Month: February 2011

Group Files Suit Challenging CEQA Exemption to County Water Agreements

Group Files Suit Challenging CEQA Exemption to County Water Agreements

By David M. GreenwaldFebruary 2, 20114 comments
Sacramento-River-stockA newly-formed Environmental Group, CARES (“Citizens Alliance for Regional Environmental Sustainability”), has filed a writ in Yolo Superior Court that requests the court direct The Yolo County Board of Supervisors to vacate and rescind approval of the Notice of Exemption and the Agreement by which the Board of Supervisors determined on December 17, with regards to Conaway Ranch, that those agreements are exempt from CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act).

The petition alleges that the Board of Supervisor’s approval “based upon a Notice of Exemption, violates the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (‘CEQA’), Public Resources Code, section 21000 et seq.”

Report Finds Troubling History of Forensic Pathologist Used For Hundreds of Yolo County Autopsies

Report Finds Troubling History of Forensic Pathologist Used For Hundreds of Yolo County Autopsies

By David M. GreenwaldFebruary 2, 201113 comments
forensic-pathology-1A report issued on Monday from a project called California Watch, from the Center for Investigative Reporting calls into question some autopsies that may have been performed for Yolo County by forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Gill, whose qualifications have been called into question by the project’s investigative report.

According to their report, Dr. Thomas Gill had “been forced out of a teaching position at an Oregon university, and then fired for inaccurate findings and alcohol abuse by the coroner in Indianapolis.”  Moreover, he had been “demoted for poor performance as a fellow for the Los Angeles County Coroner, [and] he resurfaced at a private autopsy company in Northern California.”

Governor Brown Delivers State of the State But Prospects for His Plan Remain Uncertain At Best

Governor Brown Delivers State of the State But Prospects for His Plan Remain Uncertain At Best

By David M. GreenwaldFebruary 1, 201144 comments
Brown-presserGovernor Jerry Brown delivered the first State of the State Address of his new tenure as California’s Governor, and he called on both Democrats and Republicans to do things that they do not want to do.

“This is not a time for politics as usual,” he said in a line that is usually reserved more for rhetoric than substance.  However, this time it is different.

City Plans to Sell DACHA Units But Keep Them Affordable Units

City Plans to Sell DACHA Units But Keep Them Affordable Units

By David M. GreenwaldFebruary 1, 201124 comments
housingWhile the saga may not be ending just yet, the city’s involvement in DACHA may be if council goes through with a recommendation from city staff to sell the twenty former DACHA units as appreciation-capped affordable ownership housing units, using a standard lottery process.

According to city staff, “Actions related to the twenty affordable units, formerly held by DACHA, are necessary to maintain these housing units in the city’s inventory of affordable housing.”

Court of Appeals Allows Age Discrimination Suit to Go Forward Against UC Davis

Court of Appeals Allows Age Discrimination Suit to Go Forward Against UC Davis

By David M. GreenwaldFebruary 1, 20112 comments
Yolo-Count-Court-Room-600Friday marked the third time in two weeks that the Third District Court of Appeal (3rd DCA) has overturned the ruling of a Yolo County judge.  This time it was in a civil matter brought forward by Arthur Silen, a contract analyst, who sued the university after being passed over for a promotion that went to a much younger, much less educated and vastly less experienced candidate.

Yolo County Superior Court had granted the UC Regents’ summary judgment motion, finding that Mr. Silen had not established that the promotional decision was motivated by discriminatory animus.