Mirza and Patel, Reddy, Detroit-based Physical Therapist, assistant and Unlicensed Doctor Convicted in $14.9 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Mirza and Patel, Reddy,  Detroit-based Physical Therapist, assistant and Unlicensed Doctor Convicted in $14.9 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita CA -  A federal jury in Detroit today convicted a physical therapist, physical therapy assistant and unlicensed doctor for their participation in a nearly $15 million Medicare fraud scheme according to announcement by  Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Shahzad Mirza, 43, a physical therapist; Jigar Patel, 30, a physical therapy assistant; and Srinivas Reddy, 38, a foreign medical school graduate without a license to practice medicine were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme perpetrated from approximately July 2008 through September 2011 at Detroit area companies Physicians Choice Home Health Care LLC (Physicians Choice), Quantum Home Care Inc. (Quantum), First Care Home Health Care LLC (First Care), Moonlite Home Care Inc. (Moonlite) and Phoenix Visiting Physicians.

In addition, Mirza and Patel were each found guilty of two counts of health care fraud in connection with the submission of false claims to Medicare for home health services, and Reddy was found guilty of three counts of health care fraud in connection with the submission of false claims to Medicare for home health services and physician home visits.  Patel was found guilty of one count of money laundering in connection with his laundering of the proceeds of the fraud through his company MI Healthcare Staffing.

The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment returned Feb. 6, 2012.  Three other individuals charged in the indictment remain fugitives.

According to evidence presented at trial, Physicians Choice, Quantum, First Care and Moonlite operated a fraudulent scheme to bill Medicare for home health care services that were never provided.  The home health care companies paid kickbacks to recruiters who in turn paid Medicare beneficiaries cash and promised them access to narcotic prescriptions.  The conspirators created the company Phoenix Visiting Physicians, which employed unlicensed individuals, including Reddy, to visit patients and provide them with narcotic prescriptions as well as obtain the information necessary to fill out paperwork to refer them for medically unnecessary home health care services.

Evidence presented at trial showed that beneficiaries pre-signed medical paperwork that was provided to Patel and other physical therapist assistants to fill in with false information purporting to show that the care was provided, when it was not.  Patel, registered physical therapist Mirza and others would sign this paperwork as though they had provided services.  In the course of the conspiracy, Patel incorporated his own staffing company, MI Healthcare Staffing, through which he laundered proceeds of the fraud from home health care companies and a shell company owned and operated by his co-conspirators.

Physicians Choice and the related companies were paid nearly $15 million in the course of the conspiracy.

Sentencing for all three defendants has not yet been scheduled.

The investigation was led by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and was brought by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, a joint effort of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant Chief Catherine K. Dick and Trial Attorneys Matthew C. Thuesen and Rohan A. Virginkar of the Fraud Section.

Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch 1Q2014 Crime and Vandalism Report

Apparently some goods news for public safety in Coto de Caza, in spite of local governace 

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Coto de Caza, CA – The First Quarter of 2014 Crime and Vandalism Report for  Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch shows that despite the apparent lack of concern for public safety on the part  local governance, the crime rate in Coto de Caza is approaching an all time low.  Keep in mind that the traffic incident rate is at an all time high, including a third traffic fatality three months ago.

The top three categories for Coto de Caza are theft, vandalism and fraud with nine, seven and four, respectively.

The Ladera Ranch rate similarly is at all time low, with 43 reported incidents of theft/larceny reported for the quarter.

Perhaps a disclaimer is order:  After more than ten years tacking the Coto de Caza/Ladera Ranch public safety statistics, including traffic incidents and crime and vandalism, we have concluded that the data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has been more consistent and less prone to variations due to management changes or system updates.

Coto de Caza Crime Rate, Source:  OCSD

Ladera Ranch Crime Rate, Source:  OCSD

As to the comment regarding Coto de Caza's apparent indifference toward public safety, consider that after the HeartBleed Virus was reported, we used the Qualys' tools to test the CZ Master Association's website, and it got a failing grade due to the use of obsolete security protocols -Qualys is a pioneer and leading provider of cloud security and compliance solutions -

Yet, in spite of this information, the Keystone Pacific, the association's property manager in its May 2014 Newsletter continues to promote the use of such website.  See chart below for additional details on the Qualys test.

We contacted the association's insurance carrier to understand the implications of promoting a website under these conditions, and while we got an immediate email response directing me to call directly to the office, I have been unable to reach the principals.

 

Report for the CZ Master Association's Website using the Qualys tools

 NOTE:  While Coto de Caza  is a  single gated community, Ladera Ranch consists of nine villages and ten or more neighborhoods per village with more than twice the population density of Coto de Caza, yet the crime rate per capita for 2013 is about the same.  No to mention that Coto de Caza residents pay more than $1.8 million/year to manage the gate access system

Coto de Caza Crime Distribution by age

Ladera Ranch Crime Distribution by age

 According to the Census Bureau 38% of the population in Coto de Caza is under 18 years, compared to 50% for Ladera Ranch.  Yet, most crimes in Coto de Caza are committed by individuals 40 years and above, why we say that Coto de Caza residents are afflicted by the Peter Pan Syndrome.

Traffic Fatalities in Coto de Caza

RELATED STORIES:

Monday, February 03, 2014

4Q2013 Traffic Accident Report - Coto de Caza Rate Continues at all time high, Ladera Ranch inches up

Coto de Caza, CA - The California Highway Patrol  (CHP) traffic accident report for the fourth quarter of 2013 ending December 30, 2013 (4Q2013) shows the traffic accident rate in Coto de Caza is at an all time high at rates comparable to the ones when the CZ Master Association board of directors fired the CHP with fatal consequences in December 2005 and March of 2006.

Coto de Caza’s website gets a Failing grade from Qualys for its security protocols

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Qualys, a pioneer and leading provider of cloud security and compliance solutions announced yesterday that its newly released tool can detect the OpenSSL HeartBleed vulnerability announced Monday, April 7, 2014

Using the Qualys tool, the CZ Master Association’s website gets a  grade of F.   So does its security company’s, Universal Protection (UPS) website

Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch 1Q2011 Public Safety Review
Coto de Caza, CA –By its own words and actions, it is fair to argue that Coto de Caza’s local governance is not only apathetic when it comes to public safety, but its own actions actually result increase the risk to residents. Worse, seems like adults in Coto de Caza have similar views as the local governance.

Our research over close to ten years indicate that whether a community is safe or not, is primarily a function of residents and local governance, not law enforcement. Consider that when a city in Orange County is deemed the safest city, what about the other 11 cities or the unincorporated areas? What about Coto de Caza with the highest crime rate in history in early 2010. After all, only common denominator is that the OCSD is the law enforcement agency. What does the OCSD do differently in the safest city, as opposed to the least safe city under its watch?



Coto de Caza's Traffic Incident Rate at Critical Danger Levels
Coto de Caza, CA - While the Coto de Caza's total population has been shrinking for the last ten years, including placement of 17 property liens for the month of January 2011 out of roughly 3500 homes, the policies pursued by the CZ Master association board of directors, the local governance, have consistently increased traffic with a reduction in CHP patrol hours, with predictable results. Consider that for close to a decade, we have consistently shown conclusive evidence that there is a direct correlation between the extent of the CHP traffic enforcement efforts and the number of traffic accidents in the community.


Coto Continues on Dangerous Course of Traffic Incidents

While Incident Rate Lower, Still at Critical Levels

Coto de Caza, CA - The good news for Coto de Caza residents is that the quarter-to-quarter accident rate for the quarter ending March 31, 2011 is significantly down from the previous quarter. The bad news is that it is still at the same levels as when the community experienced its two traffic fatalities within a three month period between December 2005 and March 2006

Coto de Caza Fires the CHP - Again!

Coto de Caza, CA - The CotoBuzz Journal has documented the one-sided hate-hate relationship between the CZ Master Association board of directors and law enforcement agencies in general, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) specifically (CHP). In an open board meeting for example, a board member called the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) extortionists! Despite the public abuse the CHP has received from the Coto de Caza board of directors ever since the board was coerced into bringing the CHP back for pro-active traffic patrol, figures indicate that the CHP has been doing its job: - The Chart below was published Sept. 30, 2006.

Rhianna Six Month’s Anniversary Mr. Manian’s Three Month’s Anniversary
It has been six months since Rhianna Woolsey died (December 7, 2005) in the first traffic fatality in Coto de Caza in the last ten years. Sadly, this week also marks the Three Month Anniversary of Mr. Morteza Manian’s death, as he was struck by a...

Bicycle Safety Within Coto de Caza
During the June 8, 2006 Coto de Caza board meeting Yo Orduno described a public safety situation in the Summerfield district including a warning about an increase of rush hour cyclists in and around Vista Del Verde, some even riding pairwise making the...

Coto de Caza - New Election Laws - Call for Candidates
Dear CZ Board Members:

In July, 2006 the new state law governing HOA elections will take effect. That means that shortly thereafter, the Board should send out information concerning the mechanisms the Board intends to implement in 2007 to comply with...

First 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, Standing Room Only!  …and Coto de Caza’s Tar Baby
The first 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, can best be described as standing-room only, with the local media well represented.  A political junkie would have felt right at home, as you could sense the excitement, the energy and the...

COTOBUZZ RELEASES CRIME & VANDALISM MANAGEMENT TOOL
In its continued commitment to public safety, on June 1, 2006, CotoBuzz unveiled a Crime and Vandalism Management tool (see below for first installment), containing key metrics and a side-by-side comparison between Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch....

COTO DE CAZA- SecurityAreNotUs
In today's Canyon Life, there was an article about Lyle Schlieder's leaving the BOD. Lyle was quoted as follows: "There are no patrols anymore. I am not sure if what we are dealing with is just a pretty face at the gate that we pay a lot of money for." So...

BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:
BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:

The April 21 issue of the CanyonLife reports that “Fred Lisanti of Pacific Oak Security, security consultants to the ( Coto de Caza) board, presented a report indicating the official crime...

CotoBuzz March 2006 Newsletter
First Traffic Accident Lawsuit Filed: Coto de Caza Public Safety Bandwagon is filling up Fast- Hop In!: . We just received the February 2006 CHP report – as previously reported in the Coto discussion forum, we had our first traffic accident in...

Lawless, Clueless Coto de Caza
Last night, December 12, 2006, the CZ homeowner’s association board of directors held their regularly scheduled open session meeting. Present were representatives from the LA Times and Freedom Communications.

Lawless, Values-less, Spiritual-less Coto de Caza
When we first moved to Coto de Caza over 12 years ago, we really thought there was No Place Like Coto. Shortly thereafter CNN/Money discovered Coto as well and included it in their list of One of the Best Places to Live/Best Places to Retire.

The DOJ's violence against women releases $3 million to combat tribal domestic violence

The DOJ's violence against women releases  $3 million to combat tribal domestic violence

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced the release of two grant solicitations to launch a new $3 million special initiative for the Bakken Region.

.OVW’s Bakken Region Initiative will support the expansion of services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking as well as aid the local criminal justice system in responding to these crimes.


Supported by funding from OVW’s Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Grant Assistance Program (Rural Program), the OVW Bakken Region Initiative will support projects that are designed to address the unique challenges faced by victims, responders and service providers within this rural region.

The Bakken Region Initiative was developed through a collaborative process resulting from OVW’s July 2013 fact-finding trip to the region, during which OVW leadership met with local and tribal advocates and law enforcement, tribal leaders, the U.S. Attorney, FBI agents and victim service staff.  In response, OVW developed two solicitations, the Violence Against Women Bakken Region Initiative: Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Bakken Region Tribal SAUSA Initiative) and the Violence Against Women Bakken Region Initiative: Enhanced Response to Victims (Bakken Region Enhanced Response to Victims Initiative).  Together, these grants will create dedicated resources to increase local and tribal capacity to prosecute crimes of violence against women and provide services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking.


The Bakken Region Tribal SAUSA Initiative will support the salary, travel and training costs of a Tribal SAUSA for the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana and a Tribal SAUSA for the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota.  The Tribal SAUSAs, who will be cross-designated to bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, will work in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Districts of Montana and North Dakota.  These prosecutors will maintain an active violence against women crimes caseload in tribal and federal courts, while also helping to promote higher quality investigations, improved training and better inter-governmental communication.

The Bakken Region Enhanced Response to Victims Initiative will fund state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, as well as local and tribal victim service providers responding to the increased demand for domestic violence and sexual assault victim services.

Funding and technical assistance will also help those working to prevent violence and support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

The solicitations are non-competitive special initiative announcements, and applications for both solicitations are due by May 28, 2014.
14-438Office on Violence Against Women

Nakia Jackson sentenced for tax fraud and identity theft

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  - Nakia Jackson, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States and one count of aggravated identity theft for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme according to Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division, U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

According to court documents, between January 2009 and March 2011, Jackson obtained stolen identities from an Alabama state employee and used those identities to file false tax returns.  Jackson recruited a bank employee, LaQuanta Clayton, to assist him in depositing the false income tax refunds into various bank accounts.  He obtained permission from several individuals to use their bank accounts to receive false refunds and when a false refund was deposited, Jackson would direct the individuals to withdraw the money and give the money to him.  In total, Jackson filed over 100 false tax returns and requested over $400,000 in refunds.
 
In addition, Jackson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $212,856 in restitution.

ADR lunchtime series presentation: Your Brain in Conflict

While held in DC, also available via teleconference

Posted by CotoBlogzz


Rancho Santa Margarita, CA -  The Interagency Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Working Group has scheduled  a presentation titled Your Brain in Conflict, as part of its lunchtime series presentations, for May 14, 2014

Dr. Julie Sasscer-Burgos, Psy.D., Deputy Chief, Occupational Health Environmental and Safety Services, National Security Agency will discuss basic brain structures and functions - how they affect behavior and are affected by behavior.

She will also discuss neurotransmitters that are important in both producing and interpreting behavior. This knowledge will form the basis for a discussion of how we can influence behavior during times of conflict.

During the workshop, Dr. Sasscer-Burgos will take typical situations faced by managers and employees, and apply the knowledge of neuroscience as a guide towards more satisfying and effective interactions.

The ADR We is the central forum and resource for information about the federal government's use of ADR, advancing the use of ADR through:Coordination of multi-agency initiatives, Promotion of best practices and programs, Dissemination of policy and guidance


Presented by: The Interagency ADR Working Group, Workplace Conflict Management  Section in coordination with the Department of Energy


Date:   Wednesday May 14, 2014
Time:   Noon - 1:30 pm EST (Please allow extra time for security procedures)
Location:  U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave, SW, Room GE-086
(DOE Forrestal Main Auditorium)
Washington, D.C.  20585

Travel by Metro:   Yellow Line - L'Enfant Plaza station (exit to Maryland Avenue) OR
 Orange or  Blue Line - Smithsonian station (exit to Holocaust Museum/Bureau of
Engraving and Printing)

To attend in person, please register by email to cindy.mazur@dhs.gov and provide
name, citizenship, and agency/employer by May 9th.  Federal employees with an HSPD- 12 government ID badge who know their ID password can authenticate their ID at a kiosk in the DOE lobby.  If you don’t know your password, please register as described  above.

To listen only via teleconference, please call 202-287-5293.  If you have any questions about connectivity, please contact the DOE Headquarters Operators by calling 301-903- 3000.

To submit questions to the speaker during the program, please email
elisabeth.bissell@fema.dhs.gov. Materials for this presentation are posted at
http://www.adr.gov.

Brian Kelly, Forest Hill Maryland gets one year for defrauding homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Brian Kelly, 37, of Forest Hill, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel of the District of Massachusetts and ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term,  for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts and Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) Christy Romero.

Restitution will be determined at a later date.

Kelly pleaded guilty on May 2, 2013, to one count of conspiracy, nine counts of mail fraud and nine counts of wire fraud.

According to court records, Kelly and others, operating under the name Home Owners Protection Economics Inc. (HOPE), made a series of misrepresentations to induce struggling homeowners to pay HOPE $400 to $2,000 in up-front fees in exchange for HOPE’s help obtaining federally funded home loan modifications.   Kelly was one of HOPE’s more successful salespeople, receiving approximately $24,000 after arranging fraudulent home loan modifications totaling approximately $180,000.

Also according to court documents, the conspirators misrepresented that, with HOPE’s assistance, the homeowner was guaranteed to receive a loan modification under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which is part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and is a federally funded mortgage-assistance program.   For example, the defendants routinely claimed that the homeowner had already been approved for a loan modification, provided phony “approval codes,” quoted new (and wholly fictitious) mortgage terms and due dates, touted their 98 percent past success rate and claimed that they were “underwriters” or were otherwise affiliated with the homeowners’ mortgage companies.   HOPE also claimed that it would offer homeowners refunds in the unlikely event that they did not receive a loan modification.

According to court documents, in exchange for the up-front fees, HOPE sent its customers, including homeowners in Massachusetts, a do-it-yourself application package, which was virtually identical to the application that the government provides free of charge.   The HOPE customers had no advantage in the application process, and, in fact, most of their applications were denied.   Through these misrepresentations, HOPE was able to persuade thousands of homeowners to pay more than $4 million in fees.

Two co-defendants, Christopher S. Godfrey, 44, of Delray Beach, Fla., and Dennis Fischer, 42, of Highland Beach, Fla., were convicted after trial and were each sentenced on Feb. 20, 2014, to serve 84 months in prison.  A third co-defendant, Vernell Burris, Jr., 54, of Coconut Creek, Fla, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Feb. 25, 2014, to serve a year and a day in prison.

The case was investigated by SIGTARP and is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bookbinder in the District of Massachusetts’s Computer Crimes Unit.

Premier of 8 Days of Arts Through The Shops of Mission Viejo

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita,  CA – The City of Mission Viejo, Saddleback College, and The Shops at Mission Viejo are joining forces to host “8 Days of Arts” – a community collaboration that will embrace art in many forms throughout Mission Viejo May 3-10.  The 8 Days of Arts kicks off at the City’s Oso Viejo Park then travels to Saddleback College with a culmination celebration at The Shops at Mission Viejo.  This first-time event is designed to build arts awareness and cultivate a love of art in people of all ages. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Commercial Music students perform at Saddleback College concert 2014.

On Saturday, May 3^rd from noon to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 4^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. Saddleback College will have a presence at the City of Mission Viejo’s Arts Alive Festival at Oso Viejo Community Park—The Village Green, 24932 Veterans Way in Mission Viejo. There will be a combination dance and painting performance by the Dance Department and the Art Department as well as a booth displaying student art.

Saddleback College will host a plethora of events from May 5^th-10^th in the Fine Arts and Media Technology complex. Students and faculty in the arts display their talents in music, art, theatre, speech, and photography.

On Monday, May 5^th at noon in the McKinney Theatre, piano students will perform in solo repertory and ensembles for 2, 4, 6, and 8 hands by composers ranging from Bach to Gershwin and well beyond. At 5:00 p.m., there will be an Art Faculty Lecture by Michael Redfield in FA 202. At 6:00 p.m., the Angels for the Arts will host a Margarita Happy Hour Reception in the Fine Arts courtyard. At 7:00 p.m., Saddleback’s student Jazz Combo will perform in the McKinney Theatre. For the jazz combo, prices are $10 general; $7 students/seniors

On Tuesday, May 6^th at noon, Cinema-Television-Radio students will present a student film showcase in the McKinney Theatre. From 2:00-4:00 p.m., there will be a student photography shoot demonstration with models and a DJ. At 5:00 p.m. an Art History Lecture will be presented on Japanese Photography by Thomas O’Leary in FA202. From 6:00-9:00 p.m. a Student Art Exhibition and Awards Reception will take place in the Saddleback College Art Gallery and outside in the art courtyard.

On Wednesday, May 7^th from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. there will be a strawberry shortcake bowl event in the art courtyard. A $10 fee includes not only a delicious helping of strawberry shortcake but also a beautifully hand-crafted bowl made by students and faculty. At noon the Department of Theatre Arts will present a showcase in the Fine Arts courtyard. At 5:00 p.m. Faculty members Dr. Patricia Levin and Dr. Deborah Solon will give an art talk titled “Auction Houses, Galleries, and Museums: Art History at Work” in FA202. At 6:00 p.m. The Angels for the Arts will host a champagne/dessert reception. At 7:00 p.m. there will be an Angels Scholarship and Transfer Recognition Recital in the McKinney Theatre. At 7:30 p.m. a play titled All in the Timing will take place in the Studio Theatre. Prices are $15 general; $10 students/seniors

Saddleback College dancers perform as artists paint on them at Arts Alive Festival 2013.

On Thursday, May 8^th at noon speech and debate students will present a Speech Showcase performance in the Fine Arts courtyard. At 7:30 p.m. our Commercial Music Ensemble students will perform classic rock, folk, hip hop and original compositions in the McKinney Theatre. Also at 7:30 p.m. there will be a performance of All in the Timing in the Studio Theatre. Prices are$15 general; $10 students/seniors

On Friday, May 9^th at 9:00 a.m. there will be a Chamber Music Performance in the McKinney Theatre. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. there will be a Printmaking WoodBlock event in the Fine Arts courtyard. At 7:30 p.m. the Wind Ensemble will perform in the McKinney Theatre. Prices are $10 general; $7 students/seniors. Also at 7:30 p.m. All in the Timing will take place in the Studio Theatre. Prices are $15 general; $10 students/seniors

On Saturday, May 10^th, the City of Mission Viejo and Saddleback College will bring the arts to The Shops at Mission Viejo, 555 The Shops at Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA 92691.

From noon to 4:00 p.m. Saddleback College music students will perform (lower level near Build A Bear): 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.-Chamber Music performances including Natalie Cervantes on violin accompanied by Matt Salazar on classical guitar; 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.- Jazz Combo with Justin Hershey, Steven Morris, and Luke Reeder; 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. –Various Singers – Paloma Pallante, Jose Zamarippa, and Gabby Jackson accompanied by Cathy Tibbitts on keyboard; Classical Guitarists – Aaron Friehling and Matt Salazar.

From noon to 4:00 p.m. the City of Mission Viejo will host a complimentary Artists Workshop for Kids (lower level near H&M/Old Navy). Activities will include Zendangle, watercolor, printmaking, street painting demonstration on pastel paper, chalk board messaging and social networking. Saddleback College student art will also be on display.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the third left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.  

Saddleback College 2014 Art Exhibition: Free Admission

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Mission Viejo, CA – The Saddleback College Art Gallery will present the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition on April 28^th through May 15^th in the Saddleback College Art Gallery. This popular juried student art exhibition returns again this spring featuring works from Saddleback College’s studio art and photography classes. Selected from over 400 submitted entries, 200 works will be chosen and on display with a variety of media including drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, graphics, jewelry, sculpture, photography, and mixed media. All Saddleback students are eligible to vote in Saddleback’s “Student Choice” awards.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday-Wednesday-Friday, noon to 4:00 p.m. and Thursday, noon to 8:00 p.m. The Gallery will be closed on Tuesdays with the exception of the Artists’ Reception. The Gallery will also be open Saturday, May 3^rd from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  An Artists’ Reception/Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 6^th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. 

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the third left to “Theatre Circle,” turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.  

Nationally-recognized harpsichordist John Metz to perform and explain how to play the harpsichord, at Saddleback College

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA -  as part of its Reflections of the Ocean Classical Keyboard Series, Saddleback College presents nationally-recognized harpsichordist John Metz performing and explaining  how to play expressively on this historic keyboard instrument, the harpsichord, May 4^th at 2:30 p.m. at the McKinney Theatre

There will be a demonstration of the harpsichord and “how harpsichord players think,” followed by a short recital. Music by Bach, Georg Muffat and the great French Baroque woman composer Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre.

John Metz, Harpsichordist and Pianist, received a Master’s Degree in Piano from Syracuse University and a Doctorate in Harpsichord from The Juilliard School.  From 1968 to 1978 he was Pianist in Residence at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.  In 1980 he joined the faculty of Arizona State University where he developed an early music program and taught piano and harpsichord. He also directed the Baroque Ensemble where he coached singers and instrumentalists in baroque style. Dr. Metz performed on the Connecticut Early Music Festival every year since its inception in 1982, and he took over as Artistic Director of the Festival from 1999 to 2007.  He retired from Arizona State University in 2004 and settled in Waterford, CT. where he has been teaching piano and harpsichord.  His recordings include Bach’s Goldberg Variations andThree Harpsichord Suites by Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. (Summit and SoundSet Records)

 Tickets are $15 general; $12 seniors; $10 students; children FREE with paying adult; 2 for 1 for music teachers with MTAC/CAPMT ID. For tickets call 949-582-4656 (Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4:00 p.m). or order your tickets online at any time at www.saddleback.edu/arts).

 Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Free parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to Theatre Circle, turning right into Lot 12.

The Music Department has established a comprehensive program which is considered to be one of the finest in California: a complete lower-division curriculum for transferring music majors, numerous performance groups, private and group lessons, a full concert series with faculty and guest artists, and general music courses. The nationally-recognized faculty is dedicated to performance and to teaching in all areas such as vocal, instrumental, jazz, guitar, and piano.  Other music classes include harmony, musicianship, composition, history, and appreciation of western art music,

rock, jazz and world.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers more than 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu.  For Fine Arts events, visitwww.saddleback.edu/arts. 

Laguna Woods Village Should be Called the New City of Bell

LETTERS


Laguna Woods Village, CALIFORNIA






Paul Loughrey




If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the CotoBuzz Journal as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to cotoblogzz@gmail.com 

Letters should be brief, and may be edited for clarity and length.. They become the property of CotoBuzz Journal  and may be republished in any format. 

Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published).

A birds's eye view of Dirty Harry Reid's World View: domestic terrorism

Posted by Cotoblogzz


Harry Reid called ObamaCare critics liars.

He repeated the Obama administration claims that Benghazi, IRS and FAST & FURIOUS are simply phony scandals.

Obama went as far as to assert that there is no smidgen of corruption at the IRS, even when the investigation was still in progress.

Recent disclosure links Elijah Cummings coordinating efforts with ex-IRS employee Lois Lerner.  Cummings' disingenuous defense is that he was asking Lerner for publicly available information.

Are you kidding me?  With all the resources at Cummings' disposal he cannot acces the True The Vote's website?  http://www.truethevote.org

What about using Guide Star?  http://www.guidestar.org/SearchResults.aspx

Clearly Cummings was sending Lerner a clear signal.

What about Reid's reaction to terrorist Nidal Hassan's Ft. Hood massacre?  He called it a workplace violence and immediately used the incident to call for gun ownership restrictions, while Obama refused to meet with survivors
http://hotair.com/archives/2014/04/14/white-house-rejects-meeting-between-survivors-of-2009-fort-hood-massacre-and-obama/


Compare that to Reid's mostly MIA behavior while the Reid-acolyte MLB director  threatened the Bundy family with armed personnel, including the use of snipers.  Once the MLB retreated, Reid calls Bundy supporters domestic terrorists

Related to Reid's assertion that Bundy supporters  are domestic terrorist, I should note that Reid  wad forced by the Federal Election Commission to explain where $17,000 from his campaign went - he acknowledged giving the money to his granddaughter for “holiday gifts” in late 2013, and finally reimbursed the money to his campaign. The FEC sent the treasurer for Friends of Harry Reid a letter asserting that the treasurer “must include a brief statement or description … to clarify the following description: ‘holiday gifts.’” Reid’s campaign operation had listed the “holiday gifts” as two separate payments to Ryan Elisabeth of Berkley, Calif., on Oct. 23, 2013. One payment amounted to $5,416.93; the other was $11,370.00.

Joon Lee Trio at Saddleback College as part of Jazz Guest Artists Series

Posted By CotoBogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA—As part its Jazz Guest Artists Series, the Jazz Studies at Saddleback College will present the Joon Lee Trio on Tuesday, April 29^th at 7:30 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre. Joon Lee is beyond a vocalist. Drawing inspiration from improvisatory vocalists such as Bobby McFerrin, Andy Bey, and Rhiannon, Joon not only embraces the lyric in a sublime way, but also composes lines and creates moments akin to any great instrumentalist. This night he’ll perform with Putter Smith and Joey Sellers.

Tickets are $10 general and $7 students/seniors.  Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656, Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 pm or order your tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical, and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director of Jazz Studies Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally-recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano,Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos.  Students in Jazz Studies at Saddleback College have transferred to prestigious institutions including University of Southern California, New School for Social Research in New York, Eastman School of Music, Berkeley School of Music, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, University of California at San Diego, and other regional institutions.  Some of our alumni have gone on to play professionally with Frank Zappa, Diana Ross, and other high-profile artists and organizations.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Parking is available in Lot 12.  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “Theatre Circle,” turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visitwww.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.  

OCSD Hosts Clean your medicine cabinet day - Free, no questions asked

This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked

Posted By  CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA . – – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department  (OCSD) in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hosting a Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The event serves to not only make the public aware of the dangers associated with having prescription drugs in the house, but also provides the public an an opportunity to safely  rid their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs:  In 2012, illegal drugs were the cause of 20 percent of Orange County’s 330 overdose incidents. Prescription drugs were involved in 57 percent of the cases, 188 deaths. 

This prescription drug epidemic is especially growing in Orange County, and takes an Orange County life every two days. Not only is the death count rising from drug overdose, but it has now exceeded deaths by car crashes, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.

This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Below is a list of collection sites: 

Laguna Hills City Hall	24035 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills
Lake Forest City Hall	25550 Commercentre, Lake Forest
Mission Viejo City Hall	200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo
Rancho Santa Margarita City Hall	22112 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita
Rossmoor Rush Park	3021 Blume Drive, Rossmoor
Yorba Linda Police Sub Station	20994 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda

Past Take-Back Day events have been hugely successful, collecting more than 3 million pounds, or 1,733 tons, of prescription medications.  In addition to offering free, anonymous, and convenient disposal, the Take-Back Day also educates the public about how medications can be misused or abused.

Last year, in April, The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s 12 sites collected 1,688 pounds of substances and again in October they collected 1,317 pounds and disposed of them safely.

The DOJ selling ObamaCare and expanding on it

Posted by Cotoblogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA-  earlier this month at a conference hosted by the Community Oriented Correctional Health Services and the journal Health Affairs, Associate Attorney General Tony West  took the opportunity to speak with a distinguished group of policymakers, researchers and health care and criminal justice professionals about the implications of ObamaCare for those under correctional supervision.

Mr. West argued that ObamaCare, provides " ..  an opportunity born of necessity, as leaders across the political spectrum seek ways to better align our criminal justice investments with outcomes that actually make us safer. "

He went on to state that:

"At the Department of Justice, we understand that public health and public safety often walk hand-in-hand; that the public policy investments we make yield the greatest returns when they reflect the importance of that connection; and that key to making our communities safer is reducing recidivism by improving reentry, which in turn means focusing on the physical and mental health of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. "

Reducing recidivism is a noble goal.  So is  improving reentry.  So is aligning the "criminal justice investments" to measurable outcomes.  I argue that a focus by the DOJ in better reentry using ObamaCare is not the best investment in criminal justice investment, quite the contrary.  The focus should be on making sure the prisoner pays back his or her debt to society.  Currently, a good number of prisoners view prison life as Club Med and a much better option that having to work for a living:  Room and board, including entertainment paid for by the investment in criminal justice. Comprehensive prison reform, which is what we advocate, also requires a consistent, fair, sentencing guidelines.


Mr. West rightly points out that:

We know that the incarcerated population carries substantially higher rates of medical, psychiatric and substance abuse problems than the general population.  Rates of communicable diseases are higher among inmates; an estimated 39 to 43 percent suffer from one or more chronic health conditions; and men and women in this population suffer three times the rate of mental illness and four times the rate of substance abuse problems as compared to the general public.

But his conclusion that the solution is ObamaCare is flawed:

" The Affordable Care Act, primarily through its Medicaid expansion provisions and parity for mental health and substance abuse treatment, provides us with this unique opportunity to reduce recidivism while improving public health.  Access to these benefits can be a critical factor in the success or failure of incarcerated persons upon their release." 

This is the nanny state at its best.  The prisoner is treated as zombie with absolutely no responsibility for his or her actions.

Mr. West adds:

Much of the work being done by the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, which is chaired by the Attorney General, focuses on reducing the collateral consequences of incarceration and increasing access to employment, treatment and civic participation.  With our Reentry Council partners at the Department of Health and Human Services, we are jointly supporting a three-year pilot project to test the efficacy of enrolling prison and jail inmates in Medicaid prior to release, and we’re tracking usage, employment and recidivism outcomes along the way.

At the Department of Justice, we will require halfway houses in the federal system—known as residential reentry centers (RRCs)—to offer standardized treatment to prisoners with mental health and substance abuse issues.  Once fully-implemented, these services will be available to the approximately 30,000 inmates who are released through halfway houses each year, helping to promote consistency and continuity of care between federal prisons and community-based facilities.

And goes on to argue that we must do more:

• We must make it standard practice to assess the health care needs of individuals as soon as they come into the criminal justice system, being thoughtful about our options and basing decisions on individual needs.  
• We should be willing to consider detention alternatives such as drug and mental health courts, and we should make health care enrollment part of the intake and discharge processes for all inmates. 
• We must develop partnerships between correctional facilities and community health programs to promote information exchange and ensure continuity of care. 
• And we must target our actions to those who need services the most.  The Affordable Care Act gives us the chance to provide those with the highest risks and the greatest needs access to quality health care in a way that promotes public health and safety while strengthening community and respecting individual dignity.

Everything Mr. West suggests and that the DOJ is doing on the surface, seem reasonable.

For a complete text of Mr. West remarks:  http://blogs.justice.gov/main/archives/3615

I argue that this akin to trying to push a string:  it is using tax payer money to make the prison population even more dependent, while avoiding,personal responsibility. When most of the prison population see jail time as a better alternative than holding an honest job in order to eat, you know the focus on better reentry is. mop,Ethel's misplaced.