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| June 19, 2009 - Public Safety Announcement |
No matter how you slice it, Californians will be less safe if the current budget that‘s being considered in Sacramento is adopted. The proposed budget includes some unprecedented provisions that will place our communities distinctly at risk. First, the budget proposes reductions in the Department of Corrections budget that will involve the wholesale accelerated release of at least 20,000 felons into our communities. Please understand that in California, felons reoffend 70% of the time over a three year period. In addition, most law enforcement studies have shown that by the time someone is arrested, they have committed approximately 13 crimes. Finally, in other states where felons have been released early, 20% of the crimes they committed were violent ones. Putting this all together for California, this means that 14,000 felons are likely to commit over 180,000 new crimes over a three year period – 36,000 of which will be violent crimes.
As a police chief, I can tell you that this is unacceptable; surely Sacramento policy makers can do better than this. Second, the proposed budget actually undercuts the very concept of “public” safety. It does this by requiring that local police departments pay a fee each time they use the state crime lab for forensic services. They have to pay this fee even though your taxes are already paying for the state crime labs. This effectively means that public safety is no longer public. While affluent communities may be able to have the state crime lab process rape kits for essential DNA information, poorer communities will be unable to do so. This state budget – for the first time in the state’s history – will mandate inferior investigative services for crime victims who live in poorer communities. This is not only terrible public safety policy, it is shameful and offensive.
Finally, the proposed budget completely destroys the 51 multi-jurisdictional methamphetamine task forces that have been our front-line defense against major methamphetamine producers. Meth operations have become increasingly sophisticated and violent and these task forces have been essential to local law enforcement. Moreover, the Mexican Drug Cartels are poised to move their operations into California. The destruction of these task forces amounts to unilateral disarmament of essential law enforcement resources. Right now, these three proposals are all poised to be adopted. Our city will be less safe if they are.
Released by Chief Steve Colerick, California City Police Department |
| June 17, 2009 - Fund Raiser For Animal Control Building Successful |
| I am pleased to announce that this past Saturday, citizens of California City came together at the Strata Center to raise money for their Animal Control building. With proceeds from donations, ticket sales, a quarter auction, and a silent auction over $1700 was raised. On behalf of the members of the California City Police Department and myself, thank you for your continued support of the Animal Control Unit and its staff. Chief Steve Colerick, California City Police Department |
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| June 12, 2009 - 3 Suspects Arrested In Home Invasion Robbery |
| The California City Police Department arrested 3 suspects overnight in connection with a home invasion robbery that occurred late Thursday evening. Police were called to a home in the 20000 block of Neuralia Road in California City at 11:00 PM. The victims told police that 4 black males with hooded sweatshirts and bandanas over their faces entered the home through an unlocked rear door. The suspects were armed with handguns and forced the victims, a mother with 3 small children, into a bathroom while they ransacked the victim’s home. The suspects fled on foot a short time later and the victim notified police. A California City Police K-9 team was patrolling the area, when police received the call. The K-9 Officer was able to track evidence to a home several blocks away. Officers located 3 of the 4 suspects along with property belonging to the victim. Police are still investigating the incident and the search for the fourth suspect is continuing. Press Release by Lt Eric Hurtado. |
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| June 6, 2009 - 20 Kern County Search and Rescue members with 12 California City Police/Fire personnel helped in locating missing 9 year old boy |
Members of the California City Police and Kern County Sheriff’s Department Search & Rescue teams successfully located a missing 9 year-old California City boy after he disappeared Friday afternoon. Shortly after 2:00pm, The California City Police Department responded to 8000 Block of Rea Ave after the mother of a 9 year-old child with autism reported him missing from their home. The mother was helping bath the child when she left the bathroom to retrieve a change of clothes for the child. The child walked out a rear sliding glass door to the residence and left the home without any clothing.
The mother spotted the child leaving through an opening in the backyard fence, but she was unable to stop the child before he disappeared in a field of high brush behind their residence. The mother called authorities and a search was started by the California City Police Department. Members of the Police Department were able to follow the child’s footprints to the large desert area where the dense brush made it difficult to spot the 4-foot high child. The Kern County Sheriff’s Department airship joined the search efforts. Members of the Kern County Search and Rescue Desert group, China Lake group, and two search dog teams assisted on the search.
The search dogs and members on foot were able to follow the childs' footprints through the desert along 20 miles of random trails north of California City. The child apparently started back toward his home as he was found about one mile from his home at 7:00 AM. He was transported to a local hospital for mild hypothermia due to the abnormally cold temperatures Friday night.
The California City Police Department wants to recognize the hard work and the efforts of the Kern County Search and Rescue teams that helped make this coordinated effort come to a successful conclusion. Press Release by Lt Eric Hurtado. |
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| May 26, 2009 - Guest Speakers At CCEDC Prove Successful |
The California City Economic Development Corporation held their breakfast meeting with two guest speakers. Karen Sanders, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments, gave a presentation of the Company and their financial services. Karen also invited the public to attend the Grand Opening hosted by the Chamber of Commerce at the new "Edward Jones" office : 9036 California City Blvd, Suite C, California City. Luanna Jones of "Kern County Aging" gave a detailed presentation of the organization and it's goals. Kern County Aging is also responsible for "Meals on Wheels" and other services provided to help California City senior citizens. Both speakers answered questions from the participants and made this breakfast meeting another success.
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| May 20, 2009 - California City Chamber of Commerce Thanks Community Volunteers |
The California City Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) would like to thank all who attended the Bi-annual city wide trash clean up. We had an AMAZING group of volunteers who came out to make a difference in our community. We had approximately 200 people out on Saturday. Of those 200 people 93 came from California City High School. We would also like to thank the Jooi Club from Hacienda, the LDS Church, the Screaming Eagles, the California City Republican Women, the 2009 California City Community Queens, and the family members who came in support of their children. We had two families from Edwards AFB come out and participate in an effort to support their group in the clean up.
The CCCC would also like to thank those businesses who donated water, raffle prizes, and money for this event. We could not do this without you. Volunteers make a difference in communities. California City is lucky to have such willing volunteers. The CCCC would like to invite all citizens to our next Bi-annual City Wide Trash Clean-up on October 3rd. Let's work together as a community to increase the number of volunteers we have working to make our community all it can be. Thank you again for all your hard work and commitment to our City and your Chamber of Commerce. |
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| May 18, 2009 - California City Police Explorers Participate In Competition |
This past weekend, the Police Explorers for the California City Police Department, participated in the Kern County Memorial Explorer Competition, held on May 15th17 th , in Tehachapi. There were over 20 Explorer Posts from all over California and Arizona, with approximately 200 Explorers participating in the events. The eight Explorers from California City who competed were: Jason Storey, Travis Para, Jenny Arevalo, Luis Zavala, Aaron Alexander, Brad Galipeault, Ryan Hanrahan, and Kevin Kientopf. The California City Post took home two trophies placing 3rd in Search (Travis Para & Kevin Kientopf) and 4th in Traffic Stops (Jason Storey & Luis Zavala). Picture attached of the Post members, with Chief Colerick, Advisors Detective Anthony Flores and Officer Justin Dunn.
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May 11, 2009 - Studio owners Invited to Speak at Burroughs High School
This is the second time Russell and Gail Michael have been invited to speak at Burroughs High School said Mr. Michael, we always enjoy going into high schools and colleges promoting our industry to young people and we tell them all the same, in this industry you can be anyone you want from studio owner to janitor. It is all up to you. The film industry needs cooks and caterers just as bad as they need actors. Someone has to feed, dress, write lines for, and cater to the actors. I always stress the fact that the film industry is in need of craft people and artist of all sorts. They need carpenters and plumbers and people who can scout out exotic locations and those that can create elaborate sets on them. There is something for everyone in the film Industry said Russell.
Mrs. Lori Durell of Burroughs High School likes to keep her class informed of the opportunities out there for her students in the film Industry said Russell. We have recruited film students for some of our schools here in Los Angles through these types of invitations in the past. It is exactly how we will recruit them for our own film school should we ever decide on a location said Mr. Michael.
The problem right now is not that we haven’t been offered locations for the film school. It is just making a decision on which one. We really thought originally we wanted an off site campus that nothing should interfere with the growth of the film studio. We are starting to rethink that after visiting the Universal City Studio School that is on the north side of the studio adjacent to their back lots that they have opened in Universal City in Los Angeles with the support of New York Film School. It seems to be the Ideal thing to do now and we may copy their formula.
If we want to recruit students we need to make a decision fast. The window of opportunity doesn’t open very wide. It’s my belief that a film school here in East Kern County would be an Ideal match for the area. Any success it brings will spur on development of other types of schools for our area as well said Russell. For Information on this story please contact: Nute Kelly at news@asnbc.com or at 866-966-3456.
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