LAKEPORT, Calif. – Robinson Rancheria’s tribal chair on Wednesday was ordered to stand trial for allegedly embezzling more than $60,000 from a neighboring tribe.

Tracey Avila, 51, of Nice was in Lake County Superior Court on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing in the case, in which she’s alleged to have taken the funds from the Elem Colony in Clearlake Oaks.

At the end of the preliminary hearing Judge Andrew Blum ordered Avila to stand trial on a felony charge of grand theft.

Avila is alleged to have taken the money while she worked as Elem’s fiscal officer from February 2006 to September 2008.

Elem originally investigated the allegations before requesting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Pacific Southwest Region 9 investigate the matter, according to case files.

The investigation later was taken over by special agents with the EPA Office of the Inspector General and U.S. Housing and Urban Development's Office of the Inspector General.

The federal investigation ultimately led to Avila’s arrest in September 2011.

Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson, who is prosecuting Avila, said Avila will return to court for arraignment on Oct. 30.

Avila is facing a three-year prison sentence if convicted, Abelson previously reported. Due to correctional realignment, if Avila were convicted her time could be served in the Lake County Jail.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Blue Shield of California Foundation announced that it is awarding $20,000 in core funding over the next two years to Lake Family Resource Center to support its capacity to provide services and assist survivors of domestic violence in Lake County.

The grant is part of the foundation’s efforts to strengthen domestic violence organizations in California and provide the working capital the field needs to respond to new challenges and opportunities.

“The ongoing work of Lake Family Resource Center is integral to achieve our collective mission to end domestic violence in California,” said Peter Long, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Blue Shield of California Foundation. “This flexible funding helps to sustain domestic violence agencies and programs, and ultimately ensures that those most in need continue to have access to critical services.”

Across California, more than 100 domestic violence agencies are engaged day-to-day in the struggle to serve and advocate for thousands of victims, survivors, and their families. Core support grants validate the essential role of these organizations and enable those working on the front lines to focus on achieving their mission.

“The support of Blue Shield of California Foundation for the next two years is incredibly important to our capacity to continue our work to provide shelter and support to victims of domestic violence in Lake County” said Gloria Flaherty, Lake Family Resource Center’s executive director. “The flexibility of Blue Shield of California Foundation’s grant monies makes a huge difference for our organization.”

As the state’s largest private funder of domestic violence services and prevention, Blue Shield of California Foundation is dedicated to ending domestic violence in California.

Lake Family Resource Center provides many critical services to Lake County’s children and families in the area of child abuse prevention and treatment, domestic violence, youth development, rape crisis center, parenting workshops, Early Head Start, behavioral health, teen parenting, and other services and activities. Its mission is to strengthen our community one family at a time.

Since 2002, Blue Shield Against Violence has invested over $36 million in domestic violence services and prevention, including more than $14 million in general operating support for over 100 domestic violence organizations across California. For more information, visit www.blueshieldcafoundation.org .

The 2012 Fire Season has proven to be a destructive year and with the dry conditions, and Cal Fire officials are warning Californians of the continued wildfire threat.

The combination of above average temperatures, below normal rainfall and record dry conditions have resulted in above normal potential for large fires in many parts of the state, the agency reported.

“California has already experienced a significant increase in fire activity this year,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of Cal Fire. “Cal Fire crews remain prepared to respond to wildfires, but we are asking the public to take steps to help prevent fires during this unusually dry fall.”

Already this year, Cal Fire has responded to over 5,300 wildfires, which is over 1,300 more than last year and nearly 20 percent more than average.

From these fires nearly 130,000 acres burned, over 75,000 more than last year.

National forests, parks and other federally owned lands have seen their fair share of fires this year including a 270,000 acre fire that burned its way into the records books becoming the second largest wildfire in California’s history.

In August the Rush Fire charred 271,911 acres in Lassen County on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Historically, California experiences its largest and most damaging wildfires in the late fall months. The potential this year is no exception, said Cal Fire, with no significant rainfall in sight.

The result is an above normal potential for large wildfires in October for most of Northern California including the Bay Area, as well as much of Southern California from Santa Barbara down to San Diego County.

With the continued threat of wildfires, Cal Fire is asking all Californians to ensure they are prepared for wildfires.

All residents should have a wildfire action plan that includes an evacuation plan. Unfortunately many evacuees don’t prepare what to take and where to go, and it’s often too late to remember those items when a wildfire strikes.

To learn more on how to be prepared for a wildfire visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org . Additional fire safety tips can be found at www.fire.ca.gov .

The California Fish and Game Commission determined Wednesday that listing the gray wolf as an endangered species in the state may be warranted.

The decision opens a status review to be done over the course of the next 12 months, after which the commission could decide to list the wolf as an endangered species under state law.

“We have very little information on the history and status of wolves in California,” said Michael Sutton, vice president of the Fish & Game Commission. “Our decision today launches a year-long effort to learn more, which in turn will inform our ultimate decision whether or not to protect this iconic species under California law.”

Last December, a lone wolf known as OR7 dispersed to California from a pack in northeastern Oregon and has been in the state for most of the time since then.

Gray wolves such as OR7 are protected as an endangered species in California and elsewhere under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The petition to list wolves as an endangered species under California state law was filed in February by four environmental groups.

The Department of Fish and Game reviewed the petition and concluded it did not include adequate information to make a determination whether listing may be warranted. However, other information DFG was required by law to review did.

There has never been a scientific study of wolves in California. Although there are numerous anecdotal reports of wolves in early California, there is little direct evidence of these wolves beyond two museum specimens – one of a gray wolf and the other likely a Mexican wolf.

DFG believes it is likely the wolves were once widely distributed across California before they were extirpated by humans in the early 20th Century.

The vote was 3-0. Commissioners Dan Richards and Jim Kellogg were not present.

More information about OR7 is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/wolf/ .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A fire burning near Comptche in Mendocino County is on track to be fully contained a day earlier than originally estimated thanks to progress firefighters made on Wednesday.

The Flynn Fire, which began Monday afternoon, was at 90 percent containment on Wednesday evening, with Cal Fire adjusting the size down slightly to 195 acres.

The Cal Fire Mendocino Unit said that the fire was expected to be fully contained on Thursday. Original containment had been expected on Friday.

Personnel assigned to the fire had been reduced to 651 by Wednesday evening, with 37 engines, 24 fire crews, four airtankers and 17 water tenders still dedicated to the fire, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire said the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

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

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A retired local postmaster has come forward to claim his multimillion dollar prize in the California State Lottery.

Antonio Velasquez, 69, of Clearlake Oaks was one of two lucky ticket holders in last Saturday’s SuperLotto Plus $28 million jackpot.

The winning numbers were 3, 4, 27, 30, 39, plus the Mega number of 3.

Velasquez was introduced as the winner at a Tuesday afternoon press conference held at the California State Lottery offices in Sacramento.

Velasquez will split the $28 million jackpot with the holder of a ticket purchased in Milpitas, who so far has not claimed their prize. Lottery officials said each ticket is worth an estimated cash option amount of $10.3 million.

He purchased the SuperLotto Plus ticket at the Red and White Store on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks last week. Thanks to being the retailer of the winning ticket, the store is set to receive $70,000.

It was Velasquez’s son, Tony, who told him that someone who bought their ticket at Oaks Red & White Store had won the SuperLotto Plus jackpot on Saturday night, according to a California State Lottery statement.

Velasquez was quick to call his wife, who is in Greece, but he didn’t tell her the whole story. “She knows I won, she just doesn’t know how much,” he explained.

He said he plans to use the money to help his four children and eight grandchildren, and also will donate money to a couple of his favorite charities.

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Lower Lake man who led police on a high speed chase last Sunday night has been arrested.

William Lefferts, 41, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Rodd Joseph.

Lefferts had led officers on a high speed chase through residential neighborhoods late Sunday night after an officer who recognized him as being a wanted parolee tried to pull him over, as Lake County News has reported.

Due to safety concerns, officers ended the chase, but later located the black Ford Ranger pickup Lefferts had been driving during the chase in the area of 19th Avenue.

On Wednesday at approximately 9:44 a.m. Officer Bradlee Middleton was on patrol in the area of 19th and Oak avenues when he spotted Lefferts walking in the area, Joseph said.

Middletown knew Lefferts was wanted in connection with the felony high speed vehicle pursuit on Sunday, and also was aware that Lefferts had a felony parole hold warrant for his arrest, according to Joseph.

Joseph said Middleton attempted to contact Lefferts, who fled on foot.

Middleton chased Lefferts for approximately two blocks and caught Lefferts in the wooded area between St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and 18th Avenue, Joseph said.

While Middleton was attempting to arrest Lefferts, Joseph said Lefferts discarded a large knife, which is a prohibited weapon pursuant to his parole terms.

Lefferts was charged with felony evading, driving on a suspended license, resisting a police officer, a parole violation and his felony parole hold, and was booked into the Lake County Jail.

Any person with information about a crime that has occurred in the city of Clearlake is asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake school was briefly locked down on Wednesday afternoon in response to a report of what was believed to be gunshots in the area.

The precautionary lockdown occurred at Burns Valley School, according to Lt. Tim Celli of the Clearlake Police Department.

Celli said police were notified at 12:50 p.m. that a school employee heard what they believed to be gunshots in the area of Walnut Avenue near Pine Avenue.

As a precautionary measure, Burns Valley School officials initiated a school lockdown, said Celli.

Celli said Clearlake Police officers responded and checked the school and surrounding areas. The area check did not reveal the source of the alleged gunshots.

He said the school grounds, children and employees were all determined to be safe and the school campus was reopened at approximately 1:11 p.m.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters on Tuesday dramatically increased the containment on a fire burning since the previous day in Mendocino County.

The Flynn Fire, which started Monday afternoon along Flynn Creek Road and Comptche Ukiah Road near the community of Comptche, was held at 200 acres on Tuesday, with Cal Fire reporting that containment was up to 40 percent.

Fire crews were busy Tuesday constructing and improving containment line, and conducting heavy mop up 150 feet inside the fire line, Cal Fire reported.

Fire officials expect the fire to be fully contained by Friday.

After burning five structures in its first day, the Flynn Fire – which still was posing a threat to another 70 buildings – had not reached any other structures on Tuesday.

Approximately 765 firefighting personnel, 47 engines, 29 fire crews, four air tankers, one helicopter, five bulldozers and 11 water tenders were assigned to the Flynn Fire, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Community members are invited to participate in meetings planned for this month that are meant to help shape the future of Clearlake’s Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor.

The city of Clearlake is hosting a series of community events on Tuesday, Oct. 9, through Friday, Oct. 12, to help create a plan for improving conditions along Lakeshore Drive.

The project area encompasses Lakeshore Drive from Olympic Drive to Old Highway 53, and will address walking, bicycling, parking, transit, street beautification, lake access and economic revitalization issues.  

Community input will help identify a range of improvements along the corridor.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate.

The events will kick off with a walking assessment of the area from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, beginning at Highlands Park.

During the walkabout, participants will review conditions along the Lakeshore Drive corridor, and help determine where and how improvements can be made. Please wear comfortable shoes.

After the walk, a community workshop will be held at Clearlake City Hall from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Participants will have a chance to become “community designers” as they craft their own solutions to design issues in the area. Share your ideas – and free pizza – with friends and neighbors.

On Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., community members are encouraged to drop by the Design Open Studio, and look at the designs in progress and talk with the design team.

The studio will be set up across from Highlands Park at 14330 Lakeshore Drive, next to David Hughes & Associates Real Estate office.

The community input from these sessions will be incorporated into the final plan.

On Friday, Oct. 12, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at Clearlake City Hall, the design team will offer a more complete presentation of the concepts for the Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor Plan when it unveils the preliminary designs.

Immediately following the Friday evening presentation and public feedback, the city of Clearlake and Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a community reception at Austin Park from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the community’s efforts to shape the future of the Lakeshore Drive Downtown Corridor. Come enjoy wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres and live music.

The corridor improvement project is sponsored by the city of Clearlake, Lake County/City Area Planning Council, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the nonprofit Local Government Commission ( www.lgc.org ), and is funded through a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Community Based Transportation Planning Grant and local planning funds.

For more information, www.lakeapc.org or contact Terri Persons, 707-263-7799.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is taking applications to assist private landowners in Northern California affected by wildfires in the last six months.

Acting State Conservationist Jeff Burwell said the agency began accepting applications for the initiative on Tuesday, and will continue receiving them through Friday, Oct. 19.

Lake County had two major wildland fire incidents within its borders this fire season – the Wye Fire, which burned 7,934 acres east of Clearlake Oaks in August, and the Scotts Fire, which burned 4,618 acres northwest of Lakeport on Cow Mountain in September.

The fire recovery assistance, funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, will be made available pending congressional approval of the Farm Bill conservation funding.                                                          

“I encourage California landowners who have private grazing land or non-industrial private forestlands that were adversely affected by the recent fires to visit with their local field office about how this special initiative can provide assistance to protect their natural resources,” Burwell said.

The initiative is intended to provide immediate resource protection in those areas burned during the 2012 wildfires. Priority applications will include practices that are implemented within one year and provide immediate erosion protection, adequate livestock water and habitat protection.   

Participants interested in implementing practices beyond the scope of this special and limited initiative are encouraged to apply under the regular Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding opportunities.

To apply, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service at 530-792-5600 or www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man is in custody after police alleged that he stabbed three people during a Monday night fight.

Stanley George Hess, 57, was arrested late Monday night and charged with felony battery with injury, felony assault with a deadly weapon, felony attempted assault with a deadly weapon and battery, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

At approximately 10:07 p.m. Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to a report of a fight involving numerous subjects at Austin Park near the beach. Joseph said it was reported that one of the subjects was armed with a knife.

When officers arrived, Hess allegedly was attempting to flee in a vehicle which was being vandalized by several other subjects. Joseph said all subjects involved were detained by police.

While on scene, officers located 20-year-old Raymond Mesquita of Clearlake, who Joseph said was suffering an apparent stab wound to his chest. Mesquita was flown to an out-of-county trauma center due to his injuries.

Officers also discovered 19-year-old Nyda Gumboc of Clearlake with an apparent stab wound to her right hand and an additional male juvenile from Clearlake with an apparent stab wound to his upper right arm. Joseph said both were treated on scene by medical personnel.

During the investigation officers and detectives determined that a heated argument between several subjects quickly turned physical. Joseph said that during the physical altercation, Hess allegedly armed himself with a knife and stabbed Mesquita in the chest.

Hess also allegedly stabbed the male juvenile and Gumboc with the same weapon. Joseph said Hess then allegedly attempted to strike other subjects with his vehicle.

Joseph said the weapon Hess is alleged to have used has been recovered.

Hess was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked. Bail was set at $30,000, according to jail records.

Mesquita remains in the intensive care unit at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Joseph said.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Det. Tim Alvarado at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.