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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Just in time for Christmas, Lake County has a new Superior Court judge.
On Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he has appointed Lakeport attorney J. David Markham to succeed Judge Richard Martin on the bench.
“It is truly an honor to receive this prestigious appointment from the governor,” Markham said. “Judge Martin has left some very large shoes to fill and I will do my best to maintain the high level of integrity, fairness and dedication to justice that he displayed for so many years in the courtroom.”
It’s good news for the court, which has four full-time judge positions – plus several retired judges who assist on cases – with a heavy caseload.
“I am very pleased that the governor has made the appointment,” Lake County Superior Court Presiding Judge Andrew Blum told Lake County News. “I have worked with David Markham over the years and I am confident that he will be an excellent Superior Court judge.”
Martin retired in May, before the end of his term. As such, the California Constitution calls for the governor to appoint a successor to fill the vacancy until the seat next goes on the ballot. In this case, Lake County Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley said the seat will next be up for election in 2020.
The compensation for the judge’s position is $200,042 annually.
Markham, 48, earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Empire College School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis.
He served as a deputy district attorney at the Lake County District Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2002.
From 2003 to 2004, Markham was an associate at Alvord and Ewing. He’s been a sole practitioner since 2004, handling both criminal and civil cases.
Earlier this year, Markham and Andrea Sullivan, partners at Lake Indigent Defense LLP, took over administration of the Lake County indigent defense contract.
In order to qualify for the judicial appointment, Markham had to undergo a rigorous months-long vetting process overseen by the Governor’s Office and the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Committee.
“What I will miss most about being an attorney are the relationships I have formed with the other attorneys in this county,” Markham said. Throughout my career, my colleagues, whether we worked together or opposed each other, have always been professional, kind and respectful. I wouldn't have been appointed without their support during this lengthy process.”
He added, “Lake County has been a wonderful place to practice law because of the quality of attorneys who practice here. I am grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to work with such amazing people.”
Markham’s appointment comes as a time when the Lake County Superior Court is facing significant personnel changes.
In addition to Martin’s retirement, in November Judge Stephen Hedstrom, now the most senior of Lake County’s full-time judges, announced he would not seek reelection in 2018. His third and final term will end in January 2019.
Following Hedstrom’s announcement, Markham said he was planning to run for Hedstrom’s Department 4 seat.
Then, earlier this month, District Attorney Don Anderson – who had said in November he would seek a third term in his current job – announced he also planned to run to succeed Hedstrom.
With Markham now appointed to the Department 3 judge’s seat, he said he was officially ending his 2018 judicial campaign, which leaves only Anderson in the race so far.
“I’m very grateful to everyone who supported my candidacy and I look forward to serving our local communities as Lake County’s newest Superior Court Judge,” Markham said.
Lake County Superior Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier said the court doesn’t yet have a date for Markham’s swearing-in ceremony.
Besides Markham’s appointment, on Friday Gov. Brown’s office announced that he also had finalized 32 other Superior Court selections across the state, including one each Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Kings, Lassen, Monterey, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Solano, Stanislaus and Ventura counties; two each in Napa, Orange, San Bernardino and Santa Clara counties; three in Sacramento County; and six in Los Angeles County.
The large number of appointees this month and in November – when the governor appointed another 34 Superior Court judges – arises from the extensive judicial vacancy backlog that California is reported to have.
Friday’s appointees include 17 men and 16 women, ranging in age from 37 to 65. Of the appointees, 23 gave their party preference as Democrat, with the remaining 10 – Markham among them – listed as without party preference.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police’s acting chief has been appointed the agency’s interim head as the city prepares to begin a recruitment for a new chief in the coming month.
On Thursday evening, ahead of a special Clearlake City Council meeting, acting Police Chief Tim Celli was sworn in as interim chief of police by City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
“Interim Chief Celli has done a great job as acting chief and he will continue to guide the Clearlake Police Department during our recruitment for a permanent police chief,” said City Manager Greg Folsom.
The Clearlake Police Department currently as 17 sworn personnel – including Celli – and 10 nonsworn staff, including dispatch and records staff, two animal control officers, community services officer, and support services and animal control outreach technicians.
Celli, a lieutenant and veteran of the department, has been acting police chief since Dec. 8, 2015.
He filled the role after Chief Craig Clausen went on medical leave, city officials said.
Clausen, who has been with the Clearlake Police Department for more than two decades, was promoted to lieutenant in March 2007 and appointed interim chief in December 2010. The council voted to hire him as chief in February 2012.
Folsom told Lake County News that Clausen continues to be on medical leave. “We cannot comment further due to the confidentiality of both medical and personnel matters.”
The city will begin the process of recruiting for a new police chief in January, after the holidays, Folsom said.
As for his plans relating to the permanent chief’s job, Celli told Lake County News on Friday, “At this time, I do not plan to apply for the position.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An elderly couple from Clearlake Oaks were found with 60 pounds of high grade marijuana during a traffic stop in Nebraska on Tuesday, and they could face hefty penalties due to that state’s marijuana laws.
The York County, Nebraska, sheriff’s office reported that Patrick Gordon Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jean Jiron, 70, were found in possession of the marijuana.
The agency said that on Tuesday York County deputies observed a 2016 Toyota Tacoma failing to signal a turn and driving left of the center line and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle on Interstate 80.
When the deputies contacted the vehicle, they detected the odor of raw marijuana coming from inside of it, the sheriff’s office said.
When asked about the odor of marijuana, the driver, Patrick Jiron, admitted to having contraband inside the vehicle and consented to a search of the vehicle, according to the agency’s report.
Authorities said the deputies found inside the vehicle’s truck topper approximately 60 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of more than $300,000, along with multiple containers of concentrated THC.
The Jirons told deputies that they were traveling from California, making stops in Boston and Vermont to distribute the marijuana to family and friends as Christmas gifts, the York County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Photos released by the agency showed numerous large bags and plastic containers of trimmed marijuana that were recovered from the vehicle.
Officials said both of the Jirons were cited for possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and no drug tax stamp. Patrick Jiron was booked but his wife was released on cite.
Nebraska law does not allow for marijuana possession or cultivation, and there is no medical marijuana program in the state.
On Thursday York County Attorney Christopher Johnson filed a criminal complaint against Patrick Jiron, according to court records.
Johnson is charging Patrick Jiron with three felony counts: possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with intent to distribute, a Class IIA felony; possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, more than one pound, a Class IV felony; and no drug tax stamp, also a Class IV felony.
A Class IIA felony has a minimum penalty of no imprisonment up to a maximum of 20 years in prison, according to the Nebraska penal code.
The penal code said a Class IV felony is punishable by a minimum of no imprisonment and nine months post-release supervision, and a maximum two years imprisonment and 12 months post-release supervision or $10,000 fine, or both.
Failing to have a drug tax stamp comes from the Nebraska Marijuana and Controlled Substance Act, which requires anyone who illegally acquires or possesses six or more ounces of marijuana to pay the Nebraska Department of Revenue $100 per ounce.
In the Jirons’ case, that would have required a $96,000 payment. Paying that tax also doesn’t provide immunity for a dealer from criminal prosecution under state or federal law, the state revenue department reported.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reported that one of its detectives was involved in a fatal shooting in Ukiah on Thursday night.
Sgt. Spencer Crum said the incident occurred at the Sunrise Inn, located on South State Street.
Crum said that at about 8 p.m. Thursday detectives located two armed suspects at the hotel.
An armed male subject leveled a gun towards detectives and the shooting ensued, Crum said.
One of the detectives shot an undetermined number of rounds and a male suspect was ultimately taken into custody, according to Crum.
Crum said the second suspect, a woman who was with the armed male, was found deceased in a hotel room from a gunshot wound.
The origin of the gunshot that killed her is under investigation, Crum said.
Crum said the incident is being investigated by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.
Sgt. Spencer Crum said the incident occurred at the Sunrise Inn, located on South State Street.
Crum said that at about 8 p.m. Thursday detectives located two armed suspects at the hotel.
An armed male subject leveled a gun towards detectives and the shooting ensued, Crum said.
One of the detectives shot an undetermined number of rounds and a male suspect was ultimately taken into custody, according to Crum.
Crum said the second suspect, a woman who was with the armed male, was found deceased in a hotel room from a gunshot wound.
The origin of the gunshot that killed her is under investigation, Crum said.
Crum said the incident is being investigated by the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office.
NASA has a big list of projects that it’s planning to pursue in the new year.
The agency will celebrate its 60th birthday in 2018.
Among its projects are sending robot to Mars; visiting and asteroid; preparing to return to the moon; monitoring the Earth’s weather, ice and forests; rolling out new technological advances; pursing new partnerships; and more.
See a list of projects in the video above.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Members of local law enforcement agencies on Thursday once again set out on one of their happier duties of the year – delivering toys to a special group of children.
The Lake County District Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Division led the 22nd annual toy drive for children who the agency has served this past year.
Victim-Witness staff collects wish lists for the children and then partners with the parishioners of St. Mary Immaculate Church in Lakeport.
Victim-Witness Program Administrator Crystal Martin said the church puts up a tree and the wishes of the children are placed on it. Parishioners then purchase and wrap the presents.
This year they needed some last-minute help with gathering presents. Earlier this week Martin put the word out over Facebook and within hours the need was filled.
“The response was overwhelming,” said Martin.
The Auditor’s Office also participates by adopting a family, staff said.
On Thursday Victim-Witness was assisted in the gift deliveries by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Clearlake Police, the District Attorney's Office and the Lakeport Police Department.
Victim-Witness thanked the community for once again helping make Christmas merry for the many children it serves around the county.
Videographer John Jensen contributed to this report.
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