Imperial Valley Press Quick News

Nearly half million dollars worth of narcotics sezied in two incidents

CALEXICO --- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the downtown Port of Entry were seized nearly half million dollars worth of narcotics Thursday in two separate incidents, according to a press statement issued today.

A 45-year-old woman and a 43-year-old Mexicali resident were both arrested for the alleged tied to the attempted smuggling of cocaine and methamphetamines, the news statement read. Both suspects were taken to the county jail awaiting arraignment.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer 

El Centro man sentenced to four years in federal prison for possessing child pornography

An El Centro man was sentenced to four years in federal prison today on convictions that include possessing child pornography.

As part of plea agreement, Andrew Michael Shelnutt, 24, admitted that he knowingly possessed computer media containing more than 600 sexually explicit images involving children, according to a press statement.

Shelnutt, who pleaded guilty to both possessing chilld pornography and intentionally causing damage to a protected computer in March 2010. He admitted that he victimized his former employer CariNet, Inc. by repeatedly accessing its computer network without authorization in October and November 2008, the statement read.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

 

Border Patrol agents seize cocaine at Highway 86

SALTON CITY --- U.S. Border Patrol agent seized nearly $900,000 worth of cocaine during a routine search of a vehicle in the secondary area of inspection Thursday at the Highway 86 checkpoint, a news statement read.

A drug-sniffing dog alerted agents to the dashboard area of a minivan that, upon inspection, had several cellophane wrapped bundles of cocaine hidden within the area.

The unidentified U.S. citizen who was the driver of minivan was said by U.S. Border Patrol authorities to have an extensive criminal history related to drug use and sales, the statement read. The vehicle and the driver, whose name was not released, were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer 

Fire knocks out power for hundreds of El Centro residents

A fire at an Imperial Irrigation District substation knocked out power to hundreds of people in El Centro for a little more than an hour Thursday night.

The fire, which started about 7 p.m. at the substation near the corner of Orange and Second streets, was quickly taken care of by the El Centro Fire Department with portable fire extinguishers, said acting Captain Joseph Bernal.

"Once we got there it was contained in a small area,” he said.

A capaciter appeared to have exploded causing the fire, Bernal said.

Once the fire started, the power was automatically shut down, said IID spokeman Kevin Kelley.

Power was restored to the several hundred customers in just more than an hour, he said. Trouble shooters arrived soon after to reroute the power.

The cause of the fire was not known immediately, he said. The district is waiting until sunlight to determine the cause.

For more information read Friday's edition online or in print.

-- Elizabeth Varin, staff writer

FEMA, Cal EMA approve almost $3.9 million in reimbursements for Imperial County earthquake recovery

Disaster recovery officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) announced today that nearly $3.9 million in federal and state Public Assistance funds have been awarded to help government agencies in Imperial County cover emergency response and repair costs from the 7.2 earthquake of April 4.

 

The $3,889,918.53 in earthquake emergency response and repair costs was approved so far for the County of Imperial and the cities of Calexico, Calipatria, El Centro, Holtville and Imperial.  

 

"FEMA and Cal EMA recognize that the earthquake placed a significant financial burden on government agencies serving Imperial County," said Nancy Ward, FEMA Region IX Administrator, and Cal EMA Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen.  "The reimbursements announced today will help reduce a significant part of that burden."

 

They noted that because most federal and state disaster funds are provided after repair work has been completed and documentation has been provided, the funds approved to date represent only a portion of the disaster assistance some agencies will receive.

- ROMAN FLORES, Staff Writer

Imperial County's vehicle thefts drop in 2009

The number of vehicles stolen in Imperial County last year fell by more than 150, according to numbers released by the California Highway Patrol today.

In 2009, 812 vehicles were stolen in the county, according to the data. It was a drop from the 986 stolen in 2008.

The county was in the top 10 drops in the state at 17.6 percent fewer vehicles stolen, according to the data. The biggest drop was in Inyo County with 39.3 percent fewer cars stolen, though its numbers only fell from 28 stolen vehicles to 17.

Imperial County made up a small percentage of the total number of vehicles stolen in 2009, according to the data. In the state about 150,000 cars were stolen.

The state number fell from almost 175,000, according to the data.

For more information read Friday's edition online or in print.

-- Elizabeth Varin, staff writer

 

Border Patrol agents rescue men in one of several incidents

Two undocumented immigrants were rescued about a mile south of Interstate 8 near Ocotillo after being stranded for days by U.S. Border Patrol agents in one of several other incidents, a press statement read.

On Friday the California Highway Patrol received a call regarding the lost men, the statement reported. The Highway Patrol provided coordinates from one of men's cellular phone and the pair was subsequently found, arrested and sent back to "their country of origin," the statement read.

Marijuana worth about $56,000 was found Saturday hidden a custom-made compartment behind the rear door of a Toyota mini-van being driven by an unidentified U.S. citizen at the Highway 86 checkpoint, the press statement read.

The driver and passenger of a Dodge mini-van were arrested on Labor Day at the same checkpoint on charges of trying to smuggle more than $170,000 of marijuana found hidden inside the vehicle, the statement read. Even though some of the reported incidents occurred last week, U.S. Border Patrol authorities had to first get approval before making the news public.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

   

Imperial County supervisors expected to address expansion of Brawley enterprise zone

BRAWLEY --- County supervisors are expected to approve a proposed 5.79 acre expansion of the Brawley Enterprise Zone during their meeting Sept. 21, Diane Cason, Imperial Valley Enterprise Zone manager, said today.

Should Imperial County supervisors green light the expansion of Southwest Microbials on Dogwood Road to Brawley's enterprise zone the proposal would then get sent to the state Department of Housing and Community Development for its final approval, Cason said.

The state agency could take up to 30 days to finalize the process. On Tuesday, the Brawley City Council adopted a resolution that calls for adding Southwest Microbials, an agricultural company, to the city's enterpise zone. An enterprise zone is a geographic area designated for commercial growth by providing tax incentives for businesses to come in.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

FEMA, Cal EMA approve more than $3.3 million in reimbursements to aid Imperial County educational institutions in earthquake disaster recovery

More than $3.3 million in federal and state Public Assistance funds have been approved to help schools in Imperial County cover costs stemming from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the county on April 4, federal and state disaster recovery officials announced yesterday in a press release. 

The funds awarded to date by FEMA and Cal EMA to the Imperial County Office of Education and the Brawley Union, Calexico Unified, Central Union, El Centro Elementary, Heber Elementary, Holtville Unified, Imperial Unified, McCabe and Seeley Union school districts represents the federal and state shares in eligible emergency response and repair costs approved so far.

The over $3.3 million federal and state reimbursements approved to date for schools in Imperial County represent more than 31 percent of total FEMA and Cal EMA reimbursements.

"It's important that the public understand that recovery is a long process and the reimbursements announced today represent only a portion of the federal and state disaster funds some agencies will receive," said FEMA Region IX Administrator Nancy Ward and Cal EMA Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen.

- ROMAN FLORES, Staff Writer

 

Former Centinela State Prison employee due back in court Sept. 29

A former Centinela State Prison employee convicted of insurance fraud is due back in court Sept. 29 after her attorney filed a motion for a new trial today at Imperial County Superior Court in El Centro.

Rosa Pitones, who is out of custody on her own recognizance, was ordered by Imperial County Superior Court Judge William Lehman to appear for the hearing where it would be determined what response has been filed by the prosecution.

Pitones' attorney Chris Kowalski said the motion is being filed on the grounds of jury misconduct, insufficient evidence and other issues. Pitones, who used to work at Imperial Valley College, was convicted in June of filing fraudulent worker's compensation and insurance claims during a near seven-month period in 2007.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer