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Kathy Fowler, who owns Kathy Fowler Chevrolet-Pontiac – which sells General Motors, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles – was breathing a sigh of relief thanks to not being listed.
She said she confirmed it with her Chrysler representative Thursday morning.
Fowler said her business was receiving calls throughout the day from concerned customers fearing the worst.
The 41-page list of dealers slated for contract termination included 32 California dealers.
The only North Coast Chrysler dealer listed was Harvey M. Harper Co. of Eureka. Dealerships in Chico, Oroville, Oakland and Burlingame also received notices of terminations.
On Thursday Chrysler LLC filed a motion with the US Bankruptcy Court seeking to reject some of its US dealer agreements.
It's the latest development for the company, which filed bankruptcy April 30 and is forming a new company with Fiat. Chrysler also temporarily idled most of its manufacturing operations effective May 4 for a period between 30 and 60 days.
“The unprecedented decline in the industry has had a significant impact on our sales and forced us to reduce production levels to better match the needs of the market,” Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Jim Press said in a statement issued Thursday. “With the downsizing of operations after the sale and reduction of plants and production, similar reductions must be made to the size of the dealer body.”
Press said the company regretted the “painful action.”
The 789 dealers who will have their contracts terminated represents 14 percent of Chrysler's sales volume, according to a Thursday statement from Chrysler. They will cease selling Dodge, Chrysler or Jeep vehicles on or about June 9, subject to the US bankruptcy court's approval.
The company chose which dealers to cut based on a “data-driven matrix that assessed a number of
key metrics,” which weren't detailed.
Fowler said the parameters for the selections given to dealers were “very vague.” She said much of it was based on issues liked spacing between franchises and good performance.
The restructuring of the dealer network is “a necessary part of Chrysler’s viability plan” and central to its proposed sale transaction.
Chrysler said the action also is mean to ensure that the remaining 2,392 dealers and the new company “will be stronger and more profitable going forward.”
Chrysler said it will “work to assist in the redistribution of new vehicles and parts to the remaining dealer network.”
Pressure on local car dealers has been a concern for local officials.
During a round table with Congressman Mike Thompson on April 9, County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox raised the issue, noting that he's met with local new car dealers that have been under pressure due to auto bailout, as Lake County News has reported.
Fowler and Holder Ford now are the only two new car dealers remaining in Lake County. Cox was concerned about what appears to be a push to shut down dealerships in rural areas. Thompson said at that time that he had held a conference call with auto dealers throughout the district that resulted in a letter from the California Congressional delegation to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, outlining dealers' concerns.
Thompson had warned that many dealerships would end up being closed because they were larger than the suggested number in the government's business plan.
For many auto dealers, they're not out of the woods yet: On Friday General Motors is expected to begin making cuts to its dealerships as well.
The California dealers slated to have their agreements terminated by Chrysler include the following.
– Atascadero: Ted Miles Jeep Inc.
– Burlingame: T&K Automotive Investments Inc.
– Carson: Carson CJ LLC
– Chico: Courtesy Motors Auto Center Inc.
– El Centro: WR Thomas Inc.
– Escondido: EJE Inc.
– Eureka: Harvey M. Harper Co.
– Folsom: People's Chrysler Jeep Inc.
– Foothill Ranch: Urban Automotive Group LLC
– Garden Grove: Union Dodge Inc.
– Glendale: Los Feliz Ford Inc.
– Grass Valley: GK Alcombrack Inc., Weaver Automotive Inc.
– Hanford: Hanford Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Inc.
– La Quinta: Sowell Automotive Inc.
– Livermore: Livermore Auto Group Inc.
– Merced: Ron & Ann Enterprises
– Oakdale: LE Richardson Enterprises Inc.
– Oakland: Bay Bridge Dodge Chrysler Jeep
– Oroville: Oroville Motors Inc.
– Redwood City: Autocal LLC, Boardwalk Auto Center Inc.
– San Diego: John Hine Pontiac
– San Fernando: Murphy and Shelby Dodge Inc.
– San Luis Obispo: Hysen-Johnson Ford Inc.
– Seaside: Butts Pontiac-Cadillac Inc., Larry Menke Inc.
– Sonora: Mother Lode Motors
– Van Nuys: Valley Dodge Inc., Valley Dodge Inc./dba Big Valley Chrysler Jeep
– Ventura: Kirby Oldsmobile
– Yuba City – Wheeler Leasing Co. II Inc.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Dr. Karen Tait's office reported Thursday that there still remain “lingering possibilities” that the virus could be discovered in Lake County.
However, the likelihood of detecting it in the immediate future appears to be dwindling. As of May 13, the combined number of probable and confirmed cases in California was 473 – none of them in Lake County.
Tait reported that the similarity between symptoms of the Novel H1N1 virus and seasonal influenza, coupled with the fact that sophisticated laboratory tests are needed to identify the new virus, could only be done on a sampling of patients. That means that the virus could have entered the county undetected.
Even so, Tait said local health officials are breathing a collective sigh of relief as the characteristics of the virus have become better understood.
In spite of the fact that the population is susceptible to catching this virus, the resulting illness has been no more severe than seasonal influenza, according to Tait. In addition, it does not appear to be as easily spread person-to-person.
With the influenza season winding down, public health officials are hoping for a break from the recent concerns and uncertainties that go along with discovery of a new health threat. But Tait said that does not mean that efforts to fight this virus will stop.
Despite the relatively benign nature of the new H1N1 virus to date, health officials want to be ready for changes that could occur between now and another wave of infection, which might be expected to coincide with the usual flu season beginning in the fall, or could possibly come sooner, Tait reported.
Consideration needs to be given to the potential for the new virus to further evolve, possibly returning in a more virulent form.
“There is no easy way to predict the behavior of new influenza viruses,” said Tait. “I do not want to be an alarmist, since the virus may weaken as easily as it could worsen. But it is our job in public health to plan for all possibilities.”
The recent intense public health response to the discovery of H1N1 challenged Lake County’s Public Health Division to implement emergency plans simultaneously with state and federal health agencies, Tait said.
“We learned from this experience and had an opportunity to further develop our procedures,” she explained. “Because the Novel H1N1 virus particularly impacted school-age children, we worked closely with the Lake County Office of Education and schools throughout the county.”
Tait said the Public Health Division will be far from idle during the coming months.
Although a vaccine for the Novel H1N1 virus is not yet available, one might be expected by sometime this fall. If so, an unusually busy vaccination schedule can be anticipated.
Other efforts to curtail the spread of flu are likely to intensify again. “It is entirely possible that we will see both seasonal flu strains and the new H1N1 strain circulating at the same time, which is a good reason to be especially diligent about measures to reduce transmission of infection in the community,” she said.
Families should remember the recently emphasized lessons for infection control, namely good hand washing, and covering coughs and sneezes.
To be ready for the next flu season, it is also a good idea to have a thermometer on hand – an important item for taking care of flu patients at home.
For more information, go to ww2.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx or www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
LUCERNE – A local spelling whiz will be making his way to Rohnert Park this weekend to represent Lake County in the California State Elementary Spelling Championship.
Arthur Wilkie, 11, a sixth grader who attends Lucerne Elementary School, will be among 62 of the state's top spellers, representing 32 counties, who will compete in the annual competition, to be held this Saturday, May 16, in Sonoma State University's Evert B. Person Theatre.
The competition, coordinated this year by the Sonoma County Office of Education, will begin at 9 a.m. It is free and open to the public.
Six fourth-graders, 24 fifth-graders and 32 sixth-graders will participate. All of them already have won school, region and county spelling bees. Each county’s first- and second-place spellers are eligible to compete for the championship title.
Trophies and savings bonds will be awarded to the top six spellers: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $250 for third place, and $100 for fourth through sixth place.
All spellers will receive a participation ribbon, souvenirs, and certificate signed by Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
At 9 a.m. Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carl Wong will welcome participants and guests to the event, then show a video greeting from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.
Patricia Ehrmann, a teacher at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park, is the spell master. Serving as spelling judges are Guerneville School teacher Leslie Howell (lead judge); Mark Rasmussen, Napa area captain of the California Highway Patrol; and Sonoma County Office of Education assistant superintendent Don Russell.
The California School Employee Association is sponsoring this year’s spelling championship, which will have a country theme. Country radio station Froggy 92.9 andBuzzard’s Gulch, both of Santa Rosa, are partnering with SCOE to present the event. Radio personalities Rob and Joss will introduce the spellers as they take a virtual tour of the old west town at Buzzard’s Gulch.
The full list of participating spellers, their counties and schools is below.
Alameda
Emily Deluna – age 12, sixth grade, Alliance Academy, Oakland
Karl Keck – age 11, fifth grade, Anthony Chabot Elementary School, Oakland
Amador
Samantha Riviere – age 9, fifth grade, Sutter Creek Elementary School, Sutter Creek
Matthew Spinetta – age 11, sixth grade, Plymouth Elementary School, Plymouth
Butte
Zane Harper – age 10, fourth grade, C.O.R.E. Butte Charter, Chico
Jade Holder – age 11, sixth grade, Hooker Oak Elementary School, Chico
Colusa
Hannah Cutter – age 10, fourth grade, Arbuckle Elementary School, Arbuckle
Sarah Marsh – age 10, fifth grade, Arbuckle Elementary School, Arbuckle
Contra Costa
Ava Gruener – age 10, fifth grade, Murwood Elementary School, Walnut Creek
Zoe Tacderas – age 11, sixth grade, Holy Rosary School, Antioch
Del Norte
Glenn Duncan – age 11, sixth grade, Pine Grove Elementary School, Crescent City
Fresno
Kathryn Moore – age 12, sixth grade, Quail Lake Environmental Charter School, Clovis
Gobind Puniani – age 10, fifth grade, Valley Oak Elementary School, Fresno
Glenn
Noah Parham – age 11, sixth grade, Willows Intermediate School, Willows
Danielle Zuppan – age 10, fifth grade, Capay Elementary School, Orland
Humboldt
Katie Fisher – age 11, sixth grade, Scotia School, Scotia
Kayleen Kemp – age 12, sixth grade, Toddy Thomas Elementary School, Fortuna
Inyo
Katie Doonan – age 11, fifth grade, Pine Street School, Bishop
Kings
Quinn Camara – age 12, sixth grade, Pioneer Middle School, Hanford
Simran Dulai – age 11, fifth grade, Mark Twain Elementary School, Corcoran
Lake
Arthur Wilkie – age 11, sixth grade, Lucerne Elementary School, Lucerne
Lassen
Zachary Mah – age 12, sixth grade, Richmond Elementary School, Susanville
Los Angeles
Carina Kan – age 11, sixth grade, Palos Verdes Intermediate School, Palos Verdes Estates
Catherine Velardez – age 12, sixth grade, Will Rogers Middle School, Lawndale
Marin
Elijah Armstrong – age 11, fifth grade, Manor Elementary School, Fairfax
Jessica Brown – age 11, sixth grade, San Jose Middle School, Novato
Mendocino
Xiao Jin Jackson – age 11, fifth grade, Mendocino K-8 School, Mendocino
Brawley Parker – age 10, fourth grade, Oak Manor Elementary School, Ukiah
Merced
T.J. Bangle – age 10, fifth grade, Charleston Elementary School, Los Banos
Marsha Noeline – age 11, sixth grade, Westside Elementary School, Los Banos
Mono
Martin Thompson – age 11, fifth grade, Lee Vining Elementary School, Lee Vining
Glenna Wardlaw – age 11, fifth grade, Mammoth Elementary School, Mammoth Lakes
Nevada
Jessica Burgess – age 11, fifth grade, Clear Creek Elementary School, Grass Valley
Emma Lauterbach – age 10, fifth grade, Pleasant Valley Elementary School, Penn Valley
Placer
Savitri Asokan – age 10, fifth grade, Excelsior School, Roseville
Alexander Chew – age 11, sixth grade, Ridgeview School, Granite Bay
Riverside
Jessica Khalili – age 11, sixth grade, Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, Corona
Christian Kontaxis – age 9, fourth grade, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, Palm Desert
San Benito
Andrew Pearson – age 9, fourth grade, Accelerated Achievement Academy at Calaveras, Hollister
San Joaquin
Mashal Chhotani – age 11, sixth grade, George Kelly Elementary School, Tracy
Leandra Evans – age 11, sixth grade, Claudia Landeen School, Stockton
Santa Barbara
Ameet Braganza – age 12, sixth grade, Monte Vista Elementary School, Santa Barbara
Quinn Hensley – age 11, sixth grade, Washington Elementary School, Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Andrew Miller – age 11, fifth grade, Ocean Grove Charter School, Placerville
Emily Quinn – age 12, sixth grade, Rio Del Mar Elementary School, Aptos
Shasta
Hennessy McKenna – age 12, sixth grade, Pacheco Elementary School, Redding
Joe Williams – age 10, fifth grade, Millville Elementary School, Millville
Siskiyou
Ashley Cain – age 11, sixth grade, McCloud Elementary School, McCloud
Miranda Velarde – age 11, sixth grade, Jackson Street Elementary School, Yreka
Solano
Roopkiran Minhas – age 11, sixth grade, Vacaville Christian School, Vacaville
Keo Jude Sarno – age 11, sixth grade, Rolling Hills Elementary School, Fairfield
Sonoma
Gage Osborne – age 11, fifth grade, Sonoma Charter School, Sonoma
Nadia Tomaszewski – age 11, sixth grade, Live Oak Charter School, Petaluma
Stanislaus
Mahima Krishnamoorthi – age 10, fifth grade, Lakewood Elementary School, Modesto
Bowoo Lee – age 9, fourth grade, Fremont Open Plan School, Modesto
Sutter
Lilyana DeArte – age 10, fifth grade, Lincoln Elementary School, Yuba City
Tehama
Emalee Kourani – age 11, sixth grade, Lassen View School, Los Molinos
Jillian Strom – age 11, sixth grade, Berrendos Middle School, Red Bluff
Trinity
Benjamin Harper – age 11, fifth grade, Weaverville Elementary School, Weaverville
Yori Mai-Isa Hook – age 11, sixth grade, Weaverville Elementary School, Weaverville
Yuba
Darius Rucker-McCarron – age 10, fifth grade, Mary Covillaud Elementary School, Marysville
Zhang Vang – age 10, fifth grade, Linda Elementary School, Marysville
HVLCSD received the Best Tasting Water Award at the California Rural Water Associations Annual (CRWA) Conference held on April 28-30.
CRWA represents rural water agencies throughout California providing on-site technical assistance and specialized training for rural water and wastewater systems.
Each year CRWA hosts an annual conference addressing current water and wastewater issues and recognizing agencies and people in the industry.
The best tasting water is determined by a panel of judges who taste each sample and rate its clarity, bouquet and purity.
Hidden Valley Lake Community Service District beat out several opponents in its bid for best tasting water.
CRWA, an affiliate of the National Rural Water Association, is a nonprofit organization representing the over 9,000 water and wastewater systems in California.
On Tuesday, California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that he has filed a lawsuit in San Diego County Superior Court against brothers Sean and Michael McConville and their businesses, “Property Tax Reassessment” and “Property Tax Adjustment Services.”
In the first week of February, Jim Campbell, Lake County's deputy county assessor, reported that the assessor's office had begun receiving calls from concerned residents who had received letters from the Los Angeles-based Property Tax Reassessment, as Lake County News reported.
The official-looking letters told homeowners that, for $179, their property taxes could be reduced. But they needed to respond by a certain time or else pay late fees, or they would have their file marked “non-responsive” or “ineligible for future tax reassessments.”
Lake County News attempted to call the company at the number listed on the letter; a woman answered and said it was not the company's number.
Days later, Brown's office issued a consumer alert warning of scams that offered to reduce property tax assessments if homeowners paid hundreds of dollars to a middleman.
On Tuesday, Brown accused the McConvilles of ripping off tens of thousands of homeowners throughout California who were looking to lower their property taxes.
He said the men used mailers that read like government billing statements, featured official-looking logos, and demanded hundreds of dollars in payments for reassessment and reassessment appeal services.
“These scam artists ripped off thousands of homeowners for property reassessment services readily available free of charge,” Brown said in a statement. “This lawsuit seeks to end the deception and blocks these companies from continuing to scam homeowners.”
Brown's suit, which seeks $2.5 million in civil penalties, alleges that the McConvilles and their businesses violated both the Business and Professions Code and the California Civil Code in a variety of ways.
The suit contends that the men made untrue and misleading statements with the intent to induce consumers to purchase products and services; distributed solicitations implying a government connection, approval or endorsement; distributed solicitations that appear to be billing statements; and engaged in unfair competition.
Brown said neither company adequately informed consumers that they were not a governmental entity, the solicitations were not a bill, purchase of the services was not required and services were available free of charge from county assessors.
The McConvilles also failed to complete any of the property tax assessment services homeowners were billed for in 2008, Brown said.
The companies had continued their solicitations, with new mailers recently sent out with a May 26 due date, according to Brown's report.
Lake County Assessor Doug Wacker said Tuesday his office had received a rash of calls after the mailer arrived earlier this year, and that some of those people already had Proposition 8 property tax reviews under way anyway.
Wacker emphasized that having your property tax reassessed is a free service his office provides.
“My heart goes out to those people who went ahead and just wrote a check and sent it off,” he said, noting a few local people did send money in to the companies.
He said the scam mailers started in Southern California and then moved north, reaching Lake and Napa counties.
Some county officials around the state are taking action separately.
Last week, the Ventura District Attorney's Office charged one of the brothers, Sean McConville, with 20 felony counts for criminal conduct stemming from his property tax reassessment operations, Brown reported.
In Napa County, Assessor John Tuteur and District Attorney Gary Lieberstein worked together to gather evidence to prosecute the scam, according to a statement issued May 5.
Similarly, Lake County District Attorney Jon Hopkins said Tuesday he also wants to hear from county residents who sent money in response to the letter but received no services.
He urged anyone who sent off a check in response to the mailer to call the Lake County District Attorney's Office, 707-263-2251, and ask to speak to a district attorney's investigator.
Homeowners who believe they've been victimized also can contact the Attorney General's Office at www.ag.ca.gov/consumers, via telephone at 800-952-5225 or by mail at P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244.
The Attorney General's Office urges homeowners who believe their property value has declined and they are paying too much in property taxes to protect themselves by never paying money for something they did not ask for. They also should avoid a middleman and instead contact a local county tax assessor's office for a free property value reassessment.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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