Visalia Times-Delta from Visalia, California • 17

INSIDE State Governor raises fears of tax hikes5C Obituaries2C Classified5C Assistant Managing Editor Local News: Jim Houck, 735-3276 THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005 VISALIA TIMES-DELTA- IN BRIEF LOCAL (asp stop grah) si Fire erupts in cold storage building Woman testifies in court against former By David Castellon Staff writer After a day of hearing testimony Wednesday in the case against Richard Williams including a woman who claimed the former Woodlake police officer strip searched her in her home lawyers for both sides have two weeks to pre search for drugs in her body cavities. She made the statements during a preliminary hearing in which Tulare County Superior Court Judge Ronn Couillard heard testimony to help him determine whether to send the case to triaL The woman told the court that she first met Williams earlier pare their arguments on whether the case should go to trial. Williams originally faced a sexual battery charge involving a restrained person and false imprisonment on claims he wrongly detained five women during a late-night traffic stop in August, and that he compelled one of the women to expose her breasts and let him fondle her while claiming to be searching her for drugs, according to police records. Last week, he was arraigned on a second sexual battery charge on claims by another woman that on May 26, 2004, Williams convinced her to strip down and let him in the year during a traffic stop, but other encounters followed, including Williams showing up at her Woodlake apartment with other officers to arrest her boyfriend and Williams leaving two Easter baskets for her two sons. Then on May 26, Woodlake police Sgt Joe Hart showed up at her apartment claiming Unkempt and unwanted Macareno now faces felony election charge f' immmmmm i If tar Ron HolmanAimes-Delta 'i' ft Ron ArmstrongStaff artist Vorisia abatement two part the side of the property care of homes.

But Maudet back 'And it's Andrew director neighborhoods built with the "Then Benelli But is responsible fence and By David Castellon Staff writer Despite being arraigned Monday on a felony charge of violating a state election law, former Farmersville School Board member Martin Macareno who already faces 15 misdemeanor charges, most on claims he violated voter registration laws continues to deny he did anything illegal "The charges before me are politically motivated and I am absolutely innocent of them," he said in an e-mail to the Times-Delta. On Wednesday, he added via a brief phone interview that "I'm looking forward to going to triaL I have a lot to say." His next hearing in is set for July 11. As for Macareno's claim that politics are driving the charges against him, "I can tell you that our office has not charged him for political reasons," said Kathy Montejano, a supervising attorney for the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. "It is our office's duty to charge people who we believe have committed a crime." Macareno was first arraigned in April on a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace while reportedly taking photos of a representative for the California School Employees Association at a polling place during his recall election in November of last year. He lost that election And last month, the District Attorney's Office filed 14 additional misdemeanor counts of failing to turn in voter registration cards they claim Macareno collected in May 2004 from Farmersville voters.

By law, the cards have to be turned in within three days to the Tulare County Some of the weeds along Santa Fe Street south of Whitendale Avenue are higher than the fence behind Melissa Sullivan's home on South Bridge Street. Weedy strip of land potential hazard An electrical fire caused $150,000 in damages Wednesday to a cold storage building north ot Dinuba. The fire started at 6:02 am inside a cold storage at Brandt Farms located at 6040 Avenue 430, said Tulare County Fire Capt. Bill Hoover. An hour later, firefighters from Tulare County, Reed-ley and Dinuba fire depart ments had the fire under control he said.

The fire caused an esti mated $100,000 in damages to the cold storage and $50,000 to fruit inside it, Hoover said. Firefighters were able to make a savings of $3 million to the remainder of the storage and its contents, Hoover said. Lindsay police await hybrid cruisers The Lindsay Police Department is awaiting the arrival of hybrid Toyota Highlanders to replace its fleet with clean-burning cars. The gaselectric car is in short supply, but once the cars are available the police department will use a clean air grant to purchase the cars and convert them into police cruisers. It's a case of having the money but not enough of the clean-burning cars available, city officials said this week.

City employees have been calling every Toyota dealership in California and neighboring states to get on a waiting list for the cars. Highway 99 ramps in Goshen to close Beginning Monday, bridge construction will close Highway 99 on- and off-ramps in Goshen. The Betty Drive on ramp and off ramp to northbound and southbound Highway 99 will be closed from 6 am to 6:30 p.m from June 20 to July 1 for bridge construction, according to the Central Valley Transportation Management Center. Wanted: dodgeball enthusiasts The Visalia Parks and -Recreation Department is looking for people to participate in a dodgeball tournament July 16 at the Manuel F. Hernandez Community Center.

Registration is free and is limited to six teams. The winner of that tournament will receive a paid entry to the Hot August Slam, scheduled for Aug. 27. Registration packets are available at the center located at 247 W. Ferguson Ave.

in Visalia. Information: 713-4461 Staff reports CORRECTION Because of a reporter's error, an incorrect place of employment appeared in a story in Wednesday's Visalia Times-Delta about Tulare's resident Tulare resident Jerry Gosvenor is employed at Kings County Truck Lines. The Times-Delta promptly acknowledges and corrects errors. To report an error in a news story, please call the executive editor, 735-3268, or the assistant managing editorlocal news, 735-3276. Get it online! Impact Now online, the Times-Delta's teen page gives readers an insight into the lives of teenagers.

Check it out at www. Visalia TimesDelta.com officer her car had been involved in a high-speed chase. Soon after Hart left, the woman said, Williams showed up and told her she could be charged as an accomplice and that her two children could be taken by Tulare County Child Protective Services unless she gave SeeTestify3C Elections Office. Albert Figueroa, a grocery store worker, said investigators indicated Macareno may have held his registration card for 25 days. Then came Monday's arraignment, three days after prosecutors filed the new count of unlawful voter registration, the only felony among the 16 charges Macareno now faces.

The new charge refers to "one who unlawfully did cause or procure an affidavit of voter registration of a fictitious person or a person who has not requested registration as a voter," a violation of the state Election Code, 18101, Montejano said While she would not disclose specifics of what prosecutors believe Macareno did to violate the law, Montejano said that the case involves a real person as a victim, whom she identified as Pat Hadden. Hadden couldn't be reached for comment. If found guilty of disturbing the peace, Macareno could face a maximum penalty of six months in jaiL And he faces no jail time on the 14 counts of holding voter registration cards, though he could have to pay $1,000 fines on each if he is found guilty. The new charge is a felony, carrying a possible prison sentence of up to three years if convicted, Montejano said. On Monday, San Francisco Attorney Xavier Baeza, who had been representing Macareno, asked Tulare County Superior Court Judge Darryl Ferguson to be released from the case.

Macareno said Wednesday that he hadn't yet hired a new lawyer. The reporter can be reached at dcastellvisalia. gannett.com How to attend What: Antique truck show of the American Historical Truck Society's Tulare chapter. Where: Dairy Pavilion, International Agri-Center, Tulare When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday Admission: Free; $25 for evening steak dinner at a cost of more than $160,000. Three Model-T Ford trucks will also be shown. Stewart says the Tulare chapter has 55 members, about 15 of whom have restored trucks. Packwood Creek Red highlight area shows section that residents want maintained Overgrown area dotted with trash worries neighbors By Shannon Darling Staff writer As Melissa Sullivan looks over her well-manicured lawn, she is quite content until she scans the 7-foot wall at the back of her yard and sees weeds looming over the top. "Those weeds have to be 8-foot tall," Sullivan said, standing in the back yard of her central Visalia home.

Sullivan is one of many residents Henderson of Visalia's weed program told the Times-Delta months ago that for the most city takes care of weeds on the creek that faces the road, but owners are supposed to take the part directly behind their neighborhood resident Monica said there is no way to get a vehicle there to do a proper job. a fire hazard," she said Benelli, Visalia's assistant of public works, said in older the homes were often the back of home's yards facing creek. it is out of sight, out of mind," said. according to Benelli, the resident for the upkeep of the not-accessible stretch of land between the I Packwood Creek I n-l Walnut Ave. ifh a Jv Santa Fe Street Jr.

nmnimimmttiii -v' Blain Park! E. Road TV Caldwell whose property backs up to a stretch of land that no one seems to take care of The strip of land runs along Packwood Creek and a railroad track that runs along Santa Fe Street, and it is riddled with weeds, trash and debris, residents say. And following heavy wmter rams, many of the homeowners are concerned that the healthy weeds will soon become a fire danger as temperatures warm the canal As far as the railroad tracks behind Sullivan's house, Benelli said he isn't sure who is supposed to maintain that Calls to the San Joaquin Valley Railroad were not returned. "It's just poor planning," Benelli said Benelli said the city is purchasing portions of Packwood Creek as new developments go up and houses are being designed to face the creek rather than SeeLand3C Tf those ever catch fire, it is take care of the weeds behind his home, there wouldn't be a way to get back there "I think the whole creek is neglected," Seymore said. But residents don't know what to do about the strip of land behind their homes.

Some say it belongs to the railroad, others say it is the city's and others say it belongs to an irrigation district bum for awhile," said Troy Seymore, as he pointed to a pile of oak leaves along Packwood Creek just beyond his back Antique trucks stars of upcoming show in Tulare yard. Seymore said if he was expected to Lawmakers disclose their finances going to financial statements yearly, listing assets, liabilities, unearned income and travel paid for by Devin Nunes outside groups. Lawmakers are allowed to disclose their worth in broad ranges and they don't have to list the value of their primary residence or last year's congressional salary of $158,100. Here is a glimpse at the finances of area lawmakers: Rep. Devin Nunes Assets: $100,000 to $250,000.

Staff reports A year ago, John Stewart of Visalia paid $5,000 for a 1960 Autocar diesel truck cab. Stewart says hauling wine grapes throughout the Valley had put at least a million miles on the vehicle. Now, with $25,000 and nine months of hard work, Stewart has restored the cab to the bright red chrome-shiny hunk of power it was 35 years ago He estimates it's worth $50,000 now. Stewart's Autocar will be one of perhaps 100 trucks on display Saturday at the antique truck show of the American Historical Truck Society's Tulare chapter: Stewart, the Tulare chapter's president, says another truck that will be on display is a 1964 Pederbilt, restored 2001 after catching flak for owning stocks in some of the same energy companies that she accused of overcharging Californians for electricity. Boxer, a Democrat, also received and donated to charity $800 for appearing on the cable television show "Real Time with Bill Maher." She accepted a $16,000 advance against royalties to write a novel about fictional intrigue in Washington.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Feinstein, D-Calif, whose previous reports show her to be worth millions, requested an extension of the filing deadline for her 2004 report. Money's not tight for area's federal representatives By Doug Abrahms Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, reported assets of between $100,000 to $250,000 after selling half interest in a Tulare County farm last year, Nunes said in financial disclosure statements filed this week that he received between $100,000 and $250,000 for his share of the farm. Senators and House members are required to file Farm income: $15,000 to $50,000.

Liabilities: $50,000 to $100,000 farm mortgage. Nunes sold half interest in a Tulare County farm last year for between $100,000 and $250,000. Nunes was also paid $1,000 by Diageo, a large distilling company, for giving a speech. He donated the money to charity. Sen.

Barbara Boxer Assets: $L2 rnillion to $55millioa Interest, dividend and retirement income $131,000 to $1.1 million Liabilities: None listed Most of Boxer's assets are in a blind trust she set up in.