Regional Roundup

Lodi woman remains missing after six weeks

Six weeks after a Lodi woman left a Thornton bar, there is still no sign of her, police said Monday.

Alicia Sandoval, 44, left Las Lulas bar in the early hours of March 27 and never returned to her North Church Street home in Lodi. The transgender woman is also known as Ofelia Santoyo Sandoval.

Lodi Police have classified Sandoval's disappearance as missing under suspicious circumstances, and her name and photo have been distributed nationwide.

There has been no activity on her bank account, and police have not located her gold four-door Mazda.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lodi Police Department at 333-6727. Anonymous callers, who may be eligible for a cash reward, may call Lodi-Area Crime Stoppers at 333-6771.

Weather delays groundbreaking for road widening

The wet weather rolling through the region recently will delay a groundbreaking ceremony that was to celebrate the widening of Lower Sacramento Road, from Kettleman Lane and Harney Lane, from two lanes to four.

Organizers with the city of Lodi and San Joaquin Council of Governments had planned to hold the event today, but have now set a tentative date of June 2.

The $3.5 million widening project is being funded through Measure K, a half cent sales tax that supports transportation projects.

Lodi contractor George Reed Co., Inc. is performing the work.

Planning Commission meeting canceled

Thursday's Planning Commission meeting has been canceled due to lack of agenda items. The next scheduled meeting is June 9.

High school principal appointment considered

Galt High School officials could announce a new principal as soon as Tuesday night, according to district Superintendent Thomas Gemma.

The decision comes after more than a month of paper screening applicants and interviewing for a new school leader.

Board members are expected to approve Gemma's recommendation of a final candidate in closed session before the public meeting Tuesday night. Whomever is chosen will replace Interim Principal Mari Martinez, who has filled since January.

Martinez also served as lead administrator from January to August 2004, when the district hired Gemma to replace former principal Larry Tosta.

No information regarding the candidates will be released before that time, Gemma added.

On Tuesday, trustees will also:

• Hear an update from the New High School Naming Committee on the process to be followed in choosing a name for the next school site

• Get a progress report on the possibility of district unification

• Listen to a presentation on the progress of the bond campaign to build a new school, possibly including the results of a public opinion survey

• Hear a proposal by Superintendent Gemma to add support staff at the district and site levels

The meeting will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Galt City Council Chambers, 380 Civic Drive.

Program to focus on harmony in family business

University of the Pacific's Institute for Family Business will host a program Thursday to address conflict and communication within family businesses.

Dubbed "Creating Harmony in the Family Business," the program will focus on:

• Teaching people how their behavior is a problem without making them defensive

• Converting criticism from defensiveness and blame to insight and agreement

• Building consensus decisions from divergent points of view and other topics.

The program will feature consultants Peter and Susan Glaser, who have worked together since 1971.

The Institute of Family Business, housed within Pacific's Eberhardt School of Business, is designed to help family owned businesses address the challenges they face.

For more information, or to register for the program, call 946-2956 or visit http://www.pacific.edu/ifb.

Escalon man killed when run over by street roller

NAPA -- Police and safety officials are investigating an accident that claimed the life of a roadway laborer who died when he was run over by a street roller.

Christopher Meeks, of Escalon, was helping resurface a Napa road when a 10-wheel Caterpillar street roller ran over him Saturday morning.

Fellow workers called 911 as Meeks lay injured beneath the tractor. He was rushed to a local hospital with major head and upper body injuries and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Napa Police Cmdr. Steve Potter said an investigation is underway to find the cause of the accident, which will determine if the driver of the street roller will be charged with a crime.

So far, "it appears to be a tragic accident," Potter said.

The California office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating to determine if unsafe working conditions played a role.

The company in charge of the work, Modesto-based Western States Surfacing, is in the process of repaving dozens of streets for the city of Napa. Paving will be halted while the investigation continues, Potter said.

Minor quake hits Sonoma County

SANTA ROSA -- A minor earthquake hit Sonoma County Monday but there were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage.

The magnitude-4.4 quake struck at 3:37 p.m. and was centered about 23 miles north of Santa Rosa, according to a preliminary report from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Sheriff's office dispatchers said they received no complaints.

Man shot by police identified

MODESTO -- A man who was fatally shot after he fired on Modesto police officers over the weekend has been identified as Joel Farias Jr., 22, of San Jose.

Police said an investigation is ongoing into why Farias was in Modesto and why he opened fire on police.

"We know the obvious, such as that he was in a park, had a gun and shot at officers when they approached him," Assistant Police Chief Mike Harden said. "What we want to know is what triggered this."

Investigators also are investigating whether Farias is connected to a shooting at a Modesto convenience store around 11 p.m. Friday. About two hours later, four officers responding to a shooting call arrived at a city park and found Farias standing in a sandbox in the playground.

As they approached, Farias turned quickly and fired several shots at the officers, police said. The officers returned fire, killing him.

An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

City rejects claim filed by former police union president

MERCED -- The city has rejected a claim by a former Merced police union president who said he was fired unjustly last year.

The city's response, filed in Merced County Superior Court, follows an April 4 civil lawsuit filed by Thomas Fullerton seeking reinstatement, back pay and attorney's fees.

The city's response states that the officer was treated fairly before being terminated and that he is not entitled to back pay or legal fees. City officials also claim Fullerton was granted a thorough evidentiary hearing.

Fullerton was fired last summer after police responded to a dispute between him and his estranged wife, according to public records. Last month, he sued Merced and City Manager Jim Marshall, claiming he didn't get a fair personnel board hearing or the chance to defend himself.

Fullerton's attorney, Gary M. Messing, said he believes the allegations of domestic violence against his client are untrue.

City officials said the incident for which Fullerton was fired was the subject of a criminal investigation.

The termination order states that Fullerton was in a physical altercation with his estranged wife during a custody argument in March 2004. Police reports say officers had responded to at least three other prior domestic violence calls involving Fullerton, but he has never been charged with a crime.