Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom rewrote a $16 billion plan to build two giant water tunnels after the state had already invested $240 million.
Construction on the water tunnels began under former California Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown planned to reroute the state’s water system to transfer water from the wetter, northern area of the state to the dryer, southern area.
“I do not support the twin tunnels. But we can build on the important work that’s already been done,” Newsom said, according to The Associated Press.
Brown’s original plan called for two 35-mile long tunnels to carry water from the Sacramento River to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Joaquin Valley, with local water agencies paying for entire project, according to Fox News.
Some parts of the project already built with the $240 million investment will be incorporated into the design.
The change to the water tunnel plan is not the first time Newsom has scrapped and redrawn a large-scale infrastructure project formulated by Brown. In February, Newsom announced he would be changing plans to build a high-speed rail train from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
“Let’s level about the high-speed rail,” Newsom said during his State of the State Address to the California legislature. “Let’s be real, the current project as planned would cost too much and, respectfully, take too long. Right now, there simply isn’t a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to L.A. I wish there were.”
In my column last week, I made the comment, “Joe McCarthy wasn’t wrong, he was just early.” I was being flippant. I was trying to make light of the Democrat Party’s turn towards radical, extreme, Marxist, anti-American rhetoric.
I had no idea how right I really was.
I’m not being flippant anymore. Joe McCarthy would have a field day with today’s Democrat Party. He’d be a hero for defending America from evil, radical Marxist politicians posing as “Democrats.” We’d be giving him ticker tape parades.
McCarthy’s Senate committee was called “The House Un-American Activities Committee.” Let me ask you bluntly: How much more un-American can you get than the ideas espoused just in the past few days by Democrats?
First, I’ll start with the usual suspect- Ilhan Omar. I know radical Marxist Democrats want to re-write history, but her latest claim is ridiculous. Omar re-tweeted the claim that Jesus Christ was a Palestinian. Folks, Jesus was a Jew, born into a Jewish family. It doesn’t get more simple or factual than that. Jesus’s parents, Mary and Joseph were Jewish. I know this breaks Democrat Omar’s heart, but Jesus wasn’t a Muslim. He’s the founder of Christianity, not ISIS, Hamas or Hezbellah.
Wayne Allyn Root, a former Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, is one of the most popular political and media stars in America. His columns and commentaries are read at the biggest political & news web sites in America- including FoxNews.com. He makes regular appearances at Fox News Channel, and hundreds of radio stations across the country. Wayne is a Capitalist Evangelist, entrepreneur and small businessman, home-school dad, best-selling author, and Tea Party Libertarian conservative. His web site: www.ROOTforAmerica.com
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Hueneme’, (pronounced “Y NEE MEE”), is derived from a Chumash Indian word (Wynema) meaning “half-way” or “resting place.” It is believed that central California’s original inhabitants the Canalinos Indians, (part of the Chumash nation), used this coastal point of land (approximately half way between today’s Point Mugu and the mouth of the Santa Clara River) as a resting place as well as from which they departed on fishing expeditions. The point at Hueneme is the closest spot (11 miles) from which to cross the Santa Barbara channel between the mainland and Anacapa Island a prime Chumash fishing area.
The Port that Farmers Built
The Oxnard plain where the port is located is home to some of the most fruitful agricultural land anywhere, growing at one time or another, lima beans, sugar beets, lemons, oranges, walnuts, and a peculiarly stubborn brand of California farmer. The farmers never liked the truck and rail rates they had to pay to get their produce to water. As they watched the loaded trucks and trains go by, bound for Los Angeles, they asked, “Why should we send our stuff down there when we’ve got the ocean at our front door? All we’ve got to do is build a harbor.”
The idea for building a Port at point Hueneme was the direct result of a coastal exploration by Thomas Bard in 1867. Bard had learned of a freak submarine valley — Hueneme Canyon, over 1000 feet deep, that came within 300 feet of the proposed channel and how an underground river would keep the channel free of silt. Growing frustrations experienced by Ventura County’s early agricultural industry in getting its expanding grain surpluses to broader markets only tended to confirm Bard’s vision of a port to serve as an entry point for the area’s vast agricultural potential. Taking advantage of Hueneme Canyon, a 1500-foot (Bard’s) wharf was constructed in 1872 to lighter goods between the coast and ships off shore.
The Region’s Agricultural Growth
By the early 20th century, agriculture in Ventura County began evolving, becoming more diversified with the birth of Sunkist in 1893. Lemons appearing on the rich Oxnard plain were destined to outstrip both the lima bean and the sugar beet as the County’s principal crop. The impact of citrus would be immediate and long lasting with the construction in 1922 of two giant Sunkist lemon-packing plants. In an instant Sunkist became one of the port village’s largest employers. Within ten years, the once mighty sugar beet declined to such an extent that the Ventura County Railway removed much of its trackage linking the local ranches.
Agriculture’s continued growth however, coupled with the decline in rail service challenged local farmers to create a competitive edge in the marketplace. Leading the way was one of Ventura County’s most influential citizens, Richard Bard, son of Thomas who in his later years served in the U.S. Senate. Senator Thomas Bard though instrumental in the earlier construction of Bard’s Wharf had never given up the idea of a truly modern transportation alternative in the form of a deep-sea commercial port.
Becoming a Commercial Port
By the early 1930s it became clear that the elder Bard’s vision of a commercial port was not an illusive dream. Continuing his father’s efforts, Richard would influence events and shepherd the area into the modern age and he, more than anyone else would bring the vision of a seaport to Hueneme. Bard and the area’s farmers applied for a PWA loan of $1,600,000 to build Port Hueneme. They did their best to prove the project sound — both to government engineers and government economists. To the engineers they cited the presence of the Channel Islands, eighteen miles west of the mud flats where the harbor was to be located. The islands, they said, formed a natural breakwater. They explained how Hueneme Canyon (which alone would save $1,500,000 in dredging costs) came within 300 feet of the proposed channel and how an underground aquifer would keep the channel free of silt. To the economists they cited figures: within trucking distance of Hueneme were 25% of California’s sugar beets, half of its walnuts and almonds, 60 percent of its cotton, practically all its borax and potash, and citrus. The Ventura oil fields were only twelve miles away. The promoters ran a truck from Castaic junction, dividing point for southern San Joaquin Valley traffic, first to the Port of Los Angeles, then to Hueneme. The route to Hueneme was twenty-eight miles shorter, had 432 fewer street crossings, and no electric railroad crossings.
But Harold Ickes, PWA head, ruled that the project did not make sense. As the farmers’ stubbornness grew, they decided to build the harbor themselves — On Election Day, April 29, 1937 led by Richard Bard, the tenacity of the citizens of Oxnard, Hueneme and Ventura County was rewarded with the creation of the Oxnard Harbor District.
The District’s first three Commissioners were Eugene H. Agee, an Oxnard businessman, Elmer O. Green a Hueneme Banker and Fred M. Aggen, a Somis rancher. Frustrated by Washington D.C.’s inability or unwillingness to fund the port’s construction these men proposed a bond issue in the amount of $1,750,000 to fund the project. On May 5th 1938 in less than fifteen minutes after the sale opened, the entire bond issue was fully subscribed. For perhaps the first time in American history a port would be constructed without a cent of federal government money. At that time it was proposed and accepted by the City of Oxnard that the harbor property it had previously annexed be released to the Harbor District and that it should never be a part of any incorporated city.
Groundbreaking for the New Port
On January 24, 1939 the Standard Dredging Company began operations in the channel, although the official groundbreaking ceremonies weren’t held until February 4th, with Oxnard attorney Mark Durley serving as master of ceremonies. Appropriately enough, Richard Bard who was destined to be known as the ‘Father of Port Hueneme,” was asked to turn the first shovel. The harbor was officially completed by July 4, 1940. The two-day dedication was held over the weekend of July 6th & 7th 1940.
The harbor opened and was closed almost immediately by a labor dispute. The new harbor commissioners, unfamiliar with the ways of the waterfront, had signed a contract with A.F. of L. longshoremen. The C.I.O. led by Harry Bridges affiliated International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) promptly closed the young port. After this error was rectified and a C.I.O. contract was signed, the port made some progress but not much. Through the rest of the first year and the whole of the next it considered itself lucky to attract a fish cannery and a kelp-processing plant and to see its new pier and wharf used by lumber steamers, Hueneme, the farmers felt, still had its future before it.
The War Years
They were right, although very different from what they had intended. With the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, the government now eyed Hueneme and on March 5, 1942, confiscated the port and made it a naval base. Five years earlier, the harbor had refused a $1,600,000 loan as not making sense, now built six docks with a capacity for nine ships. It spent more than $6 million on 5,205 lineal feet of wharfage, 550,000 yards of dredging, 1,200,000 square feet of building, and thirty-six miles of railroad. Nearby it built an advance-base depot, a base for the Seabee’s that were born here, and an amphibious-landing training school. For its money the government got what is probably the most efficient harbor in the world. By the end of the Pacific war Hueneme’s wharves were handling 150,000 tons of cargo a month and it appeared the Navy has taken Port Hueneme for keeps.
The farmers got $2 million for their port, enough to let them meet bonds and interest plus the satisfaction of having contributed importantly to the Pacific war. But they were back to trucking their crops to Los Angeles.
Usage Agreement with the Navy
Following the end of the Pacific war and the hectic demobilization that followed, negotiations began for the return to commercial operations of the ‘Port the Farmers Built.’ After a series of fitful starts the Navy in 1947 finalized a lease agreement with the Oxnard Harbor District for the District’s original Dock #1 consisting of sixteen acres of the original 322 acres it had been forced to give up five years earlier. By 1960 the Oxnard Harbor District completed a feasibility study by which the District would purchase Dock # 1 outright along with 6 additional acres for a total of 22 acres, along with the addition of 35 acres from the city of Port Hueneme. The newly reconstructed Wharf 1 was now 1,800 feet long and able to accommodate up to three ships. The 1960’s saw a new and significant phase in the Port’s development with the exploitation of oil deposits in the Santa Barbara Channel. The port of Hueneme remains to this day an important base for the off shore oil industry.
Successful Niche Port
The decade of the 70’s introduced what was to become the Port’s unique cargo niche. As ports across America turned their focus to containerization an opportunity was created in the breakbulk and ro-ro specialties.
1977 saw the arrival of Mazda Motors of North America and the port quickly adapted to this new niche. In fiscal year 1977/1978 a total of 17,300 autos were handled at the port. As more auto manufacturers and Ro/Ro carriers such as Wallenius Lines, (today Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean) recognized the ideal conditions and location of the port more would join the Port community including BMW, Mini Cooper, Roll Royce, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Saab and the Port’s newest customers Hyundai and Kia. From the inauspicious beginning with Mazda, it would take 13 years before the port would handle its one millionth automobile during FY 1990/1991. That same year with more companies coming aboard, the port handled 100,000 automobiles or more for the first time. The port has established its presence as an important auto port along the West Coast of the United States. Eight years later in FY 1999/2000 the port not only recorded its first 200,000-auto year but simultaneously celebrated its second million cars.
Four years later in FY 2004/2005 the port handled its three millionth automobile, as it approached the 300,000 auto mark.
The 17,300 autos handled in FY 1977/78 would be a poor performing month today.
Searching for a new home, Del Monte Fresh produce in 1979 chose the Port of Hueneme as their west coast distribution hub and the port seized another niche cargo opportunity. To reinforce its fresh produce niche the port built a 140,000 square-foot refrigerated facility in 1994 for Cool Carriers (later to become NYKCool) and Sunkist Growers and in 1995 a 30,000 square foot facility for Del Monte (which has since been expanded to 86,000 Sq. Ft.). With the arrival of Turbana, Pacific Fruit (Bonita), and Chiquita Fresh produce, the port now records in excess of 600,000 metric tons of bananas making the Port of Hueneme one of the busiest banana gateways in the country. In addition to bananas from Ecuador, Costa Rica and Guatemala port customers also import pineapple, mangos, melons, cantaloupe, avocados and even fresh-cut flowers.
Modern Port
In 1985, the harbor district purchased 22 acres of land from the Navy to expand Wharf # 2. The extension and reinforcement of Wharf 2 was completed by 1988 creating a 1,450 linear-foot concrete piling wharf specially designed to support the Port’s growing auto terminal operations as well as high and heavy cargos. In 1992 the port received a long sought port-of-entry designation joining 11 other California ports and kicking off a decade of unprecedented growth. By the 1997/98 fiscal year, the port exceeded the million ton mark in general cargo tonnage for the first time, a mark which has steadily increased ever since.
Today and Looking Towards the Future
In 2017, the Port celebrated the 80th year of the creation of the Oxnard Harbaor DistrictIn FY 2018, the Port experienced its highest revenue.
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Ventura County Sheriff Department – Incident Press Release
On May 2, 2019, Detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit concluded an investigation into the illegal possession and transfer of firearms. Detectives contacted and arrested Thomas Parra from the City of Oxnard for various firearms and narcotics violations.
During the month of April 2019, Narcotics Detectives conducted a firearms investigation into Thomas Parra of Oxnard. During the investigation, detectives suspected Parra was in possession of several firearms which were possessed illegally. Parra was also suspected of the illegal transfer of firearms. Detectives determined that Parra had a previous felony conviction which prohibited from owning and or possessing any firearms or ammunition.
On May 2, 2019, Narcotics Detectives contacted Parra outside his residence located in the 3500 Block of Schooner Walk in Oxnard. Detectives detained Parra and searched his residence pursuant to a signed search warrant. During the search, detectives located and seized two handguns, a shotgun and three rifles. Detectives seized over 600 rounds of ammunition, a small quantity of methamphetamine and paraphernalia used for the ingestion of illegal narcotics. None of the seized firearms were legally registered to Parra. Detectives subsequently arrested Parra and booked him at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on firearms and narcotics related offenses. Parra posted bail and is currently out of custody pending criminal proceedings.
Evidence
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Ventura County Sheriff Department – Incident Press Release
On 03/08/19, Ojai Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Ojai for an “Elder Abuse” report. A longtime friend and the current home caregiver of the 99-year-old male victim contacted the Ventura Sheriff’s Office after they reviewed the victim’s funds over the past few years. They found discrepancies in checks paid to caregiver (S) Ann Villasanta, which Villasanta had written to herself. Villasanta had overpaid herself out of the victim’s checking account on several different occasions. Villasanta was a home caregiver employed by the family for the victim’s late wife. After the wife passed away, Villasanta was paid to help take care of the victim’s finances by writing checks for him from 2017-2019. Villasanta began having the victim sign blank checks, which she then fraudulently wrote out to herself, along with altering the amounts on already filled out checks -totaling $18,480.
Ojai Detectives investigated the reported allegation, and ultimately arrested Villasanta on 04/30/19 for 388(e) PC – Theft of an Elder by a Caretaker and 487 PC – Grand Theft Embezzlement.
Unfortunately, unscrupulous people can take advantage of people needing assistance. Often, these victims have no family or their family do not live close by to monitor the family member’s physical health or financial status.
At this time, there are no additional reported victim’s related to Villasanta. The Ventura Sheriff’s Office is recommending family members of her past home patients to examine their loved ones’ bank accounts and ensure they were not additional victims.
If you believe that your loved ones may have been a victim of Elderly Abuse by Financial Means while being cared for by Villasanta or any other caregiver, please contact your local law enforcement agency to report the crime.
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Ventura County Sheriff Department – Incident Press Release
On 3-29-19, patrol deputies with the Thousand Oaks Police Department responded to a fight call in the 100 block of W. Hillcrest Drive. A subsequent investigation revealed Bridgette Salas was involved in a verbal argument with the 13-year-old female juvenile victim. Salas threatened to return with her “niece” for the purpose of battering the female juvenile victim. Salas left the location and returned in a vehicle a short time later with Gilbert Puga and two female juvenile suspects, ages 16 and 13. The 16-year-old female juvenile suspect battered the female juvenile victim, resulting in the victim being transported to Los Robles Hospital for treatment for a significant head injury. All suspects were arrested for their involvement in this crime.
During this assault, the 13-year-old female juvenile suspect brandished and activated a taser, displaying an electric arc at nearby witnesses. While brandishing the taser, she threatened to use the taser on anyone who attempted to intervene with the attack. Salas and Puga watched as the 16-year old female juvenile suspect battered the victim and made no attempt to stop this attack from occurring. Uninvolved witnesses eventually stopped the fight and Salas drove Puga and the female juvenile suspects away from the scene.
On 5-1-19, after completing a thorough investigation, a search warrant was served at residences of the suspects involved in this crime. Salas, Puga and the two female juvenile suspects were arrested for California Penal Code section 245(a)(4), assault with a deadly weapon, and Penal Code section 182(a), conspiring to commit a crime. Salas and Puga were also arrested for Penal Code Section 273a(a), child endangerment. Evidence related to this crime was located during the service of this search warrant. Salas and Puga were booked into the Ventura County Pre- Trial Detention Facility with bail set at $50,000 for each. The two female juvenile suspects were lodged into the Ventura County Juvenile justice Center.
Gilbert PugaBridgette Salas
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Ventura County Sheriff Department – Incident Press Release
On 04/26/19, members of the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Unit and Ventura County Public Health conducted tobacco stings, using under age decoys, in an attempt to purchase tobacco products at retail establishments in the City of Thousand Oaks and surrounding area. Two cashiers were cited for selling tobacco products to customers under the age of 21. The goal of this operation is to limit under age access to tobacco products and confirm local businesses are operating within the law.
Beginning June 9, 2016, a new law signed by Governor Jerry Brown, went into effect raising the minimum age of sale for tobacco products from 18 to 21, except for active duty military personnel in the U.S. Armed Forces. Electronic smoking devices are included in the definition of tobacco products.
The underage decoys attempted to make purchases of tobacco products at 14 locations throughout the Thousand Oaks area. Cashiers at 12 of the establishments turned the decoy away without selling any tobacco products.
In an ongoing effort to prevent access tobacco products by those under the age of 21, members of the Directed Enforcement Unit and Ventura County Public Health will continue to conduct periodic sting operations dealing with tobacco to confirm retailers in the area are doing their part to prevent minors’ access to tobacco products.
All of the suspects that sold tobacco products to the minor decoy were cited for PC 308(a)(1). The Thousand Oaks Police Department would like to thank the other 12 businesses that did not sell tobacco products to the underage decoys.
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At approximately 6:55 AM on May 3, 2019, the Oxnard Police Department’s Dispatch Center received calls regarding a female who was waving a knife in the parking lot behind the businesses located at 480 North Rose Avenue in the City of Oxnard.
The first Oxnard Police officer arrived on scene and made verbal contact with a female in the dirt field behind the business. The female brandished a large kitchen knife at the officer. The officer drew his handgun and made several verbal requests for her to drop the weapon. The female ignored the officer’s requests, and began to walk towards him. The officer retreated backwards in an attempt to create space between them. The officer continued to give the female verbal commands to drop the weapon as he retreated for approximately fifty yards. As the second officer arrived on scene, the female ran directly towards the first officer with the knife in her hand. The officer fired his weapon, and the female was struck by gunfire. Officers promptly rendered first aid to her until medical personnel arrived on scene. The officer was not injured.
During the encounter, the female made a statement indicating that she wanted the officer to shoot her.
The entire incident was captured on the officer’s body worn camera.
The 17 year-old female was transported via ambulance to a local hospital. At the time of this news release she is listed in critical but stable condition. Her name is being withheld due to her age.
Police Chief Scott Whitney: “On a regular basis our police officers respond to critical incidents where they put themselves in harm’s way. They do everything they can to peacefully resolve these incidents. The last thing that our officers want to happen is to be forced to shoot someone.”
The involved officer has been employed by the Oxnard Police Department since April of 2015, and is currently assigned to the Patrol Division. Per standard protocol for officer-involved shootings, the officer has been placed on administrative leave as the investigation progresses.
The Oxnard Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the incident. Detectives are requesting that anyone who might have witnessed the incident, or has additional information to contact Detective Jeff Kay at (805) 385-8174 or by email at [email protected].
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VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced that Lenard Chester (DOB 04/22/61), incarcerated at the Department of State Hospitals-Coalinga, was charged with the murder of Sarah Leah Bullis, age 81, that occurred in Oxnard on December 1, 1980. Special circumstances are alleged that Chester murdered Ms. Bullis during the course of a burglary and rape. These allegations make Chester eligible for the death penalty or, in the alternative, specify a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
Arraignment is set May 3, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He will be detained at the Ventura County jail pending trial on these charges.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.
Follow the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on Twitter @VenturaDAOffice
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