away from the Tulare event did not materialize. Sinift said that show had only 7,700 people register. He said ticket sales for the Tulare show have been on pace with past years.

One thing that will make it easier for people to attend this year's show is the ticket kiosks are gone, and so is the demographics questionnaire unless a person wants to register once inside the showgrounds. This year attendees can simply purchase a ticket at the gate and enter. They will have the option to register for the badge once inside the grounds.

Sinift said while the information gathered at the kiosks was “invaluable” to exhibitors, it made the ticket process too cumbersome and time consuming.

Also, the cost to get into the show, as well as exhibit space costs, did not increase this year, only the second time in show history that exhibitor prices were not increased.

The show will again features numerous seminars – from cow care to cooking – great food from local charitable organizations, entertainment and more.

Food Booths Gear Up

United Way of Tulare County is one of more than 35 non-profits that will be offering up anything from inguica sandwiches to waffles to the tens of thousands of attendees at this year's WAE.

“This is our second biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Jessica Weaver, special projects coordinator with United Way of the booth it has had at the show every year for many years. She estimated the food booth generally grosses about $25,000.

United Way will offer tri-tip breakfast burritos, sandwiches, “world famous chili beans made from scratch” and this year fried bologna sandwiches. Its booth is located at J and South Greenbelt.

Like all of the non-profits, the booths are manned by volunteers and many rely on donations to stock the food shelves.

“Keeping our expenses down is key,” she said, adding that businesses like Ruiz Foods, Holiday Inn and, AmeriPride Uniform Services donate supplies to help lower their start-up costs.

And, last year they had more than 700 hours donated by volunteers who cook and prepare the food beginning at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and not leaving the grounds until about 6 p.m. each day.

Money raised by the United Way supports 22 non-profit organizations throughout the county, said Weaver.

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Police Given More Tools to
Combat Gangs

Visalia - Universally saying that public safety is No. 1 with them, the Visalia City Council Monday gave Visalia Police more tools to combat the gang problem in the city.

Following an update on what the department has been doing to combat gangs and a status report on gangs, the council agreed to fill five officer vacancies, approved a loan of $242,000 from the general fund to the Measure T fund to hire two additional sworn officers, and approved leasing space for the department's Special Enforcement Bureau, which is the gang and narcotics units.

“We've made a lot of progress,” Chief Colleen Mestas said, but added the extra personnel are needed to keep up the progress. She also said the office space is needed because there is no space at police headquarters or at either of the two substations. The SEB is made up of 15 personnel.

Lt. Jason Salazar said while there was a spike in gang killings at the first of this year, overall in the past year gang killings and assaults declined in the city. He said in the past month the department has been cracking down on gang activities, seizing 15 handguns in the process.

“We feel every gun we get off the street may prevent a violent crime,” he told the council. Salazar heads up the department's SEB.

Included in that stepped up effort was a gang sweep last weekend in which 16 arrests were made, 26 field interviews with suspected gang members were conducted and two were served with the gang injunction.

That sweep was part of the county's Gang Task Force where different agencies can utilize each other's resources. “It gives us some good resources to hammer the gangs,” said Salazar.

However, it is not just one sweep that cuts into the problem. He said officers have been working gang areas very hard since the two killings. During January, a total of 76 arrests were made.

“This heightened awareness has resulted in gang suppression and lessoned the violence we saw earlier this year,” added the lieutenant. In the report to the council it was noted that the number of validated gang members in the city has risen from 972 in 2007 to 1,184 this year. Police noted that is largely due to increased intelligence gathering.

In 2009, there were just three gang-related homicides – down 62 percent from the year before. Gang-related assaults were down 47 percent and drive-by shootings dropped by 57 percent. Police noted that overall gang-related crimes were down 59 percent from 2008. And, there was a 25 percent decrease in juvenile arrests last year.

Down the road, Mestas said she would like to add undercover investigators to the SEB and also a city gang prevention/intervention coordinator. That position would not be a sworn officer, but a person who could coordinate all the different agencies and groups that provide intervention to keep youths out of gangs.

Following the presentation, Mayor Bob Link gave Chief Mestas, who has officially been the city's chief for less than three months, a big compliment. “Chief, you stepped into shoes that were pretty good size already and you've already outgrown them.”

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Landowners Express Opposition to
Santa Fe Trail

Visalia - Tulare County officials, including Supervisors Pete Vander Poel and Phil Cox, got an earful from landowners along the path the county wants to create a Santa Fe Trail linking Tulare's with Visalia's.

At a workshop intended to get ideas from residents as to how the trail should be constructed, property owners loudly protested moving forward with any aspect of the trail – most vowing to never sell their land to the county.

The Tulare County Association of Governments, which manages Measure R funds – the county sales tax for roads, transit and trails – is proposing linking Tulare and Visalia with a 5.5 mile long trail similar to what Tulare constructed through its city and to what Visalia is planning to construct through its city. Both Tulare's and Visalia's trail will run along the Santa Fe railroad right-of-way – in most areas abandoned expect for a portion through and south of Visalia.

However, to take that trail from Tulare to Visalia, the county will have to acquire the right-of-way and those landowners at last Thursday's meeting strongly said they do not want the trail.

“We don't want to sell. It would cost us $10,000 a year,” said Pam Machado, who along with her husband, Ron, own about eight-tenths of a mile along the proposed route from Prosperity Avenue in Tulare north along the Tulare Irrigation District ditch.

Her husband said Thursday night's meeting was the fifth he has attended about the plan and at each one he has told county officials he would not sell his property for the trail. He said he first learned about the route when surveyors were surveying his property.

“I'm fuming. This is a waste of taxpayers' dollars,” he said. He is the third generation of his family to farm at that site and fears the trail would impact his farming operations.

Vander Poel tried to calm the crowd by saying that no decision had been made regarding the trail, that the meeting was only to get input from those interested.

“I am here not for or against it. I'm here as part of the process,” he said. When asked if he would favor eminent domain – taking of the land through the courts – Vander Poel said he would be hesitant to use such a process for a trail.

Doug Cardoza, who has property adjacent to the trail, said his concern is for his neighbors and the access that people will have to his and their property.

Frank Alves, another opponent, said he was not “anti-progress” but the trail would have a negative impact on the farmers. He owns about a quarter-mile of the proposed route and he does not want to sell.

Many of those who spoke are concerned that once the trail is in place, they will be restricted in their farming practices, especially the use of chemicals and cultivation.

Mike Sherrord with RRM Design, the consultant hired by the county on the project, got caught in the crossfire after he outlined the plans for the trail that would first run along the TID ditch, then along the old Santa Fe rail alignment and finally adjacent to the old rail that is still used – be it only once or twice a month.

From Prosperity Avenue in Tulare to Oakdale Avenue, the trail will be a Rail to Trail Project and from that point to Avenue 272 – where Visalia's project will end – it will be a Rail and Trail project. It will be an off road, paved trail for bicycles and pedestrians and from Prosperity to Oakdale will include an equestrian trail.

Sherrord said they may place a small park with some parking at Oakdale where horse riders will be able to load or unload their horses.

“The reason we wanted you to come here tonight is to help us make this better,” Sherrord said before being bombarded with questions from landowners.

“You're putting the horse before the cart,” charged Greg Shelton, who does not own property along the proposed route but who said he had a similar experience in Porterville where his land was basically taken from him.

“People are being blindsided. This is what they did to me in Porterville. They already had a plan before they had the property,” he charged.

Not everyone at the meeting was opposed to the trail.

Vicki Stasch, who served on the Measure R Committee, said she supports the trail and that she would support a chain link fence to protect the private property along the route. She said the trail is needed to improve the quality of life and to attract businesses to the region.

“And, 20 years from now that potentially could be a light rail corridor,” to connect Visalia and Tulare, she added.

Ted Smalley, executive director of TCAG, said the county will proceed with the project and the next step is to have an environmental study done. He said statements that no property owners are willing to sell is not completely accurate, but he did not state which property owners are willing to sell. He did say no final decisions have been made.

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SECOND FRONT PAGE

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What's New

Visalia firefighters have avoided more furloughs. The city had tried the furloughs as a cost-savings measure, but that left the department understaff at critical times and those furloughs were suspended in mid December. Fire Association representative Allen Wilkinson said those who had furlough days remaining agreed to make financial contributions through payroll deductions through June 30. “The efforts of labor and management working together found solutions to minimize the negative effects of furloughs on public safety emergency response,” said Visalia Fire Chief Mark Nelson. Through furloughs in all City departments, the City has saved $380,000 this year

Collectors and restorers of old vehicles were told by county officials last week that the county is looking at rewriting its ordinance that regulates the storing of old vehicles on private property, but that it will take time for the new ordinance to be finalized. In the meantime, the collectors were told the county would back off enforcement as long as there were no hazardous situations.

Police eyes on you. All new Visalia Police vehicles are now coming with in-car video cameras. VPD spokesman Sgt. Steve Phillips said the department now has four patrol cars with tiny cameras, with all new cars to come equipped with the video equipment.

Kaweah Delta Health Care District plans to go to bid next month on its 40-bed Alzheimer/Dementia residential care facility – Laurel Court Memory Care Center. The hospital hopes to begin construction in June on the project at its West Campus at Cypress and Akers.

The state Department of Water Resources estimated in a draft report that it will be able to send State Water Project customers only 60 percent of contracted water amounts in average water years. The water project serves a portion of the water demand for about 25 million Californians from Napa Valley to San Diego. The state snowpack on Thursday stood at 117 percent of average for the date, thanks to large storms over the past two weeks.

Visalia Council members unanimously endorsed an effort to block the state from robbing cities of funds. The League of California Cities is hoping to qualify for the November ballot a measure that will make it illegal for the state to take local funding.

The Obama Administration announced last week that it was designating $2.25 billion in stimulus funds for the California High Speed Rail project. That funding will add to the $9.95 billion bond measure approved by California voters last year. Officials say the funding, although less than what was sought, will help speed up development of the train that is to carry passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than three hours.