PI Connect

BREAKING: Initiative filed to move health center to Keystone

2009-09-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Here's our story on the initiative.

A group of Patterson citizens have submitted an initiative that would amend the city's zoning laws to allow the Del Puerto Health Center to move to the Keystone Pacific Business Park.

The group — which includes former Patterson mayoral candidates Kathy Wright and Luis Molina, as well as the heads of the business park and health care district — submitted the initiative to City Hall this morning. According to the group's press release, the city manager now has 15 days to provide a title and summary of the initiative at which time the proponents can begin collecting signatures.

According to the release, if and when the group obtains signatures from at least 10 percent of the registered voters in Patterson, the City Council will have the option of either approving the initiative outright or sending it to ballot.

The group cites a phone survey conducted in July in which 72 percent of 300 voters polled said the zoning law should be amended "to allow for additional commercial, industrial and health care uses."

STORY TO COME

Three vie for planning commission seat

2009-08-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Assuming the agenda for tomorrow night's City Council meeting is up-to-date, three men have thrown their name into the mix to fill the vacancy on the Patterson Planning Commission left by the departed Duvahn Ferreira.

The council will vote on Ferreira's replacement. Here are the three candidates whose applications are included in the meeting agenda (which can be found here):

• Matthew Heath, a retired business owner who has been active in the community for years. According to his application, Heath has been involved in the Northmead School Site Council, Lions Club and Knights of Columbus. Heath writes in his application that his main area of interest in Patterson's city government is "the continued financial success of our great city and participating and contributing in making Patterson a great place to live and raise our families."

• Bryan Bingham, director of the Patterson Cemetery District. Bingham claims no specific knowledge he'd bring on planning but states that he is a lifelong resident and has been a scoutmaster in Boy Scout Troop 81 in Patterson and is a past president of the local Lions Club.

• Birdie Rodriguez, who works with Sierra Pacific and has had the most experience in city government of the three applicants. Rodriguez recently served on the General Plan Advisory Committee and has served on the city's Parks and Recreation Commission. He was also the varsity boys basketball coach at Patterson High back when I was the Irrigator's sports editor. I can't speak to his planning credentials, but I can tell you he's always good for a quote.

Pilot unharmed in crop duster crash

2009-08-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Update: Here is the early story on the crash, along with a four-photo slideshow and a map showing the location of the crash. And, by the way, here is Jonathan Partridge's story and Elias Funez's photos from a crop duster crash involving the same company last year (incidentally, a much longer, better story for a much more dramatic crash).

A Valley Crop Dusters plane crashed into a wastewater treatment pond around 10:30 a.m. today. The pilot, who declined to comment or to give his name, escaped unharmed.

The plane lost power for an unknown reason almost immediately after taking off, according to Sgt. Robert Banks of the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. It crashed into the Westley Community Sewer Pond and overturned, forcing the pilot to swim a few feet to safety.

The Valley Crop Dusters office, at 8513 Kern St., is about half a mile northeast of the pond the plane crashed into. Sheriff's department spokeswoman Gina Leguria said when deputies arrived, the pilot had already returned to the company's office.

Banks said the pilot had to be "decontaminated" because he crashed into and waded out of sewer water. He said the Stanislaus County Department of Environmental Resources was being called to the scene because of the possibility of chemicals getting into the wastewater. An employee at Valley Crop Dusters, who declined to give his name, said the plane was carrying fertilizer.

That's the story for now. I'll post updates here if I'm able to track down more information.

County reports second swine flu death

2009-08-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

Below is a press release on the second swine flu-related death in Stanislaus County, a 37-year-old man. Here is our story on the first.

The county likely won't release any info on this man's identity aside from what's in the news release. If anyone has any information on the man, please contact me at james@pattersonirrigator.com or call 892-6187.

--------------------------------------------

Second Death from H1N1 Flu in Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County – Stanislaus County health officials announce that a 37-year-old male has died on August 10 from complications of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, while hospitalized. His death is the second in Stanislaus County involving a person with the H1N1 virus. “We would like to convey our deepest sympathy to the family of this patient," stated Dr. John Walker, County Health Officer. “We are grieved by this second death, and his death reminds us that the H1N1 virus is widespread and among us. Although this should not be cause for alarm, everyone should remain vigilant in helping to prevent the spread of H1N1.”

The vast majority of cases have mild or moderate illness, and most patients fully recover. “However,” Dr. Walker adds, “the tragic California H1N1 deaths this spring and summer reveal that we are still in the early stages of a global influenza pandemic, and we need to continue precautions to protect ourselves, our families, our co-workers, and our community.”

Effective July 16, the California Department of Public Health changed the reporting requirements for individual case reporting for H1N1 influenza by local health jurisdictions (Local Health Departments).

New reporting requirements will track only hospitalized and fatal cases. Non-hospitalized case reporting is no longer needed at this stage of the pandemic. As of August 5 this year, there have been a total of 892 hospitalized cases and 92 deaths in California. In Stanislaus County, there have been 35 hospitalized cases.

There is currently no vaccine available to protect against the novel H1N1 virus. Vaccine is in production and should be available by late fall-early winter. It is important that county residents take the following precautions to help prevent the spread of the virus.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbows, sleeves, or with a tissue. Dispose of the tissue after each use. Coughing into hands can spread germs to others.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, even after washing your hands.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Stay home and away from others if you are sick.

The symptoms of H1N1 Influenza in humans are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 influenza.

If a person has these symptoms, here are some simple steps to follow:

• It is not necessary to be tested for the virus in most cases.
• Contact your healthcare provider by phone, especially if you are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema.
• Ask your healthcare provider about medications that may help relieve the symptoms of the flu.
• Stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after you are free of fever (100° F or 37.8°C), or signs of a fever without use of fever–reducing medications.
• Get plenty of rest and drink clear liquids.
• Avoid close contact with others.

For more information about the H1N1 virus, please visit the following websites:

• Stanislaus County website at www.stanemergency.com
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov
• The California Department of Public Health at www.cdph.ca.gov

School board candidate deadline extended

2009-08-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

The deadline to apply for candidacy in the race for three seats on the Patterson Joint Unified School District has been extended to Wednesday — and if no more candidates step forward, there will be no race at all.

Incumbents Michelle Bays and Ruben Pina have taken out papers to run again this year. Fellow incumbent Susan Scheuber has not, and I hear she likely will not run this year. Local business owner Grace McCord will run, but as of Friday, there were no other candidates. If that holds, McCord would get Scheuber's spot uncontested — and we'll have a lot less to talk about come October and November.

The original deadline of 5 p.m. Friday was extended to Wednesday, so we'll see if anyone else steps up. Don't expect to see anything on this in Thursday's paper, because the deadline for candidates to apply comes after our deadline for the paper. We'll likely have a story next Thursday detailing the situation.

People interested in becoming candidates can visit the Stanislaus County Elections Office at 1021 I St., Room 101, in Modesto, or call 525-5200 (525-5230 for Spanish).

In other news, former mayoral candidate Luis Molina will be uncontested in his bid to remain the District 5 representative on the Stanislaus County Board of Education. Also, the three open seats on the Patterson Irrigation District board will each be filled by incumbents. The filing deadline for those races have closed and were not extended.

School board meets tonight

2009-08-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Patterson Joint Unified School District board will meet tonight (7 p.m., District Office, 510 Keystone Blvd.) in what promises to be a calmer, quieter, less controversial gathering than last month's meeting.

Among the notable items on the agenda is a report from Mark Wheeler, the district's manager of facilities and construction, on the progress that has been made on projects being paid for by Measure V, which was passed by voters in November. According to Wheeler's report, progress is being made on the district's top three priorities — as decided by the board before the election.

Modernization of the agricultural science/auto mechanics building at Patterson High School is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Completion of Walnut Grove School is moving along — permanent classrooms and the kitchen to be finished for the start of school this week and construction on a permanent student support services building and one additional classroom to begin in September — though no work is scheduled for the library building as of yet. And the district's $12 million debt is being paid off as scheduled.

Also on the agenda is a report on the 2009-10 budget from Assistant Superintendent Steve Menge. The report states that while the district is still waiting to hear final numbers on how the new state budget will affect its allocations, Menge believes many of the proposed cuts have already been factored in by the district and therefore the impact to the district might not be too severe. The district has made several significant cuts already, having laid off teachers and classified staff and closed Rising Sun School, among other cuts.

Health center decision could come tonight

2009-07-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Del Puerto Health Care District's board of directors meets tonight (7 p.m., 875 E St.) and will possibly decide on the course of action it will take in the ongoing saga of its health center. For those who haven't been paying attention, here's a recap:

The district announced plans late last year to move the Del Puerto Health Center from its current location at 1108 Ward Ave. to a much larger building in the Keystone Pacific Business Park. Its current landlord, John Ramos, appealed the Patterson Planning Commission's approval of the move, stating that zoning laws in the business park did not allow for that type of medical use. In February, the commission again sided with the district. In May, the City Council heard Ramos' appeal and sided against the district, denying the move.

Now, the district's board must decide what it will do next. At its last meeting, June 2, the board came out of its closed session discussion only to announce no decision had been made. District CEO Margo Arnold said this afternoon the board needs to make a decision. The directors could decide to apply for an amendment to the city's zoning law in an attempt to move forward with the Keystone site. Or they could decide to move on and look for another site. The district's lease at the current site runs out next year, so time would appear to be a factor in the board's decision.

I'll post again tonight if anything noteworthy comes out of the meeting.

Industrial supplier plans massive distribution center at Keystone

2009-07-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Grainger Industrial Supply announced today its plans to build an 800,000-square-foot distribution center in the Keystone Pacific Business Park in western Patterson. The building, slated to open in mid-2011, would be roughly the size of the CVS (formerly Longs) distribution center and would provide 150 to 200 warehouse and logistics jobs, according to a company news release.

Grainger has more than 600 branches and 18 distribution centers around the world. Far as I can tell, the closest branch is in Ceres. I'm hoping to talk with a representative from the company today. May or may not get a story on this into Thursday's paper, but we'll have something at least by next week.

Below is the full text of the news release:

----------------------------------------------

Grainger Announces Expansion in California’s Central Valley

Company to build new 800,000 square-foot distribution center in Patterson

Santa Ana, Calif. (July 28, 2009) – Grainger, a distributor of facilities maintenance supplies, today announced plans to build a new distribution center in Patterson, Calif. The company recently purchased a 45-acre property in Patterson’s KeyStone West Business Park and plans to break ground on the development in September.

“Grainger is excited to become part of the Patterson business community,” said Brian Williams, Regional Director of Distribution at Grainger. “We’ve been in California for 75 years and building a new distribution center in the Central Valley will allow us to deliver more products next-day to our customers on the West Coast.”

The 800,000 square-foot distribution center is scheduled to open mid-2011 and is projected to house more than 350,000 industrial supply products, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, hand and power tools, and electrical and safety supplies. The company anticipates the new facility will employ 150-200 warehouse and logistics employees when complete.

Grainger currently operates nearly 50 locations in California and employs 1,000 people throughout the state. Founded in 1927, Grainger has a long history of being an active member in the communities where its employees live and work.

For more information about the new facility, media should contact JP Clark, Regional Communications Manager at (949) 300-4943 or jp.clark@grainger.com

About Grainger
Illinois-based W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW), with 2008 sales of $6.9 billion, is the leading broad line supplier of facilities maintenance products serving businesses and institutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, India, China and Panama. Through a highly integrated network including more than 600 branches, 18 distribution centers and multiple Web sites, Grainger's employees help customers get the job done.

Let's try this again, shall we?

2009-07-26T14:29:00.001-07:00

Ok, so that first little experiment with blogging was a little spotty. Now that we've pretty well established ourselves on Twitter and Facebook, I think it's time to give this another shot.

Unfortunately, I'll be going it alone this time, as reporter John Saiz has left us for a new life in the Bay Area. I have at least temporarily taken over John's city beat. We are going to be bringing in a new reporter, but that's likely a month or so away.

In the meantime, I'm hoping to again use this blog as a means by which to offer news updates and analysis to supplement our normal coverage. I'd like to start posting updates after City Council meetings, for example, whether that means the night of the meeting or the morning after. With stories not appearing in print until more than a week after the meetings, this seems like a good way to get information out.

As for last Tuesday's council meeting, I'll have a story up on the Web site on Monday. The biggest story to come out of the meeting was Tori Hughes being named Patterson's new police chief. A story on that will be up later in the week.

Marathon meeting fails to yield decision

2009-04-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

Forgive me if I don't quite have the energy for a long, thorough post on this, but there seemed to be enough public interest that an update was in order.

Tuesday night's Patterson City Council meeting — one of the longest in recent memory, by some accounts — included more than THREE HOURS of legal arguments, public comment and discussion about the Del Puerto Health Care Center's proposed move to the Keystone Pacific Business Park and the appeal of that move by the health care district's current landlord, John Ramos. The meeting in its entirety lasted more than five hours and stretched past midnight (I'm assuming ... I left at about 11:45 p.m. with other agenda items still to come).

There were a lot of very technical legal interpretations of zoning ordinances, CEQA law and the developer agreement between Keystone and the city. There were a lot of impassioned pleas from patients, providers and health care district board members about the need for a bigger, better facility. The arguments on both sides were convincing.

As midnight approached, council members were still discussing whether they had a solid, impartial enough interpretation of the zoning laws and whether Ramos' motives — a matter of some debate — should be part of the discussion.

In the end, the council decided to solicit the opinion of a fifth lawyer — after hearing from attorneys for Ramos, the district and Keystone, as well as City Attorney George Logan — voting to seek out a land-use attorney while promising to come forth with a decision at the next council meeting.

It appeared as though the decision became more complicated as each argument was heard, and it doesn't appear likely this is going to be truly settled anytime soon. If the council votes for one side, the other could sue. If the council votes to amend the developer agreement and require CEQA approval, it could add precious months to the project for a district whose current lease expires in less than a year.

John Saiz will have a story on this in Saturday's Irrigator and probably on the Web site sometime this week. Stay tuned.

Man dies in I-5 crash

2009-03-23T19:44:00.001-07:00

A fatal accident snarled southbound traffic on Interstate 5 around 4:30 p.m. today. I'll have a more complete story on the Web site Tuesday, along with photos, but here's what I know for now:

A car with three people was traveling northbound on I-5 just north of Sperry Avenue when it veered onto the right shoulder. The driver apparently over-corrected and lost control, peeling across the grassy divide at about 70 mph. The car struck a southbound car head-on.

The man in the second car, who was traveling alone, was pronounced dead on the scene. The three people in the first care all suffered moderate to major injuries, and at least one was taken by helicopter to a hospital (not sure which one at the moment).

By the time I left the scene, around 5:15 p.m., southbound traffic was backed up to about a mile from the Westley exit, but it appeared to at least be moving.

I don't have any info yet on the man who died. I'm hoping to get that from the coroner in the morning (they won't release any info until the family has been notified).

Expect photos and at least a brief story on the Web site tomorrow.

This is the second fatal accident on I-5 near Sperry in less than two weeks. A Stockton woman died while traveling the same direction, just on the other side of the exit.

Property tax scam targeting locals?

2009-02-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Our intrepid news reporter, John Saiz, is already working on this story for Wednesday's paper, but I thought it might be good to mention it now.

There appears to be a scam going around, targeting homeowners desperate to save money in any way possible. Homeowners in Patterson and apparently all over California are receiving a letter from a Los Angeles company stating that it can save them hundreds of dollars in property taxes by reassessing the person's home (presumably for a lower value than its previous assessment) for a reasonable price of $179, or something like that.

Problem is, assessing home values is the job of the county assessor, who does this sort of thing on a regular basis — for free.

So needless to say, nobody should be paying anyone anything, no matter how official their mailings appear — and I've seen this one; it looks legit — to reassess their home and lower their property taxes.

Here's a press release we received Thursday from the county assessor:

County Assessor Warns Area Taxpayers

Assistant Assessor, Steve Yauch, today issued a warning to Stanislaus County residents about a misleading offer targeting local homeowners. The County was recently notified of the offer by a concerned taxpayer, who received the notification from the Los Angeles-based company offering to file a “Request for Review” form with the County Assessor for a $179.00 fee. Property assessment and assessment reviews are free services offered by the County Assessor and property owners should never pay for a service to file a request for review.

“I want to remind property owners that our office regularly reviews property tax assessments, free of charge, to carry out our obligations under California Law. Last year, our office reviewed approximately 60,000 properties and lowered over 40,000 assessments,” commented Mr. Yauch. “The Assessor is required by law to review the properties that were reassessed at a lower value, as of January 1, 2009. This year, our office will review most single family residences and condos as of January 1, 2009.”

Property owners who receive assessment related mail should check the validity of the sender and contact the County Assessor’s Office if you have questions or concerns related to your assessment.

Owners of properties with resulting reduced assessments will receive a letter by the end of June notifying them of the results. Owners who disagree with the results or did not receive a reduction for their 2009 assessment may call our office at (209) 525-6461 and/or file an application for reduced assessment with Clerk of the Board (209) 525-6414 between July 2^nd and November 30^th, 2009.

Willett: City doing OK despite drought

2009-02-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

As farmers plan for one of their most challenging seasons in recent memory — the product of an ongoing drought and pumping restrictions at the San Joaquin Delta — residents in the city of Patterson seem to have less to worry about.

Patterson's public works director, Mike Willett, said last week that the city — which pulls all of its water from the ground using a series of wells — is in pretty good shape because it's not yet pulling more water than is typically replenished each year.

"We haven’t seen an impact on our supply at this point," Willett said. "The groundwater levels are trending little bit downward, but to this point, it hasn't been significant. There's a lot of water down there."

That doesn't mean residents should start flooding their lawns or keeping the water running while they brush their teeth, however. The great unknown for the city is not how much groundwater is available now, but how much will be used this year by farmers short on surface water.

With allocations from the Delta potentially being cut off this year, farmers might have no choice but to pump groundwater using their own wells to protect permanent crops. How much that might affect the groundwater supply is a complete unknown at this point, and it's one of the only possibilities that could force the city to crack down on its residents' water use.

Still, Willett thinks the city will be OK because the wells used by farmers are typically shallower than the city's wells.

"Most of the city's wells are deeper," he said. "We did that intentionally, so we're not in competition with other folks."

Willett said that with the city’s ninth well set to be completed by June 1 and with the City Council taking steps to ensure the city’s future water supply, Patterson should be in good shape for some time to come.

"We’re doing pretty well," Willett said. "I'd hate to say things are in bad shape, but I'd hate to say everything's fine. It's a fine balance between letting people know that we're OK for this year and still encouraging them to conserve."

**********************************************

Meanwhile, city officials and farmers alike will be praying for rain, and they might get some soon. According to AccuWeather, rain is in the local forecast throughout the rest of this week, and there could be more next week.

But it'll take a number of significant storms to bring local rainfall anywhere near normal.

After the city's most recent storm, which brought more than an inch of rain, the total for the season — which runs from July 1 to June 30 — was still at only 2.77 inches, or about half of the normal total for this point in the season.

The numbers are even scarier if you compare them to last season. In January 2008, a major storm brought the season total to 8.68 inches. But an incredibly dry spring brought less than 2 inches the rest of the season, and the total of 10.62 inches still fell short of the 10.68 average.

If this spring is anything like last spring, this season's rainfall won't sniff 5 inches, let alone 10.

More bad news for farmers

2009-01-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

It just keeps getting worse for farmers all over the state.

The state Department of Water Resources today released the results of its second snow survey of the season, which show snow water content at just 61 percent of normal. It's a sharp decline from the last survey, taken in late December, which indicated snow water content at 76 percent of normal.

"We may be at the start of the worst California drought in modern history," DWR Director Lester Snow said in a statement. "It's imperative for Californians to conserve water immediately at home and in their businesses."

The continuing dry conditions (last weekend's local rain notwithstanding) are combining with regulatory restrictions on pumping from the Delta to create a perfect storm for local farmers.

We'll probably have a story on this in the Irrigator next week. In the meantime, here's the full text of the DWR press release on the snow survey:

DWR Announces Snow Survey Results

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) second snow survey of the winter season indicates snow water content is 61 percent of normal for the date, statewide.

“The low precipitation in January and snowpack results from today’s survey indicate California is heading for a third dry year,” said DWR Director Lester Snow. “We may be at the start of the worst California drought in modern history. It’s imperative for Californians to conserve water immediately at home and in their businesses.”

Manual survey results were taken at four locations near Lake Tahoe, and combined with electronic readings, indicate a statewide snowpack water content of 61 percent (49 percent in the Northern Sierra, 63 percent in the Central Sierra, and 68 percent in the Southern Sierra.) Last year at this time, snowpack was 111 percent of normal, but the driest spring on record followed resulting in a second consecutive dry water year. Daily electronic readings may be accessed at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snowsurvey_sno/DLYSWEQ

Local water agencies are updating Urban Water Management Plans, and DWR is facilitating what water transfers may be available through its Drought Water Bank program. Many providers have already enacted mandatory or voluntary water rationing and it is likely more agencies will require some form of rationing if dry conditions persist.

Storage in California’s major reservoirs is low. Lake Oroville, the principal storage reservoir for the State Water Project (SWP), is at 28 percent of capacity, and 43 percent of average storage for this time of year. With only two months left in what is normally the wettest part of the season, it is growing increasingly unlikely that enough precipitation will fall to end the drought.

Continuing dry conditions and regulatory agency restrictions on Delta water exports are limiting water deliveries to farms and urban areas. A Biological Opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect salmon and steelhead is expected in March and is the latest action that may further reduce pumping capability. DWR’s early estimate is that it will only be able to deliver 15 percent of requested State Water Project water this year to the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast and Southern California.

Gov. Schwarzenegger has outlined steps to safeguard the state’s water supply through a comprehensive plan that includes water conservation, more surface and groundwater storage, new investments in the state’s aging water infrastructure, and improved water conveyance to protect the environment and provide a reliable water supply. Today’s drought and regulatory restrictions underscore the need to take action to safeguard tomorrow’s water supply.

Here are results from today’s manual survey at Phillips Station and other sites near Lake Tahoe:

Location

Elevation

Snow Depth

Water Content

% of Long Term Average

Alpha

7,600 feet

40 inches

13 inches

62

Phillips Station

6,800 feet

34.6 inches

13.1 inches

68

Lyons Creek

6,700 feet

45.4 inches

15.5 inches

79

Tamarack Flat

6,500 feet

37.4 inches

13.2 inches

69

Importance of Snow Surveying

Snow water content is important in determining the coming year's water supply. The measurements help hydrologists prepare water supply forecasts as well as provide others, such as hydroelectric power companies and the recreation industry, with needed data.

Monitoring is coordinated by the Department of Water Resources as part of the multi-agency California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program. Surveyors from more than 50 agencies and utilities visit hundreds of snow measurement courses in California’s mountains to gauge the amount of water in the snowpack. The following websites offer an overview of important snow survey information.

Snowpack Site

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snowsurvey_sno/DLYSWEQ

Reservoir Storage Site

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reservoirs/RES

Snow Survey Illustrated

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/hwy50/

Wal-Mart files papers with Patterson

2009-01-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart recently submitted an application to the Patterson Community Development Department indicating they intend to bring a store to the city.

Big box rumors have been running rampant for years now, but this is the first official action any massive retailer has taken to locate in Patterson.

Details — like where the proposed store would go — are a little scarce right now, but at 4 p.m. I'll get a chance to review the application and the plans that were submitted with them. Expect details galore on the Web site tomorrow.

City attorney: No decision on West Park appeal

2009-01-16T10:47:00.000-08:00

George Logan, Patterson's city attorney, said the City Council made no decision during last night's closed session about whether to appeal a Fresno Superior Court judge's decision to throw out the city's lawsuit against West Park. And they might not decide anytime soon.

Logan said the city has 60 days to appeal after the judgment is entered — a formality that still has not been completed. He said it's likely the council will meet again in closed session, possibly in a month or so, before deciding anything.

As for the city's chances in an appeal, Logan was optimistic. He said the famed Save Tara case, used as precedent by both sides in the West Park case, was decided by the state Supreme Court because it failed in a trial court. That gives Logan some hope.

"Trial judges are just not as particular at enforcing environmental laws as appellate judges are," Logan said. "You get a better sense of justice in the appellate courts."

The council must also weigh the cost of moving forward with the case. In the revised budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year — which the council will review at its regular meeting Tuesday — the amount alotted for legal services nearly doubled from $140,000 to $275,000, the largest increase of any item in the budget.

"I think we'd have a very good chance on appeal, but the council will have to make that decision," Logan said.

UPDATE: Reporter John Saiz just spoke with Councilwoman Annette Smith, who wouldn't speak much on last night's discussion but did confirm that cost will be a factor in the council's decision on the case. She said the council has requested information on how much the suit has cost the city thus far, and that report could be available as early as next week.

Council to weigh options in West Park case

2009-01-13T14:02:00.000-08:00

The City Council will hold a special meeting in closed session at 6 p.m . Thursday to discuss the recent dismissal of the city's lawsuit against West Park. They could decide to appeal the ruling, or they could decide to cut their losses. Stay tuned.

If the city does not appeal the case, the next bit of drama for West Park would likely come this summer, when the draft environmental impact report is released for public consumption. I'm sure the council — along with the WS-PACE.org guys and many others — is eager to see what sort of mitigating measures developer Gerry Kamilos has in mind to handle the numerous concerns local residents have.

City's suit against West Park dismissed

2009-01-09T10:56:00.001-08:00

The city of Patterson's lawsuit against Stanislaus County and West Park has been dismissed before making it to trial, Patterson city attorney George Logan confirmed Friday morning.

I'm not sure how big of a victory this is for the county and developer Gerry Kamilos — because I don't get the feeling they ever thought they might lose, and they seemed confident all along that the suit was without merit — but it's a pretty big loss for the city in its attempts to stop this project completely. A court has now ruled that the county so far has done nothing wrong in its dealings with Kamilos. The next major hurdle for the project will be the environmental review that is currently ongoing.

Two questions are plaguing me at the moment, and I don't yet have an answer for either:

1) How much money did the city spend on this case, and was it at all worth it? Could any result have made it worth it? That might be an unfair question.

2) What, now, will become of WS-PACE.org's lawsuit against the county and developer — a lawsuit that, by my very cursory perusal, appeared quite similar to the city's?

Hopefully I'll have some answers to these questions soon. I'll post here when I do.

In the meantime, Saturday's paper needs to be put to bed. By the way, don't expect to see anything about this in Saturday's issue (we're past that deadline already). But definitely keep an eye out on the Web site and in Wednesday's paper.

12:05 p.m. Update: Becky Campo says the City Council will likely have a special closed session meeting early next week to determine their next action, if there is any. They could appeal the ruling, or they could set their focus on the upcoming environmental review, or they could do some combination of the two, I imagine. Campo doesn't consider this a huge loss, because even though the city didn't accomplish everything it hoped, it at least made its concerns heard loud and clear. Gerry Kamilos declined to comment for now, saying he wants to wait until he's read the full ruling before saying anything about it (possibly later today). Fair enough. WS-PACE.org President Ron Swift said his group's lawsuit is "sufficiently different" from the city's, but the group will meet with its attorney before deciding whether to go forward with its case. He did say they had been waiting to see what would happen with the city's case, and it appears as though the Stanislaus County court was waiting as well, as no hearings had been scheduled since the lawsuit was filed in September. More to come, but perhaps not today.

The latest on West Park

2008-12-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

Some things have happened since the last time we reported on the City of Patterson's lawsuit against the West Park development, but we're basically back where we started — i.e., waiting for a decision on the county's motion to dismiss the suit.

Last week, a Fresno County Superior Court judge denied a motion from the city to dismiss the current motion — if you're scoring at home, that's a denial of the motion to dismiss the motion to dismiss the case. So on Tuesday, we should get a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case. That's the ruling that was initially scheduled to be made on Oct. 16.

It looks like we're headed for a trial on Jan. 29, assuming the case doesn't get dismissed. It seems unlikely that the judge would throw out the case, given the recent state Supreme Court ruling in a similar case, but we won't know for sure on that until Tuesday. Stay tuned.

Election update from Lee Lundrigan

2008-11-11T12:36:00.001-08:00

Below is a press release sent out Monday by Lee Lundrigan, Stanislaus County clerk and registrar of voters. It certainly appears there are enough ballots out there to change the course of the Del Puerto Health Care District race multiple times. A full update will appear in Wednesday's Irrigator.

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Stanislaus County Elections Update

The canvass of the Presidential General Eelction vote continues. Results from Friday's count of the 28,000 plus absentee / vote by mail ballots received on or just before Election Day have been posted on the www.stanvote.com website. Scanning of the names of Election Day voters located on the polling place rosters has been completed. The hand review of all ballots cast at the polls to identify qualified write-in candidates for U.S. President and for the 19th Congressional District is underway. Reconciliation of each of the 183 polling site rosters and materials is being processed and is expected to take several days.

Over 8,450 provisional ballots and 1,900 military, damaged, 7-day absentee, and reconcillation ballots remain to be reviewed and processed before they are ultimately counted. The office will be closed Tues. November 11th in observance of the Veterans Day holiday. The remainder of the canvass will continue until complete. California law requires certification of this election to be on or before December 2nd, which is 28-days following Election Day.

Lee Lundrigan, Clerk Recorder & Registrar of Voters

More votes counted; Maring now leads Kessler

2008-11-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

The Stanislaus County Clerk Recorder released the results of some 28,000 vote by mail ballots Friday night — results that were not included in the totals listed on Election Night. Patterson's results for mayor and City Council are unchanged, as is the outcome for Measure V. I believe some provisional ballots still need to be counted, but those will surely not overturn these three results.

Measure S inched just slightly closer to the 66.7 percent it needs to pass, but remained agonizingly short at 65.96 percent.

The real interesting race remains the one for the second and final Del Puerto Health Care District board seat. Challenger Anne Stokman easily won the first open seat. And after trailing for most of the night on Tuesday, incumbent Jeannette Kessler overtook fellow incumbent Ed Maring by 11 votes when the final precincts were counted.

Now, after the final vote by mail ballots have been tabulated, Maring's back on top — at least momentarily.

As of Friday night, Maring leads Kessler 2,391 to 2,378, meaning he gained 24 votes with the counting of the vote by mail ballots. Provisional ballots likely won't change much, but in a race this close, anything can happen. Stay tuned.

For full Stanislaus County election results, click here.

Some news on a Monday morning

2008-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

A couple of news items worth noting on this Monday morning. Some of you may have seen an article in the Bee this morning about two Patterson men who were shot in Modesto late Saturday night. Our reporter, John Saiz, has tracked down the victims' names.

Stephen Grant, 24, and Maurice Schroder, 22, were the victims of the shooting. Both are African-American. No word yet on their condition, but we're hoping to have that soon. Grant apparently suffered the more significant injuries of the two.

Also, I just got off the phone with George Logan, Patterson's city attorney. There were two motions that were supposed to be heard Thursday at the Fresno Superior Court regarding the city's lawsuit against West Park, but Logan says both were continued to Nov. 6.

One of the motions, brought by Union Pacific Railroad, claims that because Union Pacific has not been involved in any negotiations with Stanislaus County regarding the short-haul rail needed for the West Park project, it should not be included in the lawsuit. Logan says the county is on record with the California Transportation Commission saying that it is, in fact, in negotiations with Union Pacific. Then again, the CTC is still waiting for an agreement between the county and the railroad company. That could mean there really aren't any negotiations going on or they're just really not going well.

The other motion — the biggie — is the one brought by PCCP West Park and Stanislaus County that is seeking to have the case dismissed. That one had already been continued prior to Thursday, but Judge Tyler Tharpe decided to push both of them back and handle them both in one hearing on Nov. 6.

SOLD! Diablo Grande deal finally done

2008-10-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

It only took seven months in bankruptcy court and five days past the expected sale date, but the Diablo Grande deal is finally done. World International LLC has acquired the property, according to a press release from Laurus Corporation. Here's a brief article I just wrote for the Web (it won't appear in Wednesday's Irrigator because the announcement came after our deadline). I'll have much more in Saturday's paper.

In case you're curious (and judging by the number of e-mails I've received over the past two days, many of you are), I've pasted below the full, unedited text of the press release put out by Laurus, a real estate development company that served as World's negotiator throughout the purchase of Diablo Grande.

So, Diablo residents, how do you feel about all this? Are you optimistic that some of this stuff might really get done this time, or will you treat these all like empty promises until they actually come true?

PRESS RELEASE
Laurus Corporation Negotiates Acquisition of Diablo Grande to World International

Los Angeles, CA – October 7, 2008 – Laurus Corporation (“Laurus”) is pleased to announce that it has successfully negotiated the acquisition of the master planned development known as Diablo Grande to World International, LLC (“World”).

Located in California’s growing Central Valley, Diablo Grande is a residential and resort golf community of approximately 30,000 acres. The historic ranch's location is 80 miles east of San Francisco and 25 miles west of Modesto, and is approximately one and one-half times the size of Manhattan.

The current development plan encompasses the entire acreage with Phase I development already well underway with 2,100 lots, subdivisions, and basic infrastructure which includes access roads, water treatment plant and other basic services (sewage, electricity, etc.) as well as two tournament-caliber golf courses designed by Denis Griffiths and Jack Nicklaus/Gene Sarazen. Nearly 1,000 lots have already sold with several hundred residences already built. "I am pleased that World International, LLC is purchasing the property," said Donald Panoz, Diablo Grande's founder. "I know that the Principals will move forward to make the development a success and will follow through on our vision that started 20 years ago - to make this the best development in California."

World International LLC was formed as an investment vehicle to acquire and develop the property. The partners behind World have over 60 years of real estate development experience through a variety of entities and corporations, and their portfolio of holdings includes resorts, office buildings, shopping centers, and residential developments.

New ownership’s plan is to rename the development - giving the property a fresh start, seeking inspiration from the surrounding beauty and its Californian heritage. The vision for the continued development is a resort-style life where casual elegance, with a focus on wellness, is emphasized. A place where nature and open space artfully combine to create the ultimate in luxury living.

Anchored by a 5-star, amenity driven resort, spa and convention center, the low-density community will have Spanish-colonial villas, townhouses, and single family residences gently placed in large lots within a tranquil secluded atmosphere, equestrian center, bike trails and its own vineyard. A new country club will be added to enhance the golf course, and an additional Residence Club membership will be offered by the resort to enable homeowners to benefit from the countless outdoor activities available. A specialty Spanish-style low-rise shopping village with a grocery store, dining alternatives, banking services, café and office suites will serve the community.

World International, in a joint effort with Laurus Corporation, will be developing the property as soon as a master plan is complete and the various development phases revised. The developers hope to reach out to the existing community, City and County to work in tandem, taking in their comments and ideas. Additionally, the Company plans to actively explore joint ventures and strategic alliances with recognized home developers and other parties that fit the strategic plan for the property in order to successfully achieve the goals laid out for the new Diablo Grande.

Laurus Corporation is a boutique style domestic and international real estate development company that specializes in full service luxury hotels and resorts, master plan communities, mixed-use properties and multifamily. The Company coordinates activities, converting ideas from paper into real property. It creates, manages and orchestrates key partnerships while assembling the process of development from beginning to end.

No Diablo Grande sale yet

2008-10-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'm still pretty sure there's nothing to worry about, but Diablo Grande's sale still hasn't closed and probably won't until Monday.

The secretary for Dwain Sanders, Diablo Grande's vice president of development, said this morning she was still doing paperwork for the sale and that it would happen late this afternoon at the earliest. Craig Stewart, Diablo Grande's real estate agent for the sale, indicated it would likely be Monday. I'll have a full story in Saturday's paper, though if news breaks in the next hour that the sale closed, that would not be reflected in Saturday's story.

Let the waiting continue ...

Diablo Grande sale might not close today

2008-10-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

Oct. 2 has been the date circled on the calendars of most Diablo Grande residents and followers for the last three weeks or so as the day Diablo Grande's sale to World International was expected to close.

The closing of the sale was put off in part because World International needed time to complete a study of the water situation (the results of which did not cause the buyer to back out). But it could only be put off for so long, because the bankrupt golf resort and housing development only had enough money to continue operating through that date — and, of course, the money Diablo Grande is now operating with now came via what are called debtor-in-possession loans. Hopefully a little of that money is still in the bank.

Because here we are, just past midday on the day we've all been waiting for, and so far, there's no sale. And while there might not be a sale today, it really, truly sounds like there's nothing to worry about. The last major hurdle facing this sale was cleared Wednesday at a hearing in Modesto, and at this point, I'm told, all that's left is the paperwork.

Craig Stewart, a real estate agent with Marcus & Millichap's San Diego office, is handling the Diablo Grande sale. I spoke with him about an hour ago, and he said his understanding is that the sale will close Friday. He said all that's left is to cross some t's, dot some i's — and, of course, get some money from World International.

"We have (a non-refundable $500,000 deposit), but the buyer could always decide to forfeit that money and walk away," Stewart said. "Until the money is deposited in the escrow account, it's not a done deal."

More to come (but maybe not till tomorrow).

Diablo Grande clears final(?) hurdle

2008-10-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

By all accounts, Diablo Grande today cleared the final hurdle in its sale to World International LLC. At a hearing at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Modesto, Judge Robert S. Bardwil offered no opposition (nor did any of the parties involved) to a motion brought by Diablo Grande to amend the purchase agreement to include the transfer to the Western Hills Water District rights and equipment for groundwater pumping from a piece of land south of Patterson that is being excluded from the sale. For a more detailed description of the changes to the agreement, read my article from today's paper.

With that settled, it appears everything is on track for the sale to close Thursday. The ever-elusive Dwain Sanders, Diablo Grande's vice president of development, said as much following today's hearing. Sanders declined to comment on the sale itself, saying the buyer had requested he not speak to the media until the sale closes, but he did say a press release should be distributed once the sale closes. Hopefully I'll be able to get a comment from him them.

It remains to be seen what World International plans to do with Diablo Grande, but its history suggests it will continue with some version of the original plans for a resort hotel. The few residents I've spoken to about this seem to be optimistic. I am curious how other residents view this sale. Is this cause for celebration? Or are you in wait-and-see mode? Feel free to leave comments below.

Don't quote me on this, but ...

2008-09-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to say that Diablo Grande's sale to World International is going to close as scheduled on Thursday. Just not gonna go there. You can't make me.

As I've said before on this blog, I've given up trying to predict what's going to happen in this case. But I will say this: Right now, at this moment, I don't know of any reason why it won't.

That doesn't mean it will. I just means what I said: I don't have any information to the contrary yet.

I do know, for sure, that World International did not back out of the deal by Friday's deadline. That means the company didn't find anything in its engineering study on Diablo Grande's water to scare it away, which at least says something for its fortitude. World International had until Friday to back out if it found something it didn't like, and it didn't.

There is, though, a hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning that appears, to me, to be a formality — but I've been wrong on these things before. At the hearing, the bankruptcy judge will decide whether to allow language to be added to the purchase agreement specifying that the rights to groundwater in the Marshall-Davis parcel (as well as a water pump and well there) should be transferred to the Western Hills Water District. This apparently was written into the initial purchase agreement, but it was mistakenly removed when it was decided the Marshall-Davis parcel would not be included in the sale.

This will all be explained better in Wednesday's article. I'm not sure it's a big enough deal to be worth explaining twice, so I won't go into any more detail here. But I'm planning on covering the hearing Wednesday, so hopefully I'll have a clearer idea of what this all means at that time.

Busy day — Lance Armstrong; WS-PACE legal action

2008-09-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

A couple of pretty big news stories came out today. The first, already on our site, is that cycling legend Lance Armstrong will be competing in the Amgen Tour of California when it rolls through Patterson for the second consecutive year in Februrary.

We figure Armstrong, who is coming out of retirement after having won seven Tour de France races and beaten cancer, has to be one of the biggest stars to ever come to Patterson (even if he won't actually stop while in town). Our general manager, Carol Scoles, reminds me Patterson was once visited by then-governor Ronald Regan and then-presidential candidate Richard Nixon way back when — really? can you imagine Barack Obama stopping by one of these days? me neither — but I'd argue that in terms of a person's global celebrity at the time of their visit, this might top those. I'm sure there are others we're forgetting, and I'm sure someone will remind us.

Why do I suspect this might wind up in Fast Talk next week?

Which leads me to our next big story of the day. West Park opposition group WS-PACE.org has filed a legal challenge (not technically a lawsuit yet, if I understand correctly) against the project, the county and Union Pacific Railroad. If it sounds a lot like the city's lawsuit against West Park, which the Del Puerto Health Care and West Stanislaus Fire Protection districts later joined, well, they are very similar. But I don't think the WS-PACE.org folks mind. Even if the cases are similar, each represents one more hurdle Gerry Kamilos must leap over in order to get this project off the ground. And that's fine by them.

I asked Kamilos today if he was concerned about the possibility of West Park becoming another Diablo Grande — a massive project (only more massive) bogged down in years of litigation that ultimately stunted its growth and made its success nearly impossible. He's not, of course, just like he wasn't concerned about Lehman Brothers going under last week. And even if he was, he certainly wouldn't tell a lowly newspaper type like me.

You can read more of what Kamilos — as well as WS-PACE.org president Ron Swift — had to say in my article for Saturday's paper, which should be posted on our site Friday morning.

Oh, what a night

2008-09-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who attended our Candidates Night Forum at City Hall last night, including the six candidates themselves. We had a nice turnout and were given more questions than we possibly could have asked.

It was encouraging to see such involvement from the community in this process. The crowd was engaged but well-behaved — a good combination.

For anyone who wasn't able to attend, check out our preview story for information about how to view the two-hour event on public TV or on DVD. Oh, and all those questions that went unanswered? Don't worry. We're going to bring each candidate in and ask them those questions individually. We'll probably film those answers ourselves and post them on our site. And no, they won't be able to see the questions ahead of time.

John Saiz and I are finishing up our stories for Wednesday's paper (his on the City Council candidates, mine on the mayoral candidates), and we'll be posting them on the web site sometime today.

We obviously all have our own opinions of how the candidates performed, but we'd love to hear from you. So to those who attended, what stood out to you? Who did exceptionally well? Who struggled? Who made you laugh? Who made you cry? Let us know — but keep it civil. Thanks.

Council approves new sheriff contract

2008-09-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here's the highlights from Tuesday's Patterson City Council meeting. I'll have more updates tomorrow and I'll get the full story in Saturday's paper.

Patterson City Council voted 5-0 to keep contracting Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department to provide local law enforcement for the next five years.

The council voted 4-1 to charge new mobile food vendors, like taco trucks, an additional $750 if they want to vend from a fixed location.

The council once again decided to delay any decisions on the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint, a proposal councilors fear will strip local jurisdictions of their power. They'll be reviewing it again in October.

That's just a taste of some of the the activities at Tuesday's meeting. More to follow...

Diablo Grande sale, settlement approved

2008-09-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

12:40 p.m. update: Here's the story on today's hearing.

It looked shaky for a minute there, but after a nearly two-hour hearing, Diablo Grande's sale to World International LLC and settlement with its creditors was approved Friday by Judge Robert S. Bardwil at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento.

I'll have a full story on today's hearing posted shortly. The only thing left that could prevent this sale is World International's own engineering study, which I addressed in this story. If we get the study's deadline of Sept. 26 and World International still hasn't backed out, the sale will likely close Oct. 2.

Diablo Grande update

2008-09-12T11:12:00.001-07:00

Court is in recess until 11:15 a.m. The judge is still not happy with the settlement. More to come.

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Is today the day for Diablo Grande?

2008-09-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Judge Robert S. Bardwil said at Tuesday's hearing that he was prepared to approve Diablo Grande's sale to World International LLC. But he wanted to wait so he could approve the sale along with a revised settlement between Diablo Grande and its creditors. Those approvals should come during today's hearing, which starts at 10 a.m.

I looked over the revised settlement last night, and it looks pretty solid. The "insiders" are subordinating their claims. The Bank of Scotland is taking slightly less than it was getting in the original settlement. The unsecured creditors are still getting their chunk. I don't see any reason why the judge would not approve the settlement today, but I'm no bankruptcy lawyer. And like I said before — I'm done making predictions about this case. Won't go there.

According to the new sale motion, all objections to the sale have been resolved except for one: an objection from the West Stanislaus Fire Protection District. I'm not sure I've ever even mentioned the fire district's concerns, because at every step, it appeared as though they would be resolved easily. But apparently they still haven't been.

My understanding is that the fire district wants it written into the sale that a permanent fire station must be built in Diablo Grande before the 500th (or is it 501st?) housing permit is issued. On multiple occasions, Diablo Grande's lawyer has said (and the judge has agreed) that it was not necessary to write that into the sale because rules like that automatically transfer with the purchase of the land. Sounds like semantics to me, but again, I'm no expert here. The other aspect of the fire district's objection relates to permanent housing in Diablo Grande for firefighters stationed there. That seems like it might be more of a sticking point, but we'll see.

In a note at the top of the revised sale motion, Diablo Grande's attorney writes "The Debtor intends to seek the Court's guidance with respect to the resolution of (the fire district's) objection." I can't imagine something that seems so simple could derail a sale that is so overwhelmingly complicated, but stranger things have happened.

Stay tuned.

‘Head west,’ says GPAC

2008-09-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Patterson’s General Plan Advisory Committee recommended Tuesday that hundreds of acres west of Interstate 5 should be brought into the city and developed.

The development of land in the Del Puerto Canyon had been one of the more hotly debated topics as the committee got the ball rolling on revisions to Patterson’s general plan.

The committee has one more meeting scheduled, Oct. 6, before turning the plan over to Patterson Planning Commission and ultimately Patterson City Council, which has the final say when it comes to the plan. So, there will likely be significant changes and plenty of time to let your voice be heard before the plan is finalized.

When complete, the plan will establish what type of local development, if any, should occur and where.

The committee is recommending hundreds of acres along the hills of Del Puerto Canyon be designated for mixed use. Exactly what mixed use will be hasn’t been defined. One of the area’s major landowners, Jeff Arambel, has talked about putting residential and commercial development in the hills.

Property owner and developer influence over GPAC has also been an issue raised during GPAC proceedings. Several large landowners sit on the committee and its chairman, John Ramos, has been instrumental in several large developments in Patterson.

Planning commissioner and candidate for mayor, Luis Molina, in a recent interview went as far as to say Ramos shouldn’t be chairing the committee because of his development background, and cast doubt on the entire general plan process.

Look for expanded coverage in Saturday’s paper.

Diablo Grande full story posted online

2008-09-09T12:42:00.001-07:00

I've got to rush back to the office to help get Wednesday's paper out, but here's my story on today's Diablo Grande hearing. It includes just about everything I know about World International (and its apparent ties with the much less secretive Laurus Corporation), so be sure to check that out.

It certainly looks like everything should be approved without incident at Friday's hearing, but I've giving up making predictions about this case. I'll wait and see what happens with the rest of you.

Diablo Grande update III

2008-09-09T11:22:00.001-07:00

Sale and settlement hearings continued to Friday. More to come.

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Diablo Grande update II

2008-09-09T10:43:00.001-07:00

Diablo Grande is asking for approval of sale but more time to negotiate revised settlement.

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Diablo Grande update

2008-09-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

Rumors are the Diablo Grande homeowners association might protest the sale this morning. More to come.

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Diablo Grande should be sold today

2008-09-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

First off, is this an unpredictable news town, or what? As I was leaving work Friday evening, I thought Diablo Grande would be the big story of this week. Then we learned about a body found in a car in Del Puerto Canyon under mysterious circumstances. Then a man drove his car into the Center Building. And suddenly this Diablo Grande stuff seems a lot less serious. But I digress ...

It's signed and sealed, and it's going to be delivered less than two hours from now. Diablo Grande and World International, LLC, have both signed an asset purchase agreement — the long awaited document spelling out the details of Diablo Grande's sale. The sale, along with a revised settlement between Diablo Grande and its creditors, should both be approved at today's hearing at 10 a.m. at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento (shown again via teleconference in Modesto).

It's probably best not to celebrate just yet, because the sale is still contingent upon a civil engineering study by World International. The study, which not surprisingly focuses on water, must be complete by Sept. 26. After that point, the sale becomes binding and World International can no longer back out.

I would be a little surprised if the study finds anything that would be a deal-breaker for World International, even regarding the troubled state of Diablo Grande's water. The sale negotiations dragged on long enough that the company must have been able to do at least some due dilligence on the water situation. And a breakdown of the study found in court documents includes specific mention of trihalomethanes, which is a good sign that World International at least isn't going into this totally blind.

The question everyone seems to be asking (myself included) is "Who is World International?" I haven't nailed that down completely, but I think I'm getting closer. Whatever information I have, combined with whatever is revealed at today's hearing (probably not much there) will be included in the story I'll post after the hearing.

I will try to send an update to this blog via text message, like I did at the last hearing. That seemed to work OK. So check back here for details throughout the day.

Raw video from Canyon crime scene

2008-09-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

I've updated the Del Puerto Canyon story with info from the sheriff's department, confirming that the incident is being investigated as a homicide or possible suicide.

I did shoot some video at the scene. There's not a whole lot to see in the video that you couldn't already see in the photos below, but you can get a little more perspective on how deep the ravine is:

Photos from Canyon crime scene

2008-09-05T19:34:00.000-07:00

Being that it's after hours on a Friday night and the rest of our staff is gone for the night, this might be the only way for me to get you photos from the crime scene in Del Puerto Canyon. Click here for the story so far. That story will be updated as we get more information, which might be in the next 10 minutes or might be not until Monday.

There wasn't much media access granted at the scene, but I was able to get a few shots on my cell phone. Here they are:

City Council rundown, Sept. 2

2008-09-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Here’s a rundown on Tuesday’s Patterson City Council meeting. Expect expanded coverage in Saturday's paper and on the Web site.

Company accused of losing track of $8.3 million in city funds settles suit

The council settled its suit with Precision Inspection, Mayor Becky Campo said Tuesday. The city had been withholding close to a million dollars Precision felt it was owed. The city gave Precision $560,000, Campo said.

Precision had been contracted to run many aspects of the city’s building department until 2004. Around that time, the city discovered a Precision employee had been improperly handling city funds to the tune of more than $8.3 million dollars.

The employee had been hiding checks and cash in her office and home as opposed to making deposits. Following the settlement, the city is out $65,000 total because of the mess, said City Attorney George Logan.

Council fears blueprint will give too much power to state

Organizers of the San Joaquin Valley Blue Print Process said the plan will provide the framework for long-term growth in the Central Valley. Patterson City Council feared it will rob local autonomy and give excessive power to the state.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, two of the men organizing the Stanislaus County portion of the plan asked the council to support their model for growth. Council members took the opportunity to air their worries.

“Local control and decision making may be slipping away,” said Councilwoman Annette Smith.

The council put off making any decision and requested city staff study the blue print and present a report at the September 16 meeting.

When the city tightens belt, apricots get squeezed

Organizers with Patterson’s Apricot Fiesta got shot down in their request for $5,000 from the council Tuesday.

Councilors said a tight budget stopped them from providing $5,000 to help promote Patterson's largest party. Cleve Morris, Patterson’s city manager, said the city is still committed to helping with the Fiesta, but diminishing income and increased expense limit what the city will be able to do this year.

The council decided to organize a meeting between city staff and fiesta board members to start sorting out exactly how the city will participate in this year’s Fiesta.

Commissions expand

The council voted 4-0 to expand three of its advisory committees even though staff said it would put additional burdens on city resources. The council decided to expand the beautification committee, the economic strategic committee and senior center board from five members each to seven members each. The move went against the recommendation of Morris and Adrienne Chaney, Patterson’s director of parks and recreation.

Scavenging recycling to be illegal

The council got the ball rolling on making it illegal to go through other people’s recycling bins. As of now, there’s no rule on the book preventing someone from taking bottles and cans out of bins once a resident wheels it to the curb. The council decided to change that with a 4-0 vote Tuesday. The new law has several more bureaucratic hurdles, but in all likely hood will be on the books in the coming months.

Patterson teens arrested for Newman muggings

2008-09-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Newman police released some interesting information today about muggings Sunday night and Monday morning. The press releases came too late for us to get anything in Wednesday's paper so be sure to check the story out on the website.

Right now, it isn’t clear which gang police believe the muggers are associated with. Patterson’s gang detective won’t be around until tomorrow, and the other sources I talked to in Patterson Police Service weren’t 100 percent certain. Some of the confusion is because police believe the Patterson gang the Runners might have splintered or reorganized. I’ll keep updating the website as I get more information.

Diablo Grande gets another continuance

2008-08-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

7:55 p.m. update: Sorry for the delay. Here's my article on the Diablo Grande hearing for Saturday's paper.

Just got back from the teleconference in Modesto. Don't have much time, as I need to get a full story written for Saturday's paper, but here's a quick rundown from today's nearly two-hour hearing:

Diablo Grande has a buyer, World International LLC — a resort developer with projects in places like Cancun and Mexico City — that is willing to pay $20 million plus the $1.5 million cure amount to assume contracts with the Western Hills Water District and others. They still need a few days to finalize an asset purchase agreement and a couple of weeks for World International to complete an engineering study of the project, but both sides expressed confidence that all matters could be worked out.

Because the sale price is below the $26 million the proposed settlement was contingent upon, more money is needed. Some of that money is going to come from "insiders" — companies like Oak Flat Golf and Isom Ranch Winery and Vineyards that have helped to fund and operate Diablo Grande and who owe Diablo Grande a total of more than $11 million. The claims against these insiders are being released in the settlement, a fact judge Robert S. Bardwil (not Baldwil, as I called him in a previous post) expressed great concern over.

Representatives from every side of this thing — including lawyers for Diablo Grande, developer Donald Panoz (representing the "insiders"), the Bank of Scotland, the committee of unsecured creditors and the proposed buyer — laid out their reasons for accepting the settlement and the releases given to these insiders and urged Bardwil to consider the possible damage that could be caused if the sale and settlement are not approved.

Bardwil granted a continuance of both the sale and settlement motions to Sept. 9 at 10 a.m., again at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento. And it sounded as though the pleadings from all sides might have convinced him that both can likely be approved.

That doesn't mean the sale will close, but it's something.

Diablo Grande is very close to running out of money, by the way. It will receive an additional $200,000 from the Bank of Scotland once an asset purchase agreement is signed in order to continue operating while the sale is closed, but that won't cover expenses for the time during which World International will be conducting its engineering study. Diablo Grande attorney Michael Ahrens said he's working with the insiders to obtain the roughly $900,000 needed to continue operating through the end of September.

This will probably be the last you hear from me until the story for Saturday's paper is posted on the Web site (which should be some time today).

Diablo Grande hearing update

2008-08-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

Diablo Grande says it has an offer of $20 million but needs more time to close sale. More to come.

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Diablo Grande looks to move forward

2008-08-28T07:28:00.001-07:00

8 a.m. update: As I said in an earlier post, I'm going to try and send an update to this blog via text message from my cell phone as news breaks during the hearing. I'm not making any promises, but we'll give it a shot.

Unfortunately a car accident (my own, not one I had to cover) derailed my day yesterday, so I was unable to check with Diablo Grande attorney Michael Ahrens about his plans for today's bankruptcy hearing. But I just checked for new court documents online — last time, the motion for continuance was filed the day before the hearing — and there wasn't anything of that sort.

There is, though, a supplemental pleading that was filed Monday responding to judge Robert S. Baldwil's concerns about the sale and the settlement. Baldwil said at last Tuesday's hearing that it would be in Diablo Grande's best interest if its officials did not try to convince him that everything should be approved as-is, but rather they should offer more disclosures about the settlement itself.

It doesn't appear they've taken his advice.

If the memorandum filed Monday is any indication, Ahrens intends to argue that the sale and settlement should be approved as-is, stating that the precedent Baldwil cited is not as valid as the precedent Diablo Grande is citing. That sounds dangerous to me. We'll see how Baldwil responds this morning.

On the matter of the sale itself — without which all of this settlement talk becomes moot — it appears that as of Monday, Diablo Grande was "in the final stages of discussions with certain bidders" and that "those discussions may result in further adjustments to the provisions of the" settlement. That also could be problematic. Was there enough time for the settlement to be adjusted and for all of those involved in the settlement to give their OK? If Baldwil was resistent to the first settlement, will he be any more likely to approve a lesser one?

My mostly uneducated guess — based on nothing but pure speculation — is that Diablo Grande will come forth with a buyer, and either a) the sale won't be approved by the judge, or b) the revised settlement will be contested by one or more creditors. Regardless, it seems unlikely ~~impossible~~ that this will all be over today.

There should be plenty more drama than there was last week, though.

Campaigning continues to evolve

2008-08-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, there's quite a discussion going on in the comments section of John Saiz's Aug. 20 article introducing Patterson's candidates for mayor and City Council. Not much of a surprise there, given the heat that's always generated by issues like West Park and overall growth.

What is somewhat surprising, though, is that one of those candidates has jumped into the conversation. City Council hopeful and political newcomer Jeff Realini — one of four battling for two seats — began by offering his opinions on certain aspects of the discussion but today defended himself when other commenters went more or less on the attack.

Of course, we're assuming it's really Realini and not some 19-year-old in his mother's basement posing as Realini. Always a good idea to take supposed Internet identities with a healthy dose of skepticism. But this one passes the smell test, for me at least.

The conversation has been mostly civil and really rather interesting. I won't say I necessarily agree or disagree with any of Realini's points, but you have to give the guy credit for one thing: Any candidate willing to take on anonymous Internet posters on their own playing field gets bonus points for courage.

Score one for accessibility.

Welcome to PI Connect

2008-08-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I was all set to write a nice, long introductory post here, but I'm nearing the end of one very long day. Between preparing Wednesday's paper, sifting through video of Monday's General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting (see the final product here), packaging the first Street Beat of our new digital era, editing a highlights package from Tuesday's Patterson High football practice and trying to get started on stories for Saturday's paper, I simply ran out of time and gas.

Then again, after plowing through my column about all the changes we're unveiling on Wednesday, I'm sure you've just about heard enough from me as it is.

So I'll keep this short. What you're looking at is the PI Connect blog, a place for discussion of Patterson's most contentious issues as well as breaking news and who knows what else. Reporter John Saiz, who covers just about every meeting in town and does so with the greatest of ease, will bring his knowledge and insight to this blog. I will merely attempt to look like I'm keeping up.

You also have a role in all this. You'd be surprised how much we get out of reading the comments on some of our articles, and I'm not just referring to the entertainment value of them. A lot of you obviously care very deeply about this town and where it's headed, and I hope many of you will find your way to this blog and use it as another outlet for your thoughts and emotions. We're here to serve you, and the more you tell us what you're interested and what you want to see, the better we can accomplish that goal.

If I can offer one piece of advice, it would be to come back soon (and often). John tells me he's already planning to elaborate on Monday's GPAC meeting in a blog post on Wednesday. And I'm going to get really ambitious on Thursday and try to post to this blog via a text message from my cell phone — as far as I can tell, that's the only way I'll be able to give you all an update on Diablo Grande's much-anticipated bankruptcy hearing before I leave the courtroom. The hearing starts at 10 a.m., and I'm hoping to have at least a one-liner announcing a sale ~~another continuance~~ as soon as it's been approved.

That's all I've got for tonight. See you soon.

Location	Elevation	Snow Depth	Water Content	% of Long Term Average
Alpha	7,600 feet	40 inches	13 inches	62
Phillips Station	6,800 feet	34.6 inches	13.1 inches	68
Lyons Creek	6,700 feet	45.4 inches	15.5 inches	79
Tamarack Flat	6,500 feet	37.4 inches	13.2 inches	69