Santa Paula Blog

The City of Santa Paula is closing its skate park located at Veterans
Memorial Park today through Wednesday, July 27 for violations of posted
park rules and vandalism. This will be the first large scale closure since
the park opened in August, 2004. FYI.

The City Council will discuss "considerations regarding the proposed Fagan
Canyon project" based on a staff report that lays out options for further
consideration of the proposed development. Now that the Draft EIR public
comment period is coming to a closed, the City Council is being asked to
consider providing specific direction to staff on issues related to the
project. Once the Draft EIR is completed (October/November), the project
will be before the Planning Commission and City Council for final
consideration. Tonight is the Council's opportunity to provide some
direction to staff as staff prepares final analysis and options for project
review.

At the request of Santa Paula Elementary School District, Santa Paula Fire
Department will conduct a training burn of a block of four classrooms at
Isbell Middle School (corner of Harvard and 4th) in two sessions on Sunday,
July 17. The first session will be from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and the
second session will be from 1:00 PM to about 5:00 PM. The burn will not
take place from 10 AM to 11 AM in order not to cause any interference with
the Citrus Festival parade.

Today's San Diego Union-Tribune has a great article on the Vinick for President campaign.

Former City Attorney Phil Romney died this morning after battling many years of medical problems. Romney served as City Attorney for over 20 years until 2003. Phil helped make Santa Paula a better place. All flags at City facilities will be posted at half mast in his honor.

At tonight's Santa Paula City Council meeting, Police Chief Bob Gonzales is
presenting the Police Department's Citizen Medal of Merit for heroism to a
member of our staff who came to the aid of a Santa Paula Police Officer.
This will be the first time the medal has been given since Chief Gonzales
has been Chief and only the third or fourth time it has been presented by a
Santa Paula Police Chief in his thirty year law enforcement career.

Following is the text of Chief Gonzales' presentation:

On June 7, 2005 Santa Paula Police Officers were dispatched to the Santa
Paula Shopping Center in the 500 Block of West Main Street regarding a
suspicious subject in a blue van. The reporting party also reported they
thought the driver of this van may have been drinking.
Upon Dan Officer Kiernan's arrival, he observed a van matching the
description driving away for the immediate area. Officer Kiernan followed
the vehicle, noticed the vehicle being driven in an erratic manner,
consistent with someone who may be possibly driving while under the
influence.
Officer Kiernan attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver would
not yield. The vehicle finally stopped in the 600 block of West Santa
Barbara Street where contact was made with the driver, who attempted to
flee the immediate area on foot. Officer Kiernan tried detaining the
individual to stop him from fleeing and the individual became combative,
and charged the officer. The individual began to punch and kick Officer
Kiernan and struck him many times about the head, shoulders and legs. In
order to attempt to control the individual, Officer Kiernan used his
chemical tear gas and his baton but to no avail; the individual was to the
point of intoxication that the tear gas nor the repeated strikes with the
baton did not have an effect on his body.
Officer Kiernan felt he was about to pass out from the repeated
punches and began to draw his duty weapon in an effort to defend himself,
fearing the individual was going to harm him even worse. It was at this
time that fellow City of Santa Paula Water Department employee Tim Martinez
came to the officer's aid.
Mr. Martinez witnessed the entire confrontation, had stood by long
enough and knew the officer was in serious trouble. He too thought the
suspect was going to seriously injure the officer. Without any hesitation
nor regard for his own safety, Mr. Martinez physically jumped in and
assisted with attempting to control and take the combative individual into
custody. Upon coming to Officer Kiernan's aid, Mr. Martinez also suffered
some injury to himself, fortunately not serious. By coming to Officer
Kiernan's assistance, Mr. Martinez was able to engage and distract the
suspect long enough for Officer Kiernan and fellow Officers along with the
department's K-9 Evan, to be able to subdue the suspect and take him into
custody.
For his extraordinary acts of heroism and bravery, and incurring
great personal risk, by exposing himself to eminent personal danger with a
very violent crazed individual, and without regard for his own personal
safety, I am pleased to present Tim Martinez with a commendation from the
Santa Paula Police Department, a "Citizens Medal of Merit."

A part of the project review of Fagan Canyon is a fiscal impact report.
This is not a part of the DEIR, but has been happening on the same track.
The report is now available to the public and is posted on our website: