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Does PVUSD have a bullying problem?
BY CATHYLEEN RICE
TIMES REPORTER
On several occasions
during the 2017-18 school
year, parents and stu-
dents have visited the
Palo Verde Unified
School Board to report
both student and person-
nel harassment and bul-
lying.
Experienced at almost
every school in the dis-
trict, the issue of bully-
ing has become a repeat-
February Customer Service Award winners!
This month, as presented by Dr. George Thomas, the awarded individuals who are employed by local businesses around our community were recognized for their
excellence in customer service. The winners were nominated by members of the community as part of the monthly Blythe Chamber of Commerce distinction:
Marleny Cortes, of Albertson’s; Stephanie Sanchez, of Sears; Thomas Baker, City of Blythe Public Works Department; Demi Rodriguez, Palo Verde Hospital; Derek
Leivas, Valley Beverage; Luke Williams, Palo Verde Hospital. Not Pictured: Uriel Avendano, Palo Verde Valley Times; Jennifer Slagan, Sears; Mel Culp, Albertsons;
Phillip Carbin, Albertsons. Got someone you’d like to nominate someone for the award? Submit your local workforce favorite at: blythecoc@yahoo.com.
PVH surgeon case remanded for resentencing
Appeals court grants DA writ
BY URIEL AVENDANO
TIMES EDITOR
On Feb. 8, the Cali-
fornia Court of Appeal,
Fourth Appellate Dis-
trict (Division 2), grant-
ed Riverside County Dis-
trict Attorney Michael
Hestrin’s petitioned writ
of mandate, which chal-
lenged the previous trial
court’s decision to sen-
tence former Palo Verde
Hospital (PVH) surgeon
Dr. Hossain Sahlolbei to
three years’ probation
for his grand theft con-
viction of $508,150 in re-
lation to a non-publicly
disclosed subcontract
agreement for anesthesi-
ologist services with Dr.
Brad Barth in 2009.
The Riverside County
District Attorney chal-
lenged the previous trial
court’s Judge Jeffrey
Palo Verde Valley Times
&
Superintendent Bush: ‘Even one report ... is too many’
ed topic
d u r i n g
hearing
sessions
at school
b o a r d
meetings,
PVUSD SUPT.
CHARLES BUSH at host
school par-
ent nights and in angry
Facebook posts.
As the district heard
from another unhappy
Prevost’s sentence, argu-
ing Sahlolbei was grant-
ed probation in viola-
tion of California Rules
of Court rules 4.413 and
4.414.
The Riverside County
District Attorney fur-
ther highlighted that the
case’s sentence contrast-
ed a Riverside County
Probation Department
filed report that ac-
knowledged Sahlolbei
was presumptively ineli-
gible for probation.
According to the Court
of Appeal’s filed opinion,
“It does not appear that
the trial court followed
the two-step process,
applying first (Califor-
nia Rules of Court) rule
4.413 to find an unusual
case, and then applying
rule 4.414 to determine
suitability for probation.
To the extent that rule
Quartzsite Times
Palo Verde
Valley Times
SERVING BLYTHE,CALIFORNIA
parent on Tuesday, who
alleged her daughter
was bullied by a group
of four girls for the past
two months, the Times
met with PVUSD Super-
intendent Charles Bush
to address the situation.
How many reports
concerning bullying
have been filed with
PVUSD for each of
the respective schools
ON FEB. 24, 2017, AT  the Riverside County Superior Courthouse in Banning, Calif., defense
Attorney Kenneth P. White (left), of Brown White & Osborn LLP, sits next to his client, PVH surgeon
Dr. Hossain Sahlolbei (right), during his sentencing for an Oct. 6, 2016, grand theft conviction.
4.413 might have been
included in the court’s
analysis, a finding of an
unusual case, and hence,
eligibility for probation,
is not supported. There-
fore, the trial court
opens for June
primary/A2
over the last five
years?
This info is difficult
to come up with in a
concise way. They are
recorded in our system
under many different
headings. For instance
horseplay, defiance, ha-
rassment, fighting are
all recorded together and
we are working on a way
to specifically isolate the
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BLYTHE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FILE PHOTO BY URIEL AVENDANO/PALO VERDE VALLEY TIMES
abused its discretion in
sentencing Dr. Sahlol-
bei to probation, and Dr.
Sahlolbei’s contrary ar-
gument is without merit.
Inasmuch as there is no
other basis in the trial
93rd YEAR
10th EDITION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2018
bullying reports so I can
report that information
to you accurately. I will
say though that even one
report of bullying is too
many.
What is your re-
sponse to the parents
that spoke up at last
Tuesday night’s meet-
ing concerning their
kids and the perceived
problem PVUSD has
court’s decision or in Dr.
Sahlolbei’s argument
to permit probation, we
need not consider any
other criteria in rule
4.413 and, therefore, a
SEE SURGEON/A5
Calendar/A8
Facebook.com/BlytheNews
Today’s high: 70° Details on B8
• More: Mother urges
action against bullying
at Ruth Brown, A7
with behavior and or
bullying?
First and foremost, I
appreciate that parents
are willing to speak up
about the issue. The way
that issues like bullying
are allowed to keep grow-
ing is because people are
SEE BULLYING/A5
71-year-
old hit,
killed by
truck
No charges
sought in fatal
collision
BY URIEL AVENDANO
TIMES EDITOR
At approximately 6:07
p.m. on Feb. 6, the Blythe
Police Department re-
ceived several 911 calls
in regards to a vehicle
vs. pedestrian traffic col-
lision on east Hobson-
way at the Cottonwood
intersection.
“Blythe Police respond-
ed to the scene along with
AMR and Blythe City
Fire Department. Upon
arrival Blythe Police Of-
ficers learned that a male
subject had been hit by
a pick-up truck and sus-
tained major injuries,”
stated the BPD press re-
lease. “The male subject
was rushed to Palo Verde
Hospital where he died
from his injuries. The
subject that was hit by
the pick-up was a 71 year
man from Pearce, Az. No
charges are being sought
for the driver of the pick-
up.”
Westbound and east-
bound traffic on Hob-
sonway between Birch
and Hickory Street was
temporarily diverted
that evening as on-site
personnel conducted the
investigation.
Due to pending next of
kin notification, BPD is
not releasing the name
of the deceased male.
The cause of the acci-
dent remains under in-
vestigation.
“Anyone with infor-
mation regarding this
case is urged to contact
Detective Corporal Ser-
vando Iniguez at the
Blythe Police Depart-
ment, (760) 922-6111, or
they can give their in-
formation anonymously
by calling Crime Stop at
921-CARE (2273) or by e-
mail at blythepd@cityof-
blythe.ca.gov.”