NICE, Calif. – The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force arrested two people and seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia following a Thursday probation search.

Kyan Jordan Vandyke, 42, and Jasmine Leigh Schrade, 31, were arrested following the search, which occurred at about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives conducted the search at the motorhome located in the 1900 block of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff where Vandyke and Schrade were living, Brooks said.

During the search detectives located a pair of pants next to the bed. Brooks said a search of the pockets revealed a glass pipe in the right front pocket, which is commonly used to ingest methamphetamine. A wallet was located in the left rear pocket of the pants which contained identification belonging to Vandyke.

Narcotics detectives located a safe inside a closet. Neither Vandyke nor Schrade claimed ownership of the safe. They also denied knowing the combination to the safe or what was inside it, Brooks said.

Detectives opened the safe and located several hypodermic needles, metal spoons, two boxes of 9 millimeter ammunition, another glass “meth” pipe and a plastic bag containing methamphetamine, Brooks said.

Also inside the safe, according to Brooks, were documents belonging to Schrade who eventually admitted that the contents of the safe belonged to both her and Vandyke.

Vandyke was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled substance and for violating the terms of his probation, Brooks said.

He said Schrade was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia and for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Both subjects were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Ukiah man was arrested earlier this week after leading California Highway Patrol officers on a high speed chase and ramming his vehicle into one of the patrol cars.

Officers used a Taser on James Leroy Obryant, 40, and shot his dog after it attacked one of the officers near Upper Lake on Sunday morning, according to the CHP report.

Obryant was driving his 1994 Chrysler Concord northbound on Scotts Valley Road, north of Kelly’s Family Campground, when Officer Mark Crutcher noticed the vehicle had expired registration, the CHP reported.

The CHP said Obryant failed to yield when Crutcher tried to pull him over, and a pursuit resulted, with Obryant continuing northbound on Scotts Valley Road and making a left turn onto Highway 20, reaching speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.

Obryant made a left onto Irvine Road and then another left onto Laurel Dell Road, failing to stop for numerous stop signs and allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road in a reckless manner, the CHP said.

He continued eastbound on Laurel Dell Road and made a left turn into a private residence. When Crutcher made a left turn into the residence’s driveway, Obryant put the vehicle into reverse and rapidly accelerated, ramming the front of Crutcher’s patrol car, according to the CHP report.

After hitting Crutcher’s car, Obryant then continued out of the driveway and headed to Highway 20, where CHP Officer Pohl saw the vehicle heading westbound, west of Blue Lakes, the CHP said.

Pohl attempted to stop Obryant, who continued westbound before pulling into a residential driveway and stopping. The CHP report said Obryant and his dog then fled the vehicle.

Officers Matt Holzhauer and Dave Gerstenkorn arrived on scene and saw Obryant running. The CHP said that when Obryant refused to obey the officers’ instructions, they used a Taser to subdue him.

Obryant’s dog attacked Gerstenkorn, causing him to discharge his firearm, killing the dog, the CHP said.

Following the arrest, officer seized approximately 299 grams of marijuana from the vehicle, according to the CHP.

Obryant was booked on a felony bench warrant, a felony charge of evading a peace officer and failure to appear. His bail was set at $85,000, and he remained in custody on Friday, according to jail records.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – While encouraging wildfire preparedness this week, Cal Fire is also reminding residents of the dangers posed by arson.

Cal Fire has joined the United States Fire Administration in announcing the theme for the 2013 Arson Awareness Week: Reducing Residential Arson.

The goal for this year’s Arson Awareness Week, which takes place May 5-11, is to provide all residents with strategies to combat arson in their neighborhoods.

According to the USFA’s National Fire Incident Reporting System, during 2008-10, an estimated 16,800 intentionally set fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States.

These fires result in an estimated 280 deaths, 775 injuries, and $593 million in property loss each year. The average dollar loss for an intentionally set fire in a residential building is $21,320.

The fatality rate for intentionally set residential fires was more than twice that of other residential building fires.

“Arson fires rob neighborhoods and communities of valuable assets such as lives, property and natural resources,” said Cal Fire Assistant Deputy Director Clare Frank. “Residents can do a lot to prevent arson by safeguarding their homes and keeping a watchful eye on their neighborhood.”

What can you do to prevent my home against arson?

• Illuminate exterior and entrances to your home. Install motion-activated lights on all sides of the house. These are relatively inexpensive.
• Clear all obstructions. Trim or remove brush that blocks the view of a home from the street.
• Install smoke alarms and fire sprinkler systems. The combination of smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers reduces the likelihood of death from a fire. This is the most effective fire loss prevention and reduction measurement.
• Keep doors and windows locked. A simple locked door could be the deterrent that saves a home from arson.
• Clean your yard. Remove excess of piles of leaves or vegetation and clean around your house and garage to remove unused paper, trash, cans of paint or other materials.
• Clean up vacant homes. Make sure to secure abandoned and vacant homes. Keep doors and windows locked or boarded up with plywood. Remove any abandoned vehicles. Make sure all utilities are disconnected.

Whether it is a wildland fire or a house fire, investigators need your help.

The public is encouraged to call the Cal Fire Arson Hotline, 1-800-468-4408, if suspicious activity is observed. Details, such as a description of suspicious people and vehicles are very helpful to investigators.

Rewards of up to $10,000 are available for information leading to an arrest and conviction of persons responsible for committing the crime of arson within state jurisdiction.

For more information and resources for the 2013 Arson Awareness Week campaign, visit www.usfa.fema.gov/aaw or visit Cal Fire’s Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – One man was arrested and another is still being sought in connection to a Thursday hit-and-run collision that injured two people near Kelseyville.

The California Highway Patrol said Adam James Gates, 32, of Kelseyville was arrested for obstruction and providing false information to a peace officer, with officials still seeking 24-year-old Anthony Jarvis, also of Kelseyville.

The CHP said that just after 3 p.m. Thursday Jarvis was driving a 1999 Dodge pickup towing a utility trailer headed northbound on Highway 29 south of Bottle Rock Road, with Sean Nugent, 43, of Kelseyville riding his 2013 Harley-Davidson motorcycle southbound. Nugent had a 14-year-old male juvenile riding as his passenger.

Jarvis, who the CHP said was driving at an unsafe speed as he pulled the trailer through a turn, lost control of his pickup, which jack-knifed and rotated sideways, blocking both lanes and spilling part of the load, the CHP said.

Nugent was unable to avoid hitting the trailing and suffered major injuries. The CHP said the juvenile had minor injuries.

Following the crash, Jarvis immediately jumped into a passing 1986 Toyota pickup, driven by Gates, according to the CHP. The men fled the scene without notifying authorities or checking on the welfare of Nugent or his passenger.

The CHP said Nugent was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Witnesses at the scene provided the CHP with a description of the fleeing vehicle and suspects. While CHP officers searched the area for the two men, Gates called 911 and told CHP Dispatch he had been carjacked at knifepoint.

CHP officers met with Gates and determined that he had made up the carjacking story to throw off investigators, according to the report.

They subsequently arrested him and he was booked into the Lake County Jail on the misdemeanor charges, with bail set at $5,000. Jail records indicated he later posted bail and was released.

On Friday the CHP continued to search for Jarvis, who is described as a white male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 180 pounds, with short blonde hair and blue eyes.

The CHP said he also goes by the names of Anthony Resh and Anthony Thornberg, and the nickname Yoda.

Anyone with information on Jarvis' whereabouts should call the CHP Clear Lake Area office, 707-279-0103.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lakeport will once again host a Memorial Day celebration later this month.

Lakeport’s annual Memorial Day Parade will take place on Saturday, May 25.

The parade will start at 11 a.m. sharp on Main Street, with Paul Reading returning as parade announcer.

The parade route travels from the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street, entering Main at Martin Street and traveling north to Clear Lake Avenue, with the judges’ stand in front of the museum between Second and Third streets.

Entry applications are available on the Lake County Chamber Web site, www.lakecochamber.com ; click on the parade banner on the home page.

The chamber anticipates approximately 60 entries reflecting the theme “Salute to America’s Heroes.” Each year this parade salutes the members of our Armed Forces, retired and active.   

The parade is sanctioned by the California State Horsemen’s Association, which presents an opportunity for equestrians to earn points for the CSHA annual award. Kim Cipro of Hidden Valley Lake is the sanctioned CSHA Judge for the parade.

The annual 4-H pancake breakfast at Natural High School on Main Street will be hosted again this year from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday by the Lakeport Kiwanis, who also sponsor a two-day craft faire at the same location. The Lakeport Main Street Association will have a booth at the faire providing opportunities to win a watercraft.

The chamber requests members of the public honor the no parking signs, which will be posted on Main Street from First Street to Fourth Street, calling for no parking during the hours of 10 a.m. to noon, as it will allow unobstructed views of the parade for spectators.   

On Sunday, May 26, the Lake County Corvette Club will have a Corvettes only Show & Shine next to Library Park.

For more information, call the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, 707-263-5092.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Federal, state and local authorities are searching the North State for a Shingletown man alleged to have shot to death his wife and two children.

The Shasta County Sheriff's Office said the search is on for 45-year-old Shane Franklin Miller, who is on the run after his family was found murdered in their Alpine Way home in Shingletown on Tuesday night.

Officials said a nationwide manhunt bulletin has been issued for Miller, whose wife, 34-year-old Sandy Miller, and the couple's two daughters, 8-year-old Shelby and 4-year-old Shasta, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The weapon so far has not been identified or located.

Humboldt County officials reported that Miller's gold 2010 Dodge pickup was found abandoned near Petrolia on Wednesday.

Miller is described as a white male with red hair and blue eyes. He is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds.

He is considered armed and dangerous, possibly having access to a cache of weapons. The public should not approach Miller; if he's seen, call 911.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Northshore Fire Protection District is teaming up with Boy Scouts of America to offer an explorer program that introduces young people to the fire service.

Capt. John Rodriguez said the program is open to boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age.

Explorers will learn CPR and first aid, he said. They will be taught how to be team players and be introduced to leadership principles.

Participating teens will take part in fire station visits, community service projects and ride-alongs at the district’s different fire stations, according to Rodriguez.

The fire service is a very physical and demanding profession, and for those young people who are interested in making it a career, the explorer program offers a good foundation, Rodriguez said.

The Northshore Fire Explorer Program meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Northshore Fire’s Upper Lake station, 9420 Main St.

For more information, call the district at 707-274-3100.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris on Thursday filed an enforcement action against JPMorgan Chase & Co. alleging that the bank engaged in fraudulent and unlawful debt-collection practices against tens of thousands of Californians.

The suit alleges that Chase engaged in widespread, illegal robo-signing, among other unlawful practices, to commit debt-collection abuses against approximately 100,000 California credit card borrowers over at least a three-year period.

“Chase abused the judicial process and engaged in serious misconduct against California credit card borrowers,” Attorney General Harris said. “This enforcement action seeks to hold Chase accountable for systematically using illegal tactics to flood California’s courts with specious lawsuits against consumers. My office will demand a permanent halt to these practices and redress for borrowers who have been harmed.”

From January 2008 through April 2011, Chase filed thousands of debt collection lawsuits every month in the State of California. On one day alone, Chase filed 469 such lawsuits in California.

The attorney general’s complaint against Chase alleges that, to maintain this pace, Chase employed unlawful practices as shortcuts to obtain judgments against California consumers with speed and ease that could not have been possible if Chase had adhered to the minimum substantive and procedural protections required by law.

“At nearly every stage of the collection process, Defendants cut corners in the name of speed, cost savings, and their own convenience, providing only the thinnest veneer of legitimacy to their lawsuits,” the complaint states.

Chase used California’s judicial system as a mill to obtain default judgments, the suit alleges, using illegal tactics to flood the state’s court system in order to secure default judgments and garnish wages from Californians.

The alleged misconduct includes:

• Robo-signing: Chase illegally robo-signed various litigation filings, including sworn documents, declarations, and verified complaints, without reviewing the relevant files or bank records or even reading the documents before signing.
• “Sewer Service”: Chase failed to properly serve notice of debt collection lawsuits against consumers while claiming they had been served as required by law. This practice, known as “sewer service,” deprives the consumer of any notice of the lawsuit.
• Filing irregularities: Chase haphazardly assembled its official legal filings. For example, Chase failed to redact consumers’ personal information in attachments to filings, potentially exposing them to identity theft and in violation of California law. In addition, when asking courts to enter default judgments against consumers, Chase consistently swore under penalty of perjury that the consumers were not on active military duty. In fact, Chase never checked. This deprived servicemembers of important legal protections to which they are entitled while on active duty.

The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. A copy of the complaint can be seen below.

Consumers who believe they have been victims of this misconduct may submit a complaint online at http://oag.ca.gov/consumers .

050913 California Attorney General Suit Against JPMorgan Chase

SACRAMENTO – The state of California and the Obama administration agreed on Wednesday to a formal deadline of Oct. 1 for the release of the draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan and accompanying environmental documents for public review and comment.

The plan is meant to enable the state to make significant progress toward achieving the co-equal goals of securing California’s water supply and restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem.

“One calamitous storm or natural disaster – driven by climate change – could jeopardize the entire Delta, destroy its ecosystem and cut off water to 25 million Californians,” said Gov. Jerry Brown. “This agreement with our federal partners moves us another step closer to being more prepared for an uncertain future in California.”

Completion of the proposed plan and accompanying environmental impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS) is the culmination of more than six years of user-funded water planning and study.

After considering public comment, the state and federal agencies will complete the review process and determine the most appropriate ecosystem conservation and water conveyance plan for adoption and permitting.  

“It’s important that we continue to take an open and transparent approach as we evaluate this proposal to strengthen California’s water security and restore the health of the Delta,” said U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. “This is an aggressive deadline to issue the environmental analyses for public review and comment that will require a great deal of important work from both our state partners and the Administration. But with California’s water system at constant risk of failure, and the continuing impacts to imperiled fish, we can’t afford the dangers or costs of inaction.”

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan establishes a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Natural Community Conservation Plan to restore and manage the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem, which is the main water supply conduit for 25 million people from Alameda County to San Diego County and large parts of California’s agricultural economy.

The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is part of larger state and federal efforts to bolster water conservation, storage and water sources to help meet the water needs of California.

In July of 2012, Gov. Brown and former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced major refinements to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and a renewed commitment to completing the project’s analysis and planning.

Since the beginning of the Brown administration, more than 300 Bay Delta Conservation Plan-related documents – draft plan elements, supporting analysis and stakeholder comments – have been made available to the public. In the past two months, several revised and updated chapters of the plan have been made public.

This week, state and federal agencies will provide a preliminary, consultant draft of the EIR/EIS in an unprecedented commitment to transparency.

For more information, visit www.BayDeltaConservationPlan.com .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Young men and women headed to four-year colleges were celebrated at a special event earlier this week.

The eighth annual College-Going Initiative University Admittance Reception was held on Monday at Kelseyville High School.

Each year administrators, board members, counselors and college representatives all gather to honor graduating seniors who have been accepted to four-year colleges and their families.

This year, the schools invited 106 students, up from 94 last year, according to the Lake County Office of Education.

Colleges included California State Universities – Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Channel Islands, Chico, East Bay, Fullerton, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Sonoma.

Universities of California where local students will be attending include Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.

Out-of-state and private colleges that have accepted local students include Arizona State University, Art Institute of Sacramento, Brigham Young University, Cal Lutheran University, Dominican University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautic University, Johnson & Wales University, Kettering University, Northern Arizona University, Occidental College, Oregon State University, Pacific Union College, Portland State University, St. Mary's College, University of Hawaii, University of Nevada, University of Laverne, Utah State University, Vanguard University William Jessup University.

Guest were welcomed by Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook who introduced the first speaker, Clear Lake High Counselor Paul Larrea.

Larrea delivered words of advice and encouragement to parents and students acquired through his 37 years of working in education and his 31 years as a parent.

Lower Lake High School past graduate Nicholas Molencupp addressed the crowd to share his experiences as a college student at UC Riverside. Molencupp was introduced by his former Upward Bound Director at Lower Lake High, Shannon Smith of Sonoma State University.

Although the representative from CSU Humboldt was unable to attend the reception, an encouraging video was sent to wish good luck to all of the Lake County students and offer a special welcome to the nine students who will joining them in the fall.

A wonderful buffet dinner prepared by Michelle Malm and her staff at Kelseyville High School, as well as lively music performed by the Kelseyville High School Jazz Band, were offered free of charge to the attending students and guests.

Seating for the large group was made possible thanks to the loan of tables from Rick Malm and the help of the high school custodial staff. Beautiful floral arrangements were created by the students of Karen Jones’ ROP floral design class of Middletown High School.

During dinner service, guests were able to view a slide show presentation featuring students’ career goals and special thanks to those who assisted them in achieving their college admission.

Students and parents also were treated to a free raffle of prizes that included dorm survival bags filled with items such as first aid kits, sewing kits, towels, Frisbees, notebooks, rulers, paper clips and other items that might come in handy as they venture off to college.

Thanks to the generous donations and loan of plants by Kelseyville Lumber and Mendo Mill & Lumber, students were called onto the beautifully decorated stage by their prospective colleges to receive both recognition and small gifts.

All colleges were contacted and asked to send an item from their school as a welcome to the students. Many students received something from their college such as bags, pennants, water bottles, and/or shirts. Every student received pen and coin pouch from the Mendo Lake Credit Union and a deck of cards from Running Creek Casino.

Students were awarded their gift bags by Kelly Chung of Pacific Union College, Jacquelyn Ross of UC Davis and Shannon Smith of Sonoma State University.

The University Admit Reception was created eight years ago to honor the hard work and dedication of local students and families who achieved a difficult academic goal.

An additional goal of the event is to introduce students to other students throughout the county who may be attending the same or nearby college in the hopes that they can form a support system for each other.

The College-Going Initiative is proud of all of Lake County’s graduating seniors and wishes a special congratulations to this group of college bound students as they embark on their higher education endeavors.  

If you would like more information about the University Admit Reception or would like to make a donation to support next year’s event, please contact Tammy Serpa, CGI/CTE program specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The recent cloudy weather has brought little to no much-needed rain over the past several days – less than one-tenth of an inch was recorded where rain did fall – with blue skies and warmer weather returning by the weekend.

Forecasters with Western Weather Group Lake County predict that the last remnants of the low-pressure system that moved into Lake County last Saturday will finish moving through today, as skies begin to clear and temperatures trend back upward.

However, the weather today will remain unstable, with a slight chance of thunderstorms bringing trace amounts of rain to isolated areas, mainly in the afternoon and over higher elevations.

Daytime highs will be warmer than earlier in the week, ranging between the mid-70s to low-80s Thursday and will continue to warm throughout the weekend.

Sunny weather will return Friday through Sunday as high clouds move back as we head into Monday.

The forecast for Mother's Day – Sunday, May 12 – is expected to be pleasant and in the upper-80s to low-90s, with partly cloudy skies.

As next week begins, some clouds and cooler temperatures will remain on Monday as the next warming trend beginning on Tuesday.

Unseasonably warm weather returns to Lake County according to Western Weather Group by the middle of next week with gusty winds, with dry and very warm weather throughout the remainder of the week.

Email Terre Logsdon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Supporters of the annual Relay for Life fundraiser are known to be pretty creative, and persistent, when it comes to raising funds for the effort to fight cancer.

Plastic flamingos and purple saddles have been known to show up in local yards, requiring a donation to the relay in order to send them on to their next stop.

Car washes, breakfasts, raffles and bake sales, and donations from local businesses, organization and individuals have helped raise funds for the event, which has continued to grow in size as it heads into its 12th year.

This year’s relay will take place beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18, and continuing until the following day at the Don Owens Field at Clear Lake High School, 350 Lange St. in Lakeport.

Teams will walk the track for 24 hours, and cancer survivors will be honored, with a luminaria ceremony to honor those whose battles have ended.

In the final weeks before the relay, there have been a number of final fundraising events, including rummage sales, but a Clear Lake High School teacher is joining some students for a different approach.

John Moorhead, who teaches wood shop at the school, agreed to shave his head, beard and even his eyebrows if students raised $300.

At the start of the week, they were at the $200 mark, he said.

“A lot of kids at school are really getting behind it,” said Moorhead.

“Most of the students are very much in favor of me shaving my head, my beard and whatever else I want to throw in, just for the sheer joy of public humiliation,” he added.

Students Tyler Martin and Nate Powers also have agreed to shave their heads if they each raise $100, Moorhead said.

However, not everyone is behind Moorhead’s willingness to shave himself down to the point where, in his own estimation, he may look like a giant thumb.

In particular, his wife, Rose Davidson, has some reservations.

“She doesn’t want me to shave my beard off,” which Moorhead said he has had since 1988.

So in the Relay for Life spirit, Davidson is raising money to save the beard, said Moorhead, who conceded that since he hasn’t seen what’s under the beard in 25 years, it may be best to leave it.

While the beard may be spared, Moorhead, Martin and Powers are on track to shave their heads in the school’s quad on Wednesday.

Moorhead said he’s happy to do what he can to support Relay for Life.

“Everybody knows someone who has been affected by cancer,” he said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.