Untitled Document

Tenet to sell medical facility Santa Barbara giant Tenet Health Care has agreed to sell its Redding Medical Center or face exclusion from certain government monies, officials announced last week.

Excluded hospitals are ineligible for reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal health care program.

Redding Medical Center was at the heart of a controversy settled earlier this year in which doctors were accused of performing allegedly unnecessary cardiac procedures. Tenet agreed to pay the government $54 million but did not admit any wrongdoing.

“When hospital quality review systems break down and unnecessary medical care is provided, we will use our authorities to remedy the problem,” said Dara Corrigan of the federal Office of the Inspector General. “In a serious case such as this, those remedies may involve excluding an entity from participation in federal health care programs, requiring the sale or transfer of a facility to an unrelated third party.”

Tenet officials expect to complete the sale by the middle of next year; the company will not face exclusion while it’s actively seeking a buyer. — N.S.W.

Worker averts disaster in Simpson House fire Quick work by a maintenance worker who extinguished an electrical type fire in the attic of the landmark Simpson House Inn at 121 E. Arrellaga St. averted what could have become a tragedy “for sure,’’ Santa Barbara Fire Department Battalion Chief John Ahlman reported.

Firefighters called to the 5-diamond bed and breakfast facility at 11 a.m. Monday discovered the fire had already been extinguished. The fire was confined to an electrical box and an adjoining structure, Ahlman said. “This could have been an involved fire had it not been discovered early,’’ he said. — S.C.

Lawyers circling Brooks Two major East Coast law firms specializing in class action lawsuits announced complaints Dec. 9 against the owners of the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara.

The law firms of Milberg Weiss Bershad Hyne and Lerach LLP, as well as Charles J. Piven P.A., claim Brooks’ parent company, Career Education Corporation, deceived the investing public about its business operations and management.

The complaints brought on behalf of CEC investors follow a 30 percent drop in CEC share value Dec. 3 — the day a Brooks’ ex-employee publicly accused the prestigious private school of altering books to make the school look better to accreditors. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, an ex-CEC employee is taking the company to court for charges similar to those made by the former Brooks employee.

The complaint by former Brooks’ registrar Cam Van Wingerden is being investigated by the American Council of Independent Colleges and Schools.

CEC said it has done its own investigation and found no wrongdoing in California or New Jersey.

The company will defend itself vigorously against the new complaints, according to a company statement. — D.D.

District court backs state’s resource management In a Dec. 9 ruling hailed as critical by environmentalists, a California district court confirmed the state’s right to have a major say in managing the resources of its coast.

Judge Claudia Wilken, of the Northern District court of California, denied the federal government’s motion to dismiss a previous decision that gave the state the right to review oil and gas leases offshore of the tri-counties.

Without the decision, the U.S. government could have effectively usurped state management and renewed some 36 leases it had issued to oil companies in federal waters off the coast. The leases, between the Channel Islands and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries, were originally issued between 1968 and 1984.

As a result of the ruling, environmental reviews and public hearings held by the California Coastal Commission will now determine the fate of the leases.

Californians are still wary of offshore drilling following a catastrophic 200,000-barrel spill in 1969 that began in the Santa Barbara Channel and spread all the way to Baja California.

Ten environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, joined the tri-counties and California in the original lawsuit against Secretary of the Interior, the federal government and a collection of petroleum companies. — N.S.W.

New CHP laws for new year California Highway Patrol officers began informing residents this week of new laws, regarding safety seats, seatbelt fines and in-car video screens, which will go into effect Jan. 1 of next year. Among them:

Children who are required to ride in safety seats, along with infants less than a year old or less than 20 pounds, must now ride in the rear seat of the vehicle whenever possible.

Seatbelt violation fines will be doubled in 2004, to $41 for a first violation and $106 for a subsequent infraction.

Next year, it’ll be illegal to drive with video screens deployed in front of the driver’s seat, as is the case with some in-dash DVD players.

Law enforcement will be required to notify schools when teachers are arrested for certain drug or sex crimes.

Drivers under 17.5 years of age must entirely complete a driver education course before they can get a permit; the previous age was 15 years. Additionally, the parents of drivers younger than 21 will face misdemeanor charges if they knowingly provide alcohol to a minor who causes a traffic accident. — N.S.W.

Jackson molestation charges pending Child molestation charges are pending this week in the case against pop singer Michael Jackson, and a large public relations firm in Los Angeles will be handling the ongoing media circus, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office.

District Attorney Tom Sneddon declined to state just what charges will be leveled against the singer today or Friday in Santa Maria Superior Court, but Sneddon hinted at multiple counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14.

Tellem Worldwide, a Los Angeles–based public relations firm with a specialty in “crisis management services,” will handle media inquiries at the District Attorney’s office, which has been hounded by reporters from virtually every corner of the Earth since Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department officers raided Jackson’s Los Olivos ranch Nov. 20. — D.D.

Canine cop retires The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department trotted out the South Coast’s furriest Monday to retire one of their own, as well as initiate a new canine cop.

Eight and half year-old German shepherd “Marko” served five years on the force with partner Deputy Phil Esau and humbly retired Dec. 15 to a life of food and relaxation. According to Sheriff Jim Anderson, Deputy Esau promised that the huge, salt-and-pepper toned canine partner is going to have the ”good life.”

Two-year old rookie canine deputy “Zeus” and handler Deputy Ken Rushing will take Marko’s place among the four-dog canine squad. In six months Zeus will enter federally funded training to become the department’s first bomb-sniffing dog.

The canine team includes two other German shepherds, and a whip smart, pint-sized Westfalen Terrier with expertise in drug sniffing.

According to Sgt. Chris Pappas, it costs around $17,000 for a certified law enforcement canine with narcotic and bomb detection skills, and the accompanying Kevlar vest for the dog’s protection. Part of the money comes from Department of Homeland Security Grants, in addition to donations this week from the Channel City Kennel Club and Ralphs.

For those who may encounter the speedy Zeus in his line of duty, Deputy Rushing had little advice, other than: “Don’t run. He can run 25 miles per hour. And when he bites, he doesn’t let go.” — D.D.

Fire season ends Beneficial rains have put an end to fire season in Santa Barbara County as well as all areas of the Los Padres National Forest, officials have reported.

Vegetation is starting to react to the rains, said County Fire Capt. Charlie Johnson, adding current winds could bring a return to dry conditions. “People should be cautious,’’ he said.

With the lifting of restrictions last Saturday, suspended burn permits can be reactivated, he said. The ending of fire season also allows for deferred maintenance of equipment and less equipment responding to calls.

With fire season officially ending in the Los Padres Forest on Friday, wood campfires and charcoal briquette fires are again allowed outside designated campfire use sites, though with a permit, forest officials said. Permits are free at Forest Service offices. There were 42 fires in the forest in 2003, the largest being the 64,000 acre Piru Fire in Ventura County, partly in the forest. — S.C.

Extra flu vaccines en route from state As regional supplies of the flu vaccine dry up, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has announced it will soon receive an extra 450 doses from the state, and is hoping for more from the federal government in the near future.

Department officials didn’t have a last-minute read on how many doses remain in the area, but acknowledged most regional clinics are out or just about out.

Cottage Health System, for example, exhausted its supply almost two weeks ago, and officials are now advocating prevention by other means.

“We are seeing more and more cases in the last few days, but at this state we have to be preventative,” said Cottage spokeswoman Janet O’Neill. “We have to wash our hands, stay away from enclosed situations, cover our mouths, keep our hands away from our faces, get rest and drink fluids.”

Elliot Schulman, the county’s director of public health, explained that the flu isn’t worse in Santa Barbara than in previous years, but excessive media attention over its early arrival and over the death of several children has resulted in heightened awareness.

He also noted that health officials will save the limited vaccines for those most vulnerable to the disease, like seniors and the indigent. — N.S.W.

Search for rapist continues Authorities are looking for a man who kidnapped a woman at knifepoint, took her into an Isla Vista laundry room and raped her. The incident occurred about 5:40 a.m. on Dec. 7, said Senior Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Gracey.

The male suspect was described as being between 28 and 30 years old, with a dark complexion, brown eyes, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 165 pounds. He was wearing tan-colored boots made from ostrich or alligator skin, with a matching belt made of the same material. "The subject spoke only in Spanish," Gracey said.

Anyone with information should call Sheriff’s Detective Fred Padilla at 681.4150. — L.D.

Chumash Casino liquor license in judge’s hands The yearlong effort to allow sales of alcohol at the Chumash Casino ends on the desk of a state judge this month.

Rodolfo Echeverria, State Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control judge, will decide within the month if the Chumash liquor license application violates any state laws.

According to Chumash spokeswoman Frances Snyder, the process took four times longer than normal because of opposition from casino neighbors. More than 55 individuals turned out last week to slam the Chumash and their casino at a Beverage Control hearing.

“Most of the people were complaining about the tribe and the casino and they didn’t have any specific problems with liquor. They are unhappy we are there,” she said.

The casino’s liquor license would restrict sales to the fine-dining restaurant during limited hours. According to Snyder, there are more than 750 liquor licenses in Santa Barbara County, with zero on the Chumash’s 100-plus acres of land.

The 2.2 square-mile Isla Vista, on the other hand, has at least nine.

Though the Chumash are a sovereign nation, selling liquor is one of the issues that fall under the state’s jurisdiction, Snyder said. — D.D

Ellwood Mesa getting cash influx Money continues to pour in from across the country this week to save 137 acres of seaside bluffs, trails and trees from development in Goleta.

Congresswoman Lois Capps secured $800,000 for the Ellwood Mesa this week, and announced the predicted windfall Wednesday.

Suzanne Moss with the Trust for Public Land said the land costs $20 million and fundraisers have netted more than $8 million in their year of work: $5 million dollars from Montecito residents Peter and Stephany Sperling; $1 million from the Goleta Valley Land Trust; and $500,000 from CalTrans among others.

A possible state appropriation next year could boost holding by million more, Moss said. — D.D.

Credit union robbery A bank robber might have been red-handed but wasn’t caught Dec. 10 as he fled from a Goleta credit union.

At approximately 11:05 a.m., a man wearing a baseball cap, a blue work shirt and a pantyhose stocking mask entered the South Coast Community Federal Union, 5784 Calle Real, pulled out a handgun and demanded money, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s officials.

As he fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, a red dye pack in his money bundle exploded. He dropped some of his booty and fled in a newer model silver Honda civic with tinted windows. The suspect is still at large and is described as a white male in his 40s, weighing about 150 pounds and 5’7” tall. Those with information should call the Sheriff’s detective bureau at 681.4150. — N.S.W