A very informative and enjoyable evening was held Wednesday at the Cottonwood, CA Town Hall Meeting, hosted by Supervisor Les Baugh. Les, and the Community Committee, chaired by Mary O'Keefe, the Director of the Community Center, had an excellent line up of panelists to deal with many issues and items of interest facing the residents of the South County of Shasta County. The panel included Shasta County Admin Officer Larry Lees, Sheriff Tom Bosenko, County DA Jerry Benito, County Resources Director Russ Mull, County Public Works Director Pat Minturn, Dan LIttle and Phil Baker from CALTRANS, and Cottonwood Fire Chief Jim Flaherty.
The topics ranged from public safety to subdivisions, from downtown traffic to developments in the planning stage, and from Gas Point Road congestion to expanding the lanes on Interstate 5 into Redding. In addition to the "purely local" concerns, the panel addressed more far reaching questions, such as the status of the local and state economy and how that situation will impact Shasta County. Discussion was held on current public works projects for the south county, and many expressed interest in more parks in this section of the county.
The audience of 150 were encouraged to write down their questions and Supervisor Baugh received them and distributed each question to the panel member that was involved in that issue. And, Baugh also had a number of questions addressed to him that he handled very well.
I was there to ask some questions and observe, for as a candidate for the County Assessor-Recorder office in 2010, I think it is crucial that I become as aware of community concerns and issues as I possibly can. What I found in this Town Hall was a very interested and informed group of citizens that all want to make Cottonwood one of the very best rural residential areas in which to live. Their issues and questions were well presented and received.
This is democracy in action, and it was very encouraging, for even in these difficult economic times, citizens want to do their part to "make things better" knowing that the economy will turn around and when it does, they want to be prepared for the future by planning and considering future issues now.
Hats off to the organizers; to Supervisor Les Baugh; and to all of the participants, for together they all made it a great night. If the various Teaparty organizations want to see how "citizens participate in local government", just take a look at Cottonwood, CA....a small ranching and farming community in Northern California where the quality of life is about "as good as it can get"....and where the "citizens have a voice and are heard".
I sure am glad I went to the meeting...well worth it, and a refreshing moment in a busy week.
Ron Largent - Candidate for Shasta County Assessor-Recorder www.largent2010.com
The McConnell Foundation, a dynamic community leader in the past and a continuing model for future leadership for Redding, CA, was the location for the Providence International Business Symposium. Under the leadership of Robert "Bud" Hancock, a group of 60 local business and non-profit organization leaders gathered to hear a distinguished line up of speakers talk on subjects ranging from technology of the future to current energy saving and environment friendly power generating stations. Speakers included Rick Sbrocca, CEO of Spiritus Solutions, a technology products and services company headquartered in Redding; Rick Anderson, People Data Services of Redding, a company specializing in bringing practical technology to Native Indian tribes throughout the states; Dr. Greg Brooks of Omro, Wisconsin, a nationally recognized expert on anterior support products; John Wises, CEO of Zenius Solutions, dealing with cell phone technology and the credit card industry; Glenn Zane, CEO of Continental Resource Solutions, who is developing a wood products power plant in Blue Lake, CA, and Jeff Testerman, a management consultant based in Oregon dealing with small business start up and development.
In addition to the formal presentations, a special award was given to local long time business man and founder of Guiton Pools, Dick Guiton. The award was presented by current Redding City Councilman Dick Dickerson, and recognized Dick Guiton for his many years of service to Redding and Shasta County.
Thanks to the McConnell Foundation for the beautiful meeting location at their Lema Ranch headquarters, and to all at Providence International for making this symposium happen. It was a most interesting and informative afternoon, and I felt privileged to be invited and able to attend.
Ron Largent Candidate for Shasta County Assessor-Recorder in 2010 www.largent2010.com
We have a new listing for a beautiful mobile home park, Frontier Hills located in Old Town Shasta just west of Redding, CA. The property is ideal for an investor looking for an established senior park (Age 55+) and great return on investment. Here are some of the key points:
26 spaces on 1.86 acres
Duplex located at the front of the park
High occupancy and long term tenants
Significant net income
Low operating expenses
RV and storage area
Laundry facility on the property
Seller is highly motivated and accepting offers now!
LISTED PRICE: $1,300,000
CAP RATE: 8%
Frontier Hills MHP -11398 Muletown Rd., Shasta, CA 96087
Serious inquiries only. I can be reached by email or call me at (530) 941-0444.
Ron Largent for Shasta County Assessor-Recorder Announcement Speech
Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Shasta County residents, it is a sincere privilege to announce my candidacy for Assessor - Recorder in 2010.
I am honored to address my fellow citizens at this beautiful location that exemplifies the pride and spirit of the North State. It is my personal commitment as an American citizen to serve the people of our great county. I take this responsibility seriously and pledge my support to be a voice of leadership in the days ahead.
Over the past 38 years in Shasta County, I am proud to have served on numerous community organizations as a volunteer, chairperson and board member. As a retired Lt. Colonel of the United States Air Force Reserve, I took an oath to defend our great nation. My passion for public service has never been questioned and now is the time to make this a "Full-Time" commitment to you.
We The People, of Shasta County must return to the principle that government is to be a servant of the people.
YOU are the superiors and sovereigns of this great nation!
I stand before you as a proud Conservative that believes in our individual freedoms. My campaign is built around these four principles:
JUSTICE FOR ALL
BELIEF IN AMERICA
FREE ENTERPRISE
And CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
As a public servant for the people of Shasta County, I believe the responsibilities of this elected office are to provide:
FAIR, TIMELY and EQUITABLE property assessments for all!
Equally, we must be accountable to record ACCURATE and CURRENT information on existing properties in the county. And WE MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU! Personal and fiscal accountability to good representative government - a county government that serves you!
I ask you to join me today in a mission to return the government to the people.
Enough is enough!
It is time for our county residents to have a voice. And a LOUD voice!
It is time for our Assessor-Recorder to be a highly visible advocate for the people we serve, for you the taxpayer!
It's time to lead the great people of Shasta County to greater Accessibility, Accountability and a Fair Assessment of Property Values. County government starts with you - you pay the bills!
Fellow citizens, we must restore the people's voice and sovereignty over government. It is my pledge to each and every one of you that I will renew the once held pride of being a true PUBLIC SERVANT to the people.
Our freedom is our greatest strength
Life is a Precious Gift
Restoring our founding principles will ensure our county's security and prosperity
Ladies and Gentlemen, this starts with recognizing that you have rights as a Homeowner and Business Owner in our community. You deserve the best candidate to stand up and be a voice for you and future generations.
I am that voice
You are the people I serve
We The People of the United States of America will be heard!
May God Bless America and Shasta County!
Campaign Announcement Speech - Sundial Bridge, Redding , CA
Ron Largent announces his candidacy to run for Shasta County Assessor-Recorder in 2010. Mr. Largent will address the local press and media to outline his platform:
"Keep Our Assessments Fair, Timely and Equitable"
Please join us at this historic event. Our friends from The Cafe' at Turtle Bay will offer a Patriotic Lunch Special. In addition, we will honor our country with a Flag raising, music and of course the press conference
Thursday, Oct 15th at 12 noon at Sundial Bridge adjacent to Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, CA. Y'all come!
OK...so who will win the "big game". I thought to prepare for the game and to get a feel from what the experts are saying, I would check out the various sports writers and what they are saying about the game. All of this is from the web....but is good for us Cal fans, as well as Trojans.
It was supposed to be a matchup of top-10 teams. It was supposed to determine Pac-10 supremacy. It was supposed to signal an end of a 50-year drought - or the continuation of domination.
So much was expected be at stake in Saturday's California-USC game that even the skinflints on Tightwad Hill would be inspired to buy a ticket.
Jahvid Best only rushed for 30 yards in last year's meeting.
So much for that.
Instead, the much-anticipated clash with championship implications has become a desperate duel of survival.
That's what a couple of trips to the Pacific Northwest wrought. Two weeks ago, USC was upset 16-13 by Washington in Seattle. Last week, California was annihilated 42-3 by Oregon in Eugene.
As a result, USC's streak of seven consecutive Pac-10 championships is in jeopardy. And California's aspirations of making its first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1958 season are fading.
"We still believe in each other and we still believe in our goals," Cal senior tackle Mike Tepper said. "We have long-term goals. We can still achieve everything we want to achieve and still have a great season."
Of course, so can USC.
The Trojans are counting on a typically suffocating defense to contain explosive Cal running back Jahvid Best. USC also hopes its defense can compensate for the team's shortcomings on offense. Those shortcomings may be multiplied because of the loss of running back Stafon Johnson, who had to undergo seven hours of emergency surgery earlier this week when his larynx and windpipe were crushed in a freak weight-room accident.
USC ranks sixth in the country in total defense. The Trojans are especially stingy against the run, having allowed just 1.7 yards per carry. Last season, the Trojans held Best to 30 yards on 13 carries in a 17-3 victory.
"That's how we've played over the years," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "We have really fast guys that are playing smart and not giving up any easy things with mistakes and stuff like that. We have an experienced secondary and have the athleticism that makes for a good defense. We feel pretty good about it, and we're just getting going."
The Trojans can't feel as good about their offense. Although freshman quarterback Matt Barkley drew raves for directing a game-winning drive against Ohio State, he has been troubled by an injured shoulder. More troublesome for the Trojans is that they're converting just 25 percent of their third downs (11-of-44).
"We've always been a good third-down team, but we're not there right now," Carroll said. "Generally speaking, when you're playing a young quarterback, the red zone and third downs jump out at you. We have to clean things up and execute in those situations."
That may be more difficult without Johnson, the latest casualty in a rash of injuries for the Trojans. Johnson is USC's second-leading rusher and led the team with five touchdowns.
His injury, which was life-threatening, left his teammates stunned.
"He's one of the spiritual leaders of the group, and it hit everybody hard," Carroll said. "There's kind of a disbelief that something could happen like that in a controlled situation."
A feeling of disbelief also was permeating the atmosphere in Berkeley, but for dramatically different reasons. Cal posted three impressive victories to open the season and appeared every bit as good as the preseason hype suggested. Then came the blowout at Oregon, the Bears' worst loss in eight seasons under coach Jeff Tedford.
Tedford, making like a used-car salesman, claimed the lemon wasn't as bad as it looked.
"We were one step away from making a lot of plays, but we didn't get it done," Tedford said. "There were a lot of opportunities there. The first play of the game, we had a guy wide open running downfield but didn't get out of our stance and get a sack.
"It was a perfect example of 10 guys playing and one guy not getting it done. It's so important for all 11 players to do their jobs. We just took turns that day."
Cal had ranked 10th in the nation in run offense, but managed just 77 yards. Quarterback Kevin Riley was 12-of-31, the offensive line allowed five sacks and the defense gave up 524 yards.
"That's one game," Tedford said. "It's a game that's pretty significant and a game we didn't play well at all. Our team understands that is not who we are and we're capable of playing better."
Who gets the edge?
USC rush offense vs. California rush defense: Elusive USC running back Joe McKnight has rushed for 354 yards and is averaging 7.5 yards per carry. But Stafon Johnson's absence is cause for concern. He provided a power element to the running game. USC is 16th in the country in rush offense, but more than a third of its rushing production (342 yards) was posted against San Jose State in the season-opener. Cal was gutted for 236 rushing yards by Oregon. Before that, the Bears had allowed just 187 yards in the first three games combined. Sophomore LB Mychal Kendricks leads in tackles with 40. Edge: USC
USC pass offense vs. California pass defense: Freshman QB Matt Barkley has had two solid games, but was inconsistent against Ohio State. He's thrown only one interception. WR Damian Williams is among the best in the nation. A big-play threat, he's averaging 16.1 yards on 16 catches. TE Anthony McCoy is averaging almost 23 yards on seven receptions. No other USC receiver has more than six catches. USC has allowed five sacks. Cal's secondary was considered among the nation's best entering the season, but the Bears allowed three touchdown passes last week and have allowed seven on the season. Cal is third in the nation with 17 sacks. DE Tyson Alualu leads with 3.5. Edge: California
California rush offense vs. USC rush defense: Cal's Jahvid Best is the most explosive running back in the nation, but he was held to 55 yards and no touchdowns in last week's loss to Oregon. He's the key to Cal's success; it's hard to see the Bears winning if the running game is stymied. In the Bears' three victories, Best rushed for 412 yards and eight touchdowns. Best was held to 30 yards in last year's 17-3 loss to USC. Shane Vereen has 148 yards as Best's backup. USC is allowing opponents an average of just 1.7 yards per rushing attempt. No opposing back has gotten close to 100 yards. LB Chris Galippo leads USC with 27 tackles. Edge: USC
California pass offense vs. USC pass defense: Questions persist about Cal QB Kevin Riley, who completed just 38.7 percent of his passes against Oregon. Riley has thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions. WR Marvin Jones has star potential, but getting him the ball isn't easy. Cal has allowed 10 sacks. That doesn't bode well for facing the USC pass rush, which has posted 18 sacks - more than any team in the nation. But DE Nick Perry, who leads the Trojans with six, has a bruised knee and his status is uncertain. All-America FS Taylor Mays leads a secondary that has not allowed a touchdown pass. Edge: USC
USC special teams vs. California special teams Both teams have good return units but also shaky kicking situations. USC has done a nice job covering punts but a poor job covering kickoffs; Cal is the opposite. USC running back C.J. Gable averages 25 yards on kickoff returns and Williams averages 12 yards on punts. K Jordan Congdon has converted three of his five field-goal attempts. P Billy O'Malley averages 37.3 yards. Cal CB Syd'Quan Thompson has been a big-play threat on punt returns in the past, but hasn't broken free this season. Vereen averages more than 28 yards on kickoff returns, but don't be surprised if Best shows up on returns this week. K Vince D'Amato has hit only three of his six field-goal attempts, but he has made a 47-yarder. P Bryan Anger is among the best in the country. He averages 40 yards and has killed seven inside the 20. Edge: California
Coaching staffs USC's Pete Carroll is 7-1 against California. USC is 91-16 in nine seasons under Carroll and has won or shared the Pac-10 championship seven years in a row. He has new coordinators this season, and play-caller Jeremy Bates - who is not the offensive coordinator - has come under some criticism. Under Tedford, California has been transformed from a perennial also-ran to a Pac-10 contender. The Bears are 62-31in eight seasons under Tedford. Bob Gregory is a solid defensive coordinator, and the new offensive coordinator is Andy Ludwig, who was at Utah last season. Edge: USC
X-factor: How will the injury to Stafon Johnson affect the Trojans? He played a key role in the running game, but that's a secondary issue. Johnson is extremely popular among his teammates and his near-fatal weightlifting accident could inspire or distract them. G Jeff Byers said it would have a positive effect. "It anything, it's something we can use," he said. "Guys have every reason now to come out and refocus on why you love the game because you never when it can be taken from you." Perhaps, but such a traumatic incident also could prevent the Trojans from fully focusing on a football game, even an important one.
USC will win if: The Trojans must contain Best, as they did a year ago. Protecting Barkley from the Cal pass rush also is a top priority. Watch their third-down conversions; the Trojans were 0-for-11 on third down in their loss to Washington.
California will win if: Was last week's debacle as much an aberration as the Bears claim it is? Giving Best room to run is essential. Cal has to have a strong running game to keep Riley out of obvious passing situations. Meanwhile, the Bears must prevent big plays. An edge in turnovers also is a key. During Tedford's tenure, Cal is 37-4 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent.
This was on www.redding.com today, and it is important that this word gets out.....
Everett and Delores Dale knew something wasn't right when two men pulled up to their Enterprise-area home one day unannounced and told them they needed to get out.
Though the couple had lost their home to foreclosure on Sept. 2, the bank had not given the Dales a move-out date.
But the men in the pickup were persistent. They advised the Dales they were representing Bank of America and would return in two days to change the locks, 80-year-old Delores Dale recalled.
The Dales would later learn they nearly became victims of a scam popular in Southern California.
Posing as bank employees, the scammers go to a foreclosed home and give the occupant an ultimatum. Often, the victim will get scared and move out, leaving the house vacant. The scammers either move in or rent out the house until the bank catches on.
"In general, somebody who is being removed from the home - whether it's a squatter or a long-term tenant - there is a legal process the property owner must go through," said Redding attorney Tom Andrews, who specializes in elder and real estate law. "They (the owner) can't use self-help and they just can't show up on the doorstep and say, ‘You have to leave now.' "
Everett Dale, 81, said he became especially suspicious when the men couldn't give him a name of a bank official.
"I told them, ‘You're contracting with Bank of America and you don't have a name?' " said Everett Dale, a retired AT&T employee.
The Dales, who've lived in their house 12 years, called the bank and eventually spoke with an attorney in Southern California who told them about the scam. They were told the culprits hunt for victims by using foreclosure notices printed in newspapers.
The Dale's 44-year-old son, Veldon, said his parents had talked to so many people, in an attempt to save their house from foreclosure, that they were still seeking answers when the men showed up at their house.
"When you keep calling to try to get somebody and can't get an answer, it's real easy for a scam artist to step in and suddenly have the answer," Veldon Dale said.
The foreclosure process starts with a notice of default. That is followed 90 days later with a notice of sale, with the date the home will be sold at a public auction.
"After the sale date, the new owner can start eviction proceedings by sending a notice of quit," said Evan Westrup, a spokesman with the state Office of the Attorney General. "If somebody comes to the door claiming to be from the bank and telling the homeowner to leave, then the homeowner should demand proof that the bank now owns the home."
The proof certainly would have a contact number for the bank or the financial institution's attorney, Westrup noted.
Westrup explained that the scenario the Dales described is a scam that has appeared in a number of forms in areas affected by the foreclosure crisis throughout California.
"In that respect, local officials and the DA (district attorney) have often been the lead agencies," Westrup said.
An investigator with Shasta County's real estate fraud protection unit, created July 1, said Monday the office had not had any complaints about the scam that nearly victimized the Dales.
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