Tag: mike wells

  • Citrus Heights News Briefs: guns, hot dogs, knife call, holiday hours, retiree

    Latest news briefs include Hot Dog on a Stick opening at Sunrise Mall, a councilman’s call of support for concealed weapons permits, another senior city staff retirement, a heavier-than-usual police response on Raintree Drive, and an update on holiday hours at city hall.

    ‘Hot Dog on a Stick’ now open at Sunrise Mall
    In a Dec. 19 post on social media, the franchise chain Hot Dog on a Stick announced the opening of its new location at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights. The chain was started in 1946 in Santa Monica and has since grown to 70 stores in seven states, according to its website. The restaurant is known for “made-to-order Hot Dogs on a Stick and fresh hand-stomped lemonade.”

    Councilman backs sheriff’s concealed carry plan, encourages residents to ‘exercise their Second Amendment right’
    Newly seated Councilman Bret Daniels took to his social media page this week to voice his support for Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones’ new plan to streamline the process for obtaining and renewing concealed carry weapons permits (CCW’s). On Wednesday, Daniels posted a link to a story from the Sacramento Bee on his public Facebook page about the sheriff’s revised permit policy and wrote, “I fully support the Sheriff’s position and encourage all Citrus Heights residents to exercise their Second Amendment right.” Daniels also posted a photo with a message stating, “Statistics show that criminals commit less crime after they’ve been shot.”

    According to a sheriff’s department news release on Dec. 20, the revised policy will facilitate permit renewals entirely online, eliminate a previous requirement for a second office visit during permit application, and increase the number of firearms on a permit to five, up from three. Supporters say concealed carry holders have helped save lives and argue that permits should not take months to obtain, while opponents say more CCW’s don’t make communities safer and argue that making permits easier to obtain could leave guns in the wrong hands. Daniels is a former county sheriff’s deputy, who was elected to the city council last month and previously served on the council from 1999 to 2005. (See news release)

    Principal civil engineer retires from city
    Tweets from the city and police department on Wednesday announced the retirement of Kevin Becker, who served as a principal civil engineer for the City of Citrus Heights. In a Dec. 20 tweet, the police department thanked Becker for an “Immeasurable Impact” in the city, and a tweet from the city credited him as “the man behind Auburn Blvd Complete Streets & much more.” According to the city’s online staff directory, Becker was one of three principal civil engineers on staff in the public works and engineering division. He had been with the city for at least 15 years.

    CHPD: ‘Unfounded’ knife call draws heavier-than-usual police response
    Police said residents may have observed a significant police presence on Raintree Drive Wednesday morning, as officers responded to a reported altercation between a man and a woman, possibly involving a knife. Lt. Mike Wells said the incident occurred on the 7100 block of Raintree Drive, off Auburn Boulevard, around 11 a.m. on Dec. 21. He said based on the knife report and the number of people inside the residence, “the response was a little more heavy than normal,” but after clearing the residence, officers determined that only a verbal altercation had occurred and that no crime had been committed. He said no one was arrested, and officers determined the knife aspect of the initial report to have been “unfounded.”

    Library and City Hall announce holiday, temporary hours
    Residents and community members seeking to conduct business at city hall during the final week of 2016 will need to do so Tuesday through Thursday, as the hall will be closed on both Monday and Friday. According to the city’s online calendar, the hall will be closed on Dec. 26, as well as Dec. 30. City hall will also be closed the following Monday, Jan. 2. (See calendar)

    Effective Jan. 2, Sylvan Library will be temporarily open on Monday’s from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., though previously only open Tuesday through Saturday. According to the library’s website, the extended hours are due to the temporary closure of Arcade and North Highlands-Antelope libraries, which will be undergoing interior remodeling through spring 2017. (See more)

    Also published this week:

  • Citrus Heights police plan pasta feed fundraiser for ‘Baker to Vegas’ race

    The Citrus Heights Police Activities League is teaming up with the Folsom Police Foundation to host a 2nd annual pasta feed, helping raise funds to send a team of officers on a 120-mile foot race through the desert.

    The pasta feed fundraiser will be held on October 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall in Folsom, with retired sheriff John McGinness serving as master of ceremonies. A live and silent auction is also set to take place during the evening, and no-host beer and wine is promised “for the grown-ups,” according to an event flier.

    Funds raised from the pasta feed will go to help the Folsom-Citrus Heights PD 2016 “Baker to Vegas” team compete in the annual 120-mile foot race through the deserts of California and Nevada.

    The Challenge Cup “Baker to Vegas” race began in 1985, with “B2V” 2016 set to take place on March 19 and 20.
    According to Citrus Heights Police Department Sgt. Michael Wells, CHPD’s first participation in the run was last year, in conjunction with Folsom police. Wells said the team finished 167 out of 262 teams overall this year.

    Both police departments use the race as a fundraiser for each Department’s nonprofit organizations – the Citrus Heights Police Activities League and the Folsom Police Foundation.

    Tickets for the pasta feed are available for purchase at $20 for an adult, $10 for kids age 5 and up, and free for kids under 5-years-old. Tickets for the pasta feed must be purchased by October 12 and can be paid for online at FolsomPoliceFoundation.org.

  • High speed chase through Citrus Heights ends in crash, arrest

    Social media accounts lit up Sunday night from local users reporting helicopters and heavy police presence near Van Maren Lane and Garden Gate Drive, with Citrus Heights police later confirming they were involved in a multi-agency pursuit of a reportedly stolen SUV.

    Police lights, red blue. Photo credit: Luke Otterstad
    Stock photo. Citrus Heights Sentinel

    “I just witnessed a high speed chase outside my house,” tweeted user “CWheeler3535” around 10 p.m. Sunday, after commenting about helicopters and police sirens nearby. His comment was shortly followed by a tweet about seeing a Nissan SUV fly past him on Garden Gate Drive going “at least 100” miles per hour, with “at least 30 cops” in pursuit.

    CHPD Sergeant Mike Wells said Roseville police had requested assistance Sunday night after a vehicle they were pursuing traveled into Citrus Heights. Wells said the pursuit continued through Citrus Heights, ending outside city limits where the vehicle smashed into a wall near Woodfair Way in Carmichael.

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    Following the crash, Wells said the driver fled on foot before being found in a garage, after officers from Citrus Heights, Roseville, Sacramento County and the California Highway Patrol established a perimeter around the area.

    The SUV had previously been reported stolen from Texas, according to Wells, and the driver was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle and felony vehicle evasion.
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  • City gears up for storm; offers preparation tips for residents

    Updated Dec. 10, 12:33 p.m.–
    The City of Citrus Heights is busy providing storm preparation tips and getting staff and equipment ready for fallen trees, clogged gutters and flooding that often accompany the heavy winds and rain expected this week.

    Car, puddle, splash, water. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    A car splashes through a large puddle on the side of Old Auburn Road, during last week’s rain.

    “The biggest concern is the winds that are coming through,” said Regina Cave with the Citrus Heights General Services division, recalling the “havoc” caused in 2008 and 2012 by heavy rains and clogged storm drains from late leaf-drops.

    “We’ll have staff waiting here for all the calls, and we’ll have field staff prepared with equipment, chainsaws, to go out and assist,” said Cave, regarding the City’s current storm preparations. “We’ll also have our tree contractor that will be located here on our campus ready for calls.”

    Cave offered several preparation recommendations for residents, emphasizing the need for clearing leaves from around nearby gutters, curbs and storm drains to allow for proper drainage.

    “Do not clear them onto your lawn, they need to be put in their green waste containers,” said Cave, commenting that winds and rain will just “put ’em back into the gutters.”

    Cave, who serves as a management analyst for the City’s general services division, also recommends residents pick up some sandbags if their property is lower in elevation, or if their driveway is flat and tends to get some run-off into garages or front doors during regular rains. For those located near creeks, she “strongly recommends” getting some sandbags from one of the City’s two free sandbag locations, or at a hardware store.

    <<For more info on sandbags, see story: “STORM: Residents pile up on free sandbags” >>

    For flooding-related issues or downed trees during the storm, residents can call general services at (916) 727-4770, although the City doesn’t respond to private property trees, unless it’s blocking the sidewalk or road, according to Cave. Trees or branches falling on power lines can be reported to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, via their outage line at (888) 456-7683.

    “We’ll respond as fast as we can, as urgently as we can,” said Cave, who cautioned that in cases where the creeks are full, there will be localized flooding. “People need to keep in mind that when the creeks get really full, they have a certain capacity, and the storm drains will not drain down fast because [they’re] all going to the creeks.”

    She also warned that high winds paired with soil saturation from rains will make it easier for trees to come down during the storm and recommended parking vehicles in garages, or at least on a driveway to enable free flow of water draining at the street. Keeping flashlights on hand for power outages, unplugging Christmas lights, and bringing any loose outdoor décor inside is also recommended.

    The Citrus Heights Police Department is also active in preparing for the storm, with Sergeant Mike Wells sending out a press release Wednesday morning advising motorists of several locations that “historically had issues” with flooding in the past. The areas listed are Sunrise Boulevard between Twin Oaks Avenue and Woodmore Oaks, Greenback Lane between Fair Oaks Boulevard and Sunrise Boulevard, Van Maren Lane between Greenback Lane and Calvin Drive, Antelope Road and Auburn Boulevard, as well as Mariposa Avenue and Highland Avenue.

    The Department also referred non life-threatening calls to SMUD, PG&E and the City’s general services division. Calls to Citrus Heights General Services are typically answered by staff 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with calls forwarded to police dispatch after hours.

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    Related info:
    Citrus Heights General Services: (916) 727-4770 (24-hours-a-day)
    SMUD outage line: (888) 456-7683