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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Windsor woman died last week following a single-vehicle crash in Glenn County.
Ginger F. Beebe, 65, died after her 2000 Ford hit a cement culvert last Friday, according to a Monday report from the California Highway Patrol's Willows office.
At 4:10 p.m. Friday Beebe was driving on County Road Y south of County Road 63 near the community of Glenn at an undetermined speed when, for reasons yet to be determined, the front of her vehicle hit a cement culvert, the CHP said.
Beebe's vehicle rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, coming to rest in the southbound lane of County Road Y, facing in a southwesterly direction, according to the report.
The CHP said Beebe, who was transported to Glenn Medical Center, later died.
The report said Beebe was using her safety equipment.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Kelseyville man who the US Attorney's Office has charged for a January murder made his latest court appearance last week, unsuccessfully attempting to dismiss his attorney and objecting to prosecutors' request for additional time that a judge granted.
Last Friday, Jonathan Antonio Mota, 31 – who remains in federal custody – appeared in a San Francisco courtroom with his attorney, Richard Mazer, for a 78-minute hearing before District Court Judge Jon S. Tigar.
In June federal prosecutors secured an indictment against Mota for the murder of 33-year-old Kelseyville resident Forrest Seagrave, as Lake County News has reported.
Mota is accused of entering the Mt. Konocti Gas and Mart in Main Street in Kelseyville late on the night of Friday, Jan. 18, to rob the store.
It's there that it's alleged Mota shot Seagrave, a longtime store employee, before fleeing on foot. Seagrave died later that night.
Mota is charged with use or possession of a firearm in a murder, use or possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery affecting interstate commerce and felon in possession of a firearm.
On Friday, Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn Haun successfully moved for an exclusion of time through Nov. 15 under the Speedy Trial Act, citing the prosecution's complexity and the need to give the defense adequate time to prepare, according to court records.
Since Mota's previous appearance in court on Friday, July 12, federal prosecutors have produced 4,744 pages of discovery – including police reports – with several thousand more pages of discovery, phone records “and days worth of video surveillance” said to be forthcoming, the hearing record stated.
While Mota didn't agree with the US Attorney's Office's request for more time, Judge Tigar nonetheless granted the motion, ruling the time through Nov. 15 was excluded from the time limits calculated under the Speedy Trial Act.
The act requires that criminal defendants in federal prosecutions be brought to trial within 70 days of either an indictment or first appearance in court, according to the statute.
Mota also made an ex parte motion for substitution of counsel, with a 41-minute portion of his appearance set aside for a confidential hearing on the motion, with only Mota, Mazer and the judge present. Tigar ultimately denied Mota's motion, according to court records.
With Mota's counsel informing the court of pending filings – including motions to suppress and dismiss – Tigar set a briefing schedule that will see motions for both sides filed over the next three months, with a nonevidentiary hearing set for Oct. 25, according to the hearing's minutes.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The state's unemployment rate showed a slight improvement in June while Lake County's rolled upward.
The Employment Development Department's latest report on unemployment put Lake County's June rate at 12 percent, up from 11.6 percent in May and 14.5 percent in June 2012. The county ranked No. 46 overall for its June numbers.
At the same time, California's overall June unemployment rate was 8.5 percent, down slightly from 8.6 percent in May and down from the 10.6 percent in June 2012, according to the report.
The Employment Development Department said nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,648,700 in June, an increase of 30,200 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-to-year change – June 2012 to June 2013 – showed an increase of 253,900 jobs, up 1.8 percent.
A federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed people. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in June was 17,054,000, an increase of 19,000 from May 2013, and up 548,000 from the employment total in June of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California was 1,592,000, down by 16,000 over the month, and down by 373,000 compared with June of last year.
Nationwide, unemployment was 7.6 percent in June, the same rate as in May, but down from 8.2 percent in June 2012, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lake County's civilian workforce numbered 25,550 in June, up from 24,860 in May but down from 26,220 in June 2012, based on state statistics.
Amongst Lake County's industries, the total farm category had a 46.7 percent increase in June thanks to the agricultural season, increasing from 1,070 jobs in May to 1,570 in June, the report noted.
Leisure and hospitality increased 7.8 percent, or 80 jobs, rising to 1,110, and information increased by 10 jobs to a total of 170 jobs, or 6.3 percent, the report said.
The only decline took place in educational and health services, which dropped by 10 to a total of 2,290 jobs, or a 0.4 percent decrease, while manufacturing, durable goods, wholesale trade, professional and business services, federal government and state government all showed no change, based on the data.
The state report showed that Marin had the lowest unemployment rate in June, 5.1 percent, and Imperial had the highest, 23.6 percent.
Lake's neighboring counties registered the following unemployment rates for June, according to the Employment Development Department: Colusa, No. 57, 15.8 percent; Glenn, No. 48, 12.1 percent; Mendocino, No. 13, 7.4 percent; Napa, No. 4, 5.8 percent; Sonoma, No. 8, 6.7 percent; and Yolo, No. 23, 8.5 percent.
In related data, the Employment Development Department reported that there were 445,971 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the June survey week, compared with 479,718 last month and 483,445 last year.
New claims for unemployment insurance numbered 66,122 in June, compared with 54,526 in May and 66,296 in June 2012, the state said.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Young cats and kittens are waiting for adoption this week at Lake County Animal Care and Control.
Several cats are waiting for adoption, in addition to those pictured here, which include a young tuxedo cat and two tabbies, one orange, one gray.
Animal Care and Control has several additional kittens up for new homes that do not yet have pictured available.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped 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 there, hoping you'll choose them.
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Domestic short hair mix
This female domestic short hair mix is 2 years old.
She has blue eyes, a gray and white coat, and she’s been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 13, ID No. 36676.
Female domestic short hair kitten
This female domestic short hair kitten is 5 months old.
She has a short black and white coat and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 53b, ID No. 36863.
Orange tabby
This male orange tabby is 3 years old.
He has a medium-length coat and gold eyes, weighs almost 11 pounds and has been altered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 61, ID No. 36800.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
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.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Sunday morning crash near Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County left one man dead and injured seven others – including several Boy Scouts on their way to camp.
The crash, involving five vehicles, occurred at 11:10 a.m. on Highway 20 west of Potter Valley Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A 55-year-old man from Newcastle, Calif. – reported to be a Boy Scout troop leader taking members to camp in Willits – was killed and five Boy Scouts traveling with him in his 2003 Honda Odyssey, including his own son, were injured, the CHP said.
Two other drivers, Eugene E. Galletti, 73, of Redwood Valley, and 67-year-old Joan D. Schmidt of Potter Valley, had minor injuries, according to the CHP report, while no injuries were sustained by the two other drivers, Randall K. Johnson, 51, of Ukiah, and Andrew L. Rivas, 22, of Lincoln.
The collision also resulted in an hours-long closure of Highway 20 as emergency personnel responded and the CHP investigated the crash, according to officials.
The CHP said Galletti was driving his 2006 Ford F-250 pickup eastbound on Highway 20 in the No. 1 lane approaching Potter Valley when he failed to realize that Schmidt, who was ahead of him, was almost at a complete stop in her 2011 Toyota Sequoia.
Schmidt was stopping for Johnson, who was preparing to make a lefthand turn in his 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup into a private driveway on the north side of Highway 20, the CHP said.
Johnson had stopped for westbound traffic with his signal activated, directly ahead of Schmidt. The CHP said Galletti’s pickup hit Schmidt’s Sequoia, pushing it forward into the rear of the Interstate trailer that Johnson was towing.
The CHP said it was after that initial impact that Galletti’s Ford pickup was thrown into the westbound lane, where it collided head-on with the Odyssey filled with Boy Scouts members. The Odyssey had been traveling in the No. 1 westbound lane at 55 miles per hour.
Both Galletti’s pickup and the Odyssey spun out, with the pickup stopping in a position where the CHP said it blocked the eastbound lane.
The Odyssey spun into the No. 2 westbound lane and was hit by Rivas’ 2005 Dodge 2500 pickup, which was pulling an Aljo camp trailer, the CHP said.
Rivas’ truck went to the right side of Highway 20, where the trailer struck the guardrail and came to rest, the CHP said.
The Odyssey ultimately came to rest facing south in the No. 1 westbound lane, according to the CHP.
The Odyssey’s driver was declared dead at the scene, while his 14-year-old son was flown to Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland with major injuries. A 17-year-old male juvenile from Newcastle who was in the Odyssey, who also had major injuries, was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the CHP said.
Other passengers inside the Odyssey transported to hospitals included 18-year-old Anthony Marlatte of Auburn, who had major injuries; 12-year-old Ayden Danovaro of Auburn, with minor injuries; and 17-year-old Garret Boswell of Auburn, taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with moderate injuries, the CHP said.
Galletti and Schmidt were transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. The CHP said Johnson and Rivas were uninjured.
Dennis White of Ukiah, 52, who was Johnson’s passenger; 22-year-old Travis D. Johnson of Ukiah, riding with Galletti; and Rivas’ passengers, 21-year-old Brittany M. Ragoshke of Lincoln and 51-year-old Tammy Rivas of Lincoln, all were uninjured, the CHP said.
All 14 people traveling in the five vehicles were using their safety equipment, the CHP said.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters are warning of the potential for thunderstorms over Northern California over the next several days.
On Sunday afternoon the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement that’s in effect until further notice for areas of Northern California, including Lake County.
Forecasters are predicting an increased chance of thunderstorms through the middle of this week.
The National Weather Service warned of possible thunderstorms developing Sunday evening over the Sierra Nevada and Tahoe areas and then moving south.
From Monday through Wednesday, potential for the storms is expected to increase across all of the Sierras, the Southern Cascades and the coastal mountain ranges, with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms also in the foothills and Central Valley, according to the forecast.
The specific forecast for Lake County through Thursday predicts highs in the 90s with nighttime lows in the 60s and light winds.
While the week is expected to be mostly clear, on Tuesday there is a 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., forecasters said.
On Friday, temperatures are expected to top out at around the century mark, according to the forecast.
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