Better late than never!

The DESERT FREEDOM PRESS has just announced the following press release:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BREAKING NEWS! Quartzsite Police Chief Jeff Gilbert SCANDAL!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/31/11 Quartzsite, Arizona Police Chief Jeff Gilbert is struggling desperately to maintain his position after three quarters of his own officers filed formal complaints against him with Arizona Conference of Police and Sheriffs (AZCOPS) and Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST). The timing of these complaints appears to be in response to evidence and testimony expected to be revealed in currently pending lawsuits against the town and the ongoing criminal prosecution of citizens who have a documented history of complaining about the police chief's patterns and practices. Now that Governor Brewer has signed  a bill which amends A.R.S. 14 - 1822  and allows AZPOST to revoke an officers certification, many citizens and law enforcement officers are hoping that's the least of what happens to Jeff Gilbert. A former officer with the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), Gilbert is also a current legislative member of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP) Allegations have been made against Quartzsite's Police Chief for both criminal conduct and ethical violations of the town's personnel manual. They range from assault, illegal searches and arrests, surveillance and investigation of political opponents, "official police business" being conducted without reports filed, false reporting, and grant fraud, to abuse of National Crime Information Center (NCIC) background checks for personal use and/or without probable cause. La Paz County Republican Precinct Chairman Michael Roth maintains he was falsely arrested for "disorderly conduct" and placed on the FBI "terrorist watch list" for his outspoken criticism of Police Chief Jeff Gilbert. After being notified that officers of the Quartzsite Police Department intend to publicly announce a vote of "no confidence", read their formal complaints and ask the Town Council to terminate Chief Gilbert's recently renewed contract for "cause" at the next regular meeting of the Common Council on June 14th, Mayor Ed Foster has now scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, June 1st at 6 pm, to discuss the situation. The police chief's current contract, which included additional pay raises, was prematurely renewed on February 8th, 2011 by unanimous council approval, after Mayor Foster recused himself from the meeting. Foster wanted no part of what he believed was an orchestrated plot by Town Manager Alexandra Taft to secure ongoing employment for Gilbert, before the majority of the Quartzsite Town Council faced a March recall election. All five political challengers wanted Chief Gilbert terminated, but narrowly missed in their attempt to unseat recalled incumbents. Rather than have the officer's complaints investigated at no charge by the Major Crimes Division of the state police, Town Manager Alex Taft has instead chosen to hire a private firm, in what appears to be a pattern of damage control and cover up. Last spring, it was rumored that a friend of Chief Gilbert's at the Sheriff's office was specifically requested to investigate complaints made to AZPOST by Mayor Ed Foster, former Councilman Bill Moore, and businesswoman Jennifer Jones (Harris). This assignment was alleged to be the result of a deal struck between Taft, Gilbert, and La Paz County Sheriff Don Lowery. Lowery had also refused to investigate the assault complaint made by Jones against Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and Quartzsite Detective Felipe Rodriguez on April 13th of 2010, despite the video being posted to Youtube. A recent  town council candidate with no prior criminal history, Jennifer Jones has been arrested three times, and charged with a total of 10 misdemeanors since filing her AZPOST complaint. Her husband John was also arrested over the same incidents, and charged with three misdemeanors. Neither has been brought to trial. The police chief compared Mrs. Jones and Michael Roth to Tucson gunman Jarrod Laughner at the January 11th Quartzsite Council Meeting. After a year and a half of contriving criminal complaints that didn't hold water, the Police Chief finally arrested the mayor May 10th, on charges of "disorderly conduct". Apparently, the result of Foster calling Gilbert an "idiot" five days earlier in the parking lot of Town Hall. The rift between Chief Gilbert's supporters and numerous critics runs deep.  La Paz County Prosecutor Sam Vederman has repeatedly refused to insert his office into the political fray. Pending the results of the current AZCOPS/AZPOST investigation, many in the community are now hoping that the FBI and Justice Department will take a serious look into Quartzsite corruption. For more information, contact: Mayor Ed Foster (928) 750-8113 Michael Roth, La Paz County Republican Precinct Chairman (602) 791-5401 AZCOPS http://www.azcops.org/ 333 W Ft Lowell Rd Ste 211 Tucson AZ 85705 Office 520.622.2215 (24/7) Toll Free 888.622.2215 Fax 520.622.2216 AZPOST http://www.azpost.gov/index.htm 2643 E. University Drive Phoenix, AZ 85034 Voice: 602.223.2514 Fax: 602.244.0477 AACOP http://azchiefsofpolice.org/ 75 East Civic Center Drive Gilbert, Arizona 85296 Office - 480-635-7757 FAX - 480-635-7761 "Quartzsite Police Chief Gilbert assaults man for videotaping "           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBwCW9gX2jg&feature=related "...Gilbert's warning to town council" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zHOlbYWHdo&feature=related "...Mayor and Publisher arrested" http://quartzsitearizona.blogspot.com/2011/05/politically-assisted-suicide-mayor-and.html Jennifer "Jade" Jones Publisher, The DESERT FREEDOM PRESS (928) 575-6594 News you can use for La Paz County, AZ! http://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/

Car wreck on CRIT reservation looks bad...

Breaking news!

Approximately 2:30 pm today, a car accident on Parker Poston Rd at mile marker 24 looks very serious. Multiple injuries were radioed in and victims were "going 63". 4 ambulances responding, 2 CRIT officers and Sheriffs, even Fish and Game. A critical accident investigator was requested along with helicopter evacuation. Helicopters from CRIT, Parker and Havasu reported they were were at least 20 minutes away, except the Quartzsite "Life Flight", which according to the dispatcher was not responding...

Quartzsite employee rolls town vehicle?

May 25^th, at 11:43 am, a call came over the the radio that a Quartzsite town employee was involved in a single vehicle rollover accident on Hwy 95 south of Quartzsite, near the Yuma County line.

According to radio traffic, the male driver suffered a head injury, and apparently did not know what happened to cause the accident on a mostly straight stretch of road with little traffic. It is presently unknown  which town employee, whether or not the vehicle was a total loss, or why town property was so far outside of the town limits...

Quartzsite police, fire and ambulance mobilized a rapid response. More details as they become available. 

Politically assisted suicide - Mayor and publisher arrested

 

Quartzsite Police Chief Jeff Gilbert couldn't dig himself a deeper hole if you loaned him a backhoe. Reportedly on a four day "vacation" leave while under investigation for ethics violations, he's still the department head, but how much longer the council will continue to jeopardize their own position for his is anybody's guess.

After his attempt to interfere with government operations by arresting the mayor as he was walking into the May 10th meeting of the Common Council, even former supporters are questioning his motives and his choice of timing.

His repeated harassment and misdemeanor arrests of Desert Freedom Press publisher Jennifer Jones appears to be creating an iron clad basis for her harassment lawsuit against him and the town.  After being  served with a notice of claim by Jones' attorney last June, it is inconceivable that town leaders would tolerate the patterns and practice that initiated the complaint, yet their complicity in Police Chief Jeff Gilbert's actions make them willing accomplices to his alleged crimes. They even gave him a pay raise recently, when they approved renewing his contact.

What? The mayor was arrested?  Yes, but he didn't go to jail. Police Chief Gilbert released him, after he signed a misdemeanor citation under duress for "disorderly conduct" and "interfering with prosecution" and will be reportedly pleading not guilty at his June arraignment. The felony charge requested by the police chief was thrown out by La Paz County Prosecutor "Sammy the Bully" Vederman. According to a reliable source, Vederman considered it politically motivated...

The arrest of Mayor Foster  did not occur at the time of the alleged incident, but 5 days later, leaving a few to wonder why the citation was not served at Foster's home, or while he was out in public. However, it is apparent to most that the arrest was an orchestrated show of force that required an audience. If the Chief had hopes of Mayor Foster resisting arrest, or providing some other cause resulting in jail time, Gilbert must have been disappointed. Foster chaired the meeting without further interference.

Will new town prosecutor Martin Brannan actually take these misdemeanor charges to trial? What evidence of police misconduct will be revealed during pre-trial "discovery"? The summer may be hot, but it certainly won't be boring. I for one am looking forward to seeing the police chief take the stand and try and justify his actions!

http://qtown.us/blog/2011/05/13/updated-mayor%e2%80%99s-arrest-3/ 

http://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/2011/05/issue-11-page-1.html 

http://thedesertfreedompress.blogspot.com/2011/05/issue-11-page-3.html

 

Red Cross responds to Cibola fire

Arizona Red Cross deploys personnel to disaster scenes in Alabama and elsewhere...which after 130 years of impartial, humanitarian service is exactly what we've come to expect from the Red Cross..

However there is a lesser known facet of the Red Cross...

Here locally...in the last 24 hours.....A woman's house burned to the foundation in Cibola... everything including contents was destroyed.....no one was injured but the loss was deep and personal...

A Red Cross Disaster Action Team from Havasu and Quartzsite responded,  providing hope and assistance at no cost during a difficult time..

The Red Cross Disaster Action Team provided food, short term accommodations and replacement of medications lost in the fire... a change of clothes and personal hygiene items were also important

But most importantly.... Red Cross was there..

This is the local chapter main page....

http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=T2_grandcanyon_main_custom

All Red Cross disaster assistance is free thanks to the generosity of people like you. The value of your donation is increased by the fact that the ratio of volunteer Red Cross workers to paid staff is almost 36 to one. Contributions to the American Red Cross, a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, are deductible for computing income and estate taxes.

http://www.arizonaredcross.org/general.asp?SN=12708&OP=12711&IDCapitulo=W6NV6M73X3

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/weather/az-red-cross-volunteers-ship-out-4-29-2011

Southern California Public Power Authority options solar tower

If completed, the EnviroMission 200MW Solar Tower power station would be the second  tallest man made structure in the world and a potential tourist attraction.

T5/4/11 The US power authority, Southern California Public Power Authority  (SCPPA) has taken a call option to purchase the first of two EnviroMission 200MW Solar Tower power stations planned for development in La Paz County, Arizona.
The SCPPA call option to purchase the first EnviroMission 200MW Solar Tower planned for development in Arizona’s northwest was a term of the 21 October 2010, SCPPA Power Purchase Agreement.
Details of the Power Purchase Agreement remained ‘commercial in confidence’ pending completion of the Power Sales Agreement negotiation with SCPPA member utilities intent on taking power allocations under the Power Purchase Agreement.
The ‘commercial in confidence’ PSA negotiation process has now been ratified between SCPPA and participating SCPPA member utilities, and two call options are now referenced at the SCPPA website: http://www.scppa.org/pages/projects/lapaz_solartower.html
SCPPA will have the right to purchase the first Solar Tower facility at La Paz at the ten or 30 year anniversary of operation at “Fair Market Value” or the ”amount of outstanding debt” whichever is greater at the time of execution of the option.
SCPPA has also taken a call option on a second Power Purchase Agreement to buy the power to be generated from a second 200MW La Paz Solar Tower development.
The second SCPPA option will provide SCPPA and its members the right to enter into a Power Purchase Agreement to purchase power from a second 200 MW Solar Tower at anytime during the first five years of the initial SCPPA agreement that would result in a 400MW Power Purchase Agreement.
SCPPA is a California joint power authority consisting of eleven municipal utilities and one irrigation district. SCPPA members deliver electricity to approximately two million metered accounts over 7,000 square miles to a population of nearly five million people.
EnviroMission Chief Executive, Roger Davey said “Solar Tower operation and maintenance modeling is projected to have a strong commercial advantage that will also be a first from a solar technology engineered to be predictable and not reliant on co-generation resources such as water or gas.”
“California has the most aggressive renewable energy mandate in the United States that requires Californian utilities and other electricity providers to generate 33% of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020.
“The unique characteristics of Solar Tower electricity generation were factors in the SCPPA Power Purchase Agreement decision for increased sustainable renewable energy generation in the SCPPA portfolio mix.”

http://www.enviromission.com.au/irm/content/images/videos/SolarTower_Animation_Metric.wmv

http://www.parkerliveonline.com/2011/05/04/la-paz-county-solar-projects-move-forward/

Temporary lane restrictions on SR 95 Tuesday in Quartzsite

The Arizona Department of Transportation will be applying a protective coat of oil to one mile of pavement along State Route 95 in Quartzsite. The work is scheduled to take place next week on Tuesday (May 3) from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m.

During work hours, one lane will be closed on northbound and southbound SR 95 in Quartzsite near Main Street.

Portable electronic message boards and signs will inform drivers of restrictions through the work zone.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov

Osama Bin Ladin is Dead - democracy still on life support

 

Well, sooner or later, everybody has to answer for the life they led. Sorry, but no virgins for this guy. Do we get to bring our troops home now?  What was the cost for not listening to that woman who tried to warn everybody about this nut? 

So why did we have troops in Pakistan for months, maybe years and nobody was talking about this...where's Wikileaks when you need them? Why didn't we get to see the body? Oh yeah, some information Czar probably didn't have his double-talk edited for mass Amerikan consumption. We don't even get to see his head on a pike on the White House lawn.

There's always another zealot willing to take his place. Does anyone really believe this changes anything. Hey, since Bin Ladin was the pretense for taking away our rights, why don't we rescind the Patriot Act now?

Well, it does go to show that even if it takes 10 years, the government will make the bad guy pay. I wonder how how much time our home town criminals have left, now that the Feds have one less distraction?

 

Quartzsite prosecutor switch - more "special" council meetings

Friday, April 22nd, in a special meeting of the Quartzsite Town Council, Town prosecutor Matt Newman was "released" from his "prosecutorial duties"...

Then, on Friday, April 29th in another Special meeting of the town council, former La Paz County Prosecutor Martin Brannan was hired to replace Newman amidst a firestorm of controversy.

http://www.dailyprosecutor.com/archives/6415 

http://www.parkerliveonline.com/?s=brannan 

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/03/08/20110308apache-county-attorney0309.html 

http://qtown.us/blog/2011/04/28/brannan-has-long-record-with-az-bar/ 

http://qtown.us/blog/2011/04/27/admitted-murderer-freed-%E2%80%93-quartzsite-next/ 

The item was placed on the agenda by town mismanager Alex Taft, and was not open for public discussion. All members of council voted to approve Brannan, except Mayor Ed Foster, who voted in opposition.