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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Friends and community members are coming together to offer help to the family devastated by the Clearlake Oaks shooting this week.
The early Thursday morning shooting at the Elem Indian Colony, which appears to have been motivated by a domestic dispute, took the life of Theresa Brown, and injured Robert and Stephanie Brown, and a 6-year-old girl.
Authorities have arrested 24-year-old Ezequiel Bravo of Clearlake for the shooting, as Lake County News has reported.
He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $1 million bail for murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and assault with serious bodily injury.
Bravo, who was looking for his estranged wife, went to the home of her parents, Robert and Stephanie Brown, shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday, the sheriff's office said.
While there, he fatally shot his wife's aunt, Theresa Brown, 45, and also shot and wounded his wife's parents and the 6-year-old girl. While authorities have not identified the girl, family and friends say she is Theresa Brown's daughter.
When she tried to go for help, Stephanie Brown was forced at gunpoint into Bravo's vehicle, but she escaped in the car and drove herself to the hospital after he went back in the house.
As a result, he would steal Robert and Stephanie Brown's van, later abandoning it nearby, authorities said.
When authorities recovered the van, they found a firearm inside of it. Sheriff's Lt. Corey Paulich said he could not yet confirm that it was the murder weapon, as it still must go through testing by the California Department of Justice to make that determination.
Shortly after the shooting, Robert Brown and the child were flown by separate air ambulances to out-of-county trauma centers for their injuries.
Bravo was caught about seven hours after the shooting at Pomo Elementary School, where a school official who had seen a Nixle alert sent by the sheriff's office spotted him and called authorities.
Sheriff Brian Martin told Lake County News that Stephanie Brown had minor injuries from the shooting and was treated at a local hospital, but the injuries for Robert Brown and the child were more significant.
“They're expected to survive but they have pretty serious injuries,” he said.
With Brown's family now in the midst of dealing both with loss and the recovery of loved ones, a family friend, Deya Ammar, this week began a fundraiser to help them.
The fundraiser's GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/ah-support-for-the-jones-family .
Ammar, said he's known Theresa Brown for about 15 years, and she was like a second mother to him.
He is best friends with Theresa Brown's oldest son Norris Jones, who Ammar said is “trying to hold it together for everybody else.”
A member of the Elem Indian Colony, Brown had a zeal and positive energy that Ammar said shined brightly in the lives of many who knew her.
He's now trying to get some help for her five children – two sons and three daughters who he said range in age from 6 to 27 – who now are dealing with the loss of their mother. Ammar said he had the family's approval before launching the fundraiser.
The family was facing a tough time even before the shooting. Ammar said Theresa Brown's mother had just died before Thanksgiving.
“They have a lot of support from family members all over, but just emotionally, they're not doing very well,” Ammar said.
He said family members also have been visiting Robert Brown and the child who was wounded, who Ammar confirmed is Theresa Brown's youngest daughter.
“She was right next to her mom when it happened,” he said, noting the traumatized child has not talked about much, and hasn't made any mention of the shooting.
The family hopes to bring the little girl home from the hospital soon, Ammar said.
The online fundraiser has a $10,000 goal. As of early Saturday morning, it had raised $2,300.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The next free household hazardous waste dropoff event will be held Friday, Dec. 16, and Saturday, Dec. 17, at Lake County Waste Solutions Transfer Station and Recycling Yard, 230 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport.
Hours will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge. Fees will be charged for amounts over 15 gallons.
Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks (empty), pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 linear feet) and other toxic materials that cannot be put in the trash.
Items that cannot be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.
To learn how and where to properly dispose these items, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or contact the recycling hotline at 707-263-1980.
Household hazardous waste dropoff services are provided to Lake County residential households by the Integrated Waste Management Division of the Lake County Public Services Department and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
Businesses also are welcome to use this convenient service to properly dispose of hazardous waste and protect our environment, however, businesses must pay for this county-funded service and first make an appointment. Business appointments can be made by calling Lake County Waste Solutions at 707-234-6400.
Beginning in June, ask about receiving a free puncture-proof sharps container at one of these events to use for free sharps disposal.
Free recycling options for residents and businesses:
· Recycled paint is available to both residents and businesses at Lake County Waste Solutions and South Lake Refuse and Recycling Center first-come, first-served basis in five gallon containers. Colors include tan, brown, gray and pink.
· Used motor oil and cooking oil can be dropped off by businesses and residents, at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and the North Shore Fire Protection District station at 6257 Seventh Ave. in Lucerne. Visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us for more locations.
· Electronics (e-waste) can be dropped off at Lake County Waste Solutions and at South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center.
Lake County Waste Solutions
230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport
888-718-4888 or 707-234-6400
Monday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
www.candswaste.com
South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center
16015 Davis St., Clearlake
Open daily, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
707-994-8614
www.southlakerefuse.com
The free Household Hazardous Waste drop off program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department, Integrated Waste Management Division and CalRecycle as a public service to Lake County households.
For more information about recycling, reusing and reducing, visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us , call the recycling hotline at 707-263-1980 or like Lake County Public Services on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LCPublicServices?fref=ts .
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville hosted its annual “Christmas in the Country” celebration on Friday night, featuring the “Parade of Lights.”
Community members crowded into downtown Kelseyville for the event, which included a merchant open house, food, caroling, a tree lighting and the evening's main event, the parade, which made its way down Main Street starting at 6:30 p.m.
Santa Claus made his appearance in the parade, and also visited with children at WestAmerica Bank.
A video of the parade is posted above.
Special thanks to Rosa d'Oro Vineyards for allowing Lake County News to use its tasting room building at 3915 Main St. for the filming of the parade.
Skywatchers will have plenty to look for in December.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said there will be meteors, comets and planetary alignments to watch for throughout the month.
Mars and Neptune will be visible above the crescent moon this month, and Mercury, Venus and Mars are visible above the sunset horizon all month long, with Venus expected to look larger than it did in November.
There also are two meteor showers in December, the Geminids, which will be most visible around Dec. 13 and 14, and the Ursids, with best viewing anticipated from Dec. 21 to 22, and Dec. 23 and 24.
Beginning in December and continuing through 2017, there will be several comets visible.
For a more detailed explanation, see the video above.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County and the North Coast during the coming week.
Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.
LAKE COUNTY
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from Sayre Avenue to Glenhaven Drive will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 29
– Pavement marker replacement from 0.3 miles north of the Siegler Canyon Bridge to just north of Cruikshank Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance near Lee Barr Road on Wednesday, Dec. 7. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
MENDOCINO COUNTY
Highway 1
– Bridge deck repairs at the Brush Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– AT&T has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs from Maple Avenue to Oak Street. A shoulder closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from the North Calpella Overcrossing to Cold Creek Bridge #3 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays.
Highway 101
– Routine maintenance near Frog Woman Rock will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 25 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Bridge deck repairs at the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– AT&T has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs near the Feliz Creek Bridge on Friday, Dec. 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Hewlitt and Sturtevant Road to the Hopland Cal Fire station beginning Wednesday, Dec. 7. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
– Bridge rail upgrades at the South Willits Overhead will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Emergency slide repairs just south of Standish-Hickey State Park will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.
For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Research Stations have released the draft Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) science synthesis.
The draft synthesis, when finalized, will help to provide a scientific foundation for land management plans for 17 national forests within the NWFP area.
The public can provide input on the science content of the draft synthesis in two ways:
· Attend a public forum webinar Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows.
· Through Jan. 6: Upload written input via http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/research/science-synthesis/index.shtml .
The synthesis is a highly influential science document as defined by the Office of Management and Budget.
As part of the requirements for such a document, an independent peer review is underway. It is being coordinated by the Ecological Society of America.
Peer reviewers will provide their reviews to the synthesis authors in the spring of 2017. The draft will be revised and published in late 2017.
The draft NWFP science synthesis is online at http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/research/science-synthesis/index.shtml .
If you have any questions, please contact Becky Gravenmier at