The officer notified dispatchers, and CHP units found the crane.But CHP Officer Rich Wetzel tells The Sacramento Bee (http://bit.ly/HgU1jn) that instead of stopping, the driver raised the crane’s boom, knocking down power lines and tree branches as he fled down the highway.

The driver, who was not immediately identified, eventually surrendered near the community of Sloughhouse.The roadway was closed for about four hours. Utility crews were working to replace the downed power lines and fix several intersection signal lights that were not working.

Mr. Abney offers 28 years of increasingly progressive law enforcement experience. He retired as Assistant Chief of the California Highway Patrol where he led up to 786 sworn and non-sworn members. He currently serves as the Director of Training at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.

Mr. Abney has completed several leadership training programs to include the FBI National Academy, the Queensland Police Service Strategic Management Studies in Policing, the California Officer Standards and Training (POST) Executive Development Course, the California Chiefs of Police Association Role of the Police Chief, and the Southern Police Institutes Chief Executive Course. Additionally, he is a graduate and instructor in the International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Police Organizations. Furthermore, Mr. Abney holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Business Administration.

Mr. Abney’s extensive professional and personal knowledge, skills, and abilities will be an excellent fit for the Nevada Highway Patrol and the State of Nevada.

In June of 2008 Sacramento gas prices were $4.573, so we have not broken the record just yet. If the price trend continues though we will shatter the old record before the end of April.

The state average is $4.359 while the national average is $3.801. The entire US has seen an increase in gas prices, however the Sacramento region has been near the top of the list in percentage increases.

If the five-member board of the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority gives its blessing today, as it is expected to do, the project that has undergone years of discussion and reviews moves into a new phase.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/07/4317194/approval-sought-today-on-proposed.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

The CLMS Educator of the Year award, sponsored by Prentice Hall and Dairy Council of California, is given annually to 11 educators, representing regions throughout California, who exemplify educational efforts to implement elements of educational reform in middle school. Trengrove will now compete against 10 educators from throughout the state for the CLMS State Educator of the Year award.

In addition to Trengrove, six more Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) middle school educators were also selected as finalists for the Region 3 award. A total of seven of the nine educators nominated for the CLMS Region 3 Educator of the Year award were from EGUSD:

• Jack Bettencourt – science teacher at Elizabeth Middle School
• Diana Brooks – science teacher at Harriet Eddy Middle School
• Carol Keitt – science teacher at Samuel Jackman Middle School
• Taira Redding – math teacher at Samuel Jackman Middle School
• Lisa Vartanian – vice-principal at Joseph Kerr Middle School
• Laura Zhu – media and technology teacher at Toby Johnson Middle School

CLMS is a non-profit membership association dedicated to improving the professional knowledge of middle level educators to help early adolescents experience academic success and personal well-being. The association offers conferences, workshops and development opportunities that are aligned to and address national and state standards.

Albiani Middle School is the second middle school in Elk Grove Unified to receive the “School to Watch” designation. The achievement gap of students at Albiani has narrowed by more than 30 points on the state’s standardized tests since 2007.

In October 2011, Toby Johnson Middle School – a “School to Watch” for the past six years – also earned this recognition from CDE. The school will maintain its redesignation as a “School to Watch” through 2015.

To qualify as a “School to Watch,” selected schools must have in place replicable practices in the areas of academic excellence, responsiveness to the developmental needs of young adolescents, fair and equitable education for all students and organizational processes and procedures that foster and sustain academic growth.

To apply to become a “School to Watch,” middle school administrators must conduct a self-study evaluation and complete an extensive narrative application. Each site is then reviewed by a team of middle grades experts. In order to retain the designation, each school is re-evaluated every three years.

Both schools will be recognized for these achievements at the California League of Middle Schools conference to be held in Sacramento in February 2012.

Schools selected as a “School to Watch” demonstrate exemplary middle school design. Schools are evaluated using criteria for high performance developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. The criteria and its scoring rubric used to determine a “School to Watch” are found in the School Self-Study and Rating Rubric (SSRR). The SSRR is fully aligned to CDE’s 12 recommendations to ensure success and close the achievement gap for all of California’s middle grades students.

Both the man and his wife were transported to Kaiser South Medical Center where the husband was pronounced dead. The couple has lived in the Wilton area to over 50 years.

They need help with carnival games and face painting. Please contact Jan Tompkins @ 204-3890 if you are interested in volunteering. PROJECT R.I.D.E. – Do you like horses and kids? Consider doing your community service hours at Project R.I.D.E. Afterschool and Saturday times are available – help with riding lessons, barn chores and special events. Make a difference while having FUN right in downtown Elk Grove! Call 916-685-RIDE for more info.

Activation of these ramp meters will begin 6 a.m. Monday, August 1st. The California Highway Patrol will provide enforcement at this location. Metering days and hours are from Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Advanced signs have been posted at these on-ramp locations alerting the travelling public about the metering periods.

Motorists are advised to use caution when traveling through the work area and to “Slow for the Cone Zone”.