Category: Business

By Mike Hazlip—
A Citrus Heights home that was severely damaged in a suspicious blaze is now on the market, more than two years after the homeowner was accused of setting fire to her own home.

The house at 7765 Locher Wy., located near Sunrise Boulevard and Highland Avenue, was heavily damaged in an Aug. 3, 2021, fire that led to the arrest of homeowner Justina Daggett on arson charges. She later plead “no contest” to the charges and was ordered to serve 60 days in jail and a year of probation.

Now, real estate records show the home is on the market for $275,000. Comparable-sized homes in good condition have sold in recent months for $450,000 to $500,000, according to data posted on the real estate website Trulia.

Photographs posted with the listing show extensive fire damage throughout the interior of the 1,472-square-foot home. The home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to the listing.

Sacramento Superior Court public records show the City of Citrus Heights is listed as the petitioner in a series of motions dating back to Aug. 3, 2023. The records detail 55 code violations, requesting the court grant a receiver to take over the property. A receiver was appointed on March 5, 2024, records show.

Written testimony from a code enforcement officer submitted to the court says Daggett’s father, William Barklage, died on Aug. 24, 2020, and that Daggett was the occupant of the property. The testimony describes Daggett as “combative” and refusing offers of assistance from the city and homeless assistance providers.

“The City has used all reasonable efforts to gain voluntary compliance, but the dangerous conditions remain unabated, and the Subject Property remains red-tagged and is unsafe for occupancy,” the document says. “Given these facts, it is clear it will remain substandard and in violation of law until a receiver is appointed.”

An Aug. 3, 2021, report by The Sentinel says Metro Fire identified Daggett as the “homeowner and suspect.” She was charged with “arson that causes an inhabited structure or inhabited property to burn,” as well as having “intent to willfully and maliciously” use a flammable substance “to set fire to or burn any structure.”

A report by The Davis Vanguard says Daggett set fire to her home after an argument with William Luna. The Sentinel previously reported Luna was in a relationship with Daggett, and he was inside the residence at the time of the fire.

Sacramento County District Attorney spokeswoman Shelly Orio told The Sentinel that Daggett was initially charged with “arson that causes an inhabited structure or inhabited property to burn,” as well as having “intent to willfully and maliciously” use a flammable substance to set fire to or burn any structure.

Daggett was seen living in a damaged and inoperable vehicle parked in the property’s driveway in August 2022. The city had the vehicle towed on April 6, 2023, citing a “lack of voluntary compliance and ongoing violations,” court records show.

Court documents say the insurance company would not pay for any damages, citing the arson charges. Daggett is the only next of kin listed on Barklage’s death certificate filed with the court documents.

Photos and additional information about the property can be found online at Trulia.com. The listing describes the home as a “major fixer” with the opportunity to remodel or rebuild.

By Sara Beth Williams–
A new batting cage practice facility opened in Citrus Heights last month and has already seen “tons of support” from the community and local surrounding leagues, according to a key trainer at the facility.

Tunnel Vision trainer Jeff Williams said the facility officially opened Feb. 2 and has added 7,000 square feet of outdoor training turf, as well as a gym area, and two new pitching machines.

In addition to the support of the local softball leagues, Williams said Tunnel Vision has also had a great response to their Extra Innings Club, which is a membership program for high school-aged athletes and allows unlimited hitting practice from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

“We give them a safe place to come hang out and get extra work in for the baseball and softball seasons,” Williams said, adding that staff will often provide food on one of the weekend nights for the athletes.

According to Tunnel Vision’s website training profiles, Williams is a Mesa Verde High School graduate, was named All League in 1999 and 2000, and has over 15 years of baseball and softball coaching experience. Tunnel Vision’s second trainer, Andy Candela, played varsity through all four years of high school, was San Joaquin County section MVP in 2005, and has 12 years of competitive youth baseball and softball coaching experience.

Along with pitching machines and outdoor training areas, Tunnel Vision also operates a baseball card and sports collectables hobby shop and sells new and gently used sports equipment. In the upcoming months, Williams said Tunnel Vision has plans for spring and summer camps and clinics to help occupy students while they’re out of school.

Tunnel Vision is located at 7927 Auburn Blvd. in the Grand Oaks shopping plaza in Citrus Heights. The location is shooting for a grand opening date at the end of April, according to Williams.

By Sara Beth Williams–
More than a year after Auburn Boulevard Business Association (ABBA) president Richard Hale retired and stepped down from his position, the organization remains “dormant,” according to city officials and a prior co-chair.

“Currently, there is no progress on reviving [the association],” said former ABBA co-chair Diane Ebbitt-Riehle in an interview with The Sentinel. Ebbitt-Riehle was named co-chair in November of 2022 when Hale resigned. Ebbitt-Riehle added that it has been hard for business representatives to attend meetings, and there has been an overall lack of interest in the association.

ABBA was formed in 2016 as an effort to “make Auburn Boulevard a destination point,” Hale said in a 2017 interview with The Sentinel. Under his leadership, ABBA worked with the city to create a 31-point action plan for improving the boulevard. Phase I of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets project has been implemented from Sylvan Corners to slightly past Antelope Road, but phase two has yet to begin.

Plans for the second phase of revitalization include undergrounding of overhead utility lines, installation of bike lanes and wider sidewalks, upgrading signals, adding decorative street lighting, new landscaping, and trees, upgrading storm drains, roadway resurfacing, enhanced transit stops and a new gateway sign over the boulevard.

According to a previous Sentinel report, plans also show new center medians with designated turn lanes to be installed along most of the corridor, which have drawn controversy from business owners.

An email from Citrus Heights Communications Officers Marisa Brown indicates that Phase II of the project, which will extend along Auburn Boulevard from Rusch Park to Riverside Avenue, has stalled, due to construction bids for the project coming in at $10 million over budget.

“City staff is currently working to identify cost savings and modifications to the project,” Brown said earlier this month. A recommendation to reject all bids and revise and re-advertise the contract was later approved by the council during their Feb. 8 council meeting, and posted on the city’s website for a re-bid on Feb. 15.

Brown said ABBA has been dormant due to “leaders transitioning roles or moving,” but said city staff are “always available to support and create connections for businesses on Auburn Blvd.”

According to Ebbitt-Riehle, until the city’s revitalization project begins, businesses “are not going to be interested in that boulevard.” However, she anticipates a higher interest in the business association whenever work on the boulevard takes place.