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LUCERNE, Calif. – A foot pursuit on Tuesday afternoon has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Detectives arrested 32-year-old Joshua Franklin Murray of Nice, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. narcotics detectives were conducting a followup investigation at a residence, located in the 6000 block of 16th Avenue in Lucerne, when they noticed a male subject walking northbound on 16th Avenue who they identified as Murray, Brooks said.
Detectives knew Murray had a warrant for his arrest in the amount of $195,000 for burglary and grand theft. Brooks said they also knew he was currently on parole with a search and seizure clause.
Murray recognized the detectives and immediately took off running. Brooks said detectives identified themselves and told Murray to stop several times, which he failed to do.
Detectives chased Murray as he ran across 15th Avenue, through an alley that parallels Highway 20. Murray ran through the yards of several residences by climbing over fences. Brooks said Murray was apprehended in the front yard of a residence located in the 6000 block of 14th Avenue.
Murray told detectives he ran because he recognized them and knew there was an active warrant for his arrest, according to Brooks.
Detectives conducted a search of Murray and located a black nylon case in his coat pocket. Inside the case they located a digital gram scale, a glass pipe and two clear plastic bags containing a white crystalline substance which was determined to be methamphetamine, Brooks said.
Brooks said detectives also located a folded piece of paper inside a cigarette pack in Murray’s right sock. Inside the paper was a white crystalline substance, which was also determined to be methamphetamine.
Detectives looked through the text messages contained in Murray’s cellular telephone. Brooks said they located several text messages indicative of the sales of narcotics.
Murray was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, violating the conditions of his parole, the felony arrest warrant, resisting arrest and for the possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, Brooks said.
Murray was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. He remained in custody early Thursday, with bail set at $195,000.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
The administration of Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday released the draft Safeguarding California Plan to outline key actions needed to ready the state for the impacts of a changing climate.
Extreme weather, rising sea levels, decreasing snowpack, among other impacts will touch every part of life in California over the next century, so planning key actions now will help us lessen impacts and cope with changes.
“Thoughtful, early actions will clearly make a major difference in California’s ability to maintain livable and productive communities,” said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird. “By planning and building a more flexible power grid, modernizing our water delivery system, and finding ways to make each region more self-reliant, we can save lives and money in the future.”
The Safeguarding California Plan provides policy guidance for state decision makers, and is part of the state’s coordinated efforts to reduce impacts and prepare for climate risks.
This plan, which is an update to the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy, highlights climate risks in nine sectors, discusses progress to date, and makes realistic sector-specific recommendations.
“California is a leader in the global effort to combat climate change. We are pursuing an integrated strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a clean energy economy,” said Secretary for Environmental Protection Matt Rodriquez. “But while these efforts will lessen the magnitude of climate impacts, they will not prevent them from occurring. We must take prudent actions now to prepare for these inevitable changes.”
“California’s entire agricultural economy is reliant on the unique climates throughout our state,” said California Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “There is wide consensus that we need to take action or some of our most valuable industries will suffer incalculable losses. As leaders, it is our duty to chart a better course for the future.”
“The draft plan released today is an excellent addition to the state’s developing climate policy and we look forward to providing input,” said Louis Blumberg, director, California Climate Change Initiative for The Nature Conservancy. “This plan will help guide state agencies to consider escalating climate change impacts into their planning and projects.”
Below are the nine broad areas impacted by climate change. Each suggests real-world, realistic recommendations for actions that we can do today to ensure a better future.
Safeguarding our everyday lives from climate change:
- A changing water future: Develop an urban water use plan that reduces reliance on distant, unpredictable sources.
- Keeping the lights on: Promote development of smart grids that are connected, but localized.
- More hot days: Protect vulnerable people from extreme heat. More hot days in a row are already responsible for more frequent hospitalizations and deaths.
- Do better today, live better tomorrow: By reducing our carbon output today, we can lessen the extent of impacts in the future.
Safeguarding our natural world:
- Nature moves with the climate: As climate patterns shift, so will nature. Proving habitat connectivity and chances for adaptation will help allow species and habitats to survive.
- Help nature protect herself: Improve forest and other habitat resilience.
Safeguarding California – what science and lawmakers can do:
- Knowing the real impacts: Sound science will highlight risks, and help provide a path to solutions.
- Help is on the way: Assess adequacy of emergency responders.
- Better together: Collaborate with federal and local government.
Download the draft Safeguarding California Plan at http://resources.ca.gov/climate_adaptation/docs/Safeguarding_California_Public_Draft_Dec-10.pdf .
For more information about California’s efforts to safeguard the state from a changing climate and to find out how to comment on the plan, please visit http://resources.ca.gov/climate_adaptation/ .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission this week is set to hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would satisfy state law regarding incentives for creating affordable housing in the city.
The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The ordinance would amend the municipal code and add provisions for density bonuses and affordable housing incentives in accordance with state density bonus laws, and help the city implement affordable housing goals in its housing element, according to city Planning Services Manager Andrew Britton.
In his report, Britton noted that the proposed ordinance will satisfy a requirement of the city’s housing element and bring the city into compliance with current state housing laws related to density bonus provisions and related incentives.
Britton's report also notes, “Adoption of the proposed ordinance would not impose any requirements on the City that are not already required under State law. Furthermore, it would not grant developers any notable incentives beyond those to which they are already entitled under State law. The primary purpose of adopting a local density bonus ordinance is to establish review procedures and ensure that the provisions are implemented in a manner that is consistent with the City’s own zoning processes.”
Another benefit of adoption, Britton reported, is that it will help qualify Lakeport for a streamlined review of the updated general plan housing element.
No fiscal impacts are anticipated as a result of the proposed modifications to the zoning
ordinance, according to Britton's report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two local families impacted by recent tragedies are the focus of new online fundraisers.
Fundraisers on Go Fund Me have been set up for the wife and children of Brandon Helmer, 26, of Kelseyville, who was killed in a vehicle crash last Saturday, and for Kelsey Saunders and her boyfriend, whose home recently was destroyed by fire.
Brandon Helmer was the sole provider for his family, which includes wife Katie, three young daughters and a baby due next June, according to the fundraiser page created by family members, http://www.gofundme.com/5nt0ro .
The couple recently purchased a home and Katie Helmer homeschools their children, based on the report from family members.
The fundraiser for the Helmer family has a $50,000 goal.
Arlene Green set up an online fundraiser at http://www.gofundme.com/5n055k for one of her foster children, Kelsey Saunders of Clearlake, who along with her boyfriend recently lost all of her belongings when their rental home burned.
They're currently staying in a camper on someone else's property, which isn't an ideal situation, especially because of the winter temperatures. Green said the goal is to get them back into a home as soon as possible.
Green set a $1,000 goal to help raise first, last and a utilities deposit for the couple. By Monday night she had raised just over $700.
Donations of household items – dishes, pots and pans, small appliances and toiletries – and clothing also are welcome, said Green. Clothing sizes are women's pants, 1 through 3; shirts in size small; shoes in sizes 7 through 7 and a ½ ; and men's pants 36 32, shirts XXL, and shoes 11 through 12.
Green said donations can be sent to Saunders in care of the Clearlake Youth Center, 14750 Golf Ave. in Clearlake; or to Green at 3144 Eighth St. in Clearlake.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A former sheriff’s deputy was sentenced on Monday to six months in the county jail for trafficking in prescription pills.
Eric Van Mendonca, 43, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years' probation, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe.
In October Mendonca reached an agreement with the District Attorney's Office in which he pleaded no contest to two counts of possession of hydrocodone for purpose of sale, as Lake County News has reported.
Mendonca's June arrest in the case was the result of a Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force investigation.
Investigators found that Mendonca had accumulated approximately 17,540 prescription pills between March 2009 and this past February, using multiple prescriptions and “doc shopping” in order to obtain the pills.
Mendonca formerly served as a Lake County Sheriff's deputy, leaving the agency about a decade ago. He also previously was a Petaluma Police officer.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Local and state fire agencies will conduct live fire training with California State Parks on Thursday, Dec. 12, at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
The control burn and fire training will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The training will occur between the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park main entrance road at Anderson Ranch Parkway and Cache Creek along Highway 53.
California State Parks will coordinate with local and state agencies to control invasive plant species. The fuel to be burned is grass and light brush.
The public may still see and/or smell smoke from the city of Clearlake, Lower Lake, Highway 53 and other outlying areas on Clear Lake.
During this training, firefighters will participate in mobile attack, progressive hoselays, handline construction, firing operations, fire shelter deployment, fire suppression tactics and strategies, as well as overall fire and public safety.