NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Traffic collisions are the leading cause of death of teenagers in the United States and in California.  

Each year, thousands of young drivers and their passengers are killed in collisions.  

To help bring awareness to this national problem, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will participate in the sixth annual National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 14-20.

“This week is dedicated to focusing attention on a national concern as a way to bring about change locally,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “By educating new drivers early on and arming them with the information needed to become a safe driver, our goal is to prevent future tragedies from occurring on the road.”

According to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System for 2010, the most recent year that finalized data is available, there were more than 57,000 drivers between the ages of 16 to 19 involved in collisions in California. A teen driver was determined to be at fault in 67 percent of those collisions.

“Safe driving habits begin at home,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Parents can help by communicating the rules of the road to their teen driver and serving as a good role model behind the wheel.”  

Bringing new drivers and their parents together, the CHP offers Start Smart a free, two-hour driver safety education class that is offered throughout the state.  

Parents or guardians are encouraged to contact their local CHP office for additional details and information on when classes are scheduled.

On Saturday, Oct. 20, there also will be a daylong teen car control clinic sponsored by the National Auto Sport Association and the CHP in Lakeport.

For more information on that clinic visit www.nasacarcontrol.org , or contact CHP Officer Kory Reynolds at the CHP at 707-279-0103 or Lake County resident and clinic coach Eric Wheaton at 707-535-9148. Cost for the clinic is $99.

National Teen Driver Safety Week, established by Congress in 2007, is dedicated to raising awareness and seeking solutions to preventable teen deaths on the road. It is held annually during the third week of October.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A man who died in a house fire in Redwood Valley last week has been identified.

Courtney James Collins, 66, died in the fire on Oct. 3 on Radical Ridge Road, according to Lt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Van Patten said the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office on Monday requested the assistance of a Sonoma County forensic odontologist in identifying the human remains located within the burnt structure.

On Tuesday, the results of dental comparisons showed the human remains were that of Collins, who had lived at the residence for the past several years, Van Patten said.

The investigation into the cause and origin of the fire is still currently under way, Van Patten said.

Van Patten said there are no obvious signs suggesting Collins’ death was the result of foul play.

Official results of the forensic autopsy conducted on Oct. 5 are pending blood alcohol and toxicology analysis, Van Patten said.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education will host the 18th annual Excellence in Education Award Program to be held Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Soper-Reese Theatre in Lakeport.  

This event, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., honors the county teacher of the year, district teacher of the year, as well as others who have positively impacted education in Lake County.

The event includes hors’ devours and dessert provided by Bellisimo Wine Country Catering, no host wine bar, entertainment, and master of ceremonies Doug Rhoades, Lake County attorney and supporter of education and the arts.  

The public is encouraged to attend to show support and honor those who have risen above the challenges and continue to inspire Lake County educators to work with passion, innovation and an overriding commitment to excellence.

To register, visit www.lakecoe.org and click on the front ad for the Excellence in Education Award Program; or click on the event featured in the right hand column.

This year’s honorees include:

• Richard Schaut, Lake County Teacher of the Year and Middletown Unified School District Teacher of the Year;
• Marlene Henry, Konocti Unified School District Teacher of the Year;
• Valerie Duncan, Upper Lake Elementary School District Teacher of the Year;
• Stacy Holland, Lakeport Unified School District Teacher of the Year;
• Teresa Dunne, Upper Lake Union High School District Teacher of the Year;
• Matthew Carpenter, Kelseyville Unified School District Teacher of the Year;
• Dan Swaney, Lakeport Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year;
• Deanna Goff, Kelseyville Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year;
• Pat McBride, Upper Lake Union High School Classified Employee of the Year;
• Holly Ingalls, Konocti Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year;
• Veronica McGee, Middletown Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year;
• Sara Brucker, 2012 Early Childhood Educator of the Year - Leading the Field Award.

For more information, contact Shelly Mascari at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-262-4162.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s median and mean incomes for households were up slightly last year, while median and mean incomes were down for families.

The information came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey, which provides a wide range of important statistics about the people, housing and economy in all communities in the country.

American Community Survey information showed that the U.S. median household income for 2011 was $50,502, while California’s was $57,287.

Lake County’s median – or midpoint – household income last year was $35,991, up from $34,910 in 2010.

A Lake County News review of American Community Survey statistics going back to 2005 found that in that time Lake County household median incomes peaked at $40,946 in 2007.

The household mean, or average, income in Lake County was $50,990 in 2011, up from $47,688. During the 2005-2011 review period, that mean number had peaked at $55,200 in 2007.

Median income for Lake County families was $44,516 in 2011, down from $46,260 the previous year. Families’ median income peaked in the county in 2007, at $51,994.

The mean income number for Lake County families in 2011 was $54,931, down from $57,912 in 2010. It had been at a high of $65,784 in 2009.

Lake County couples’ median income was $54,242 in 2011, down from $57,982 in 2010. The peak since 2005 was in 2009, when the county’s couples had a median income of $60,256. Mean income numbers were not available for Lake County couples.

Census numbers also showed that the number of Lake County households was at 28,885 in 2011, the highest since 2005 and up by more than 4,300 households since 2010.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s report, “Household Income for States: 2010 and 2011” – which presents statistics on median household income at the national and state levels – showed that in 2011, median household income ranged from $36,919 in Mississippi to $70,004 in Maryland.

Between the 2010 and 2011 American Community Survey, Vermont was the only state that showed an increase in median household income, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. At the same time, median household income declined in 18 states.

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

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Skeletal remains found in a Glenn County park in July have been identified through DNA analysis as belonging to a woman reported missing in 2005 in the Chico area.

The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office reported that on Wednesday it received confirmation from the California Department of Justice crime lab in Richmond that the remains were those of Heidi Joanne Ring, who was reported to the Chico Police Department as an at-risk missing person in June 2005.

At the time she went missing Ring was 37 years old, officials reported.

On July 27 a Glenn County Public Works crew discovered a human skull on the outer edge of a large pile of brush and tree trimmings being burned at the Ord Bend Park near the Sacramento River, as Lake County News has reported.

The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office sealed off the area and, for a time, closed access to the park. In the 48 hours after the skull was found, detectives processed the area, including sifting through earth and removing bones and other evidence, including jewelry.

Forensic experts initially had identified the remains as belonging to a Caucasian female, between 35 and 45 years of age, with the sheriff’s office reporting that it was investigating the case as a possible homicide.

After Ring’s remains were identified on Wednesday, Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones spoke with Captain Lori MacPhail of the Chico Police Department, informing that department of the confirmed identification.

Glenn County Detective Greg Felton, accompanied by Sgt. Rob Merrifield of the Chico Police Department, traveled to Cottonwood on Wednesday and at approximately 4 p.m. notified Gretchen Ring, Heidi Ring’s mother, of the results of the DNA testing, Jones reported.

No cause of death has been determined in this case and it is unknown how, or when, Ring’s remains came to be at the Ord Bend Park, according to Jones.

“It is a sad detail to inform a parent of the loss of their child; and when that child has been missing for years, knowing parents and relatives are holding out hope their loved one will be located alive, the task is much more difficult,” Jones said. “However, there can be some relief and solace in knowing the loved one has been accounted for.”

Jones added, “Though the trail is very cold, law enforcement must do its best effort in attempting to find out what happened to Heidi Ring, and hopefully bring anyone responsible for her death to justice.  The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office and the Chico Police Department will work together towards that end.”  

Jones said the investigation is continuing, and anyone with information regarding the case of Heidi Ring is encouraged to contact the Chico Police Department, 530-897-4900 or the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office, 530-934-6441.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force last Friday morning in the Clearlake Oaks area resulted in eight arrests, the eradication of more than 1,100 marijuana plants,  the seizure of 430 pounds of processed marijuana and the confiscation of several weapons.

Arrested during the operation were Joseph Patrick Stewart, 36, of Glenhaven; Kyle Lamore Littlejohn, 42, of Springvale; Isidro Santiago Lopez, 30, of Visalia; Juvencio Garcia Cruz, 27, of Visalia; Demetrio Santiago, 31, of Madera; Simon Santiago Martinez, 26, of Orosi; Jimmy Hernandez, 18, of Bakersfield; and Abisai Santis Hernandez, 24, of Lamont, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said that on Wednesday, Oct. 3, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for the property located in the 21,000 block of Bartlett Springs Road in Clearlake Oaks.  

At 7 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force served the search warrant with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Land Management, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the Lakeport Police Department, Brooks said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s SWAT Team made entry into the 300 acre parcel using the Mendocino County Sheriff’s armored Bearcat, according to Brooks.

When detectives entered the main residence, Brooks said they contacted and detained Joseph Stewart without incident.  

Stewart was in possession of three firearms, one of which had been modified and was determined to be illegal to possess, Brooks said.

While conducting a search of one of the outbuildings adjacent to the main residence, narcotics detectives contacted and detained Kyle Littlejohn, Brooks said.

As narcotics detectives entered the processing area of the grow site, six individuals fled into the brush attempting to evade law enforcement. Brooks said the Drug Enforcement Administration helicopter provided air support, while SWAT Team members located the subjects, including Lopez, Cruz, Santiago, Martinez, Jimmy Hernandez and Abisai Hernandez.

Brooks said approximately 1,141 marijuana plants were eradicated from 11 separate grow sites on the property. A total of 430.3 lbs of processed marijuana was located in the processing area of the grow site, along with a loaded 9 millimeter Beretta handgun.  

He said Stewart was arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, being armed while in the commission of a felony, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a short barreled shotgun. Littlejohn was arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and an outstanding felony warrant for arson out of Tulare County.  

Lopez, Cruz, Santiago, Jimmy Hernandez, Abisai Hernandez and Martinez all were arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, being armed while in the commission of a felony and resisting arrest, Brooks said.

He said all of the subjects were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.         

Jail records indicated that Stewart had posted the required portion of his $15,000 bail and was released from custody.

As of Tuesday, the rest of the seven men arrested in the raid remained in custody, with Littlejohn’s bail set at $75,000 and Jimmy Hernandez’s set at $25,000.

In addition, Cruz, Lopez, Santiago, Martinez and Abisai Hernandez all had been placed on immigration holds, jail records indicated.

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A new low-cost program is being offered to help address the feral cat problem in Clearlake.

Bill Davidson, Lake County Animal Care and Control director, said the nonprofit Animal Coalition of Lake County had requested help getting a program in place to reduce the city’s feral cat population.

Davidson said he consulted with the county’s Animal Control Advisory Board and local veterinarians, and came up with a proposal to allow the coalition to issue city residents vouchers for altering, vaccinating and ear notching stray community cats.

While not free like the program offered to county residents – which is funded through a grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Davidson said the new Clearlake program is low cost, at $25 per cat.

The program is being operated and funded by the Animal Coalition of Lake County.

For more information, contact the Animal Coalition of Lake County, 707-995-0552, and ask for Rita.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A Cobb woman suffered minor injuries after she was involved in a single-vehicle rollover crash on Tuesday afternoon.

Stefanie Schembra, 31, was injured in the crash, which occurred at about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 29 near Middletown, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP report said Schembra was driving her 2002 Subaru southbound on Highway 29 south of Grange Road at approximately 55 miles per hour when, for an unknown reason, Schembra allowed her vehicle to travel onto the highway’s right shoulder.

She attempted to correct the Subaru’s course of travel and bring it back onto the roadway but ended up losing control, the CHP report explained.

Schembra’s vehicle traveled completely off the highway’s west shoulder where it hit an embankment and overturned, coming to rest on its roof, according to the CHP.

The CHP said Schembra complained of pain to her right arm and shoulder, and had a head laceration as a result of the wreck.

The report said Schembra was wearing her seat belt at the time of the crash.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Autumn is deer mating season, which means deer are on the move and less cautious about darting out into the road.

It is also mating season for elk, which are less numerous than deer, but just as hazardous to motorists.

“During this time of the year we see an increase in car versus deer collisions,” said CHP Captain Harry Linschoten. “The safe operation of your vehicle requires your undivided attention. Drive defensively and don’t allow in car distractions to stand in the way of your safety.”

“We live in a beautiful part of the country with abundant wildlife, remember to use extra caution and stay alert when driving so you will arrive safely to your destination,” said Caltrans District 1 Director Charlie Fielder.

Drivers should be extra vigilant this time of year and follow these tips – courtesy of the National Park Service – for driving in deer country:

• Be particularly attentive between sunset and midnight, the hours shortly before and after sunrise, and in foggy conditions. Most deer-vehicle collisions occur during these times.
• Drive carefully in areas known to have high deer populations. Places where roads divide agricultural fields or streams from forestland are particularly dangerous.
• If you see a deer, slow down. Others are probably nearby.
• Use high-beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams can reflect off animal eyes and warn you of their presence.
• If a deer is in your lane, brake firmly but stay in the lane. The most serious crashes occur when drivers swerve.
• Don't rely on deer whistles, deer fences, or reflectors to deter deer.
• Always wear seat belts when driving.
• If your car strikes a deer, don't touch the animal. If the deer is blocking the highway, call 911.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Fort Bragg City Council member and forester who was slain a year ago has been honored posthumously honored with the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s highest award.

The board awarded Jere Melo, a registered professional forester, with the Francis H. Raymond Award for Outstanding Contributions to California Forestry.

Melo was shot to death in August 2011 by Aaron Bassler as he was working on forest land near Fort Bragg. Bassler later was shot by law enforcement.

The award presentation was made during the Board Meeting on Wednesday in Sacramento.

Representing Melo and accepting the award was his wife, Madeleine Melo.

The board recognized Jere Melo for his dedication to professional forestry in California.

His career in the timber industry spanned 45 years, primarily as the chief forester for Georgia-Pacific in Fort Bragg.

He then worked as a contractor for Campbell Timberland Management providing property management services on the 170,000 acres of forestland that they oversee in Mendocino County.

Melo served as an active member of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest Advisory Group from 2008 to 2011. In this capacity, he played an invaluable role in helping to build local support for a program of active management and research on the state's largest Demonstration State Forest.  

He also was active in the development of the Coast Forest Practice Rules through the Coast DTAC and before the board.

Melo was a lifelong member of the Society of American Foresters and a founding member of the California Licensed Foresters Association, further demonstrating his strong commitment to his chosen profession.

In 1996, Melo was elected to his first term on the Fort Bragg City Council. He served as vice mayor from 1998 to 2000 and as mayor from 2000 to 2004. At the time of his death, Melo was in his 15th year and his fourth term of office as a city council member.

At the local level, Melo represented the city on the board of the Fort Bragg Fire Protection Authority for nine years and he was the chair of the Fire Protection Authority Board.  

At the state level, Melo was very active in the League of California Cities. He served as president of the League’s Redwood Empire Division in 2000 and he served on the League Board of Directors from 2003 to 2008.

Melo had a commitment to public service at the County level and for 13 years he served on the Board of the Mendocino County Local Agency Formation Commission.

He loved working in the woods. He was dedicated to keeping the woods safe for timber workers and to protecting forestland from degradation by illegal trespassing, marijuana cultivation, dumping and encampments.

The award was named after Francis H. Raymond who was the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection from 1953 to 1970, and was one of the primary advocates for the passage of the Professional Foresters Law in 1973.  

Since 1987 it has been awarded to a group or individual who has achieved excellence in forestry in California.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The trial of a former Maine resident accused of murdering a couple from his home state in early 2010 is set to begin next week.

Robby Alan Beasley, 32, will stand trial for the murders of of Frank and Yvette Maddox, who he is accused of shooting on Jan. 22, 2010.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe said jury selection is tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 17, and is estimated to take about two weeks. Grothe said he anticipates the trial will start the first week of November.

Beasley is facing two counts of murder, and special allegations of committing multiple murders in the first or second degree, committing the offenses with the intent to inflict great bodily injury on the victims and using a 9 millimeter firearm.

Beasley had moved from Maine to Clearlake at the invitation of his friend, Elijah Bae McKay, 30 – also originally from Maine – with the men allegedly involved in growing and trafficking marijuana.

McKay is facing the same charges as Beasley in the case, but the two won’t stand trial together, said Grothe.

Regarding McKay’s case, Grothe, said, “The official status with McKay is it is trailing with no trial date set.”

McKay is due to testify in Beasley’s trial, just as he did at the early 2011 preliminary hearing, in which he recounted giving Beasley a gun to protect himself because the Clearlake apartment where Beasley was growing marijuana had been burglarized.

Several pounds of marijuana were stolen during that burglary, and the prosecution alleges that Beasley believed the Maddoxes were involved in the theft.

McKay also testified that the Maddoxes' shootings occurred at a turnout on the side of Morgan Valley Road outside of Lower Lake after Beasley allegedly tricked them into driving down the road, believing they were taking him to the airport.

Beasley allegedly shot each of them multiple times and drug their bodies down an embankment, according to McKay’s testimony. The bodies were discovered by passersby a few days later, according to law enforcement.

If convicted of all charges, Beasley would face life without the possibility of parole, Grothe said.

Last week the trial was assigned to Judge Andrew Blum, who presides over Lake County Superior Court’s Department 3.

The decision to hand the case to Blum followed by just a few days the filing by the District Attorney’s Office of a preemptive challenge against Judge Stephen Hedstrom presiding over the trial.

The motion said that Hedstrom was “prejudiced against the interests of the People of the State of California.”

Defense attorney Stephen Carter, who was served with the motion early last week, questioned the district attorney’s action in seeking to keep Hedstrom from taking the case.

“I can think of no reason why Judge Stephen Hedstrom would be biased or prejudiced against either the prosecution or my client,” said Carter.

Grothe deferred comment about the reasons for the motion to District Attorney Don Anderson, who would not go into the specifics of the decision.

“There’s a lot of different considerations in preparing for trial,” he said.

Anderson said they believed it was in the best interest of the prosecution to exercise the challenge, but added, “Hedstrom is a very good judge. We like working with him.”

The attorneys currently are handling the final legal steps necessary for the trial to take place.

“We are in the pretrial stages where we’re resolving as many evidentiary issues as we can ahead of time,” said Carter.

As to the delay in the case coming to trial, “It was a combination of both defense counsel and myself having other cases,” said Grothe.

“It’s not that long, considering it’s a double homicide,” said Grothe.

Carter has had a number of major trials running back to back. He has had a lot of experience with homicide cases in his career, and explained that the cases require time and care.

“The majority of them take an exceptionally long time to investigate and prepare for trial because of the complexity of the issues involved, usually the depth of the evidence and investigation, as well as the sheer volume of reports and other discovery that we receive from the DA’s Office in a homicide,” Carter said.

Carter added, “Each case is different, though, and our attitude toward preparation of any case is to make sure that we’re both sufficient and extremely thorough, so each case takes how long it takes to do it properly.”

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A meningitis outbreak linked to epidural steroid injections that so far is affecting the eastern half of the United States is continuing to grow, with health officials continuing to monitor patients in the North Coast region who received the steroids.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that the outbreak of fungal meningitis cases linked to contaminated methylprednisolone acetate injectable steroids had grown to 105 cases across nine states, with eight deaths.

No cases have so far been reported in California, the agency said.

Affected states included Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, according to the CDC, which is coordinating the investigation into the outbreak.

The CDC said the manufacturer of the methylprednisolone acetate injections, New England Compounding Center located in Framingham, Mass., began a voluntary recall of the drugs on Sept. 26.

State and federal officials said 75 health care facilities in 23 states received the contaminated product.

In California, four health facilities received the drug, which is used as an epidural injection for chronic pain.

Among them was Ukiah Valley Medical Center, which last week sent out letters to patients notifying them of the issues, as Lake County News has reported.

Also receiving the compound in California were the Cypress Surgery Center in Visalia, the Encino Outpatient Surgical Center and Universal Pain Management in Palmdale, the CDC reported.

To date, no patients have been admitted to UVMC with meningitis-type symptoms as a result of receiving this compound, the hospital said Monday.

Meningitis is a swelling of the meninges, the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord.

The CDC said infected patients have developed a variety of symptoms approximately one to four weeks following their injection. The symptoms include fever, new or worsening headache and nausea. Some also have suffered strokes.

The CDC investigation thus far has revealed that the meningitis linked to the steroid injections was caused by a fungus that is common in the environment but rarely causes meningitis. The source of the fungus, however, has not been identified.

Officials said the fungal meningitis in this outbreak is not contagious.

Anyone who has had one of the epidural steroid injections since May 21 should talk to their doctor immediately if they experience a worsening headache, fever, sensitivity to light, stiff neck, new weakness or numbness in any part of your body or slurred speech, according to the CDC.

In a Monday statement, UVMC said it selected the New England Compounding Center in spite of a 75 percent higher cost for the compounded medication because the center is a specialized “compounding-only pharmacy” dedicated to providing medications and services to patients and prescribers.

“The team of registered pharmacists at UVMC did not choose the product based on price,” according to Heather Van Housen, UVMC’s patient care executive.

“The product was selected because it contains no preservatives or buffers that other pharmaceutical manufacturers offer that may cause higher risk of infection or other complications,” Van Housen said.

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