Aaron James Bassler, 35, of Fort Bragg, Calif., is being sought for the murder of Fort Bragg City Councilman Jere Melo on Saturday, August 27, 2011. He also is being charged with the shooting on Aug. 11, 2011, of 44-year-old Matthew Coleman. Mendocino County Sheriff's Office photo.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A Fort Bragg man who is the suspect in the Aug. 27 murder of a Fort Bragg councilman was charged on Friday with another murder as well as the attempted murder of a third man.

Aaron James Bassler, 35, has been the focus of a weeklong search after the shooting death last weekend of 69-year-old Jere Melo, as Lake County News has reported.

Bassler is believed to be still hiding in rugged forestland between Willits and Fort Bragg.

Reports from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office and the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office said that Bassler is now being charged with the murder of Matthew Coleman, and for the attempted murder of a witness who was with Melo when he was shot.

Based on evidence collected at both murder scenes, detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for Bassler in connection with the shootings, according to Mendocino County Sheriff's Capt. Kurt Smallcomb.

Coleman, 44, of Albion was found shot to death near Westport on Aug. 11, officials reported.

Smallcomb said both Melo and Coleman were shot and killed while conducting duties related to their forestry management profession.

He said Mendocino County Sheriff's detectives are continuing to collect evidence, speaking with witnesses and conferring with both the California Department of Justice Forensic Laboratory analysts and the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster filed a complaint Friday accusing Bassler of the murders and the attempted murder.

Eyster filed the formal complaint in the Ten Mile Division of Mendocino County Superior Court in Fort Bragg. A declaration in support of an arrest warrant also was submitted to the court.

“I believe there is sufficient evidence to accuse the suspect of both slayings,” said Eyster.

Eyster declined Friday to comment on specific evidence that investigators believe link the Melo and Coleman killings.

“This is not the time,” said Eyster.

Sheriff investigators have been consulting regularly with the District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and other allied law enforcement agencies.

Mendocino County Sheriff's Office personnel, with the assistance of officers and agents from the Fort Bragg Police Department, Willits Police Department, Ukiah Police Department, Cal Fire, California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, California Fish and Game, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshall's Office, United States National Guard and the local timber industry are continuing their search efforts in an attempt to apprehend Bassler.

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Officers will be on duty during the MEP, which begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, and continues through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5.

“Celebrate the Labor Day weekend but remember to celebrate safely,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Since California enjoys such fantastic weather this time of year, our roadways may be congested with traffic and pedestrians. Many families will be out and about in our great state to enjoy the last days of summer.”

Last year over Labor Day weekend, 21 people were killed in collisions on California roadways. In addition, more than half of all vehicle occupants killed in CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

During the Labor Day weekend 2010, CHP officers throughout the state made 1,521 arrests for driving under the influence, which was up 7 percent from the previous year.

“End summer on a high note and drive safely, soberly and defensively,” said Farrow. “There is no excuse to for driving while intoxicated. Designate a non-drinking driver before you head out, and always ensure that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.”

Motorists are reminded to call 911 if they see a suspected drunk driver.

To assist law enforcement, callers should be prepared to provide the dispatcher with a description of the vehicle, its location and direction of travel.

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The Ferris wheel towers over the still-silent midway at the Lake County Fair in Lakeport, Calif., on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The home of the Lake County was filled with activity on Wednesday as the final preparations for the opening of the event were under way.

The Ferris wheel towered over the midway as other carnival rides were assembled. Nearby exhibit halls were filling with arts, crafts, flowers, baked goods, photography and other items created by local residents. Vendors were putting up booths to line the fair's main pathways.

In the livestock buildings, 4-H and FFA members were tending to their livestock in preparation for shows and the weekend Junior Livestock Auction.

“We're looking forward to a great year,” said Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons, who was busy overseeing the final preparations. “The weather is going to be fantastic.”

Carousel horses sit waiting for a busy weekend on the midway of the Lake County Fair in Lakeport, Calif., on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

The fair, which runs from Thursday, Sept. 1, through Sunday, Sept. 4, averages an estimated 40,000 annual visitors, according to Persons.

He said the first Lake County Fair was held in 1880. However, the events weren't held annually until the fair moved to the current fairgrounds at 401 Martin St. in 1948.

The kickoff to the fair takes place on Thursday evening, with the annual Lake County Fair Parade.

Starting at 5:30 p.m., the parade will make its way from Natural High School on N. Main Street, traveling south until it reaches Martin Street, and then traveling to the fair's main gate, where the opening ribbon cutting ceremony will take place. Everyone who enters the parade with a float will receive free entry to the fair.

This year's fair parade grand marshal is Ginny Craven, founder of Operation Tango Mike, a group which over the past several years has sent thousands of care packages to members of the military stationed overseas.

Sheep wait for the show in the livestock pavilion at the Lake County Fair in Lakeport, Calif., on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

Fair organizers hope to bring this year's theme – “Make Some Magic!” – to another large audience, and so far indications are that it should be a strong year for attendance.

Persons said presale ticket sales – which ended on Wednesday – have been brisk. A steady stream of visitors were making their way into the fair office Wednesday afternoon to pick up tickets ahead of the fair in order to beat what are expected to be long lines.

Also up “by quite a bit” this year are commercial spaces, said Persons, and the number of animals entered in the livestock division also has grown. So far spaces in the exhibit halls for fair contest entries appear to be on par with previous years.

The late Jean Holdenried's colorful quilt

Lakeport Fire personnel extricated the pilot of this amphibious plane which crashed outside of Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, September 2, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Bay Area man suffered major injuries on Friday afternoon when his single-engine airplane crashed into a vineyard outside of Lakeport.

The crash occurred shortly before 5 p.m. in the area of George Road and Mathews Road, according to radio reports. The plane involved was a single-engine, fixed-wing Lake Amphibious craft.

The pilot – whose name officials have not yet released – had taken off from nearby Lampson Field when he crashed into the vineyard, located on private property, according to Lt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Tom Wasson of Tom's Aircraft Enterprises at Lampson Field said he saw the crash take place.

He and a mechanic from his business went to the scene, where a retired deputy sheriff who lives in the area opened the gate into the vineyard.

When the men arrived, they found the plane's engine still running. Wasson said he then shut off the fuel and the engine.

Lakeport Fire, sheriff's personnel and the California Highway Patrol responded to the crash site.

When they arrived, Macedo said they found the pilot, described as a man in his late 70s, conscious and complaining of pain.

“The medics on scene said he had suffered from multiple fracture to the arms and legs,” and also had a large forehead laceration, Macedo said.

The pilot, who Macedo said was from San Rafael, was the plane's only occupant, Macedo said.

Macedo said a Lakeport Fire ambulance transported the pilot to Lampson Field.

Radio reports indicated that at Lampson Field the Lakeport Fire ambulance met a REACH air ambulance. After the patient was transferred to the helicopter it lifted off at about 5:30 p.m. to transport the man to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The crash site was secured and Macedo said he spoke with Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board officials to notify them of the incident.

“They're going to be sending somebody out, possibly over the weekend, to take a look at it,” he said.

Federal aviation officials will make arrangements to have the plane removed from the vineyard once they've conducted the investigation, Macedo said.

The plane's N-Number is registered to a San Rafael-based corporation, Laconia LLC. According to FAA records, the plane was manufactured in 1980 and has a valid registration through Jan. 31, 2014.

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A single-engine, fixed-wing Lake Amphibious craft crashed into a vineyard outside of Lakeport, Calif., late on the afternoon of Friday, September 2, 2011. Photo by Sharon Thornton.

The fire restrictions will continue through the end of fire season, according to a Thursday report.

“This summer the Mendocino National Forest has been very fortunate when it comes to wildland fire,” said Acting Forest Supervisor Lee Johnson. “We would like forest visitors to help us continue this by being safe when using fires in designated areas, complying with these fire restrictions and reporting smoke when they see it. By being aware we can all help protect the forest’s resources from human-caused wildfires.”

Under the restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal fires or stoves are prohibited on the National Forest unless in the following designated recreation sites:

• Upper Lake Ranger District – Fuller Grove, Fuller Group Camp, Navy Camp, Pogie Point, Oak Flat, Sunset, Middle Creek, Deer Valley, Bear Creek, Penny Pines and Lower Nye Campgrounds.

• Grindstone Ranger District – Red Bluff Recreation Area and Big Springs Day Use Area; Whitlock, Kingsley Glade, Sugarfoot Glade, Three Prong, Wells Cabin, Sugar Springs, Letts Lake, Mill Valley, Dixie Glade, Plaskett Meadows, Masterson, Little Stony, Grey Pine, Fouts Springs, Davis Flat, South Fork, Cedar Camp, Mill Creek, North Fork and Old Mill Campgrounds.

• Covelo Ranger District – Eel River, Little Doe, Howard Lake and Hammerhorn Lake Campgrounds.

California Campfire Permits are not needed in the designated recreation sites listed. In all other areas of the forest, lanterns or portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel with be allowed as long as the person has a current California Campfire Permit with them.

California Campfire Permits may be obtained at any Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management or CAL FIRE office in California, as well as most Forest Service field employees. They may also be obtained online at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino under passes and permits and click on recreation passes and permits.

The following activities are also prohibited as part of the fire restrictions:

• Smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or in the designated recreation sites listed above.

• Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.

• Using explosives.

• Possessing, discharging or using any kind of fireworks.

Forest visitors will be able to continue riding Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) on designated roads and trails, provided that the vehicles are equipped with the required spark arresters.

Spark arresters are also required on chainsaws being used for people filling valid personal use wood cutting permits, and may also only be used on designated roads and trails.

Temporary fire restrictions are put in place annually to protect natural resources and limit the threat of human-caused wildfires.

Similar restrictions are going into effect on neighboring forests. However, restrictions can vary by forest and visitors should check with the forest they plan on visiting for the latest fire restrictions and conditions.

For the Mendocino National Forest, the fire restrictions are formally referenced through Order Number 08-11-06.

Violation of these fire restrictions is punishable by a fine of no more than $5,000 for an individual, $10,000 for an organization, or up to six months imprisonment or both.

Fire season typically ends in late fall following a series of drenching, measurable rains in the mountains. An announcement will follow when fire restrictions are lifted.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.

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Robert Coker and an American Indian statue at Tatonka Land. Photo by Beth-Katherine Kaiman.

Tatonka Land will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday.

Owners Bunnie Carter and Robert Coker have spent months restoring the golf course to its original glory.

Over the past several years, the course had been vandalized and all the statues either stolen or destroyed. They were able to locate and restore a few of the original statues.

One of the statues they were able to track down was a polar bear that had been seen lying next to the course for years before it suddenly disappeared.

Thanks to the efforts of Russ Jonas of Jonas Oil the bear was rescued and found a new home with Craig Scovel of Highlands Alarm. When the word went out there were new owners Scovel returned the bear, which now wears a name tag that says “Craig.”

Carter and Coker opened Tatonka Trading in January 2009.

There's a new sheriff in town and her name is Cowlamity Jane. Photo by Beth-Katherine Kaiman.

“It has always been my dream to restore the golf course,” said Carter. “I have invested my retirement money into the future of Clearlake and I feel this town is going to come back in full force for the community to have a place to be proud of.”

She added, “I remember while growing up here, the resorts were full with people and there were always people walking down the street laughing and having a good time. I felt the community needed a safe place for our kids to hang out and stay out of trouble, so we opened Tatonka Land.”

In addition to the 18-hole miniature golf course, guests will be able to have rides on Zippy Pets, which are battery operated, ride-on animals able to hold up to 300 pounds. Kids can ride them on their own or with their parent.

Tatonka Land is keeping it affordable for all families. Five dollars will get you an 18 hole round of golf or a ride on one of the Zippy Pets. Special prices are available for birthday parties, office parties, family reunions, etc.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Following a parade through downtown Lakeport on Thursday evening, the Lake County Fair opened to waiting crowds.

The fair will run through Sunday, Sept. 4, at the fairgrounds, 401 Martin St.

Highlights will include grandstand shows and musical performances, a demolition derby, the Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday and much more.

For more information visit www.lakecountyfair.com.

The full schedule may be viewed below.

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