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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – South Lake County veterans and families of veterans are being urged to loan mementos of their service for Gibson Museum’s November displays centered on Veterans Day.
Veterans of all American conflicts will be honored, from the Revolutionary War through the recent conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.
The display will open at the museum in Middletown on the first Wednesday of November, Nov. 5, and be in place through Dec. 3.
Photographs, medals, letters, uniforms, dog tags and any other items of veteran interest are solicited.
All will be carefully recorded by museum volunteers and returned promptly once the veterans display is replaced by Christmas displays in early December.
Items are already coming in, the most unique thus far being the Life Magazine 11-page story of the rescue of a marooned B-17 and its crew during World War II.
The plane, nicknamed “My Gal Sal,” was piloted by Ralf Stinson, known locally as owner of the Hell’s Half Acre property at the end of Hartmann Road.
A listing of all the recorded burial places of veterans in Lake County will be available at Gibson Museum.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2015 of Lakeport, has embarked upon a project to identify and record the burial place of all military veterans in Lake County.
Post Historian Darrel Bittle, a Vietnam veteran, has categorized 2,790 veterans of American wars ranging from the War of 1812 to present day conflicts, which include 203 veterans buried at the Middletown Cemetery.
Middletown Cemetery is the resting place of 19 Civil War veterans and one Spanish American War veteran, as well as later veterans. Bittle will appreciate any additions or corrections toward this effort.
Interested persons should contact Judy Kauffman, who will serve as point person for the displays. She can be reached at
The Gibson Museum – located in the former Middletown Library building, opposite the new community center at 21267 Calistoga St. – is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons from 1 to 5 p.m.
This is the first installment of a regular column on Lake County history.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Lower Lake was founded in 1848 and was, at that time part of Napa County.
After the boundaries changed, many citizens voiced an opinion to have Lower Lake as their county seat.
The selection of the county seat swirled under much controversy.
The county’s first courthouse, at Lakeport burned in 1867, six years after the county of Lake was formed by an act of the Legislature.
Then, all of the records of Lake County were destroyed, with the exception of one of the treasurer’s books, as he had taken it home with him.
The cause of the devastating fire was believed to have been an act of arson. The reasons for this suspicion stem from the debate over the selection of a county seat, but no one could prove this.
Voters had a sizable decision to make with regard to the town that named the county seat. The vote was between Lakeport and Lower Lake.
In 1869 Lower Lake was voted in as county seat, but the election was contested on the grounds that “fraud was practiced at Lower Lake.”
Through an act of the Legislature another vote was held, with the results as follows: Lakeport, 479 votes, and Lower Lake, 404 votes.
Lower Lake’s first house was built by E. Mitchell in 1858. Shortly after, in 1860 a store was constructed by Mr. Herrick and Mr. Getz.
Then followed C.N. Adams’ saloon and L. B. Thompson’s blacksmiths, both in 1861, then Dr. Bynum’s hotel in 1865.
Lower Lake soon became a bustling town with a drug store that held the unique distinction of being operated by one of the few young women who ran a drug store on the West Coast.
The druggist was in her 20s, and according to Slocum, Bowen, & Co’s. History of Lake County: “She began at the age of fourteen, and in two years assumed full charge of the business, and now conducts it in her own right and title, giving eminent satisfaction in a place so fraught with responsibilities.”
Soon to be found in Lower Lake were two more blacksmiths and saloons, a livery stable, flour mill, restaurant, shoe store, barber shop, planing mill, two meat markets, printer and a livery stable.
There was a post office with three-times-a-week delivery and a Wells Fargo & Co.’s express office that contained a telegraph office within. Lower Lake also sported two doctors, a law office, and a brewery.
Travel was made easy by its two stage coach lines. One ran from Lower Lake to Woodland, and the other could deliver you to Calistoga.
There were three early newspapers in Lower Lake. The “Observer” was published in 1866. That same year the “Sentinel” newspaper started publishing, then the “Bulletin” was begun in 1869.
The Lower Lake Brewery produced the sudsy product in 1870 by Keitz & Co. It was located just north of town.
In 1875 the business was sold to Mr. C. Hammer and C. F. Linck.
According to old records, “A market is readily found for the product at the mines and neighboring towns.”
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.
Ensuring more than one million students in California receive safe transportation to and from school every day is no small task and involves many people.
Therefore, the California Highway Patrol has joined the National Association for Pupil Transportation in calling attention to National School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 20 to 24.
“Keeping children safe is a collective effort involving the public, transportation professionals, government agencies, and law enforcement,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “It is also important for parents to talk to their children about school bus safety and ways to stay safe around buses.”
One of the key players in school bus safety is the bus driver.
Through its School Bus Program, the CHP ensures prospective drivers are able to meet the strenuous qualifications required by law and ensures applicants undergo a thorough interview process, which includes a criminal background check.
Drivers are also required to meet standards set forth by the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Education.
However, school bus safety goes beyond the driver.
The CHP also is responsible for inspecting more than 23,000 school buses annually. During these thorough inspections, CHP personnel examine all equipment, gauges, lights, doors, the interior and exterior of the bus, air brake system, undercarriage, tires, engine components, frame and suspension.
The motoring public also plays a key role in the safe transportation of students.
The CHP offers the following tips for drivers who encounter a school bus:
– Never pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing.
– Watch for children who cross in front of the bus when the bus is stopped.
– Keep an eye out for children at bus stops.
– Be aware of children running to bus stops.
“Working together, sharing the common goal of safely getting students to school, we can help prevent tragedies from occurring on our roadways,” added Commissioner Farrow.
The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of safety, service, and security to the people of California.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Another varied group of dogs is available for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control this week.
Dogs ready for new homes include mixes of Australian Shepherd, beagle Chihuahua, dachshund, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, pit bull and Pomeranian.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
Chihuahua mix
This female Chihuahua mix has a short buff-colored coat.
She's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 1002.
'Princess'
“Princess is a young female German Shepherd mix.
She has a medium-length tan and black coat.
She's in kennel No. 8, ID No. 902.
'Tippy'
“Tippy” is a female Australian Shepherd mix.
She has a medium-length black and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 985.
'Diamond'
“Diamond” is a young male pit bull terrier mix.
He has a short tan and brown coat.
Diamond is in kennel No. 10, ID No. 1000.
German Shepherd
This male German Shepherd needs a loving home.
He is very energetic and would do best with an active family and a large yard to run and play.
While he has some training, shelter staff said he would benefit from more training in obedience and basic manners. He is said to be good with all nondominant dogs.
He's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 975.
Female beagle
This female beagle is looking for a couch of her own where she can snuggle.
Shelter staff said she doesn't mind other dogs but she is not playful. She would do great in a home with kids of all ages, and is very mellow.
She's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 923.
Male dachshund
This male dachshund is 5 years old and has a short tricolor coat.
Shelter staff said he is very friendly and social, and good with other dogs. He would make a great family pet and would be good with kids. He still acts like a puppy.
He's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 792.
'Maya'
“Maya” is an adult female Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix.
She's has a short red and white coat.
Maya is in kennel No. 32B, ID No. 843.
Male Labrador Retriever
This male Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat.
He's good with other dogs prefers and prefers to be around other males.
Shelter staff said he has a mellow energy level. He appears to have been an outside dog and is a bit jumpy about being indoors, but will adjust well if given the chance.
He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 779.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Sunsets are always pretty. One sunset this month could be out of this world.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, the setting sun across eastern parts of the USA will be red, beautiful and … crescent-shaped.
“It's a partial solar eclipse,” explained longtime NASA eclipse expert Fred Espenak.
In other words, the new moon is going to “take a bite” out of the sun.
A total eclipse is when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, completely hiding the solar disk and allowing the sun's ghostly corona to spring into view.
A partial eclipse is when the moon passes in front of the sun, off-center, with a fraction of the bright disk remaining uncovered.
The partial eclipse of Oct. 23 will be visible from all of the United States except Hawaii and New England.
Coverage ranges from 12 percent in Florida to nearly 70 percent in Alaska.
Weather permitting, almost everyone in North America will be able to see the crescent.
The eclipse will be especially beautiful in eastern parts of the USA, where the moon and sun line up at the end of the day, transforming the usual sunset into something weird and wonderful.
“Observers in the Central Time zone have the best view because the eclipse is in its maximum phase at sunset,” said Espenak. “They will see a fiery crescent sinking below the horizon, dimmed to human visibility by low-hanging clouds and mist.”
Warning: Don't stare. Even at maximum eclipse, a sliver of sun peeking out from behind the moon can still cause pain and eye damage. Direct viewing should only be attempted with the aid of a safe solar filter.
During the eclipse, don't forget to look at the ground. Beneath a leafy tree, you might be surprised to find hundreds of crescent-shaped sunbeams dappling the grass.
Overlapping leaves create a myriad of natural little pinhole cameras, each one casting an image of the crescent-sun onto the ground beneath the canopy.
When the eclipsed sun approaches the horizon, look for the same images cast on walls or fences behind the trees.
Here's another trick: Criss-cross your fingers waffle-style and let the sun shine through the matrix of holes.
You can cast crescent suns on sidewalks, driveways, friends, cats and dogs – you name it.
Unlike a total eclipse, which lasts no more than a few minutes while the sun and Moon are perfectly aligned, the partial eclipse will goes on for more than an hour, plenty of time for this kind of shadow play.
A partial eclipse may not be total, but it is totally fun.
See for yourself on Oct. 23.
The action begins at approximately 6 p.m. on the East Coast, and 2 p.m. on the West Coast.
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday a jury determined that a Kelseyville man who shot his estranged wife's friend and beat her severely in September 2011 was not guilty by reason of insanity.
Andrew James Serrano, 42, is now expected to spend time in a state mental hospital or other mental health facility instead of doing prison time for the assaults, which had followed a history of stalking, threatening and harassing his then-wife, Lesa, as well as several of her friends, including Willy Turner, who Serrano shot at point-blank range on Sept. 10, 2011.
“We were disappointed by that and disagreed with that,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Alan Upton, who prosecuted the case, said of the verdict.
Turner called the verdict – which included a finding of not guilty for his attempted murder – “disgusting and morally wrong.”
“I really can't wrap my head around this, that 12 people could come to that conclusion,” said Turner, who testified at the trial.
Lesa Koloff – Serrano's now ex-wife – said she also is disappointed with the verdict. “I do not feel it was just and I feel it was especially unjust for Willy.”
Katrina Hickey, a friend of Koloff's who – along with sister, Kayla – was stalked by Serrano and injured during an incident in which he rammed Koloff's SUV in Lakeport, said Serrano is evil.
“This has been a very hard three years and I am very disappointed in the outcome of the jury trial,” she said. “We have remained hopeful throughout this whole process that justice would be served and Andrew would be held responsible for the crimes he committed. I don't believe he is or was insane … I believe he is an angry, manipulating human being who selfishly tried to destroy the lives of others.”
She thanked the District Attorney's Office for its efforts, but said it's her belief that the justice system failed Serrano's victims.
Like her sister, Kayla Hickey emphasized the sense of injustice – and shock – they are experiencing as a result of the verdict.
“The whole thing is just too overwhelming,” Kayla Hickey said.
In early 2012 Serrano was ordered to stand trial on counts including the attempted murder of Turner; aggravated mayhem; simple mayhem; assault with a firearm; spousal abuse; criminal threats; false imprisonment; assault with a deadly weapon; hit and run; stalking; three misdemeanors relating to Serrano’s alleged violations of a domestic violence restraining order against his wife and civil restraining orders against him held by two of her friends; and special allegations involving personal use of a firearm, great bodily injury and potential strikes.
The charges arose from four separate events; besides the shooting, there was the July 2011 incident in which he rammed his wife's vehicle and separate counts for violating the restraining orders held by the Hickey sisters.
Serrano's trial was “bifurcated,” meaning, it was divided into two stages, one for guilt and one for sanity. The same jury heard both phases.
Serrano's attorney, Mitchell Hauptman of Lakeport, said jury selection began Aug. 27, with evidence beginning Sept. 11, just one day past the third anniversary of Turner's shooting.
In the guilt phase, the jury received the case on Oct. 2 and came back with verdicts on Oct. 8, Hauptman said.
At that point, the jury found Serrano guilty of most of the counts. However, they found him not guilty of attempted murder and leaving the scene of an accident, and they also deadlocked on the aggravated mayhem count, according to Hauptman.
The sanity phase – which applied only to the Sept. 10, 2011, shooting and the associated charges – began on Wednesday, with the closing arguments and jury deliberations taking place on Thursday, Hauptman said.
On Thursday the jury reached its verdict that Serrano was not guilty of those charges by reason of insanity. “They deliberated about two hours,” Hauptman said.
In speaking with the jurors, “They clearly felt he needed treatment,” Hauptman said, instead of a prison sentence.
Insanity cases like Serrano's are rare, according to Hauptman and Upton.
This was Upton's first such case, and in Hauptman's 36 years of legal practice, he said he's only gone to trial on one other case involving an insanity plea.
“The plea shows up in 1 percept of cases,” said Hauptman, noting that most are resolved by submission of reports to the court, with the number of actual trials very small.
“I don't think they're very common even nationwide,” said Upton.
The facts of the case
While Serrano's case culminated in the violent confrontation with Koloff and Turner, for some time beforehand he had been making threats to Koloff, and stalking her as well as the Hickeys. All three women had restraining orders against him.
His attempts at intimidation later focused on Turner. Serrano left Turner a January 2011 phone message and sent him a text in May 2011 telling him to stay away from Koloff.
Turner also said he saw Serrano driving through his neighborhood several times. During one incident, Serrano was speeding down Turner's street and had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting Turner's son. Afterward, Serrano sped off.
A friend of Serrano's told investigators that Serrano had sent him texts that included pictures of handguns and said that Koloff was going to disappear. Investigators also believed he was using some kind of tracking device to monitor his wife's movements.
Koloff told Lake County News that Serrano took medication for depression for about a year prior to their separation, adding she believed he brought the depression on himself. “He had spent us into a hole we would never be able to get out of,” and she felt things were spiraling out of control for him.
She said Serrano had become threatening and aggressive beginning in 2010. She left in April 2011 after he became physically abusive, and she said at that point he began threatening her life.
She said he was arrested three to four times prior to the shooting. One of those times occurred July 2, 2011, when he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and hit-and-run after using his pickup to ram Koloff's vehicle.
That night, Serrano spotted Koloff and the Hickeys while they were having dinner at Renee's Cafe in Lakeport, circled the restaurant several times and then pursued them down Main Street when they left.
Serrano got ahead of Koloff's SUV, and as she tried to drive around him, he revved his engine and rammed her vehicle.
Katrina Hickey said she was injured in the ramming incident, and that she had been throwing up with fear as Koloff drove to the Lakeport Police Department afterward.
She said she received a temporary restraining order against Serrano after seeing him near the home she and her sister shared, and a permanent restraining order was granted after the ramming incident.
On Sept. 10, 2011, Koloff and Turner went to the Serrano home at 3050 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville – which she had moved from several months before – to retrieve some of her personal belongings, including clothing and furniture.
Serrano suddenly arrived, and when Koloff went to speak with him as he stood by the side door of his pickup, she saw he was loading a Glock .40-caliber handgun. According to court testimony, the gun had been bought for him – along with the ammunition – by a friend.
Koloff ran into the house and Serrano went around to the back porch, where he and Turner faced each other through a door window. He told Turner he needed to leave, and Turner replied that Serrano first needed to move his truck.
Serrano shot Turner through the door, with Turner recounting that the gun was less than 18 inches from him.
Turner said the bullet tore his lung 3 inches deep and 2 inches wide, with a doctor telling him there was no reason he should have survived. He said that today he has the use of about half of the injured lung due to scarring.
After shooting Turner, Serrano found Koloff hiding in the garage. He took her by the hair and dragged her outside, threatening to kill her, strangling her and hitting her repeatedly in the face, leaving her with serious injuries of her own.
The quick actions of several sheriff's deputies – Mike Curran, Andrew Davidson and Gary Frace – have been credited with saving the lives of both Turner and Koloff.
Turner called 911 after he was shot, and when Curran and Frace arrived on scene they drew their weapons and ordered Serrano to drop the handgun and get on the ground, taking him into custody. Davidson tended to Turner, trying to get the bleeding stopped and calling for an air ambulance.
In pursuing the insanity defense, Hauptman said there needed to be evidence of serious mental health issues existing sometime before the crimes occurred. He said Serrano had exhibited signs of serious mental illness in the months before his shooting.
“The defense has the burden of proof on the insanity phase,” said Upton.
Upton said the defense presented two experts while he presented one in the sanity phase.
In arriving at a verdict in the guilt phase, jurors must decide that the evidence is convincing beyond a reasonable doubt. However, in the process of seeking an insanity verdict, the defense only has to prove its case by the less rigorous preponderance standard, which Upton said means it is more likely true than not.
Upton said he did not speak with the jury after the verdict. While he was disappointed with the insanity verdict, he said the jury has spoken and now the prosecution must work with it and try to keep the community safe.
Serrano has remained in the Lake County Jail since his September 2011 arrest. Hauptman said Serrano's treatment in jail has been mostly based on medication, with a psychiatrist seeing him through a telehealth connection. He described Serrano as “zombie-like” due to the medications.
Hauptman said in a facility Serrano will be able to get therapeutic treatment. “The issues that he has are manageable.”
Koloff said she believes it's just a matter of time until her ex-husband “miraculously” becomes sane again.
Turner, who served in the United States Marines during the Gulf War, said of the verdict, “I’ve never been shaken this much in my life.”
He said he cried himself to sleep Thursday night – something he had never done before in all of his 45 years.
Turner said one of the conclusions he takes from the verdict is that the jury didn't consider him a victim of Serrano's violence.
The process ahead
Retired Judge Arthur Mann, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Serrano at 8:15 a.m. Dec. 8, Hauptman said.
Hauptman said that, considering the time Serrano already has spent in custody, along with any good behavior credits he may have, it's likely the amount of time he's already served is close to the sentence he would receive on the counts excluding the shooting incident.
While Mann will determine if any additional time is required on the counts Serrano was convicted of that don't involve the shooting incident, he will be guided in where Serrano's treatment will take place by recommendations from mental health authorities, Upton said.
Upton said the case file has been sent to the Lake County Probation Department, which will make a time calculation for Serrano's maximum commitment.
Hauptman said the process requires Mann to refer the case to a community program director, who will recommend in which hospital Serrano should be placed.
He said the court then has to determine whether to confine Serrano to a state mental hospital or a treatment facility.
Serrano will have to have to serve a minimum of 180 days in a state facility before the court can consider releasing him on an outpatient basis, Upton said.
Ultimately, how long Serrano stays in such a facility will depend on the assessment of his mental health and a complicated legal process, according to Upton and Hauptman.
“The judge is going to have to rely on reports from the hospital and treatment facilities,” said Upton.
He said the judge would then need to refer those reports a to local representative for the California Department of State Hospitals' Conditional Release Program, also known as CONREP.
Among the considerations would be determining if Serrano was returned to sanity and whether he posed a danger to the community. Upton said all of that would be contained within a hearing process that would include a notice to the District Attorney's Office, which in turn would give notice to the victims in the case.
Using the reports and recommendations as guidelines, a judge would have jurisdiction over whether Serrano is transferred to another facility or placed on outpatient status, Upton said.
Had he not been found insane at the time of the shooting, Serrano would be facing 25 years to life in prison for the mayhem conviction alone, Hauptman said.
Upton said Serrano could be kept in a mental facility for the maximum term of commitment – 25 years to life.
However, while that time period will play into options for the timing of his release – heavier restrictions will likely be assessed if he's released earlier – there is no way to know at this point how much time he will serve, based on statements by Upton and Hauptman.
“It’s pure speculation as to when he would be released,” said Hauptman.
Kayla Hickey said the victims in the case waited a long time to be heard.
“We watched Andy have all the rights, which was fine because we held out for hope the day would come when the jury would expose him for the monster he is and that was just not the case,” she said. “We will continue to live our lives but the sickening feeling I have as a result from this trial will not go away any time soon.”
Koloff said she still has fears for her family, including the three children she has with Serrano. “I do not want my children to live in fear and I try to keep things as calm as possible for them. I hope they are learning to be strong and to make the best choices they can with what life hands them. I know that the sting of what we are going through will lessen.”
She said she hopes this chapter in her lift will continue to give her strength for the other trials, “and I hope it gives others strength to fight their fights.”
Turner is “100-percent” concerned that Serrano poses a safety threat to him and his family.
“He got to make a choice for so many people,” said Turner, adding, “They took all the punishments away from his choice.”
When he woke up the day after the verdict, Turner said he decided to live his dream, commit himself to help others and will do the best he can for his family.
In moving forward with his own life, Turner's plans include Koloff, to whom he is engaged.
Koloff said the case will never leave her. “I will never understand how someone who is supposed to love and care for you can turn on you in such a horrific manner. Especially now that I have found someone truly opposite.”
They plan to marry Dec. 13, five days after Serrano is due to be sentenced.
Email Elizabeth Larson at