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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Lake County Sheriff’s Investigations Unit has resulted in three arrests and the seizure of marijuana and multiple firearms.
Deputies arrested Clearlake Oaks residents James Edward Kinyon, 49, and his wife Cindy Laudero, 56, and 34-year-old Luther Wayne Hill, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
Last Saturday, Sept. 21, at approximately 2 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a report of a robbery which occurred on Round Mountain Road in Clearlake Oaks. Brooks said the victim told deputies he was riding an all terrain vehicle on his friend’s property which is in the 1100 block of Round Mountain Road.
The victim explained that the ATV broke down near a neighboring property line, so he started to walk to his friend’s house to get assistance with the ATV, Brooks said.
While walking to his friend’s house, the victim was confronted by a male suspect, later identified as Kinyon, who allegedly pointed a handgun at the victim and ordered him to get down on the ground, according to Brooks.
An unidentified male suspect, who was in possession of two handguns, joined Kinyon. Brooks said the victim told deputies that both Kinyon and the unidentified suspect began to violently beat him as he lay on the ground.
The suspects allegedly stole the victim’s jacket and wallet and threatened to kill him and his family. Brooks said the suspects told the victim that his ATV was now theirs and told him to stand up and run away. The victim said he ran away and as he did, both suspects shot at him multiple times, missing him. Further investigation showed Kinyon was a convicted felon and was not allowed to possess firearms.
Detectives then took over the investigation and contacted Kinyon this past Monday, Sept. 23. Brooks said that during the contact, Kinyon turned over the property he had taken from the victim and admitted to assaulting him.
Kinyon claimed he assaulted the victim because he found him near one of his marijuana grows and believed the victim was going to steal from him. Brooks said Kinyon also admitted to possessing a firearm during the assault, but claimed it would not be found if detectives were to attempt to search his property. In addition, Kinyon admitted to hiring armed subjects to protect his marijuana plants.
On Wednesday, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Kinyon related to the robbery and assault. Brooks said detectives also were able to secure a search warrant for Kinyon, his residence and his vehicles.
On Thursday at approximately 6:30 a.m., the Sheriff’s General Crimes Detectives and narcotics detectives served the search warrant at Kinyon’s residence, which Brooks said is located in the 800 block of Round Mountain Road in Clearlake Oaks.
Detectives from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office were assisted by Drug Enforcement Administration agents, the California Highway Patrol, the Mendocino County SWAT Team and the Lake County SWAT Team with the service of the search warrant, Brooks said.
Kinyon and Laudero were located and detained without incident near the main residence on Kinyon’s property. During the search detectives located and detained Hill, who was working for Kinyon, inside a tent in one of Kinyon’s marijuana plots. Hill was found to be in possession of three loaded firearms, which were seized as evidence, Brooks said.
During the search of Kinyon’s residence, detectives located and seized a handgun and ammunition. A rifle and assorted ammunition were located and seized in various locations throughout Kinyon’s property, according to Brooks.
Brooks said a total of 208 marijuana plants and several pounds of processed marijuana were located and seized from Kinyon’s property. The investigation revealed that the marijuana was being cultivated for sales.
Kinyon was taken into custody for the arrest warrant related to the robbery case, which included robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, terrorist threats, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and the willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, Brooks said.
Brooks said Laudero and Hill were arrested for the cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales and for being armed in the commission of a felony.
A separate case charging Kinyon with the marijuana grow and related crimes will be submitted to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Brooks said.
All three suspects were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, according to Brooks.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Seaplanes came buzzing into Lakeport on Friday to take part in the annual Clear Lake Splash-in.
The event runs through Sunday at the old Natural High School property in the 800 block of N. Main Street.
The splash-in is billed as the biggest event of its kind in the Western United States.
See some highlights from Friday's arrivals in the video above by John Jensen.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – “Lake County Live!” returns to the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport on Sunday, Sept. 29.
The local variety show begins at 6 p.m. and will again be broadcast live on Lake County Community Radio KPFZ 88.1 FM.
“We had a technical failure last month, and the show was not broadcast,” said show creator and host Doug Rhoades. “We had a great show in the theater, but a simple phone cord malfunction at the studio prevented the show from being aired. We've corrected the problem, so we're good to go in the theater and on the radio at 6 p.m. this coming Sunday.”
September's show is partnered with the Famous Musician's Organ Bash, featuring the Hammond Cheese Combo, Steve Lucky and Carmen Getit, Wendy Dewitt, Kirk Harwood plus Paul Kemp and Machiko.
Additional entertainment features the return of the Ladies of the Lake, a visit with a pirate, a celebration of the Pear Festival and more.
After Lake County Live! the Organ Bash will continue with its own presentation at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for both shows are $20, or $5 for Lake County Live only and $15 for the Organ Bash only.
Tickets are available at the theater box office on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and at the Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
For more information on Lake County Live! go to www.facebook.com/lakecountylive .
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Lake is amongst 55 California counties that will receive a financial award as the result of a settlement this week in a lawsuit against Rite Aid.
On Tuesday San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda L. Lofthus ordered Rite Aid Corp. to pay more than $12.3 million to settle a civil lawsuit alleging that some 600 California Rite Aid stores unlawfully handled and disposed of hazardous materials.
Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson said the county will receive around $3,500. It has one Rite Aid store, located in Clearlake.
In neighboring Mendocino County, where there are four stores, District Attorney David Eyster reported that Rite Aid will pay $8,000 in civil penalties to the Mendocino County’s Environmental Health Division and a matching $8,000 in civil penalties to the District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney’s funds are earmarked for use in the enforcement of consumer protection laws.
“I applaud our environmental investigators and prosecutors working locally and across the state for their ongoing and deep commitment to keeping our communities healthy and for holding violators accountable for crimes against the environment,” Eyster said.
The judgment marks the culmination of a joint environmental protection lawsuit filed earlier this month in Stockton.
The suit originally was filed by the district attorneys of Los Angeles, San Joaquin and Riverside counties, which later were joined by two city attorneys and 52 California district attorneys – Lake and Mendocino – behalf of their cities and counties, respectively.
The case originated from an investigation by several local environmental health agencies acting independently in different counties during the fall of 2009.
The investigation expanded when prosecutors, investigators and environmental regulators statewide came together to conduct a series of waste inspections at Rite Aid facilities and at landfills throughout California.
The inspections revealed that during a six-and-a-half year period Rite Aid transported hazardous waste, disposing of it in local landfills.
The hazardous products allegedly discarded included pesticides, bleach, paint, aerosols, automotive products and solvents, pharmaceutical and bio hazardous wastes and other toxic, ignitable and corrosive materials.
Under the final judgment, Rite Aid must pay $10.35 million in civil penalties and costs. Additionally, the Camp Hill, Pennsylvania-based company must fund several environmental projects that further consumer protection and environmental enforcement in California.
Rite Aid is now bound under the terms of a permanent injunction prohibiting the retailer from committing future violations.
Throughout the course of the environmental prosecution, Rite Aid has cooperated with prosecutors and investigators, and has to adopted enhanced policies and procedures designed to eliminate the disposal of hazardous waste products in California.
Moving forward, stores will be required to retain their hazardous waste in segregated, labeled containers so as to minimize the risk of exposure to employees and customers and to ensure that incompatible wastes do not combine to cause dangerous chemical reactions.
California Rite Aid stores now work with state-registered haulers to document, collect and properly dispose of hazardous waste produced through damage, spills and returns.
Rite Aid also has implemented a computerized scanning system and other environmental training to manage its waste.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Horse Council joins the Kelseyville Pear Festival this Saturday, Sept. 28, with live equine demonstrations and displays for the whole family.
This year’s venue will be located right on Main Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, next to the Kelseyville Fire Department.
Visitors can see nearly a dozen breeds of horses up close and talk to their owners about horse care, recreation and their unique personalities.
Demonstrations are scheduled in the round pen from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including authentic mustang and Azteca horses, the lively stepping Tennessee Walking Horse, the Lake County Horse Council president’s own registered palomino Morgan, and the elegant Gypsy Vanner, handled by Joy and Jocelyn Bennett, Lake County’s own rodeo queens.
In addition to live horse demonstrations, a veterinarian will be on hand to demonstrate taking vital signs signs of a horse and a barefoot trimmer will show how to take care of horse feet without shoes.
There will be a kid’s corral for children to climb on saddles, play games and take home special prizes.
The Lake County Horse Council will hold a raffle during the event to help raise money to cover the expenses of the event and ensure its inclusion in future festivals.
Raffle prizes include tickets to the annual Lake County Rodeo Dinner and Dance and the 2014 Lake County Rodeo.
This year’s event is sponsored by John’s Market of Kelseyville, Lake County Farm Bureau, Lake County Rodeo Association and Ag Unlimited.
The Lake County Horse Council is a nonprofit membership driven organization that was founded in 2009. Its mission is to promote the equine industry and recreation in Lake County, and the group hosts educational events and partnerships with other horse organizations in the area.
Find out more at www.LakeCountyHorseCouncil.com or call 707 245-9091.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As both chambers of Congress discuss federal spending for the next fiscal year, a group of Northern California members sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior requesting specific information on past and future federal funding for the proposed Peripheral Tunnel project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The letter’s signatories also expressed strong concerns about the plan’s impact on Northern California’s economy.
The group has met with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell previously. In this letter, they requested another meeting with the secretary to discuss federal funding “to get an update from the agencies on their current work relating to” the Delta Tunnels project and to discuss how to find a more sustainable future for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
“By raising questions on the proposed $5 billion cost to the American taxpayer of the Delta Tunnels project, this letter is part of a productive dialogue on meeting California’s water needs. I have made clear the major flaws of the current plan. I look forward to continued discussion with Secretary Jewell about approaches that would meet the needs of all state residents, especially water conservation, recycling, and storage, respect for water rights, and strengthened flood protection,” said Congressman John Garamendi (CA-3), a former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior.
“At a time when budgets are tight, we need to closely examine every dollar we spend. We’ve seen reports that show the proposed BDCP is not a workable solution to California’s water challenges. It’s rushed, not based on sound science, and hurts wildlife, sportsmen, farmers, fishers and small business owners. Until we have a transparent plan that is developed with all the stakeholders at the table, it would be reckless and wasteful to spend a single cent on a project that puts thousands of jobs at risk and could devastate the Delta and north-of-Delta communities,” said Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-5).
“As the BDCP moves forward, serious questions need to be answered about where the federal government would find the billions needed to pay for the BDCP plan. Due to our nation’s fiscal and political climate, the federal budget has seen deep cuts over the past few years, and we continue to see devastating cuts with sequestration. Critical infrastructure projects across the country are going unfunded because of the federal budget problems. Spending billions on the BDCP, which is headed in the wrong direction for California and especially those of us north of the Delta, just doesn't make sense,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06).
“We already know that Gov. Brown’s proposed plan for the Delta will devastate the region and is not based on sound science. It will cost California residents billions of dollars, and does not ensure a reliable water supply for all of California. Until we have a solution that is based on an effective cost-benefit analysis and sound science, and that will not harm our most precious water resource, the governor should not be rushing forward with his plan. The people of California deserve no less, and the people in the Delta region who stand to have their livelihoods decimated must be heard. With the potential investment of federal funding, the taxpayers of this country also deserve to know how much of their money will be dedicated to this project,” said Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-9).
“The governor’s BDCP financing plan makes too many assumptions about an enormously expensive project. It’s not reasonable for them to assume that other federal priorities will be pushed aside to finance a plan that does not create new water from local resources, does not include sufficient input from all stakeholders, and has been roundly criticized by federal and state agencies for being based on unsound science. Taxpayers deserve honest answers about where the money to finance this project will come from and what programs and regions will suffer as a result. I look forward to having that discussion with Secretary Jewell,” said Congressman George Miller (CA-11).
“I’ve consistently been concerned about the rush to implement the Bay Delta Conservation Plan before we look at all of our alternatives. Water is critical to California, and we must find a comprehensive, long-term solution that is based on sound science and doesn’t put south-of-delta interests ahead of everyone in or north-of-delta. In addition to those concerns, we must also understand how we’ll pay for any plan before committing to it. I’m very concerned about the availability of the substantial federal funds it could require to complete BDCP, and hope to discuss those costs with Secretary Jewell,” said Congressman Ami Bera (CA-7).
Text of the letter follows:
September 20, 2013
The Honorable Sally Jewell
Secretary
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20003
Dear Secretary Jewell:
We write today to ask for information regarding federal funding for the ongoing Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) as proposed by California’s Governor Jerry Brown. Together with the California Department of Water Resources and Natural Resources Agency and a variety of other state and local agencies and organizations, the Governor has been working on this plan for over 6 years in an attempt to bring stability to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. However, we have strong concerns with not only the plan itself, but also with the availability of the necessary funding to complete the plan in its current form, which would require close to $4 billion from the federal government.
We have several questions regarding past and potentially future funding for the project:
1) How much federal money has your department spent thus far on the development of BDCP since the Memorandum of Agreement was signed in 2006? It is our understanding that some of the funding has come through CALFED’s Interim Federal Action Plan for the Bay-Delta, but we would like to know the specific accounts and amounts spent including and beyond CALFED. Has any additional money been spent to pay contractors to assist in the development of the BDCP, if yes, who are the contractors and how much were they paid?
2) The BDCP recently released financing documents for the plan and projected the amount of federal funding needed to complete the project. We are concerned that the substantial increases in federal spending that would be required under BDCP’s financing plan may not be realistic given the ongoing funding constraints at DOI. As you know, the House Appropriations Committee’s draft FY 2014 Interior/Environment funding bill would provide $2.9 billion less than the fiscal 2013 enacted level, and $4.3 billion less than competing legislation in the Senate. Given these financial realities, have you discussed the proposed funding with the California state government to determine the feasibility of meeting the needs they have listed in Chapter 8? How is the funding expected to be spread out over the 50-year period and how much is likely to be required up front or in the early years?
3) We are also extremely concerned that providing the level of funding requested for the BDCP could result in inadequate funding for critical water supply and fish and wildlife habitat programs. As such, do you anticipate a significant drop in funding needs for other activities in coming years? If so, what specific needs do you believe will diminish? Do you anticipate being able to achieve the fish doubling goal under the 20+-year old Central Valley Project Improvement Act, which has not yet been achieved, while dedicating significant funds to the BDCP? If you do not expect such a drop in funding needs, do you expect to have adequate budgetary flexibility in the years ahead to maintain adequate funding for other activities while providing for a substantial increase in funding for BDCP-related programs? Also, will the proposed level of funding affect environmental restoration projects outside the BDCP project area? Please be specific.
4) Finally, we would like to request a meeting to discuss your responses to these questions and to get an update from the agencies on their current work relating to BDCP.
We look forward to hearing from you and to our continued work as California tries to find a solution for a more sustainable future for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Please contact Elizabeth Crow, Senior Policy Advisor for Congressman Garamendi, at (202) 225-1880 to arrange the meeting or if you need additional information.
Sincerely,
JOHN GARAMENDI
Member of Congress
GEORGE MILLER
Member of Congress
DORIS MATSUI
Member of Congress
MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
JERRY MCNERNEY
Member of Congress
JARED HUFFMAN
Member of Congress
AMI BERA
Member of Congress