HISTORY OF LOCKEPORT - The True Stories of Locke, California: 1926 Voting Registry Reveals Even More History

HISTORY OF LOCKEPORT - The True Stories of Locke, California: 1926 Voting Registry Reveals Even More History: On this blog so far I have shown the names of registered voters living in Locke going as far back as 1916-1918, 1920-1922 and now I have th...

Rootbeer Bar slide.

Martha Esch also paints live weddings and other events! 19167761000

 

Famous Delta Breeze at Locke B & B

Famous Delta Breeze at Locke B & B

Locke’s oldest building up for County Tax Lien Auction February 22, 2021

Someone (other than the Locke board members) please buy it and restore it!

Lockeport Hotel & Restaurant — Locke’s oldest building on auction block! Could go for a song.

 

• Oldest Locke, California building — believed to have been built between 1893 and 1907.

• Deceased owner on title. 

• Unpaid property taxes and CID assessments since approximately 2012. 

•  It’s a fixer upper, for sure.  

• Dangerously leaning about 18” past vertical, over neighboring building.

• (Supposedly) cannot be demolished because it’s within the town of Locke, which is on the

National Historic Landmark Register. 

• Restoration is encouraged.

• County Assessor valuation on this property in 2021 is $20,116.

• Property taxes owed (guesstimate)  $1,000 to $3,000 (approximately $200/year.)

• LMA assessments owed —   9 years unpaid = approximately $14,400 ($1600/year commercial zone)

• Location: Corner of River Road at 1250 Levee Road, Locke (Walnut Grove) CA 95690

• Caution: litigious CID Common Interest Development board of directors w/ multiple lawsuits..

• ROFR Right of First Refusal policy for priority property purchase rights to list of 400 Chinese ancestors.

• 25 day ROFR window for board to assign or waive the ROFR.

• If interested, suggest you immediately contact Sacramento Supervisor Don Nottoli at (916)874-5411 since the LMA board seems to be dissolved or dissolving and is no longer reachable by phone or by certified mail.

• Unknown who removed the auction notice within 48 hours after it appeared, but likely someone who doesn’t want any bidding competition.  

• Online auction on February 22, 2021, however the posted notice didn’t say at what time or web address.

• Notice lists Tax Collector phone (916)874-6621 also try 6622

• If you plan to bid on it, GOOD LUCK!!! 

 

The coolest cars come to Locke, California!

600 hp British race car in front of Gambling House, Locke, CA.

Car Owner is Anthony Martinis of Sacramento, California. In the early days of Lockeportt (now Locke) California, the building in the background, as described in the 1986 HABS Historical American Building Survey, a National Park Service document,  was the Yuen Lai Sing Gambling House.  It is located at 1265 Levee Road at the south end of Main Street in Locke, California.

George W. Locke painting almost done...

02-11-14 LMA Meeting ~ comment transcription

1) Brown Act Violation: LMA disallowed public comments before taking action votes on agenda items January 11 2014 and Feb 11 2014 meetings (and each and every LMA meeting prior). 2) Brown Act Violation 2) January 11, 2014 LMA meeting was started at 6:35pm with 5 directors (less than a quorum required for the 13 member board). At 6:43 pm Director Woo arrived – still less than a quorum. 3) LMA CC&R’s Violation: Illegal Election of Officers at January 14, 2014 LMA meeting. At the February 11, 2014 LMA meeting, Esch asked to speak to agenda item “Approval of Minutes,” regarding the recorded minutes of the January 11, 2014. Transcribed audio from LMA February 11, 2014: 7:54 Chair Correia: Did everyone review the minutes? 7:55 Director Alexander: Yeah, I’ll make a motion to approve the minutes. 7:59 Esch: Public comment? 8:03 Director Marr: I’ll second. 8:08 Chair Correia: We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? Esch: Public comment, please? Board: Aye, aye, aye. Esch: Before you make a motion to approve? - Chair Correia: Opposed? Abstentions? Okay, yes Martha? Esch: Before you vote, you should allow public comment to every issue on your agenda as per Brown Act. I’d like to make note that you’ve not included my objection during your last meeting. Actually I made two objections. One was during the Establishment of Quorum, I made an objection that you only had five Directors present once again, and I questioned whether you have taken that to the Board of Supervisors. The other objection I had during the meeting is also not included on these Minutes, and that was regarding the election. You have not sent out any ballots to the members of this association as per your CC&R requirements. Chairman Correia: The minutes are for the use of the Board. Esch: They are for the public as well. Chairman Correia: Please don’t interrupt. We can prepare them as we see fit, thank you.

2nd story views on Locke's Main Street

Before George W. Locke settled Lockeport, California

Before George W. Locke settled Lockeport, California, after the Gold Rush,  Native Americans inhabited the land that is now known as Locke, California.

Locke California April 5, 2013

We "Paint the Town" 9:30 to Noon in Locke every 1st Saturday morning, weather permitting. Come join us!

March 2013.

Bob Dylan's Village revisited in Locke

LMA vs. Esch UPDATE posted January 16, 2013:

 In late November 2012, LMA board lost their appeal of my building permit application that was approved by the county. The vote by the Sacramento County Planning Commission was 4-0. A month prior to that hearing, five of the LMA board members had a secret email chain with votes within the emails and also wrote a check from the Locke property owners' treasury funds, allocating $1878 to schedule the Appeal hearing without a required prior public meeting and without prior knowledge of the Locke property owners.

The bigger property lawsuit case they have against me should come to the table sometime soon. At present,  the LMA board acts like nothing has ever happened. I haven't heard a word from them or their lawyer in over 7 months regarding their lawsuit against me and Dona LaBlanc in Illinois. Dona told me she also hasn't heard anything from LMA or their lawyer. The LMA board and its lawyer are once again, ignoring the Superior Court Judge's ruling. The most recent ruling was made in August 2012 for them to send Dona and me their case management statements, but they haven't as of yet.

 Meanwhile, the LMA/LF Boards continue violating the Brown Act at their monthly meetings, such as:
1) in November 2012 and January 2013 calling the 5 LMA directors present a quorum of 13 and continuing on with their meetings despite audience objections, then making several action votes;
 2) self-electing three of themselves back into their expired chair seats without distributing ballots to homeowners;
 3) appointing one of the LMA board member's friends, onto a home owner chair seat - his qualifications are questioned as he's believed to be a renter and new in town, less than 6 months, and his name was not on the nomination list that was distributed to property owners in October 2012. Also, no voting ballots were subsequently distributed to Locke property owners. At the January LMA meeting that was held without a quorum, He was seated without any counted ballots of homeowners and without any action vote of LMA board. Note: The property owners and renters in Locke don't necessarily have a problem with him being seated on the boards. The objection is with the hypocrisy of the LMA/LF boards in once again, ignoring or changing the CC&R rules to suit their own wishes.

Since 2006, the LMA/LF boards have adamantly opposed Lisa Kirk, a pro-active business owner/renter in Locke, from qualifying for property owner board seats since her name is not on a Locke property title. Yet, in January 2013, one of the LMA Directors appointed her friend to the seat w/o public discussion, votes of property owners, and without votes of a quorum of LMA Directors. Her own chair seat expired in December 2012 and she re-nominated and re-appointed herself, also without votes of the property owners and without action votes of a quorum of board members. Pat Braziel re-appointed herself to her expired board seat, again, too - note that Braziel has been perpetually seated since LMA's formation in 2005 - eight years ago.  At the January LMA meeting, it was questioned by an audience member how and why the chair seat term limits are continuously ignored. Braziel replied, "There are terms, but no term limits." The legality of this is also questioned.

Charlie and Mary in front of Strange Cargo,in Locke California December 2010

My kids 'n me in December 2010 in front of my little staircase art gallery across from Strange Cargo in Locke,CA.

more Dogs and Cats of Locke

Joe, the door greeter town cat at Strange Cargo

Mark J. and Diane T. on Levee Road Locke 2009