News & Notes (03/18/15)
FLASHING BEACONS COMING TO RIVERBANK
Road crews are scheduled to begin installing flashing beacons Wednesday on Highway 108 near Eighth Street in Riverbank, warning drivers of the highway’s somewhat tricky intersection with Claus Road just ahead. The project should affect traffic only minimally, according to the California Department of Transportation. The agency is paying contractor Tim Paxin Pacific Excavation of Elk Grove $170,000 for the beacons in Riverbank and at two other spots: the southbound offramp from Highway 99 at Applegate Drive in Atwater, and on Highway 140 at Arboleda Drive near Merced.
AWARNESS EVENT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Stanislaus County Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley and Debbie Johnson, director of the nonprofit group Without Permission, will speak Tuesday about human trafficking in the Central Valley. The free awareness event will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Modesto Church of the Brethren, 2301 Woodland Ave. The guest speakers formed the Human Exploitation and Recovery Taskforce (HEART) to assist young women forced into the sex trade and to battle the more recent trend of labor trafficking. Johnson has trained law enforcement personnel, and both women have spoken to county agencies, civic groups and churches about human exploitation. For more information on Tuesday’s event, call the church office at (209) 523-1438 or email office@modcob.org.
SCAMMERS TARGETING TAXPAYERS OVER PHONE
The California State Board of Equalization is warning of tax-related phone scams. The BOE has received multiple reports from taxpayers who received phone calls from someone impersonating a local police officer, demanding immediate payment for a tax liability and threatening arrest. The callers spoof police department or BOE telephone numbers on caller ID, creating the appearance that a legitimate party is calling. BOE Vice Chairman George Runner said the complaints are being investigated. People who believe they have received a scam call should contact the BOE Customer Service Center at (800) 400-7115 weekdays fom 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This story was originally published March 17, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "News & Notes (03/18/15)."