Sac County DA & Police Chief Announce EDD Fraud & Assault Weapons Arrests
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - On January 14th, 2021, the Sacramento Police Department North Gang Enforcement Team executed a search warrant at an apartment located on Quay Court, which is located in the Greenhaven-area. During service of the warrant, officers contacted 25-year-old James Smith and his girlfriend, 21-year old Chyna Hill.
The investigation led to the discovery of several illegally possessed assault weapons with extended magazines, handguns, and $1,100 in cash.
Officers also located 15 Employment Development Department (EDD) debit cards with various names on them and a red notebook. In the notebook, officers located a list of 55 different individual profiles with names, dates of birth, social security numbers, usernames, and passwords associated with EDD accounts.
An examination of the EDD accounts revealed that Hill and Smith received over $550,000 in fraudulent EDD funds.
On February 19, 2021, Sacramento Police Department SWAT team and Sacramento District Attorney’s Office Investigators arrested Hill and Smith. They were charged with two counts of being in possession of assault weapons, 23 counts of unemployment insurance fraud, 13 counts of possession of stolen property, and one count of possessing identifying information with the intent to defraud more than 10 persons. Smith was also charged with two counts of possessing firearms as a felon and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon.
Smith, who is a validated gang member, has also suffered a prior strike conviction for residential burglary.
“By taking these guns off the streets, our officers have made our city safer for the community and our officers. These investigations are important, as they not only address violence occurring in our community, but also can lead to other serious crimes,” said Sacramento Police Department Chief Daniel Hahn. “The Sacramento Police Department is committed to protecting our community and reducing gun violence.”
“Unfortunately, the circumstances of this arrest, as shocking as they might be, do not represent an outlier in EDD fraud investigations. Law enforcement personnel are frequently discovering EDD fraud associated with violent criminal activity as well as drugs and weapons offenses. In some cases, it is clear that the EDD fraud is providing a direct catalyst for the violence or funding the means to carry it out,” said District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert.
Get off on a Good Footy Rooty
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Footy Rooty, at 7855 Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights across from Lowe’s home improvement center is now open in the location of the former Happy Day Spa, the first Sacramento-area franchise location for the McAllen, Texas-based company which is now entering the California massage and spa market.
The former Happy Day Spa, acquired by Footy Rooty Foot Care and Spa, continues to honor all its Happy Day Spa tickets through July 30th for redemption. New clients are encouraged to use their Happy Day Spa tickets for the first six months of operation under the Footy Rooty Foot Care & Spa brand, according to a flyer prominently posted at the store’s reception desk.
Citrus Heights husband and wife co-managers, Jian and Zining Tang referred an interview request to Footy Rooty’s Texas corporate office where company president Bill Lieu responded.
“We were looking to open in the greater Sacramento region, and this location in Citrus Heights was ideal,” Lieu said. The 2,500+ square foot facility completed a $500K physical refresh. Five certified massage specialists were hired for the Citrus Heights facility.
Footy Rooty, founded in 2011, is welcoming new customers with a variety of promotional specials, with free child-care, snacks, and drinks during massage sessions. Services include foot detox, foot herbal steam, reflexology, foot skin care, Swedish and Eastern massage.
“In Chinese medicine, the foot is most often referred to as the second heart of the body,” he said. “There’s the expression ‘foot to human, root to tree,’” and that’s where our business name comes from.”
Footy Rooty has 14 locations in Texas. Another spa will open in San Jose, Calif. later this year.
Lieu considers his company a “pioneer in its specific focus on massage of the foot, rather than just offering its customers a general massage of the body.” In his opinion, “a quality, thorough therapeutic foot massage, including reflexology treatment could make a large impact on the lives of everyone.”
He became convinced that reflexology should be offered to everyone possible, and at an affordable price. Lieu said Footy Rooty requires all massage staff to become fully certified and offers training and assistance required licensing.
“My goal is to make the cost of training tuition-free, so it provides an incentive for all to pursue the growing profession, including newly-arriving immigrants and first-time workers.”
Footy Rooty’s lobby price chart offers its customers foot and body massages from a simplified menu of choices. All full prices are generally reduced with V.I. Feet membership, with the introductory 30-minute foot massage discounted from $30 to $19.99.
“We believe that the foot is one of the most important parts of the body because, like a root to the plant, it requires attention and care,” Lieu said. “Our feet bear our weight each day and are integral to our overall health and well-being. Increasingly people are recognizing this and seeking a way to pamper their feet.”
“The health and well-being of our customers is our top priority,” Lieu said. Footy Rooty massage staff follow state cleanliness protocols with frequent hand washing, masks, gloves and face shields being used by all personnel.
“All individual massage room sessions are done in accordance with a room card issued by the front desk to ensure the used room has sufficient disinfection time and air circulation time,” he said.
New customers can purchase a yearly V.I. Feet membership with a $24 donation to the Make A Wish Foundation to receive monthly specials and earn reward points.
Footy Rooty offers its customers six massage options. Two choices of foot massages and two different full body massage (clothing off) sessions for the upper body and back in either Swedish or Eastern styles are offered.
New customers should visit footyrooty.com or the local Citrus Heights Facebook page to plan their spa experience. Information on pricing, spa etiquette and general questions are promptly answered. A cell phone application allowing customers to directly book appointments or message their preferred massage therapist should be launched soon, Lieu said.
Footy Rooty in Citrus Heights is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call 916-723-7778 to determine a wait time before your tired tootsies walk in.
Felony Assault Weapons Charges For Mission Avenue Incident
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SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - At 1:53 a.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2021, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a call from a male subject in the 1400 block of Mission Avenue in Sacramento County. The male stated that the people who were in his house to repair a gas leak were instead eating his food and he had them at gunpoint. Moments later dispatch heard a single gunshot; the subject then stated he shot someone. Deputies arrived at the residence and with assistance from dispatch, calmed the subject and convinced him to walk out of the residence where deputies detained him without incident.
Deputies entered the home to search for a victim(s) but found no one else in the residence. It was evident that a shot had been fired inside and a gun was located. The subject and sole occupant of the house at the time of the incident was identified as Bradley Imre Bodai (38). Bodai was showing signs of a mental health crisis. Due to Bodai’s acute state of mental health, a Gun Violence Restraining Order was sought and signed by a judge at approximately 5:58 a.m. A search of the residence revealed a massive cache of guns, ammunition, weaponry hardware and ballistic safety equipment. A large gun safe contained what appeared to be 3 sticks of dynamite with a charge timer which prompted an evacuation order of a half mile radius affecting 1800 residences. Sacramento Sheriff’s Office Explosive Ordinance Detail (EOD), Special Investigative Intelligence Bureau (SIIB) as well as the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, State DOJ and Alcohol-Tobacco-Firearms (ATF) converged on the scene to assist with the evacuation and search for and inventory of the firearms.
The dynamite turned out to be an authentic looking imitation. Approximately 30,000 AK-47 rounds, 5,000 AR-15 rounds and tens of thousands of semiautomatic handgun rounds were recovered. In addition to 21 semiautomatic handguns, 4 revolvers, 18 rifles and 3 shotguns, investigators found 3 Polish Made Grenade Launchers, many armor piercing rounds, firearm silencers, equipment to manufacture firearm silencers and an array of ballistic safety equipment. Some of the weapons had been modified to be considered an assault rifle under California Penal Code. All of the items seized are being held as evidence in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Property Warehouse.
Initially Bodai was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a single misdemeanor charge of Discharge of a Firearm in a Grossly Negligent Manner and placed on a mental health hold. He has since been add-booked with 19 felony charges of Possession of an Assault Weapon and is being held on $250,000 Bail. At this time, no further suspects are outstanding. No further information is available.
Today officials forecast there are about 271,000 adult Sacramento Valley salmon now in the ocean off the West Coast. This compares to 473,183 forecast a year ago at this time and suggests some restrictions are likely to be enacted in the 2021 salmon fishing season. In the months ahead, officials with the Pacific Fisheries Management Council will use this forecast and other information to set times and areas open to both sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing for 2021. If restrictions are deemed necessary, we'll learn of them then.
Although 473,000 plus salmon were forecast last year, after the number caught was added to those that returned to spawn, the real number came out to be 370,000, about 22 percent fewer than forecast.
About 138,000 adult salmon returned to spawn in the Sacramento Basin during 2020, which is 105,000 fewer than the 233,000 salmon predicted to return to spawn. In addition, about 14,000 jacks, or two year old salmon, returned to spawn. The jack number in 2020 is used to forecast the number of adult salmon officials believe are now in the ocean.
One reason for the drop off in the 2021 salmon forecast is chronic over-diversion of Central Valley rivers. 2020 returns were also bolstered by added hatchery production in 2017 that contributed to the 2020 fishery. There was no additional hatchery production to aid 2021 fisheries and returns.
"It will be several more weeks before we begin to learn what kind of restrictions we might see on fishing this year, but the treatment of our salmon resource by freshwater managers as an afterthought is taking its toll," said GSSA president John McManus.
The number of fish that returned to the Klamath Basin, although slightly better than forecast, was still not enough to plot a 2021 commercial fishery free of concern. Commercial fishing in the Fort Bragg zone, stretching from Pt. Arena to just north of Shelter Cove in southern Humboldt County, will likely be limited in 2021.
"If water managers would leave more water in the rivers during some of the drier years, we'd always have more salmon," said GSSA director and co-owner of Reel Magic Sportfishing Mike Aughney.
Since baby salmon are considered one year old when they leave the Central Valley in the spring, and most return as three year old adults, you can usually count on good fishing two years after lots of rain and snow. Although there was decent rain and runoff in 2019, this year's forecast is poor, in part because of the severe decline of salmon in the last drought.
"Drought could revisit us almost anytime, including this year. We need to build and fortify in the good years so we don't get wiped out again in the bad," said GSSA secretary Dick Pool.
"That's why GSSA is working overtime to get salmon recovery, habitat improvements, and hatchery improvements on the state's radar."
About GSSA: The Golden State Salmon Association (www.goldenstatesalmon.org) is a coalition of salmon advocates that includes commercial and recreational salmon fishermen and women, businesses, restaurants, a native tribe, environmentalists, elected officials, families and communities that rely on salmon. GSSA's mission is to restore California salmon for their economic, recreational, commercial, environmental, cultural and health values.
Currently, California's salmon industry is valued at $1.4 billion in economic activity and 23,000 jobs annually in a normal season and about half that much in economic activity and jobs again in Oregon. Industry workers benefiting from Central Valley salmon stretch from Santa Barbara to northern Oregon. This includes commercial fishermen and women, recreational fishermen and women (fresh and salt water), fish processors, marinas, coastal communities, equipment manufacturers, the hotel and food industry, tribes, and others.
A Chip off the Old Block
Rio Linda Sculptor Stephen Bouska Wins Praise for "Alexis" Bust
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Staged in Carmichael, Sacramento Fine Arts Center’s annual Magnum Opus exhibition featured 70 artists and works ranging from watercolors to a three-dimensional city-scape. Stacey Gregory’s “Tech… tech… tech…Boom,” an urban diorama in mixed media, won Best of Show for the Salinas artist.
Exhibiting for the first time in the international show’s 32 years, Rio Linda sculptor Stephen Bouska won praise from judge Steve Memering. Bouska fashioned friend Alexis Pavlantos’ portrait from Tuscan marble that was quarried where Michaelangelo procured stone. “It’s sculpted from a block that came to the States in the 1980s,” said Bouska (38). “The original piece weighed about 2000 pounds. I guess you could call this bust a chip of the old block.”
A stonemason by day, Bouska gained sculpting skills at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He has worked all over the world and his “personal masterpiece,” a life-size female nude called Tullee, won Best of Show in a San Francisco exhibition. This piece is now on loan to USA’s biggest figurative sculpture expo, at Brookgreen Gardens (South Carolina). He chiseled the Alexis bust during more than 100 hours of studio labor. “It’s hard and dirty work,” observed the sculptor. “You can injure yourself with flying chips and when you start with a 180-pound marble block, you really must to be able to lift.”
Putting a $1745 price tag on the bust, he did not expect it to sell in Carmichael. “The cost is a big commitment for an exhibition like this,” Bouska considered. “I like to sell my work, but exposure’s just as valuable. I’m also quite happy to take Alexis home with me.”
The Sacramento Fine Arts Center is located at 5330/B Gibbons Drive, Carmichael. Learn about upcoming exhibitions at www.Sacfinearts.org
Ancil Hoffman Golf Course Wins CGCOA Award
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Sacramento County’s very own Ancil Hoffman Golf Course, which is owned by the Department of Regional Parks and operated in partnership with CourseCo, was recently named the winner of the 2020 California Golf Course Owners Association (CGCOA) Community Environmental Award.
“CGCOA’s criteria for the Community Environmental Award includes preserving coveted resources such as water and electricity; implementing environmentally smart programs; maintaining a recycling program throughout the property; creating safe, natural habitats for birds and other animals that occupy the course; and increasing citizen awareness of the role played by golf courses as friends of the environment,” said Marc Connerly, Executive Director of the CGCOA. “For this year’s award, leadership and activities related to the responsible management of the pandemic were added to the award criteria.”
Regional Parks, CourseCo and Ancil Hoffman staff were recognized for their leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the development and quick implementation of safety protocols that allowed golf courses to remain open. These same safety protocols have been modeled by golf courses across the nation.
“We wanted to make sure that our residents were able to safely enjoy our courses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Greg Bliek, Golf Division Manager. “We developed and implemented protocols and staff training to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our employees and golfers, and have been able to continuously remain open during the pandemic.”
Safety protocols implemented at Ancil Hoffman and other County courses include:
Check-in for golf is in designated areas and limited to one guest at a time
Play is limited to individual play – no tournaments or leagues; Golf carts are limited to one rider per cart; We ask that all guests pay with credit card; Pens for credit card signature are sanitized between uses; All practice areas are either temporarily closed or reduced to 50% capacity – please call ahead to check;
Doors are propped open; Ball washers have been removed from the course; Rakes have been removed from golf course bunkers (we recommend playing as ground under repair); Cups have been set to reduce touch points – please leave flags in place and do not touch; No shared equipment including golf clubs, every player must have their own set of clubs; Cleaning of all surfaces has been increased to a minimum of 4 to 6 times per day;
All employees wear masks when in buildings or interacting with customers; All employees at all point of sale locations wear gloves; All employees have received significant training on sanitary and safety standards; A designated Safety Ambassador is on duty at all times;
Golf carts are fully disinfected between uses; Range balls are fully disinfected between uses; Range baskets are fully disinfected between uses; Garbage cans lids are removed or touchless.
River Cats and Giants Announce 10-year Affiliation Extension
WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – The Sacramento River Cats are proud to announce a new long-term partnership with the three-time World Champion San Francisco Giants as part of Major League Baseball’s new Player Development License (PDL). The 10-year extension keeps the River Cats as the Giants’ top minor league affiliate through the 2030 season.
“The San Francisco Giants are one of Major League Baseball’s most respected and storied franchises and we are honored to continue what has been an incredible partnership both on the field and in our communities,” states River Cats general manager, Chip Maxson. “The new PDL will allow the River Cats and Giants to focus on long-term player health, wellness, and development, which will lead to an even better fan experience and more championships!”
This will be the seventh season since partnering with the Giants in September of 2014, compiling a record of 332-377 in the process including a championship run in 2019, becoming the only club to win three Triple-A Championships.
“We are excited to continue our dynamic partnership with Sacramento for 10 more seasons,” exclaims Giants president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi. “Sacramento has proven to be an important affiliate by providing our players an excellent place to play with a passionate fan-base, all in close proximity to San Francisco.”
Sacramento is one of San Francisco’s four domestic minor league affiliates, alongside Double-A Richmond (Eastern League), Advanced-A Eugene (Northwest League), and Class-A San Jose (California League).
Sutter Health Park is the West Sacramento home of the 2019 Triple-A Champion Sacramento River Cats, and proud affiliate of the three-time World Champion San Francisco Giants. Sutter Health Park is consistently voted one of the top ballparks in America. Memberships, Mini-Plans, and Flex Plans can be purchased for the 2021 season by calling the River Cats Ticket Hotline at (916) 371-HITS (4487). Currently, the only place to guarantee official River Cats tickets is at www.rivercats.com. For information on other events at Sutter Health Park, visit www.sutterhealthpark.com.