State Farm says it Warned Gov’t About Toyota in 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) – The nation’s largest auto insurer says it alerted federal safety regulators in late 2007 about a rise in reports of unexpected acceleration in Toyota vehicles. State Farm insurance says it noticed an uptick in reports of unwanted acceleration in Toyotas from its large database and warned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Congressional investigators are looking into whether the government missed warning signs of problems with Toyota vehicles. The Japanese automaker has recalled millions of vehicles. NHTSA spokeswoman Karen Aldana says State Farm forwarded the agency a Sept. 7, 2007, claim letter to Toyota concerning a crash involving a 2005 Camry. She says the report was reviewed and added to their complaint database.

CA Reports Social Security Number Breach for Medi-Cal Recipients

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California’s Department of Health Care Services is apologizing to nearly 50,000 Medi-Cal recipients whose Social Security numbers were disclosed on the outside of envelopes. The department said Monday that it was immediately notifying the affected beneficiaries. It says their Social Security numbers were inadvertently included on mailing address labels created by a vendor. Agency director David Maxwell-Jolly says the department is boosting its efforts to prevent such breaches in the future. The Social Security numbers were included on letters mailed Feb. 1 to beneficiaries who receive adult day health care services.

More Than 80 Butte Jail Inmates Expected to be Released Early

Seven Butte County jail inmates have been released early, so far, under a new state law…with the local Sheriff expecting that number to jump to 81 as more inmate records come up for review.

Click for Audio:  sheriff smith 4

Sheriff Jerry Smith tells KPAY that even though housing fewer inmates reduces the financial burden at the jail, he’s more concerned with public safety.

Click for Audio: sheriff smith 5

On average, the local jail houses around 110 U.S. Marshal federal inmates and 540 general population inmates.

Butte County and Employee Groups at Impasse

Four Butte County employee groups have reached impasse with Butte County negotiators. And now the matter is up to county Supervisors. About 200 county employees are affected by the impasse involving both management and general employees with the Deputy Sheriffs’ and Correctional Officers. Butte County Supervisors today are being asked to draft a resolution that allows the county to impose its last, best and final offer on the employee groups until the end of June. The two sides are trying to hammer out a new Memorandum of Understanding.

Palin Challenges Global Warming Science During Redding Visit

REDDING, Calif. (AP) – Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is calling studies supporting global climate change a “bunch of snake oil science.” Palin spoke Monday before a logging conference in Redding, a town of 90,000 about 160 miles north of the state capital. The media were barred from the event, but The Associated Press bought a $74 ticket to attend. Palin said California’s heavy regulatory environment makes it difficult for businesses to succeed, a view that is shared by many business leaders in the state. She criticized what she said were heavy-handed environmental laws. As Alaska governor, she said she sued the federal government to overturn the listing of polar bears as threatened. Palin says she disagrees with the science the government used to support the listing.

Official: 95% Accounted for After Conn. Blast

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) – A Connecticut fire official says at least 95 percent of the nearly 100 workers who were at a power plant that exploded are accounted for. Middletown Deputy Fire Marshal Al Santostefano said Monday that most of the workers are accounted for, judging by conversations with contractors and labor union officials. But he says a section of the Kleen Energy Systems plant remains too unstable to see whether anyone is still trapped. Authorities say different contractors were working at the site, making it difficult to determine how many people were there during the blast. Sunday’s explosion at the nearly completed plant in Middletown, about 20 miles south of Hartford, killed at least five people and injured a dozen or more. Officials say it happened as workers were clearing a gas line of air. Local, state and federal officials are investigating.

Paradise Ponders Parcel Tax

Some Paradise residents may be asked to dig a little deeper to pay for police and fire services. A parcel tax goes before the Town Council Tuesday night. Town Manager Chuck Rough says if taxes are increased Paradise could create its own narcotics and gang task force.

Click for Audio:  paradise parcel tax 2

If the Town Council approves the idea, voters would cast their ballots for the tax in November. Because the parcel tax is a special tax under Proposition 13, it would need a two-thirds vote to pass.

Some CA Lawmakers Want to Halt Early Inmate Release

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – A law that took effect last month that allows the early release of inmates at state prisons and county jails is sowing confusion throughout California. Lawmakers of both parties have called for repealing and modifying parts of the law, and a county deputies’ union has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to block it. Calls for changes intensified this week after a Sacramento County inmate was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape just hours after he was released from jail. The law was designed to save money while relieving crowding in prisons and jails. Differing interpretations by the state’s 58 counties and the alleged assault prompted several lawmakers to call for an immediate halt to the law’s implementation.

Marijuana, Cocaine, and Meth Top Norcal Drug Seizure List

Northstate drug agents noticing some new trends in drug trafficking. The Cal Met team that serves 5 local counties has released its seizures and arrests for 2009. Pot, cocaine and meth were the top three drugs seized, and Task Force Commander Mike Wood many drug runners don’t discriminate…

Click for Audio:  cal met 1

Wood says almost 3 million dollars in cash was seized, and there were 65 arrests in 2009.

Police in Paradise Continue to Probe Death of 8-Year-Old Girl

Paradise police continue to investigate the death of an 8 year old girl that was allegedly the result of child abuse. Police arrested the girl’s adoptive parents Saturday. Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz were booked into the Butte County Jail on charges of murder and child abuse. Police say their investigation found another adopted child, an 11 year old girl, with “significant” injuries. She was taken to a Sacramento hospital for treatment. Police say there were seven other children at the Crestwood Drive home that were placed into protective custody. Paradise Police say all of the kids were home-schooled…and there was no prior history of child abuse with the family.