The new pamphlet on Elder Abuse: should be written just for the situation at KVHD

Some may remember the penal code section mentioned on this pamphlet, 368, as it directly pertains to the charges brought against several people at the Kern Valley Healthcare District this year.

This pamphlet designed to define elder abuse and instruct those who may be a witness to it, how they should proceed with reporting it.



But what is missing from this pamphlet is the unlikely, not quite as common, type of elder abuse: the type where it is institutionalized elder abuse.

Meaning that the people in charge of the facility are creating policies and giving direction to staff to do things in direct opposition to what is necessary care.

It was not just a matter of we didn't know what to do, people, caring people, acted in ways that I'm sure they regret. But they were in a toxic environment, where rumors like the one that went around about a patient receiving a forcible injection of psychotropics, was never addressed.


If it was a rumor, and everyone knew about it, what does that say about the situation at the hospital?


Employees were told to do things to cover up the situation, to shred, to hide things, to fill out forms to look like the hospital was staffing properly, to go away if there were problems.


How could this have happened? What could you do to a decent person to get them involved in an administrative plot to cover its own criminal activity?


Threaten them. Threaten them with their licenses, their jobs, their paychecks, their careers. That should take care of it.


Where is the pamphlet for this type of situation

If you work in a nursing center and someone who is your boss or superior tells you to do something you know is illegal: report them.


If you know that a hospital or nursing center is intentionally understaffing to save money: report them


If you hear a rumor about some "bad" incident taking place, investigate and report it.


If you are asked to cover up evidence of elder abuse or abusive policies, don't hesitate: report it.


But we did report it

Yes, they did report things in the skilled nursing facility, both to the board and administration. Problem was that the administration was the problem and its inefficacy to carry out basic duties.


The board heard about the problems in Oct. 2006. They chose to go with the story of the administrator, Pam ott, who labeled these employees who went to the board, "a pack of wolves."


Another employee called DHS; another one the Ombudsman; and finally a letter was slipped under the door of a board member that the employees trusted would be fair.


Where's the pamphlet for this insane scenario?



The second page contains interesting facts regarding the rampant problem with elder abuse and neglect, and mentions that it is now considered a social problem.


(well it certainly is up here in the valley)

Hopefully, this hospital will purge itself of the lingering administrators and board members who allowed these things to happen.



Two employees told me about the shrinking staff and shrinking paychecks.
They both said that the former Director of Nursing, Todd Elkins, fought with former CEO/administrator, Pam Ott, and current CFO, Chet Beedle, over the paycuts and staffing cuts.

He is reported to have quit over this situation.











The pamphlet goes on to describe laws which impact the elderly and the people in charge of their care.


There is physical abuse, abandonment, mental suffering, neglect and fiduciary abuse.

Fiduciary abuse happens when the elder's monies, properties, are used for anything other than elder dependant.





Indications of abuse range from injuries, bruises, welts, bed sores, inadequate or inappropriate drugs, to dehydration.


In 2006, the KVHD hospital was cited by the Center for Medicaid services and Department of Health, for dehydration situations which can be very dangerous, and weight loss issues. Not to mention "physical restraints."


Not enough staff to make sure residents are drinking enough fluids and that their weight is stable.




Loss of dignity, for both the residents, and the people who ran the hospital into this ground.


I'm waiting for the new pamphlet we should create after court this coming November 3 and 4, where Pam Ott, CEO/administrator in charge, Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, will be facing at least eight counts of elder abuse charges.

On the next episode of KVHD under Fire! We're off to see the wizard of numbers, it's the September Finance "commit me" meeting

In this month's episode of the saga, "where did the money go," and "Honey, did you shrink the staff, again?" Chet Beedle, Chief Financial officer, tells the small group who shows up for these meetings, he paid for his own lunch this week.

After much applause, the group gets down to business, the reading of the financial documents prepared for the entertainment of insiders and the irritation of the outsiders.

It's read fast and furious as any lingering or hesitation could cause something terrible to happen: questions.

Treasurer, Bob Jamison, who rarely speaks, as he has slipped into the role of character actor and not "star," will give his usual line: "I already read it."

But our gadfly, who makes many guest appearances on the show, has a lot of questions this week as new information has surfaced.

The suspense comes when we find out if these questions will ever be answered. And those answers, will they ever make sense?

Tune in on Wed. at 9 am for the Kern Valley Healthcare District Finance Committee meeting where healthcare services, lives, and careers are always at stake...

Why Didn't Pam Ott get bail? I've asked the Department of Justice for a month. Please?

I was wearing red, white and blue

Since the moment, Pam Ott, former CEO/Administrator at the Kern Valley Healthcare District came charging out the court room doors where she plead innocent to eight counts of elder abuse, unencumbered by any jail type gear, I have been asking the question "why?"

(Free advertising for Yusef and his bail bond business. And of course, for those still left at KVHD, who might need his services...)

Now the first three defendants in the elder abuse case, spent time in jail, wore orange jumpsuits, and were given some steep bail amounts to pay.

I came home from court and called the Department of Justice press office and asked why Ott seemed to be given preferential treatment, which is not what she gave to the KVHD hospital residents or employees.

They were going to call me back. Then they did call me back, but left a message. Then we spoke, then we decided an email would be good. No email. It's the dance of the press and the keepers of information.

Week after week I have called and patiently waited to hear why our old perpetrator was given the "drive thru" treatment when it could be easily argued that she was the one who would most likely take flight.

Ott came into court, had her five minutes, and out she went.

Then her attorney, criminal defense guy, Jim Faulkner has been quoted as saying Miss Ott is "completely innocent," these charges are basically a bunch of unsubstantiated nothing.

Oh Jim.

I don't know if Faulkner has any idea the seriousness of these charges and the amount of witnesses there are against his client, but if I were him, I'd tone it down a bit until the whole story comes out.

But did Mr. Faulkner somehow influence the state to take it easy on his client?

Really, Ott sped out of town in May 2007, (that video is going to come up this week, and there are some really prophetic quotes in there) or at the end of May, there was some business to forget about before the departure...bzzzzzzzzz, whirrrrrrr, "you're fired."

So, I guess my naivety about these matters is apparent again.

There's been so much talk here that Ott "will not go to jail" or even be convicted, it seems like there's not much faith in our system to carry out its obligations.

And certainly allowing her the privileged, almost private, courtroom plea, didn't help to make believers out of us.

You know people need something to hang on to, see something done right with the right intentions. We have the chance now to make changes in this valley and at this hospital which will directly influence the character of this community.

We could use some help from above, in Sacramento, and prayers would be nice too.

Really, I was wearing my American ensemble from the Sears kid's department as I've shrunk, and the clothes are still hanging over the chair I left them on that day, waiting, for our government to live up to its end of this bargain.

I'll keep calling and get back to you that have inquired about the bail issue...

Accountability countdown to November elder abuse hearings: but who is accountable?

It's peculiar here

We live in a valley, a mountain top, an insular, isolated community situated above the hustle and bustle of city life which lies fifty miles down a twisted, dangerous canyon road.

What is peculiar about our situation here which makes it almost a "Land that Time Forgot, your manners" is that the information which comes in and out of here is generated by a machine. That machine runs off of a word previously discussed called, cronyism.

I narrowed that word to the situation at the Kern Valley Healthcare District, but I realized it runs rampant throughout this valley.

It's everywhere you find stagnation and lack of accountability.

Yes, I have some very ambitious plans in that I intend to prove on my blog, with the jurors being blog readers, who could be considered accountable and why such things that happened at our hospital were allowed to happen.

I had the dubious displeasure of recording Mr. Jamison's radio talk show this morning, though what I heard of it in the fifteen minutes before I promptly fell asleep (some of the best sleep in while, he's great for insomnia) was very interesting.

In fact, Mr. Jamison, announced the new website for the station, KCNQ.com. Just go there for all the news you can count on.

Really, could any of us count on the radio station or the board member who continues to commandeer his bully pulpit without taking any responsibility for the situation which occurred at KVHD?

Certainly not Jamison. He would have to be accountable for not only the problems at the hospital, but his subsequent overreactions and protecting the powers rather than the people.

See again, we all allow ourselves to be victims of the entrenched powers that be, the ones who give Jamison a venue for his personal torment and those who have to listen to it. It's not just Jamison.

No options up here.

They say turn the station if you don't like it. Okay, I will.

What's this?

There isn't anything else. That is what makes this situation different.

Now, yes, I agree, it's not like we're so cut off as to not know what is going on with other media outlets, but most likely we have only TV, which is just a video piece attached with two sentences, and a large newspaper down below which has just enough manpower to cover the two blocks around it's building.

And we know that internet service up here is archaic.

The options are limited as to local information. It's a bit of a "monopoly" here, wouldn't you say?

It used to be different

People will have you believe there were good old days, when news was news, but that never happened, and it never will, because it can't.

Walter Cronkite was a distinguished journalist, an almost American icon, or probably one now, though he just told it how he saw it.

We're all journalists, all of us have a story to tell, and all of us have a unique reference point from which we tell our stories.

Some people actually "hate" me, can you imagine that?

But they read me. And to me that is the biggest compliment.

When you tell your children about what you did as a child, those stories we all have that send the children packing from the room, then you learn about editing and editors.

The story you eventually read in the paper goes through a process, which in the end, gives us, the readers, a repeatedly filtered, perspective of whatever the writer is trying to say. And the politics of the machine the writer works for.

I am often sitting in front of many building blocks of a story deciding what should go where, what should be left out, what's the best stuff and what should be out front. One of the pet peeves of my editors and many readers, is that I like to save the best stuff for last. (There's a lot of foreplay in my stories and even my friends know now after years of listening to my litany of tales, that it will be worth the wait to let me set it all out and get you that punchline you so desire.)

If you notice, most news stories contain the most influential pieces of information within the first few paragraphs. That is because the reader is expected to cut you off at some point and grab onto another subject. This is standard practice in English classes everywhere to teach it this way.

I don't happen to like it, so that's not the way I do it. (I'm not a cookie cutter reporter anyway or we wouldn't be here right now.)

(I hope you're getting my point that there is more to come here to tie up all the loose ends and plot twists. And it may be worth your time to know that I have had only put up a fraction of what information and background I have collected.)

For me to have devoted this time to this monumental task without payment is all about using the tools of reporting and the nature of fairness to try and set straight a road that has been crooked for a long time.

I've used my own money, I've not been bought by anyone nor will I be, my own creativity, the technical knowledge of others, to try and bring some accountability to two different institutions here in the valley: the healthcare district and the media.

Distortion of information vital to public safety. I just made that up, but that could be the new media law. I like it, it sounds fitting to our particular situation.

What I have witnessed here in the valley by people in what would be considered "positions of power and responsibility," those caring for our parents and grandparents, those elected to serve, those dispensing information and calling it "news," those who employ people and put food on the table in many a home, breached all trust with this community.

Without batting an eye. (amazing)

Government officials, and that is what a Kern Valley Healthcare District board member is, and if that board member doesn't realize that then they shouldn't be there. This is a "public" healthcare district and the public has every right to know what is going on.

The public should not, however, be accountable for knowing problems the media intentionally kept from them.

"I didn't know," I've heard people say recently.

Of course you didn't because you walked into the market and you perused the local paper, set it down, and thought that there was nothing to worry about.

You turned on your TV and you find there is no one out there really fighting to bring you local, personal, useful, information to you.

Then the local radio blares a message that there is a threatening reporter trying to uncover a public health threat which doesn't exist. The airwaves are full of messages, that if remain unchallenged, take hold and you begin to disseminate misinformation unwittingly.

But the egregious nature of the Jamison/QAB/Kern Valley Healthcare District/ambulance company/relatives working in clinics/ connection really plays out the dangerous situation of not separation of Church and state, but of media outlet and business/government entity.

Again, my ambitions have gotten bigger, as I realize the problem is bigger than just this healthcare district. The district's current situation is a direct result of poor management, and that includes the management of the powers that be in this town.

The information mongers.

As we speak here tonight, the gauntlet was thrown down by me this week with the two media outlets, QAB and the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper, owned by a little corporation, called Wick. (I guess adding an -ed, would be out of line)

I believe that the accountability of these organizations will directly influence the perpetuity of this valley, so that is why I am choosing to cover these major obstacles and challenges that they are and will be.

I have given the Sun and QAB notice of what my intentions are and what I will be doing in the coming months.

The Sun turned down an offer from me today to pay me for my time and expense in tracking this hospital, as well as the others who have helped, as this was the responsibility of the local institution which likes to call itself a community newspaper.

After I spoke to their attorney this morning, I realize the people at the Sun haven't told him everything, they haven't even admitted it to him. I doubt that was cat and mouse game either. That phone call was about the fact that the three top dogs at the Sun, Publisher, Marsha Smith, Editor, Cathy Perfect, and reporter, Susan Barr, don't want to admit to the harassment, the game playing, defamation and their respective roles in the KVHD case.

Yes, Miss Perfect, can put up three huge pictures of defendants back in February, then when I suggested she make sure the picture of one of what I consider to be the biggest conspirators, former KVHD CEO, Pamela Ott, be equally displayed, she used the smallest photo available.

You don't think this blog has gotten to them?

Rather than just admit they obstructed an investigation and pay me for my time and expense, as well as damages from "defamatory practices" they chose to go the pugilists route.

(And no, standing still will not help you.)

I always give a warning, but only one. I gave it to the Sun today and they have chosen to be sued.

But again, the suing part is out of necessity. I'm just a small time blogger, and they are big corporations, so I have only a few weapons of choice to use against them.

What do I want?

The worst thing imaginable: an admission of responsibility.

And in the case of QAB, I would love to see if we can get a class action lawsuit together for this whole community, as we were not just duped, we were bold faced, unabashedly, lied to and mislead.

If that's not a good enough reason, I don't know what is.

But since I'm not about being "shut up", Kern Valley Sun, I won't go the
normal route with these lawsuits. I want my day in court with you. I want to testify, I want to be heard, in our system which is the only chance left to set the record completely straight.

Relying on a system that is so flawed is ridiculous, but realize that this whole problem has been about a "system failure." Where nobody takes responsibility, nothing is usually accomplished.

Systems that don't work contain the likes of these people who would hide in it and feed off it.

This, of course, leads straight into the main body of government, on which we rely, for civility, decency, fairness and creating institutions and laws that can actually be managed and work effectively. (Which usually doesn't happen, but I can at least wish it would.)

I'm going to be talking about why the DOJ has not, after a month of requests, been able to tell me why Pamela Ott, the shredder, did not get treated the same as the other defendants. Why she had no bail and why she didn't get the conspiracy charge.

So, the update tonight is that I gave the Kern Valley Sun their due warning that I will be using our courts of law to make my case, but not until after I make my case, right here on this blog.

We will now be calling the Sun, "the defiant one's" as they much like Jamison and others, can dish it out, but cannot take it.

Apparently, they didn't like what I've said about them on this blog. And instead of making a decision with accountability in mind (even with good business sense), they have done what they continue to do with me, and that is personalize this and personally attack me, the messenger, not the message.

(Mind you, had the Sun made the decision to settle with me and pay me for my time doing their job, it would have been an admission of an "error" on their part. I would have went easier on them for good behavior. But they don't have enough true self esteem to admit when they are wrong. No they aggravate it by putting things in the paper about me, and also...keeping things out of the paper about me and this whole story...more on this.)

The QAB issue is now being known as "power mongering for morally challenged souls."

I will be updating you on the two cases with my media friends and dishing you the whole story as it goes along.

(It's kind of weird taking on the media, it's a bit like cannibalism to me)

Let me make one point before this fight really begins, and that is, at any point these people could have helped and not hindered, the progress of the investigation by scrutinizing the situation at the hospital.

Compared to the response of other news and media organizations outside this area, they have failed the people they should serve and even went as far as being complicit when they knew they were ignoring or misconscrewbulating the truth.

There are no other ways to do this, but to attack these problems, and pray for some relief. I happen to be built for this kind of thing, and that is why I think I'm stuck with this crummy job.

I'm not attacking these people saying they are evil and totally unworthy: I'm attacking saying they can and could have done better. It's their deeds and actions which I am attacking. But true, actions and character, are often directly related.

(I'm sure Pam Ott or Bob Jamison or Chet Beedle have fed a stray cat or taken the trash out for their mothers, but they did damage too. And that damage could have been not only been avoided, but much of it was intentional. You can't quantify the pain caused to the people who had loved ones in the nursing center and were treated like dirt when they tried to find out what had happened.)

Everyone of us has our flaws, me at the top of the list, but when we go astray and try to make it somebody else's problem, scapegoating, vilifying, then it's gone too far and it has to be stopped before more people are hurt.

If I seem glib to you at any point, realize I'm very serious. And I don't take what I'm doing lightly at all.

But it happened on my watch...

Index of complaints:

Crimes against the elderly and community by the Kern Valley Healthcare District administrators and board members. Getting charges against those who created the toxic environment in which employees did things they wouldn't normally do and the top administrators created a public smokescreen, campaign to cover their tracks.

The KVHD romp against its employees and its continued struggle with staffing the nursing center as well as the rest of the hospital for that matter.

Malfeasance on the part of certain board members in dealings with a big, baddy up in Sacramento, the office inside the office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development, Cal Mtg. There's a 17 million dollar debt strangling this hospital and these guys insured it. And promoted it without overlooking what the board was doing. (Oh yeah, it goes up to the state level)

Distortion of the facts and using a media outlet for personal vendettas and agendas, against all ethical guidelines, becoming aiders and abetters of criminal activities, that is what the MEDIA WAR, now underway,is about.

Watch out! Flying words zone.

The countdown begins: 41 criminal charging days left until the preliminary hearing...

The Countdown Begins:

As November third and fourth approach bringing with it hope for some that justice maybe served in the Kern Valley Healthcare District "elder abuse" case, others are still asking what about the rest of them.

Well, for starters, I plan on utilizing these 41 days putting up the rest of the story on this blog and offering it to the state Department of Justice.

I only wish that the DOJ had gotten to the investigation in a more timely manner. From what I understand from the paperwork, the investigators were not here until 2008.

Umm, didn't that allow a lot of time for shredding?

Now, my investigation began in January 2007, culling through hospital paperwork, interviews, state and federal records, but unfortunately the pressure put on the local media at the hospital was too much and they caved.

I'm hoping that there maybe enough evidence left to round up a few more for the November party. Group hug.

But not only that, its time to bring it home:

I have made a decision to legally go after QAB media and it's affiliate corporation, ABC news, for allowing a KVHD board member, namely Bob Jamison, to pollute the airwaves of this insular valley with "bogus" news about the hospital's situation.

And for taking the then CEO, Pamela Ott, to his station and allowing her without any rebuttal, a full hour of total nonsense about the problems at the hospital. Please read the transcript in the post: Here's your witness Jerry Brown.

I've asked several times for an hour on that show, but they didn't seem to think I was serious or something. (They were not going to let me on there for anything. It would have been interesting though)

Aside from this Mr. Jamison used the affiliate website to attack all the detractors and or people who knew the truth. I have all the blogs saved on this site as you may know.

The owners of this broadcast company allowed this to happen. Jamison is a board member, QAB also owns the ambulance company, how could they deny poor Mr. Jamison's need to attack people and deflect his own responsibilities?

Well, they could have said, "no." Just say no to Bob Jamison.

The DJ, board member, took things to extremes as he also felt a need to threaten me personally and physically during a board meeting. Kicking my skinny ass, which has been sick for seven years, was so over the top that I think he will become a legend out of it. What a guy.

So, when a call was placed by the people who are handling my legal matters, Mr. Jamison answered the phone today at the radio station.

The station was simply asked for their attorney's information from what I understand, we were given no cooperation.

Because they still seem to think this is all funny, an egregious misuse of power and information, they missed their only opportunity to deal with me directly which is what I will tell their attorney in court some day.

And finally, I don't think I should be the only one suing these people. The victims of the families, the employees of the hospital, heck the whole community, could have a case. Sue them, because they just don't or won't or can't learn that media is here to serve, not just itself.

Now I believe in service to the community and boy can I serve it up.

This will become big next week as I will dilineate the problems caused by the broadcasts and barrages of attacks allowed by, for the purpose of obstructing justice, the station and its unwitting affiliate.

WARNING:
Not that the rest of the valley hasn't already figured it out, but those who think they have power that can't be altered or removed, need to see something.

Here's true hard headedness. That's an imprint of my head bending that metal rail when I took a bad fall in 12/2007. I would say that speaks for itself.

Now, let us begin...

What can the small community of Reedley teach the Kern River Valley...

The small community of Reedley, California, southeast of Fresno, had a rude awakening more than a week ago, when their Sierra Kings District hospital, CEO, Pamela Ott, was charged with eight counts of elder abuse in a case that started in another rural community, right here in the Kern River Valley.

Ott, who was the former CEO/Administrator for the Kern Valley Healthcare District, resigned her position in May of 2007, as the skilled nursing facility was on the verge of collapse, and placed in "immediate jeopardy" by public health officials at least twice before she left.

(Will be bringing more quotes and pix from the May 2007 board meeting. After watching the video again, I noticed more than I did the first time around. And boy, I bet most of that isn't in the minutes. Then I was still fishing for information, now I can see clearly looking back on this video. Hopefully, we can have that up next.)

Sorry about this community of Reedley, but we could not get the support from the citizenery, media or the government, in particular the Grand Jury, to reel in our people who were responsible for short staffing our eldery residents care, while at the same time allowing a nursing director to order new medications without contacting family members, ignoring employee complaints, and finally denying any wrongdoing.

Instead, we sent off Pamela Ott, with some sort of glowing reference from the chairman of the board at the time, Brad Armstrong, and Sierra Kings District ended up with her and her skeletons in the closet.

In fact, Ott was "under fire" when she left, as employees began to get brave and talk about what had happened. I was right on her heels, but she ran, protected by the phalanx of support inside the hospital.

This afternoon, I spoke, with Sierra Kings District board President, Trish Johnson, and she confirmed that Ott is on an unpaid "administrative leave" until the court hearings Nov. 3 and 4.

Johnson said, "Pam Ott is on administrative leave, we've been looking at this situation, so we're far from done. I can only tell you because we are taking this very seriously, that the outcomes are not definite yet."

"So with that said," Johnson added, "we're doing what we can to keep the hospital from running rampant with rumors. There will always be disgruntled people as you well know, we don't contend to hide anything."

I asked the board President if the charges against Ott came as a surprise.
"Yes, it did. The board learned about it the Tuesday after Labor Day and we did not have any idea, we knew she had to go to Bakersfield for a court appearance, but we did not know what for."

Johnson concluded by saying that the board will be reassessing the situation with Ott in November.

The local newspaper and website," The Reedley Exponent," had some excellent coverage with a story regarding Ott, along with an opinion piece to knock your socks off. There were also some well written letters to the editor which reflect the situation at Sierra Kings District.

In editor, Cheryl Lingo's article, she quotes the board President as saying that they could not have known of Ott's past prior to hiring her.

(quote from Exponent)
"Johnson said the board was unaware of Ott's problems when she was interviewed for the CEO position two years ago. Johnson said she believes the board did its due diligence in confirming Ott."Every organization has its internal struggles, and there's no way we could have uncovered this sort of thing," she said."

In a punched up opinion piece, by Fred Hall, no holds barred, he tells it like it is about Ott resigning and even the board members resigning.

Unequivocally, in everyday language, Ms. Ott you should quit immediately for the good of the entire community and staff of the facility where you are employed. It’s simply a matter of doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons!

Hall kept rolling, and I'm going to give another sample here that may give some here in the Kern River Valley and at the healthcare district something think about.

In the interim, we can only plead with those who were placed in charge of this tremendously important community asset to do your jobs and get things cleaned up. If you’re incapable or unwilling, then get out of the way! This hospital is a public entity and not something to inflate the egos of a few or enrich others who show such incompetence in dispatching their fiduciary duties.

Here are a few comments from the letters to the editor section:

It is time for a change in the hospital’s leadership and time for the current Board to be held accountable for their poor decisions and inattention to fundamental issues.

We also have just become aware that the hospital's board of directors was fully knowledgeable concerning these problems when the contract was offered to Ms. Ott. It seems apparent that Mrs. Trish Johnson, board president, chose to overlook or at least play down the implications of these legal problems which were well known in Kern County prior to the employment of Ms. Ott.

So many of these comments are familiar to us in the valley, as we have struggled with certain board members, and administrators, such as our chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle for several years now.

Go to the Reedley Exponent and take a look a their stories and reactions. They are planning to bring in extra help so they can rightly provide media oversight so the community of Reedley doesn't remain in the dark.

The Sierra Kings District board will being interviewing for an "interim" CEO and CFO as Barbara Jennings was terminated according to the board President.

Though Johnson resisted talking about the situation with the Cheif Financial Officer, she said the two situations were "unrelated."

However, in the news article from the Exponent, there appears to be some relationship:

Johnson maintains there is no connection between Ott's being placed on administrative leave and the firing of former CFO Barbara Jennings. "Barbara Jennings wasn't fulfilling her duties here at the hospital. These two things are not connected." Johnson confirmed that Jennings was brought on board by Ott.

http://www.reedleyexponent.com/

Hello again Cal Mtg. division of OSHPD, insurer of our bonds at KVHD

Hello Cal Mtg.:
Hi, It's Laura Hart, again, with a few remarks and a lot of not knowing what you're doing to help our hospital's precarious situation.

Now, as some might remember, I wrote up a deal that would keep money at the hospital and defer payments to our debtors (not real smart people) so that we could reinvest the money back into the hospital.

All right, I changed my mind, don't give us any money or any more money until you clear out the financial mess that currently exists.

We have the only pharmacy that can't make money. We, or your friend and colleague, Chet Beedle, let two nursing center administrators take almost three million dollars from us, without any oversight as to what the hospital was paying for.

Yes, I know, Mr. Beedle saved some money by short staffing the skilled nursing facility, but that has turned into a fiasco. Not a good plan.

If I were the clients you insure on these rural and not so rural, construction loans, I would not be happy with you right now.

Why have you let this happen? Why didn't Chet Beedle want to make the deal we talked about rather than pay big bucks to traveling nurses, former overpaid CEO"s, and the proper amount and "type" of personnel?

I need some answers, it's not over between us either. These things don't make any sense, so therefore, we need to find out why?

Can we do that? Thanks, Laura Hart

Was there an emergency board meeting at Sierra King yesterday? We need to find out.

After the Kern Valley Healthcare District called for their own "special" board meeting on Wednesday, the day after former CEO/administrator, Pamela Ott, 59, was brought up on charges of elder abuse, it has been said there was an emergency meeting called at Ott's latest employer, Sierra King District Hospital.

Could it be that Sierra King, located in Reedley, is going to get a resignation or maybe firing their now criminally charged, CEO?

They couldn't be doing that...Ott's attorney says she's completely innocent.
(I'm sure like a child.)
More on this story...
http://www.skdh.org/

How did the media do on Ott's story...I give best story to the Bakersfield Californian

As you can imagine in your nightmares, I went and checked on all the media coverage regarding the elder abuse charges against former CEO of the Kern Valley Healthcare District, Pamela Ott, this week.

Some of it, was laughable, others used straight news releases from the Department of Justice, some used the news releases as foundation for their articles, then other crashed so much information on top of you it was hard to understand.

Of all the outlets covering, I say The Bakersfield Californian did the best job. Good facts, simplicity of coverage, best quote award and it was well written.

Ott's attorney, Jim Faulkner, said she was completely innocent. Boy are we going to have fun with that.

I know I popped the Californian in the jaw earlier this year, and explained to them that we are not just "carnage canyon" to feed breaking news, we have a "history" up here, that the surrounding beauty does not belie.

So, I emailed all of the media outlets with corrections, (I'm sure they just loved that) and let it go at that.

Basic facts:

Here are some of the basic facts:

This happened at the Kern Valley Healthcare District in Mt. Mesa California. KVHD is a public healthcare district.

They have a hospital and a skilled nursing center in the same building.

Pam Ott has phony credentials as to her administration degrees. Google, Kennedy Western University.

The state investigation runs from Aug. 1, 2006 until Jan. 25, 2007.

Ott resigned in May 2007, when the the civil lawsuits began to appear.

Ott worked with a board of directors, who had a quorum, three of the five always voted the way Ott wanted them too. Open Brown act violations occurred.

It's no doubt the board knew what was going on as well.

Feb. 20 of this year, the state charged, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, the medical director for the SNF, Debbi Hayes, the Pharmacist, and Gwen Hughes, the director of nursing who began working at the hospital after Ott and her CNO, were tagged by CMS/DHS in 2006 for using physical restraints and short staffing.

Aug. 14, Debbi Hayes, the pharmacist plead no contest to a conspiracy charge, got a one year suspended sentence, three years of probation, and community service so she can become a witness in the case.

On Sept. 8, it was supposed to be the pre preliminary hearing for the doctor and director of nursing, but Ott got the spotlight as they charged her that day, and the case was continued to Nov.3 and 4.

It's official: Ott now appearing on the Kern County Superior court website

Not all information is up on the Kern County Superiority Court website regarding the former Kern Valley Healthcare District, Ceo/administrator, Pam Ott's "not guilty" plea today against elder abuse charges and a conspiracy charge as well.

Ott with attorney, Jim Faulkner, bringing the now defamed, CEO, to court to face her five minutes of fame, as she was set back out on her own recognizance, with only the provision she doesn't work in a nursing home.

Faulkner claims there is no evidence and no case, and he will show this if and when it goes to trial. (Oh my, what Faulkner doesn't know yet)

But keep your eye on the site as more information will be up shortly. (Now Ott is defendant "D", but what I want to know who will be E, F and G?)

Defendant Name
CaseNumber
HearingDate/Time
HearingLocation
Div/Dept
Hearing Type
OTT, PAMELA R
BF126665D
11/03/2009, 09:00AM
Metro Division - 1415 Truxtun
PH
PRE-PRELIMINARY HEARING
OTT, PAMELA R
BF126665D
11/04/2009, 08:30AM
Metro Division - 1415 Truxtun
PX
PRELIMINARY HEARING

Tomorrow we need to do some corrections on some of the stories you may have heard from different media outlets. But as I reread the press release from the attorney general's office (shown below) I think we will add them to the corektion sexshun list.

Ott's charged and walks out on own recognizance right into me...

Former Kern Valley Healthcare District CEO/Administrator, Pamela Ott, shown in court today facing charges of elder abuse and conspiracy charges for her role in the skilled nursing facility scandal which resulted in charges against a doctor and director of nursing.
(Court room pictures provided by KGET Channel 17 in Bakersfield)



As I rushed to get to the courtroom this morning at the Kern County Superior Court, I was but five minutes late and cursing myself as the overly attendant security system resulted in almost a strip search.

After retrieving my watch, keys, phone, and not the camera, I caught the trail of a bright young reporter on his way to the court room to see our former CEO brought up on the charges.

It was six months later, Feb. 20 of this year, being the date of the original charges being brought against the hospital, and the reporters from the Bakersfield region had no idea what was going on and who this person was and what her appearing in the case suddenly represented.

Note here, this is not an indictment, as much as I prefer the sound of "indictment watch" to " felony complaint watch" or "lawbreaker watch," it gives you the reader incorrect idea.

Indictment is what I tried to do in June of 2007, when I contacted the grand jury, we had a little teeny weeny investigation, and hands shook, but nothing happened.

These charges emanate from the state department of justice, so it's not an indictment as such. (Darn.)

Anyway, I find my way to the court practically knocking people down in my path: there are way too many people in the legal system, the walls were packed like sardines, lawyers, crying babies, crying lawyers, worried looks, and the murmur of plea bargaining and attorneys fees and ...a lot of pacing in the narrow hallway.

I quickly opened the door to the court room extremely certain I was not going to find Pam Ott in shackles as was done to the first three defendants as we all got to see their images blasted everywhere.

No, I opened the door in between the court and the haul, the vestibule and the other door opened, and I literally "ran into" Pam Ott, no exaggeration.

When the two doors closed it was quiet and we looked at each other. It felt like a confessional. There was no real emotion between us, just an understanding that what she did to the community was not going away, because way too many of us know what she did.

It was real to both of us as we stood there. I would say Ott almost had a look of resignation.

But that's timing folks and that's Karma.

As she went outside a free woman, charged, fingerprinted, but no bail, no shackles, no real public embarrassment for the person most responsible for what happened in the nursing center in 2006/07 at the KVHD hospital, I opened to the door to the court and looked at least 30 people in jumpsuits inside waiting to be heard.

Like I predicted last night on the blog, the "Martha Stewart" treatment.

First thing I did when I got home was to put a call into the Department of Justice Press office and ask why was Ott treated differently. I'm still waiting on my response.

What was different about all those people in the court room, in shackles, and jumpsuits? They didn't have enough money. Its that simple.

Pam Ott is being represented, by criminal defense attorney, Jim Faulkner, of Bakersfield. And she apparently made some sort of deal for the white collar treatment she got.

Dr. Pormir and Gwen Hughes also appeared but with the additional defendant, Ott, the case has been postponed until Nov. 3 and 4.

Dr. Pormir got his passport back today and Gwen Hughes quickly wheeled by me in her wheelchair which was another dejavu moment.

The last time I saw Hughes she was at the nursing center Christmas party. She raced by me then, saying she had a security problem, and then I find out from Pam Ott, that she had hit two board members with her wheelchair trying to get them out of the SNF.

Ott, in an email, thought the incident funny, but even now as that moment today with Gwen, it reminded me of how crazy it had gotten at the hospital. Trying to keep people out of the nursing center because of fear of being caught with your staff down.

Two of the defendants showed up for this, another continuance, which costs money, and neither have left the country or tried to flee.

Now, Ott left the Kern River Valley though in May of 2007: she fled. She got a reference from the chairman of the board and went up to meet friends in Reedley, CA, at the Sierra King District hospital.

The only provision given for Ott is not to work in a facility with a nursing center. ???

Now she hasn't been charged with such an act, but she falsely claimed to be more than a Registered Nurse. She even ordered medical treatment.

Her credentials are shaky at best for administration.

Yet, somehow, she is less of a risk.

So, I met up with Faulkner, Ott's attorney, sort of, in the felony department of this legal retail outfit called superior court.

Faulkner was telling another reporter that Ott was brought up on all the charges the others were, though we could not get the paperwork, and elucidated the mistake about this being a grand jury indictment.

Ott's attorney went on to literally wave his hand dismissing any notion this was a big thing in regard to the Ott case. Of course, he was talking to a reporter with no background on the situation, he was trying to chase off or at least subdue any interest on the part of the press. That's what attorney's do.

I listened intently standing at the counter wondering what he might say next. Let out the rope and see what happens.

Sorry, I couldn't take much more of it, so I introduced myself, "hi, I'm Laura Hart." (that's one heck of a calling card these days. It is kind of like when 60 minutes used to show up, same nauseous feeling I'm sure.)

His face fell, chin dropped, and then the evil eye, then retreat back to the other reporter. I asked him where Pam was and that I wanted some pictures, it was a facetious question of course.

He knew who I was, but I guess he didn't expect me to be standing there watching him posture for the press who knows nothing.

Then I said, I don't think you have a good case, in fact I know you don't.

I think he will be a good attorney for Ott though, as I asked again about her whereabouts for a photo op, he moved his large frame quickly in my path.

(I'm sure I'll get no more information from him other than that eavesdropping session, but it was worth it just to see his face do those things.)

Ott was fingerprinted but never entered the jail or was otherwise incarcerated at any point.

I found Dr. Pormir, who cannot speak to any questions involving the case, but he can listen and not respond.

Finally, I told him, the right person is being charged in this case. I said, you know it and I know it.

Here is the press release from those "bad boys" of PR, at the attorney general's office. I must say, I like it. Again, except the part about the release of Ott.

Brown Files Criminal Charges Against Former Nursing Home Administrator in Kern Valley Elder Abuse Case
Bakersfield - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that Kern Valley Hospital administrator Pamela Ott was charged on eight felony counts of elder abuse today for allowing staff to forcibly administer psychotropic medications to patients for their own convenience, rather than for their patients' therapeutic interests. These actions are alleged to have resulted in the deaths of three nursing home residents. "As hospital administrator, Pamela Ott, was ultimately responsible for safeguarding the welfare of her patients," Brown said. "Instead, Ott abdicated her responsibility and allowed the staff of the Kern Valley Hospital to forcibly sedate patients who questioned their care." Brown the charges against Ott in Kern County Superior Court. She surrendered herself in court this morning and pled not guilty. She was released on her own recognizance on the condition that she not run a skilled nursing facility. A preliminary hearing is set for November 4, 2009. Today's charges are in addition to those filed in February 2009 against: - Gwen Hughes, the former Director of Nursing at the skilled nursing facility of the Kern Valley Healthcare District in Lake Isabella, Kern County on charges of elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon. - Debbi Hayes, the former pharmacist at the Valley Healthcare District, on charges of elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon. On August 14, 2009, Hayes pled no contest to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit an act injurious to public health. She is a cooperating witness for the people. - Dr. Hoshang Pormir, a staff physician at Kern Valley Healthcare District, who was serving as the medical director of the skilled nursing facility, on charges of elder abuse. As the Administrator of the Kern Valley Health Care District, Ott hired and supervised Director of Nursing Gwen Hughes. Upon taking over in September 2006, Hughes ordered that Alzheimer's and other dementia patients be given high doses of psychotropic medications to make them more tranquil and easy to control. She ordered the administration of these medications to patients who argued with her, were noisy, or who were otherwise disruptive. Two patients who resisted were held down and forcibly given injections. Ms. Ott was informed of these actions and allowed them to continue. Hughes is also alleged to have directed Debbi Hayes, the hospital pharmacist, to fill prescriptions for psychotropic medications. Hayes wrote and filled these prescriptions without first obtaining a doctor's approval. Dr. Pormir approved these psychotropic medications only some time after they had been administered and without examining the patients first and determining whether these psychotropic medications were medically necessary. Several of these patients are alleged to have had medical complications as a result of being given these psychotropic medications, including lethargy and the inability to eat or drink properly. It is believed that three patients died and one patient suffered great bodily injury as a result. The investigation Kern Valley Healthcare District operates a small community hospital and skilled nursing facility in Lake Isabella. The case came to the attention of authorities in January 2007, when an ombudsman reported to the Bakersfield office of the California Department of Public Health that a patient in the skilled nursing facility had been held down and given an injection of psychotropic medication by force. The Department of Public Health immediately sent an investigative team with a doctor, a nurse, and a doctor of pharmacology. They determined that 22 patients, including some who were suffering from Alzheimer's at the skilled nursing facility, were being given high doses of psychotropic medication not for therapeutic reasons, but to simply control and quiet them for the convenience of the staff. The Department of Public Health issued a Certificate of Immediate Jeopardy which resulted in the immediate dismissal of the Ms. Hughes. The matter was then turned over to the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse. Special Agents from the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse began a year-long investigation, with the co-operation and assistance of the Department of Public Health and the administration of the Kern Valley Healthcare District. A search warrant was served on the facility in August 2008, resulting in the seizure of numerous medical files and records. If convicted, all defendants could face up to 11 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, with the co-operation and assistance of the Kern County District Attorney's Office. To view the news releases issued February 2009 about this case, go to http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1682&. To report elder abuse or Medi-Cal fraud, call the Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse's hotline at (800) 722-0432. The complaints are attached.
# # #
You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1798

(I didn't format the press release, but I did spell check it for them. Only two mistakes. Good job PR guys.)

More of today's story to come and more pictures. Who was there?

This better be no Martha Stewart thing...the others were taken in shackles KVHD INDICTMENT WATCH

"Warden threw a party in the county jail..." Elvis (Presley for those who don't know the famous song, Jail House Rock)

Upcoming prepreliminary hearings in the elder abuse cases with a new defendant tomorrow at the Kern County Superior Court (details below). Pam Ott will be indicted on charges unknown as of yet, but heard that they should be at least equal to the current charges against, Dr. Hoshang Pormir and Gwen Hughes, RN, still outstanding.

Former defendant, Pharmacist, Debbi Hayes, plead out on a conspiracy charge on Aug. 14, and is expected to be a part of the states "extended" version of the case, this time as a witness, we hope.

All parties deny any knowledge of this, but if I were the state investigators I would get all I could out of this conspiracy charge and use someone from the inside to tell the truth.

These charges against Ott are the closest we've come to the reality behind these indictments of what people are afraid to talk about here in the valley, people have been damaged, trust breached.
But more still lurk at the hospital, those who in collusion with this CEO/Administrator, Ott, and those who said nothing, did nothing, even interfered with action being taken.

So, yes, Department of Justice, use that conspiracy charge for all its worth and make them all face their role in this mess. I'm sure Pam Ott would be happy to tell you more about Chet Beedle for a year or so off her eventual sentence.

If she can help you wrangle all of them, use Pam Ott. Give her the reduced sentence for bringing in the whole lot of them.

My concern the night before court is that I heard something that sounded Ott, I mean odd. That Ott is coming in on her own to court.

Now I've wondered in my mind about how she wrapped this whole community around her fingertips, while using the other hand to put knives into some of our backs.

Don't be fooled judges, investigators, you have a live one on your hands, and I wonder what her angle will be as their always is one with her. She needs to be treated exactly like the other defendants.

They were taken in with cuffs on. They got orange jumpsuits.

Lets make sure you realize Pam Ott is no Martha Stewart, and she gets to wear orange too.

Its the disparities of how you treat crimes and criminals. White collar, blue collar, justice comes with a price tag somewhere in the deal. The more you have the more you can manipulate the system.

I know that people lost loved ones at the Kern Valley Healthcare District, and we all know that people are sometimes already close to death when they enter a facility, and we have talked about the use of psychotropics, which in certain cases is certainly warranted, you don't want people in severe emotional pain. But I see the major crime as keeping the dignity of the resident and the family in mind. Not calling to change medications, having an explanation for the change of the medicine, not even calling to tell family their loved one is dead. Having few nurses to devote to any sort of personal care and relationship with the patient.

Losing all of your former self and life, simply because people don't care. And worse than that are snake oil pushers like Ott, who tell everyone about her commitment to healthcare, rural especially, her love for the residents of the nursing facility, and completely disregard it and let it decay and become harmful because of money.

Yes, this whole thing happened to save a few bucks and get a few bucks from the community with a general obligation bond.

But then the money started just flowing as the "not so" skilled nursing facility was on the brink of collapse in 2007. At least three million dollars went to the attempt to resuscitate the nursing center, most of it needlessly.

It's endless the monies that have been spent at your hospital, neighbors, but it didn't go toward your care, into went into expenses for CEO's to travel up and down the state, and even get paid to eat a lunch. Ask two remaining old board members about that, as they were the ones to okay it.

It didn't go to the nurses who have spent their careers at the district, but to traveling and registry nurses who just come and go, filling a position, acting as a function, but not having any vested interest in the hospital, the valley, the businesses in the valley, or the people.

Not knocking the use of travelers and registry, just knocking how it wasn't utilized properly or even rationally at KVHD.

So, tomorrow, we will see if what happens in court. I'll get back with you on it when I get home.
I promise to nit pick every single thing that happens, every word that is spoken and describe to you the body language I read.

And I'll pick up the paperwork too and post it on the blog.

Thanks for your help state of California, now I hope you follow through and clean the wound before we close the surgical site.

Need my sleep for court tomorrow...story to follow.


09/08/2009, 08:30AM
Metro Division - 1415 Truxtun
PH
STATUS CONFERENCE
09/08/2009, 08:30AM
Metro Division - 1415 Truxtun
PH
SETTING PRELIMINARY HEARING DATE
09/08/2009, 08:30AM
Metro Division - 1415 Truxtun
PH
MOTION TO AMEND COMPLAINT

Hypocrisy doesn't end, it just begins at the Kern Valley healthcare district. And the cleaning out process may be painful, but in the end, it will be the only thing that saves healthcare in this community.

BREAKING NEWS: KVHD former CEO, PAM OTT, INDICTED

Sources say Pam Ott will be in court this week to face charges in the elder abuse cases involving her time as administrator/CEO of the Kern Valley Healthcare District.

After months of waiting to see if the California Department of Justice, Attorney General, Edmund G. Brown Jr., agents from Medical Fraud and elder abuse, could bring truth to the case against the district, it looks like a new defendant, former KVHD CEO,Pam Ott, will most likely be facing a judge this week.

Although Ott is one of many responsible for the chaos and system breakdown which took place at the KVHD nursing center, and one of several administrators who fled the scene as civil lawsuits, threats of closure and exposure, were looming in 2007.

But Ott was the leadership, and it was the leadership who tried to escape responsibility for their actions blaming it on others, covering tracks and creating scapegoats.

More than two years after, Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pamela Ott, resigned during the crisis in the skilled nursing facility, sources say that Ott will be in Kern County Superior court on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to face her indictment and responsibilities for her part of what happened at KVHD in 2006/2007.




With an on-going state investigation netting enough evidence to bring Ott back to Kern county where she originally fled from as the KVHD nursing center was on the verge of closing because of poor practices, possibly lack of knowledge, but certainly lack of oversight by the hospital's administrative team.

The original three indictments, from Feb. of this year, but regarding the time period of Aug. 1, 2006 to Jan. 25, 2007, of Dr. Hoshang Pormir, Gwen Hughes, Director of Nursing and Debbi Hayes, Pharmacist did not fit the evidence of those closest to the situation.

The administration led by Ott, ignored or punished negative information from the employees, the press and residents of the Skilled Nursing Facility as investigators from the state's Medical fraud and Elder abuse Bureau of the Department of Justice set upon the hospital.

Recently, things began to change in regard to the investigation, and on August 14, the state put another charge onto the pharmacist, for conspiracy, injurious to the public. Hayes, plead out on the count, receiving a one year suspended jail sentence, and three years probation along with community service.

The Pharmacists role in the upcoming court hearings is still speculation, but she may end up as a witness in the case. Nothing solid on that yet.

Though the Department of Justice is quiet as to its intentions, waiting until late Friday, as the Kern County Superior Court website showed a "new" item on its calendar for Sept. 8, when Dr. Pormir and Gwen Hughes have scheduled pre-prelim hearings, there was a third item: Motion to amend complaint.

Calls and emails came in asking me about this, and finally, with some certainty, we have learned that Pam Ott has been indicted. At this time we don't have the exact charges, but will get those to you after the holiday.

We will be in court on Tuesday, Sept.8, and we will have our cameras.

As to others who still linger at the hospital, there is no word, if there any other indictments coming up. We will be watching closely.

But I would say to the state, and its investigators, that Ott has been gone for two years, yet the problems remained. The nursing facility was reputed to be short staffed again, and high priced contracts, costing the hospital almost three million dollars, did not solve the problems.

Chief Financial Officer, Chet Beedle, has repeated many times since 2007, that the hospital has never been short staffed. Though he recently admitted to the fact that LVN's and RN's were supposedly doing the work of nurse's aides, who spend most of their working hours in direct contact with the residents, and some strongly disagreed with Mr. Beedle's observations.

In 2006, Ott, Beedle and Bob Jamison, indeed lead this community on a wild goose chase for a general obligation bond that would have not sufficed, and architectural plans that were not workable, and finally, watched the staff shrink in the nursing facility, care for residents compromised, then directed a stranger, a new director of nursing to order whatever pharmaceuticals she wanted, as Gwen Hughes was supposed to have years of experience regarding chemical restraints.

Documents from the hospital showed that Ott signed off on the skilled nursing facility annual surveys, yet, the state allowed her to get away with some serious stretching of the truth about the actual problems.

Including short staffing. Click on document to read.

Employees claimed to be harassed and frightened, and most certainly overworked, dominated by an administration which stuck together refusing information about what was truly going on at the district.

And board members who hired Ott, with credentials from a diploma mill, appear to have allowed her to run roughshod over the district, employees, residents, patients, and even doctors.

The day after Ott stepped down, board member, Brad Armstrong, allegedly went into Ott's office, closed the door behind them, as human resources manager at the time, Michelle Rosado, fired several employees who were obviously thought to be a threat.

On that same day, Heidi Sage, Administrative Assistant, who worked in the CEO's office, was not at work while the terminations were taking place. Sage's mother, Tish Orr, who is a witness in the indictments, and someone I interviewed, went out on stress leave, because of the lack of help with the situation in the nursing center.

Armstrong has never answered to any questions regarding his role in the skilled nursing facility systems which failed. Or the short staffing where only the employees would say that they were not adequately staffed, and therefore care was compromised, but not the former chairman, Armstrong.

The twenty year board member (and that's what term limits are about folks, do you want 20 years of the same mistakes and attitude, or just 8?)

Armstrong, had an opportunity in 10/2006 to listen to the employees and order an investigation. But the chairman treated it like a mutiny, chastising the employees for not going up chain of command. Though the employees said they had already been to the CNO, Sharon Brucker, and Pam Ott, with Armstrong and the board, the open door policy slammed on their fingers.

This man, Bob Jamison, board member and local radio star, used blogs and his radio show to attack those who would believe that there were serious problems at the hospital.

He allowed, the now indicted, CEO, Pam Ott, to come for an hour on his talk show to give her side of the story. (See "Here's your witness Jerry Brown: Ott on QAB)

I asked Mr. Jamison at the last board meeting this month if Ott was indicted if he would take her back to the radio station and defend her.

His answer was just to stare at me.

My hope is that we clean out all the dirt, and that the people I have mentioned throughout this blog be put under oath and then tell their stories under the penalty of perjury.

This hospital needs to heal, Ott's indictment is a good start. But there are others who need to face their participation in the situation. Hopefully, in court, but if not, then there must be other ways to deal with them.

More info and pics to come...Will keep you updated.

This may help explain things...

When I was about five years old, our family, my adopted mother and father, and my adopted sister and I took a road trip up the coast from Southern California up into Oregon and Washington.

On that journey we were to discover I could not read in the car without throwing up; that I had an allergy to bee stings; and I had a sudden fear of heights as my mother wanted me to look over a cliff to see some ground squirrels. (Put it on black and white film, add Betty Davis or Joan Crawford, and you'll understand the feeling I had being dangled over a cliff. It took me years of cliff climbing to get over that.)

I digress as usual. When we finally arrived, a bit haggard, in Oregon, we went to the Sequoia groves to see what my parents touted as the "biggest tree in the world."

The signs all around the park had information about how big the tree was. As it was dead, we got to go inside and walk around in the belly of the enormous tree.

Then it happens, my father, in an effort to probably just entertain me, as it's not Disneyland, its a tree, decides to tell me that the tree is bigger than our house.

I looked around the tree, measuring it against my image of the house and ask him, "do you mean taller or wider?"

He gave me a crooked answer, "both."

Then the argument started. I could not accept that it was taller, and really it didn't look wider either.

I'm sure he regretted ever saying that, because I could not let it go and our family vacation shifted into dozens of questions as to why he thought the tree was bigger than the house.

He tried to swat me several times as we made our way from this family outing back to the OC.

When I got home, the first thing I did, was go into the garage and get the tape measure off of my father's work bench.

He saw me do it, and tried to take the thing away from me, but I managed to slip away.

I struggled with the tape measure trying to get it all the way across the house only to find it wouldn't reach.

Possibly exasperation, or maybe a curiosity like mine, forced my father to come out and help me measure the house. We finally got it done, and he asked me if I was satisfied.

Then when we used the measurements to compare and the indeed I was correct, the tree was not as wide, only taller than our house.

I slept good that night.

I taught my father that if you're going to tell me something that doesn't compute, I could ruin your whole vacation.

And my father showed me he could have compassion and admit to being wrong, even with a five year old.

Oh, and yeah, I stopped by the KVHD board meeting for a few minutes to talk to the people regarding the answer to the question below.

Though my voice was garbled as I chewed on my Twizzlers which are helping me cut back on the smoking, I could be heard to have said to Bob Jamison, "If Pam Ott is indicted, will you take her up to your radio station and defend her again like you did three years ago."

I patiently waited for an answer. None came. He glared at me, but appeared to be shocked that I would ask. It's not like I haven't been talking about it.

Then I asked when did you know about what was going on in the skilled nursing facility?

My focus was the three bold faced liars, two who sit on the board probably collecting health insurance and free lunches, Bob Jamison, Brad Armstrong, and CFO, Chet Beedle.

Of all the things, the deceit, arrogance, hubris, all deficiencies of character, it boils down to how people were treated and how it effected their lives.

I briefly spoke with one former employee, sacked in the potato race, and she could hardly speak about it. Her life was shattered. The mere mention of KVHD brought her to tears.

Over and over I hear it, feel it, and I looked at those three in complete consternation of how they could be sitting there after all that has gone on.

Armstrong, the board member with the longest time put in on KVHD, 20 plus years. I put it to him about the millions of dollars, the construction, the utter stupidity.

And, I directly asked him when he knew about the problems in the skilled nursing facility. I said I guess it will take a lawyer to get it out of you.

Those clams were not coming out for the bake. But I didn't care, I just carried a message with me from all who have spoken to me, shared their stories, and it was direct.

I asked Armstrong how Pam Ott's credentials came past the board of directors and HR without a batting of an eye. Or maybe the batting of eyes, I don't know.

While setting some spines into Beedle, CEO, Tim McGlew, corrected me on a matter about the coroner's roll in the death certificate process. I like Tim, I like information.

The dentistry it took to get the documents I currently have was like pulling teeth every time a request was made. This was not just the hospital though. This goes right into the local public health where a familiar name, Linda Wilkinson, and a couple others, have not overtly refused to give me records, but just simply don't do anything about it.

I was supposed to be able to look over the DPH records from KVHD, set up an appointment, in April, a friend with good eyes and a car, and I were scheduled to go down to Bakersfield and get a gander at the records.

Suddenly, Wilkinson was out of town, according to her email. Requests now for even public documents under FOIA have been made unavailable.

I'm sure these people don't have the time or the effort to fulfill the legal requirements regarding "paperwork."

It's been an interesting road at best, watching and learning how the machinations of the government protect themselves. Yes, I said that.

And I've also made some very inflammatory remarks about suing the hospital this week. After one woman, whose father's death was a surprise, a lack of help from the hospital, she decided to go with an attorney. I don't know if she had one already, but I couldn't deny that relying on an attorney, would probably be better than waiting for this reporter with only so much time and access.

That topic could go on and on.

I left the board meeting right after I spoke, no cameras, no recordings.

Still wondering about many things...measure the house.