July 2010 - Page 2 of 5 - Davis Vanguard

Descubrimiento de la última hora resultó en un retraso del caso de Jesús Solís

By David GreenwaldJuly 23, 20100 comments

Un jurado ya había completado un día de respondiendo a un cuestionario antes de un caso de asesinato que se fijó para el miércoles que involucra Jesús Solís. Sin embargo, un desarrollo importante ha retrasado el proceso de homicidio a los finales de septiembre porque nueva evidencia de huellas digitales que coincidan con las de Sr. Solis fueron descubiertos en una SUV involucrada en el caso.

Los fiscales afirman que sus expertos dicen que las huellas digitales solamente podrían ser quedado por el conductor del vehículo. Si es correcto, significa que el Sr. Solís fue el conductor y da credibilidad a las reclamaciones de los fiscales que él hizo los disparos que mataron a la víctima en este caso. Sin embargo, el caso es complicado y los otros sospechosos han huido a México.

After 15 Years, Noise Issues Finally Resolved For Neighbors of Montessori School

By David GreenwaldJuly 23, 20103 comments

Day_Care_Center-600

On July 15, Mark Wood, the city of Davis’ Chief Building Official, sent out a memo in which he announced that mitigation measures had been completed and that the neighbors consider the matter resolved to their satisfaction.

“I am pleased to report that the neighbors consider that these measures have resolved the issues to their satisfaction and if the day care maintains these measures, their current operation schedule and policies, the matter is closed,” Mr. Wood wrote.

Why Judges Should Not Play the Role of Doctors

By David GreenwaldJuly 23, 201012 comments

Earlier this week, Yolo Judicial Watch monitored a hearing in Judge Timothy Fall’s court. The case involved a man accused of molesting his girlfriend’s daughter. The girl, 11, was allegedly molested for two years from the time she was 8 until she was 10.

The defense wanted to introduce evidence to the jury that the defendant in this case was suffering from a tick-borne ailment, similar to Lyme’s disease, which caused an infection and pressure on his brain. In addition, an MRI revealed a cyst in the frontal portion of his brain.

Late Discovery of Key Evidence Causes Delay in Murder Case

By David GreenwaldJuly 23, 20109 comments

A jury had already completed a day’s worth of answering of a questionnaire in advance of a murder case that was set to begin on Wednesday involving Jesus Solis. However, a significant development has pushed the murder trial back to September as late evidence emerged involving latent finger prints on the SUV involved in the case that match Mr. Solis.

Prosecutors claim their experts say those fingerprints could have only have been left by the driver of the vehicle. If accurate, that would put Mr. Solis in the driver’s seat and lend credence to prosecution’s claims that he fired the shots that killed the victim in this case. However, the case is tricky to begin with and the other suspects have fled to Mexico.

Nice Gesture by Judge Fall

By David GreenwaldJuly 22, 20102 comments

by Yolo Judicial Watch Intern Wednesday 21 July, approx. 9:45am. Department 2. In a warm gesture, Judge…

Court Rant by Defendant

By David GreenwaldJuly 22, 20101 comments

by Yolo Judicial Watch Intern There was an unusual occurrence in court Tuesday morning. Madkins is an…

Good News: Davis Manor Has a Grocery Store After Eight Years

By David GreenwaldJuly 22, 20106 comments

If we have to struggle these days to find good news, the good news nevertheless is there. This year key voids for Grocery Stores have been filled first at Westlake Shopping Center and now at East Davis Manor. For good measure, Trader Joe’s is going into the University Mall which has been without a grocery store of any kind for a number of years as well.

According to reports in the Davis Enterprise, the Grocery Outlet store is expected to open sometime in the early part of 2011. Following a similar model to the one that Westlake IGA has employed, they have filed plans with the city to operate a 12,000 square foot store, occupying the eastern half of the old site which was Ralphs and later Albertsons. The other portion of course is occupied by the Dollar Tree.

Retiree Health Care, Number One Priority?

By David GreenwaldJuly 22, 20107 comments

Good op-ed this week by Rich Rifkin in the Davis Enterprise. He argues that “the city has one overwhelming problem: our unfunded retiree health benefits. In a list of what should be the council’s top 10 priorities, solving this fiasco is No. 1. It’s also Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5.”

Allow me to quibble and say that is one among three, I would put compensation/ pension issues along with it, along with lack of funds for basic city services such as road repair.

Does DA’s Press Release Show Ornelas Prosecution About Gang Injunction?

By David GreenwaldJuly 22, 201012 comments

On Tuesday, the Vanguard covered the long and at times complex case of Rudy Ornelas, who was prosecuted and eventually convicted for attempted murder. In watching the trial, it seems questionable that he was actually the shooter in the case and more likely that his co-defendant, Claudio Magobet, was actually the guy who pulled the trigger.

Mr. Magobet had the motive, he had the dispute with Abel Trevino over the girl, he had the explosive temper, he was the one who went on the run after the incident while Mr. Ornales went home to his wife, and the list goes on.

Letter from California Judges Association Opposes Elimination of Extra Judicial Benefits

By David GreenwaldJuly 21, 201010 comments

The California Judges Association has entered a fray between some members of the County Board of Supervisors and Judge David Rosenberg regarding supplemental fees paid by the county to Yolo County Judges, despite the fact that they are state employees rather than county employees.

In a July 14 letter from Michael P. Vicencia, President of the California Judges Association, he wrote, “The California Judges Association wishes to express its concern regarding a June 30,2010 letter sent by your staff to the Judges of the Yolo Superior Court and to the Administrative Office of the Courts, regarding the County’s intention to terminate the payment of county-funded judicial benefits.”

Disability Pride Parade on July 31 at Central Park

By David GreenwaldJuly 21, 20100 comments

A disability pride celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 31, in Central Park. It will begin with a parade around the park, starting and ending at the Rotary Stage, followed by speakers and performers at 9:30 a.m.

Organizers say they hope to strengthen the pride, power and unity of people with disabilities, our families and allies and challenge the way many people think about and define disability.

DA Attempts to Blow Domestic Dispute into Burglary Charge; Jury Disagrees

By David GreenwaldJuly 21, 201030 comments

A Yolo County Jury has acquitted a young man charged with burglarizing the Davis home of his former girlfriend, in a case that was highly questionable as to whether it should have been criminally charged in the first place. The DA’s office charged him with grand theft and first degree burglary, with an enhancement because the girl’s roommate was in the house at the time of the burglary. Mr. Estep faced five years in prison if he were convicted.

Daniel Estep thought he was in a long term relationship with his girlfriend Chelsea Stewart. They had met over the winter of 2007 in Oroville when Ms. Stewart was home for the holidays from a UC Davis study abroad program in Sweden.

Commentary: When Enough is Too Much

By David GreenwaldJuly 20, 20107 comments

For those of you who assume that at some point cooler heads will prevail and that we will eventually get a handle on the city’s fiscal crisis, look no further than the city of Bell as to why that might not happen.

The city of Bell for those who do not know, and I had to look it up myself is located in the Central portion of urban Los Angeles County. A small town in the midst of metropolis it had a population in 2000 of just 36,664. Bell is not an affluent community, in fact it is one of the poorest in Los Angeles County.

Convicted Shooter Could Be Facing Life in Prison: Did Prosecutors Get the Right Guy, Though?

By David GreenwaldJuly 20, 201010 comments

Friday afternoon, Woodland, California, a jury returns after deliberating for nearly two days. They file in quietly, most of them looking down.The last juror as she entered noticed a large contingent of people in the courtroom and muttered some exclamatory statement under her breath. She obviously believed that the people were for this trial. Little did she realize that there were two murder trials that had hearings in the same court room.

That body language should have been a signal, but when the judge announced that the jury was hopelessly deadlocked on what should have been the most difficult charge, it seemed everything was going according to form. Then the clerk read the jury’s verdict, and when the first charge came back guilty there was stunned silence. The family of the convicted silently wept.

Un tirador condenado podría recibir una cadena perpetua, pero ¿es el hombre correcto?

By David GreenwaldJuly 20, 20100 comments

Viernes, Woodland, California, un jurado devuelve después de deliberar durante casi dos días. Ellos entran en voz baja, la mayoría de ellos mirando hacia abajo. El ultimo miembro del jurado notó una gran contingente de personas en la sala y murmuró alguna afirmación exclamativa en voz baja. Ella, obviamente, creía que la gente estaba allí por este juicio, pero no se dio cuenta de que hubieron dos procesos de asesinato que habían audiencias en el mismo tribunal.

Ese lenguaje corporal debería haber sido una señal, pero cuando el juez del jurado anunció que el jurado estaba trabado irremediablemente en lo que debería haber sido el cargo más difícil, parecía que todo iba de acuerdo a la forma. Entonces el secretario de la corte leyó el veredicto del jurado, y cuando la primera carga volvió culpables se hizo el silencio atónito. La familia del condenado lloraba en silencio.

City Plans Pedestrian Improvements to Second Street but Ignores Second and B Intersection

By David GreenwaldJuly 19, 20102 comments

The city has been planning Second Street Pedestrian Improvements for sometime now. The big question is why the city has not decided to deal with the more troublesome B and Second Street Intersection which would appear to be dangerous for pedestrians and hazardous for vehicles who are trying to make a left onto Second Street or turn in either direction onto B Street.

According to the city’s description of the process, “Four intersections of C, D, E and F will be improved with “build-outs” to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance, improve accessibility and provide traffic calming. Each corner will include new trees, plants and LED energy efficient light fixtures. Two designated bus stops will be improved and on street parking spaces will be re-striped to increase parking space. Storm drainage will be extended to improve gutter flow drainage at the “bulb-outs”.”

Yolo County Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Two Bad Checks

By David GreenwaldJuly 19, 201018 comments

A Yolo County man, down on his luck, was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison for writing two bad checks to Nugget Market in 2007. He had been facing 30 years to life as part of a three strikes, but that was reduced in final sentencing given the nature of his crimes.

On June 16, 2007 and again three days later, James Davis, a 46-year-old wrote two checks to Nugget Market that were returned for insufficient funds. Mr. Davis says in his declaration that he was down on his luck and trying to buy food and necessities for his family.

Water Agency Close to Getting Water Rights; Doubling Davis’ Water Rates

By David GreenwaldJuly 18, 201020 comments

We have been talking about the water project for as long as this site has been in existence. Last year, the city of Davis and Woodland formed a joint powers authority to form the Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency.

On Thursday, they hired Eric Mische as the agency’s general manager and announced that they are on the brink of getting water rights.

Governor Signs Bill That Will Protect UC Whistleblowers

By David GreenwaldJuly 18, 20101 comments

On Friday Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he has signed a bill that will protect UC faculty and workers who report illegal or improper actions from retaliation in the workplace.

SB 650 authored by Senator Leland Yee provides UC employees with the same legal protections as other state employees, including those at California State University and California’s community colleges. The new law will ensure that UC employees can exercise their right to seek damages in court on a retaliation complaint that was not responded to fairly by the university.

Judge Denies Governor’s Minimum Wage Order

By David GreenwaldJuly 17, 201017 comments

On Friday a Sacramento County Superior Court Judge denied Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s request to pay state employees minimum wage. Judge instead is asking for a full hearing in August, which means that state workers will get at least two more months of full pay checks.

On July 2, the 3rd District Court of Appeals upheld a nearly year-and-a-half old ruling that would allow the Governor to order state workers’ pay reduced to minimum wage until a new budget can be signed into law. However, Controller John Chiang refused to pay it, and argued that he had legal room to maneuver.

Month: July 2010