Army Specialist, Derek Walls, 21, was recently wounded after the armored Stryker Vehicle he was driving was hit with an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) in Mosul in northern Iraq. His parents, Ken and Sharon Walls, first heard their son had been wounded when a liaison officer from Fort Richardson, Alaska, called at 7:40 a.m. Saturday, March 11.

After the explosion, Walls, along with another wounded soldier, Sergeant First Class Harlan from Walnut Creek, were evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Walls sustained head trauma with lacerations to the head, a fractured sinus cavity, and trauma to the eyes, but is responding well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. He will receive further medical attention at the Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. Harlan suffered serious breaks to his legs and has already underwent one surgery, and is expected to have another surgery at Fort Lewis, Washington.

KERMAN (Mar. 1) - Kerman’s crime rate jumped 19% last year, according to a report presented to the Kerman City Council on Mar. 1st by Chief William Newton.

He said that the 2005 crime rate increase can be attributed to a spike in burglaries - specifically vehicle burglaries.

Newton highlighted two areas of concern: street gangs, and an increase in drug use and its attendant property crime, as drug users steal to support their habit.

But the increase in burglaries, up 45% over the numbers from 2004, is the Police Department’s "Most significant problem," he said.

The figures reported were:

Adult arrests up 60%

Juvenile arrests up 16%

Auto theft down 15%

Burglary up 45%

Vandalism down 25%

Theft up 7%

Rape up 40%

Aggravated assault up 20%

Simple assault down 4%

Robbery up 60%

Newton sounded a note of caution about the numbers for rape and robbery. These are not included in the overall crime rate because the numbers are so small that the slightest change can artificially skew the overall crime picture.

Kerman grew by a rate of 5.5% last year, while the size of the police department remained relatively stable.

The factors driving the crime rate in Kerman include: changing demographics (an increase in the crime-prone age population); Increased gang activity; parolees at large; increased drug use; and, oddly, more experienced officers on the beat, who notice more than an inexperienced officer.

The KPD hopes to hold onto more of its experienced officers through a generous pay raise, but still faces tough competition from larger agencies with deeper pockets.

The department is attacking the related problems of illegal drug use and property theft by means of training officers in drug recognition; assigning one officer to the Fresno Sheriff’s Dept. Narcotics Enforcement Team 50% of the time; increasing survelliance and interdiction; and using health and safety codes to pressure landlords who have turned a blind eye to drug dealing out of their rental units.

Exacerbating the problem is a new drug of choice - ‘ice’ methamphetamine. Regular powdered meth is about 45% pure, while ice is 98% pure. It is more addictive and more expensive, thus driving up the burglary rate.

Kerman continues to see conflicts between the southern Hispanic gangs (Surenos) and the Bulldogs (Nortenos). Over the weekend of Feb. 24-25 violence flared, as one man was beaten with a tire iron, and shots were fired at others. The increase in activity in Kerman seems to follow nationwide trends, which show gangs targeting smaller rural and suburban areas.

Newton said the department plans to be "very aggressive in our approach," to the gang problem. "You cannot treat these people as you would your normal law abiding citizen, and there will be complaints."

The department will enlist the aid of the Fresno County Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), and is sending its officers to a number of schools for specialized training.

In other areas, the KPD is using a school liasion officer to respond to calls on school campuses, and is thinking about instituting a ‘life skills’ program. The earlier DARE and School Resources Officer programs have been dropped due to lack of funds.

The KPD Explorer Scout program is back up to about five members, following the graduation of the original members, many of whom are now in college. Recruitment is continuing.

The department’s K-9 unit, "Giesla," has been performing well, Newton said, and is an important asset in the war on drugs.

Kerman Police have recently acquired new dual band radios, which are digital and encrypted, and will allow the officers to talk to "virtually anyone in the central Valley," Newton said.

The department has had good results with the new Taser stun guns recently acquired. In some cases all that has been needed was for an officer to put the red targeting laser on a subject’s chest to have them submit without a fight or being stunned.

KERMAN, Mar. 15 - The Kerman Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee met Thursday, Mar. 9.

The committee was set up under state requirements after voters passed an $11 million school bond (Measure K) issue a few years ago. It’s purpose is to verify that the funds are used for the purpose stated in the election.

Serving on the board, which meets once or twice a year, are: Kristy Beckett, Vicki Blair, Ray Foth, Stephen Hill, Charlie Jones, Mark Kilen, Leslee Nance, Tim Samarin and Kathy Scheidt.

Last week the committee reviewed the 2004-05 financial audit report.

The report, by Borchardt, Corona & Faeth of Fresno, found that the district has sold about $6 million in bonds so far, and has spent about $751,371 - for architectural planning, labor and other services. The auditors reported no findings or questionable costs related to the district’s bond building fund.

The committee also took a look at the district’s budget for the bond revenues. Although the bond total was for $11 million, Kerman Unified has just over $20 million available, when additional state funds and local developer fee revenues are taken into account.

The budget outlines an ambitious list of new building construction throughout the district. On the wish list are multipurpose buildings at Kerman High, Kerman Middle School and Liberty Intermediate; expansions at the Kerman High and Sun Empire Elementary libraries; seven new classrooms at Kerman High, four new classrooms at Liberty and five more classrooms at Sun Empire.

The district’s budget for buildings is about $16.4 million, and the ‘soft costs’ (items such as architectural, administrative and other non-structural work) are estimated at about $4.3 million, leaving the district with a cash shortfall of about $677,983.

There was more bad news when the committee reviewed the bids for the multipurpose buildings - the costs were higher than expected. Four bids were received, ranging from a high of $9.4 million to the lowest, from Davis Moreno Const. Inc., at $8.5 million.

Assistant Supt. Jim Foley said the KUSD school board will be asked to accept the Moreno bid at its meeting Thursday evening, but in order to bring costs under control the Liberty multipurpose building will have to be dropped. He said the district hopes to be able to do the project with different funds.

Neri Named Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year

KERMAN (Feb. 1) - One of the most important issues for school leaders is to make sure that no students slip through the cracks without being given every opportunity for a good education. That’s why continuation and educational options plays such a key role in each school district.

 Nellie Neri, director of alternative education for Kerman Unified School District, is a school leader who takes this belief to heart. That’s why the Association of California School Administrators has named her the Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year.

In a district of about 3,600 students, Neri wears more than one hat to work. She’s in charge of all continuation education, the district opportunity programs and the adult school. She also supervises the child welfare attendance officer, runs the community day school in another location, and is public information officer for the district.

But that’s not all. "Also through my office we develop the School Accountability Report Cards for all the school sites, and twice a year we produce a small newspaper that gives people in the community an idea of some of our major programs that the district is offering as well as certain timelines and dates that are important," Neri said. In addition, Neri facilitates monthly discussions on each student who falls under her purview. She said she feels this is important so she can know what each person is dealing with.

She also goes the extra mile to ensure students feel welcome in continuation school. "I have people who work with me on our new student orientation, which we offer twice a week," Neri said. "This lets students know a little bit about our school culture and what our rules and regulations are, and tries to make them feel welcome, letting them know that even though some issues may have put them at our site that we want everybody to feel good about being on our campus. Sometimes some kids are not sent to alternative education purely for disciplinary reasons. There are students who may request to come here because they are parenting. There are some students who find that coming to an alternative setting allows them to come to school in the morning and work in the afternoon or vice versa."

Neri also works hard to involve families in the educational process. For instance, with the adult school, young students up to the age of 4 can come to the campus with their parents in the daytime or evening and learn together. She also is a big believer in community involvement. She and her husband annually donate money to groups such as the Girl Scouts and the Association of Mexican American Educators, a group Neri served as president of in 1990. She’s also active in the local Rotary Club, the Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce and has served with the Madera County Youth Mental Health Committee.

Neri said she was surprised to hear about the ACSA recognition. "I was so surprised. I think it’s great and a wonderful opportunity for me," she said. "I have received a number of requests locally for me to come speak at events on family and children issues. That’s always been something that I enjoy because I’ve always been involved in a lot of community service organizations, pretty much all my life. "It sounds cliché, but I feel that if you’re here you should make a mark, a mark that is positive toward the students."

She credits Superintendent Roger Halberg with giving her the support to enable her to be successful. It’s all part of the team attitude that educators in Kerman Unified have toward their work. "I tell the group here that we’re sort of like a hospital," Neri said. "When somebody comes in we need to find out exactly what they need right away, what the best placement for them is, and if the first one doesn’t work then we need to keep on trying until we find something that fits."

Dr. Nellie Neri was formally honored at ACSA’s Annual Conference in Sacramento.

 KERMAN HIGH STUDENT TAGGED FOR HONOR BAND

Dennis Reynolds of Reynolds Insurance Services in Kerman, recently celebrated his 35th year in business. Located at 426 S. Madera Ave., he offers all types of insurance services.

He began with CalFarm Insurance, the original Farm Bureau affiliated company, on Mar. 1, 1971. He served as local area representative for over 15 years, and was recognized as CalFarm Agent of the Year in 1988. All of his family have worked in the agency at various times throughout his career.

Reynolds is a Mendota native, and is married to high school sweetheart Juanice (Hawn), also from Mendota. They have three children and four grandchildren. Both enjoy church activities and are avid golfers.

After graduating from Tranquillity High School Reynolds attended Coalinga Junior College and also completed the US Army’s Officer Candidate program. He served four years on active duty, earning the rank of Captain.

When asked if retirement is on the horizon he said, "I enjoy my work too much for such thoughts. Maybe I’ll cut back a day or two every once in a while."

Fewer than 15% of family run businesses make it to the third generation – a milestone that Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. and Kerman Telephone Co. are proud to have achieved.

On Thursday, Jan.19, the Institute for Family Business at California State University, Fresno named Kerman Telephone Co. the family business of the year, at an awards ceremony attended by approximately 300 people.

The Sebastian family has certainly come a long way since 1946, when young entrepreneurs Bill and Katey Sebastian purchased Kerman Telephone Co. The business was so small, and finances were so tight, that Bill and Katey actually lived inside the telephone company office for a few years.

Today, the Sebastian family employs 130 individuals, and owns not only Kerman Telephone Co., but KerTel Communications, Inc. and Foresthill Telephone Co. north of Auburn.

"Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you," said Bill Barcus, president of Kerman Telephone Co., when asked a family business’s most important lesson.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

March 24 - Maryssa Espinoza

March 30 - Robert Banks, Kerman.

Break Ground For New Sikh Temple

KERMAN (Feb. 8) - Last month a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Sikh Temple Hall was performed after Sikh Faith prayers. "Panj Pyare" (five beloved ones) wearing saffron clothes, shovels in hand, broke the ground on the five acre site on Vineland purchased with the help of the city council a few years ago. This Hall is likely to the completed in May 2006.

Prominent Sikh dignitaries all over the Central Valley attended the event. Thirty thousand dollars were donated on spot by attendees. Kuldip Singh Kaleka, senior vice president of the managing board, appealed the Punjabi community to donate money liberally for the completion of Hall. Gurcharan Singh Rakkar, president of the managing board thanked all the attendees.

VFW POST DEDICATES VIET NAM MEMORIAL

On Saturday, Jan. 14, members of the Kerman Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 8470 held a dedication ceremony for a plaque commemorating the local soldiers who lost their lives in the Viet Nam conflict (1965-1975). The plaque is located in Kerman's Plaza Veterans Park, on Madera Ave. Between C St. and California Ave. Other memrials in the park remember local men lost in World War II and other conflicts.

Family and friends of the Viet Nam era military men were also on hand for the ceremony.  Richard De Kneff spoke for the local veterans, and Post Chaplain Haig Mosesian led the invocation.

"We are assembled here to pay tribute to the men of our community ... our neighbors, who have fought in defense of this country," said De Kneef. "We express our pride and gratitude ... They were aware of the dangers, yet they responded without hesitation."

The VFW is planning further memorials honoring those who took part in Desert Storm, and in the Afghan/Iraq conflict, and hoping it won't be necessary to add more names to the lists of the fallen, in Veteran's Park.

FRESNO (Feb. 10) - Fresno County Sheriff Richard Pierce said that he and his department have been cleared by the state Attorney General of any wrongdoing for his involvement as a consultant to a private security firm.

"I admitted many, many months ago that my consulting position with the security firm was a mistake. I did not exercise good judgment and it should have been clear to me since the beginning that I should not have participated," Pierce said. "Unfortunately, and with good reason, the perception was there that there was something wrongful."

The sheriff ended his relationship with the private security firm in April 2004, and contacted Lockyer a month later to discuss whether any criminal wrongdoing bad occurred.

"1 appreciate the time and effort put into this issue by the Attorney General and his staff. Now, it’s time to put this behind us and move on. The department’s mission to fight crime and to make our homes and streets safe is still our number: one priority," said Pierce.

Pierce made his comments in response to a letter he received from Attorney General Bill Lockyer in which Lockyer said in part "We conclude that the evidence does not establish any criminal wrongdoing on your part." The AG also noted that " . .. we have serious concerns about the propriety of certain acts by you and your staff from an administrative standpoint."

Lockyer referred to the sale of surplus sheriff department vehicles to the private security firm, the placement of a sheriff’s department criminal histories and records computer at Harris Ranch’s west valley plant, and the awarding of a contract to transport inmates.

The Attorney General determined that while the vehicle purchases "were irregular from an administrative standpoint," the purchase prices did not unfairly take advantage of the county. At the same time, he said, Pierce was unaware of the transaction and "could not have violated any criminal statutes in any event." The three vehicles were eventually returned to the county.

Lockyer also said "We could find no wrongdoing on your part regarding the placement of the department computer at Harris Ranch" which the sheriff ordered removed as soon as he was advised of its placement.

Lockyer said that in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, the sheriff should have recused himself from any part in forwarding to the Board of Supervisors a review committee’s recommendation that a private company be contracted to transport inmates. Lockyer said although Pierce did not have a financial stake either directly or indirectly with the proposed transport company, he did have a business relationship with the principal who was also an investor with the private security firm.

Kent Cox - New Building Inspector

New Staff Seen at City Hall

A new office building goes up on Madera Ave., south of Whitesbridge, part of a growing commercial scene in Kerman.

KERMAN (Feb. 20) - Kerman Unified School Dist. is reducing the amount charged for developer fees, reducing the amount charged from $5.40 per square foot on residential construction last year to $4.82 per square foot.

James Foley, assistant superintendent/CFO at Kerman Unified, says that the fees are charged to deal with the growth new developments bring to the area. Kerman Unified spends the funds on leasing portable classrooms, furnishing new classrooms and buying land for future school sites.

A recent analysis by the district shows the lower fees are justified because Kerman Unified recently purchased land for a new school site.

Jan. 18 - This year Kerman will be celebrating its 100th year of existence. The city will also celebrate the 60th anniversary of its ‘incorporation,’ the legal effort which made it an official city in Fresno County.

The Kerman Community Services Organization has stepped up to take the lead in planning celebration of the anniversaries. Philip Gallegos, KCSO president, has been named chairman of Kerman’s 100/60 year community celebration. He can be contacted at 846-9328, or by email at pgallegos@cityofkerman.org.