News-Ledger Wednesday, January 17, 24, 2018 Page 1
NEWS-LEDGER West Sacramento
Entire Contents Copyright News-Ledger 2018 2017
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20 54th Year No. 21
Serving the West Sacramento Region Since 1964
Comics & Puzzles
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Police Logs
Wednesday, January 17, 24, 2018
Local Scene Page 8
See what’s going on. Calendar on page 9
Yolowith DA enforces Assemblyman McCarty touching bases West Sac Martha Guerrero announces
candidacy for West Sacramento City Council By Michele Townsend
Assemblyman Kevin McCarty held a small “town meeting” in West Sacramento on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at the Bryte Café, located on Todhunter Road. McCarty has been a lifelong Sacramento resident. After completing high school in the Sacramento public school system, he attendan- earned a Bachensuring all constituents are edMartha AmericanGuerrero River College, nounced her campaign served well and am passionelor’s degree at CSU Long Beach, then refor West Sacramento City ate about elevating the comturned home to earn a Master’s degree from Council for the Tuesday, munity’s voice on City CounCSU Sacramento. In 2014, McCarty was Nov. 6 municipal election. cil to achieve the interest of elected as the California State Assembly RepThe following statement residents, businesses and resentative for District 7. District 7 includes was released: local community leaders. I West Sacramento and parts of unincorporat“As a longtime resident of deeply appreciate the sacried Sacramento County. McCarty may seem West Sacramento, I am exfices our law enforcement, a little more passionate than some legislators, cited to announce my camfirefighters, emergency perwhen it comes to some of the issues that he paign for City Council. I am sonnel and their families works on. That’s because Sacramento is trufortunate to live in a comhave made, as they work ly home. munity where I have been a tirelessly to ensure our comWhen the meeting started, there were no part of promoting strong ecomunity safe made and protected. to children bells or whistles, there were nohealth fancy services signs budget. He is proud toishave “historic nomic growth, stable governMy priorities and families ininvestments” the Sacra- in public educationhave or banners, there were no big introductions. whilealways holdment and an mento been to made work great collectively region. ing this position. There infrastructure was simply Assemblyman McCarty, He has strides enhanced of He life for and education in partnership with dethe introducingquality himself. explained who he in early childhood program all residents. I look forward community over these years, Guerrero provided the follow-and availability, career technical was, and some of the changes that he has held velopments to ensuring thebridge City’s the resourcfrom a keycontinue role in. meeting with ing answers to questions education programs to help high residents, and business and es are bridged with the new for a Q and A. McCarty serves as Chair of the theLedger Assemschool to employment gap, and has increased civic leaders in our efforts to growth and demands on our What made decideof students enrolled in Califorbly Budget Subcommittee on Education Fi- you the number build a stronger West SacraCity’s infrastructure, that to run for city council Community, State and Univernance. This Subcommittee oversees the largnia colleges… mento together.” all residents and programs businessagain?dollar Whatsities. didHeyou est portion of California’s multi-billion explained how vital these Martha Guerrero has served as past Chair of the West Sacramento Planning Commission, and is a current on the Yolo Localmember households throughCounty Local Mental Health out the Sacramento region Board. Her prior council apthat earned $54,000 or less pointments include: Univerin 2017 can receive free tax sal West SachelpPre-School in personfor through the ramento (UP4WS) Volunteer Income Advisory Tax AsCouncil, Citisistance Yolo effortCounty’s led by Unitzen’s Advisory Transportaed Way California Capital tion Committee, Aging ComRegion with support from mission, and the Citi Community Economic DevelopDevelopment ment. The Advisory program Comwill mission. kick off at the first Super Martha event Guerrero, a LiSaturday on Jan. 27 censed Clinical Social Workfrom 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Grant er, earned Bachelor’s DeUnion Higha School in Sacgree in Social Work from the ramento, where IRS-certiCalifornia State University, fied volunteers will provide Los a Master’s free Angeles, basic taxand return prepaDegree in Social Work from ration with electronic filing. the University of Southern For more Super Saturday California. events and weekday sites Martha has worked has available during tax seaworked on local government son, call (916) 498-1000 or legislative issues for 19 years visit YourLocalUnitedWay. while also providing org/FreeTaxPrep. strategic Sacraplanning, public administramento residents can call tion, 2-1-1.and legislative and budget analysis. She has worked on local, state, and federal policy issues which resulted in increased employment opportunities for the disadvantaged; protected vulnerBy Michele Townsend able children and families, Little League Headquarand the elderly, and ters enacted a newblind rule that disabled; enhanced access has some people scramto health promotbling. As insurance; of 2018, ALL preed self-sufficiency for vious baseball bats those that that have have beenexperienced allowed tolongbe term unemployment used in Little League, and for homelessness; andbelow, improved Jr divisions, and will the early education now be illegal! USAsystem. BaseShe workedboard with ball, has the also governing Turning Point Community for the sport of baseball, Program providing mental
learn from the last election? My 12 years of service as an appointee on several City commissions advisory “We want toand make sure boards continues to motivate more Sacramento-area me to serve our on households areresidents financialCity Council.and Mythat family has ly healthy, starts been my with notstrongest spendinginspiration unnecesas residents beneficiaries sary moneyand on tax preparaof theand work that Isure havethey action making complished over years to to receive all of thethe refunds ensure all families, businesswhich they are entitled,” es and those whoBray, work or are said Stephanie Unitengaged in our community ed Way California Capital can thrive in the City West Region president andofCEO. Sacramento. Duringthe the last Through VITA, naelection,IRS I loved meetingthat and tional program interacting offers free business help to owners people and with the a residents who make limitedwhile inwalking the help neighborcome andinneed prehoods. Although I did not get paring their tax returns, enoughIRS-certified votes, I will continue local volunto persevere and look forward teers will help Sacramento going outhouseholds and meetingclaim with to-region residents again this summer. tax credits, including fedBased the Earned feedbackIn-I eral andonstate received overCredits the years and come Tax (EITC during last campaign, and Calthe EITC), Child TaxI strongly and believe our City Credit, Credit for has the much more to accomplish, Elderly or the Disabled. and I am committed to utilizing my 19 years of local government experience to continue growth responsibly, to be a good steward of your tax dollars, and to provide stated “Testing and transevalparency ofon youth City Council’s uating baseball decision It bats has making evolved process. into a sciis an elected official’s dutythe to ence. So much so that be engagedhas withalso the commustandard evolved nitywhere in every to USAneighborhood, Baseball, is hold flexible office hours for to adopting a new method maintain active engagement measuring bat performance andthecommunication in testing of youth with bats residents, businesses, that will go into effectand on all who are in supJanuary 1,interested 2018. The new porting our community. USA Baseball bat standard I have dedicated my life to
es benefit from this growth by providing high-quality services, securing proper training and employment to support inThis year,families, more and housecentivizing businesses to holds are eligible to earn succeed. Collectively and up to $6,500 in federal and transparently, I believeTax we state Earned Income can accomplish these goals Credits, including those movingare forward. who self-employed.
new cannabis laws:
are as extra support to our children’s educa- paying off restitution. It should be the wrong West ofSacramento warehouse owner ention. He declared that “A new priority” his do-er, or violator. is after school programs. As partjoined of this, he from is Once McCartytowas done explaining the leasing illegal growers currently writing a bill that will require mon- items that he is currently working on, he whilegoother landlords cultivators ey from the sale of legalized marijuana, to pulled up a chair, sat and down and said that this admit liability, penalties after school programs, as promised. was “hispay favorite way to collect information Assemblyman McCarty continued to ex- from his people… to hold a good old fashion lives items were that tragically taken on.On Jan.in4, Yolo Superior Judge plain he is working These townCounty hall meeting with Court all of you, andSonia me in by their fathers. These trag-andCortés issued the a preliminary cluded affordable housing, the general hot seat.” injunction against multiedies have had aHe resonating defendants, including theinformal, landlord of a warehouse growth of cities. said that “weple have a need So in a very comfortable setting effect on several levels. in West Sacramento, Yolo asking County DistrictThe Attorney for about 15,000 homes Our to be built per year, people started questions. topic of community has embraced JeffSome Reisig This is one many cannabis but we are building about 5000”. cit-announced. gas tax was brought up,ofand McCarty said the mothers’ with tremen- in related andtrying prosecutions now under ies are just not thata interested gettinginvestigations the that they are to get on the ballot that dous show of love sup- way. The judicial ordergas prohibits the defendants from building done. Oneand possibility that is being all future tax increases must be approved port. The school district has with violating WestbySacramento andsaid Yolo County cannaconsidered is working a deal cities that voters. McCarty he urges a NO vote. alsocreate supported theforfriends bis laws and other related unlawful conduct. ThetrustDiswill incentive them to move forward Washington Unified School District andthetheir families of the Hypothetically, trict Attorneyeemoved for the the on housing construction. Jackie Wong toldinjunction him that inagainst the last few addition, first from illegal growers andSacramento the landlords who faced harifchildren. the citiesInwant their money thecannabis state months, West has been responders have then beenthey receivtheir operation. to fix their roads, needbored to be making with a couple of tragedies, and she would like ing support to recover from ThisOn Feb. 10, 2017, the defendant, Wangand Brothers Inprogress on building housing. conversato know where social services the school this horrific experience. vestments, leased their warehouse to and co-defention also covered ideas surrounding home-LLC, districts meet in these situations, what is My personal experience dants who grew largest lessness and road improvement. theover role 11,000 of socialplants, services.the There wereknown a wide with domestic violence bothexplosion amountofofis-illegal indoor cannabis plantsfrom grown in Yolo McCarty explained the variety of topics, ranging minimum as a regarding social worker in County Senior enforcement officers sues sexualand harassment, sayingfor he 2017. wage to mentalcode health to airport shuttle, to my personal life has been infrom the Westimmigration Sacramentotroubles. Community Development believes 15 bills are being introduced at the valuable to be on a fierce Department operation during State Capitol this advotopic. He explained discovered McCartythe didn’illegal t hesitate to answer any ofa cate for resources to support inspection 2017. The illegal cultivathat his bill states roughly that routine if a legislator them.onHeJune even5,had a senior resource guide victims domestic violence, tors fled the illegal when inspecis foundofguilty of sexual harassment andthe is location available,of and a card thatgrow is titled: “What to do bolster to suicide prevention,that tors ordered pay a settlement, thearrived. state of if confronted by immigration officials.” and eradicating the stigma Officers California (tax payers) should not be the onesfrom the Yolo County Narcotic Enforceof mental illness. As we con- ment Team were then called and began their investitinue to heal from these trag- gation finding that the landlord defendants were reedies, we must work harder ceiving over $24,000 a month for rent as well as an to prevent further tragic additional amount of $30,000 a month for electricity events. I will work to bolster from the cultivator defendants. With the assistance of the resources of Empower the landlords, the cultivators made unpermitted wareYolo to support families in house improvements in order to enable the illegal culneed of protection through tivation to proceed. The illegal cannabis found, valued more rigorous education and at over $17,000,000, was destroyed. outreach. As a Local MenCultivation of commercial cannabis in West Sacratal Health Board Member, I mento and throughout Yolo County requires city or have worked closely with my county permits issued to the cultivators under strict peers to enhance access to conditions. mental health services and Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated, we are planning aggressive “Under present state law, cities and counties decide community outreach activi- whether or not to allow commercial cannabis cultivaties throughout Yolo County. tion within their jurisdictions and, if so, under what I have been a strong advocate conditions. When those conditions are not met, violafor mental health support in tors will be subject to civil and criminal prosecution.” our schools and pairing law In another recent illegal cannabis cultivation prosenforcement with a mental ecution, The People vs. Telly, the District Attorney’s health clinician. I have also Office filed suit against a property owner and his reached out to our commu- tenant who were cultivating cannabis in the County nity leaders as a Mental without a County cannabis permit. On December 20, Health Board Member ex- 2017, Judge Cortés ordered both the owner and his pressing interest to increase tenant to pay $190,000 in costs and penalties, after the participation and to work to- parties reached an agreement on this and other terms gether to improve services to through a stipulation. families, the homeless, and The District Attorney’s Consumer Fraud and Enothers in need. vironmental Protection Division works with multiple state and local agencies whose responsibility is to esTell readers about your tablish a level playing field for legal cannabis operators endorsements and why in the emerging lawful cannabis industry by bringyou are proud to have the ing enforcement actions against those evolved, so has the develall or partillegal of theoperators bat. But backing that you already that riskof human environmental through opment the bat.and Alumiit’s not justharms the material of have. their ill-gotten gains being and unfair the business bat that practices. is important. num alloy bats began My or professional experience While somelight government resources are weight, dedicated length, the and tice, other Little League used for their weight, The as a public servant in local to illegal cannabis acanddetermining integrity. Thethe factexistence that theofdiameter of the barrel, function, event, or activity.” government has the public’s attention thisinto issue critical. these bats would not split or allto play the isscience of This rule is for thebeen gamean of tivities, asset while an Should youa come across cannabis activities in break, like wood bat canillegal the bat. In addition, there baseball only.serving It willas NOT appointee several City Yolo County, the Yolo urges do, was welcomed. A County few areDistrict oval or Attorney round handles, affect Littleon League Softball. commissions, and the Councontact the Yolobat County Taskcan Force and Cannabis those handles be The science of bat devel- you yearstoago, the composite ty Mental Health Board.asAs the onlineComposcomplaintwrapped form available at http:// wasusing introduced. in different mateopment has developed a by a mother part and social ite bats incorporate a rein- rials. Each bat has what is strategic of theworker, game. www.yolocounty.org/community-services/cannaIThere have used been to devoted towood pub- bis-3398 or fiber by calling the California Cannabis Hoforced carbon polymer, known as the “Bat Perforbe only lic service and volunteering at 1-833-WeedTip. or composite, into the bat’s mance Factor (BPF)”. The bats, although the length, tline
Free tax help available across Sacramento region through United Way
Many Cal EITC-eligible What are are thenotbiggest households legally challenges West Sacrarequired to file taxes due mento faces? What will to low income, however if you do help change the they do to file, they can claim situation? the state and federal credThere will be they several its for which arechalelilenges facing our City gible. Those who fileover for the nextCal fewEITC years. or TheChild City EITC, is continuing a trend of ecoTax Credit should plan for nomic growth and it is vital their refund to be delayed to maintain until Feb. 27. proper infrastructure associated with the “We want to encourage growth. Therefore, the people to plan ahead for City this deserves theirof elected leaddelay instead using refund ers be flexible, transparent advance products that can and adjusting to these chalend up being very costly in lenges. My local government the long run,” Bray said. experience to be responsive “And don’t pay a preparer if and providing high-qualiyou qualify for free VITA serty leadership would bridge the demands City Seeplaced Taxes, on page 10 Council to work together, assess demands and seek solutions to achieve a healthy environment. (USABat), was developed by West Sacramento has seen a USA Baseball committee a lot of tragedy within the of scientific experts. Effeclast year (most recently tive on January 1, 2018, Litbeing the murder suicide, tle League Baseball® will taking the lives of children adhere to the new USABat Sara andNo Sophia Rouin). standard. bats previousWhat can you do to help ly approved for use in Little prevent and address these League Play (Junior League issues? and below) will be Baseball Recently, our City hasinfaced permitted to be used any the loss of five innocent and Little League game or pracbeautiful children whose
New rule effects little league worldwide
my freeand time to building weight diameter were different. As the game has See Guerrero, page 10
construction. The composYolocan DAmake up iteSource: material
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