REMEMBERING FALLEN DEPUTY
On Friday, October 24, Sheriff Deputy Danny Oliver lost his life in the line of duty while he and his partner were investigating a suspicious occupied vehicle within a business parking lot in Arden Arcade.
The suspects fled the scene and began a violent crime spree by carjacking several citizens of their vehicles in nearby neighborhoods and continuing across the county line where a Placer County Deputy was killed. The suspects were eventually captured that afternoon and are now in custody.
Deputy Oliver was 47years old and a 15-year veteran of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. He was assigned to the North Patrol Division that services most of the Third Supervisorial District including the communities of Arden Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, and North Highlands. He was a member of the Division’s Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team.
I knew Deputy Oliver from attending a number of the Sheriff’s Community Meetings over the years and always found him to be a very dedicated officer committed to improving the quality of life for the residents of the unincorporated area. Flags at the County Administration Center were flown at half-staff in his honor.
Deputy Oliver is survived by his wife and two daughters. A memorial fund has been established in his memory. Donations can be sent either to the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, 700 I Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95811 or to the STAR 6 Foundation, Danny Oliver Memorial Fund, c/o Exchange Bank, 1420 Rocky Ridge Drive, Suite 190, Roseville, CA 95661.
Please join me in your prayers in remembering him, his family, his colleagues in law enforcement, and for the loved ones of the slain Placer County Deputy.
ELECTION DAY
November 4 is Election Day and the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contests include balloting for the Governorship, State Constitutional Offices, Congress as well as the Legislature. And there also will be six statewide ballot propositions under consideration.
Voters in the San Juan Unified School District will be choosing trustees for the school board – and a number of water district seats are up as are positions on the Los Rios Community College District and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
Residents in the City of Sacramento also will be voting on whether to change the City Charter to establish a “strong mayor” form of government as opposed to the current “city manager-council” system.
All area voters can go online to confirm they are registered by visiting the Sacramento County Elections Office’s website. The web site also allows you to find your polling place. You can also call 875-6451 for more information.
PASTA FEED FOR YOUTH PROGRAMS
On Saturday, November 8, the 3rd Annual Arden-Arcade Community Pasta Feed will be held to raise funds benefitting the youth programs provided by the Sheriff’s Community Impact Project (SCIP) and theSwanston Community Center operated by the Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District.
The fun starts with a social hour at 6 pm followed by dinner at 7 pm. at the Mission Oaks Community Center at Gibbons Park, 4701 Gibbons Drive, in Carmichael. Tickets are only $30 per person and the proceeds go to a good cause – SCIP which works to lessen negative influences facing many youth in the Arden Arcade community so as to avoid juvenile delinquency and gang involvement.
While attendees will receive a delicious dinner, the true beneficiaries will be the students at Greer Elementary School, Thomas Edison Language Institute and Encina Preparatory High School involved in SCIP sponsored athletic programs and educational opportunities in conjunction with school administrators and other community based organizations. SCIP members include retired and active law enforcement personnel, school administrators, business and community members.
EMERGENCY ALERT
The Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services, in partnership with Yolo and Placer emergency agencies, is establishing a state-of-the-art emergency alert system known as Sacramento Alert. The system provides information to residents about emergency events quickly and through a variety of communication methods.
The alert system currently includes all listed and unlisted landline telephone numbers in Yolo, Placer and Sacramento counties that are serviced by AT&T and Verizon. If neither is your service provider, then you need to register to be included in the alert system. To ensure emergency notices are received quickly both at work and home, residents are encouraged to log onto the Sacramento Alert Self- Registration Portal and provide phone numbers for both home and work, including land and cell phone numbers, email addresses, TTY device information and instant messaging information. All information in the Self Registration Portal will be kept strictly confidential. Residents of the unincorporated areas as well as those residing in any of our cities are urged to sign up on the linked website.
Residents will only receive alerts that are critical and time-sensitive, including: flooding, levee failures, severe weather, disaster events, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods in specific geographic locations.
The system, which uses Everbridge Alert and Notifications System, was made possible for all three counties by a grant from California Office of Emergency Services and supported by California Department of Water Resources, Flood Operations Center through the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services.
For additional information about how to prepare for an emergency, go to the Sacramento County website— Sacramento Ready.
CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON
Thousands of runners are expected to be racing through our neighborhoods in the Third District on Sunday, December 7, during the annual California International Marathon. The 26-mile grueling trek begins 7 a.m. in Folsom and concludes at the State Capitol.
This event attracts world-class competition. Several thousand out of town visitors travel to the area to participate in or watch the marathon. This influx contributes to our local economy via renting lodging, dinning in restaurants, retails sales, etc.
Residents can come out and cheer the runners. Fair Oaks Boulevard is part of the route so Fair Oaks, Carmichael and Arden Arcade residents south of that roadway may find themselves “land-locked” while the race is in progress due to street closures.
These closures may cause some inconvenience so please be cognizant of that when planning your morning activities. Residents can view specific street closures on the marathon’s webpage.
VISITING WITH NEIGHBORS
Last month was busy.
On October 7 was a special “Candidates Night” forum sponsored byCarmichael Chamber of Commerce at the La Sierra Community Center where I served as the master of ceremonies. Candidates or their representatives attended the gathering that involved contests for U.S. House of Representatives District 7, State Senate District 4, Assembly District 8 and the San Juan Unified School District Board of Trustees.
I also held my Community Coffee during the morning of October 15 at the headquarters of the Fair Oaks Water District. Sacramento County’s Economic Development Director Troy Givans was the guest speaker and he provided an update on the recent investment occurring in the area citing the successful remodeling of Town and Country Villagein Arden Arcade and the upgrading of Carmichael Village Shopping Center at Fair Oaks Boulevard and Manzanita Avenue. Other examples illustrating the economy's improvement that he pointed out were the arrival of the new William Glen, ownership change for Country Club Plaza and the progress being made on new Milagro Centre in Carmichael. I hold these community gatherings five times throughout the year and the next one will be in January. For a listing please visit my website.
Last month I concluded my series of “Office Hours” which I first started in 2005 and now hold as an annual tradition beginning in the spring and concluding in the fall. The latest one was at the Concert in the Park in Old Foothill Farms on October 11 that featured the John Skinner Band. These no appointment outings allow residents to chat with me about issues on a “first come basis” in a casual setting without the need to make an appointment to meet downtown at the County Administrative Center. After the holidays, I will be starting a new round beginning in 2015.
October 19 I participated in the first annual dog walk, “Howling on the Parkway,” sponsored by the American River Parkway Foundationthat was held at William B. Pond Park. Following the 2.2 mile course, several dogs were entered into a costume judging contest and I had fun being a judge. Such creativity was on display!
On October 22 I participated in the annual meeting of the Sierra Oaks Neighborhood Association and on October 25 I dropped by the North Highlands Jubilee, which was revived this year thanks to the outstanding efforts of the Rotary Club of Foothill-Highlands and theNorth Highlands Vision’s Task Force.
And on October 29 I met with residents of Arden Arcade and provided an update on activities occurring in their neighborhood, which was held at the Sacramento Suburban Water District’s Board Room. That was an inaugural meeting of a future series of gatherings for the Arden Arcade area similar in format to the morning community coffee meetings I hold in Fair Oaks throughout the year but these will be held in the evenings. The Arden Arcade series will kick-off next year and a schedule will be posted on my webpage.
Finally I stayed home on October 31 and handed out Halloween candy!
NICE DOGGIE
When I attended the Concert in the Park at Pioneer Park in Old Foothill Farms, I volunteered to participate in a demonstration involving one of the police dogs belonging to the Twin Rivers Unified School District. First, my arm was covered by a heavy plastic and padded sleeve and then on command the dog leaped forward grabbing my arm. After that thrill, Twin Rivers School Board Trustee Michael Baker also participated in an action demonstration with the same dog.
Afterwards we compared encounters. The impact was startling to say the least and now I know first-hand how effective police dogs can be.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BURN
Effective November 1 through February 28, 2015, wood burning is restricted in the unincorporated area as well as in the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova and Sacramento in accordance with air quality regulations. The restrictions are applicable to fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits or chimneys. Implementation of these restrictions has helped reduce pollution and allowed our area to stay in compliance with federal air quality standards. Before you burn, please check the daily status by calling 1-877-No Burn-5 or visit the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.
SHERIFF’S TOY PROJECT
The Sheriff’s Toy Project has been serving our community since 1984 providing gifts as well as food boxes to less fortunate families.
The program provides a character-building environment for Work Project participants who spend their court-ordered jail sentence making toys, building furniture, and refurbishing computers plus donated bicycles. Through partnerships with Heald College and the Salvation Army, these items are distributed to those in need, including donations to schools for special needs and homeless children. Referrals for recipient families come through the Sheriff’s service centers, deputies, detectives, probation officers, social service agencies, schools and other local non-profit organizations.
Work Project participants develop a great sense of accomplishment during and upon completion of their sentences and many request to volunteer at the workshop after their release. Donations are welcomed. For more information, please visit the Sheriff's Toy Project website.
STOPPING SIGN BLIGHT
Ever been bothered by signs plastered on street corners or blocking your view of the road?
Recently the Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance to end the visual blight of illegal signage. As a result, the Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement Division now has the ability to issue citations for unapproved signs on private and public property to ensure that community standards are met with respect to health, safety, and property preservation.
The new regulation stems from concerns raised by residents and businesses about the proliferation of unsightly signs being a public nuisance and potential traffic hazard.
Because the State of California has designated such signs as a public nuisance, Code Enforcement and the County Department of Transportation have historically removed these signs on publicly owned property, with no penalty to the violator. Often times the violators are out-of-town businesses that drive through and post signs at night, often high up on poles that require extra equipment to remove, all at a cost to taxpayers.
Under the new ordinance, Sacramento County now has the ability to pursue violators – businesses that post signs on street corners, utility poles, and fences -- through fines and administrative penalties.
Violators will first be given notice and a reasonable amount of time for correction. If the violator does not remove the signs within the designated period, monetary penalties could be assessed.
SMUD has positively weighed in support of the new ordinance since many utility poles were becoming illegal billboards.
STOP THE CLOG
Grease in sinks and garbage disposals cause a significant percentage of the sewer blockages in the service areas of our two Sanitation Districts serving both the unincorporated area and the City of Sacramento. Combined with fats and oils poured down the drain, the accumulation can ultimately restrict flow and cause blockages -- so please take that into consideration when do your holiday cooking.
Improper grease disposal can lead to costly plumbing repairs and sewer back-ups in homes and our neighborhoods. Save time, money and the environment by keeping your household pipes clear and clean.
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
For all of you that have a Facebook account please feel free to check out my Facebook fan page and I invite you to like my page so you can be notified of my postings. I put information on my fan page periodically about events, activities and constituents with respect to the Third District. The page can be found by searching for Supervisor Susan Peters within the Facebook site or you can access via my website and click on the Facebook logo under District Links.
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