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| Oroville City employees' salaries online Posted: 28 Mar 2009 12:46 AM PDT Posted: 03/27/2009 OROVILLE -- The 2008 salaries of the all city of Oroville employees were posted online Friday. The salaries are available at www.chicoer.com/salaries. In August of 2008, California Supreme Court ruled that salaries of government employees, including police officers, are public record and must be available upon request, along with employee names. The Web site also includes salaries of Butte County, Cal Fire-Butte County, Butte College, Chico State University, city of Chico and Chico Unified School District personnel. While salaries for the top city administrative officers earn the most money, with overtime and special pay the top wage earner last year was Oroville Police department Sgt. Bill LaGrone at $113,378. City Administrator Sharon Atteberry made a tad less with special pay at $113,363. Police Chief Kirk Trostle earned $109,944 including special pay and Eric Teitelman, director of community development and public works made $108,081. LaGrone and two police officers earned more than $27,000 in overtime pay. Police personnel earned the most in overtime hours last year. Trostle said that was because the department was short staffed. Trostle said the department will be fully staffed this year, when a couple of officers complete training. "I think the citizens of Oroville will see overtime salaries for the police department going down this year," Trostle said. Police officers and personnel have been working overtime by choice, Trostle said. Police Lt. John Nickelson was also one of the highest paid employees, with special pay earning $106,521. However, Nickelson, like Trostle and other administrative personnel, isn't paid for overtime. Finance director Diane MacMillan said special pay includes items such as incentive pay for longtime employees, uniform allowances and other expenses including education. Source article www.orovillemr.com - Link Staff writer Mary Weston can be reached at 533-3135 or mweston@orovillemr.com.  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Large explosion: Esparto explosion, not a myth Posted: 27 Mar 2009 10:46 PM PDT Posted by David Pescovitz, March 26, 2009 11:27 AM Esparto, Calif. -- A big explosion, in the name of science, scared a lot of people in a small town. Mythbusters went to Yolo County and ended up with a bigger bang than expected."It was a boom that was just -- I had never heard anything like that before, it was really weird," said Sherril Stephens. The explosion was so big it shook the town of Esparto, knocking Stephens off her couch and breaking her front window. Their aim was to "knock the socks off" a mannequin with an explosion of ammonium nitrate. The boom blew out some residents' windows that Mythbusters replaced. One woman whose glass was shattered was delighted by the surprise. Others, not so much. From KCRA.com: "Course all the neighbors ran out into the street. We didn't know what was going on," said Paul Williams, who heard the explosion... Williams said the school and others in town should have been notified the blast was going to happen. Chief Barry Burns, of Esparto Fire Department, had several firefighters on hand for the explosion. He said he made the decision not to notify anyone in town for safety sake. "Mythbusters is supposed to be a really popular show. Everybody would have been out there. We would have had to cancel it because it would have been too dangerous," Burns said. Info sources: Boing Boing - Link KCRA - Link  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| San Francisco: Simulated Freeway crash, Fireball, Trauma, Drama closing I280 Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:34 PM PDT Rachel Gordon Friday, March 27, 2009 The King Street freeway ramps to and from Interstate 280 in San Francisco will be closed intermittently from pre-dawn Saturday to Wednesday night to accommodate the filming of a television drama pilot. Authorities, who have crafted an elaborate plan to detour traffic, warn that the closures could slow traffic in the South of Market and waterfront neighborhoods. The northbound King Street off-ramp will be closed starting at 5 a.m. Saturday through 10 p.m. Sunday, and again on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Northbound traffic will be diverted to Sixth Street with detours set up to the Embarcadero. The ramp will be open for the early morning weekday commute. The King Street on-ramp for southbound I-280 will be closed on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Traffic will be detoured from King Street to Mariposa Street or Sixth Street at Brannan Street. The elevated freeway ramps, which provide a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline, will be used for filming the pilot episode of "Trauma," in which emergency responders will be dealing with a fiery tanker crash. The simulated freeway crash, to be filmed over the weekend, will include an explosion with what city officials describe as "a fireball and billowing smoke." A helicopter will be used in the shoot. Traffic also will be stopped now and then at southbound Sixth Street and King Street whenever a stunt is being filmed or a helicopter is taking off or landing, officials said. Source article here: www.sfgate.com/ - LinkThis article appeared on page B - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Salinas Fire department: Welcomes new Chief - Kim Raddatz Posted: 27 Mar 2009 01:53 PM PDT  Salinas Fire Chief Candidate Excited About New PositionSALINAS, Calif.- Along with a new police chief, Salinas will also usher in a new fire chief come May. Wednesday, one of the finalists confirms he has been invited to join the department. Kim Raddatz of Coronado says he has received and accepted an offer. Raddatz confirmed Wednesday that he was chosen from over 60 applicants, and has over 33 years of firefighter experience. He was one of three commanders in charge during the largest fire in California history, the Cedar Wildfire in San Diego County in 2003. Raddatz latest gig has been fire chief in Coronado where as part of a 5 year plan, he incorporated a 105-foot arial truck company and improved their paramedic program. The 52-year old chief says he can't wait to start working with his new team and is impressed with what he sees so far, noting the the Salinas firefighters strong dedication and work ethic. KION News did put a call into the Salinas city manager to talk about the appointment. We have not been able to reach him yet. Last week we did speak with Fields -- who would not confirm finalists names --- but did say that he was close to making a decision on the fire chief. Chief Raddatz said his last day in Coronado will be May 1st and he will be on the job in Salinas May 4th. Source: www.kcba.com - Link  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| OPD LODD: A SEA OF BLUE AND BACKED UP TOO! Posted: 27 Mar 2009 05:10 PM PDT  The funeral for the fallen Oakland Police officers is scheduled for March 27, 2009, at 11:00 AM. Traffic: 1630 -Huge Police Funeral procession eastbound 580 in Livermore heading towards Tracy at 4:30, Large Fire presence on overpasses from 580 Mountain House west on 580...Freeways impacted throughout the Bay Area Service scheduled to begin at 1100hrs, The services will be led by the Rev. Jayson Landeza, chaplain of the Oakland Police Department. The playing of bagpipes, a 21-gun salute with a military cannon and flyovers will follow speakers. Law enforcement officers from all 50 states and a handful of foreign countries are expected to pour into the Oracle Arena and the arena could be packed with as many as 12,000 police officers. The services will be held at the Oracle Arena, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. The services are open to the public. We are asking officers from outside agencies and attendees to arrive early. The funeral is open to the public, but Oakland police Capt. Paul Figueroa stressed that the sole priority is to "honor our fallen officers and their families." The families met together with the department Tuesday to go over planning, Figueroa said. "We are guests at a private funeral, and we have the honor of being there," Figueroa said. Processions will begin from the cities where the officers lived at 8 a.m., and members of the Police Department will be bused to the funeral. PLEASE USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IF POSSIBLE Amtrak is providing complimentary travel to all police officers, active, reserve and retired traveling to and from the memorial. BART has a station at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum/Oracle arena members of the public who wish to attend the services are urged to take BART to avoid traffic snarls. Parking lots will open at 7 a.m., and the doors to the arena will open at 9 a.m. Overflow crowds will be invited to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, where a big screen will broadcast the service.--Parking lots open at 7:30 a.m., and the arena will open by 9 a.m.-- Drivers should use the 66th Avenue exit off Interstate 880. -- Find more information and directions at www.opoa.org/funeral. View Larger Map Google Map - OPD LODD - Oracle Arena Schwarzenegger Orders Flags At Half-Staff in California An illuminated sign above the entry has the words "Forever Heroes." The Arena will open and start seating at 9 a.m. Law officers and other mourners were expected to fill the 16,900-seat Oracle Arena on Friday. The service will air at Oakland Coliseum and community centers as well. The four fallen Oakland Police officers killed in the line of duty  Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, of Danville  Oakland Police Sgt. Daniel Sakai  Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, of Tracy Funeral updates: Update: 1315 - One of the most affecting tributes came from Oakland police Capt. Edward Tracey, commander of the SWAT team that cornered Mixon. "These were my men," he said. "They died doing what they loved: riding in motorcycles, kicking in doors, serving in SWAT." Tracey thanked the citizens who called police after the traffic stop and singled out a man who performed CPR on Dunakin at the scene. He also addressed the members of the SWAT team present when Romans and Sakai were killed. "Console yourself knowing that they spent their last moments in your company," he said. He also told the officers not to let the deaths "hold you back." The officers' coffins lined the front of the arena. The tall black motorcycle boots that Dunakin and Hege wore were placed by their caskets and their beloved motorcycles sat nearby. Individual eulogies from friends, colleagues and relatives of the officers sketched portraits of dedicated, hard-working family men. Dunakin, 40, known as "Dunny," was the life of the party who loved looking good on his motorcycle. Hege, 41, volunteered to work overtime at the Coliseum during Raiders home games to see his favorite team. Romans, 43, a former Marine Corps drill sergeant, was an avid hunter and enjoyed cooking up his game. Sakai, 35, was a former Boy Scout who loved backpacking through untouched wilderness. Outside, a sea of police vehicles filled the parking lot. A contingent of Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived on horses. New York City police Lt. Tommy Ng, who attended the ceremony, said the tragedy brought back memories of Sept. 11. He said he was not surprised by the outpouring of support. "When one of us is hurt, all of us are hurt," Ng said before the service. "We're all brothers." Minneapolis police Sgt. Steve Blackwell and three other officers drove two squad cars from Minnesota over three days to attend Friday's service. "It's a national tragedy," Blackwell said, "so it cuts pretty deep. We want to let the people of Oakland see that we care. I hope that this city finds strength from this tragedy to move ahead." - modbee.com - Link  Update: 1215 - Oakland Police officer Cesar Garcia, left, escorts relatives of OPD Sgt. Dan Sakai for the funeral services for the four slain Oakland Police officers at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, March 27, 2009 Photo credit: (Ray Chavez/Mercury News - Link1205- Funeral service underway - Fr. Jayson Landeza, OPD Chaplain, started services with a prayer after the national anthem was sung. The entire 815-member Oakland Police Department, wearing dress white caps and gloves and black mourning bands on their badges, filled the front rows, saluting their fallen brethren as their flag-draped caskets were carried inside 1100 - Service scheduled to begin, The services will be led by the Rev. Jayson Landeza, chaplain of the Oakland Police Department. The playing of bagpipes, a 21-gun salute with a military cannon and flyovers will follow speakers. Funeral processions: All Bay Area Freeways impacted - All processions will begin at 8 a.m. from the cities where the officers lived. "Freeways will be shut down during the procession," Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said. "It will affect every freeway. Bear with us — this is a major event." CHP Sgt. Trent Cross warned that people should expect delays on southbound Interstate 880 between West Grand Avenue and Hegenberger Road from 8 to 11 a.m. and both directions from 3 to 6 p.m. Cross said that the CHP will run traffic breaks and provide escorts for funeral processions on Interstates 880, 980, 680 and 580, and State Highway 238. On-ramps along those freeways may be closed temporarily as the entourage passes, Cross said. As many as 19,000 people are expected to attend, including 12,000 police officers. About 75 officers from the Boston Police Department alone arrived in Oakland this week Firefighters offer aid and comfort to Police:When awful, unexplainable things happen, sometimes the best thing is a warm meal served by a friend who has been there before. That's why Oakland firefighters loaded up on hamburger and tri-tip steak and took over the kitchen at the Oakland Police Officers Association, to serve comfort food to a force reeling from the slaying of four of its officers last weekend. Firefighters lit the grill and worked the room, offering round-the-clock meals and conversation since Monday morning. "We are there to talk to the guys," said Lt. Chuck Garcia, president of the Oakland branch of the International Association of Firefighters. "This is a big, crazy city. We have to be there for each other." Two professional counselors and a medical doctor also are offering their services. Grief is rippling from department headquarters on Seventh Street throughout the city after the shooting deaths Saturday of Sgts. Mark Dunakin, 40, of Tracy, Ervin Romans, 43, of Danville, and Daniel Sakai, 35, of Castro Valley, by Lovelle Mixon, a 26-year-old parolee whom police had pulled over in a routine traffic stop. Mixon was killed in a shootout with SWAT officers. - SF Chronicle About 75 officers from the Boston Police Department alone arrived in Oakland this week. Live Streaming video: ABC7 - Link  | ||||||||||||||||||||
| LBFD: Rider fell off, but the ski kept going 60+MPH Posted: 27 Mar 2009 11:45 AM PDT Link | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Earthquake 3.4 M - Offshore Eureka, CA Posted: 27 Mar 2009 08:43 AM PDT  Earthquake Details
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