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California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis and 18 other district attorneys throughout the state announced on Monday that a $27.6 million settlement was reached with Walmart for violations of environmental laws and regulations.
The San Diego District Attorney’s Office and Attorney General’s Office filed a civil complaint on April 2 alleging that each of the 236 Walmart stores, Sam’s Club stores, distribution centers and storage facilities in California were in violation of environmental laws and regulations.
Lake County's Walmart store is located in Clearlake.
The suit alleged that Walmart employees and management were improperly storing, handling, transporting and dumping hazardous waste, including pesticides, chemicals, paint, aerosols, acid, fertilizer and motor oil.
“This should serve as a warning to all companies doing business in the state and in San Diego County that they will not be allowed to flaunt environmental laws in place to keep our communities clean and safe – no matter how large or small the corporation,” said Dumanis.
Phyllis Harris, vice president of environmental compliance for Walmart U.S. said environmental sustainability is a priority at Walmart, and the company takes its compliance responsibilities very seriously.
“It's important to note that these incidents happened at least four years ago,” Harris said in a Monday statement. “Since then, we have worked closely with the state of California on a comprehensive hazardous waste plan that includes improved training programs, policies and procedures. This robust environmental compliance initiative is focused on how to safely handle products like these and has been implemented in all of our stores and clubs.”
In the settlement – signed Monday by San Diego Superior Court Judge Linda B. Quinn – Walmart agreed to pay $20 million in penalties to the 20 prosecutors and 32 environmental health agencies throughout California involved in the investigation.
The company also will pay more than $1.6 million in costs for the investigation and $3 million for supplemental environmental projects benefiting prosecutors, investigators and regulators.
Walmart also agreed to spend at least an additional $3 million toward keeping its stores in compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
“Safety should always be the No. 1 priority for the hundreds of thousands of people who travel California’s freeways every day,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said. “This settlement ensures that Walmart obeys the laws when shipping potentially hazardous materials on our streets and highways.”
Federal, state and local investigators spent thousands of hours documenting the violations.
The investigation began after an off-duty regulator from the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health noticed a Walmart employee dumping bleach down a sink drain in April 2005. The regulator returned to the San Diego County store while on duty and asked about hazardous waste disposal policies. That’s when it was discovered that Walmart was in violation.
Another example of a violation involved a Walmart Store in Solano County where a child was found playing in a mound of fertilizer left near its garden department. The yellowish-colored powder contained ammonium sulfate, a chemical compound used in fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides which causes irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract.
As a result of this settlement, Walmart was required to make substantial upgrades to its environmental compliance system to prevent any future violations.
Harris said the company has taken a number of compliance measures, including hiring more environmental compliance staff, developing and implementing nearly 50 new environmental compliance standard operating procedures for our stores and clubs, identifying which consumer products sold in stores and clubs constitute hazardous waste if discarded and providing the information to store and club associates through handheld terminals and shelf labels.
They've also implemented a hazardous waste management system so that store and club associates properly dispose of regulated items that become waste at the stores and clubs and provided enhanced environmental compliance training to all associates in all stores and clubs.
"We’re confident that our current procedures represent a model for hazardous waste management in retail,” Harris said. “We’re a better company today as a result of these programs and we’ll continue to look for opportunities to make our environmental compliance programs even stronger in the future.”
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James P. Whetstone, 19, was arrested for grand theft, possession of a controlled substance for sale and transportation of a controlled substance, according to a report from Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
At 8:40 p.m. last Saturday Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to investigate the theft of a handgun. Smallcomb said 58-year-old James A. Whetstone of Hopland reported that his son had stolen his .45-caliber handgun from their home on Mountain House Road.
The elder Whetstone told the 911 dispatcher that his son's behavior had been erratic and that his son had slept very little in recent days, according to Smallcomb. Whetstone was concerned that his son was under the influence of drugs while armed with the handgun.
The 19-year-old had driven away in his father's Mercedes, and a description of the suspect and his vehicle were broadcast via police radio, Smallcomb said.
Officers from the Hopland Tribal Police intercepted the vehicle on Highway 175 near the entrance to the reservation and detained the suspect. Smallcomb said officers from the California Highway Patrol also responded to assist.
A search of the car revealed 50 suspected methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) tablets hidden in a panel in the trunk of the car. Smallcomb said MDMA is most commonly known as “Ecstacy,” a controlled substance with stimulant and psychoactive properties.
The younger Whetstone then led deputies to the stolen .45-caliber firearm. He was subsequently arrested and lodged in the Mendocino County Jail, Smallcomb said.
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The extremely charred body of Donald Scott Williams was found inside of what remained of an unoccupied home located on County Road 25, south of Orland in a rural farming area on Sunday, April 4, as Lake County News has reported.
Investigators believe an act of arson caused the home to be burned to the ground and destroyed.
An autopsy confirmed the initial findings that Williams had died at the hands of another. The services of a forensic odontologist was needed to positively identify the remains as those of Williams.
On Monday Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones reported that the agency was working with WeTip to find leads in the case.
A caller to WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) will remain completely anonymous and no one will ever know who made the call, Jones said.
Offering nationwide Internet access and hotlines, WeTip – founded in 1972 – is an anonymous crime reporting system for citizens and a valuable tool for law enforcement. WeTip stresses the complete anonymity of the caller.
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LUCERNE – An early morning shooting in Lucerne on Monday sent one man to the hospital.
The man was assaulted in an incident inside a home on 6287 Country Club Drive between Third and Fourth avenues at around 2:30 a.m., officials reported.
Northshore Fire Protection District Chief Jim Robbins said two medic units – one from Lucerne and one from Nice – along with an engine and a battalion chief were dispatched to the scene at 2:38 a.m. and staged while sheriff's deputies secured the scene.
Robbins said the shooting victim was conscious and talking to medics.
“The best our people could tell is he had six bullet holes in him – three in his abdomen and three in his lower extremities,” Robbins said.
Robbins said REACH air ambulance was called to the scene, with the landing zone being set up at Lucerne Harbor Park. The helicopter landed just before 3:15 a.m. and lifted off a short time later to transport the shooting victim to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he remains in care.
Sheriff's detectives continued to work at the crime scene throughout the morning. A suspect has not yet been taken into custody.
Officials have indicated they will release more details about the shooting later Monday afternoon.
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LAKEPORT – A new grant will help Lakeport Fire Protection District have a better knowledge of hazards when they're responding to commercial fires.
On Friday, Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells and his staff received a $1,600 grant from FM Global, a commercial insurance company.
Wells said Lakeport Fire was one of four fire departments in the state to receive the FM Global grant.
FM Global offers fire preventions grants to fire departments and community organizations that combat fire, explaining on its Web site that the company believes the majority of fires can be prevented.
The grants can be used for pre-fire planning, arson prevention and education, and fire prevention education and training programs, the company reported.
Wells said his department plans to use the grant for pre-fire plan software that helps document floor plans, hazardous materials, electrical shutoffs and other important features of commercial buildings.
He said the goal is to have the information available on a computer in the chief's vehicle and the first engine out on fires. That, he said, will allow firefighters to know the hazards inside out.
Wells said Lakeport Fire firefighter/paramedic Ponciano Hernandez will do the data entry for the program to get it up and running.
To find out more about Lakeport Fire, including upcoming events or to listen to live fire radio traffic, visit www.lakeportfire.com/.
Visit the district's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1085177429&v=wall&story_fbid=122696534409330#!/pages/Lakeport-CA/Lakeport-Fire-Protection-District/190113238755 .
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