Congrats!

I just want to congratulate Nathan Magsig on his re-election to the Clovis City Council! Now I do wonder what it says that both incumbents won but the tax hike they backed didn't.

IPA or No IPA?

Independent Police Auditor, this is something that Mayor Autry requested many times in his tenure as mayor of Fresno and the issue has now returned. Every few months it seems something crazy happens in the Fresno Police Department and this issue comes back. I hear about about the officers that may have gone over board (and had the misfortune of being caught on tape) and the unit that got disassembled. It makes the idea of having someone keep and eye on FPD sound pretty good.

Then I read Brian Calhoun's reasoning for not hiring an IPA. I must say that he made a lot of sense, especially when talking about what they would do all year.

What would an Office of the IPA (generally an attorney with staff assistants) do 365 days a year? It is only human nature (and job self preservation) to appear busy. My guess is that the IPA would be a magnet for every disgruntled person wanting to contest a parking or speeding ticket. It would constantly be second-guessing elected officials, the chief of police and, possibly, the courts and grand jury. And how would this additional oversight operation differ from the City Attorney's office, staffed as it is with well-paid, competent attorneys that are fully prepared to investigate possible police malfeasence?

Calhoun also talks about Chief Jerry Dyer handling these situations well as the arise. I haven't seen anything that makes me question how Chief Dyer handles issues. My problem is why do these things keep happening? That is the argument for Fresno City to employ an Independent Auditor. But I think Calhoun has a great point. So couldn't we just bring in a consultant or someone on a short contract? Someone to analyze why these things keep happening and that exact the kind f institutional change that might be needed? Because what is going on now just doesn't seem to be helping.

Why are you surprised?

First off, congrats to Ashley Swearengin for being the next mayor of Fresno! But I puzzled by those who are puzzled. Why are we shocked that the Republican won in Fresno county? Especially in the year of Prop 8. Yes, yes I understand it is a non-affiliated party. I have also have a bridge to sell you. While she didn't have an R behind her name on the ballot she holds important what Republicans hold important. And that shapes at least my vote. Why does it also shock people that she had a plan? Did you think she didn't think about what she would do if she won? Of course she had plan. That would be the plan she ran on.

I just don't get the surprise in it all....

Autry Supports Ashley!

If what the Fresno Bee said last week about Autry being such a big deal and hard act to follow then his endorsement should seal the election. Autry stated his support of Ashley Swearengin for Mayor of Fresno, California on his radio show today and then they are having a press conference together.

In theory we should be able to call the election now for Swearengin but we shall see.

Preview: Mayoral Debate

Channel 30 has a preview for the Mayoral Debate on Sunday!

Mayoral Candidates: Young But Not Modern?

No one can deny that Swearengin and Perea are young but are they really candidates for the modern age? They both have blogs on their sites but they don't use them. They should have staff that is hitting those blogs multiple times a day. What the candidate did that day (with pictures), their views on every issue that comes up in the Bee, etc. A blog is a huge tool and that should be the press secretary's (I assume they have them) priority. Do what the grown up campaigns do and higher a blogger to come in and help with it! (Swearengin, I am open;)

If Drudge could make such a splash, imagine what it could do for a campaign.

My 2 cents!

Fresno City Surplus!?!?!

The City of Fresno has a $4.5 Million dollar surplus. That is a lot of money! Today Mayor Autry announced his plans for all that money. Instead of spending that money why don't we reduce the sales tax or pay off on some of those many bonds that we owe as a city? Some of that is my money and I want it back or used better.

Mayoral Candidates: What's the Diff?

Well, you can go over to the Collegian. There you can read about their differences and an analysis of their debate.

Mayoral Election

According to a survey that was just done the Fresno Mayoral race is completely still in play. But Swearengin is ahead by 3% but with 7% undecided and an unknown margin of error, anything can happen.

Oh, I think that is the phone survey we got called on here at the NerdHouse. Small world;).

To Be in the Father's Shadow

I admit it, I have always felt like I live in my mother's shadow. Maybe that is why I can empathize with Michael Der Manouel Jr. ABC 30 ran a story saying that he had endorsed Henry T. Perea for mayor. But the problem is that it was Michael Der Manouel Sr. who endorsed Perea. Not only did Jr. not endorse Perea, he actually endorsed his opponent, Ashley Swearengen.

Ah, the Fresno political circles;).


(HT: Fresno Bee Opinion)

Mayoral Debates

Bill McEwen has all the details on the up coming Mayoral debates. Not only can you go to them, you can listen to 1 on kmj and watch one on tv. Go check it out and get informed.

Politics, Money, Criminals and Public Safety

I understand that Sheriff Mims is upset over the impending budget cuts (ie hasn't happened yet) to her department. I also understand how that led to the proposed early releases, not that I agree with that. But her refusal to release the names to Chief Dyer is ridiculous. This is where you are crossing political games with risking public safety, something she may have sworn to uphold. This was a request that the Fresno PD made as to enable them to track those criminals who are released due to over crowding only. Even though no inmates have been released yet due to Autry's court case, Mims was still willing to risk it. This maybe deadly to her public career at least in my eyes. I would be willing to hear or post anything Sheriff Mims might have to say that could possibly have justified this action.

Could Fresno Really Get a Nuclear Power Plant?

It looks like there is finally a possibility of solving the water district's problems and getting cheap nuclear power all at once. All it takes is Fresno Nuclear Energy Group buys half of the idle land of the Westlands Water District and build a nuclear plant. Then they can desalinate the waste water of the area therefore solving the water problem. The cheap power would of course solve mine and everyone else's energy and money problem.

The Fresno Nuclear Group has even found a French company to take the spent fuel.

The real question is will this ever happen?

You Go Girl!

Props to Nicole Parra for standing up to her party to the point they kicked her out of her office!

Parra has said she won't vote for a budget until lawmakers also reach a deal to put a water bond on the November ballot that could include money for dams. On Sunday, she was the only Democrat who abstained on the state budget vote, which failed on party lines.

Many good things can and have come out of this. First, she made the Democrats mad and as we all know, that can be a very good thing. Second, she has played a key roll in exploiting a very true fact about the Democratic party. It is party before constituents. Yet another thing is that is shows them as the spoiled brats they are. Did they stomp their feet at the time they ordered the move;)?

Local Woman's Family Fights to Keep Her Alive

There is a battle for a woman's life in the Fresno County Courts. Janet Rivera(46) had a heart attack back in February 2006 that has left her comatose. Her court-appointed public guardian had filed and succeeded in having all artificial life support, including food and water, removed on July 14, 2008. The family filed for a temporary restraining order and got a new attorney.

I was able to talk to the family's attorney, Brian Chavez-Ochoa, today about the status and some of the facts of the case. There was a hearing at 2pm today. In this hearing it is established that all life sustaining measures are to be taken until a further order. This includes all medicines, food, water and even a respirator if needed. The doctors had actually started Rivera on food and water yesterday evening. There is a trial set to begin next Tuesday for a family member to be established as Janet Rivera's guardian.

Previously Janet Rivera's husband, Jesus Rivera, was her guardian. According to the article I read in the Fresno Bee, it appears that the family is unified in its position to sustain Janet Rivera's life. So I asked Chavez-Ochoa what caused this to move into a public guardian situation and he was unclear. He has only been on this case for 2 days so he isn't familiar with all the background that got us to this point and is unclear as to how this got into the County's hands to begin with. But Chavez-Ochoa was crystal clear on the fact that the family is a unfied force that wants to keep Rivera alive.

If the family loses its case the public guardian will stay and can turn around refile to have Rivera once again taking off all life sustaining measures. This would once again leave her in a position to starve to death.

I am shocked that the County has taken a woman off food and water and this is the first I was hearing of it. I am shocked that this hasn't received the national coverage that the Terry Schiavo. Could it be that Janet Rivera is on Medi-Cal that the county was so quick to act or that the media was so lax to cover it? Is this just further proof that the State doesn't value human life? I mean they took her off all support, food and water and she lived for over a week that way. What kind of humanity can sit by and watch a human suffer that way. Not to mention, maybe her body isn't quite as ready to give out as those consulting doctors thought it was.

So once again I ask, where is the outrage?

A Revolution in Fresno?

I was out running errands with the brood today and was listening to Ray Appleton. I came into the show late and he was talking with Major Autry about the water crisis in this area for farmers. I don't know all the details but there is a water crisis in Fresno and its outlaying areas due to the need to save the lives of smelt (a fish). It is another time when the environmentalists aren't thinking about human live and its value at all. Apparently there was a hearing with House Subcommittee on Water and Power where Autry was a witness. So Major Autry and Appleton were discussing the long term and devastating effects this is having especially in the small communities in the area. At one point Major Autry said if this issue isn't resolved that we need to think about how to revolt, possibly by not paying our property taxes. Now I didn't listen to the entire 2 hours but I find this interesting. You can go over and listen to the podcast then tell me what you think.

Median Law Drama

Back in March I wrote about how Brian Calhoun wanted to criminalize beggars and those who would dare to help them due to the safety of the median. Well, Calhoun got the local law written and it failed to pass the City Council. The fun part in all of this is Calhoun's apparent attempt to save his "reputation". When it was clear he didn't have the support he attempted to pull his proposal from consideration even though it called already been called to a vote. Don't worry Councilman Calhoun, it is known to be your bad idea regardless.

Go See John McCain

John McCain will be in Fresno on Monday(June 23,2008) morning. It is a Town Hall Meeting at CSUF's Satellite Student Union. The doors open at 8am but the website does not say what time it actually starts.

(HT: Fresno Famous)

Autry: Free Speech or Loose Lips?

So if you read the Fresno Bee you are familiar with the fact that Fresno City and the ACLU/Homeless came to a settlement agreement regarding the when the City executed raids on the homeless encampments. Well, before the settlement could be finalized Fresno Mayor Alan Autry had to slam it.

In a prepared statement released after the settlement was approved Friday, Autry said the city would comply with Wanger's ruling, but he called on the judge to lower the $750,000 in attorney's fees to be paid by the city. Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union represented the homeless.

"This white-collar exploitation of the homeless by the court and the lawyers is unconscionable," Autry said. "I am calling upon the ACLU and Judge Wanger to require half of the exorbitant fees of $750,000 to be donated to homeless programs."

So when Judge Wanger threatened to kill the settlement and for Autry to come in and explain his statements some people flipped out a bit. They (including Autry) are claiming the First Amendment right. So did someone tell Autry he couldn't talk and I missed it? First off, the First Amendment right doesn't absolve you of taking responsibility for the words you say. Autry, both directly and as part of the city government, is a party to this suit. So his comment upon the settlement is important. Autry is part of the group who negotiated this settlement (not the Judge at all) and then wants to come out and slam it? The court does have to take a step to make sure that no one is strong armed into a settlement so its examination of Autry and his feelings of victimization are reasonable before a settlement is approved. If Autry thinks that this settlement is exploitive maybe HE shouldn't be part of it and take his chances in court.

Then dealing with the First Amendment argument. This was a prepared statement. It isn't like someone over heard him telling a friend or his wife in a restuarant. This was made as the Mayor and therefore it was spoke as being for the City. Autry, you are the mayor. You are paid to represent the people of Fresno in word and deed. You just want to talk in front of the cameras and it not have any bearing? Just wait until you leave office.

Separately, you realize you can be charged with contempt of court? That is an implication of the fact you are supposed to respect it. Accusing it of exploiting people is not respect.

Technorati Tags: Fresno, CA Alan AutryJudge Oliver Wanger

Adam's Law Passes the Assembly

Love Mike Villines or hate, at least he is trying to work for us.

Assembly Bill 1987 was introduced by Assemblyman Villines in response to the case of a young Fresno resident, Adam Carbajal, who as a toddler was the victim of a devastating attack at the hands of a family friend. Adam suffered permanent brain damage and is completely paralyzed on his right side, leaving him unable to walk or say more than a few words.

A deficiency in state law resulted in Adam’s attacker only being charged with 2 counts of willful cruelty to a child under the age of five and corporal injury to a child. Current law does not take into consideration the end result of an incident of child abuse when determining the sentence. The punishment is the same whether the child suffers brain damage or a broken arm.

Adam’s Law will change the law by raising the sentencing standards for anyone who abuses a child under the age of 8 and causes permanent injury or disability to the child. The increased punishment will carry a 15 year-to-life sentence. This new penalty will be less than the punishment for an assault that results in the death of a child, but more than the punishment for the crime of felony child abuse that results in non-permanent injury.

I am hoping that this will this bill will pass the Senate next. When I am so discouraged by the games and mean campaigns I find it encouraging that someone is actually trying to get something done. I believe the lack of penalty in child abuse cases always shocks us as a society and as individuals. So why has it taken so long for someone to actually suggest doing something about it?