Emergency ordinance tightens laws regarding sex
offenders
RIVERSIDE “”mdash; An emergency ordinance passed by the county
Board of Supervisors toughens an existing law on where paroled sex
felons can live.
The measure, approved Tuesday, bans registered sex offenders
from living within 1 1/2 miles of schools, libraries, parks or
recreational centers where children normally gather. State law
already prohibits sex offenders from being within a quarter mile of
public schools in unincorporated areas of the county.
The new measure also requires offenders to wear tamper-proof
satellite tracking devices.
The move came among community outrage over the recent release of
twice-convicted rapist David Allyn Dokich to a Mead Valley halfway
house.
County Counsel William Katzenstein expressed reservations about
law, saying the county had no jurisdiction over California’s
parole guidelines. The ordinance went into effect immediately, but
was subject to review by the state attorney general’s office,
he said.
97 valuable exotic birds stolen from Simi Valley
sanctuary
SIMI VALLEY “”mdash; Authorities are investigating the theft of
97 parrots and other exotic birds from a bird sanctuary over the
weekend.
The birds were worth up to $30,000, said Ventura County
Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Garn.
They were among about 500 birds housed in the sanctuary operated
by June Matthews, an 85-year-old woman known locally as the Bird
Lady of Box Canyon.
Matthews said she didn’t discover the theft until Monday
because Sunday is the only day of the week when she doesn’t
check her aviary.
“I’m just so upset,” Matthews said, adding
that the burglar was discerning.
Compiled from Bruin wire services.