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Citrus Heights News Briefs: obituaries, priest abuse, police dept.

Latest local news briefs include a longtime Citrus Heights priest being listed among those accused of sexual abuse, the passing of a local teacher and coach, and a southern California city looking to Citrus Heights as a model for police services.

Longtime priest at Holy Family Catholic Church listed among 44 accused of sexual abuse
Vito Mistretta, who served as a priest at Holy Family Catholic Church in Citrus Heights from 1949 until his retirement in 1990, is among the 44 priests named as having been “credibly accused” of sexual abuse, according to a list released on April 30 by the Diocese of Sacramento. Two males, including one under the age of 18, accused Mistretta of sexual abuse — with both incidents alleged to have occurred in 1989. Mistretta died in 2009. (Read more)

So Cal city looks to Citrus Heights in forming own police dept.
Representatives from the City of Menifee, a southern California city of about 90,000 population, visited Citrus Heights recently to learn more about the formation of the Citrus Heights Police Department, according to an article in the Valley News. Menifee currently contracts with the county sheriff’s department for police services, which Citrus Heights also did up until forming its own police department in 2006. (See article)

Obituary: Diane Stokes (1941-2019)
Diane Roberta Stokes, a 30-year resident of Citrus Heights, passed away on April 20, 2019 at age 78. Her obituary in The Sacramento Bee described her as “a warm soul who never met a stranger,” who was known for her “affectionate hugs and lipstick kisses.” (See full obituary)

Obituary: Carl Baumgartner (1950-2019)
Carl Raymond Baumgartner, a 34-year teacher and coach in the San Juan Unified School District, passed away at his Citrus Heights home on April 17, 2019, after a long battle with cancer. According to his obituary published in The Sacramento Bee, Baumgartner served in the Air Force from 1968-1972, including service in the Vietnam War. (See full obituary)

*News briefs are published each week in The Sentinel’s Weekend e-Edition and include a roundup of stories and articles about Citrus Heights that were published recently by news sources around the region.

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