Money Talks - MoneyTalks's Blog - Bakersfield.com

Jeans for Haiti Day — what are other local non-profits, businesses doing?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:07:30 PST

The devastation in Haiti is propelling lots of people to do what they can to help. The following came to us from folks at Hoffmann Hospice. It made us wonder: What are other local non-profits or businesses, and their employees, doing to help? If you want to share, you can respond below!

Here's what Hoffmann sent:

Looking for a creative, but easy way to raise money for Haiti earthquake survivors? Hold a “Jeans for Haiti Day” at work.

Hoffmann Hospice hosted an all-agency Jeans for Haiti Day on Friday, January 22. Blue jeans are generally not allowed at the non-profit agency, but Director of Operations Beth Hoffmann made an exception for a worthy cause.

Hoffmann staffers at the agency’s Bakersfield and Palmdale offices who wanted to wear jeans donated $5 each for the privilege. Some donated even more, raising the day’s total to $638. The funds will go to the American Red Cross Kern Chapter.

Megan Balod plea deal

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:33:58 PST

Megan Balod — David Crisp's sister-in-law — has an arraignment in Fresno at 4 p.m. today.

We've attached her plea agreement and charging document. You can download them by clicking the blue boxes at left. The filings are 7-18 pages or so.

As expected, the plea is conditioned on guilty pleas from her parents, Kevin and Leslie Sluga (they already pleaded guilty Jan. 8)

We're sending a reporter to Fresno and will update Balod's expected guilty plea later today.

Roundtable on jobs Monday night

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:06:33 PST

Here's a copy of a press release on a job roundtable — tonight!

CENTRAL VALLEY HEATLH NETWORK, KERN COUNTY SUPERVISOR MICHAEL RUBIO AND THE USDA TO HOST ROUNDTABLE ON JOBS
AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Business Owners, Residents, Community Health Centers, Local Leaders Invited to Share Ideas on Creating Jobs

Central Valley Health Network and Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio will hold a county-wide roundtable on job creation and economic growth on Monday, January 25th at 5:30 pm at the Kern County Administrative Building located at 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd floor in Bakersfield. The event is being conducted in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture.

“This forum will provide an opportunity for residents, business owners and community leaders across the state to share ideas on creating jobs and improving economic opportunities,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Dr. Glenda Humiston. “Government can help lay the groundwork for economic growth, but the best ideas for continued growth and job creation often come from local and community leaders. I look forward to hearing these ideas and sharing them with the Administration.”

The roundtable will include business owners, residents, state and local officials, community health centers, union members, non-profit organizations, community leaders, economists and other interested parties. Participants will discuss steps that can to be taken to grow the economy and put Americans back to work.

The primary focus will be on ideas to accelerate job growth in rural America. Some of the topics to be discussed are:

Exploring ways to rejuvenate and promote local businesses;
Creating jobs by rebuilding America’s infrastructure;
Creating new opportunities from existing ones, such as with value-added agricultural products;
Supporting job growth among small businesses; and
Preparing workers for 21st century jobs.

These forums are organized by USDA Rural Development throughout the state. Co-hosting this effort is USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as a wide variety of local organizers: Economic Development Corporations, U.C. Cooperative Extension, Resource Conservation and Development Councils, California State Universities, Central Valley Health Network, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Farm Bureaus, Tribal Governments, Self-Help Housing Groups, and many more. To find a location near you, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca <http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca> .

About Central Valley Health Network
The Central Valley Health Network (CVHN) is a consortium of 13 Federally Qualified Health Center corporations that provide comprehensive preventative primary care services to low-income and medically underserved families throughout the Central Valley of California. CVHN supports consortium members with technical assistance, advocacy, program development and administration and training. Currently, CVHN members serve more than 600,000 patients annually across 128 clinic sites in 21 counties for a total of 2.5 million patient visits yearly.

For more information about CVHN, visit www.cvhnclinics.org <http://www.cvhnclinics.org> or call (916) 552-2846

Judge removes obstacle to building Wal-Mart Supercenter in Delano

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:08:02 PST

An obstacle to building the Delano Marketplace, which includes a Wal-Mart-Supercenter, was removed Friday when a judge rejected a lawsuit against the project filed by the City of McFarland and Citizens for a Better Delano.

The lawsuit challenged the project on the grounds that the environmental review of the project did not adequately consider urban decay that could result in McFarland and other nearby communities as a result of the proposed shopping center.

Superior Court Judge Kenneth Twisselman rejected the challenges late Friday. He ruled that even if some stores close, that wouldn’t necessarily lead to urban decay.

At stake is a 200-acre project site west of Highway 99 and more than 1.1 million square feet of commercial space that would include a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Delano Mayor Liz Morris has told KGET-TV that McFarland’s lawsuit against the project is a consideration in Delano’s reluctance to let the newly formed McFarland Police

Department use Delano’s 911 call center. The McFarland Police Department began Jan. 1 but emergency calls now go through the Kern County Sheriff Department’s 911 call center and then to a dispatch center in McFarland.

— Californian staff

Department of Justice press release on Slugas guilty pleas

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:09:51 PST

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner

Eastern District of California

______________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae <http://WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAE> usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov

Docket #: 1:10-cr-0001-0002-AWI
FORMER CPA FOR CRISP & COLE REAL ESTATE, AND HIS WIFE, PLEAD GUILTY IN MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEMES
FRESNO, Calif. — United States Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that KEVIN PATRICK SLUGA, 60, and his wife, LESLIE SLUGA, 57, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, in Fresno, to four counts of wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud, respectively. As part of their respective plea agreements, KEVIN SLUGA and LESLIE SLUGA have agreed to cooperate in the government’s ongoing investigation.
This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila K. Oberto, Kirk E. Sherriff, and Stanley A. Boone, who are prosecuting the case, KEVIN SLUGA is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who provided corporate tax and accounting services to Crisp & Cole Real Estate and Tower Lending, a mortgage company affiliated with Crisp & Cole and owned by Crisp & Cole’s owners. KEVIN SLUGA prepared tax returns for a Crisp & Cole owner as well as for various Crisp & Cole employees. KEVIN SLUGA and LESLIE SLUGA admitted in their plea agreements, that they, along with certain individuals at Crisp & Cole and Tower Lending, and other individuals, executed schemes to defraud mortgage lending institutions by causing materially false and fraudulent statements to be submitted in mortgage loan applications and related documents to obtain loans from lenders for property purchases.
In pleading guilty, KEVIN SLUGA admitted that during the period from January 2005 to January 2007, he prepared verification of employment letters (CPA letters) that contained false information to assist the owners of Crisp & Cole, and others, in a scheme to obtain mortgage loans from lenders to purchase property, using straw buyers and other illegal means. The false CPA letters were submitted to lenders in support of applications for mortgage loans to be used to finance purchases of properties. The CPA letters included material misstatements regarding the borrowers’ employment status, occupation, and experience as a landlord, among other material misstatements or omissions. For example, KEVIN SLUGA would at times state that the borrower was employed at California Business Solutions, also known as Comprehensive Business Solutions (CBS), in a specific capacity for a certain period of time, when in truth and in fact, the borrower had either never worked at CBS or had not been employed in such a capacity at CBS. Based on his experience as a CPA, KEVIN SLUGA knew and expected that the false and fraudulent CPA letters would be submitted to the lenders in response to the lenders’ request for such verification, and that the lenders would reasonably rely on such misstatements and omissions in approving the loans. The lenders then distributed the mortgage loan funds to escrow companies or other companies, often across state lines.
LESLIE SLUGA admitted that from April 2005 through May 2006, at the direction of one of the owners of Crisp & Cole, she purchased three properties with a total purchase value at the time of approximately $2.5 million, and obtained loans to finance such purchases. In almost all of the loan applications, she knowingly made material misstatements and omitted relevant and material information. LESLIE SLUGA admitted that she knew and expected that the lenders would reasonably rely on such misstatements and omissions in approving the loans. LESLIE SLUGA’s misstatements and omissions included misstatements concerning her employer, the number of years employed, and her position and title with the employer; misstatements regarding her income and her outstanding liabilities (including her liabilities with respect to other properties), and misstatements that she would use certain properties as owner-occupied residences when in fact she had no intent to reside in the properties.
KEVIN SLUGA, LESLIE SLUGA, and others involved in these schemes committed these acts to deceive lending institutions into funding mortgage loans on the basis of the false information. A number of the properties purchased with the loan proceeds were subsequently foreclosed upon after loan payments were not made when due.
U.S. Attorney Wagner stated, “The United States Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue those responsible for mortgage fraud schemes in this district. Schemes such as the ones committed in this case have contributed to the devastation in real estate and financial markets.”
To further the prosecution of mortgage fraud cases arising out of the southern half of the Central Valley, in 2009 the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI created a Mortgage Fraud Task Force based in Fresno, comprising both federal and local law enforcement agents and prosecutors.
KEVIN SLUGA and LESLIE SLUGA are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wanger on July 12, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. The maximum statutory penalty on the wire fraud charge is 20 years in prison, and a criminal fine of $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

Crisp & Cole: Plea agreements here; daughter must also plead guilty

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:55:19 PST

We've just gotten hold of the plea agreements for Kevin and Leslie Sluga, which showed up on Pacer tonight.

The big shocker: The U.S. Attorney's "package offer" is conditioned on a guilty plea from one of their daughters, Megan Balod.

Their other daughter, Jennifer Crisp, is not mentioned in the package plea. She hasn't been charged with any crimes.

These PDFs are each about 18 pages. You can download them by clicking on the blue boxes.

The "factual basis" portion of each plea provides more detail than the charging documents.

Yes, we know who the intials refer to. But other than David Crisp and Carl Cole, who are obvious, if you know, can you keep it to yourself for now? No point in slandering folks if we happen to be wrong, ok? The wheels of justice are turning. Let them go. Thank you.

- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

P.S. If you feel like reminiscing, here's a link to an industry rag feature on C&C back in the day....

Crisp & Cole-related criminal filings surface

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:22:11 PST

Developing and we're on it...

Federal criminal charges against David Crisp's father-in-law and mother-in-law have been filed in Fresno.

Kevin and Leslie Sluga have both been charged with wire fraud and aiding and abetting. That's up to 20 years and $250,000 apiece.

Download PDFs of the court filings by clicking on the blue boxes at left.

If you can't download PDFs, we've transcribed the charging documents here.

UPDATE: Download the plea documents here.

- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

Free sandwiches abound

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:37:58 PST

Togo’s Sandwiches will celebrate National Pastrami Day by giving away a free Mini Classic Pastrami sandwich to the first 100 guests at each of its locations from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14.

Togo's has 242 franchised locations across the West Coast, including three in Bakersfield: 5450 Stockdale Highway, 9001 Stockdale Highway and 9000 Ming Ave.

We have no idea who invented National Pastrami Day. In fact, we're not entirely certain it actually exists. Does it really matter?

But wait, there's more!

Chick-fil-A will give away a free chicken sandwich 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each Wednesday in January.

No purchase necessary. Limit one per customer per day.

There is only one Chick-fil-A in Bakersfield, at 5260 Stockdale Highway.

Why Chick-fil-A is doing this is a mystery, but they seem to enjoy this sort of thing. They gave away a year's worth of food to guests who camped out overnight to attend their grand opening in February.

Ours is not to wonder why. Just eat a sandwich.

Unemployment rate in Kern County is 15.1 percent

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:45:32 PST

The unemployment rate in Kern County stood at 15.1 percent in November, according to figures released by the state Employment Development Department.

This November’s figures are slightly worse than October, when the rate stood at 14.5 percent.

Figures of note

• Kern lost 5,000 jobs from October to November of this year, and 6,700 year-over-year.
• The largest loss betweeen October and November of this year was in agriculture, which shed 6,000 jobs. But that is typical for the season. Year-over-year, 600 agriculture jobs were shed.
• Non-farm jobs gained 1,000 positions from October to November, but lost 6,100 year-over-year.

Property tax scam is back...AGAIN

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:21:13 PST

We are as tired of writing these alerts as you are of reading them, but it bears repeating because every quarter, even sophisticated, well informed people fall for this scam.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYONE TO GET YOUR PROPERTY TAXES REDUCED OR HAVE YOUR PROPERTY REASSESSED FOR TAX PURPOSES.

You can have it done for free. Got that? Zilch. Zip. Nada.

An outfit out of Granada Hills called "Property Tax Adjusters" recently sent official looking "statements" to unsuspecting taxpayers inviting them to pay to have their property assessed. The mailing looks like it's from the government, and the language seems to imply this is a mandatory fee.

This "2010 Property Tax Reduction Form" mailing is not from the government. The mailing is from a private company asking you to pay for something the county will do for free, so Kern County Assessor/Recorder James Fitch is reminding people not to waste their money.

Just to clarify, most people have ALREADY had their property taxes reduced without even doing anything. The county does automatic readjustments periodically to reflect current market conditions.

The taxable value of Kern County property for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009 has been assessed at $79 billion dollars. This total, for fiscal year 2009-2010, represents a decrease of about $5.3 billion dollars, or a 6.4 percent decrease in property values.

If you have not had your property reassessed, or disagree with the amount at which it was assessed, call the county and ask for a review.

You can reach them here:

http://assessor.co.kern.ca.us/index.php

Winter break camps

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:46:31 PST

The Bakersfield Californian is compiling a list of local organizations sponsoring day camps while school is out for the holidays. If you are putting one together, please email reporter Courtenay Edelhart with the name of the camp, hours, days of operation, cost, program description and registration deadline.

Please send no later than Friday to:

cedelhart@bakersfield.com

Kern unemployment at 13.9 percent in September

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:15:15 PDT

From the Employment Development Department this morning:

The unemployment rate in Kern County was 13.9 percent in September 2009, down from a revised 14.4 percent in August 2009, and above the year-ago estimate of 9.1 percent.

This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 12.0 percent for California and 9.5 percent for the nation during the same period.

Pre-Halloween Christmas displays

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:44 PDT

Weekend of Oct. 11-12, there are Christmas trees and garland for sale at Costco.

Anyone else see any premature Christmas elation?

Read Florez's letter to the PUC

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:42:16 PDT

State Sen. Dean Florez called upon the California Public Utilities Commission to stop Pacific Gas and Electric Co. from installing more SmartMeters and implementing any rate increases until meters can be thoroughly tested by independent technology experts.

Read the story here.

Click on the blue box above to read the full text of the senator's letter.

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:37:11 PDT

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan on Oct. 1 will host a Facebook chat about the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative to discuss the importance of better connecting producers with consumers to create economic opportunities throughout the country.

Merrigan will highlight how rural communities will benefit by rebuilding local and regional food systems. To join the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" chat, log-on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. EDT. (12:45 pm to 1:15 pm Pacific). Details are available at www.usda.gov/live and people can submit a question in advance of the chat or watch the conversation on the USDA website.

Just last week, USDA launched a new website, at www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer, which features social media tools to help focus the public conversation about farming and food, while engaging American agriculture and linking producers to customers. The 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' website directs consumers and producers to new media resources, such as information on the USDA blog, Facebook discussions, Twitter and YouTube videos. The public will be able to send their stories, ideas or videos to the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' team at knowyourfarmer@usda.gov. The public can become a fan of USDA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USDA.

Text of Jerald Teixeira plea agreement

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:07:52 PDT

Click on the blue box to read the full text of the plea agreement in the case of Jerald Teixeira.

This is the first criminal proceeding in a federal investigation into borrowing and investment activity at the now-defunct Crisp, Cole & Associates.

And if you missed it, read our full coverage here.

What are your kids (or you?) going to be for Halloween?

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:11:25 PDT

In business reporter Courtenay Edelhart's Sept. 24 story, retailers that sell costumes are making their predictions about what the big sellers will be this Halloween.

What are you dressing up as?

Update on Forever 21 opening at Valley Plaza

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:11:19 PDT

Clothing retailer Forever 21’s new department store format will open in the former Gottschalks at Valley Plaza mall in mid-November, the mall’s general manager said Tuesday.

In June, Los Angeles-based Forever 21 purchased at auction more than a dozen leases held by bankrupt Gottschalks, including the anchor spot at Valley Plaza.

The so-called premier stores will carry Forever 21’s signature trendy clothes for women, as well as the company’s other lines — Heritage 1981, a men’s and women’s casual brand; Twelve by Twelve, an affordable couture brand; Faith 21, a plus-size brand; and Love 21, a contemporary brand.

Fresno-based Gottschalks filed for bankruptcy protection in January and is in the process of liquidating its assets.

— Californian staff writer Courtenay Edelhart

First-time homebuyer credit still available

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:32:12 PDT

Here's a news release from the IRS about this tax credit:

More than 160,000 California taxpayers so far have taken advantage of the first-time homebuyer federal tax credit that provides up to $8,000 to those purchasing a home.
But time is running out to qualify. Here are 10 things the IRS wants you to know about this valuable credit:

1. To be considered a first-time homebuyer, you — and your spouse if you are married — must not have jointly or separately owned another principal residence during the three years prior to the date of purchase.

2. You cannot claim the credit before there is a completed sale and purchase of the residence. The sale and purchase are generally completed at the time of closing on the purchase.

3. To qualify for the credit, the completed purchase must occur before Dec. 1, 2009.

4. The home must be located in the United States.

5. The credit is either 10 percent of the purchase price of the home or $8,000, whichever is less.

6. The amount of the credit begins to phase out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is more than $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers.

7. The credit is fully refundable. A homebuyer with no taxable income, who qualifies for the credit, may file for the sole purpose of claiming the credit and receive a refund. The credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed.

8. The credit is claimed on IRS Form 5405, First-Time Homebuyers Credit.

9. Taxpayers can claim the credit for a qualified 2009 purchase on either their 2008 or 2009 tax return. For those who have filed a 2008 return, a Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return can be filed in order to get a refund in 2009.

10. The credit for qualified 2009 purchases does not have to be repaid, as long as the home remains your main home for 36 months after the purchase date.

Qualified taxpayers who have been considering a main home purchase may find extra incentive from this tax credit to buy now so they can complete the purchase before the Dec. 1 deadline.

For more information on this and other key tax provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, visit the official IRS Web site at www.irs.gov.

Facts on Kern come out in American Community Survey

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:32:17 PDT

Total population: 800,458;
51.8 percent male and 48.2 percent female.

Population age 18 and older: 561,613

Households: 244,186, including 101,793 with children under age 18 still at home.

Average household size: 3.1

Marital status of those age 15 and up: 119,943 men were never married, vs. 84,736 women.

(updated info on education to clarify)
People age 25+ with just a high school diploma or equivalent: 115,320

Those 25+ with some college, no degree: 112,891

Those 25+ with an associate degree: 34,825

Those 25+ with a bachelor's degree: 48,854

Those 25+ with a graduate or professional degree: 20,651

People enrolled in college, undergraduate and graduate: 49,497.

Languages spoken at home: 292,131 people ages 5 and older speak a language other than English.

Occupied housing units: 244,186, including 145,468 owner-occupied (59.6 percent) and 98,718 renter-occupied (40.4 percent).

Median monthly cost of homes with a mortgage: $1,591

Median gross rent: $801

Race or ethnicity: 69.5 percent white;
47.1 percent Hispanic or Latino;
5.5 percent black;
3.7 percent Asian; 17.9 percent
other; and 3.5 percent two or more races.

Place of birth: 155,938, or 19.5 percent, were foreign born.

Source: 2008 American Community Survey