News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Superior Court is seeking at least 30 applicants willing to serve as jurors and alternates on the 2018-2019 Lake County Grand Jury panel.

The 19-person grand jury is selected from the different supervisorial districts in proportion to the population of each district.

The grand jury serves as the public’s “watchdog” by investigating and reporting upon the affairs of local government.

The term of service runs from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, and may entail from 10 to 20 hours of work per week attending committee and general meetings, responding to citizens’ complaints, performing research, and investigating the operations of governmental agencies and allegations of wrongdoing by public officials or employees.

The court is looking for applicants in good health who are interested in community affairs, are objective and are able to work cooperatively with others.

Experience in researching, interviewing, writing and editing, and/or auditing is desirable and having a general knowledge of the responsibilities and functions of governmental and other public entities is helpful.

A grand juror must be a U.S. citizen, age 18 or older, speak English, be a resident of California and Lake County for at least one year prior to selection, and not hold an elected office or have any felony convictions.

Applications may be obtained at www.lake.courts.ca.gov or by mailing a letter with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Grand Jury Coordinator, 255 N. Forbes, Fourth Floor, Lakeport, CA 95453.

Applications are also available at each Superior Court Clerk’s Office, located on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse at 255 N. Forbes in Lakeport or at 7000 A South Center Drive in Clearlake.

Further information may be obtained by calling the grand jury coordinator at 707-263-2374, Extension 2282. Applications must be received by June 29.

Personal interviews will be scheduled prior to final selection. If you are interested, please apply. If you are not interested, but know someone who may be, please let them know of this opportunity.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Get your favorite denim and bling ready and come out to support the community.

The annual “Denim & Diamonds” fundraiser kicks off at Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 16.

Hosted by the Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise, the evening will feature dinner and dancing, and both a silent and live auction.

Saw Shop Gallery Bistro will be serving a delicious menu that is sure delight your taste buds.

The Fargo Brothers will play all of your favorite dance tunes to make the evening fun.

Local business and community support has helped raise more than $600,000 over the past decade.

Those funds have been instrumental in funding numerous valuable community projects including dictionaries for third graders, elementary school reading books, sponsorship of the Interact Club at Kelseyville High School, recovery efforts for recent wildland fires and scholarships to graduating seniors.

The Rotary Club of Kelseyville has also completed projects to help Lake Family Resource Center, the Adopt a Fifth Grader program, and other projects with funds raised by the Denim & Diamonds event.

Funds raised by this event will enable the club to continue to fund projects in the community and beyond.

Sponsors for this year’s event include Lake County Tribal Health, Calpine, Chacewater Winery and Olive Mill, UCC Rentals, Boutique Winery, Journeys by Barbara, The Travel Center, Shields Construction, California Exterminators, Richard Knoll Consulting, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lake County Waste Solutions, Lakeview Health Center, Saw Shop Gallery Bistro and Adventist Health Clearlake.

Tickets for this fun evening are $75 per person or tables of eight are available for $600. There are additional sponsorship opportunities for $1,000 and $2,500.

For more information and tickets, call Kim Baldwin at 707-349-7913 or Allison Panella at 707-483-2383.

The Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise chapter is made up of local business, professional and civic leaders.

For membership and other information about the Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise, visit http://www.kelseyvillesunriserotary.org.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Spring and early summer is the peak time for much of California's wildlife to bear their young.

With this in mind, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, is asking well-intentioned members of the public to leave young wildlife alone.

It may be hard to resist scooping up a young wild animal that looks vulnerable and abandoned, but intervention may cause more harm than good.

Young animals removed from their natural environment typically do not survive. Those that do make it may not develop the skills necessary to survive on their own in natural habitat. When this happens, the only alternative is a life of captivity in artificial conditions.

"It is a common mistake to believe a young animal, especially a fawn, has been abandoned when found alone," said Nicole Carion, CDFW's statewide wildlife rehabilitation coordinator. "But even if the mother has not been observed in the area for a long period of time, chances are she is off foraging, or is nearby, waiting for you to leave."

Such behavior is common across many species. A female mountain lion may spend as much as 50 percent of her time away from her kittens.

Fledglings, or young partially feathered birds, found alone and hopping along the ground in the spring or summer, are actually trying to learn to fly. Though it is tempting to pick them up, what they really need is space and time to master flying. The best course of action is not to draw attention to them, advises Carion. You can help by keeping pets away until the bird has left the area.

If a young animal is in distress, or you are unsure, contact a wildlife rehabilitation facility and speak to personnel for advice.

Most wildlife rehabilitators are only allowed to possess small mammals and birds. Although some wildlife rehabilitators are allowed to accept fawns, injured or sick adult deer should be reported directly to CDFW for public safety reasons. Injured, orphaned or sick bears, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, wild pigs or mountain lions should also be reported to CDFW directly.

Anyone who removes a young animal from the wild is required to notify CDFW or take the animal to a state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitator within 48 hours. These animals may need specialized care and feeding that is best done by trained wildlife care specialists.

It is important to note that wild animals – even young ones – can cause serious injury with their sharp claws, hooves and teeth, especially when injured and scared. They may also carry ticks, fleas and lice, and can transmit diseases to humans, including rabies and tularemia.

To learn more about how to live and recreate responsibly where wildlife is near, please visit CDFW's Keep Me Wild Web site at www.wildlife.ca.gov/keepmewild.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have arrested a Lakeport couple who they said have been trafficking teenage girls as prostitutes in the Bay Area.

Sam Lindsey Massette, 37, and his wife Krystina Marie Pickersgill, 27, were arrested Tuesday, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.

Anderson said that early on Tuesday morning investigators with his office served the last of several search warrants into a human trafficking investigation at a residence on 2569 Lagoon Drive in Lakeport. There they arrested Massette and Pickersgill.

The investigation into the case started after the play “Jane Doe in Wonderland” was performed at the Soper-Reese Theater in April, Anderson said.

“Jane Doe in Wonderland” is a play about human trafficking, the way traffickers work and the effects on the victims.

After the play a young woman approached Anderson, who was a speaker at the play, and told him she was a victim of human trafficking, he said.

Anderson said an investigation was launched and it led to the discovery that Massette and Pickersgill were operating a high class human trafficking ring.

The District Attorney’s Office alleges that the couple recruited girls at an early age while they were still in high school.

After the girls turned 18, Massette and Pickersgill are alleged to have taken them to San Francisco where they would be sold as prostitutes, Anderson said.

Anderson alleges that the couple coerced and threatened the girls to perform acts of prostitution.

Massette is being held in the Lake County jail on charges of human trafficking and tax evasion under the penalty of perjury, with a bail of $2,000,000, Anderson said. Pickersgill, who is charged with human trafficking, has bail set at $1,000,000.

They are set for arraignment on these charges on Thursday afternoon in Lake County Superior Court, Anderson said.

Besides the arrests, Anderson said the District Attorney’s Office seized two new Jaguars, two Mitsubishi automobiles and a large sum of cash. It is believed that neither Massette or Pickersgill are involved in an legitimate business or income.

Anderson said human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the United States and has turned into a multibillion dollar operation throughout the country.

He said that, in Lake County, human trafficking is starting to get a stronghold in the community and in the schools.

This is the third case in which the District Attorney’s Office has made arrests for human trafficking this year. Nicholas Brooks and Timothy Williams are both awaiting trials in separate human trafficking cases, as Lake County News has reported.

“At the District Attorney’s Office, these cases are treated extremely serious,” Anderson said. “We will make every effort to free these victims from those who force them into prostitution against their will and help give them a new start in life.”

He added, “We are requesting any information the public may have regarding human trafficking or if you suspect any child is being recruited for trafficking.”

The Lake County District Attorney’s Office can be reached at 707-263-2251.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The race for Superior Court judge appears set to continue until November and a senior deputy district attorney has become the first woman to win the Lake County district attorney’s job.

While the results from Tuesday’s primary election remain preliminary for another month until the election is certified, the vote counts for the Superior Court judge and district attorney’s races indicate that the top vote-getters have statistically insurmountable leads.

In the Superior Court race, a three-person field formed earlier this year in the run to succeed Judge Stephen Hedstrom, who chose not to seek a fourth term.

On Tuesday, Shanda Harry, a deputy county counsel for the county of Lake, held a steady lead throughout the count of early absentees and 70 county precincts over District Attorney Don Anderson and attorney Andre Ross.

The preliminary vote count, finished early Wednesday morning, showed Harry with 46.1 percent, or 3,541 votes, with Anderson trailing with 42.9 percent or 3,292 votes, and Ross with 10.6 percent or 813 votes. The initial results showed there were 32 write-in votes, accounting for 0.4 percent of the vote.

In order to win the seat outright, Harry would have had to have 50 percent of the vote plus one, thus the need for a runoff with Anderson in November.

In the district attorney’s race, Susan Krones held a commanding lead in the preliminary results, with 59 percent, or 4,339 votes, compared to attorney Steven Brown’s 40.4 percent or 2,972 votes. There also were 45 write-in votes, or 0.6 percent of the overall count.

Based on the preliminary results, Krones, a longtime county prosecutor who also served as a judge advocate general in the US Army, becomes the first woman in Lake County history to be elected to the district attorney’s job.

Lake County Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley is expected to issue a full count of ballots remaining to be counted in the coming days, as she and her staff go about the work of the official canvass that is needed to fully certify the election within 30 days.

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. – The races for two seats on the Lake County Board of Supervisors remain very close after a night of shifting results.

Based on preliminary vote counts, Bruno Sabatier led Joyce Overton in the race for the District 2 race and EJ Crandell was just edging Denise Loustalot for the District 3 seat.

However, both races come down to differences of dozens of ballots, and with many absentee and provisional ballots still to count, a final verdict will have to wait for the conclusion of the 30-day official canvass.

Also adding to the uncertainty in both races is how the results shifted back and forth throughout the night, which began with initial counts of early absentee ballots.

In those early counts, both Overton and Loustalot established early leads, which they maintained throughout the night.

It wasn’t until the preliminary vote counts in the first of the eight precincts in District 2 were reported that Sabatier started to catch up to Overton, finally surpassing her by just 78 ballots as the final precincts came in.

By the end of the night, the preliminary count had Sabatier with 518 ballots, or 53.7 percent of the vote, to Overton’s 440 votes, or 45.6 percent. There also were six write-in ballots cast, for 0.6 percent of the vote.

Likewise, Loustalot led Crandell by a consistent margin of about 5 percent during the night, with that margin rising to 6 percent with 11 of the 18 precincts reporting.

However, when all 18 precincts were reported to be in, the placements completely flipped, with Crandell coming out with a lead of 50.7 percent to Loustalot’s 48.8 percent.

That preliminary lead comes down to a margin of only 30 votes: Crandell’s ballot count was 826 to Loustalot’s 796.

With both Overton and Loustalot having held strong absentee percentages, the question remains whether that pattern will be repeated in the absentees still to be counted. That, in turn, raises the possibility of the race placements changing again.

As she has done in prior elections, Lake County Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley is expected to issue a report on the number of ballots yet to count.

She will have 30 days to conduct the official canvass and certification that will finalize the primary election’s results.

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.