California Arbor Week is March 7-14, a statewide celebration of trees. Two statewide contests are being held to celebrate Trees. The contests are designed to increase awareness of and appreciation for the trees and forests in the communities where Californians live, work and play. Winners are featured at the State Fair and awarded cash prizes.

Third, fourth, and fifth grade students throughout California are invited to participate in the California Arbor Week Poster Contest. The contest, titled “Growing Happy Communities” is designed to increase the student’s knowledge of the important roles of trees and the many benefits they provide to our communities. In addition to contest rules and entry forms, the contest information packet includes curriculum for three lessons. Entries are due by February 1, 2012. Sponsors include: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Community Forests Foundation, and California ReLeaf.

All Californians are invited to participate in the inaugural year of the California Arbor Week Photography Contest. The contest is designed to highlight the broad diversity of tree species, settings, and landscapes throughout our state, in locations urban and rural, large and small. Photographs may be entered in two categories: My Favorite California Tree or Trees Where I Live. Entries are due by March 31, 2012.

Contest information packets can be downloaded at www.arborweek.org.

California Arbor Week runs March 7-14 every year to mark famed horticulturist Luther Burbank’s birthday. Last year, legislation was passed to define California Arbor Week in statute. California ReLeaf is raising money to fund tree-planting initiatives and support local organization for 2012’s celebration.

To keep track of all vehicles, the state required cars, bicycles, carriages, carts and similar vehicles to be licensed. However, the automotive industry used a different method to track their vehicles- Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs). A VIN is a unique serial code that is assigned to every vehicle and was first used in 1954. They were typically placed on the driver-side door or at the bottom of the front windshield. Different manufacturers used different formats of VINs until 1981, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration required VINs to be 17 characters and must exclude the letters I, O and Q. By excluding these letters, any confusion with the numbers one and zero was avoided.

A VIN is not merely a random set of 17 characters. Each digit signifies information about the vehicle. A VIN is a vehicles’ DNA; it is unique and unduplicated. For example, the first character identifies the country where the vehicle was made. Each country has a letter or number associated with it- the US is either 1 or 4. The second character identifies the manufacturer such as Toyota or Volkswagen. Each digit of the VIN provides more and more information on the vehicle.

VINs are also printed on several car parts to cut down on part theft. Car parts that are labeled with VINs include transmissions, front and rear bumpers, engines, hoods, right and left doors, sliding cargo doors, right and left quarter panels and side assemblies, pickup/cargo boxes, rear doors and hatchback/deck lid/tailgates.

VINs do not just assist the automotive industry in identifying their vehicles, but can help car buyers avoid fraud. A vehicle’s history is tracked by its VIN and can provide useful information to car buyers. Anyone can view a car’s history using the VIN. Simply enter the VIN into one of the many websites that offer this service (e.g. CARFAX, instaVIN, AutoCheck). Information that a VIN can disclose include:

• Vehicle registration
• Title information, including salvaged or junked titles
• Odometer readings
• Lemon history
• Total loss accident history
• Frame/structural damage
• Collision indicators, such as airbag deployments
• Service and repair information
• Vehicle usage (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
• Recall information

Vehicle history reports not only help car buyers, but also assist dealers in their sales.  Sellers check the history of the vehicle they are trying to sell so they are prepared to answer any questions regarding the vehicle’s background. Dealers often buy vehicle history reports to provide to their customers to ensure the potential buyer that all information about the vehicle is being disclosed. Dealers also run vehicle history reports prior to acquiring vehicles at auctions to help ensure they are obtaining the vehicle at a fair market value.

What started off as just a tracking system, the VIN has become a useful tool in buying and selling cars. The next time you plan on purchasing a vehicle, remember the VIN is a valuable asset, so use it to look up the vehicle’s history and arm yourself with the tools to make a sound purchase.

For more information on VINs, vehicle history reports and the DMV, visit www.DMV.ca.gov. Save Time. Go Online!

Lawyers for Occupy defendants, who had criminal charges dismissed in December, plan to make public what they call a new, unconstitutional scheme by the City of Sacramento, to penalize the same defendants without a trial and due process rights guaranteed by law.

The group will be at the Sacramento Superior Courthouse to disclose the details of their information.

99% Occupy Sacramento

The City is using “administrative penalties” to “convict” the same defendants whose misdemeanor criminal charges were dismissed “in the interest of justice” by the City the day before criminal trials were set to begin in December. Now the City is finding them guilty without a trial.

Occupy Pro bono lawyers  say it is “double jeopardy” under the U.S. and California Constitutions, and also, the City’s actions to find Occupy defendants guilty by “tribunal.” This effectively denies their 5th Amendment Due Process rights.

Jeff Kravitz, a Sacramento civil rights lawyer, said the City is engaging in a “grudge vendetta.”

“The City is wasting taxpayer money in a grudge vendetta against veterans, single mothers, homeowners and struggling middle class families who are guilty of nothing but expressing their concerns about our nation. First, the City violates the First Amendment rights of these people, and now the City violates their Fifth Amendment rights of due process,” said Kravitz, who represents an Iraq veteran.

There have been 110 arrests since Oct. 6 at Cesar Chavez Park for a misdemeanor violation of a curfew ordinance – free speech ends at 11 p.m. weekdays and 12 midnight, according to city code. The City has failed to convict any of those arrested. About 27 cases remain in the courts.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has now declared a disaster for Los Angeles County.

The declaration, issued by the SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills, helps not only business owners, but also private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters. THise people in Los Angeles County and the neighboring counties of Kern, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans to help cover losses they sustained in the disaster.

The request for assistance made to the SBA was based on a preliminary damage assessment on December 12 and 13. Recovery experts from Cal EMA and the SBA worked with the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management and several other affected cities.

“We recognize that disasters like the wind storm leave an indelible mark on people’s lives. We’re hopeful the low-interest disaster loans now available through the SBA will help put many homeowners, renters and business owners who suffered losses due to the wind storm on the road to a quick and full recovery.”
- Mike Dayton, CAL EMA Acting Secretary

California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) says the SBA loans can be up to $200,000, and are available to help qualified homeowners repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Personal property can also be covered, up to $40,000, for people who qualify.

Businesses and private nonprofits can apply for loans of up to $2 million to help cover the costs of repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventories or other business assets. Small businesses, most private nonprofit organizations and agriculture-related businesses are also eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet their needs for disaster-related working capital.

The application deadline for loans to help cover property damage is February 17, 2012; the deadline for EIDL applications is September 19, 2012.

The SBA has customer service representatives at a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the Pasadena Fire Department’s Headquarters, 199 S. Los Robles Avenue, Suite 550. These reps can assist applicants with loan applications, and explain the SBA loan application process. They are available 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, December 23, and resume operations on Monday, January 9.

Applications can also be found on the secure SBA Web site, https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela, by phone at (800) 659-2955, email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Assistance for people who are deaf or hard of hearing is available at (800) 877-8339.

Next week, Sacramento will be home to a new Blumenthal’s Uniform and Equipment, 5.11 Tactical Select Store, one of only two 5.11 Tactical Select stores carrying the full line of 5.11 Tactical products. The really interesting news is the interactive shopping experience for tactical gear in Sacramento.

After opening a 5.11 Tactical Select Store in Portland, Oregon, and seeing how successful it was, it was an obvious move to remodel the Sacramento store and provide the same interaction.

“5.11 Tactical products have so many features that consumers want to see, feel and interact with our products”
- Tom Davin, CEO of 5.11 Tactical

Opening on December 14, 2011, the store is expected to draw a good crowd, looking for anything from cargo pants to outerwear to concealed carry clothing. 5.11 Tactical products were previously only sold online and through retail public safety uniform dealers. After the first Signature Store opened in Fresno, CA in May this year, the company knew the tactical shopping experience was changed.

Blumenthal’s began in Seattle, Washington, in 1948, by Joe Blumenthal and now has five stores in the Northwest. The business is now run by brothers Mitch and Mark Blumenthal and their partner Roger Heldman.

After closing for a remodel, and the addition of the full line of over 700 product styles from 5.11 Tactical, the Sacramento Grand Reopening celebration takes place December 14 at Blumenthal’s, 3133 Arden Way.

The first 25 people in the door each day receive a gift and there will be prize drawings, snacks, and 20% off all 5.11 Tactical in-store purchases at the Arden Way location.

Heldman says customers love 5.11 Tactical, which revolutionized the industry by introducing the ‘tactical wear’ category, and Blumenthal’s will carry over 700 styles offered by 5.11 Tactical. It is an opportunity for all Americans to see, feel, and purchase products originally intended for high-intensity situations.

Blumenthal’s supports several charities, including “Shop For A Cause,” “Woulded Warrior Project,” “COPS,” “Breast Cancer,” “Fallen Firefighters,” and “September 11 Families.”

George Runner, Second District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced that taxable sales in California totaled $121.3 billion in third quarter 2010, up $5.8 billion (or 5 percent) from the same quarter the previous year. Personal income kept pace with taxable sales, increasing 5.0 percent over the same period (Editors: see chart below comparing taxable sales and personal income).

Additionally, more recent data indicate that a pronounced recovery in taxable sales continued into the third quarter of 2011. BOE’s estimate of statewide taxable sales for the third quarter of 2011, based on cash receipts, shows that taxable sales are estimated to have risen 8 percent over the same period a year earlier.

“It’s encouraging to see the sustained steady growth in retail sales,” said Senator Runner. “Hopefully sooner rather than later it will translate into more jobs for out-of-work Californians.”

Third quarter 2010 taxable sales in BOE Second District rose $1.3 billion (or 4.8 percent) over the third quarter a year ago. The Sacramento area gained $194 million (or 2.7 percent), the San Joaquin Valley region gained $705 million (or 6.7 percent). The City of Fresno, the State’s fifth most populous city, gained $34 million (or 2.4 percent) over the same quarter the year before.

In constant dollar terms, taxable sales increased 4.2 percent in third quarter 2010 from the same quarter the previous year. The California Taxable Sales Deflator, which measures the rate of change of all taxable sales in the State, was up 0.7 percent in third quarter 2010. In comparison, the California Consumer Price Index, which measures the rate of change of common consumer goods, was up 0.9 percent in third quarter 2010.

California gasoline stations sales in third quarter 2010 dominated the other major industries in growth, increasing $955 million, or 8.7 percent over the same quarter last year. With consumption growing slowly and a modest 3.1 percent increase in the price per gallon of gasoline, an analysis of these accounts indicates this growth was due to an increase in sales at these establishments of items other than fuel.

Clothing and accessories stores showed an increase in third quarter 2010 taxable sales of $402.4 million, up 6.5 percent over the same quarter the year before. General merchandise, which represents the largest non-durable retail category, had an overall increase of 5.5 percent (or $561.3 million) in third quarter 2010.

Motor vehicle parts and dealer sales were flat in third quarter 2010, posting only a 0.1 percent gain. Sales were buoyed by used car dealer sales, which increased 12.3 percent, but held back by losses in new car dealers (-1.9 percent) and other motor vehicle dealer sales (which include RVs, motorcycles, boats, and aircraft), decreased by 5.6 percent.

Sales for “All Other Outlets”, which represents manufacture and wholesale, grew by $2.6 billion, a gain of 7.1 percent in third quarter 2010 over the same quarter last year. This sector was buoyed by manufacturing, growing 9.9 percent, and wholesale trade, growing at 7.4 percent. Pulling down this sector were finance and insurance, decreasing 10.6 percent, and healthcare and social assistance, decreasing 6.4 percent.

Taxable Sales in California is a quarterly report on retail sales activity in California, as measured by transactions subject to sales and use tax. It includes data about statewide taxable sales by type of business, as well as data about taxable sales in all California cities and counties. To view all taxable sales in California, visit: www.boe.ca.gov/news/tsalescont.htm.

See 2010 Q3 taxable sales in California, at www.boe.ca.gov/news/tsalescont10.htm.

In a dramatic turnaround, California drivers ranked cell phone talking and texting as the biggest safety problems on the road in 2011, decisively moving past the top problems of 2010, which were speeding and aggressive driving.  These and other opinions of driving habits are included in the results of the second annual Traffic Safety Survey, released today by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

In 2010, 21.5 percent of drivers thought that speeding and aggressive driving were the biggest problems, followed by cell phone talking and texting, which totaled 18.3 percent combined.  In the latest 2011 results, speeding and aggressive driving dropped to 17.6 percent, while those worried about drivers using cell phones more than doubled to 38.8 percent. Drunk driving was next on the list, replacing last year’s “bad roads,” with 12.6 percent of respondents considering it most dangerous.

“This second year of surveying the opinions and habits of California’s drivers shows how quickly they react to the real problems we all face on the road. This information provides us with unique insight into the concerns of Californians.  It is very telling that we’ve seen such a shift in opinions on cell phone use in just one year.”

- Christopher J. Murphy, OTS Director

In the most distracting category, combined cell phone talking and texting jumped from 75 percent to 84 percent.  Those who say they still use handheld phones for either talking or texting dropped from last year, while those who say that they have been hit or nearly hit by someone talking or texting on a cell phone increased.

Drivers are a bit more aware of the anti-drunk driving message, with more actually saying that they aren’t drinking at all. In addition, drivers are more aware of DUI checkpoints, and at a high 88 percent approval rate, the vast majority of California drivers support them as well.  More people are also aware of the Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign and buckle up because of it.

The statewide survey was fielded in late summer and 1,801 drivers age 18 and over were interviewed at gas stations in 15 counties throughout California.  The results will help the California Office of Traffic Safety and those involved in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan better identify and track driver attitudes, self-reported driving behavior, awareness of high visibility enforcement efforts and safety communications.

“Having this second year of results is very helpful,” said Murphy.  “It has validated what we took from the first year and is beginning to show trends.  It is providing valuable data for our planning, particularly in distracted driving programs and the emerging drugged driving problem.”

Additional results include:

• Drunk driving was the biggest safety concern of the 18-24 year old age group, at30.3 percent, up from 11.5 percent in 2010. This age group also lead in those who report that they have recently had too much alcohol to drive safely.
• A larger percentage of drivers (40.4 percent) say they talk less on their phones while driving than last year (34.5 percent) because of the hands-free law.
• 45.8 percent say that they have made driving mistakes while talking on cell phones. 60.1 percent say that they have been hit or nearly hit by other drivers who were talking or texting.
• A higher percentage of 18-24 year olds than any other age group think that texting while driving is a serious distraction, yet more of them actually do text and drive than any other age group.
• There are differences between what Northern and Southern Californians think are the biggest problems.  33.2 percent of Southern Californians think texting ranks high, while 25.7 percent of Northern Californians think so.  Similarly, 25.6 percent in the southland think drunk driving is the biggest problem while 15.2 percent in the north rank it at the top.
• 25-44 year olds lead in hands-free cell phone talking, even though it is no more safe than hand-held talking.
• 71.9 percent think that the Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911 campaign has helped police make more DUI arrests.
• 88.3 percent support the use of DUI checkpoints

For full survey results, visit www.ots.ca.gov.

UC Davis Alumni Initiate FOI Requests after Pepper Spray Attack

This morning, UC Davis alumni submitted a series of requests for documents to the campus administration and the UC Office of the President under the Freedom of Information Act/State Public Records Act. The requests are part of the response to the incident on November 18th in which police aggressively pepper sprayed students who were peacefully protesting on campus.

Students and alumni are seeking to discover who ordered the police raid and why it was ordered. They are also looking for the internal discussions that they feel have resulted in the administration actively disseminating misinformation about the events.

“The campus administration lied to the media,” said UC Davis student Eric Lee, who attended Friday’s protest. “They pepper sprayed a whole line of people and then tried to make us look like the bad guys. It’s absurd.” Lee referred to the administration’s assertions that protesters surrounded police officers, cutting them off from support. Students who were present deny that this occurred; images show students peacefully seated in a ring with police stepping over them.

Student, faculty, and alumni groups are calling for an outside investigation of Friday’s incident, saying that the University of California cannot be trusted to investigate its own abuses. Many fear that UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi and University of California President Mark Yudof will use the investigation to evade responsibility for the attack on students and to avoid making meaningful reform.

Members of the UC Davis community expressed fears that the individual police officers involved would be made scapegoats for what is clearly a systemic lack of respect for students’ right to protest. “This is a pattern,” said Kelsey Skaggs, a UC Davis alumna. “Since the University of California began dramatic tuition increases in 2009, its police have repeatedly used violence against non-violent protesters.”

At a peaceful protest last November, a UC Irvine police officer pointed a loaded gun at students. Police at UC Berkeley have repeatedly used batons to break up protests. Students and alumni hope that the results of the Freedom of Information Act requests will give them insight into the administration’s use of violent tactics and the internal response to last Friday’s incident.

Previously published at NewsBlaze.com

“Physical attacks on persons violate California Penal Code 242 (Battery) and such violence perpetrated by those in uniform is a criminal violation of Federal civil rights law 18 USC 242,” said Jeff Kravitz, a constitutional rights attorney.

Kravitz suggested the state, through AG Harris, as well as Yolo District Attorney Jeff Reisig and US Attorney Benjamin Wagner should make the arrests of the UC Davis officers immediately.

“It is imperative that proper action be taken by County, State and Federal authorities… initiating criminal proceedings including the arrest of those who committed the acts of violence. or bringing the issues before a grand jury. Leaving he matter solely in the hands of the University is not a reasonable option,” said Kravitz.

He added that the University of California’s promised investigation is “clearly self-serving and bears resemblance to the investigation conducted by Penn State into the allegations of sex crimes by Jerry Sandusky…an investigation used to protect the university and not the victims.”

The students had been told, a minute before, that they would be shot if they did not move. The students began chanting ?Don?t shoot students, Don?t shoot students.? Then, as the police officers shook pepper spray cans, the students chanted ?Don?t shoot children.? Another person warned the students to close and protect their eyes.
- NewsInSacramento.com

See: Occupy Sacramento Caravan To Support Pepper-Sprayed UC Davis Students

Previously published at NewsBlaze.com Current News – Sacramento

The rally at UC Davis is scheduled to start at High Noon, Monday.

The Occupy group says their caravan is set to leave Cesar Chavez Park just after 11 a.m. Monday.

An Occupy Sacramento spokesperson told NewsInSacramento, “We feel it is a necessity to support and assist our friends at UC Davis in their time of need. This kind of brutality as seen by the citizen videos circulating the world needs to stop. When someone next asks ‘why’ is there an Occupy, we only need to point to this example of the 1 percent ordering their public servants to punish – without trial – peaceful, non-violent demonstrators.”

“The Occupy movement will not stand for it,” said Cres Vellucci, an ACLU board member in Sacramento, and Legal Team coordinator for Occupy Sacramento.

There have been 84 arrests at Occupy Sacramento since Oct. 6; Last week, 31 cases were dismissed “in the interest of justice” by the City of Sacramento, which is pursuing charges against 25 others. The District Attorney refused to prosecute the nonviolent occupiers, forcing the City to proceed.

One of the US Davis Police officers sprayed the student protestors with pepper spray, even though they were protesting non-violently, and were not causing harm to anyone.

The students had been told, a minute before, that they would be shot if they did not move. The students began chanting “Don’t shoot students, Don’t shoot students.” Then, as the police officers shook pepper spray cans, the students chanted “Don’t shoot children.” Another person warned the students to close and protect their eyes.

There is a petition asking for the resignation of the Chancellor and Lt. Pike, the officer who sprayed the students with pepper spray.