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• Veterans Home to be Investigated Amidst Complaints of Elder Abuse

  Clayton Kent | September 04, 2007 5:29 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  State Senator Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, has successfully called for an investigation of the California Veterans Home in Yountville as a result of a large number of complaints from residents and veteran residents of the facility. This investigation called for by the Senator is to focus on the medical care provided by the facility to the residents, including staffing issues. Many of the...

• Abby Mortuary Funeral Director Loses License

  Clayton Kent | August 31, 2007 5:19 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  I have previously written about the allegations against and conduct of the funeral director of Abby Mortuary in Rohnert Park, California. As you may recall, this was the incident where the mortuary was storing bodies in a rented warehouse, and, in some cases, storing them without refrigeration. The State Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, which regulates funeral directors, mortuaries, embalmers, and...

• Suspected Drunken Driver Kills Motorcyclist

  Jenny Albano | August 29, 2007 6:37 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  A driver, Tony Martinez, who was suspected to be drunk at the time, hit a motorcyclist, and unknowingly drove home with the dead body of the motorcyclist in his back window.Martinez pulled out of a parking lot Saturday night and cut off Nicholas Justin Campbell who was on a motorcycle and traveling around 80 miles per hour. Campbell hit the back of Martinez's car and fell off his motorcycle...

• Defective Cell Phone Battery Poses Potential for Injury

  Clayton Kent | August 15, 2007 4:58 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Nokia has issued a voluntary product advisory concerning a specific battery used in their phones, that can overheat during charging, and pose a potential for fire and injury. In August, Nokia, the leading manufacturer of cell phones, issued a product advisory for the Nokia-branded BL-5C battery. Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan manufactured the BL-5C battery for Nokia between...

• Mattel Issues Recall of Defective Toys

  Clayton Kent | August 14, 2007 3:47 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  For the second time in a month, Mattel, the largest toy company in the world, issued a recall of defective toys that were manufactured in China. The company, in a statement issued from its American headquarters, said it was recalling a total of 436,000 toys marketed in the United States and elsewhere that had "impermissible levels of lead." As a result, the export license of Lee Der...

• Many Pleasant Care Facilities Sell at Auction, Despite History of Nursing Home Violations

  Laura Blatt | July 20, 2007 11:26 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Twenty-one California nursing homes owned by the bankrupt Pleasant Care Corp. were sold at auction earlier this month, despite their history of violations and substandard care. The buyers included LifeHouse Retirement Properties, Bina Bhatia and HC Management."You won't see any cutbacks in care, although there might be changes made to improve efficiency," said the CEO of LifeHouse, Lou...

• Funeral Home Violations: Cemetery Owner Accused of Embezzling Funds

  Laura Blatt | July 12, 2007 12:55 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  The owner of Forest Hill cemeteries in Memphis, Clayton Smart, allegedly embezzled millions from families who purchased pre-paid funeral policies, according to charges filed by the state. Mr. Smart is also accused of making off with $70 million in funeral home trust funds in Michigan. Mr. Smart appeared before Tennessee Chancery Court Judge Arnold Goldin this week. He was held in contempt of...

• Pleasant Care Bankrupt After Numerous Nursing Home Violations and Fines

  Laura Blatt | June 29, 2007 12:23 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Last week, I wrote about Emmanuel Health Care, a California nursing home that was fined $80,000 in the death of one of its residents. Now, its parent corporation, Pleasant Care Corporation, is selling 30 California nursing homes, including Emmanuel, as part of a bankruptcy proceeding (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 23, 2007). The auction will take place this coming Monday and Tuesday, July 2 and...

• Nursing Home Violations: California Nursing Home Fined for Death of Resident

  Laura Blatt | June 21, 2007 5:51 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Emmanuel Health Care Center, a nursing home in Norwalk, California, was fined $80,000 for its role in the death of a 54-year-old resident almost two years ago. The man had fallen and hurt his head, but the nursing home staff did not call his doctor until a full day had passed. At that time, he was transferred to a hospital, where he died from his injuries."If somebody died because of neglect,...

• Bill Would Speed Up California Nursing Home Complaint Investigations

  Laura Blatt | June 18, 2007 6:40 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Many California consumer groups are supporting AB 399, a state bill that would require nursing home complaint investigations to be completed within 40 days, and ensure that those who file the complaints receive a written summary of the findings. The proposed legislation would also give the complainant 15 business days, rather than the current 5 business days, in which to request an informal...