Featured Articles from the Imperial Valley Press Online

SLAB CITY ¾ A 58-year-old registered sex offender from New Hampshire was arrested here by agents of the U.S. Marshals Service's Violent Crimes Task Force in El Centro on Nov. 8. Stephen N. Quartarone, of Nashua, N.H., was arrested on suspicion of child sexual assault charges, said an anonymous source with the Marshal's Service. This source said Quartarone's arrest is significant because he is suspected of committing sex crimes against children throughout New England. Quartarone was wanted for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy in separate incidents on Sept.

A federal public defender who represented countless people behind bars has found herself behind bars. Diane Regan and her 30-year-old son were arrested Wednesday in connection with various drug-related offenses, according to Imperial County Deputy District Attorney Heather Trapnell. Regan and her son Kenneth Warren Learned were arrested by the Imperial County Narcotic Task Force after a search warrant was activated for her El Centro home. Imperial County Sheriff's Office documentation shows the arrest took place near the 500 block of Wensley Avenue.    Regan, who has not being arraigned, was booked for alleged possession of marijuana, Oxycontin and methadone for sale, as well as maintaining a place for unlawful sale of controlled substance, said Trapnell.

CALEXICO - The first phase of the $94 million Gran Plaza outlet mall is projected to be completed by late October, a project marketing consultant said Thursday. The first phase consists of more than 280,000 square feet developed with roughly 70 stores located on Second Street just west of Imperial Avenue. The second phase is about the same size. Nike Factory Store and Wilsons Leather are among the retailers who have already committed to locations in the outlet mall, project marketing consultant Anita Boeker said.

CALIPATRIA - Jacob Whannel will continue his football career after receiving a partial academic scholarship from Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks recently. The 17-year-old, 5-foot-8, 170-pound senior, receiver, cornerback and running back at Calipatria is going from a Hornet to a Kingsman. “It's just a great opportunity to continue my education while I do something I love in school,” Whannel said. “It doesn't really matter where you come from, you just gotta put your mind to it and work for it.” It's his speed and explosiveness that the Kingsmen like and hope to utilize en route to another successful season in the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

STELLA A. MENDOZA, Incumbent Age: 63 City of residence: Brawley Campaign e-mail or phone number: 760-344-3495 and www.vote4stella.com Education: Associate's degree from Imperial Valley College; graduated Brawley schools Family: Married 40 years to husband, Ernie; three sons, Ernest Jr., Javier and Edward There are some big issues facing the Imperial Irrigation District right now, and incumbent Stella Mendoza wants to continue...

In a recent Probe article titled “When is SDSU-IV Closing?” an anonymous writer expressed concern about “plans to secretly convert the campus into an Imperial Valley College school.” Let me state unequivocally that there are no such plans. What is needed here in the Imperial Valley, and what in fact we have right now, is both a quality community college and university. The plan is to keep it that way. While there are no secret plans to convert San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus, into a community college, we have various very public plans to partner with IVC in ways that are mutually beneficial.

An Imperial County Sheriff's deputy was arrested Monday on suspicion of a sex-related crime, allegedly using his position as a law enforcement official to engage in oral sex. Stephen Lankford, 35, was taken into custody Monday without incident after an arrest warrant was issued last Wednesday, according to a press release from the Sheriff's Office. Investigators at the Sheriff's Office first received information alleging criminal misconduct on Feb. 20. Immediate attention was given to the case, and a criminal investigation was initiated.

> > 50 Years Ago   - HEBER - Joana Cruz, 3, daughter of Frank Cruz, of El Centro, fell from the family car on 10 th   Street in Heber yesterday afternoon. The car was driven by her father, according to Highway Patrol. He took Joana to El Centro Community Hospital where she was treated and released.   > > 40 Years Ago   - Oren Fox, who will become sheriff   July 1   when the ailing Sheriff Raymond Rowe officially retires, announced this morning that he has chosen Lt. Rudy Cardenas to be the new undersheriff.

Brawley FRED D. SEVERE March 18, 1935 ? Feb. 9, 2005 Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Riverview Cemetery in Brawley for Fred D. Severe, 69, of Brawley, who died Wednesday in Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley. Services also will be conducted for Mr. Severe's first wife, Jo Ann Severe, who he was married to for 48 years. She died on March 8, 2002. The Rev. Gregg Marr of Brawley will officiate. Mr. Severe was born March 18, 1935, in San Jose and moved with his family to Calipatria as a young boy, where he was raised on Severe Road.

A man drove his truck into a house at the corner of Holt and Fourth avenues Saturday evening and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. It was reported to El Centro police at 7:48 p.m. that a red GMC truck had crashed into a house. No one was injured except the driver, who had minor injuries. Rafael Gonzalez, 43, was arrested and booked into Imperial County jail to face charges including driving under the influence and driving under the influence of alcohol while on probation for prior DUI. Driver has seizure A vehicle rolled over near East Evan Hewes Highway and Barbara Worth Road early Sunday morning after the driver had a seizure, according to Imperial County Sheriff's Office call logs.

A portion of Highway 111 may be renamed to honor the founders of the Valley, and local agencies are signing on with their support for a state resolution. The resolution, introduced April 19 by Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez, D-Coachella, would rename Highway 111 between Interstate 8 and State Route 78 in Brawley to Imperial Valley Pioneers Highway. The Valley’s early residents brought a rich cultural diversity to the region, and their determination led to the productive farming region, according to the resolution, which was co-authored by Assemblywoman Mary Salas, D-San Diego, and Sens.